DarkSync: Shadow Protocol
Chapter 5: System Points and First Grind
Was I… overconfident in my own power?
I sat in the cold hallway, staring blankly at the ceiling's dim, buzzing lights. That label — E-Rank — echoed in my head like a slap I couldn't block. But I refused to believe it.
Back in the alley, when death closed in… I'd been faster. Stronger. Something ancient and violent had taken hold.
C-Rank… maybe even higher.
I was certain of it.
That power wasn't gone.
It was just sleeping.
Before I could sink deeper into frustration, an examiner approached and pressed a thin black card into my hand.
[HUNTER IDENTIFICATION CARD]
Name: Luo Shen
Age: 17
Date of Birth: June 1, 2044
Rank: E
Simple. Sterile.
No sign of the system inside me.
No hint of the darkness I wielded.
I slipped the card into my pocket and left without a word.
The walk home felt twice as long, my body and mind both drained.
By the time I reached my apartment, the sun had dipped below the skyline, painting the city in long, broken shadows. The door creaked open, and the familiar silence wrapped around me like a worn blanket.
I tossed my jacket aside and dropped onto the edge of my bed, rubbing my face roughly.
"System. Show Interface."
[DARKSYNC INTERFACE — STATUS PANEL]
Name: Luo Shen
Level: 3
Race: Human (Mutated)
Status: Seal 1 Unlocked
DarkSync Rate: 3.2%
Points: 0
"…Points?"
I blinked. That line hadn't been there before.
"System. What are Points?"
[SYSTEM RESPONSE]
Points are the currency of the System Mall.
Earn Points by completing tasks, missions, and special events.
Points can be exchanged for items, upgrades, and enhancements.
"…Wait. There's a shop?"
I sat up straight, alert again.
"Open System Mall."
[SYSTEM ALERT]
You do not meet the requirements to enter the System Mall.
Condition: 10 Points
Current Points: 0
"…You're kidding me."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling sharply.
"Fine. Whatever. How do I earn Points?"
[SYSTEM TASKS AVAILABLE]
Accept Daily Task?
[YES] [NO]
"Yes."
[DAILY TASK — ASSIGNED]
• 100 Push-ups
• 1 Hour Running
• 50 Pull-ups
Time Limit: 24 Hours
Reward: 10 Points
I stared at the list, then at my comfortable bed.
"Well… shit."
The air grew heavy as I forced myself to start.
Push-ups first.
At 30, my arms burned.
At 60, my breath came in ragged gasps.
At 85, I collapsed face-first onto the floor, chest heaving.
"Five minutes… just five minutes."
I leaned against the wall, sweat soaking through my shirt. My heart hammered, but beneath the exhaustion… there was satisfaction.
Real effort. Real grind.
Not a system ambush. Not assassins. Just me.
After a short rest, I finished the set, then headed outside to jog laps around the block for nearly an hour. My legs turned to jelly by the end.
Pull-ups came last.
I found a rusted metal bar on the building's side — not safe, not perfect, but it held.
The final ten were agony.
But I finished them.
[SYSTEM DETECTED: TASK COMPLETE]
Reward: +10 Points
Current Points: 10
A faint, tired smile tugged at my lips. I wiped sweat from my forehead.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
"System. Unlock System Mall."
[SYSTEM MALL UNLOCKED]
10 Points have been deducted.
Current Points: 0
…
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
I nearly punched the wall.
"I just broke my back for those! You take all of them just to unlock the shop?!"
The System stayed silent, cold and unapologetic.
I sighed and leaned back, staring at the cracked ceiling.
"Fine. You want grind? I'll give you grind."
"Let's see what this mall actually has."
I opened the tab with a thought.
The interface shifted — smooth black panels with pulsing violet accents unfolded like a futuristic storefront.
[SYSTEM MALL — ACTIVE]
Categories:
▸ Potions
▸ Skills
▸ Combat Gear
▸ Artifacts
▸ Mystery Crates
▸ ??? (Locked)
One category jumped out immediately: Potions.
I tapped it.
▸ [Body Enhancement Potion] – 120 Points
Permanently increases Strength, Endurance, and Vitality slightly.
▸ [Energy Restoration Capsule] – 40 Points
Instantly restores stamina.
▸ [Minor Healing Serum] – 30 Points
Rapidly heals small wounds.
▸ [Night Sight Extract] – 70 Points
Temporarily boosts dark vision.
▸ [Muscle Stabilizer Injection] – 95 Points
Accelerates physical recovery.
"These prices are ridiculous."
I was about to close the panel in frustration when a new alert pinged.
[SYSTEM GIFT UNLOCKED]
Congratulations on unlocking the System Mall.
You have received:
[1x Body Enhancement Potion]
"…Wait. For real?"
I opened my inventory.
A glowing dark-blue vial floated there, mist swirling inside like liquid shadow.
[Body Enhancement Potion] — Use?
Permanently increases Strength +2, Endurance +2, Vitality +2.
"Use it."
The vial vanished in a soft flash.
My body tensed.
A surge of heat exploded from my chest, spreading through my limbs like liquid lightning — not painful, but raw. Alive.
My muscles tightened. My bones felt denser. I gasped quietly as the power settled in.
[STATS UPDATED]
Strength: 23
Endurance: 21
Vitality: 24
I stood slowly, breathing deeply. The ache from my workout was already fading.
I stretched my shoulders… and froze.
Something felt different.
Not wrong — new.
My limbs felt more balanced. I glanced at the window, and my reflection made me pause.
Even in the dim light, I could see it: my jawline sharper, eyes clearer, posture naturally straight.
The potion hadn't just boosted stats.
It had refined me.
Guess "enhancement" wasn't just about strength.
I sat down and pulled out my beat-up old tablet, logging into HunterNet — the official hub for Hunters, jobs, raids, and dungeon news.
Most high-level content was locked behind rank restrictions: guild announcements, dangerous dungeons, classified ruin expeditions — all out of reach for an E-Rank.
But one listing caught my eye immediately.
[D-Class Dungeon – Support Position Needed]
Location: Sector 9 Ruins
Role: Supply Carrier / Backup
Time: Today, 7:00 PM
Reward: 120 credits
Notes: Must have valid Hunter ID.
"Perfect."
I tapped register, scanning my Hunter card through the screen.
[REGISTRATION COMPLETE]
It was basic work — carrying gear, running backup, staying out of the way.
I didn't care.
I needed to see a real dungeon.
To study it.
To learn.
And maybe…
to test my power again.
I rested until late afternoon, letting my body fully recover. At six, I pulled on my jacket, slung a small backpack over my shoulder, and headed out.
The city blurred into neon and concrete. Dusk painted the ruins in deep purple. The wind smelled of rust and fading mana.
One hour later, I reached the meeting spot.
A broken, dimly lit parking lot at the edge of the old ruins.
A small group of armored figures stood in a loose circle, checking gear and weapons around a metal supply crate.
"This is it."
My first real step into the world of Hunters.