The morning mist still clung to the dirt road as Luke marched away from the city limits. He had left long before dawn, heading toward a specific F-Rank Dungeon located far outside the city.
There were plenty of F-Rank dungeons within the city walls. But with the Awakening ceremony having taken place just yesterday, they would be swarming with noble heirs and newly awakened students—and a weak-class Awakener like Luke was a walking target among them. He desperately hoped the dungeon outside the city would be quiet enough to level up in peace.
F-Rank Dungeons were entirely free of charge for newly awakened individuals. They could enter the glowing portals and level up, but they had to pay sixty percent of their loot to the dungeon's management upon exiting.
It was an extortionate tax, but it was a massive blessing for Luke. He didn't have a single coin to his name to pay an entrance fee.
Furthermore, dungeons were notoriously impossible to access unless you were affiliated with an official Guild. That monopoly was the primary reason every Awakener fought tooth and nail to join one. If they didn't, they had to travel to the untamed mountain ranges to hunt wild beasts.
That was a highly dangerous, almost suicidal endeavor. Inside a dungeon, the environment and the monster levels were strictly categorized—you knew exactly what type of beasts lived there and their maximum ranks. Out in the wilderness, there were no rules, no level caps, and no warnings. Only high-level Awakeners and hardened veterans dared to roam those untamed wilds.
After an hour of relentless walking, the F-Rank Dungeon finally came into view.
A heavily reinforced fence completely enclosed the entrance. Even though this was the absolute lowest-tier dungeon, access was strictly controlled and monitored.
Luke approached the security room by the perimeter fence. He handed over his ID card from the Academy as proof of his recent awakening. He knew he eventually needed to formally register at the Awakening Center, but for now, this temporary pass was his only way in.
Only unregistered awakeners below the dungeon's level cap were permitted entry—and anyone above that threshold would be automatically and violently rejected by the dungeon itself.
After checking the authenticity of his ID card, the security guard returned it and buzzed the heavy doors open.
Past the first security check, the path funneled into a long, arched tunnel built directly into a rock wall. Luke's boots echoed against the stone for a while until the passage finally opened up.
He saw the true entrance of the dungeon, where a few people already stood waiting. Two officials stood in crisp uniforms, supervising the youngsters who had come here to level up. Luke silently joined the short line, relieved by the small crowd.
It moved quickly. Soon, it was his turn. After a swift, formal verification, the officials stepped aside, allowing him to approach the Gate—a swirling vortex of milky-white liquid.
This was the first time Luke was ever going to enter a real dungeon. He had seen similar gates during lectures at the Academy, but the reality of it made his heart hammer. He didn't hesitate. The others before him hadn't hesitated either, stepping straight through the rippling surface.
Luke extended his hand and stepped in.
An intense, icy chill shocked his system, like the freezing sting of a winter bath—but strangely, it felt good. His vision blurred and shifted. Then the cold vanished.
Luke stood in a wide, sweeping clearing. Far away, a dense forest stretched out beneath a deep green canopy. At the very edge of the horizon, a mountain towered into the sky.
The sheer scale of the landscape was intimidating.
But the ecosystem consisted entirely of low-level rodents and a few small mammals. The highest-level beast in the entire dungeon was the Level 5 Flame Palm Wolf, an apex predator that lived in the mountain range—and he had no intention of going there.
As a beginner Awakener, he had to hunt small creatures. Rabbits, chickens, mice, or rats were his only safe targets.
Luke quickly left the clearing and headed toward the dense forest, searching for a spot away from the competition near the entrance.
After a half-hour of walking through the brush, he finally reached a small stream of trickling water. He noticed a narrow dirt path and guessed it was used by beasts coming to drink.
He decided to wait. Sooner or later, something would come for water—and he could ambush it.
He raised his hand and activated his skill.
[Summon]
With a swirl of glowing particles, the metal figure materialized beside him. The moment it appeared, the rusted Pauldron slipped off its shoulder and thudded into the dirt.
Luke sighed, picked up the heavy piece of metal, and pointed toward the dense brush. He ordered Mr. 99 to take cover behind the shrubs and watch for any beast that came to drink.
Mr. 99 obeyed without hesitation, moving behind a large bush and crouching down, its glowing eyes fixed on the stream.
Luke took cover as well and settled in to wait.
After a few tense minutes, he heard footsteps approaching the water.
He focused on the sound.
A massive bird stepped out of the trees—at least six feet tall. Its thin legs supported a bulky body covered in striking black and orange feathers. A long neck curved upward, ending in a sharp, deadly beak.
Luke gulped, his heart pounding against his ribs.
[Name: Flame Palm Ostrich]
[Level: 3]
"Flame Palm Ostrich," Luke whispered.
The realization hit instantly. He had wandered too far into a higher-level monster's territory. A Level 3 beast was far beyond him. If Mr. 99 failed to kill it in a single strike, the creature would retaliate and tear it apart.
Still, Luke glanced at the chipped broadsword strapped to the construct's back.
A dangerous idea formed in his mind. One clean slash—fast enough to sever the neck before the beast could react.
[Slash]
Though reluctant to fight a Level 3 beast at Level 0, Luke decided to take the risk. If he succeeded, the reward in leveling points would be massive.
He locked his gaze onto the beast and issued a precise mental command to Mr. 99.
The moment the bird turned away from the stream to leave—that was when it would strike.
As if understanding the silent order, the construct slowly and soundlessly drew the heavy broadsword from its back. The blade caught the dappled forest light, poised to execute the fatal command.