The night was cold.
The sky was dark, and the moon was high.
Jin Haru walked down a narrow street, far from the city lights.
He wore a hoodie and a mask.
He didn't want anyone to see his face.
He stopped in front of a rusty metal door.
He knocked three times.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A small window in the door opened.
A man with sharp eyes looked at him.
"Password?" the man asked.
Haru whispered, "Red flame walks at night."
The man nodded.
The door opened.
---
Inside was a dirty room with old boxes and broken chairs.
A few people stood in the corner, whispering.
All of them had something in common—no legal pass.
No license.
Just one thing: the will to enter a dungeon.
Illegally.
A black-market dealer sat at the table.
He looked at Haru.
"You're new."
"I need a beginner dungeon pass," Haru said.
The man smiled. "Risky. You sure?"
Haru nodded. "Yes."
---
The man gave him a small card.
It glowed dark red.
"Fake ID," he said. "Looks real. Will work once."
"How much?" Haru asked.
"100,000 won."
Haru gave him the money.
"Gate 43. East side. Be fast. Don't talk."
Haru took the card and left.
---
Outside, the wind blew.
Haru walked fast.
His heart was beating.
He had never entered a dungeon before.
In this life.
But his past life?
He had cleared thousands.
He took a deep breath.
"I need mana stones."
"I need money."
"This is the fastest way."
---
He reached Gate 43.
It was quiet.
No guards.
Just a round portal with a soft blue glow.
Two other people entered before him.
They didn't notice him.
He waited until the light blinked green.
Then, he took out the fake card.
Swiped it.
Beep.
Access Approved.
The portal shimmered.
Haru stepped inside.
---
In one second, the world changed.
The air became heavy.
The light became dim.
He was inside a dungeon.
A cave with blue rocks, wet ground, and strange smells.
He looked around.
It was real.
It was dangerous.
But it was also… exciting.
---
Haru smiled.
"This is where it begins."
He took one step forward.
Fire sparkled at his fingertips.
The dungeon was quiet.
Jin Haru walked slowly on the stone floor.
Water dripped from the ceiling.
The air was cold.
The light came from glowing blue rocks.
Everything felt strange… but also familiar.
"It's just like the old world," Haru whispered.
His steps made soft sounds.
Then—he heard a growl.
He stopped.
---
From the shadows, two small monsters crawled out.
They looked like grey dogs with red eyes.
Their teeth were long and sharp.
They growled low and stepped closer.
[Dungeon Beast: Class F]
Haru stayed calm.
He didn't panic.
He raised his hand.
The ten magic circles in his heart spun slowly.
He whispered,
"Ignis Flamma."
(Old spell: Fire burst.)
A small flame appeared in his palm.
Then—it grew fast.
Boom!
Fire shot forward like a wave.
The first monster burned.
It screamed.
The second tried to run.
Haru raised his hand again.
"Fulgur Lance."
(Old spell: Lightning strike.)
A thin line of light hit the monster.
Zzzap!
It fell, smoking.
---
Haru walked forward.
The monsters turned to ash.
Two mana stones dropped to the ground.
He picked them up.
"They're small," he said.
"But it's a start."
---
More monsters came.
Three… then five…
Some jumped from the walls.
Some crawled from holes.
But Haru didn't stop.
He moved like a dancer.
Smooth. Fast. Calm.
"Terra Spike."
(Old spell: Earth blade.)
"Aqua Blade."
"Ventus Wall."
Spells from long ago filled the cave.
His hands moved like he had done this a thousand times.
Because he had.
In his past life.
---
The monsters couldn't touch him.
Every spell was fast and perfect.
They burned, froze, cracked, and vanished.
In ten minutes, Haru stood alone.
No wounds.
No fear.
Only silence.
He looked at the ground.
There were mana stones everywhere.
He smiled.
"This is easy," he said softly.
"But no one must see me do this."
---
He used a light spell to gather the stones.
Then he cleaned the floor with wind magic.
No trace.
No sound.
