The world had long since changed. Gone were the days of normal life, where the biggest threats were wars or natural disasters. Now, humanity faced something far worse—monsters that emerged from rifts in space, portals known as Gates. Some Gates led to minor threats, creatures that lower-ranked Hunters could handle with ease. But some Gates, the ones that turned cities into graveyards, remained humanity's greatest nightmare.
To fight back against these horrors, people with special abilities emerged—Awakeners. They were classified into ranks from the weakest F-Rank to the legendary S-Rank. These Awakeners formed the foundation of modern society's strongest profession: Hunters.
But just because someone awakened didn't mean they were strong.
Mahi knew that firsthand.
A dull, flickering light buzzed overhead as Mahi sat in the corner of a dingy Hunter's Association office. His fingers clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms as he stared at the results on the tablet in front of him.
Rank: F
Mana Capacity: Low
Physical Enhancement: Below Average
Special Abilities: None
The Association worker, an older man with a thick mustache and tired eyes, glanced at him with pity. "Kid, I get it. Everyone hopes for a miracle. But an F-Rank… you won't make it far."
Mahi's throat felt dry. He had trained, and pushed his body beyond its limits, hoping that the moment he awakened, he'd be someone strong. But now? Now he was nothing more than another weakling in a world that valued power above all else.
"I still want to be a Hunter," Mahi said, his voice quiet but firm.
The worker sighed. "I won't stop you. Anyone with an awakening can apply for a license. But without skills or strength, your life expectancy in dungeons is—" He paused as if reconsidering his words. "Let's just say it's dangerous."
"I understand."
"Do you?" The worker leaned forward, his voice serious. "F-Ranks can barely take on the weakest monsters. Most end up as porters, carrying supplies for higher-ranked Hunters, or they join the cleanup crews that salvage monster remains. If you think you'll be diving into dungeons like an action hero, you're delusional."
Mahi bit the inside of his cheek but said nothing. He had no illusions of grandeur. He wasn't an S-Rank with the ability to tear through monsters like they were paper. He was barely above an average human. But what was he supposed to do? Give up?
No. That wasn't an option.
He signed the necessary forms, receiving his temporary Hunter's ID. It was plain, with a large F marked on the top corner like a brand of failure. Still, it was something.
As he stepped out of the building, the cold evening air stung against his skin. Neon lights from various Hunter-related businesses flickered along the streets—weapon shops, mana potion vendors, and even guild recruitment centers. None of them would even glance at an F-Rank.
Mahi sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked toward the only place that would accept him: a temporary labor post where low-rank Hunters took whatever jobs they could find.
A Job Meant for the Weak
The next morning, Mahi found himself in a small, damp waiting room alongside several other low-rank Hunters. Most were either fresh awakeners like him or washed-up veterans who had never risen beyond E-Rank.
A man in a worn-out leather jacket stood at the front of the room, a clipboard in hand. He glanced over the gathered Hunters before speaking. "Alright, listen up. We've got a minor Gate cleanup request. The main raid team has already cleared the monsters, so all that's left is collecting materials and disposing of corpses. No combat involved. Easy pay."
Mahi exhaled in relief. It wasn't a glamorous job, but it was a start.
Within an hour, he was standing outside a recently closed Gate, a swirling remnant of energy still flickering in the air like a dying ember. Around him, the other hired workers moved quickly, loading up monster remains onto trucks. The corpses of goblins, their greenish-black blood staining the pavement, lay scattered across the ground.
Mahi grabbed a hooked tool and started dragging a carcass toward one of the waiting disposal vehicles. The stench was overwhelming, but he forced himself to push through it. He couldn't afford to complain.
As he worked, he overheard two higher-ranked Hunters talking nearby.
"Did you hear? There's been an increase in spatial fluctuations lately."
"Yeah, some people think it's a sign of bigger Gates forming. If that happens, even A-Ranks will have trouble."
Mahi tuned out their conversation, focusing on his work. But a sudden tremor beneath his feet made him freeze.
A horrible cracking sound echoed through the area.
The ground split apart, and before anyone could react, a massive rift tore open beneath Mahi's feet.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" someone screamed.
The world tilted, and Mahi felt himself plummeting into the darkness.
Lost in the Void
Pain. A suffocating pressure. An abyss of nothingness.
Mahi's consciousness wavered as he struggled to breathe. It was as if the air had been sucked out of his lungs. He forced his eyes open, but all he could see was endless darkness stretching in every direction.
"Where… am I?" His voice barely reached his ears.
His body felt weightless, drifting through the void like a speck of dust caught in an eternal storm. He tried to move, but there was no ground, no up or down, just an overwhelming force crushing down on him.
Then, a voice echoed through the darkness.
[Emergency Protocol Activated.]
[Initializing Player System...]
[User Detected: Mahi. Level: 1.]
[Warning: Host in critical condition. Performing forced adaptation…]
Mahi's body convulsed as a surge of energy coursed through him. It wasn't like mana—it was something different, something foreign. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he thought he saw… lines of code.
Then, pain unlike anything he had ever felt erupted through his body.
[Welcome, Player.]
[Survive, and grow stronger.]
And then, the world shattered into light.
To be continued...