Dail headed toward the public park, his mind gnawed by worries about what to do next. Suddenly, the darkness of the void before his eyes split open, and a blue system window emerged out of thin air, displaying his personal data:
[ Identification Card ]
Name: Dail
Age: 18
Ability: Shadow Manipulator
Level: 0
Agility: 10 | Strength: 0.1 | Endurance: 100 | Intelligence: 70 | Luck: 18
Dail burst into a bitter, sarcastic laugh. "Really? Level zero and almost non-existent strength? It seems I must start from the very bottom... This is interesting!" Then, he asked seriously, "What should I do now?"
The text on the screen changed instantly: [ First Mission: Enter an F-Rank Dungeon ].
Dail's features froze. "A dungeon? In this weak state and without any training?"
The system replied coldly: [ Through blood and combat, you will gain strength and agility. Experience is the only teacher. ]
He asked suspiciously, "Are you man-made?" A large question mark [ ? ] appeared on the screen. He sighed in frustration, "Forget it. Let's head to the Hunters' Guild then."
The window blocked his path again: [ No need for the Guild. The system will provide special dungeons to develop your skills. ]
He had barely finished his sentence when the ground beneath his feet shook violently, splitting open and swallowing him into the depths of a dark cave. Dail crashed onto the hard ground, screaming, "Ah... my back! Where am I?"
A flashing red notification appeared:
[ WARNING: You are now in an E-Rank Dungeon ]
[ Mission: Hunt Flame-Spitting Rabbits and defeat the Boss ]
[ Penalty for Failure: DEATH ]
The window vanished after dropping a "worn-out dagger" before him. Dail grabbed the dagger, trembling. "That damn system... it really wants to kill me!"
As he wandered through the cave passages, the blood froze in his veins. He mocked himself, saying, "How am I supposed to fight this thing?" Before his eyes sat a white rabbit the size of a car, possessing four crimson eyes and metallic claws gleaming in the dark.
The monster didn't wait long; it lunged at Dail like a bolt of lightning. Dail narrowly evaded the attack, but the rabbit's claw gashed his shoulder deeply. Before he could process the pain, the rabbit was already behind him, delivering a massive blow that sent him slamming into the stone wall, blood erupting from his mouth.
Dail stood up, staggering, his eyes burning with madness. "Is this how I end? By the hand of a rabbit? No... I will have my revenge!" The lust for blood ignited in his veins. He rushed toward the beast, throwing a stone at one of its eyes to distract it, then plunged his dagger with all his might into the rabbit's leg. In a desperate move, he exploited the monster's confusion, jumping onto its head and unleashing a barrage of frantic punches. His hand was shattered from the impact, but he didn't care; he was fighting for survival, for himself.
Suddenly, he heard a terrifying rustle... dozens of them were approaching.
He stood in the darkness, swaying with his broken body, losing his rational mind and sinking into the instinct of combat. He no longer saw them as monsters; he saw them as everyone who had ever betrayed him. He no longer cared about breaking bones or the stabs he received; his only goal was to become stronger.
After hours of hell, everything went silent. The battle ended, and the carcasses of monsters filled the place. The dungeon's features vanished, and Dail fell to the ground, fainting from exhaustion, whispering, "Is there any medicine?"
The window appeared: [ Yes. An instant healing potion is available, but in exchange for double the pain. ]
Dail agreed without hesitation and drank the potion. At first, he felt nothing, then suddenly... he let out a scream that shook the corners of the cave. He felt as if thousands of daggers were piercing his heart and shattering his bones to be rebuilt.
He gripped his dagger, almost ending his life to stop the agony, but he stopped at the last moment, gasping, "Stop... you've endured greater pain than this and survived... Endure it if you want to become the strongest!"
Moments passed that felt like an eternity, until the pain finally subsided. Dail fell into a deep sleep, completely unconscious.