"This is it," he whispered to his reflection. "No more training. Time for the real thing."
His reflection looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot with dark, bruised-looking circles underneath. His hair was matted with dried sweat. He looked less like a Hunter and more like a victim. The exhaustion was a physical weight, a deep ache in his bones that went beyond his sore muscles.
He quickly changed, his body protesting every movement. He put on a simple, durable set of dark cargo pants, a black t-shirt, and his sturdy work boots. Every stretch and pull sent a sharp, fiery protest from his over-taxed muscles. He couldn't wear armor; that would look suspicious on a Healer. Instead, he grabbed his "Healer" backpack. It was just a normal bag, but he'd carefully filled it with water bottles, protein bars, and a massive, store-bought first-aid kit.
It was all for show. A prop. His real "healing" was his [Minor Soothe], which was now incredibly powerful thanks to his 39.0 Spirit. His real power, however, was the dark, hungry energy of the God-Eater, a secret hidden beneath his kind, tired expression.
He jogged down the stairs, and the simple impact of his feet on the steps sent jarring pains up his legs. His muscles felt like bruised, waterlogged ropes. He pushed the pain down, schooling his face into a calm, if tired, smile as he pushed open the heavy front door of his house.
Emily was there, leaning against a large, black, military-style SUV. The sight of her made him stop for a second. She wasn't in her usual sharp business suit. She was in her Hunter gear.
She wore lightweight, dark gray armor plates over a tough, flexible-looking bodysuit. The armor was sleek and functional, covering her vital points—chest, shoulders, and legs—without restricting her movement. Her hair was tied back in a high, tight ponytail, and her face was clean of makeup. She looked strong, professional, and absolutely stunning. A long, thin sword was strapped to her back, its handle peeking over her shoulder.
"There you are!" she said, her smile warm and genuine. She didn't seem mad that he was late. She just looked a little concerned as she took in his appearance. "Wow, you look tired. Rough night?"
"You have no idea," Zack said, the words coming out with more honesty than he intended. He quickly tried to cover. "I mean, yeah. Business stuff. Going over quarterly reports. I... I'm really sorry I'm late, Em."
"Don't be," she said, tossing him a cold water bottle from a cooler in the back of the SUV. He fumbled the catch, his muscles slow to respond, but he managed to hold on. "I figured you were busy. My teammates are already at the gate. I just came to pick you up. Hop in."
The ride to the dungeon was filled with a nervous, humming energy. Zack sipped his water, the guilt of his lie mixing with a new kind of anxiety. His mind was racing, calculating.
His own system required 50 points in all stats for his personal D-Rank (Beginner) advancement. But the standard for a D-Rank (Beginner) Hunter or monster was just 40 points in three main attributes.
His lowest stat was 39.0. His highest was 42.7.
He wasn't just ready for D-Rank (Beginner) monsters; he was stronger than them in every single category. He could probably hold his own against a D-Rank (Intermediate) monster. This wasn't a suicide mission.
The real fear was different. His fear wasn't about dying; it was about being seen. How could he, a 'Healer,' explain surviving a hit that should kill him? How could he 'accidentally' punch a monster too hard and kill it? He had to be weak. He had to be a kind, useless Healer.
"So, the Kobold Mines," she said, her voice pulling him from his thoughts. Her tone was casual, as if she were discussing a coffee run. "It's a D-Rank (Beginner) dungeon. The monsters are mostly Kobolds, as you'd guess. They're not tough, but they're fast and they come in big groups. That's why we need a good Tank. Our Tank, Ben, will keep them grouped up. The main thing is their pack-leader, a D-Rank (Mid) Shaman, but he just stays in the back. Easy stuff."
To Zack... it sounded manageable. The real challenge would be pretending to be scared. He had to look like a nervous E-Rank, not a secret powerhouse. He just nodded, widening his eyes slightly, trying to look nervous. "Okay. I'll stick right behind Ben."
Twenty minutes later, they arrived. The "Kobold Mines" were not hidden. The dungeon gate had appeared in a public park, and the Hunter's Association had turned the entire park into a fortified military camp. A high chain-link fence topped with barbed wire surrounded the area. Inside, there were large tents, armored Association guards with rifles, and dozens of Hunters in full gear.
The air smelled of ozone from the gate, cooking meat from food stalls, and sweat. It was loud, chaotic, and completely different from his sterile, silent private dimension. This was real.
Emily parked the SUV near a large tent. "There they are. Come on, I'll introduce you."
Two people were waiting for them, checking their own gear.
The first was a man so large he almost didn't look real. He had to be six-foot-five, with shoulders as wide as a doorway. He had a massive, steel tower shield strapped to his back that looked more like the door of a car. He wore the heaviest, most beaten-up plate armor Zack had ever seen. As they approached, the man looked up, and a big, friendly grin split his bearded face.
