The sun had finally dipped below the horizon, leaving the streets bathed in the dim glow of the city’s flickering mana lamps.

Hajin walked at a steady pace with Juna close beside him, letting out a slow breath before pulling up the stream panel in the corner of his vision.

The screen was completely flooded, notification sounds pinging rapidly as the viewers reacted to the exam results.

[ CringeSlayer91 donated 5,000 Credits! ]

[ CringeSlayer91:] LETS GOOOOO RANKER HAJIN IN THE BUILDING

[ ShadowMage44 donated 2,000 Credits! ]

[ ShadowMage44:] broke the guild’s most expensive artifact and got away with it lmao. legendary.

[ DarkBlade donated 1,000 Credits! ]

[ DarkBlade:] congrats man, you actually earned that one.

[ NewViewer_02 donated 500 Credits! ]

[ NewViewer_02:] putting those two stuck up girls in their place was so satisfying to watch

He watched the numbers tick up while his credit balance expanded significantly, but just as he was about to close the panel, a bright, highlighted message pinned itself to the top of the chat.

[ ashley (Mod) donated 10,000 Credits! ]

[ ashley (Mod):] I’m so incredibly proud of you, Hajin! You handled that entire situation perfectly, even Sable and Elise. You’ve grown so much.

He paused, a faint, genuine smile pulling at the corner of his mouth as he read her message. Ashley had consistently been dropping helpful advice and moderating the absolute chaos of the chat, making her feel less like a faceless viewer and more like an actual ally.

"Thanks, Ashley," he muttered quietly, keeping his voice low enough so the passing crowd wouldn’t think he was talking to himself. "I wouldn’t have known how to handle Sable without your advice back there."

[ ashley (Mod):] That’s what I’m here for! 😊

He kept walking with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Hey," he started, a sudden wave of curiosity hitting him. "What exactly is your life like over there on Earth?"

The chat instantly froze for a split second before Ashley’s response popped up.

[ ashley (Mod):] My life? It’s... pretty boring, honestly. I work a regular desk job in a city, sit in front of a computer all day, and go home to an empty apartment. It’s safe, but sometimes it feels like nothing ever really happens. Watching your stream is the most exciting part of my day.

He blinked, trying to imagine a world where people just sat at desks all day without constantly worrying about a high-shard Gate appearing or a mutated anomaly tearing their city apart.

"Sounds peaceful," he replied, a hint of genuine appreciation in his voice. "Must be nice not having to sleep with one eye open."

The rest of the chat immediately exploded in a wave of bright yellow text.

[ CringeSlayer91:] WOAH WOAH WOAH HE IS IGNORING US

[ ShadowMage44:] bro is seriously rizzing up the mod on main

[ DarkBlade:] hey I donated too man, ask about my life!

[ NewViewer_02:] mod favoritism is real SMH

He let out a short laugh at the sheer jealousy scrolling across the screen, shaking his head. "Relax, I appreciate all of you. It’s just—"

The laugh died in his throat, replaced by a sudden, violent chill that shot straight down his spine.

The air around him suddenly felt thick and oily, carrying a distinct, repulsive scent that smelled like rotting meat and his hand instantly dropped from his pocket to the hilt of his sword.

Beside him, Juna froze at the exact same moment. Her ears pinned flat against her head and her tail going rigid while the fur on the back of her neck stood straight up.

She let out a low, dangerous growl, her claws sliding out as she scanned the dim alleyways branching off the main street.

"You feel that?" he whispered, his eyes darting toward the dark spaces between the buildings.

She nodded once, her eyes narrowing into feral slits. "It feels disgusting."

A second later, the system flashed in his vision, glowing with a harsh red warning border.

[ System Alert ]

[ Demonic Mana Detected Nearby ]

[ Threat Level: Hostile ] 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

’Demonic mana,’ he thought, his grip tightening on his sword.

Whoever or whatever was out there, it wasn’t a normal monster. Demonic energy was incredibly rare, and if an agent of the Underworld King or some mutated anomaly was tracking him right outside the guild, it meant things were about to escalate far beyond a simple street fight.

He glanced at Juna, noting the tension coiled tight in her muscles. She was ready to tear apart whatever came out of the shadows, but he didn’t want her involved in this just yet.

If this was tied to the Flint family and the Underworld King’s agents, keeping his trump card hidden was the smarter play, plus he had a new ring spirit he needed to test out.

"Head back to the inn," he ordered, his voice flat and absolute.

Juna’s head snapped toward him, her eyes wide with sheer disbelief. "What? No! I am staying right here!"

"Juna," he said, turning fully to face her. "Go back."

"I am a Lunar Vanguard now!" she argued, taking a step toward him with her claws fully extended. "I am stronger than before, and I am not leaving you alone to fight something that smells so dangerous!"

He didn’t yell or raise his voice, instead, he just looked at her, his eyes completely calm but carrying an immovable weight that demanded obedience.

"I know you’re stronger," he said quietly, holding her gaze. "But I need you to trust me on this. I will handle this one. Just go back to the room and rest."

She stared at him, her chest heaving with agitated breaths while her ears twitched erratically. She wanted to fight, every single instinct in her beastkin blood was screaming at her to protect him, but the absolute certainty in his eyes made her hesitate.

For a few long, tense seconds, neither of them moved.

Finally, she let out a frustrated huff, retracting her claws as her shoulders dropped.

"If you die," she muttered, glaring at him with a mix of anger and genuine worry. "I will literally kill you myself."

"Deal," he replied, a faint smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

[ CringeSlayer91:] the "if you die I’ll kill you" line is so cheesy lmao but she makes it work

She turned around and stalked off down the street toward the inn, her tail thrashing angrily behind her.

Once she disappeared into the crowd, he let his smirk fade entirely, turning his attention back to the dark alleyway to his right.

The oily, suffocating presence was getting closer.

He stepped off the main road and walked straight into the shadows, his thumb resting lightly on the guard of his sword while the ring on his pinky began to pulse.