Jin Ryo's feet carried him briskly through the crowded streets of the city, weaving past civilians still shaken from the dungeon eruption. His palms tingled, the residual energy from the monsters' vitality humming faintly beneath his skin. Every step reminded him: the world was different now. This wasn't the realm of ordinary people; this was a battlefield, and every citizen was a potential hunter, or prey.
The Hunter Registration Center loomed ahead — a stark, imposing structure of glass and steel, bristling with energy detection wards. Every doorway shimmered faintly, marking thresholds that separated ordinary humans from those capable of dungeon entry. Inside, the air buzzed with anticipation, anxiety, and raw ambition.
Jin stepped forward, the device in his hand pulsing lightly as it interfaced with the center's energy grid. Holographic menus appeared, displaying a series of prompts:
Hunter Registration – Step 1: Confirm IdentityHunter Registration – Step 2: Select ClassHunter Registration – Step 3: Assign Starter Attributes
He scrolled through the options. Most were standard — swords, guns, magic affinity, elemental classes, and the like. But when he tapped "Class Selection," a single choice glowed with a golden aura:
Cultivator (Sole Class) – Unique
A warning flashed below:
Note: This class does not conform to standard system mechanics. Stat growth may be irregular. Advanced techniques may bypass system recognition.
Jin smirked. "Perfect."
He confirmed the selection, feeling a ripple through his entire body. Every muscle, tendon, and sinew seemed to hum with latent potential. His Vitality Mastery gauge adjusted, integrating the system's recognition of his chosen path. Unlike ordinary hunters who relied on numerical stats, Jin could feel the difference — his energy wasn't a number; it was a living, breathing force.
The registration process continued, prompting him to assign attributes: Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Vitality, and Luck. Jin hovered over each option, but his training instincts from countless cultivation manhwas guided him. He distributed points lightly, almost as placeholders. He didn't need to max numbers; refinement would surpass raw stats.
Strength: ModerateAgility: ModerateIntelligence: ModerateVitality: Low (initially)Luck: Moderate
Numbers don't matter, he reminded himself. Control does.
Once registered, Jin was issued a Hunter ID card, a starter kit of basic equipment, and a system notification:
Welcome, Jin Ryo – Level 2Class: Cultivator (Sole Class)Vitality Mastery: Intermediate
He left the registration desk, feeling the weight of the eyes around him. New hunters, veterans, and guild scouts alike watched him as he passed. Some whispered about the glowing aura surrounding his device. Others dismissed him as a novelty. Most simply ignored him, too focused on their own ambitions.
Jin didn't care.
He stepped outside into the city streets again, moving toward a small, low-level dungeon that had formed overnight in a derelict warehouse district. This would be his first real test as a registered hunter. No interference, no distractions — just him, his newly minted abilities, and the monsters inside.
As he approached, he noted the chaotic scene unfolding. Rookie hunters were already lining up, their weapons clashing, some tripping over debris, others yelling in panic as weak monsters emerged. Jin crouched on a nearby rooftop, observing quietly.
They don't know how to feel the vitality, he thought, eyes narrowing. They're blind. I can see the threads of life like veins in the air.
With a casual flick of his wrist, Jin descended to street level, walking into the fray. Rookie hunters froze as he passed, unsure whether to greet him or flee. One boy, barely seventeen, wearing patched armor and clutching a rusty sword, pointed shakily at him.
"You… you're not from the registration today, are you?"
Jin smirked. "I am. Just… faster than most."
The boy blinked. "Faster? How?"
Jin didn't answer. Words were irrelevant. Action spoke louder than anything the system could display.
He focused, letting his Vitality Mastery hum beneath his skin. The monster spawn, a horde of grotesque, twisted forms, charged without noticing him. Jin inhaled deeply, concentrating, and a faint golden aura shimmered around him. He could feel their life force — scattered, chaotic, easily manipulated.
This is the beginning, he thought. Every monster, every fight… it's training.
With a subtle step, he moved forward. His footfalls were silent, yet deliberate. Each motion pulled in vitality like a tide, weaving it through his muscles, sharpening reflexes. The first creature swung a claw at him. He sidestepped smoothly, letting the energy of the monster's strike flow into him, refining it, storing it. Then, with a subtle flick of his wrist, he redirected the collected energy into a pulse that slammed the creature into a wall.
The sound of cracking bones and gasps from the rookie hunters echoed across the street. Jin felt a thrill, but it wasn't arrogance. It was the exhilaration of practice, of testing limits, of refining vitality into power.
I'm no weak hunter, he thought. Not by a long shot.
The warehouse loomed ahead like a blackened maw, shadows spilling from broken windows and cracked doors. The low-level dungeon radiated a faint pulse, its walls vibrating subtly with the life force of whatever lurked inside. Rookie hunters hesitated at the entrance, whispering nervously to one another. Jin Ryo, however, simply stepped forward, Vitality flowing naturally beneath his skin.
The first monsters were weak — twisted, hunched creatures barely reaching his knees, claws jagged and uneven. Systemically, they were classified as Level 1, beginner threats. But to Jin, they were more than numbers. Every twitch, every breath, every pulse of life was visible, flowing like veins of light across the air. He could feel the vitality in his palms, in his chest, coiling and responding to the environment.
