After leaving the room, Aslan was given a metal card with his name, class, and class potential engraved on it.
"You can go now," said the man who handed him the metal card, not even bothering to explain its function.
Once he left the Awakener's Association, Aslan stood outside in a daze, staring blankly into the open space before him, uncertain of what to do next.
He'd acquired a Class—a combative Class, no less. This meant he was qualified to enter the 'Tower' and fight monsters to become stronger. However, since he'd grown up mostly alone and away from society, he felt lost.
Suddenly—
[You have completed 'Path of the All-Encompassing']
[Congratulations on completing your first Unique Quest! You have received 100 Achievement Points as a reward!]
[You have received 'Nameless Sword' as a Quest Reward]
['Nameless Sword' has been stored inside your private inventory]
[You have received 'Tutorial Dungeon Key' as a Quest Reward]
['Tutorial Dungeon Key' has been stored inside your private inventory]
[You have received the Skill 'Path of the All-Encompassing' as a Quest Reward]
[You have received the follow-up quest 'Path of the All-Encompassing(2)' as a Quest Reward]
[Quest: Path of the All-Encompassing(2)]
[Difficulty: Normal]
[Description: You may have begun your journey as the All-Encompassing, but you lack strength and experience. Grow stronger and gain experience by increasing your Level to 10.]
"Grow stronger…" Aslan mumbled.
He recalled what the nameless entity told him at the hospital.
"Can I really put an end to the nightmares…?"
"No, I have to try. What do I have to lose? I'll grow stronger and wipe out as many monsters as I can!"
With nothing left to lose, Aslan made his decision. A flicker of resolve ignited within his heart—a passionate flame that swelled quietly, growing stronger with each passing moment.
A few nearby passersby who overheard Aslan's spirited declaration couldn't help but chuckle to themselves, "Another one with a hero complex, huh? They're usually the first to die."
Aslan heard their mumble but completely ignored them and quickly left the scene.
After wandering the streets for a while, Aslan eventually found himself in a quiet park, where he took a seat on an empty bench.
"In order to increase my level, I need to hunt monsters…"
Though Aslan didn't know much about the world, he was at least aware of its situation and the kind of life that awaited those who awakened a Class.
Monster invasions occurred once every four years, giving Awakeners a limited window to grow stronger and prepare for the next onslaught.
To grow stronger, Awakeners ventured into 'Towers' scattered across the world—dangerous realms where they could gain experience by fighting monsters, level up, and obtain treasures that further enhanced their power.
Aslan lifted his gaze toward the towering structure in the distance, a massive pillar that pierced the sky and vanished into the clouds.
However, due to their difficulty and high rate of casualties, Towers were off-limits to beginner Awakeners like Aslan.
Newly awakened individuals typically turned to Dungeons instead—smaller in scale, filled with weaker monsters, and, most importantly, far more beginner-friendly.
'How do I even enter dungeons? Do I just show up and enter? Or do I need permission? Can I even enter them alone?'
As Aslan was lost in thought, he suddenly recalled a certain item he'd acquired as a Quest Reward.
"The Tutorial Dungeon Key… but how do I use it?"
Aslan instinctively opened his inventory when he thought about it. Though it was his first time using the system, it felt as natural as breathing.
Once the inventory popped up, he could see two items inside. The Nameless Sword and the Tutorial Dungeon Key.
When Aslan focused his attention on the key, more information appeared.
"No."
Aslan didn't rush things and turned his attention to the other item inside his inventory.
When Aslan imagined the sword in his grasp, the Nameless Sword disappeared from his inventory and materialized in his right hand the next moment.
"Oh…"
He examined the sword with awe. Despite its unremarkable name, the weapon itself was anything but plain.
The sword was shaped like a short sword, featuring a black handle that complemented its dark blade. The blade itself was predominantly black, adorned with golden symbols and fine lines intricately etched along the edge, giving it an air of elegance.
Though it was his first time holding a sword, Aslan felt no discomfort or awkwardness in his grip. It was as if the weapon belonged in his hand… as if he'd wielded one his entire life.
With the sword in his hand, Aslan felt an overwhelming surge of confidence, as though nothing in the world could stand against him.
And with this feeling gripping his entire being, Aslan didn't think twice before activating the Tutorial Dungeon Key.
A moment later, the atmosphere around him subtly shifted, growing heavy. Then, without warning, the space before him began to distort—twisting and warping as if reality itself were unraveling.
Before he even realized it, a square had been carved into the space before him. It was a perfectly cut doorway, shimmering faintly, as if leading into another world.
Aslan instinctively glanced around to see the others' reaction, but to his surprise, everything around him was eerily still.
The falling leaves hung motionless in the air, and the nearby pedestrians stood frozen in place, as if time itself had come to a halt.
When Aslan saw the countdown, his mind went blank. Without thinking, he stepped forward and crossed through the doorway.
[You have entered 'Tutorial Dungeon: Baby Goblin Forest]
"Baby Goblin Forest…?" Aslan subconsciously tightened his grip on the sword.
He surveyed his surroundings. He was no longer in the park, but in a dense forest filled with unfamiliar trees and an air that carried a strange, foreign scent.
"This is… a dungeon?"
He swallowed hard as a wave of anxiety surged through him.
However, as if something unseen washed over him, a strange calm settled in his heart, swiftly easing his rising anxiety.
