The morning sun crept through the cracks in the old wooden shutters, painting thin golden stripes across Souta Kaede's face. He groaned, rolling over, and buried his head under the pillow as if that would solve anything.
Five more minutes, he muttered, voice muffled.
The birds outside, however, had other plans. Their chirping was like an army of tiny alarm clocks, and no amount of wishing could silence them. Souta peeked one eye open, stared at the ceiling for a long moment, and let out a sigh.
"Yeah, right. SSS-rank hunter life… real glamorous."
He forced himself up, hair sticking out like he had fought a wind mage in his sleep. After a lazy stretch, he shuffled downstairs, Breakfast was waiting if you could call it that. A bowl of grayish soup and bread that felt more like stale rubber than food. He chewed it anyway, making faces with each bite.
"Ugh… I'm gonna die, not from monsters, but from this bread."
Still, food was food, and thirty coins didn't magically appear in his pocket yesterday for free. He had worked himself sore hauling crates until his arms nearly fell off. Today wasn't much different. By the time the sun was climbing high in the sky, Souta's muscles were groaning louder than he was.
When the job was finally done, he dragged his feet back to the inn like a zombie returning to its grave. He tossed the jingling pouch of coins onto the table with exaggerated flair.
Another day, another… thirty coins, he declared before collapsing face first on the bed.
The mattress smelled faintly of dust and lavender. He didn't care. "I need a bath," he mumbled into the sheets. For once, the universe didn't argue.
The inn's washroom was small, but it had one luxury Souta hadn't expected warm water. A glowing rune inscribed into the tub hummed faintly, releasing gentle heat. He slipped into the water and let out a long sigh, his whole body sinking until only his nose peeked above the surface.
This… this I could get used to, he whispered, staring up at the ceiling as if he really was some pampered noble.
When he finally dragged himself out and changed, he actually felt human again. Not smelling like a wet zombie was progress. He stepped outside, deciding it was time to explore the city properly not as some confused outsider, but as if he belonged here.
…
Drelmire was alive in every corner, a woman strummed an instrument that looked like a harp and guitar had been fused together in a magical accident, filling the air with a soft, haunting tune. Street vendors called out to passersby, shoving skewers of food under noses. Souta tried one snack that looked like fried blue pebbles. The taste was spicy enough to sting, but he pretended it was fine.
"Not asking what that was," he muttered, fanning his tongue.
Then he stumbled upon a tall stone building with an ornate sign carved above the door
City of Drelmire Public Library
Knowledge Isn't Power Unless You Touch the Ancient Sealed Books
Perfect and weird, souta said with a grin, "Right up my alley."
Inside, the air was warm and quiet, thick with the smell of old wood and candle wax. Towering shelves crammed with books stretched into shadowy corners. His footsteps echoed softly as he wandered until a section caught his eye.
World History & Dungeonology.
He grabbed a massive tome titled The Origins of Power and Dungeonkind, plopped down onto a couch, and began reading.
What he learned was almost similar to his previous life.
Back on Earth, dungeons had appeared out of nowhere one day, plunging the world into chaos. But here in Nythra, dungeons weren't invaders they were part of the world itself, woven into its very foundation since the beginning.
People here also awaken at a particular point, like souta's past life. and through training, hunting, and surviving, they leveled up. Ranks defined their strength, F at the bottom, climbing all the way to S.
And then came the rarities.
SS-rank — Heroes beyond mortal measure.
SSS-rank — Beings said to rival demon gods themselves, these are Demi-gods among mortals.
Souta whispered the words aloud, "Demon gods…" and felt his stomach twist with a strange mix of excitement and dread.
He flipped through more pages monsters of every shape and nightmare, magic paths, and legends of battles that shook nations but one word made his eyes widen.
Guilds.
Organizations built to unite hunters, take contracts, clear dungeons, and protect cities. They were the beating heart of adventurer society, and the pay… oh, the pay was good.
"Jackpot," Souta said, snapping the book shut. His grin widened, Step one to becoming OP and rich join a guild.
…
The Drelmire Adventurer's Guild was impossible to miss. Near the city's center, a large building stood proud, its white stone walls gleaming in the sunlight a massive banner hung over the entrance.
Drelmire Adventurer's Guild
— Become a Legend —
Subtle, Souta muttered, but his steps quickened.
The inside felt like a strange mix of tavern and barracks, wooden floors creaked under boots, long tables were filled with loud adventurers swapping stories, and weapons clanged as they were sharpened. One man bellowed at a mole clad in armor, souta pretended not to see that.
At the front desk stood a woman with short white hair and a sharp gaze, She looked like someone who ate paperwork for breakfast.
"Welcome to the Guild," she said evenly, are you registering?
Souta puffed out his chest, Yup Name's Souta Kaede.
She slid a form across the counter. "Fill this out."
His handwriting was barely legible, but he got it done. She glanced at the paper, gave a curt nod, and she said follow me.
Together they walked for some time and got to an open courtyard, where an awakening test was taken place. There was a lot of people mostly young, they all stood around as they called their names out to step on a wide circular platform made of smooth black stones, viened with glowing golden runes ignite in a sequence, like a heartbeat, and the floating crystal blossoms open like petal.
One by one, names were called candidates stepped onto the platform, and the crystal bloomed as they laid their hands on it, light channeling down upon them from the heavens. Their paths were revealed in glowing script floating in the air. Warrior, Mage, Assassin, Support.
The crowd gasped when Sakura Kaisen, a tall girl with long black hair, stepped forward. The moment she stepped on the platform and touched the crystal, the air twisted violently, wind rushing as golden light descended and swallowed her whole.
Sakura Kaisen [Berserker]
"Whoa…" voices murmured. That's a legendary path as expected of Sakura.
Then came a pause, The host frowned and then spoke again.
"… There is one more on today's list, Souta Kaede."
Murmurs rippled, Souta stepped through the crowd with calm, unhurried steps. His composure, his steady gaze, his faint smirk people whispered about it.
He stepped onto the platform at first, the usual shift occurred the air thickened, lights formed but something was different.
A blue light flared—Water Path..
An orange light—Warlord Path
One after another, colors burst forth, Fire, Wind, Earth, even Assassin and Support. They swirled above, clashing and merging.
And then, suddenly, all the lights bled into darkness. The crystal shivered violently as black radiance poured downward, engulfing Souta entirely.
When it faded, a single word burned in golden letters
Souta Kaede [Boundless]
The host froze. "… Boundless? What… what is that?"
The crowd erupted some gasped in awe, others laughed mockingly, calling it fake or useless.
But Souta only smirked, scanning the faces turned toward him. He could feel their stares, doubt and curiosity.
Good.