With a slight nod to himself, Jin lunged. Not with brute force, not with a weapon, but with the raw, refined energy he now controlled. A tendril of vitality wrapped around the first creature as it charged, sapping its momentum and redirecting it into the floor. The monster's body crumpled without a sound, the energy flowing seamlessly into Jin's own system.
He felt it immediately — a surge of power, not measured by stats, but by sheer sensation. Every fiber of his being hummed in resonance. The system attempted to register it, flashing warnings, but Jin ignored them.
Let them struggle to understand.
A small group of rookie hunters gawked at him. One, a lanky boy clutching a crossbow, whispered, "Who… who is that? Is he… cheating?"
Jin didn't respond. Words were pointless. Instead, he let the next wave of monsters approach. They came faster now, their claws scraping against concrete, teeth gnashing. Jin moved fluidly among them, each strike precise, each dodge effortless. Vitality from one monster fed the next, a constant refinement process. Within minutes, dozens of creatures had fallen, and Jin's body absorbed the essence of every one.
The aura around him grew brighter, a subtle golden shimmer that even the system couldn't quantify. For the first time, the warnings were more frequent:
Error: Vitality Flow Exceeds ParametersWarning: Class Action Not RecognizedSystem Alert: Unregistered Combat Method Detected
He grinned. The system was irrelevant. His strength didn't come from numbers, but from understanding. From control. From refinement.
From the shadows of a nearby rooftop, a taller figure observed him. Clad in sleek black armor, the hunter's expression was sharp, calculating, every movement deliberate. A blade glinted at his side. He wasn't weak — Jin could sense his vitality immediately. A Level 15 hunter, perhaps from a mid-tier guild.
Interesting, Jin thought. Finally, someone who might actually notice me.
The rival hunter descended into the street, landing gracefully between Jin and the remaining monsters. "You there!" he barked. "Step aside. Rookie hunters shouldn't be handling this alone."
Jin raised an eyebrow, letting his aura pulse faintly. "I'm no rookie," he said evenly, his voice calm but carrying an edge. "And I handle things my own way."
The hunter's eyes narrowed. "The system doesn't recognize your techniques. That's dangerous. One misstep, and you'll get yourself killed."
"Then maybe it's time the system learned something new," Jin replied, stepping lightly to the side as another monster lunged. Using a refined flow of vitality, he directed it into the rival hunter's path. The creature stumbled harmlessly past him, then Jin absorbed the energy it emitted mid-fall.
The rival hunter's jaw tightened. He could feel the surge of vitality, the unnatural control, and the faint golden glow surrounding Jin. This isn't normal.
Inside the warehouse, the dungeon itself pulsed more aggressively. The walls seemed to breathe, feeding energy into the monsters within. Jin paused for a fraction of a second, letting his senses extend into the dungeon's life force. He could feel patterns, flows, weaknesses — not numerical, not predetermined, but alive.
A larger creature emerged from the shadows — one that the system would have classified as Level 3. Its eyes glowed with malicious intent, and its body was thicker, more jagged, covered in coarse scales. The crowd of hunters stepped back instinctively. Even the rival hunter tensed.
Jin's grin widened. Finally. Real resistance.
He inhaled, letting the vitality hum through his chest, threading through his limbs. The monster charged. Jin sidestepped, coiling energy around his fists. The impact of his strike shattered the creature's jaw, and the surge of vitality flowed into him effortlessly. With each motion, he refined the energy, integrating it into his own system.
The rival hunter's eyes widened. "What… what is this?" he muttered.
"Technique," Jin said simply. Not numbers. Not system stats. Technique.
As the last monsters fell, the warehouse lay in silence. Broken crates, debris, and the faint smell of ozone and scorched vitality filled the air. Jin's chest heaved slightly, but his movements were still calm, deliberate, controlled. His body had absorbed more energy than he could quantify, but he felt stronger, sharper, and more alive than any number could ever indicate.
System notifications flickered rapidly:
Level Up!Jin Ryo: Level 3Vitality Mastery: Advanced Beginner
Jin ignored the numbers. They were trivial. What mattered was mastery — understanding, refinement, and control. He felt the golden warmth of vitality coursing through him like a river, ready to be shaped further.
The rival hunter stepped back, clearly shaken. "You… you're not like anyone I've seen. Where did you learn… that?"
Jin smirked faintly, brushing a speck of dust from his shoulder. "I don't follow anyone else's path. I make my own."
And with that, he turned away from the warehouse, walking calmly through the remnants of the battlefield. Around him, hunters whispered, guild scouts observed, and the system struggled desperately to understand a class it could not quantify.
This is only the beginning, Jin thought, feeling the pulse of vitality within him. Every dungeon, every monster, every hunter… I will refine them. And I will become stronger.
The warehouse lay silent, but the air vibrated faintly, as if the dungeon itself was still alive, watching, waiting. Jin Ryo stepped carefully over debris, his golden aura flickering softly with each heartbeat. Vitality hummed beneath his skin, still warm from the monsters he had absorbed, a subtle reminder that growth was constant, unending.
