Rise of the Abyss HunterChapter 2 – The First Hunt
The laughter from the classroom still echoed in Ronan's mind.
F-Rank.
The weakest talent possible.
The word repeated itself again and again inside his head as he walked through the streets of the city.
Night had already fallen, but the city was still alive.
Bright neon lights reflected off the glass walls of towering buildings. Giant digital screens floated between skyscrapers, displaying advertisements for equipment, hunter academies, and dungeon clear rankings.
This was the world humanity had lived in for the last two centuries.
A world ruled by power.
On one massive screen, the Regional Hunter Ranking appeared.
Names filled the list.
Every single one carried a surname.
Draven.
Blackwood.
Valerian.
Stormfall.
Powerful bloodlines. Legendary hunters.
People who could walk through the streets and make others lower their heads simply from the pressure of their aura.
Ronan stopped walking.
His eyes silently stared at the screen.
Those people lived in a completely different world.
A world that Ronan had dreamed of reaching.
But today…
Reality had crushed that dream.
Victor's mocking voice echoed again in his mind.
"This world isn't about studying, Ronan."
"It's about talent."
A faint smile appeared on Ronan's face.
But there was no warmth in it.
"No…"
He whispered quietly.
"It's about power."
And power…
could be taken.
Instead of returning home, Ronan changed direction.
He walked toward the outer district of the city.
The buildings gradually became smaller.
The bright lights disappeared.
And the number of people on the streets slowly decreased.
After nearly forty minutes of walking, Ronan finally reached his destination.
A massive metal wall stood in front of him.
Searchlights slowly moved across the dark forest beyond it.
This was one of the city's Low-Level Dungeon Zones.
After the world's collision two hundred years ago, unstable spatial rifts appeared across the planet.
Some became full dungeons.
Others turned into monster habitats.
The government had built containment zones around the weaker ones so beginner hunters could train safely.
A large metal gate guarded the entrance.
Several armed soldiers stood nearby.
One of them noticed Ronan approaching.
"Student?"
Ronan nodded.
"Just awakened."
The soldier glanced at a small scanner tablet.
"First hunt?"
"Yes."
The soldier looked at him carefully.
"You look calm for someone with no experience."
Ronan didn't answer.
The soldier shrugged.
"Fine. Rules are simple."
"No leaving the marked area."
"No going deeper than Zone C."
"And if things go bad…"
He pointed at a red emergency beacon hanging from Ronan's belt.
"Press that."
Ronan nodded again.
Then the soldier asked the question Ronan expected.
"What rank talent?"
For a moment, Ronan remained silent.
Then he answered calmly.
"F-Rank."
The soldier blinked.
Then he sighed.
"...Well."
He pressed a button beside the gate.
Heavy metal doors slowly opened with a loud mechanical sound.
"Goblins are weak."
"Just don't get surrounded."
He looked at Ronan one last time.
"And try not to die."
The moment Ronan stepped beyond the gate…
The atmosphere changed.
The air felt heavier.
Colder.
The scent of damp soil and wild plants filled the forest.
Moonlight barely reached the ground through the thick trees.
Somewhere deeper inside the forest…
Creatures lived.
Monsters that had once only existed in fantasy stories.
But now they were real.
Very real.
Ronan slowly walked forward.
Each step was careful.
Every sound felt louder in the silence of the forest.
His heart was beating faster than usual.
But his mind remained calm.
He had prepared for this.
Even if his talent was weak…
He had trained his body for years.
Running.
Strength training.
Combat practice.
Unlike many awakened students who relied purely on talent, Ronan had always believed in effort.
That belief had made him the top student in school.
But today…
The world had told him effort meant nothing.
Tonight he would test that.
A faint rustling sound came from the bushes ahead.
Ronan immediately stopped moving.
His eyes narrowed.
Then—
A small green figure stepped out from the shadows.
Short.
Ugly.
With sharp crooked teeth and yellow eyes.
A Goblin.
Its skin was dark green and covered in dirt.
In its hand it held a crude stone dagger.
The goblin sniffed the air.
Then its eyes suddenly locked onto Ronan.
For a moment…
Neither of them moved.
Then the goblin screamed.
"SKREEEE!"
It rushed forward like a wild animal.
Fast.
But clumsy.
Ronan didn't panic.
He tightened his grip on the metal pipe he had brought with him.
The goblin jumped toward him, raising its dagger.
But Ronan stepped forward at the same moment.
CRACK.
The metal pipe slammed into the goblin's head.
The sound of bone breaking echoed in the forest.
The creature collapsed onto the ground.
Still twitching.
Ronan raised the pipe again.
CRACK.
Then again.
CRACK.
After the third strike…
The goblin stopped moving.
Silence returned to the forest.
Ronan stood there breathing heavily.
He had just killed something for the first time.
A living creature.
Even if it was a monster.
For a moment, he simply stared at the body.
Then—
A strange sound echoed inside his head.
DING.
Ronan froze.
A cold mechanical voice followed.
[Special Talent Activated.]
His eyes widened.
"What…?"
The voice continued.
[Weak Assimilation Activated.]
[Target Detected: Goblin]
[Analyzing Bloodline…]
Dark particles slowly began rising from the goblin's corpse.
Like smoke.
They floated through the air…
Then suddenly rushed toward Ronan.
Before he could react—
The particles entered his body.
A strange warmth spread through his muscles.
His heartbeat accelerated.
His vision sharpened slightly.
The system voice spoke again.
[Goblin Bloodline Trait Acquired.]
[Effect: Physical Strength Increased.]
Ronan slowly clenched his fist.
His muscles felt different.
Stronger.
Not by a huge amount.
But noticeable.
Real.
His eyes slowly turned toward the goblin's corpse.
Then he realized something.
The system never mentioned any limit.
It never said the ability could only activate once.
And it never said the effect couldn't stack.
A faint smile slowly appeared on his face.
"So that's how it works…"
Everyone had laughed at this ability.
Everyone had called it trash.
But Ronan saw something else.
Potential.
Terrifying potential.
He looked deeper into the forest.
Somewhere beyond the trees…
More goblins waited.
Dozens of them.
Maybe even hundreds.
His voice was quiet.
Cold.
"If one goblin makes me stronger…"
He picked up the pipe again.
His eyes filled with a dangerous calm.
"Then I just need to kill more."
Far deeper in the forest…
More monsters were beginning to stir.
And Ronan walked straight toward them.
Tonight…
His hunt had only just begun.