The world had long adapted to the existence of dungeons. They appeared without warning, sometimes just one, other times several at once, opening gates to unknown horrors. If left unchecked, the monsters inside would eventually spill into the world.
To combat this, Hunters were formed people who wielded supernatural powers, risking their lives to clear dungeons before disaster struck. Some did it for wealth. Others for fame. But for most, it was survival.
For Reikazu, that world felt distant.
At eighteen, he was just another struggling orphan trying to keep himself afloat. He worked part-time jobs, juggled school, and lived in a cramped apartment. His parents had died in a dungeon break when he was nine, leaving him to fend for himself.
He didn't complain. This was just life.
And today was just another ordinary day.
The school bell rang as students flooded the hallways.
"Reikazu! You coming to the arcade after school?"
A voice called from behind. He turned to see Takumi, one of his classmates, grinning as he walked beside him.
"Nah," Reikazu replied, adjusting his backpack. "I've got work."
"Man, you never come with us," Takumi groaned. "Live a little!"
Reikazu chuckled but didn't say anything. If he had the time, maybe. But rent wasn't going to pay itself.
As they left the school grounds, the streets were filled with people going about their lives. News screens on buildings showed the latest dungeon reports, the S-Rank Hunters clearing a dangerous gate, a sudden dungeon break being stopped in another city.
It was just another day in this world.
Or at least, it should have been.
Reikazu finished his shift at the convenience store late at night. The streets were quieter now, the cold air brushing against his skin as he walked home.
Then, it happened.
A strange pressure filled the air.
The world seemed to tilt for a second, like something had shifted. The streetlights flickered.
And then, just a few blocks ahead—
A crack formed in the air.
At first, it was small, barely visible, but within seconds, it expanded a swirling black vortex with red veins pulsing across its surface.
Reikazu's breath caught in his throat.
A dungeon was opening.
Screams filled the night as people noticed. Some ran. Others stood frozen in fear.
This wasn't normal. Dungeons didn't appear in the middle of cities without warning. The Hunter Association always detected them before they fully opened.
Yet here it was.
And then, something emerged.
A grotesque, four-legged creature with jagged fangs and crimson eyes. Its body was covered in black fur, its mouth dripping with saliva.
Then another followed.
And another.
Within moments, five creatures had stepped through.
Reikazu took a step back. His heart pounded in his chest.
One of the monsters snapped its head toward him.
Their eyes met.
And then, it lunged.
Reikazu's body moved on instinct. He dove to the side, barely avoiding the razor-sharp claws that slashed through the air. His body hit the pavement hard, pain exploding in his ribs.
The creature let out a snarl, turning toward him again.
He had to run.
He tried to push himself up, but pain shot through his leg. He must have injured it when he fell.
The monster lunged again.
Reikazu's eyes widened—
A flash of fire erupted in front of him.
The monster screeched as flames engulfed its body, burning it to ash in seconds.
A Hunter had arrived.
Reikazu barely had time to process before more Hunters appeared.
A swordsman slashed through two creatures in a single motion. A woman wielding lightning obliterated another with a single strike.
In a matter of minutes, the battle was over.
But Reikazu's vision was already blurring.
The last thing he saw before darkness took him—
The dungeon portal was still open.
A beeping sound.
The smell of antiseptic.
Reikazu's eyes flickered open.
A white ceiling. Fluorescent lights.
He was in a hospital.
Pain throbbed through his body, but he was alive.
He slowly turned his head. His right leg was in a cast, and bandages were wrapped around his torso.
It took a moment for his brain to catch up.
The dungeon. The monsters. The Hunters.
He had survived.
Then—
Ding!
A sound echoed inside his head.
[ You have met the conditions. The system has been activated. ]
Reikazu's breath caught.
A floating screen appeared before him, its text glowing faintly in the air.
[ Welcome, Reikazu. You have been chosen. ]
[ Initializing system… ]
"What…?" he whispered.
He blinked. The screen didn't disappear. It wasn't a hallucination.
His heart pounded. He had seen something like this before. Hunters who awakened abilities sometimes spoke of visions or strange phenomena.
But this…
This was different.
A new screen appeared.
[ First Mission: Stand Up. ]
[ Reward: System Activation. ]
His body tensed. A mission?
Reikazu's mind raced. What was this system? Why was it giving him a mission?
Was this some kind of hallucination from his injuries?
[ Mission: Stand Up. ]
[ Time Remaining: 5 Minutes. ]
A timer had appeared. The numbers were ticking down.
5:00 > 4:59 > 4:58…
Reikazu clenched his fists.
There was no point in questioning it now.
He took a slow breath and tried to move.
Pain shot through his body immediately. His ribs burned, his leg protested, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself upright.
It took every ounce of strength he had.
But he stood.
The moment he did—
Ding!
[ Mission Completed. ]
[ Reward: System Activation. ]
Suddenly—
A warm energy flooded through his body.
It wasn't overwhelming, but it was noticeable. The pain in his ribs dulled slightly. His breathing became easier.
And then, a new notification appeared.
[ Status Window Unlocked. ]
A status window?
Reikazu hesitated, then instinctively thought, Status Window.
Instantly, a new screen appeared before him.
---
[ Name: Reikazu ]
[ Level: 1 ]
[ Strength: 10 ]
[ Agility: 10 ]
[ Endurance: 10 ]
[ Mana: 10 ]
[ Skills: None ]
---
Reikazu's hands clenched.
This was real.
Somehow, for some reason, he had a system.
And no one else knew about it.
A chill ran down his spine.
He had no idea what this meant. No idea where this would lead him.
But one thing was clear.
His life would never be the same again.