Headline): Chapter 1: The Void's Choice and the Drunken Shadow
Chapter Content (Is Box ko copy-paste karein):
The air was thick with the scent of ozone and rotting leaves. Ryuu lay on the cold, cracked stone of the 11th Temple, his vision blurring. His chest felt heavy, and his 'Infinity Locker'—the only power he had—was shattered by the boss monster's roar.
"Is this... where my story ends?" he whispered, thinking of his sick mother's face back in their small, starving village.
Suddenly, a bolt of black lightning tore through the dark ceiling. A shadow stood over him, holding a bottle of alcohol in one hand and a glowing steel blade in the other.
"Oye, brat... don't you dare die yet," a deep, raspy voice growled. It was Arinn, his eyes burning like blue-black fire. "Stop the chatter... just shatter!"
The Beginning: Five Days Earlier...
Ryuu's axe felt heavier with every swing. At eighteen, his only mission was to cut enough wood to buy medicine for his mother. He lived in a village of poverty, where the strong ruled and the weak suffered. While venturing deep into the forbidden forest, he stumbled upon an ancient stone ruin—a crumbling well that defied gravity.
A swirl of absolute darkness—a black hole—erupted from the depths. Before Ryuu could scream, he was pulled into the void.
[SYSTEM AWAKENED: INFINITY LOCKER (RANK: ???)]
[CAPACITY: INFINITE. STATUS: INVISIBLE.]
Ryuu woke up in a nightmare. The sky was purple, and the trees were monsters. He watched from behind a rock as a Giant Bear battled a massive Mantis, their power shaking the earth. He was terrified, alone, and weak. He passed out from the sheer pressure of the magical aura.
The Awakening
Ten days later, Ryuu opened his eyes in a high-tech hospital. The city outside was a golden marvel, far more advanced than his wildest dreams.
"An A-Rank Hunter named Arinn saved you," a nurse explained, her face kind but serious. "The Hunter Association covered your costs. You were lucky... most don't survive a Rank-A zone without a scratch."
Ryuu panicked, clutching his empty pockets. "But... I don't have money for the treatment! I'm just a woodcutter!"
"It's already paid for," she smiled.
Ryuu rushed to the Mission Center, his heart hammering against his ribs. He followed the directions until he reached a massive hall filled with warriors in shining armor. In the corner, he found his savior. Arinn didn't look like a hero. He was slumped over a wooden table, a mug of beer in his hand and tears in his eyes as he muttered about his team not trusting him anymore.
"Bhaiya, thank you for saving me!" Ryuu bowed deeply, his voice trembling.
Arinn slurred his words, barely looking up. "Stop the flattery, kid. If you want to thank me, pay for my next drink." He tried to stand up but stumbled over a puddle of beer, falling face-first.
As other hunters sneered and laughed at the fallen A-Rank, Arinn stood up, his hand gripping his sword. The air suddenly hummed with terrifying electricity. The laughter stopped.
"If you want to survive the 20 Gates and find your way back home, brat, you're coming with me to the Kagaya Jungle. Don't make me regret this."