The second person was a woman who was the exact opposite. She was small, lean, and seemed to be in constant motion, checking the straps on a set of wicked-looking throwing knives. Her eyes were sharp and observant, taking in Zack from head to toe in a single, quick glance.
"Guys, this is Zack!" Emily announced. "Zack, this is my team."
The giant man stuck out a hand the size of a dinner plate. "Zack! Finally good to meet you! Emily's told us a lot about you." His voice was a deep, friendly boom that seemed to shake Zack's chest. "I'm Ben. I'm the wall. Don't you worry about a thing. You're the healer, right? What's your rank, E-Rank?"
Zack nodded, holding up his wrist so Ben could see his Watch. The "E" glowed faintly. "E-Rank (Advanced)," he said.
He felt a pang of guilt. His Watch showed E-Rank (Advanced), as his System had unlocked that sub-rank last night. So it wasn't a lie. But he let them believe his stats were barely at the 30-point mark for 'Advanced.' He didn't mention that his 'Advanced' was just one step below the D-Rank requirement, with all stats over 39.
The woman, Maya, smiled. It was a quick, sharp smile, but her eyes were warm. "A real, dedicated Healer! Thank the stars. I'm Maya." She lightly punched Zack's arm. "Just keep Ben from doing anything too stupid, and we'll be fine. He thinks he's invincible."
"Hey!" Ben laughed. "I am!"
Zack was hit with a sudden, powerful wave of emotion. They were nice. He had spent the last few weeks in a world of cutthroat business rivals and his own dark, silent, ruthless training. He had expected arrogant D-Rankers who would look down on his E-Rank. But this was a team. They were friendly, professional, and genuinely welcoming.
And they were treating him like he was made of glass.
The underestimation he had wanted was here, but it wasn't mean. It was... caring. And that somehow made him feel ten times worse. He was lying to these kind, strong people who were about to risk their lives to protect him.
Ben clapped him on the shoulder. Even though he was being gentle, the force nearly made Zack's sore muscles give out. He barely managed to keep from wincing. "Alright, newbie. Rules are simple. Stick to me like glue. I'm the wall. You're the guy who patches the wall. Maya's the one who stabs things over the wall. Emily... she's the one who burns everything in front of the wall. Got it?"
Zack couldn't help but smile, a small, genuine one. "Got it. Stay behind the wall."
"Okay, team," Emily said, her voice becoming crisp and professional. "Gear check. Ben, you're point. Maya, you're float. Zack, you are right behind Ben. I'm mid. Let's make some money."
They walked past the Association guards, their IDs getting scanned. They approached the dungeon gate.
It was a shimmering, vertical crack in the air, ten feet high and swirling with blue and purple light. It made a low, humming sound, like a giant power line. Up close, Zack could feel the static on his skin.
Zack's heart was pounding. This was it. His first real dungeon. He wasn't terrified of the monsters... he was nervous about the unknown. The sights, the smells, the reality of it. This wasn't his clean, gray dimension. This was real. His 42.7 Agility felt coiled and ready. His 41.2 Strength felt eager. He had to keep it all under control. He had to remember to look scared.
Emily must have seen the look on his face. She fell back a step and walked beside him, winking. "First one's always scary. You'll be fine. We do this three times a week."
"See you on the other side, kids," Ben boomed. He adjusted his shield, took a deep breath, and stepped through the shimmering light. He vanished instantly.
Maya followed, giving Zack a quick "you got this" nod before she, too, disappeared.
"Your turn," Emily said, gesturing for him to go.
Zack took a deep breath, his muscles aching, his mind racing. He stepped into the light.
The world disappeared. He felt a strange, cold, squeezing pressure, as if he was being pulled through a tiny straw. It lasted only a second.
He stumbled out onto solid rock.
He was in a cavern. It was enormous. The ceiling was so high he couldn't see it, but a faint, glowing green moss grew on the walls, providing a dim light. The air stank. It smelled like damp earth, sulfur, and something... musky. Like a pack of wet dogs.
Yip! Yip! Yip!
The sound echoed from the darkness ahead. And with it, dozens of small, glowing red eyes appeared, staring at them from the shadows.
Ben was already there, his tower shield planted in the dirt, a wall of steel.
"First group," Ben's voice boomed, echoing in the cave. "Looks like a welcoming party. Zack, stay close!"
Zack's hands were shaking, not from fear, but from a mix of anticipation and the strain of his act. He fumbled with his backpack, pulling out his (useless) first-aid kit to look busy. The dungeon had begun.
[Reader's Note: Zack's Stats]
Rank: E (Advanced) / (System Rank: E (Advanced))
Class: Healer / God-Eater (Mythical)
Strength: 41.2
Agility: 42.7
Stamina: 40.7
Spirit: 39.0
Defense: 39.1
(No stat change this chapter)