(Year 2040–2045) The Era of Peace
For years, humanity thrived in an age of technological advancement and stability. The nation focused solely on economic growth, medical breakthroughs extended people's lifespans, and AI reshaped daily life. Crime rates declined, and wars became rare as a global alliance ensured peace between countries. Cities flourished with towering skyscrapers, clean energy, and advanced transportation, leading to a golden era.
Despite this progress, humanity remained unaware of the unexpected disaster—an event that would change people's daily lives and alter everything.
The Dimensional Cataclysm.
Without warning, massive blue portals began appearing across the planet, spreading like wildfire. These portals, called dungeons, baffled even scientists, who couldn't explain their origin. At first, they were seen as ordinary portals, but soon, terrifying creatures emerged from them, slaughtering everyone in the city.
The governments attempted to resolve the calamity, but modern weapons were ineffective in containing the chaos.
Panic spread as the world's military forces struggled to hold their ground. Cities began to fall one by one, and humanity faced a crisis. However, after many years, something else awakened—magic.
In the middle of the crisis, some humans discovered unique abilities. These people, later called "Hunters," developed skills beyond human comprehension, wielding different elements of nature, enhancing their bodies, and controlling unknown forces.
To resolve the chaos invading Earth, the Hunter Association was formed, categorizing hunters into ranks from E (the weakest) to S. Dungeons became sources of both danger and opportunity. Some monsters held valuable resources that could strengthen hunters, and guilds emerged, competing for power, wealth, and influence.
Despite five years of fierce battles, humanity remained at risk. Dungeons continued to appear, spawning even stronger creatures, and the world's balance had changed forever.
Year (2050)
[VERMIRITH CITY]
*A-Rank Dungeon*
"Tuesday" [10:00 am]
"You're always early, aren't you, Mr. Ares?" Cameron said with a smile, complimenting him. Ares bowed his head in response, a hint of shame flickering across his face.
Ares is always early when it comes to work. He arrives exactly on time, no matter the circumstances. Even when the weather is bad and the roads are in chaos, he embraces it—like an early bird that never misses the sunrise.
"Cameron, don't embarrass Ares. You know he's an introverted person," one of the mining team members said teasingly, but also looking out for Ares' feelings.
While they are chatting, the hunting team has been coming out at the blue portal, and different hunters have shown up one of them is a mage.
Who utilizes magical abilities by manipulating mana and attacking at a distance the tank is a type of hunter class that specializes in defense, utilizing their strong physical bodies to absorb damage and protect their team from attacks, and the assassin is a hunter class characterized by exceptional agility stealth and the ability to strike swiftly and accurately from the shadows.
"Get your equipment ready!" Jayce shouted as the leader of the mining team prepared their gear for the task ahead.
"After the hunting team's raid, the mining team began their job—collecting all the mana crystals inside the dungeon.
To adventurers, mana crystals are more than just glowing stones; they are the lifeblood of dungeons. They represent survival, wealth, and the key to unlocking greater strength in a world where power means everything."
"After entering the dungeon, Jayce executed the plan.
'Okay, guys, we will split into four groups to finish this job as fast as we can. But don't push yourselves too hard,' Jayce commanded, his gaze shifting to Ares.
They immediately picked up their tools—steel axes, pickaxes, and rollers to transport the mana crystals.
As they walked through the middle of the cave, a cluster of mana crystals illuminated the darkness, glowing side by side. Without wasting a minute, they immediately rushed to collect them.
"As they were busy collecting the crystals, Sedy, who was near Ares, murmured, 'Mr. Ares, don't hurt yourself again...'"
When the mining team heard it, they took it as a joke, laughing among themselves. Ares' face slowly turned red like a tomato, feeling embarrassed.
"When it comes to strength, Ares is the weakest among them. He started working at 17, and now, at 20, his strength has only increased slightly. He is malnourished and skinny, and whenever he gets a fever, his life feels like a fifty-fifty chance of survival. Some even joke that one more cough could be the end of him.
As the leader, Jayce always looks out for him.
"Focus on your job, you fools!" Jayce shouted, gazing at them with a serious expression.
"And as for you, Ares, don't push yourself too hard. Don't mind what they say," Jayce said.
Every day, as Ares smashed the crystals, his hands trembled in pain due to how tough they were. He simply nodded in response.
Ares went back to work, placing both hands on the axe as he began collecting the mana crystals. He struck the tough crystal with force, determined to break it.
"This crystal is hard to break," Ares thought as he broke apart the crystal.
Hours have passed as they entered the dungeon. The mining team today seems fired up since they collected a bunch of mana crystals in a short time.
"Seems we can go home early today, huh?" Gerald said.
"Maybe it's because of how fast we are," Bon replied, looking at the surroundings.
As Jayce noticed that the team had been finishing early, he decided to take a break to rest his teammate. "Guys, take a break," he shouted to them.
as he said it, he saw Ares still smashing the crystal
"Ares, take a break now," Jayce said
"Sorry, I didn't hear you, sir," then he vowed to him.
"It's okay, little brat, don't vow to me." Now take a rest.
"Yes, sir."
Then Jayce walked in right, and Ares walked in the opposite.
Ares sat at the side of the cave, resting his hands, and then he took out the food that his little sister gave him.
"oh… a sandwich!" Ares glinted his eyes in the lunch box
He swallowed down his saliva before he bit into it.
*Munch
a soft bread and a delicious inside of it is roughly chewing in his mouth
While he's enjoying his meal, he hears a faint sound.
His eyes widened after he heard it.
He stopped eating for a moment and looked around. He stood up and scanned his surroundings but saw no one.
His heart started to race, and his curiosity and imagination began to grow; he thought that maybe an un left monster was still alive.
"Is anyone here?" He murmured. Maybe one of his team is still there because all of it is in another hole in the cave.
He walked further to his left., where the sounds came from, and he let his eyes widen, scanning his surroundings and ready to run if there were beasts that appeared.
As he walked through the cave, he saw a glimpse of light as if a piece of broken mirror,
He came closer to it, and as he was near to that object, he saw a key in the ground.
"Oh, it's just a key," he murmured, wiping his sweat from his face, and feels relieved.
After he saw it, He picked it up and took a moment to examine the key. As he gazed at it, he heard a monotonous voice, and a floating text appeared in front of him.
[System Notification]
[You have acquired the qualifications to be a Player. Will you accept?]
[YES/NO]
Ares pondered what this was all about and whether he should accept it or not. This was his first time seeing a floating text, just like in an RPG where a character levels up. It felt surreal, almost like he had stepped into a game, but the weight of reality pressed on him, making him hesitate. Was this truly an opportunity worth taking, or was it a trap?
After a while, he finally made his decision. This time, he didn't care about himself—he chose to be selfish. He accepted it, and his mind raced with excitement, imagining what kind of power he would receive, just like in the RPGs he had seen. After a few minutes, the system presented him with another task.
[KILL 5 WEREWOLF]
[0/5]
Equipment:
-Common: Pickaxe
As Ares accepted being a player, the system gave him a task to complete as a requirement for being one.
His face turned pale as his high expectations crumbled—he had chosen this, thinking it was his chance to become the strongest, to be granted some kind of magical power or legendary equipment. But all of his imagination had been shattered, leaving him standing there, staring at the reality of his choice. He regretted his decision to become a player and never thought it would turn out like this.