"What the f*** is that!!!"
"No, please, stay away!"
"Help!! Please, help me!"
"…"
In other parts of the world, the situation had grown dire. Many awakeners, hastily banding together in teams, charged into the gates unprepared, seduced by the promise of rewards flashing in the global notifications.
Most came from government strike forces or the newly formed guilds springing up across cities, yet they carried the dangerous belief that clearing these dungeons were easy, simply because someone else had done it before.
As if the horrors of just a week ago had already slipped from memory.
Driven by greed for loot and power, they cast caution aside and dove headlong into the unknown — a reckless gamble that ended in disaster, leaving behind a trail of shattered teams and countless dead.
No one wanted to admit it, but compared to whoever had cleared the first dungeons, they were insects throwing themselves into fire.
…
At the same time, in a remote corner of the US, a stoic, blond-haired girl named Gwendolyn Garcia stood at the forefront of a group of nine others, methodically cutting down the undead in their path.
This particular dungeon was swarming with weak skeletons, but even with one of the world's most promising awakeners among them, the fight was still tense.
Gwen moved with an icy precision through the crowd of zombies, her expression unreadable, a dark katana flashing in her grip. At a glance, the weapon was clearly special: a rare buy from the shop.
Being level 16 after the tutorial put her leagues above most other awakeners, and the lowly skeletons posed little threat to her.
But the others weren't so fortunate. Even strong awakeners between levels 7 and 10 found the skeletons, each around level 15, challenging. Their sluggish movements made them beatable with teamwork, but every swing came with risk.
"That's the last of them," Gwen said flatly, brushing dust from her blade. She didn't pant or heave like the others, though her narrowed eyes flickered briefly toward the group, checking for injuries.
There was no opportunity to relax.
From deep within the dungeon came the sharp rattle of bones. A figure emerged, robed in pitch-black, a tall staff in hand—the skeleton lich.
As soon as it came into view, without hesitation, it summoned a spear of pure bone and hurled it toward them.
"Move. Now." Gwen's voice was cold and sharp. The group obeyed instantly.
The lich was relentless, spears raining down like death itself. Gwen surged forward, katana raised, and the others followed.
Caleb, a broad-shouldered brawler with a scarred jaw; Iris, the lean archer whose arrows burned faintly with magic; and Mason, a quiet man who carried a shield almost as tall as himself.
Close combat didn't help much. The lich was faster and stronger than expected, its bony claws and staff swings matching Gwen's strike for strike.
"This is the boss!" Caleb shouted, trying to rally the group.
"Like those in video games..." He paused to catch his breath. "Kill it and we're out of this hellhole!"
The lich seemed to hear him despite having no ears. A spear flew at Caleb, but just in time, Mason shoved him aside, saving him from what could've been a fatal blow.
Unfortunately, Hayden, a wiry man with a cocky grin even in danger, wasn't so lucky.
A skeletal hand burst from the ground, clutching his ankle. He kicked at it, panic flashing in his eyes.
But he was unable to break free in time as another bone spear came hurling at him with deadly precision.
"Thuck!"
The impact ripped the breath from his lungs as the spear punched clean through his chest, piercing his heart.
His eyes widened, then slowly dulled, before his body crumpled to the ground.
"Hayden!!!" Iris's wail was raw.
She dropped to her knees, shaking his lifeless body, while the rest of the group froze for just a heartbeat too long.
Gwen didn't; she cut the skeletal hand, approaching the group, clean in half and asserted, "Move! Or you're next!"
…
Almost half an hour later…
[You have slain the dungeon boss: skeleton lich – Level 20 (E-Rank)]
[You have levelled up]
[Dungeon cleared]
[Reward: 4000 Gold, 4kg of Mana stones]
[The resources are being shared equally among all participants…]
[Special Achievement Unlocked: First E-rank Dungeon]
[Reward: 2 levels and a Necklace of wind]
[The experience is being shared equally among all participants…]
[You have levelled up]
[Global Notification: First E-rank Dungeon has been cleared]
Gwen's shoulders eased fractionally at the notifications, but her lips tightened when she saw it was only an E-rank dungeon. Still, she was now level 19 and was getting stronger at an alarming rate.
They also each ended up receiving about half a kg of Gold and a Mana stone each, as well as a quarter of a level.
Their victory, however, was marred by loss. Two members gone. Eight left alive. The air was heavy with grief.
Iris sat in the corner, clutching Hayden's body, silent tears carving down her face. No one approached her; Gwen's glance alone told them to give her space.
"So what do we do with this necklace?" She enquired as it was the only thing that the system hadn't automatically given to someone.
"Gwen, you saved our asses back there; only you deserve it," Caleb said, his tone part admiration, part exhaustion.
"You should keep it." Mason agreed with a whisper.
Even Iris, even through her sobbing, managed a faint nod.
Gwen's gaze lingered on her for a moment before she replied sternly, "You're still alive…"
"That's all that matters. For now." She slipped the Necklace of Wind into her inventory without further comment.
Sentiment had no place here. The dead were gone. The living needed strength.
Though most of them had started as strangers, the fight's blood and dust had forged a fragile bond between them.
And everyone left had come to a mutual agreement that Gwen, as not only the strongest but also now their idol, should lead.
"I wasn't strong enough to protect everyone," she murmured, hating herself for it. But she swore that next time, no matter the cost, she would be.
She stilled, silently regretting her weakness even through her rigid and proud persona that acted as a backbone for everyone else.
Then, facing the others, she steeled herself and her tone hardened, "If you stay with me, you train, you fight smart, and you don't die. Anyone who can't do that, leave now."
No one moved.
"…Fine. We'll talk later about making this official."