Once, the world was defined by freedom. But that concept crumbled the day an unknown black circle appeared in the sky. It was a Dungeon Gate.
Every country spotted one. No one knew what caused them, nor where they came from. Suddenly, the sky turned pitch black, casting the entire planet into shadow. Billions of people looked up, skeptical and terrified, wondering what would happen next.
Then, the darkness deepened. A massive crack split the heavens open, and from within... an eye stared back.
It was an entity invading Earth, driven only by curiosity. It planted a seed, and that seed grew into the Dungeon Gates. Eventually, the gates awakened. And with them came the monsters.
Creatures poured out in every nation. People ran, screaming for help, but the military was powerless. Their bullets were useless; their strength was nothing compared to these beasts. All humanity could do was run and scream.
But then, change came. Some humans awakened. They gained special powers and abilities, allowing them to stand against the monsters and fight back. They became humanity's hope. They were called... Awakeners.
Having an ability was a gift, but like everything else, there was a hierarchy. Ranks determined your worth. S-rank was the peak, the strongest of the strong. At the very bottom were E and F-rank —the weakest links.
Some Awakeners used their power to protect the weak. Others... used it to bully them.
I am different. I don't like the strong. I am an F-Rank. The lowest of the low, currently the weakest of all. But I'm not alone; there are many others like me, stuck at the bottom of the food chain.
My name? Well, right now, I'm just known as a Guide. I'll explain what that means later. For now, let's focus on reality.
I was recruited by a group of arrogant jerks. They were cocky, thinking they were invincible just because they had slightly better stats. I had no choice but to join them. Every other party rejected me. Why? What did I do to deserve being hated so much?
Well... to be honest, I lack the drive to work hard. I guess that makes me an asshole too.
We entered a Dungeon Gate as usual. While my teammates fought relentlessly, grinding for stats and experience to get stronger, I was just there as a supporting hunter. I watched them, feeling useless. Why did I even agree to this?
"Hey, loser! Collect any items you find, and don't even think about stealing them," one of them shouted.
Damn it. I never even planned on stealing anything. This ungrateful brat acts like he owns me just because he's strong. Just because I'm thirty years old doesn't mean you can order me around! Show some respect for your elders!
We ventured deeper and deeper, oblivious to the danger looming ahead. Eventually, we stopped.
Before us stood a massive, towering door. I was shocked by its size, but my teammates only looked excited. They assumed a Boss Monster lay behind it, waiting to be slain for great loot.
Of course there is always a boss...
But as they threw the doors open, the room was silent. Empty. No monster appeared. My teammates went wild, rushing in to grab the countless items scattered on the ground.
But I stayed back. Something felt wrong. The silence was too heavy. I stood still, observing, refusing to move.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently.
Without warning, the floor beneath us crumbled and vanished.
"Gah! No! I don't want to die!" I screamed as I plummeted into the abyss.
My teammates screamed too, but the wind rushed past my ears, and my vision blurred until everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, the world was different. My teammates woke up around me, their faces pale with terror. The air smelled of iron and decay. The ground was soaked in blood.
Above us, crawling on the ceiling like a phantom, was a gigantic monster.
At that moment, a glowing window appeared before my eyes, a system notification that made my blood run cold:
⚠️ WARNING: YOU HAVE ENTERED A HIDDEN SS-RANK DUNGEON.
"What the hell..."
The monster moved instantly. It lunged at my teammates, tearing through them. Their screams echoed like hellfire. The remaining two didn't even think twice—they turned and ran, abandoning me completely.
What am I supposed to do!? Die here? It's way too early! I'm only thirty!
I dodged swipes that could crush steel, but my stamina was already running low. I was weak. F-Rank weak. I had no weapon, no real combat skills—I was just a support.
But then, I saw an opening.
I threw myself at the beast, striking it with everything I had, but it was like hitting a wall. The monster swatted me away like a fly.
CRACK!
I crashed into a stone wall. The pain was agonizing; I almost blacked out. Desperate, I spotted a jagged piece of metal nearby. This was my chance. I grabbed it and struck the creature's weak spot again and again, trying to wear it down.
But my body gave out. My stamina hit zero.
Shit... I really am going to die here.
The monster raised its claw. It moved faster than light, piercing straight through my stomach. My left arm was torn clean off. Blood splattered everywhere. I screamed in absolute agony, closing my eyes against the pain.
When I opened them again... the monster's head was gone. Severed cleanly.
Someone called my name, but I couldn't hear them. I was fading.
"Thanks for saving me... my savior..." I whispered.
I tried to look up, tried to see who it was, but my vision was too blurry. I gave up, accepting my fate, and died in peace.
I thought that was the end. I thought I had finally found freedom.
But then... I heard birds chirping.
Is this the afterlife?
I opened my eyes. I was alive. Really alive.
"What the hell... Is this a dream?"
To be continued...