Morning came quicker than I expected.
I woke up earlier than usual, my body buzzing with restless energy. Maybe it was the excitement… or maybe it was the weight of knowing I had no time to waste. Either way, I dragged myself into the bathroom, took a shower, and stood under the water longer than necessary, trying to calm the storm inside me. When I finally stepped out, I felt sharper—like steel fresh from the forge.
I dressed in my academy uniform, strapped my sword to my side, and left the dorm room behind.
The Nexus Hunter Academy loomed over Solara Prime like a titan among mortals. Even after being here for a while, I couldn't shake the feeling of awe whenever I walked through its grounds. It wasn't just an academy—it was a city within a city, sprawling across an enormous district. Training halls the size of stadiums, artificial dungeons that mimicked real ones, research facilities that pushed magical theory beyond imagination, and even infinite dungeons that seemed to mock the concept of "limits."To most students, this was paradise.
The academy ran on hierarchy, and my rank—dead last out of 2500—put me on the bottom of the food chain. My allotted dungeon time was just one hour. Barely a scrap compared to the elites who could train for half a day without interruption.
Still, an hour was more than enough to sharpen my blade.
The campus was quiet this early. Few students were out; most either still slept or had no reason to train today. The empty courtyards and echoing stone walkways gave the academy a strangely solemn atmosphere, like I was trespassing in a temple.
I finally reached the dungeon gates.
The entrance was a warp gate shimmering with pale blue light, its surface rippling like liquid glass. A gatekeeper stood in front of it—a tall man with a rigid stance, wearing the academy's black-and-gold uniform. His expression was carved from stone, his badge gleaming with authority.
"Identity?" His voice was clipped, businesslike.
I handed him my academy card. He scanned it with a small device, eyes flicking to my face. For just a second, I caught the faintest narrowing of his eyes. Pity? Scorn? It didn't matter.
"You are permitted one hour." He returned the card with the same rigid tone.
I gave a small nod. The rule was nothing new, but it still gnawed at me. Bottom rank meant bottom privileges. I clenched my jaw and forced the bitterness down. Complaining wouldn't change anything.
"Yeah, an hour's plenty," I muttered under my breath, though what I really meant was I'll wring every drop out of it.
Sword in hand, I stepped into the warp gate.
The world twisted.
For a moment, I felt like I was being shot through the sky at breakneck speed, windless and weightless. The first time I'd used a portal gate like this I felt like throwing up but now, though? My body was adjusting. I even cracked a grin.
"Well, at least I'm not decorating the gatekeeper's shoes this time," I joked to myself.
Light dimmed. My feet touched solid ground.
When my vision cleared, I found myself standing in a stone passageway. The walls were rough, hewn from some gray rock that swallowed sound. The ceiling was embedded with faintly glowing stones at intervals, giving the corridor a weak, uneven light. I could only see about two meters ahead before the shadows swallowed everything.
Quiet. Too quiet.
I took a cautious step forward, then another, my sword half-drawn. The air smelled faintly damp, as if the stones themselves had been soaking in centuries of silence.
Nothing moved. No echoes, no creatures waiting to lunge. Just… stillness.
Some rookies might have relaxed. I didn't. If this dungeon taught me anything, it was that silence usually meant something nasty was listening.
I kept going, boots clicking against the stone. The corridor stretched on, turning once, then straightening again. My grip on the sword tightened with every step.
Then—
\[Ding!]
A blue window panel blinked into view.
---
**\[Quest Generated]**
[Trial of the Low-Rank Dungeon]
[Objective: Defeat at least three monsters within the allotted time]
[Reward: +3 to All Stats]
---
"Well, isn't that convenient," I whispered. "I was starting to wonder if I'd just been invited for a morning stroll."
That was when I heard it—the faint scratching sound echoing ahead of me. Claws on stone.
I froze, eyes narrowing at the dark end of the passage. Then, slowly, it stepped into the dim glow.
The creature was about the size of a lion, its body hunched low to the ground. Its skin looked like cracked obsidian, jagged plates forming natural armor. Four glowing red eyes gleamed in the shadows, and when it opened its mouth, rows of needle-like teeth glistened with venom. Its tail ended in a hooked barb that dripped black liquid, sizzling as it hit the ground.
The system window blinked again.
---
**\[Monster Identified: Gloomfang Ravager (Low Rank)]**
A predatory dungeon beast adapted to ambush prey in confined spaces. Its claws secrete corrosive acid. Its armor is resistant to physical strikes.
---
"Great. Acid claws, teeth like knives, and armor. And I get an hour with this thing." I sighed, tightening my grip on my sword. "Let's hope I won't die."
The Gloomfang hissed, low and guttural, then launched forward with terrifying speed.
I darted sideways, activating Dash. The skill flared to life, propelling me like a blur just as its claws slashed through where I'd been standing. Sparks hissed off the stone wall where the acid touched.
"Yeah, definitely don't get hit by that," I muttered.
I retaliated with a swift slash across its flank, but my blade barely nicked its armor. The thing hardly flinched.
"Perfect. Sword against rock. Great matchup."
The Ravager wheeled around, its tail whipping toward me. I ducked under it, then invoked Arc Discharge. Blue sparks crackled from my hand, surging into my blade. Lightning erupted outward in a sharp burst as I slashed, catching the beast across its chest.
This time, it screamed—a horrible, echoing screech. The electricity danced across its obsidian-like hide, burning through the cracks.
I grinned. "So you don't like lightning, huh? Good. I'm full of surprises."
It lunged again, claws raking. I parried with my sword, but the impact rattled my arm to the bone. Its strength was monstrous, but I had more tools.
"Perfect Poker," I muttered, activating the passive that enhanced my precision. My next strike landed directly at a glowing crack in its chest armor, and when I followed it with another Arc Discharge, the electricity surged deeper. The Ravager convulsed, screeching as smoke hissed from its wounds.
It staggered, still alive, but wobbling now.
I steadied my breathing. My mana was running low, but not empty. One more should do it.
Raising my blade, I murmured, "Let's gamble everything on this."
The beast lunged, jaws wide. I charged forward, sword blazing with crackling blue light.
We collided.
The discharge ripped through its chest, exploding in a shower of sparks. The Ravager shrieked, convulsed once, then collapsed in a smoking heap. The stench of burnt flesh filled the corridor.
For a moment, I just stood there, panting, blade still humming with residual energy. Then I let out a shaky laugh.
"One down. Two to go."
---
**\[Quest Progress Updated]**
[1/3 Monsters Defeated]
---
I sheathed my sword, wiping sweat from my forehead. My heart was still pounding, but the thrill of victory made my lips curl into a grin.
The system had promised me a stat increase if I cleared all three. I wasn't about to let that chance slip away.
Adjusting my grip on the sword, I glanced deeper into the dungeon's shadowed corridors.
"The real fun's just getting started."I whispered to myself,
And with that, I stepped forward, deeper into the dark.