This time, Aslan noticed the skill activation and focused on it.
As Aslan read through the skill's description, a strange sound suddenly echoed from behind him, prompting him to turn around.
His eyes widened when he saw the source of the noise—a green entity with sharp ears, the frame of a toddler, was running at him with a wooden branch in its grasp.
Above its head also hovered the words:
"A monster!"
Despite its small stature and somewhat innocent appearance, Aslan didn't hesitate to point his sword at the baby goblin.
Suddenly, a surge of unfamiliar energy rushed through Aslan's body, causing his temperature to spike, like a fever. Yet, unlike any illness, it didn't bring discomfort. In fact, it felt oddly invigorating.
As the baby goblin stepped into the range of his blade, Aslan—embraced by that strange, comforting warmth—swung his sword without hesitation.
A streak of black and gold light arced gracefully through the air, cutting a perfect path as it cleaved toward the baby goblin.
[Lv. 1 Green Baby Goblin defeated]
[You have gained some experience]
Aslan stood in silence as he stared at the monster's cleanly severed corpse with a perplexed expression on his face.
He had expected to feel guilt for killing something so small and innocent-looking, but to his surprise, the emotion never came. Instead, he felt a strange sense of fulfillment… and delight.
For the first time in his life, he had slain a monster—the very kind of creature that had killed his family and ruined his life.
"Haha…"
A faint, broken laugh escaped his lips. It was soft at first, but it grew louder with each breath.
"HAHAHAHA!" he burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the forest, wild and unrestrained.
Moments later, he lifted his head and shouted toward the blue sky, "With this power, I can finally destroy those bastards! Father! Mother! Sister! Everyone! Please watch over me as I slaughter these filthy monsters for you!"
Just as his voice faded, several more baby goblins emerged from the shadows, drawn by the sound of his voice.
Seeing this, a cold smile appeared on Aslan's face.
"@*&)(@!#"
The baby goblins shouted incomprehensible words after seeing the corpse of their fellow monster near Aslan and charged at him.
Aslan's sword danced left and right with relentless precision, each swing claiming the life of a monster.
[Lv. 1 Green Baby Goblin defeated]
[You have gained some experience]
[You have reached level 2]
"Where do you think you're going?!"
After cutting down most of the baby goblins, the last one turned and fled in panic. Seeing this, Aslan dashed after it without a second thought.
[Lv. 2 Green Baby Goblin defeated]
[You have gained some experience]
After dealing with the fleeing goblin, Aslan dropped to the ground, breathing heavily as he tried to recover his stamina. Though he wielded his sword with the grace of a seasoned fighter, his body was still that of a novice, untrained and unconditioned.
He used this moment to check out his other skills.
Aslan raised an eyebrow when he saw that he'd already mastered this skill, even though he'd just awakened. Since he wasn't familiar with the norm, he didn't put too much thought into it and went to the next skill.
Once he recovered his stamina, Aslan wasted no time resuming his hunt and scoured the forest for more monsters to kill.
It didn't take long before he found more baby goblins since they were all approaching in his direction due to the scent of blood from the dead goblins.
[Remaining: 4]
An hour later, Aslan had managed to slay all but four monsters and reached level 3 from the experience he gained.
He spent the next half an hour searching for the remaining four monsters, but to no success.
With less than half an hour left on the clock, Aslan picked up his pace.
Eventually, he returned to the place where he killed his first baby goblin.
"Found you…"
Aslan murmured when he spotted four figures standing among the scattered corpses.
But just as he stepped toward them, he froze. Two of the goblins were noticeably larger than the rest.
'Two adult goblins? They are even twice my level!' Aslan swallowed nervously.
The adult goblins stood nearly three feet taller than the baby goblins, their bodies bulkier and packed with muscle. Their faces were also far more grotesque, marked by long, crooked noses and wide, toad-like eyes.
'Will I be able to defeat them?'
As Aslan wondered this, the goblins suddenly turned to look in his direction.
The moment they spotted Aslan, the goblins let out furious cries, and without hesitation, the level 6 goblin charged straight at him.
The goblin gripped a short dagger in its hand, moving with a speed far beyond that of the baby goblins. Caught off guard—having grown accustomed to their sluggishness—Aslan flustered briefly before Indomitable Will activated.
"@!$!@#"
Suddenly, the goblin raised its arm and hurled the dagger toward Aslan, aimed directly between his brows.
Reacting on pure instinct, Aslan raised his sword just in time to block the flying blade.
The goblin didn't stop moving until it closed the distance and unleashed a straight kick the moment it reached him, striking Aslan in the stomach and almost knocking him to the ground.
However, Aslan didn't fall and endured the pain.
"Die, you pest!"
Before the goblin could regain its footing, Aslan swung his sword downward with all his strength—the blade cleaving clean through its body, splitting the goblin in half.
[Lv. 6 Green Goblin defeated]
The other three goblins screamed as they made their move together.
Aslan ignored the baby goblins since they were pretty much harmless and focused solely on the level 7 goblin.
Despite having a higher level, the level 7 goblin wasn't as nimble or tricky as the other and died to his sword without any issues. The remaining two baby goblins followed shortly afterward.
[Remaining: 0]
[Congratulations, you have cleared 'Tutorial Dungeon: Baby Goblin Forest']