For centuries, the world was peaceful. But that peace was shattered when dungeons began appearing all over the globe. No one knew why they suddenly emerged, and no one knew how to stop them. These bluish portals—mysterious and unpredictable—would materialize without a warning, sometimes right in the middle of bustling streets, opening the way to unknown and dangerous worlds.
For those 16 and older, an awakening occurred—an extraordinary event where individuals gained the ability to fight against the creatures that roamed the dungeons. These newly awakened humans were given powers, transforming them into hunters capable of clearing the dungeons that threatened their world.
In response to this new era of danger, the government established the Hunter Association. This organization provided a way for the awakened to sign up and become official hunters, trained and supported in their mission to tackle the dungeons. Along with the creation of this association came the development of devices capable of measuring the magical energy contained within each dungeon, allowing for the ranking of these dungeons based on their power and danger level.
The dungeons were ranked as follows:
F Rank – The weakest, requiring minimal strength to clear.
E Rank
D Rank
C Rank
B Rank
A Rank
S Rank – Very powerful dungeons, requiring elite hunters to tackle.
SS Rank – Extremely rare, only a handful of hunters can handle them.
SSS Rank – The most dangerous, almost mythical dungeons. Only three SSS-ranked hunters exist in the world, each a legend.
---
Vanitas Estroheim, a 17-year-old boy, was far from the image of a successful hunter. He was skinny, with pale white skin and a fairly average build. His messy black hair often fell over his eyes, making him look even more disheveled than he already felt. His facial structure was nothing special—just another face in the crowd.
Life had not been kind to Vanitas. After his father's tragic death, he found himself adrift, struggling to make ends meet. His father had been a proud and powerful hunter, one of the best. But everything changed when he was sent on a raid to an Unstable Dungeon (UD). It was a raid that would cost him his life. His father's death was a turning point for Vanitas, one that would haunt him for years to come.
But that wasn't the end of his troubles.
Vanitas's mother had befallen into a coma almost three years ago, and since then, she had been in and out of the hospital, barely clinging to life. The medical bills piled up, leaving Vanitas trapped in a cycle of debt. Every day, he worked harder and harder, trying to pay off what his family owed, but it seemed like no matter what he did, he was always a step behind.
With no other choice, Vanitas joined the Hunter Association, even though he knew he was far from ready to face the dangers that awaited him in the dungeons. His rank as an F-ranked hunter made him one of the weakest, and the other hunters in the association often mocked him for being so powerless.
Still, Vanitas had no choice but to press on. His mother's condition weighed heavily on his heart, and he couldn't bear to let her down. Every day he fought, hoping that somehow he could become strong enough to provide for her and pay off the debts that haunted their family.
There was only one thing on Vanita's mind—gathering as many Crystal Shards (CS) as possible. These shards could only be obtained from monsters he personally defeated, but the problem was, Vanitas struggled just to defeat a single F-rank monster. He barely managed to collect 2 or 3 shards per week, a far cry from what he needed to survive and cover his family's debts.
The crystal shards were categorized into seven different ranks, each with a specific value:
F Rank – 250,000
E Rank – 500,000
D Rank – 800,000
C Rank – 1.5 million
B Rank – 5 million
A Rank – 25 million
S Rank – 50 million
---
Meanwhile…
"Hey, Boss Geon!" one of the assistants called out.
Geon, the leader of one of the top guilds in the world, looked up. With his red hair, towering height, and muscular body, he was the epitome of strength. Geon was a top-tier S-rank hunter and led the guild "All In Out," a name that, while strong, made some people laugh.
There were only five top guilds in the country, and Geon's guild was one of them.
"What is it?" Geon frowned.
"Another B-rank dungeon appeared," his assistant reported, urgency in his voice. "If it's not handled soon, it could cause a dungeon break at any minute."
"..."
Geon sat up straight, his gaze growing cold and menacing. "Then what are you waiting for? Send in the hunters who can handle that dungeon!" he barked, his voice commanding authority.
"Y-Yes, Boss!" the assistant stammered, his heart racing from the pressure of Geon's presence.
"Tsk."
A moment later, the sound of a door opening echoed in the room. A man in a tuxedo, with black hair and a confident posture, walked in.
