[Wa-]
[Wake u-]
[W-]
[WAKE UP, YOU LAZY MF.]
Eren's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding as he bolted upright. "What? What the hell?"
The glowing interface of the System appeared before him, its words mocking him as usual.
[It's time for you to hunt.]
Eren groaned, rubbing his face. "It's morning already? It's still dark outside." He reached for his phone to check the time.
"Three in the morning? Are you serious right now?"
[I don't care about mortal time schedules. You said you needed power. I'm making you the embodiment of it.]
Eren threw himself back against his pillow, exhaling heavily. "Fine. But if I die of sleep deprivation, I'm blaming you."
[If you die, it'll be because of your incompetence, not a lack of sleep.]
Eren muttered something under his breath, dragging himself out of bed.
---
Still bleary-eyed, Eren pulled up the **Dungeon Explorer App** on his phone. The Association had registered him as an F-Rank awakener, granting him access to basic dungeons. Scrolling through the list, he spotted one that seemed manageable:
[The Weakest Goblin's Paradise: F-Rank]
He tapped the details, reading over the description.
- Location: East Industrial Zone, Rift Sector B.
- Recommended Party Size: 2–3.
Eren hesitated, his finger hovering over the registration button. "Should I really do this alone?"
The System's voice cut through his thoughts.
[Weak. Weak-minded, weak-willed, stupid human. You think great power comes without risk?]
Eren sighed. "You know, some people appreciate encouragement."
[I'm not here to coddle you. If you don't want to die uselessly, stop hesitating.]
With a reluctant nod, Eren registered for the dungeon and grabbed his gear—a simple knife purchased from the Association and a flashlight for the dark Rift zones.
---
The East Industrial Zone was eerily quiet at 3 a.m., the air heavy with the metallic tang of machinery and oil. The Rift itself hovered several feet above the ground, glowing faintly with a pale green light.
To Eren's surprise, a small group of hunters had already gathered near the Rift, whispering among themselves. Despite the dungeon's low rank, the Rift still radiated an aura of danger that made his skin crawl.
The System spoke again, its tone smug.
[Even these weaklings show more discipline than you, host. Perhaps you should learn from them.]
Eren rolled his eyes and strode toward the Rift. He heard snickers and whispers as he approached.
"Is he going in alone?"
"Crazy. Must be suicidal."
Eren ignored the comments and stepped through the shimmering portal, the world around him dissolving into a swirl of light and shadow.
---
The air in the dungeon was damp and heavy, carrying the faint stench of decay. The ground beneath Eren's feet was uneven, a mix of dirt and jagged stone. Faintly glowing mushrooms dotted the walls, casting an eerie green light that illuminated the labyrinth-like terrain.
Eren gripped his knife tightly, his eyes scanning the area. For what felt like an hour, he wandered through the maze-like dungeon without encountering a single enemy.
Finally, he spotted movement up ahead—a lone goblin crouched near a pile of bones, gnawing on what looked like a discarded piece of armor.
Eren's heart raced as he crept closer, trying to stay silent. He gripped his knife tightly, his palms slick with sweat.
The goblin didn't notice him until it was too late.
---
With a burst of speed, Eren charged, slashing the knife downward. The blade caught the goblin's shoulder, eliciting a shriek of pain. The creature turned on him, its yellow eyes gleaming with rage as it swung a rusted dagger.
Eren barely dodged the attack, stumbling backward as the goblin lunged again. This time, he sidestepped and brought the knife down hard into the goblin's side.
The creature collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain. Eren didn't hesitate—he drove the blade into its neck, silencing it for good.
A notification appeared before his eyes.
[Killed an F-Rank Goblin. EXP +30.]
Panting, Eren wiped the sweat from his brow. The goblin's corpse began to shimmer, dissolving into faint particles of light.
The System's voice chimed in.
[Devour it, host.]
Eren hesitated, unsure how to proceed.
[Place your hand on the corpse and focus. It's instinctual.]
Swallowing his apprehension, Eren reached out. The moment his hand touched the faint remnants of the goblin, a rush of energy surged through him.
[Devour Successful. EXP +40.]
A wave of warmth spread through his body, and he felt… stronger.
---
Eren barely had time to catch his breath before the goblin's death cry echoed through the dungeon. The sound of scuttling feet reached his ears, and he spun around to see two more goblins rushing toward him, their crude weapons gleaming in the dim light.
The first goblin lunged, swinging a jagged club. Eren ducked just in time, countering with a slash to the creature's thigh. It stumbled, screeching in pain, but the second goblin was already on him.
Eren raised his knife, deflecting a downward strike from a rusted blade. The force of the blow sent him reeling, and he barely managed to sidestep as the first goblin recovered and charged again.
His breathing was ragged, his arms trembling from exertion. But he couldn't stop now.
With a desperate yell, he drove his knife into the chest of the first goblin, twisting the blade as the creature fell lifeless to the ground. The second goblin hesitated for a moment, but Eren didn't give it a chance to react.
He lunged forward, slamming into the creature with all his weight. The goblin shrieked as Eren pinned it to the ground and plunged the knife into its neck.
The notifications came immediately.
[Killed an F-Rank Goblin. EXP +40.]
[Killed an F-Rank Goblin. EXP +30.]
[Devour Successful. EXP +90.]
Eren collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. The dungeon fell silent once more.
[Quest Completed. Congratulation you didn't die]
---
The glowing interface appeared before him, displaying his updated status.
[Level Up! +8 Stat Points Earned.]
Eren allocated the points equally among his stats, except for mana, which he increased by 10.
[Status Window]
- Strength: 12
- Agility: 11
- Endurance: 9
- Intelligence: 6
- Mana: 20
Eren frowned as he studied the numbers. "Wait… why did I put points into mana? I don't even have any skills that use it yet."
The System chuckled.
[You didn't put anything to mana, it's just that 1 point in intelligence is 5 points in mana. Now you understand why your intelligence is so pitiful, host.]
Eren sighed, rubbing his temples. "I hate you."
[Good. Hate breeds strength.]
---
Eren pressed on through the dungeon, his confidence growing with each encounter. Though the fights remained challenging, he found himself adapting quickly. He learned to anticipate the goblins' movements, exploiting their weaknesses to take them down more efficiently.
By the time he reached Level 10, his stats had increased significantly:
[Strength: 26 | Agility: 25 | Endurance: 23 | Intelligence: 20 | Mana: 100]
The System's voice returned, this time tinged with satisfaction.
[Congratulations, host. Your Devour skill has evolved to Level 2. You may now choose whether to convert devoured entities into experience or random stat points.]
Eren felt a rush of excitement. The newfound versatility of the skill gave him a sense of control he hadn't felt before.
But as he approached the massive, rune-etched gate at the far end of the dungeon, that excitement was replaced by a cold knot of fear in his stomach.
The boss was waiting.