Darkness. An endless void where time lost meaning.
Mahi floated in that abyss, his body weightless, his mind barely clinging to consciousness. He had no idea how long he had been there. Minutes? Hours? Days? His last memory was of the ground crumbling beneath him, the eerie glow of the rift swallowing him whole, and then... nothing.
Then, a sound. Voices.
"He's alive! We've got a survivor here!"
Mahi groaned as a bright light burned through the darkness. His body ached, his limbs felt like lead, but he forced his eyes open. A blurry figure loomed over him, a woman clad in light armor, her face partially hidden behind a helmet. Behind her, several other Hunters stood in a semi-circle, scanning the area with wary expressions.
"Hey, kid, can you hear me?" the woman asked, lightly tapping his cheek. "You're lucky. Most people don't survive a random Gate collapse."
Mahi tried to speak, but his throat was dry, his body too weak to respond. His vision blurred again as exhaustion overwhelmed him. The last thing he felt was a pair of strong arms lifting him up before everything faded away once more.
A Hospital Awakening
When Mahi next opened his eyes, he was met with the sterile white walls of a hospital room. The rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor filled the air, and a dull ache throbbed in his head. He shifted slightly, wincing at the soreness in his muscles.
"You're awake."
A man in a white coat stood beside his bed, a tablet in hand. He had sharp eyes and an air of professionalism that screamed "doctor."
"You were found unconscious in a dungeon," the doctor continued, tapping on his tablet. "No external injuries, but your body was severely drained of energy. Do you remember what happened?"
Mahi hesitated. Did he? His mind was a foggy mess, flashes of darkness, strange voices, and pain swirling together. And then, something clicked.
[Welcome, Player.]
[Survive, and grow stronger.]
That voice—it hadn't been a dream.
"I... fell into a Gate," Mahi muttered. "And then... something happened. But I don't remember much."
The doctor sighed. "Well, you're stable now. You should be discharged by the evening. Just don't push yourself too hard."
With that, the doctor left, leaving Mahi alone with his thoughts. He stared at the ceiling, trying to process everything when suddenly—a notification appeared in front of him.
A blue screen.
The System Panel
Mahi's breath hitched as words materialized in front of his eyes, as if written on the air itself.
[Player Status]
Name: Mahi
Level: 1
Strength: 25/25
Mana: 15/15
Stamina: 10/10
Health: 700/700
Intelligence: 91
Mahi's eyes widened. What the hell is this?
He blinked, but the screen remained. It wasn't a hallucination. The words were sharp and real. As he focused on each stat, more details appeared.
Strength: Determines physical power.
Mana: Energy reserve for special abilities.
Stamina: Controls endurance and recovery.
Health: Represents vitality and resistance.
Intelligence: Affects decision-making and magical aptitude.
Mahi gulped. His health was ridiculously high for an F-Rank. And his intelligence was way above average. But why? And what did it mean?
Before he could process further, another notification popped up.
[New Quest Available!]
Slime Extermination
(Eliminate 10 Slimes)
Time Limit: 5 Hours
Reward: 100 EXP, 5 System Points
Accept? [Yes] / [No]
Mahi hesitated for a brief moment before exhaling. He didn't understand this system yet, but he wasn't about to ignore it.
He selected [Yes], and the quest window disappeared. Now, he just had to find a dungeon.
The First Hunt
Hours later, Mahi stood at the entrance of a small F-Rank dungeon. It was a minor Gate that had been classified as "Low-Risk," meaning only weak monsters roamed inside. Perfect for his first real test.
He gripped the simple iron sword he had rented from a Hunter's supply shop. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
The dungeon's interior resembled an underground cave, its damp walls covered in glowing moss. In the distance, he spotted his first targets—Slimes. The creatures were small, gelatinous blobs, barely reaching his knees. They wobbled as they moved, their translucent bodies shifting with each motion.
Mahi tightened his grip on his sword. "Alright. Let's do this."
He charged forward and swung his weapon. Miss. The slime wobbled out of the way effortlessly.
He frowned and attacked again. Miss.
"Are you kidding me?"
The slimes weren't even attacking him; they were just... moving. Yet, somehow, he couldn't hit them. Frustration built up as he continued swinging, each attempt failing miserably. His stamina was already starting to deplete.
Then, one of the slimes suddenly lunged, smacking into his leg with surprising force. Mahi stumbled backward, grimacing.
[Health: 695/700]
"Okay. Enough of this."
He steadied his breathing and focused on their movement patterns. The slimes wobbled in an unpredictable but repetitive rhythm. He watched closely... and then, as one prepared to bounce, he struck with precision.
Slash!
The sword sliced through the slime, causing it to dissolve into particles.
[1/10 Slimes Defeated.]
Mahi smirked. Got it.
With each kill, he grew more accustomed to their movements, learning when to strike. Two, three, four, five— the numbers climbed. His movements became sharper, his instincts better.
After an exhausting struggle, the final slime fell to his blade.
[Quest Completed!]
[+100 EXP Earned]
[You have leveled up!]
A new window popped up, showing his progress.
Level: 6
Stat Points Available: 10
Mahi wiped the sweat from his brow, grinning. So this is what leveling up feels like.
Without hesitation, he distributed his points:
Strength +3 (28)
Stamina +2 (12)
Mana +2 (17)
Durability +2 (New Stat: 2)
Intelligence +1 (92)
As the changes took effect, a surge of energy coursed through his body. He felt stronger, his exhaustion fading slightly.
This system... it could make him powerful. Stronger than any F-Rank could ever hope to be.
Mahi clenched his fists. This was just the beginning.