Chapter 2: The Dungeon of Death
Hayden awoke in a dark void, his body fully healed, yet his mind buzzing with the system's interface. He flexed his fingers and a status panel appeared before him:
[Player Status]
Level: 1
Strength: 10 (+0)
Agility: 10 (+0)
Endurance: 10 (+0)
Special Ability: None
Tasks: Survive, Hunt, Level Up
"This… is insane," he muttered, staring at the numbers.
Before he could react, the system assigned him a mission.
[Mission: Clear Dungeon – Demon Abyss | Difficulty: B-Rank]
Hayden blinked. He was still E-rank in the real world. This dungeon? Many hunters of A and B ranks had died here. But… he had the system now. This wasn't just about survival this was his chance to prove himself.
Meanwhile, outside the dungeon, a SS-Rank hunter named Selene Varathis led a group to investigate. She was known for her cold efficiency, incredible speed, and deadly magical abilities. The dungeon had already swallowed dozens of hunters, but nothing had prepared her for what was inside… or for Hayden.
Inside the dungeon, Hayden's system guided him, giving real-time advice:
[Task Updated: Hunt and defeat dungeon monsters. Reward: EXP, Loot]
[Skill Unlocked: Enhanced Reflexes | Passive | Level 1]
As he fought, monsters he couldn't have dreamed of as an E-rank fell under his newfound powers. Shadow beasts, clawed demons, and spectral wraiths each kill made him stronger. His confidence grew with every step, his name slowly being erased from the "Weakest Hunter" list, at least in his mind.
Outside, Selene and her team were baffled. The dungeon seemed to shift, monsters disappearing mysteriously. A faint energy signature hinted that someone someone alive inside the dungeon was leveling at an unprecedented pace.
Selene noted the anomaly but shrugged. "Could be a trap. Let's stay sharp."
She had no idea that the weak E-rank hunter, presumed dead, was quietly becoming a Player, mastering powers she couldn't even imagine.
And later… when Hayden fully escapes the dungeon, every hunter from C-rank to SS-rank will have to acknowledge him.
Selene, the SS-rank hunter, wouldn't be immune to his presence. At first, she would see him as a curiosity, then a threat, and eventually… admiration would grow into something far deeper. But that was a story for later he had monsters to hunt first.