[Status window]
Name: Nearn Sunren.
Level: 1
Title: Awaken.
-
[Stats]
Strength: 12
Agility: 10
Defense: 10
Vitality: 10
Stamina: 10
Mana: 10
-
[Skills]
{Dream recorder} {Run}
-
Blessings: None
Class: None
— — —
Rubbing both his eyes, he wondered if the thing before him was real. The time was around 4:30 in the morning, and he had just been woken up by his alarm clock, which he had set the night before.
"This is a status window..., right?" He asked. Still not sure if he was hallucinating or not. Blinking his eye he realized he wasn't hallucinating or dreaming; this was real.
"I'm a natural awakened?"
In this era where Dungeons and Mana exist, there are three types of people living. There are the [Normal people], individuals who are not Awakened.
[Dungeon awakened] or [Artificial awakened]. Individuals who entered a dungeon and killed a monster in it to awaken the status window.
And finally, [Natural awakened]. People who wake up one day and are greeted by a floating panel before them.
Unlike the dungeon awakened, this individual will become one whether they like it or not. Even if they haven't killed any monsters.
Since it was still early in the morning, Ren started examining his status window for his own entertainment.
Disappointing.
That was the only thing he could think of. All his stats were 10 points only.
In the eyes of the world, this is what you call an average. Awakened people whose stats are only 10 points.
"Ugh to think I'm this weak." Ren couldn't believe it himself, to think that even as a naturally awakened person, he was still an average person.
"Except for my strength, all of them are only 10 points."
Knowing he can't do anything about it till he enters a dungeon and levels up, he brushed off these worries about his stats and looked at his two skills.
{Dream recorder.} Description: Remember all the details about your dreams.
"What? Haha, I don't have combat-related skills at all." Ren's hope already diminished the moment he read the description of his skills.
Normally, all the skills one has the moment they awaken are all combat-related. Like {Swordsmanship}, {Fireball}, {Heal}, {Lightning bolt}, and many more combat-related skills.
Yet, the one he has was nothing but garbage. An ability that allowed him to remember his dreams. Still, Ren kept his hopes up and pressed the second skill he had.
Normally, when someone awakens, they only have one skill; but to think he has two of them.
Seeing the name of his skill, his hope was not that high at all. Still, he had to make sure he knew what the effects of it were.
{Run.} Description: When activated the movement speed of the user will increase by 30%. Along with purifying all debuffs related to movement.
"Ohh! It's actually good?" Ren was satisfied with his second skill, not only does it increase his overall movement speed, but it can also get rid of debuffs.
"One good and one bad. Then let's proceed to the last one." Title [Awaken] everyone who can summon the status window has it.
The difference between the natural and dungeon awakened is the effects of it. To the dungeon awakened, this title allowed them to see the status window.
While for those natural it gives them a unique power of their own. One of the S-rank hunters in the country where he was living, is also a naturally awakened being like Ren.
In the interview, this person mentioned that the effects of the [Awaken] title of his, increased his stats by 10% each time he cleared a dungeon.
This is what Ren hopes for too. If he could awaken a good power with it, he would quit his job and live as a hunter from here on out.
[Awaken.] Description: Every month you can increase the bonus stats on three items by 10 points.
"I hit the lottery!" The description was short and simple. But Ren understands the potential of it.
By having three items with him, he can have a 30+ in stats. And this is only by his title effects alone. If he had an item that increased his strength by 30 points, that would be 40 for him.
Simple yet amazing ability to have. With this alone, he can increase his stats by 30 points even without leveling up. Even before entering a dungeon, he could increase his stats with it.
A simple yet good ability for a title. "If I get those useless accessory items dropped from the stalls near a dungeon I can then use my title effects."
He already had a plan in mind after seeing his title. Quickly running around his apartment, he grabbed every bit of money he had.
Without wasting a moment, he took a quick shower, ate a light breakfast, and made his way to the Awakened/Hunter Association.
"Apply as a new awakened, get a legal permit to enter a dungeon, and start my new career."
In the dungeon, there are four main things people want from it. [Exp], [Skills], [Items], and [Mana core] or also known as monster core.
[Exp] is obvious already, the main reason for people to enter a dungeon is to kill monsters within it and gain experience points that allow them to level up.
[Skills], also known as [Drop skills]. Those with great luck have a chance to obtain a skill book from the monster within the dungeon and learn this skill.
Though there's barely a record where people actually obtained one inside a dungeon. And when one actually gains one, they would sell it instead, earning them tens of millions in one go.
