The heavy rain had finally stopped, leaving behind a cold mist that wrapped around the city like a shroud.
Inside the opulent penthouse of the Viper Guild HQ, the air was warm, but the atmosphere was freezing.
Vikram, the A-Rank Guild Leader (Level 385), sat on his velvet sofa. In front of him, a small holographic projection was playing from a broken communication device that his cleanup crew had retrieved.
"Your men are dead. If you want to join them... come find me."
The voice was distorted, young, and calm. Too calm.
CRACK.
The armrest of the sofa crumbled into fine powder under Vikram's grip.
"A kid..." Vikram whispered, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "A nameless rat kills my squad and dares to threaten me?"
Standing beside him was Sameer, the Vice-Guild Leader (Level 190, C-Rank). He looked nervous, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Sir," Sameer said hesitantly. "The autopsy report is disturbing. The squad... they were cut in half. Even the Tank who held the reinforced steel shield. The cuts were clean. No friction marks. It suggests..."
"Space magic," Vikram finished the sentence, his eyes narrowing. "Or a weapon with Spatial attributes."
Greed replaced the anger in Vikram's eyes for a moment. Spatial weapons were legendary. They were worth billions. If he could get his hands on that weapon, he could challenge the S-Rank barrier. He could rule not just this city, but the entire country.
"Send the alert," Vikram commanded. "Lock down the Silver District. Check every camera. I want that boy found."
"Should I send the Alpha Squad?" Sameer asked.
"No," Vikram sneered. "If we send the elites, other Guilds will notice and try to steal the prize. Send Raka."
Sameer's eyes widened. "Raka? The Tracker? But sir, he is a Level 65 Assassin. Sending him after a kid seems like overkill."
"I don't care," Vikram stood up, walking towards the window. "I want that weapon before sunrise. Tell Raka to bring me the boy's head... and the scythe."
Meanwhile - Inside a Cheap Motel Room
Far away from the factory, in a rundown area of the city, Aryan sat on a creaky old bed.
Vedna lay on the bed beside him. The scythe was no longer dripping blood; it had absorbed every drop, making the purple veins on the blade glow faintly.
"Walking around with this is too dangerous," Aryan thought. "It draws too much attention."
He waved his hand over the weapon.
[Dimension Inventory Open]
A black ripple appeared in the air—a small tear in reality. Aryan pushed the scythe towards it. The massive weapon sank into the black void like a stone dropping into water, disappearing instantly.
"Much better," Aryan sighed in relief.
The Dimension Inventory was one of the most essential perks of his 'Void Walker' class. It was a personal pocket dimension where he could store his gear, invisible to any scanner or thief.
He checked his status.
[Status Window]
* Name: Aryan
* Level: 11
* Class: Void Walker
* Mana: 450/450
* Agility: 42 (Increased)
* Active Skill: Void Step (Level 1)
Aryan's eyes focused on Void Step.
"I used this instinctively back when I first awakened, but my body was too weak then. It put a massive strain on my muscles. But now..."
He looked at his increased Agility.
"With higher stats, I should be able to control it perfectly."
He decided to test it. There was a dark shadow in the corner of the room. He focused his will.
WHOOSH.
There was no sound. His body dissolved into smoke and instantly materialized in the corner shadow. It was teleportation—faster, smoother, and deadlier than before.
"Perfect," Aryan smiled.
Now, he had to plan his next move.
"I can't stay here hiding. Vikram will send his best dogs to hunt me down. I need more power. I need to level up."
And to level up efficiently, he needed to enter a Dungeon.
The knowledge he had received from the Void—the memories of the future—flashed in his mind. He knew of an F-Rank dungeon on the outskirts called the "Goblin Caves". To the world, it was a trash dungeon for newbies.
"But they are wrong," Aryan whispered. "The Void knowledge tells me there is a hidden floor beneath those caves. A place where the real monsters live."
However, there was a problem. Dungeons were heavily guarded by the government and the Hunter Association. If he tried to sneak in, he would be branded a criminal or a spy. He needed to walk in through the front door.
"I need an identity," Aryan's eyes gleamed with a plan. "A mask that makes me look 'normal' to the world."
A Hunter License.
If he had a license, he would have legal permission to enter dungeons. No one would question him.
"I possess the power of the Void, but to the world, I must play the role of a weak, lucky newbie. An F-Rank License will be the perfect cover."
He packed his bag and looked out the window at the glowing city skyline.
"Tomorrow morning, I will go to the Hunter Association. They will underestimate me, they will mock me..." Aryan grinned, a predator baring his fangs. "And that will be my greatest advantage."