No one expected that a calm summer day would turn into a catastrophe. Rifts appeared in the sky across the entire world, as if the heavens themselves were about to collapse.
Hideous and dangerous creatures began peering through, and a blue window appeared before every inhabitant of Earth. Within it, a message was revealed:
"Please prepare. Remain on channel. 00:00:10."
With it, the countdown began. At first, no one understood what this window meant. It was later known as the Status Window.
When the counter reached zero—0…1…2…3—the window turned red, and the sentence that would lead to the demise of more than two-thirds of Earth's population appeared:
"Purge time has ended. Initiating Monster Wave."
Humanity was given no time to even comprehend the message before monsters began emerging from the rifts across the world.
Every location turned into a one-sided massacre. No one was able to resist. Just as everyone lost hope and believed it was the end, the Awakened appeared—individuals who possessed unimaginable power,
from magic and aura to strength capable of splitting mountains in half.
The Awakened became the world's hope.
They began slaughtering the monsters and clearing the rifts, which came to be known as Dungeons.
Each dungeon had a time limit—if it was not cleared by killing the boss within, a phenomenon known as a Dungeon Break would occur. No one would want to be anywhere near such an event, as monsters would go berserk, burst out, and attack civilians.
For this reason, Awakened were dispatched to deal with dungeons before a break occurred.
Both hunters and dungeons were classified by ranks as follows:
L, SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, F, G
G: Ordinary humans
L: Legendary—unreachable by anyone
Thus, twenty years passed.
During that time, as dungeon raids continued, science and technology advanced rapidly. New markets opened where materials dropped by dungeon bosses were traded—items whose grades matched that of the boss.
However, this prosperity did not last. The number of rifts increased, and their difficulty escalated.
As the world was already anxious over the growing dungeon waves, a message from the System appeared—one that caused an unprecedented disaster:
"To all Awakened and humans:
The Demon King has awakened.
If he is not defeated, Earth will be destroyed.
Good luck. ^_^"
After this message, the world was thrown into chaos. Despair consumed everyone. No one knew whether humanity would survive or if the tragedy from twenty years ago would repeat itself.
Just as hope was about to vanish completely, world leaders convened and formed a team composed of the highest-ranked Awakened.
The Seven—those who carried the hope and future of humanity.
They stood before the gate as another message appeared:
"Time remaining until annihilation: 01:00:00."
Without hesitation, the Seven entered the dungeon and began the purge.
First: Conner Gorad, known as The Fortress. He was like a moving citadel—over two meters tall, his body covered in scars that told the story of countless battles. His fiery hair burned like the flames of hell, and his golden eyes sparked terror in any enemy.
His overwhelming strength allowed him to shatter the ground with his bare fists. Known as The Shattering Giant, he ranked sixth globally among the top ten.
Second: White Zolin, the complete opposite of Conner. Frail and weak in appearance, he looked as though a gentle breeze could carry him away. Yet this appearance concealed one of the most dangerous individuals alive.
A master alchemist, he could erase entire armies with his potions and lethal poisons, dissolving bodies in seconds. Known as The Serpent, his ruby-red eyes and sky-blue hair set him apart from any other alchemist.
Despite his harmless look, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing—a demon who delighted in experimenting on both humans and demons alike. His true goal in joining the Salvation Team was to obtain the Demon King's corpse for research.
He ranked fourth worldwide without ever exerting himself. Every opponent he faced met a mysterious end, and rumors spread that he kept his defeated rivals alive as test subjects.
Third: Ethan Givner, known as the Sword Saint. He could cut down enemies effortlessly—so fast that they couldn't even perceive his movements.
Born into a renowned family of swordsmen, he wielded a sword before he could even speak. A paragon of honor and loyalty, he became emotionless when facing enemies. His aura alone could split and shake the earth. He ranked second globally.
His silver hair symbolized nobility, and his azure eyes resembled a vast, tranquil ocean capable of pulling one in.
