As the Balance Council's temporary command vehicle left the abandoned factory district, the sun was sinking at the edge of the city, staining the sky with layers of orange and red. Ryan absentmindedly rubbed the black trainee detective badge on his chest. The cold touch of metal still felt unreal—just hours ago, he had been locked in a life-or-death battle with the terrifying King of Augmented Beings. Now, he had officially stepped into the core circle of the supernatural world, becoming a council-certified trainee paranormal detective.
"The cleanup will be handled by the Council," Ayla said from the passenger seat. Her face was still pale, but her usual cool composure had returned. "Go back and rest. Don't forget to attend the certification ceremony next week. You'll receive your official work ID and resource access then."
Ryan nodded. After saying goodbye to Ayla, he headed back alone toward the Gray Hawk Detective Agency. His muscles screamed in exhaustion after the intense battle, and the burn on his back where an energy beam had grazed him still throbbed faintly. Yet the excitement and sense of purpose in his heart hadn't diminished at all. He couldn't wait to tell Old Gray everything—the greasy-looking boss who always joked around, yet had quietly stuffed a protective charm into his hands before he left.
The Gray Hawk Detective Agency smelled the same as always in the evening: cheap coffee and old newspapers. But something felt different. Old Gray, who usually sprawled on the couch scrolling short videos, was sitting upright behind the desk. An unlit cigar rested between his fingers, and his gaze was fixed solemnly on the window. When he heard the door open, he turned around, his eyes locking instantly onto the badge on Ryan's chest. A sharp glint flashed briefly through his cloudy eyes.
"Boss, I'm back," Ryan said as he walked over, unable to hide his excitement. "The missing tycoon case is solved! We found Dr. Kallen's secret lab, defeated his King of Augments, and successfully rescued Mr. Linton. And the Balance Council officially certified me as a trainee paranormal detective. They gave me this badge!"
He straightened his posture deliberately, making the badge more visible. But instead of teasing him about his "good luck" like usual, Old Gray slowly stood up and stepped closer. His rough palm brushed lightly over the black badge.
"A trainee badge from the Balance Council…" Old Gray's voice was low and hoarse, nothing like his usual casual tone. "I didn't expect this day to come so soon."
Ryan froze, sensing something was wrong. "Boss…?"
"Don't call me boss anymore," Old Gray interrupted. He turned back to the desk and pulled open the bottom drawer—the one Ryan had never seen him open in three months of working there. Inside were no documents or cash, only an old wooden box. Its surface was carved with golden runes completely different from Kallen's symbols, radiating a faint aura of sacred magic.
Old Gray opened the box. Inside lay a silver badge engraved with a spread-winged eagle. A red gemstone was set into the eagle's eye, and around it were the words: Balance Council · Core Agent.
The moment Ryan saw it, his True Sight activated instinctively. His vision flooded with dense golden energy—pure, high-grade sacred magic, far heavier than the werewolf energy surrounding Ayla.
"This is…" Ryan was at a loss for words.
"My old badge," Old Gray said quietly, lifting the silver emblem. His fingers lingered on it, nostalgia and loneliness flashing through his eyes. "Twenty years ago, I was one of the Balance Council's top paranormal detectives. Codename: Gray Hawk. I handled only the highest-level supernatural cases. Back then, no one in the council's core combat team didn't know my name."
"A top-tier paranormal detective?!" Ryan was completely stunned. He couldn't reconcile this identity with the potbellied, foot-scratching, wage-delaying boss standing in front of him. When his True Sight scanned Old Gray again, he clearly saw a vast power hidden inside him—like a dormant volcano, suppressed by layers of complex sealing magic.
"You knew about the supernatural world all along?" Ryan asked. "Then why run this insignificant detective agency?"
