Chapter 1:

  Alex checked through his inventory, and found an empty bottle, and 10 packs of rations. Alex wanting to explore this new city,set off into the darkest street he could find. While Alex was walking, he found out that the layout of this city was similar to a regular city, in that there was no uniform order. Alex, now lost, had to find his way to the shooting range, because he wanted to get training as soon as he could, for the 4 weeks he was stuck inside the city boundaries.

  Alex started to run towards the training hall, but accidentally bumped into some NPCs, an old man and his grandson. After hurriedly apologizing, he wanted to get to the training hall as fast as possible. But was blocked in his path by the grandson, who pointed a gun at his head.

  “Wait.”

  Alex was told to wait with a gun at his head while the old man got up and said:

  “Young man, where are you going in a hurry? If you are that energetic, can you deliver something for me as payment for knocking me over?”

  [Quest accepted]

  “What?!”

  Alex was confused and angry at the old man, if he had a gun in his hands, he probably would have attacked him right on the street. But, as he had a gun next to his head, he calmed down and waited for the old man to finish what he was saying.

  “I am an old man now, and unable to walk long distances. If you would deliver this package to Commander George, in the Dark Shadows’ base just around the block, it would be very helpful.”

  Alex nodded his head and took the package, before slowly backing away, never turning his back on them. Right before he left, the old man called out,

  “By the way, my name is David. But be careful how you tell him it’s from me, or you may end up as a splat on of the road.”

  Alex, after taking those words to heart, continued to back away, and then, he started to walk to the Dark Shadows’ base.

  When he arrived at the base, which was made out of dark marble, yet didn’t reflect any light at all, all he saw was a building made of shadows, with a door that wasn’t able to be seen, if you didn’t look closely.

  He walked into the base, full of people equipped with combat gear, and carrying guns.

  A soldier suddenly appeared through the wall and asked,

  “What is a chump like you doing here? We don’t accept any half-assed basterds into our unit.”

  Alex replied, “ I’m here to deliver a package to Commander George.”

  The Rude Soldier started to shake and quiver after just hearing his name, and he just barely managed to reply,

  “H-H-He w-will be up in his o-o-office”

  Alex did not know where to go, and started to walk to the nearest map to find out where his office was. Fear was gathering in his body after seeing the soldier, who looked as if he killed babies in his sleep, reduced to a shaking, crying kid who got looked like someone had stolen all of his candy.

  Alex located where Commander George’s office was on the map, and then despaired. It was on the 100th floor, but right underneath the number of 100, there was a message that said: “No elevator access. Must take stairs from floor 1.”

  Alex, resigned to his fate, started to walk on up the stairs to the 100th floor.

  When he reached the 50th floor, a stat window popped up.

  [Stamina has permanently increased by 1]

  [Agility has permanently increased by 1]

  [Vitality has permanently increased by 1]

  Alex was too tired to notice the stat window, and continue to mindlessly walk up the stairs.

  By the time he reached the top, his Stamina had increased by 10, Agility by 20, Strength by 5 and Vitality by 5.

  Once he was at the top, he saw a man who had broad shoulders, and was more muscular than a bodybuilder. Around him, shadows would swirl, and sometimes, he would disappear from sight. On his desk, Alex saw a dark gun made entirely out of shadows.

  Alex received a fear debuff just from looking at the Commander, and as the Commander slowly turned around to face Alex, Alex started to shiver, as the room suddenly dropped in temperature. The Commander asked, “ What is a weakling like you doing in my office.”

  Alex, scared beyond belief, needed to constantly suppress his desire to run away. His legs were shaking under him, and simply remaining calm in the face of this frightening being was impossible. He opened his mouth and barely managed to squeeze out the words, “I-I’m h-h-here t-t-to deliv-v-ver a package.”

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  In a voice that would make bloodthirsty demons run away in fright, he asked,“FROM WHOM?!”

  Alex, who now forgot about everything the old man had said, didn’t remember that he should carefully reveal the sender of the package, and simply told him, “F-F-F-From David s-s-s-sir.

  Then suddenly, the aura of bloodlust and fear disappeared, and the Commander started to laugh.

  “David sent you? He must be laughing his ass off, imagining your reaction to me. So what is in this package?”

  Alex replied, “I don’t know. I was never told the details.”

  As the Commander unraveled the package, he asked Alex if he wanted to train as a Dark Shadow.

  “You must have great potential if you were able to stand your ground against my Aura of Fear. How would you like to train to become a Dark Shadow?”

  Alex thought that he had managed to get a very good offer, and so he answered,

  “Yes.”

  But if you ask him in 5-weeks’ time if he should have accepted, he would probably say something along the lines of, “not even if they threatened to kill me in real life”.

  After he accepted the profession, the shadows on his hand suddenly swirled all around him, and then a bunch of status windows appeared,

  After Alex’s transformation was complete, he had on a completely different outfit, and the shadows swirling on his hands were thicker and were now swirling around his wrists as well. But then, he saw the Commander give a wicked smile, and his Aura of Fear was back on. Immediately, Alex started to regret his decision.

  The Commander, now completely different from how he was previously, opened his mouth and said with an evil smile on his face, “ Now that you are one of us, I expect you to finish out the 4 week training course, or we can make sure you never want to live again.”

  And so, Alex’s devilish training began.