"Yow, Geon, why are you being so hard on your assistants?" the man teased, his tone light.
Geon looked up with a sharp glare. "What are you doing here, Min-su?"
"I just came to visit. I missed the old times when the two of us cleared dungeons together. But look at you now—leading your own guild. Remember our promise? We were supposed to start a guild together, but you went ahead and took it all for yourself," Min-su said, forcing a smile.
Geon stood abruptly, his anger flaring. "You bastard! You show up and just talk nonsense."
Before Geon could rise any further, one of his assistants stepped in. "Boss, it's not the time for a fight right now."
Min-su chuckled, watching Geon's reaction. "See you later, Geon..." He walked out of the room, casting one last suspicious smile at Geon over his shoulder.
---
Vanitas stepped out of his apartment, the cold wind biting at his face as he walked down the street. Life felt heavy, each step a reminder of his struggles. As he walked, his phone buzzed with a notification. He pulled it out and clicked on it.
It was from one of his friends in the Hunter Association.
"Hey, Vanitas! Want to earn some money? Come to the construction site near you."
The message continued: "All you need to do is carry some things, and we'll give you shards. How does that sound?"
Vanitas's heart picked up. The offer was tempting. Shards meant survival, and the idea of making some quick money was too good to pass up.
He typed back quickly. "Sounds good. I'm on my way."
Vanitas pocketed his phone and made his way toward the construction site, hoping that this small opportunity might bring him one step closer to his goal.
As Vanitas made his way to the construction site, his thoughts were consumed by the promise of earning shards. However, fate had other plans.
He accidentally bumped into someone, a collision that felt more like hitting a wall.
"Well, what do we have here?" A deep, mocking voice cut through the air. "A scrawny guy like you has the guts to bump into S-Rank Hunter Min-su?" one of the bodyguards barked, his sharp glare piercing through Vanitas.
Vanitas froze, realizing who he had just collided with. Panic surged through his veins as he looked up at Min-su, the man's presence overwhelming.
"So... sorry! I didn't mean to. It's my fault for not paying attention," Vanitas stammered, his voice shaky, his body trembling under the weight of their stares.
Min-su raised a hand, signaling his bodyguard to stand down. "No need to apologize," Min-su said, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'll let you off just this once."
"Thank you," Vanitas mumbled, bowing slightly, desperate to escape the tension.
As Vanitas began to walk away, Min-su's voice stopped him. "Wait."
Vanitas turned back hesitantly. "What's your name?"
"It's Vanitas... Vanitas Estroheim," he replied, his voice almost a whisper.
Min-su's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Well then, Vanitas Estroheim , let's meet again next time." His fist clenched slightly as if debating whether to strike, but he quickly relaxed and waved him off.
Vanitas nodded quickly and walked away, the encounter leaving him unnerved.
---
As Vanitas approached the construction site, he saw a group of people gathered. His heart sank as he realized they weren't just construction workers—they were hunters. Seven hunters stood near the entrance of a dungeon portal, chatting and preparing their gear.
Vanitas's eyes widened as he saw the portal's size. It was much larger than any F-rank dungeon he'd seen before. His stomach twisted in anxiety.
'I thought I was just here to carry some stuff... I didn't think we'd actually be going into a dungeon,' he thought, his hands trembling slightly as he stared at the swirling bluish portal. It loomed before him like a predator waiting to pounce.
One of the hunters, a man clad in silver plate armor and wielding a gleaming sword, stepped forward. His commanding voice silenced the murmurs of the group.
"Alright, everyone, listen up! This is a C-rank dungeon! If we work together and stick to the plan, we can clear it without any issues!" he declared, his tone confident and full of authority.
Vanitas's heart skipped a beat. 'A C-rank dungeon? I'm struggling just to survive in F-rank dungeons, and now I'm expected to help with this?' Fear crept into his chest, but he clenched his fists tightly.
'I can't back out now,' he told himself, swallowing hard. 'I need this money to pay for Mom's hospital bills. I don't have a choice.'
He took a deep breath and stepped closer to the group, trying to steady his nerves. With every step toward the portal, his heart raced faster. The cold, ominous air around the dungeon seeped into his bones, but he forced himself to keep moving forward.
End of Chapter.