Old Gray put the badge back into the box and locked the drawer with a sigh. "Because of an accident." He sat down on the couch and gestured for Ryan to do the same. Finally, he lit the cigar. Smoke curled through the air as his voice grew heavier. "Twenty years ago, I was tracking an ancient dark organization. My team was betrayed. Three comrades I fought alongside died, and I was gravely wounded by dark magic. My cultivation collapsed. To avoid being hunted—and to atone for my guilt—I chose to disappear. I opened this agency and swore never to interfere in the supernatural world again."
Ryan listened in silence, his mind in turmoil. Everything suddenly made sense. The protective charm Old Gray had given him wasn't some cheap trinket—it carried weak sacred magic meant to resist dark energy. No wonder it had heated up when he touched Kallen's twisted runes, offsetting part of the energy backlash.
"You knew I might get involved in supernatural cases?" Ryan asked.
"Not for sure, but I had a hunch," Old Gray said, exhaling smoke. "The day you joined, I sensed a faint spatial energy fluctuation on you—like someone bound to a supernatural system. When you took the tycoon case and I saw photos of those symbols, I knew Kallen was behind it. I gave you the charm because I didn't want you dead."
He paused before continuing. "I planned to keep everything hidden. But when I saw that trainee badge, I knew you'd officially stepped into this world. There's no turning back now. With your current strength, you're far too weak to face the real dark forces. I can't stay out of it anymore."
Old Gray stood up and retrieved a thick black manual from the drawer. Its cover bore the same emblem as Ryan's badge—the official trainee handbook of the Balance Council. He handed it over.
"This is the council's official field manual," he said. "It covers the rules of the supernatural world, common entity traits, basic magical defense, and intelligence access protocols. From now on, I'll personally train you and help you grow stronger."
Ryan accepted the manual. It felt heavy in his hands, and the symbol on the cover seemed infused with magic, stirring the faint power inside him. On the first page, written in golden letters, were the words: Revere Nature. Maintain Balance.
"Thank you, boss… no, Senior Gray," Ryan said solemnly. Respect surged within him. In that moment, the greasy boss before him transformed into a mentor he could truly rely on.
Old Gray waved him off, some of his usual casualness returning. "Forget the 'senior.' Just call me boss. I'm used to it." He leaned back. "Study the manual first. I'll spend two hours a day teaching you magic analysis and defensive techniques. And your Shadow Pawn System is special—use it well. Shadow Points aren't just for items; they can enhance your magical affinity too."
Ryan's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't known Shadow Points could do that. He was about to ask more when Old Gray suddenly frowned and snapped his gaze toward the window.
"What's wrong?" Ryan activated True Sight instantly but detected nothing unusual.
"Someone's watching us," Old Gray said coldly. For a brief moment, the seal around him loosened, releasing crushing pressure that made Ryan feel suffocated. "They're well-hidden, using high-level concealment magic. But the dark energy signature matches the ancient organization I hunted years ago."
A sudden gust of cold wind slammed against the windows. Ryan rushed over and pulled the curtain aside. The street was empty, lit only by flickering streetlamps. Yet under True Sight, faint black energy traces lingered on the ground, spreading like webs into the darkness.
"They're gone," Old Gray said calmly, though his eyes remained grim. "It seems the force behind Dr. Kallen has taken notice of you."
Ryan clenched the handbook. He had thought peace might follow Kallen's defeat, but now he knew stronger enemies were already watching.
Old Gray placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, they won't act recklessly. But you must grow stronger—fast. Your upcoming trainee missions won't be easy." His eyes hardened. "And the grudges from twenty years ago… it's time to end them."
Ryan looked up and saw not only gravity in Old Gray's eyes, but a long-suppressed fury. He understood then: his path as a trainee paranormal detective was destined to be filled with thorns. The ancient dark organization lurking in the shadows, and Old Gray's unfinished past, would soon become challenges he could not avoid.
The manual in his hands felt heavier than before. He took a deep breath, ready to face what lay ahead—unaware that a carefully woven conspiracy targeting him had already begun to move in the darkness.