Rookie hunters approached cautiously, expressions a mix of awe and fear. "I… I've never seen anyone fight like that," one whispered, voice trembling. "It's like… like he controls the energy itself."
Jin smiled faintly, but did not respond. Words were distractions. Observation, refinement, and control were everything.
From the edge of the street, the rival hunter from before watched intently, his blade still drawn, eyes sharp and calculating. Jin felt the scrutiny, but instead of tension, it fueled him. A challenge. Something to measure himself against.
The rival stepped forward, voice calm but firm. "You're going to draw attention, you know. Guild scouts, higher-level hunters… they'll notice what you just did."
"I don't care who notices," Jin replied, voice low, carrying a dangerous edge. "I follow my own path. Numbers, levels, guilds… none of that matters if you don't understand the flow of vitality."
The hunter's eyes narrowed. "Flow of vitality… That's not even in the system."
"Exactly," Jin said, letting a faint pulse of golden energy shimmer around his hands. "It doesn't need to be."
The dungeon's pulse beneath the warehouse grew stronger, subtle vibrations echoing through the floor. Jin could feel it even now, the latent energy of monsters waiting inside, feeding, growing. He crouched slightly, extending his senses, and let his hands brush against the invisible currents.
Every pulse, every thread… everything can be refined.
It was intoxicating. Unlike any system-based class, unlike any hunter he had seen, his Cultivator abilities were alive, responsive, and limitless — at least in potential. He could sense weaknesses, predict attacks, and even redirect vitality mid-combat. But even with all this, he knew refinement was endless. Each victory was merely the first step of mastery.
A sudden shout drew his attention. Guild scouts, sleek and imposing, had arrived on the scene, observing the battlefield from the rooftops. They were higher-level hunters, the kind that dictated ranking and progress, and their eyes were fixed on him. Murmurs passed between them.
One, tall with silver hair and an aura of authority, muttered to another, "That one… he's not following standard progression. Do you see that energy? It's… abnormal."
The other nodded. "I've never seen a rookie fight like that. He's either a prodigy or… something else entirely."
Jin felt their attention but remained calm. Guilds, ranks, and politics did not interest him yet. What mattered was himself, his cultivation, his ability to bend vitality to his will.
He turned back to the warehouse, stepping inside cautiously. The residual energy of the dungeon pulsed stronger here, feeding faint golden currents into his body. Even from a distance, he could feel new monsters beginning to stir — creatures the system would likely classify as Level 2 or 3. To Jin, they were simply raw vitality waiting to be refined.
He took a deep breath, coiling the energy within. His body, enhanced by the monsters he had absorbed, moved with instinctive precision. A tendril of energy wrapped around a small, jagged creature, redirecting it harmlessly into the walls. Another fell to the ground as he absorbed its vitality, feeling the raw energy thread seamlessly into his own.
Even the rival hunter watched, clearly impressed despite himself. "He's… refining it as he absorbs it," he muttered. "That's impossible. No system should allow…"
Jin didn't respond. Refinement was his path, not recognition. Levels and stats were irrelevant. He felt vitality flow like a river, and he shaped it, guided it, turned it into controlled power.
By the time he left the warehouse, the dungeon's pulse had calmed, temporarily subdued, but not defeated. Jin's body hummed with residual energy. His mind was alive with new possibilities, new techniques forming in his imagination, waiting for the next dungeon, the next fight.
Outside, the city had begun to regain a fragile sense of order. Civilians scurried home, hunters regrouped, and guild scouts whispered among themselves. Jin walked calmly through the streets, golden aura faint but persistent.
He paused, looking toward the horizon. The world… is bigger than I imagined. Guilds, hunters, dungeons… they are only the beginning. My path… is mine alone.
The rival hunter approached once more, hands raised in cautious respect. "You… you're going to make waves. The system doesn't even know how to handle someone like you. Be careful. The next time you fight, higher-level hunters will notice. And they won't be so lenient."
Jin smirked faintly, eyes cold and determined. "Let them come. They'll learn soon enough… that I follow no one's rules but my own."
The rival hesitated, then nodded. "I'll be watching. Don't make a mistake."
Jin turned away, walking toward the distant streets. Behind him, the golden glow of his vitality faded slightly, leaving only the faint pulse of latent power. His system notifications blinked rapidly, but he ignored them:
Level Up!Jin Ryo: Level 4Vitality Mastery: Advanced Beginner → Intermediate
Numbers are meaningless, he thought. Mastery is everything.
The streets stretched ahead, empty but full of possibility. Dungeons would continue to appear. Monsters would continue to rise. Hunters, guilds, and rivals would attempt to measure him by standard rules.
But Jin Ryo was beyond rules. Beyond numbers. Beyond the comprehension of systems and hunters alike.
He inhaled deeply, the energy of the world humming through him, alive and responsive. This is only the beginning.
And somewhere in the distance, a faint rumble reminded him that dungeons were never truly finished.
The world had opened its doors to him — and Jin Ryo was ready to step through.