The world shimmered around them as the dungeon faded away.
FWOOM!
A sudden burst of light engulfed the hunters, and in the next instant, they were standing once more on the outside. The chaotic air of the dungeon was gone, replaced by the crisp breeze of the academy grounds.
Some hunters groaned as they collapsed to the ground. Bloodied and pale, they were quickly tended to by healers rushing over with glowing hands and potions. Cries of pain filled the air as wounds closed and breaths steadied.
But in the middle of it all stood Souta Kael.
Unscathed, calm, His posture as relaxed as if he had merely taken a casual walk instead of battling through chaos. The surrounding hunters couldn't tear their eyes off him. They had seen what he did inside that dungeon things they could hardly believe even as witnesses. None of them had ever seen anything like it before.
Souta tilted his head back and chuckled. "Yes!!! That was awesome. I was awesome." His grin widened as if he were reliving the thrill of every moment.
Then he clasped his hands together, eyes gleaming. "So… what are the rewards? I bet I topped the table."
A glowing screen appeared in front of all participants, listing the top scorers.
…
————~TOP FIVE~————
|| Souta — 343 — 28[186/280] ||
|| Renji — 280 — 29[240/290] ||
|| Aoi — 250 — 29[100/290] ||
|| Tako — 230 — 28[215/280] ||
|| Akane — 200 — 28[20/280] ||
————————————————
Souta let out a triumphant shout. "Whooo! I won with 343 points!" His grin faltered, shoulders dropping a little. "But… no one is here to rejoice with me." He sighed, his head dipping in mock disappointment.
Then
FWOOOOOSH!
The wind howled suddenly, swirling around the field like a miniature tornado. Dust and grass whipped into the air as hunters shielded their eyes.
Souta's grin faded that wasn't natural.
From the spiraling gust, a figure stepped forth as though born from the storm.
…
[Naoki Bonko]
[Level 130]
[SSS–RANK]
[Wind Mage]
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"It's… Master Naoki!" someone shouted.
"What's he doing here?" another muttered. Confusion spread like wildfire.
All eyes locked onto the man descending gracefully, his long robes fluttering as if carried by invisible currents.
Souta's eyes narrowed. That pressure he recognized it. The killing intent he had felt earlier, just before entering the dungeon. So it was him.
Naoki touched down softly, as light as air. His presence was calm, almost casual, but it carried the crushing weight of authority.
He walked toward Souta, who stiffened slightly. His chest tightened not with fear, but with irritation. This was the face behind that malicious aura earlier.
Naoki stopped in front of him, studying the boy's expression with faint amusement.
"Close your eyes, kid," Naoki said calmly. His hand pressed down onto Souta's shoulder.
Before Souta could respond
WHOOSH!
The world blurred, and in an instant, both of them were gone.
The hunters left behind stood frozen, jaws slack.
Why… why did the Master take him? one asked.
What's his deal with that boy…? whispered another.
No one had answers.
…
The wind settled. When Souta opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a quiet hall lit by soft glowing crystals. Naoki stood a few steps away, arms folded, studying him with sharp eyes.
"Hey, kid. Nice work you pulled off in there," Naoki said with a faint smirk.
Souta didn't answer. His gaze was sharp, unpleasant. He didn't appreciate being dragged around like this.
"Why were you watching me earlier?" he asked flatly.
Naoki blinked. "Huh?"
"I mean when we were about to enter the dungeon," Souta pressed. "You sent killing intent my way. What was your plan?"
For a second, silence. Then
"Hahahahaha!" Naoki threw his head back with a loud laugh. "You're so serious, kid. Nothing exactly. I only received some information about you, so I did that for fun. Nothing more."
Souta's eyes narrowed. "The guild back in Drelmire, then."
Naoki chuckled, Smart. From what I have seen, you have got potential. Immense potential. I was thinking of asking you to become my disciple, There are good benefits you'd get from being my disciple.
"Yeah, whatever." Souta cut him off, his voice flat. "I am really tired. So I am heading out to rest."
Naoki blinked, caught off guard by the blunt dismissal.
Souta turned his back without hesitation, he had no patience for games.
…
Later, Souta sat on his bed, legs crossed in meditation. His mana pulsed faintly, slowly restoring itself after the long day. He exhaled deeply.
