[15 minutes remaining. Failure to complete the daily quest will result in severe punishment.]
The system cut into Ethan's happy family reunion.
"Damn," Ethan sighed.
"Um, Mom… I think I should be discharged already. I'm feeling better now," Ethan said.
"Okay, son. But promise me you won't go to dungeons again. Be a regular person. I'll work hard and send you to a good school. With God's grace, you'll be a manager of a big company and we'll live a good life," his mother said, trying to smile.
Although she looked strong on the outside, Ethan could see the cracks in her heart. First, she lost her husband. Now her only son constantly threw himself into dungeons. No ordinary woman could carry that weight.
"Mom… your shop is in bankruptcy. We need money just to survive. If I stop now, we might end up on the streets." Ethan's voice was calm.
"I know… but that doesn't mean I want to lose someone else close to me," his mother whispered.
Ethan froze. He remembered these exact words. In his past life, this was the last thing his mother ever told him before dying of mana influx — a disease that poisoned mundane humans exposed too long to dungeon portals. That happened after he became an Ascended.
Not this time. Ethan clenched his fist. This time, he would protect her.
"Mom, look into my eyes," he said firmly. "I promise you — I won't die. I'll protect you and Cynthia."
His mother stared into his dazzling blue eyes, silent for a long time, before finally nodding. "Fine… but promise me you'll protect yourself and your sister first."
"I will, Mom," Ethan replied, forcing a smile as he rushed out, afraid the system would teleport him right in front of them. He darted straight into the streets.
"Okay, here he goes again," Cynthia laughed cheekily.
[Daily quest started.]
[1 liter of water quest successfully passed.]
The system's voice rang as Ethan sprinted wildly from the hospital into the streets. Passersby whispered.
"Slow down, young man!" a nurse yelled.
"Isn't that the weak awakened who always ends up in the hospital?" someone whispered.
"Yeah, that's him… wonder what he's up to now," another sighed.
Ethan ignored them. He was already used to such comments. His breathing grew heavier with each step.
"Damn… I almost forgot how weak I was back then," he cursed, pushing himself harder. Fortunately, his mind still carried the experience of his past life. After nearly an hour of running, he finished the marathon.
By the time he returned home, Ethan immediately dropped into push-ups. His body screamed, but he didn't stop. His mother's small apartment echoed with his gasps and grunts. Neighbors peeked at him, whispering, but none dared mock him to his face.
Two hours later, drenched in sweat and trembling from exhaustion, he finally hit the final count.
[Congratulations on passing your daily quest.]
[You have leveled up to Level 2.]
[You have been rewarded with 10 stat points
[Congratulations, you have been given a Rank 2 Dungeon Key
Ethan grinned, pulling out the jade key from his inventory. It was shaped like a dragon, gleaming faintly. After admiring it, he put it away and opened his stat page. He distributed the points carefully.
[Rank: Half-Awakened Level 2 | Exp: 0/30]
[Attributes: Strength 15 | Agility 10 | Stamina 12 | Speed 13]
A warm sensation flowed through his body, easing the soreness instantly.
"The stronger I get, the easier these quests will be," he muttered.
Just then, his phone buzzed with a notification:
Awakened warriors needed. 15 slots available. Target: Tier 1 Dungeon. Location: Old Maple Street. Assemble by nightfall.
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Perfect timing."
But first, he needed to sharpen his blade skills. He didn't dare pull out the Starless Sword — far too conspicuous. Instead, he purchased a beast-forged sword from a local stall for 10,000 ace coins. Expensive, but worth it.
Behind his apartment, Ethan began practicing the Star Sword Technique. At first, his body was sloppy, his steps awkward. After hours of repetition, his movements steadied. When he finally infused mana into the strike—
Bang!
The sword shattered a stone pillar before even making contact.
"Damn… this skill is strong. Even without mastering Level 1 fully, it can already shatter stone. Tier 1 dungeon… piece of cake," Ethan smirked.
But his joy dimmed. "The mana consumption is too high. Two mana points every ten seconds… with only ten mana, I can barely last half a minute."
He needed more mana. More speed. More everything.
After training till dawn, the system chimed:
[Congratulations. Strength, Speed, and Agility increased by +5 each.]
[+20 EXP gained.]
Ethan exhaled in relief. "So practice itself can raise stats… good."
Ding!
Another message. The dungeon raid was beginning.
Ethan tied his silver hair into a bundle, wore simple clothes, and strapped his sword to his waist. The night streets of New Eden were alive with people. His path was clear.
The dungeon awaited.