Aariz stepped out of the gate.
The distorted air behind him shimmered once, then collapsed back into reality. The faint echo of the dungeon's roar lingered for a moment, but then all was still. The street ahead was quiet, almost unnaturally so. Dust danced lazily in the late afternoon sun, and the city's usual hum of traffic and chatter felt muted.
He adjusted his hoodie, the dark fabric clinging lightly to his frame, and began walking along the roadside, shoulders squared, steps precise. His face was unreadable as always, calm and measured, even as his mind raced.
Level 17.
Numbers, stats, abilities—all flashed before him. He had trained hard since awakening, had endured the first few dungeons, and yet the realization settled coldly in his chest: he was still weak.
"I have three skills now…" Aariz murmured to himself, voice barely audible.
Dark Slash.Veil Step.Veil Cut.
Each skill had been honed in small fights, tested and retested against goblins, trolls, and minor dungeon bosses. Each one was useful, lethal, but still… insufficient.
"And still…" he whispered. His eyes narrowed slightly, scanning the empty street. "I'm weak. I still don't know why I have this power, or who gave it to me. Or what is waiting for me."
A faint hum in his mind indicated Replica was present.
"You still haven't told me anything," Aariz said aloud, a low, even tone.
"I have already informed you multiple times," Replica replied, calm as ever. "Required level: 30. Information remains locked until condition is met."
Aariz clicked his tongue. "Annoying," he muttered, his gaze drifting to the buildings lining the street. The city appeared ordinary on the surface. Cars hummed along roads. Shops displayed their goods. People walked, unaware of the hidden dungeons and awakened hunters that shadowed their lives. But Aariz's eyes always saw further. Always calculated.
If I were to fight here… what would be my options? he thought, his mind scanning routes, escape possibilities, even the types of civilians that might be in danger. Everything can be a battlefield… but I am alone. And I'm still weak.
He reached a zebra crossing. The traffic light flicked from red to green. Cars began rolling again, engines purring. Pedestrians stepped off the curb, oblivious.
A sudden screech of brakes shattered the mundane rhythm of the city.
A small car, moving far too fast, barreled toward the crossing. A child—a little boy no older than seven—stood frozen, gaze fixed on the approaching vehicle.
"Damn it!" Aariz muttered, instincts kicking in. His legs moved before his mind even finished processing. He sprinted forward, calculating angles and timing.
The distance was too great. The boy was too close to the car. I won't make it in time…
Replica's voice was calm, almost teasing. "You are too slow. That distance is beyond your current speed."
Aariz gritted his teeth. "I know that." He pushed harder, legs pumping, veins straining. But it was no use. The car drew nearer with terrifying speed, and his strides could only carry him so far.
Then—
A flash of motion faster than him streaked across the street.
A girl.
She moved with unnatural speed, a blur of motion, hair flying behind her, one hand reaching out. In an instant, she scooped the child off the ground and rolled to the side. The car skidded past, missing them both by mere inches.
Aariz skidded to a stop, chest heaving. The world felt heavy with adrenaline.
"Thank God…" he muttered, voice tight. His gaze focused on the girl. She landed lightly, child safe in her arms, standing perfectly balanced despite the sudden stop.
Replica's voice flickered in his mind. "Observing. She is… extremely fast."
Aariz studied her carefully. Hoodie, black combat boots, long hair tied loosely—normal appearance. But the way she moved—the precision, the speed, the control—was anything but normal.
The girl handed the boy back to his frantic mother, who had come running from the sidewalk. "Are you okay?" she asked, panic evident. The boy nodded, eyes wide.
Aariz's face remained unreadable. He didn't move closer, didn't speak yet. His cold analytical mind was already assessing.
"Who is she?" he murmured to Replica.
Replica's answer was cautious. "Unknown. No records found in your current database. Potential awakened individual. Likely rank A or higher."
Aariz's eyes narrowed slightly. "Rank A, huh…?" He clenched his fists. So there are others out there, faster, stronger… already operating in the city. I see.
He stepped closer, curiosity tinged with slight caution. The girl turned slightly, as if sensing his gaze, and their eyes met. For a brief moment, he caught a spark of recognition—or maybe just amusement.
Aariz tilted his head, expression still calm. "You saved that child." His voice was low, measured. "You were… fast. Too fast for an ordinary human."
The girl said nothing. She glanced back at the street, then at the boy safely with his mother, and finally turned her gaze back to him. Her eyes were sharp, calculating—but calm. "You shouldn't be standing in the middle of the street," she said. Her tone wasn't teasing—it was dominant, almost commanding.
Aariz didn't flinch. Instead, he simply stepped aside, nodding slightly. "Noted."
For a moment, the world held its breath. The city noise returned. Cars drove past. Pedestrians crossed the street, oblivious to the hidden drama that had just unfolded.
He thought quietly, almost to himself: Another awakened… a hunter. Possibly S-rank candidate.
Replica broke the silence. "She may have noticed something unusual about you. Your current presence… it is not normal."
Aariz glanced down at himself briefly, then back at the girl. "Let her notice," he said coldly. Let her understand. I am not ordinary either.
The girl turned and disappeared into an alley, fluid as smoke, leaving Aariz standing alone. He exhaled slowly. His hand itched slightly—not from physical effort, but from the realization that the world had layers he still hadn't fully understood.
He resumed walking, pace unhurried. He passed the zebra crossing again, mind running through calculations and possibilities.
Level 17… three skills… weak.
Aariz's expression did not change, but inside, his mind raced. I need to become faster. Stronger. Sharper. Someone like her… or stronger… cannot intimidate me.
Replica's voice, steady and calm, reminded him: "Your progression is faster than most E-rank awakenings. You will close the gap soon."
"Soon…" Aariz echoed quietly. His eyes scanned the city streets. "But not soon enough. Not yet."
As he walked, he thought about the power he still did not understand. Veil Step… Veil Cut… Dark Slash… why me? Why these abilities? And who gave them?
Replica's response was always the same: "You will learn. Level 30 is the threshold. Until then, observation and experience are your teachers."
Aariz adjusted his gloves and glanced at the streetlights flickering on. The city began to glow faintly in the dusk. People moved around, unaware of awakened hunters, unaware of the hidden gates scattered throughout the world.
He didn't envy them.
He didn't pity them.
But he felt one thing clearly: The world is vast. And I am still only at the beginning.
The memory of the girl flashed through his mind again—the speed, the precision, the calm demeanor. I must surpass her…
As he continued walking, the streetlights cast long shadows in front of him. Aariz's face remained unreadable, expression cold as always, but inside, calculation and strategy churned relentlessly.
A new goal was forming: he would find out who she was, measure his strength against hers, and ensure no one—human or monster—would ever catch him off guard again.
The city stretched endlessly ahead, but Aariz's path was clear. Train. Hunt. Grow. Surpass. Protect.
And the hidden question still lingered: Who gave me this power, and why me?
The night deepened around him, and Aariz walked forward into the unknown, shadows stretching long in his wake.
And somewhere, far in the distance, a faint, almost imperceptible shimmer of energy flickered in an alley—a presence watching.
Aariz didn't notice it yet. But Replica did.
"Observation logged," Replica said quietly. "Potential S-rank awakening detected nearby."
Aariz's eyes remained forward, calm, unreadable.
For him, the hunt, the training, and the power gap were far from over.
And the world… had only just begun testing him.