Beom Seok stared at the notification, a spark of excitement lighting up his features.
I wonder what the gift is, he thought, curiosity bubbling beneath the surface. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than another screen materialized before him.
Beom Seok whispered, "Accept rewards," and immediately felt a surge of energy wash over him. Every muscle, every fiber of his being, tingled with vitality as the Status Recovery fully restored his stamina and healed any lingering fatigue.
Then he turned to the Random Box. With trembling hands, he opened it and revealed a gleaming dagger, black-bladed with faint runes etched along the edge.
It was labeled as a special B-ranked weapon, and Beom Seok's heart skipped a beat. It has the potential to rise in rank? He stared at it in awe. The novel had never mentioned a weapon capable of evolving—nor, for that matter, a system governing the world.
A sinking realization settled in his chest. The peaceful life he had briefly imagined was likely impossible. Yet, a thrill of anticipation coursed through him.
The world had changed, and so had he. Carefully, he stored the dagger in the system's inventory, tucking away its latent power for the moment, and headed back home.
Entering the house, he collapsed onto the couch, still processing the day's events. But before he could even breathe, the system buzzed again.
Please complete the mission in the next 2 days.
[Warning: If the mission is not completed, the host will be given a level-10 punishment]
Beom Seok exhaled slowly, a calm expression settling across his face despite the weight of the notification.
"This system is never going to give me a break to breathe," he muttered, flinging his head back onto the couch. "How am I supposed to clear ten F-ranked dungeons in two days?"
As he contemplated the impossible task, a glimmer of insight lit his mind. The mission doesn't say I have to clear all ten alone. His lips curled into a faint grin. I'll just go with a dungeon raiding squad, stay behind, and act as a weapons carrier while they do the actual fighting.
Feeling a surge of cleverness, he immediately pulled out his phone and scrolled through lists of active dungeon raiding squads. There aren't many squads that would accept an F-rank, he muttered, wincing at the thought of his low stats.
Hours seemed to pass as he meticulously searched, finally finding a squad willing to take him along. They were scheduled to raid ten dungeons in sequence, and if he arrived at the given location within the hour, he could join their expedition.
Time was short. Beom Seok moved with purpose, taking a quick shower and donning his gear. His heart thrummed in anticipation as he imagined the upcoming raids. Each dungeon promised danger, yet also opportunity—to gain experience, test his new dagger, and understand just how far the system's punishments would push him.
He grabbed his backpack, double-checked the dagger's placement in the system's storage, and stepped outside. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the street as he headed toward the rendezvous point.
Excitement and apprehension mingled inside him, a combination he had not felt in years. This was the beginning of a new chapter—one that would test his survival instincts, his wit, and perhaps even his courage.
As the familiar outline of the meeting location drew near, Beom Seok straightened his shoulders. Time to see how this F-rank survives among hunters. He tightened his grip on his backpack strap, and a determined glint flickered in his eyes. Whatever lay ahead in the dungeons, he would face it—because failure was not an option, and the system would not allow mercy.