My eyes flicker open to a dim, claustrophobic space—tight, damp, and buried in stone and soil. Every inch of it breathes stillness, yet far off to the left, a low growl rumbles through the darkness, echoing like a warning. I scan the surroundings, nerves tight.
A dungeon for certain, I register silently, pulse syncing with the sound of those unseen beasts.
"System," I whisper, voice brittle, unsure if it will answer.
__________
[System Interface]
Rank: —
Titles:
Species: Human
Ability: Path not chosen
Attributes: —
System Status: Default
Aspect: Unpredictability & Anomaly
Unpredictability: This aspect defies logic and linearity. The user's path will ripple against expected outcomes, altering battles and events arbitrarily.
Anomaly: This aspect obscures all records of the user's existence, past or present.
__________
I blink at the display, mind momentarily blank. No stats. No mana. No agility. No strength bar. Just... aspects. Odd, alien ones.
What kind of system is this?
__________
[System Update]
Price: Nothing.
__________
The words appear unprompted. My thoughts? Is it reading me?
"Answer me," I say aloud, testing the bounds of this thing.
__________
[System Response]
The leveling process operates through a Rank-based structure. As ranks increase, new skills and evolutionary phases will emerge. Your current level is hidden but will be revealed through triggered notifications. Advancement may alter your species until your final form is reached.
__________
__________
Note: Due to a divine anomaly during system creation, progression is unstable. Attributes and features may unlock at random intervals, deviating from traditional development paths.
__________
I freeze. "A divine glitch?" The words spill before I can stop them. This lack of control over my own mouth is going to bite me one day.
__________
[System Clarification]
When the god fragmented the system, he laced it with concealed elements. While most were removed, several embedded anomalies remain—harmless, but... unpredictable.
__________
So… will this cost me something? Will my growth be hindered?
[Yes. That is why I used EXP deduction as a price. EXP deductions will occur to limit the spread of corruption.]
I exhale sharply. Reality hits in waves. This isn't some dream or simulation. My life has shifted—violently, permanently. But whatever this is, whatever curse or gift I've been granted... I won't let it rot.
I will make the gods bleed for what they've done. This power? It won't be wasted.
Even if chains still cling to my soul—holding back the monster clawing to rise—I've chosen my path.
The numbness fades like fog peeling from skin. My limbs begin to stir, and understanding dawns.
__________
[System Notice]
To ensure perfect soul-to-body integration, movement was temporarily suspended.
__________
"Thanks," I mutter, absurdly grateful to a faceless voice. I clench my fingers. They curl tightly, bone-white and trembling. Toes wiggle. A small victory, but it tastes like lightning in my veins.
And as always, joy demands a price.
__________
[System Quest Initiated]
Main Quest: Clear Barcus—Dungeon of Lower-Tier Beasts.
__________
The words burn in my vision. One quest. One chance. Live or die. It starts now.
"Barcus," I echo. "That means goblins... orcs... horned wolves."
Low-tier beasts, sure—but dungeon versions. Variants. Evolved and enraged. Creatures reborn by the environment into something far worse than their surface kin.
No armor. No clothes. No weapons. Just flesh and instinct. But I still have a mind and a will honed sharper than any sword.
I freeze. Fate is teasing me, isn't it? A red glow pulses in the dark. I tap it—desperate, hopeful. The item materializes into my hand, and disappointment tightens my face.
A dagger. Rusted. Dull. The faint shine reflects only one of my crimson eyes, distorted in its battered edge. The handle? Cracked leather and worn steel.
__________
[System Info]
Weapon Acquired:Gluttony
__________
"Gluttony?" I murmur, turning the dagger. "Weird name."
I can't complain. It's all I've got. Close quarters it is.
And then—because the system loves bad timing—it returns with one more gift:
__________
[System Mini-Quest]
Objective: Defeat 10 goblins.
Reward: Combat experience.
__________
"Combat experience," I repeat with a frown. Really?
Either the system is underestimating me... or mocking me. But I don't have the luxury of pride. I accept the quest without hesitation.
Because if I ever want to see the sky again, I'll have to cut my way to it—through every monster this cursed dungeon throws at me.
One goblin at a time.
____________________
Hello, everyone!
I hope you enjoyed the prologue for this story, which I have decided to rework. It's going to be one hell of a story, I can promise you that. So stick around for its wonders, and please interact with it as much as you can or want! There will be no set posting schedule! So just enjoy when I post!
Duskie, out!!
____________________