Fourth: Grace Scholar, the Queen of the Bow. She could hit any target, even from dozens of miles away. Her precision made her the youngest elite archer—only twenty years old—yet she ranked fifth worldwide.
Her silky brown, chocolate-colored hair flowed with the wind, and her emerald eyes resembled a lush forest. Despite her youthful appearance, she was hot-tempered and ferocious—someone you would never want to argue with.
Fifth: Aurora Rasvit, whose beauty resembled that of a descended angel. She could restore lands corrupted by demons into lush green paradises.
Known as The Saintess, her golden hair shone like pure gold, making it impossible to look away, while her sky-blue eyes enhanced her ethereal beauty. Pure and gentle, untouched by the world's corruption, she was the sole princess of the Eliserand Empire.
As a support and healer, she ranked seventh globally, making her the weakest member of the team.
Sixth: Liseros Vivian, an S-rank summoner capable of reviving fallen armies and commanding them effortlessly. Her radiant violet hair pulsed with energy, enhancing her dangerous allure.
Her black eyes made her especially hard to resist, particularly for men. She used her beauty to seduce enemies before eliminating them. She ranked third worldwide.
Seventh—and last: Ashreon Seroth, the greatest mage in human history. His power was sufficient to lift continents and fuse them together. He could cast five eighth-tier spells without effort and possessed seemingly infinite mana.
He stood unrivaled at the top of the world. Many enemies committed suicide upon hearing his voice alone. Despite his power, he was kind and considerate—a demeanor that hid a bitter past.
He was the sole survivor of his family, who perished during the first monster wave. Sent to a government-run orphanage for ranked children, he was forced to raid dungeons for food.
Failure meant starvation and brutal punishment, sometimes leaving him on the brink of death before being sent back out again.
His childhood was merciless, and he swore an oath to defeat the Demon King and bring peace to humanity.
After entering the gate, monsters assaulted them from every direction, giving them no time to recover.
Following a fierce and brutal battle, the Seven reached the throne room. A black silhouette sat upon the throne, radiating malice. Moments later, the doors sealed shut and a System message appeared:
"Welcome to the Dungeon: Castle of Darkness.
Clear Condition: Minimum of five participants.
Reward: Unknown.
Do you wish to clear the dungeon?"
Without hesitation, Yes was selected.
The castle trembled violently as the battle raged.
The heroes spared no effort, opening with their strongest attacks, knowing time was against them. When the Demon King finally fell to one knee, gasping from his wounds, Ashreon began preparing his final spell.
As Vivian arrogantly stepped forward to claim the Demon King for her army, he suddenly evaded her and lunged toward Ashreon. Before he could touch him, Ashreon uttered:
"Ice Blade."
An icy spear pierced the Demon King's body. As he fell, his mask shattered. He whispered words into Ashreon's ear—words that froze him in shock. The Demon King's body turned to dust in Ashreon's arms.
Ding… Dungeon Cleared.
.
Ding… Earth Destruction Cancelled.
.
A return gate appeared. While others rejoiced, Ashreon remained conflicted—until a voice called out to him.
"Ash… Ash… Ashreon, what's wrong?"
"…"
"Come on, if you don't move, we'll leave you here."
"Just a moment. Go on without me."
Ash approached the throne and placed a white rose upon it. As he turned to leave, a sharp pain tore through his chest. A blade pierced his heart.
He turned to see White twisting the sword before pulling it out. Blood filled his mouth with a metallic taste. Despite knowing White's nature, he never expected betrayal—especially not from someone who shared the same orphanage, the same joys and hardships.
Vivian emerged behind White, shouting impatiently.
"Oh Ash, don't misunderstand. I never liked you. And honestly, if I hadn't done it, someone else would have."
She burst into laughter.
White and Vivian froze in confusion.
"Stop spouting nonsense," Ashreon said, blood spilling from his mouth.
"I know your true goal. Unfortunately for you, I won't let you take my body. So take this gift instead."
"Curse of Frost."
Screams echoed. Ash's senses faded as darkness spread.
The last thing he remembered was their screams.
He believed… he was dead.
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