Just quiet power.
Haru sat down on a rock.
"I'm ready," he said.
"Ready to take back everything."
Jin Haru walked deeper into the dungeon.
The air was colder now.
The monsters were gone.
Only silence filled the cave.
His footsteps echoed softly on the stone ground.
He carried a small bag filled with mana stones.
It was already heavy.
But Haru didn't leave.
He had a feeling—something rare was near.
---
He turned into a narrow path.
The light from the mana rocks was dim.
He made a small fireball to light the way.
Then he saw it.
A small room.
At the center of the room… something shined.
It was not like the other mana stones.
It was bigger.
Brighter.
Blue and gold light danced inside it.
Like fire and water mixed.
---
Haru stepped closer.
He knelt and picked it up.
The moment he touched it—
Zzzzzzmm!
He felt mana rush through his fingers.
His heart jumped.
The ten magic circles inside him spun fast.
So much power. So pure.
He looked at the crystal.
It was warm in his hand.
A system message appeared in his mind:
> [Rare Drop: Ancient Mana Crystal]
Use: Spell upgrade, item crafting, magic battery.
Haru's eyes widened.
"This is a treasure," he whispered.
"In the old world, kings would kill for this."
---
He looked around.
No one was there.
No other players.
No cameras.
He smiled.
"This is mine."
He opened his inner coat.
Inside was a hidden pocket.
He gently placed the crystal inside.
Then sealed it with a soft flame.
"Hide and protect," he whispered.
---
Haru stood up.
He took one last look at the glowing room.
Then he turned and walked back.
Quiet steps.
Calm heart.
But inside… he was excited.
"This is just the start," he said.
"If a beginner dungeon gives me this… what will come next?"
The fireball faded as he reached the exit.
His eyes burned with new light.
The next morning, the city was busy.
Cars moved fast.
People filled the streets.
Big screens on buildings showed dungeon news.
One headline stood out:
"Unknown Fire User Clears Beginner Dungeon Alone!"
In a crowded café, two students sat with coffee.
"Did you hear?" one asked.
"Hear what?"
"Someone cleared Gate 43 solo. No team. No gear. Just fire spells!"
"Fire spells? But that gate had crawling beasts!"
"I know! That's why everyone's talking!"
---
In a gym, a young awakened man lifted weights.
A trainer walked by and said, "You better level up fast."
"Why?"
"There's a new face in the game. They call him the Fire King."
"Fire King?"
"Yeah. They say he burned monsters like paper. Not even scratched."
"No way. Probably just a rich S-class brat."
"Maybe… but he left no trace. Not even his name."
---
Meanwhile, Haru sat on a rooftop.
He ate a sandwich and looked at the city below.
The wind touched his face.
He could hear the noise—cars, people, birds.
And he could feel something new.
Eyes.
Many people… looking.
Not at him directly.
But the news.
The rumors.
The whispers.
---
Haru smiled a little.
"I didn't mean to get noticed."
He looked at his hand.
Soft heat danced on his palm.
A small flame appeared.
He made it spin, grow, and vanish.
"I was too strong," he said softly.
"But next time, I'll be more careful."
---
At school, in the hallway, a group of students gathered.
They talked loud.
"I wish I was the Fire King!"
"Me too! He must be SS-rank!"
"Maybe he's a new hero!"
Haru walked by slowly.
They didn't notice him.
He kept his head down.
He held his schoolbag tight.
Inside it… his spell notes and secret plans.
They don't know it's me, he thought.
And they can't. Not yet.
---
That night, in a dark room, a woman with silver hair read a report.
It said:
> "Unregistered fire spells. Unknown user. No ID match."
She smiled.
"Interesting," she whispered.
"Who are you, Fire King?"
---
Haru lay in his bed.
He looked at the ceiling.
The room was small.
The light was off.
Only the sound of his little sister's hospital monitor beeped from his phone speaker.
Steady. Slow.
He closed his eyes.
"I will save you," he whispered.
"Even if I must become a god."