Chapter 11 : The First Dungeon
769 Words
The next morning arrived quietly.
Sunlight passed through the hospital window, spreading across the floor.
For most patients, it was another ordinary day.
But for Ethan Ardent...
It was the beginning of something new.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the blue screen only he could see.
[Daily Quest Available.]
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
The system had not given him much time to relax since awakening.
Every day brought a new challenge.
Every challenge was designed to push him further.
The message expanded.
Daily Quest: First Step Into The Abyss
Objective:
Enter a dungeon alone.
Defeat the dungeon guardian.
Obtain the dungeon core.
Time Limit: 24 Hours
Reward:
System Points
Random Skill
Dungeon Completion Bonus
Failure Punishment:
All physical enhancements temporarily disabled.
Severe fatigue for 48 hours.
Ethan stared at the punishment.
The system was not joking.
Failure meant losing the progress he had worked so hard to gain.
But instead of feeling nervous...
He smiled.
A few weeks ago, the thought of entering a dungeon alone would have terrified him.
Now?
He saw it as an opportunity.
A chance to test himself.
A chance to see how much he had truly changed.
"Alright."
Ethan stood.
"Let's see how far I've come."
The hospital staff had been told Ethan needed more recovery time.
The Hunter Association had classified him as a survivor of a dangerous dungeon incident.
Nobody expected him to leave so soon.
Which was exactly why Ethan waited until the hospital became busy.
He quietly changed into normal clothes.
A simple jacket.
Dark pants.
Comfortable shoes.
Then he looked back at the room.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Sera would definitely be angry if she found out.
But Ethan knew himself.
If he stayed comfortable forever, he would never grow.
The dungeon was where hunters became stronger.
And Ethan needed strength.
Not for fame.
Not for revenge.
For survival.
He quietly left the hospital.
Outside, the city felt different.
Before the shrine incident, Ethan always walked through the streets feeling like he didn't belong.
Hunters around him carried confidence.
They had powerful abilities.
High ranks.
Recognition.
And Ethan?
He had always been the person people ignored.
But today...
Something was different.
His steps were steady.
His eyes were focused.
The system had changed his body.
But more importantly...
It had changed his mindset.
A notification appeared.
[Dungeon location generated.]
A map appeared in front of him.
Ethan followed the route.
After walking for a while, he reached an abandoned area outside the city.
There was nothing unusual.
No monsters.
No people.
Just an empty space.
Then another notification appeared.
[Dungeon Key Received.]
A small black key appeared in his hand.
Ethan examined it.
The key felt ancient.
Almost like the same energy he felt inside the shrine.
"System..."
He looked at it.
"Where did you get this?"
No answer came.
The system only displayed:
[Dungeon access granted.]
Ethan sighed.
"Of course."
It was mysterious.
But he had already accepted that his new power came with questions.
He gripped the key.
A portal appeared.
Dark energy swirled inside.
A normal hunter would never enter an unknown portal alone.
Especially not an E-rank hunter.
But Ethan stepped forward without hesitation.
Before entering, Ethan prepared himself.
He didn't have expensive equipment.
He didn't have powerful weapons.
He didn't have a team.
Only himself.
He attached a small dagger to his side.
It wasn't a legendary weapon.
It wasn't something that could destroy monsters easily.
But it was reliable.
And Ethan valued reliability.
He checked his equipment one last time.
Then he looked at the portal.
The old Ethan would have hesitated.
The old Ethan would have wondered if he belonged here.
But that person was slowly disappearing.
This was a new beginning.
"I've already faced the worst."
He stepped closer.
"I survived a place designed to kill me."
The portal's energy surrounded him.
"So this time..."
He entered.
"I'll be the one who comes back."
The moment Ethan entered the dungeon...
The portal disappeared behind him.
Darkness surrounded him.
The air was cold.
The environment was completely different from the city.
Ancient stone walls.
Strange symbols.
A path leading deeper underground.
The system appeared.
[Dungeon Entered.]
[Difficulty: Unknown.]
Ethan looked at the message.
Unknown?
That was not comforting.
But then another notification appeared.
[Warning.]
[Host is entering an unfamiliar environment alone.]
[Recommended action: Survival.]
Ethan smiled slightly.
"That's always been my specialty."
He walked forward.
The weak E-rank hunter had entered a dungeon alone.
The world still believed Ethan Ardent was nothing.
But deep beneath the earth...
A new hunter was beginning his first true evolution.
- Writer
