On a bright day filled with sunlight, Sung Jin-WooKaisel New York CityFrom above, the bustling streets were alive with energy; people rushed about, their faces lit with purpose. Jin-Woo looked down, his dragon's presence looming over the city, feeling the pulse of life below. He could sense the hopes and dreams of the individuals, mingling together in a chaotic blend of existence.

  At the Scavenger Guild Headquarters, Thomas Andre

  "He’s back,"Sung Jin-Woo Meanwhile, at New York Airport, Liu“Flashing as always.”

  A few hours later, world-class hunters converged at the Hunter's Headquarters in the USA. The grand hall buzzed with energy as S-rank hunters and national-level rankers prepared for a significant meeting. Among those present were:

  - Thomas Andre

  - Xiang Ling

  - Liu Zhigang

  - Natalia Voronova

  - David Reiss

  As they prepared for the meeting, there was a palpable tension in the air. Each hunter understood the stakes—new and potent threats were looming on the horizon.

  As Jin-Woo entered the room, his presence shifted the atmosphere. He approached the conference table and stood tall, an aura of authority radiating from him. His expression was calm, but within lay a fearless resolve ready to face the gathering storm.

  “Thank you all for coming,”Jin-Woo explained the urgency of their gathering. “I called you here because we are on the brink of a new threat. A second emissary arrives, larger and stronger than the first. The energy I sensed back in Seoul was just the start.”

  He shared glimpses of his past battle with the outer being that had invaded before, showcasing the level of danger they were now facing. The room fell silent as the hunters absorbed his words.

  “Make no mistake; You either fight or perish,”“However, we must stand together. There is no option to run; this enemy does not give you that choice. Whether we clash or perish is a decision beyond our control.” With bated breath, the hunters listened as he spoke.

  After a moment, one of the hunters hesitantly raised a hand. “What if—”But before he could finish, a low rumble reverberated through the ground, shaking the very foundations of the building. The air turned heavy, and the assembled hunters exchanged looks of alarm.

  It sent shivers across the myriad of Hunters present; lights flickered ominously, and shadows elongated, dancing wildly against illuminated walls. Thomas and Liu exchanged anxious glances—an unspoken acknowledgment that the time for action had come.

  “Is that…?”

  Suddenly, the enormous outer being materialized outside the towering windows of the headquarters, a figure of blinding light amidst a dark and chaotic atmosphere. Its voice echoed out, calling for Sung Jin-Woo“Come forth, Shadow Monarch. We demand your prese-”

  With a swift motion, before the outer being could finish his sentence, Sung Jin-Woo vanished from the room, leaving behind a swirl of energy as he transported himself and the outer being with a dark aura away from the civilians, seeking to avoid any unnecessary destruction.

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  The hunters inside the headquarters froze, eyes wide in disbelief as they gazed outside. The city became eerily silent, the only sound the muffled chaos that ensued beyond the tinted glass. They felt the ground tremble under the weight of a looming power, an ominous dread creeping into their hearts.

  Somewhere in the barren desert, beneath the vast sky, Sung Jin-Woo

  "You dare challenge the authority of the Outer Gods?""Let’s see if your authority can withstand my darkness,"

  As the light dimmed, the emissary was momentarily disoriented, its radiant form flickering against the sheer blackness. Then Jin-Woo called forth his shadows, summoning his most loyal warriors—BeruIgrisBellion

  "ARISE."

  KIEEEEEK!And then the battle began. The emissary unleashed a torrent of radiant energy, a blinding beam aimed directly at Jin-Woo. But the Hunter was already one step ahead. His shadows enveloped him, absorbing the brilliant attack and twisting it into a dense mist of shadow that swirled around him.

  "Is that the best you can do?"The emissary's glowing eyes flared with fury. "You cannot defy the order of the Outer Gods!"Using the darkness to his advantage, Jin-Woo dashed forward, leaving afterimages in his wake, his speed uncanny as he closed the distance in the blink of an eye.

  Igris

  “Your skills are worthless against a god!”Jin-Woo was ready. “I am the God of this universe.”

  Bellion

  “Now, Beru!”“KIEEEEEK!”

  While Beru distracted the emissary, Jin-Woo seamlessly flowed into the battle, manifesting his own blades of shadow with deft precision. He lunged at the emissary, his daggers glimmering ominously as they struck true. Each slash resonated with energy, yet the emissary merely absorbed the blows, its form unfazed.

  “Foolish mortal!”"Let's see who made the wrong decision here."

  As the battle intensified, the dark landscape was illuminated intermittently by flashes of light and energy, revealing Jin-Woo’s shadow soldiers orchestrating coordinated attacks, striking in perfect sync with their master and one another.

  The battle raged on, the emissary faced Jin-Woo with fury reflecting in its luminescent eyes. "Let’s end this!"

  Jin-Woo felt a surge of power flooding into the battlefield, illuminating the shadows. The light pierced through the darkness he commanded, causing his shadow warriors to waver, their forms flickering as if struggling against an unseen force. "What the hell is that?"

  The emissary raised its hands, and the ground trembled beneath them. “Prepare to be consumed by the light of the Outer Gods!”In that moment, Jin-Woo's resolve hardened. He had faced gods before, and he would not falter now. "My shadows will never be extinguished!"

  But the emissary's incantation escalated, casting an expanding circle of radiant light. Jin-Woo's shadows began to absorb the energy, warping and distorting as they clashed against the brilliant force.

  As the light intensified, Jin-Woo felt his surrounding shadows being pushed back, his army dispersing. “No!”

  Suddenly, just before the emissary could unleash its full power, a ripple spread through space and time. The skies cracked with impending doom, and Jin-Woo, heart pounding, braced himself for the inevitable collision of forces, knowing this moment could decide everything.

  “Prepare for annihilation!”“This ends now!”

  In that moment of ultimate tension, the gap between light and darkness hung in the balance, waiting for a resolution that neither combatant could predict...

  Meanwhile, in Seoul, Cha Hae-In

  In another part of the city, Jin-Ah

  The day was beautiful, and yet they were unaware of the brewing storm, the tension that crackled like lightning across the skies, ready to break at any moment...

  End of Chapter 5