[Items] are one of the most common things people want within a dungeon. Most of the dungeon divers or hunters entered a dungeon in the hope of monsters dropping items that were worth tens of thousands.
The most common dropped items are the weapons and armor people used to dive into a dungeon. Such as war axes, swords, spears, a staff, and heavy armor.
But in the last couple of years, countless junk items dropped have been running amok within the Awakened community.
People started getting annoyed when the items that drop from a monster are just nail clippers, hand soap, scissors, pins, needles, and other household items useless in dungeons.
Finally [Mana core]. The most sought-after items within a dungeon. The thing that replaced the world's source of energy in the current era.
Thanks to this new source of energy. The planet that once suffered greatly from climate change had already disappeared in the last couple of centuries.
Even though it is extremely rare, with only a chance of dropping them from 1/30 monsters you kill, people still make a living with them.
Even the lowest quality of them is worth five thousand at best. With so, many people are willing to risk their lives to get one of these.
-----
After half an hour, Ren was finally at the association. Looking up at a high-rise building, Ren couldn't believe he actually made his way in here.
Just yesterday, he would never have thought of getting near this place, yet here he is now. Right in front of it, with a plan to go inside it.
After taking his time to admire the building, he finally made his way inside.
Once he set foot within the building, he found tens of men and women wearing full black attire, showing they were the workers of the association.
Along with it are people wearing both light and heavy armor, wielding and carrying all kinds of weapons.
There are swords clashing at the sides of men, while women hold tightly to their staffs. Shadowy figures in dark clothing brandish daggers, and many more join the fray.
Gazing at them Ren wondered if he should have dressed like them before going here. He feels he lacks the looks of a hunter who will enter a dungeon.
He wore a simple combination of a white polo shirt, jean pants, sneakers, and a leather jacket he got from his co-workers a year ago at their New Year's Eve party.
Carrying a simple bag on his back filled with multiple bottles of water and nutrition bars to use inside a dungeon.
Seeing people gaze latch into him, he made his way towards one of the receptionists' tables built into the walls of the building.
As soon as he was a meter away from the table, a blond lady behind the glass window greeted him with a smile, and Ren then said his reason for being here.
"I have recently awakened and am here to apply to the association," Ren said to the lady.
"Thank you for coming here on you're own. Not many would be doing the same as you." The lady said with a smile, and Ren understood what she was trying to send out.
Most of the awakened would not apply within the association not wanting to deal with them. They hated the idea of the association taking a bit of their earned money, while keeping track of their movement around the world.
But the moment these people die, their family would come running in yelling: Why did my son/husband die in the dungeon without any of you doing anything?
Or sometimes tried to get life insurance through the association. Which is a stupid thing to ask, when their family members never once involved themselves with the association.
On one hand, Ren understand of their action. On the other hand, he knew applying to the association would be the best option he had.
Not only does the association keep track of his dive in dungeons, but it also provides many opportunities for him.
An example of this is access to rare dungeons. Though dungeons are considered to be free access to the public, the association has its own private one where rare monsters are in.
Not only do these dungeons contain unique monsters, but they also have guaranteed a much safer dive within them, than the public dungeons.
Unlike the public dungeons, where no one knows their actual danger level, allowing both weak and strong awakened to enter them.
The association will hold an inspection of its dungeon monthly and only allowed those who meet the required level of strength to enter it.
After saying his reason for being here, the lady brought an obsidian plate before him, placed it on the counter along with a needle, and said:
"Alright the Mr Nearn, please drop a blood in this plate and you will be registered to the association."
Following her command, Ren used the needle given by the blond lady and dropped blood on an obsidian plate.
A minute or so after dropping blood on the plate. The obsidian plate cracked multiple times before creating a small explosion.
Thanks to the quick action of the blond lady by placing a small glass dome on top of it, he was safe from the small shards flying out of it.
Using a small tong, she started picking up the small shards inside the glass dome and dump them on a small machine. The machine made small noises, before releasing a small plate on it.
"Congratulations once again Mr Nearn, you are now part of the Awakened association." Giving him the small obsidian plate.
"From here on out you'll receive support from us. From helping you find a better residential area when you want to move from your current home. Free training course from one of our B-rank hunters—"
The blond lady then proceeded to talk about all the support he could receive from them. Ren already knew what the content of what she was saying, so he mostly ignored her words.
"And finally, your welcome to take one rank 1-2 item from the second floor of the building. Just proceed to the next floor and you'll find the treasure room where you can pick an item dropped from a dungeon."
Taking her words, Ren made his way to the spiral staircase. Once he was on the second floor he found a room opened with hundreds of weapons and armor in it.
***
Chapter 1 end.