"Ahh… I am so tired. What a day."
Then his eyes opened, sharp and eager. "Okay. Time to check out my rewards."
From his inventory, he pulled out a glowing scroll. The Skill Evolving Scroll.
Holding it tightly, he closed his eyes, feeling the surge of energy flow into him.
[Skill: Void Step → Level 2]
A satisfied smile curved his lips. "Good. Now… potions, cooldown talismans, teleportation scrolls… Not bad." He leaned back, thoughtful. "But I need more evolving scrolls if I want to keep leveling my skills…"
Knock! Knock!
His head lifted. "Huh?"
The door creaked open.
"Yo!" a familiar voice called. "Lucky me, I get to be in the same room with you, my new pal."
It was Nagato, smiling brightly as he stepped in.
Souta chuckled. "Hey, Nagato. Didn't think we'd end up in the same room."
"Yeah, me neither. But hey, it's good to be here."
Behind him was his sister again, clinging tightly to his arm. Her eyes were fixed on Souta with an intensity that made him frown.
Why is she looking at me like that? Like I wronged her in a past life. He exhaled, smirking faintly. Guess I am too handsome to resist.
…
Two days later…
The academy grounds bustled with life. Some students marched out of dungeons pale-faced and trembling, while others geared up with bright-eyed determination. Shouts and chatter filled the air.
As for Souta, today was different.
"I'll be doing something new," he murmured to himself as he walked. "A B-rank dungeon… hell difficulty." His hand tapped the teleportation scroll in his pocket. "If it gets too rough, I'll leave. Simple as that."
Which is definitely a lie.
Whispers followed him wherever he went. His reputation had spread quickly. People couldn't stop talking about the boy who had defied all expectations. But Souta didn't care. His focus was simple: grow stronger, complete his task, and make the most of his second chance.
Then
"Hey, you! You! Are you deaf?"
Souta blinked, looking toward the voice.
A group stood near a dungeon gate. At the front was a tall young man clad in armor, a red cape flowing behind him. His hair was golden, his eyes cold.
"Uh… me?" Souta asked.
"Yes, you, damn it!" the stranger barked. "We want to clear this dungeon, and we don't want anyone else in it. You'll have to wait until we're done."
Souta's expression hardened. "Multiple people can enter a dungeon. You have no right to stop me." His voice was calm, but carried an edge that cut through the crowd.
Students began to gather, murmuring.
The blonde armored man growled. "Do you even know who we are? No one defies us. Ever."
Before the tension could snap, another student stepped forward. Shorter, with red hair and gleaming golden armor. He placed a hand on Souta's shoulder.
"Let it go," the boy urged. "You can't fight them alone. They're the Furious Five. No one defies them."
Souta turned his head slowly, his eyes locking onto the boy's, cold, piercing. A silent promise of violence.
The boy paled instantly. He pulled his hand back. "S-sorry, man."
Souta stepped forward, straight past the Furious Five. His gaze swept over them, unimpressed. Without a word, he touched the dungeon gate.
BEEP!
[Selected Difficulty: Hell]
Gasps erupted around him.
"He—he chose hell difficulty!"
"By himself? Is he insane?!"
The leader of the Furious Five clenched his fists. "Argh! He dares defy us?!"
"Boss," one of his men said quickly, "don't worry. He went in alone. There's no way he'll survive a B-rank dungeon, hell difficulty."
The leader's lips curled into a smirk. "Hmm. You're right. I didn't even notice… Let's go, team."
The crowd buzzed with disbelief.
"Did he just… sign his own death sentence?"
"First he defies the Furious Five… and now this?"
"Who is that guy…?"
Inside the dungeon, Souta's figure vanished into the darkness.
He didn't hesitate, he didn't flinch, he walked forward as though death itself were nothing more than an obstacle.
And for him, maybe it was.
———Ω———
Name: Souta Kael
Age: 18
Race: Human
Class: Hunter of Boundless Path
Title: Reborn One
Level: 28 [186/280]
Rank: SSS
Attribute Points: 20
Health: 100/100
Mana: 300
Stamina: 500
Strength: 61
Agility: 59
Endurance: 62
Intelligence: 48
Luck: 23
Skills: 5
Traits: 3
—————————
To be continued….