Zachary Quinn moved calmly through the crowded streets, weaving past the noise of merchants and customers filling the district.
The air buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of items being sold and traded. He paused in front of a shop that specialized in artifacts from a level 5 dungeon, its display glittering with strange weapons and glowing stones.
For a moment, he simply stared, unimpressed by the supposed rarity of the items. Then, without a word, he turned away, already losing interest.
Dungeons had first appeared in the world back in 2016, bringing with them fear and chaos that forced millions to evacuate their homes.
At first, these mysterious structures remained silent, like dormant threats waiting to awaken.
Governments studied them from a distance, too cautious to make the first move. Eventually, a military squad was sent inside one of the dungeons, marking humanity's first direct encounter with the unknown. That decision would change the world forever.
Inside, they found horrors beyond imagination—creatures with grotesque forms and unnatural proportions that defied logic.
Bullets and blades proved useless, passing through or barely scratching the monsters' bodies.
Panic spread quickly among the soldiers as their weapons failed them one after another. Just when all hope seemed lost, one soldier accidentally touched a strange stone embedded within the dungeon walls. In an instant, the stone emitted a blinding light that engulfed him completely.
When the light faded, that soldier was no longer the same. He had gained abilities that resembled powers straight out of fantasy—magic, enhanced strength, and skills that could finally harm the creatures.
This discovery became humanity's turning point, leading to the classification of awakened individuals into five primary classes. Combat, Mage, Archer, Healer, and Support became the foundation of a new world order.
Later on, even rarer variations were discovered—Hidden Classes, far more powerful and mysterious than the standard ones. These included Hidden Combat, Hidden Mage, Hidden Archer, Hidden Healer, and Hidden Support.
Zachary continued walking until the towering gates of Nexus Academy came into view. Students crowded the entrance, their voices filled with excitement and nervous anticipation.
Today was the awakening ceremony—the moment that would determine their futures. Some dreamed of power and fame, while others simply hoped to survive in a world ruled by strength. Zachary, however, felt none of that excitement as he walked past them.
Inside the classroom, the atmosphere buzzed with restless energy until a man in dark robes stepped in. His mere presence silenced the room instantly, an overwhelming aura pressing down on every student.
This was Raven Blackwood, a wielder of a Hidden Mage class, known for his immense power. His round glasses reflected the light as his sharp gaze swept across the room. "Everyone settle down," he commanded, his voice firm and impossible to ignore.
The students scrambled into their seats, chairs scraping loudly against the floor in their haste. Only Zachary remained composed, sitting down without urgency or noise. Raven pulled out a sheet of paper and began calling names one by one.
When he called "Brittany Star," a blonde girl stood up confidently and walked toward the awakening stone. A large screen hovered above it, waiting to display her results.
She placed her hand on the stone, her movements graceful and steady. Almost immediately, the stone shone with a brilliant light that filled the room.
The screen flickered for a moment before revealing her result—Archer, Level 7. Applause erupted from the class, admiration and envy mixing in their voices. Raven gave a small approving nod as Brittany returned to her seat, clearly pleased with the outcome.
Then came the name that shifted the atmosphere. "Zachary Quinn." Raven's tone carried a hint of curiosity as all eyes turned toward him.
Zachary stood up calmly, his expression unreadable despite the weight of the moment. He walked toward the stone, each step steady and unhurried, as if the result didn't matter at all.
"You may begin," Raven said, watching him closely. Zachary took a quiet breath before placing his hand on the stone.
For a moment, nothing happened—then the screen began to glitch violently. Raven's eyes widened slightly, his composed demeanor cracking just enough to reveal his surprise. "That… has never happened before," he muttered under his breath.
The screen flickered back to normal, the room holding its breath in tense silence. Then the result appeared—Mage, Level 1. For a second, no one reacted, as if they couldn't process what they were seeing. Then laughter erupted, loud and merciless, filling every corner of the classroom. "Level 1? That's it?" someone shouted, and the rest quickly joined in.
Zachary stood there, unmoving, his gaze locked onto the screen. The laughter faded into background noise, meaningless and distant. Unlike the others, he wasn't surprised by the result. In fact, he had somewhat expected it.