Airen stood before the glowing system panel, his eyes scanning through the endless list of skills.
E-Rank Skills:
1. Quickstep – Short bursts of speed. Not teleportation, just faster, sharper movement.
2. Iron Guard – Hardens a small portion of skin; blocks weak attacks, not bullets.
3. Piercing Thrust – A deep, focused strike. Perfect for spears or swords.
4. Twin Slash – Two consecutive strikes in a single motion.
5. Wind Step – Silent and light-footed movement.
6. Focused Strike – Boosts power for one precise hit.
7. Ember Shot – Shoots a small fire spark, enough to burn skin.
8. Frost Touch – Freezes a hand-sized area.
9. Mana Sense – Feels faint traces of monster energy.
10. Minor Heal – Heals scratches and shallow wounds.
11. Blade Control – Better sword precision.
12. Arrow Guidance – Arrows fly straighter, ignoring light wind.
13. Shield Bash – Creates a small shockwave on impact.
14. Spear Sweep – Clears enemies in a small circle.
15. Light Feet – Improves agility and jump height.
16. Clarity – Clears panic and fear for ten seconds.
17. Silent Movement – Walk without making noise.
18. Locator – Displays a mini-map of monsters within five meters.
19. Strength Boost – Temporarily boosts physical strength.
20. Stamina Surge – Removes fatigue briefly.
21. Reactive Barrier – One-hit mana shield.
22. Poison Resistance – Weak resistance to minor toxins.
23. Keen Sight – Sharper vision for a few minutes.
24. Adrenaline Rush – Boosts speed when HP drops below 10%.
25. Wolf Instinct – Heightened danger sense and reflexes.
26. Orc Grip – Enhanced hand strength and weapon control.
27. Undead Fortitude – Reduces stun and fear effects.
28. Mana Thread – Creates weak mana strings for small objects.
29. Basic Enchanting – Adds minor buffs to weapons temporarily.
30. Beginner Alchemist – Crafts weak HP potions.
31. Fire Magic – Small, hand-sized fireball.
32. Steady Aim – E Rank
Slightly reduces hand shake while holding ranged weapons like bows or guns.
33. Endure – E Rank
Lets user stay conscious for two more seconds after receiving a fatal hit (enough to act once).
34. Minor Shockwave – E Rank
A weak area push that can knock back light monsters within one meter.
35. Quick Recovery – E Rank
Reduces stamina recovery time by 10%.
36. Sound Pulse – E Rank
Releases a small wave of sound that can disorient weak monsters for a second.
Airen exhaled softly.
"More than thirty… and still more below?"
[There are 200 more. Which ten do you wish to assign to the E-Rank Awakeners?]
Airen waved lazily. "You choose. You know what fits best."
[Understood.]
A pause.
[Total cost: 3,060,000,000 points — including 100 F-Rank dungeons, 10 E-Rank dungeons, 1,000 F-Rank awakeners, and 10 E-Rank awakeners.]
The panel shifted again.
[Do you wish to add extra rewards to the dungeons?]
"Extra rewards?" Airen raised an eyebrow.
[You can insert rewards from your inventory, or purchase new ones.]
A new interface appeared — glowing tiers lined up vertically.
[Dungeon Reward List]
F-Rank Items
E-Rank Items
D-Rank Items
C-Rank Items
B-Rank Items
A-Rank Items
S-Rank Items
SS-Rank Items
SSS-Rank Items
Airen tilted his head. "Wait… does that mean there are already rewards inside?"
[Yes. F-Rank dungeons contain ten gold coins (1 gram each). E-Rank dungeons reward one random F-Rank skill.]
Airen chuckled. "So they already get something. Not bad."
He scrolled through the F-Rank item list.
[F-Rank Item List – Price: 5,000,000 points each]
Rusted Iron Sword (F)
Minor Healing Potion (F)
Cracked Mana Stone (F)
Worn Leather Armor (F)
Small Gold Pouch (F)
Basic Dagger (F)
Simple Shield (F)
Weak Fire Charm (F)
Cracked Leather Boots (F)
Dull Knife (F)
Broken Compass (F)
Half-Burnt Torch (F)
Tiny Mana Stone (F)
Rusty Chain (F)
Faded Cloak (F)
Old Adventurer's Note (F)
Cracked Healing Potion (F)
Wooden Buckler (F)
Airen then reached into his inventory and pulled out two small cubes — one glowing gold, the other blue.
Inside them, mist swirled like living smoke.
"System… is there any way to spread this gas across the entire world?"
[There is. But spreading the golden gas is dangerous — I've warned you before.]
Airen smirked faintly, his eyes glinting under the dim hotel light.
"I know. You said that it strengthens both humans and animals… and that's exactly why I'll do it."
His expression darkened — a mix of devilish logic and cold reason.
"If only humans get stronger, chaos will rise among them. But if everything grows stronger — even the beasts — humanity will have no choice but to grow faster. Fear will push them to adapt."
The system paused.
[So you intend to use danger itself as motivation?]
Airen's voice turned calm, almost detached.
"When people awaken, not all will stay good. When that happens, who will stop them? Ordinary humans? Impossible. But if animals evolve, and the world becomes unpredictable… everyone will have to take it seriously. Danger could come from anywhere — even a stray cat or their own pet."
[Oh… I never considered that perspective.]
Airen smiled faintly. "Now you do. So tell me — how can I do it?"
[It can only be done once, using a special feature. Cost: 1,000,000,000 points.]
Airen nodded. "Do it. And also, add those useless storage rings as rewards for the dungeons."
[Confirmed. New total cost: 4,060,000,000 points.]
The panel displayed a final confirmation window.
[Proceed?]
[Current Points:4,855,180,000 ]
[After transaction: 795,180,000]
Before clicking, Airen looked out the tall hotel window.
The city below sparkled peacefully.
Cars moved, people laughed, neon signs flickered — all unaware that in the next few seconds, their world would never be the same again.
[Just click "OK."]
Airen placed his finger on the glowing button.
"Alright."
He pressed OK.
The cubes in his hands dissolved into dust, and instantly—
The sky outside split open.
Cracks of light spread like veins across the clouds.
From each fracture, golden mist burst forth — glowing and majestic, painting the night sky in a divine glow.
Airen watched from the top floor, his reflection shimmering in the glass.
For a moment, he forgot to breathe.
"...Wow."
He whispered as the sight overwhelmed him — beauty and destruction intertwined.
Then, a sudden whirlpool of light appeared right in front of him —
a portal, forming within the floor.
"...What the—"
Before he could react, the portal expanded and sucked him in.
His body vanished into the swirling glow as the city below continued sleeping, unaware that evolution itself had just begun.