Federal Calendar: 20 July 2145
Hotel Royal Orbit, Room Number 356
Everything happened last night. Alex couldn't just pretend like nothing had happened, so he showered in the morning while reflecting on what he had done and what his mistakes were. He also identified some mistakes that he would never repeat.
The first thing he noticed was that he had been so afraid of the assassin that he didn't use his reality eye on him. If he had used it at that time, he would likely have obtained information about the assassin and their weaknesses. However, he didn't use it because he blanked out in that moment.
That was his first mistake, and such a mistake could potentially cost him his life in the future. But he resolved not to make the same mistake twice. He also realized other mistakes, such as not having any weapons at that time. It was a significant mistake in a dangerous time when the strong preyed on the weak.
"I'll never repeat the same mistake in my entire life, and I'll learn from it. Humans can't be perfect, but I can strive for perfection," he thought to himself. After completing his reflections, he ordered breakfast. Once he finished eating, he went back to his bed and said, "status window."
A blue screen appeared in front of Alex. He was shocked to discover that he had been directly promoted from F rank to D rank.
[ Alex ] [ Occupation: - LOCKED ]
[Rank: D ][ EE: 120/500 ][ Lifespan: 200 ][ Vitality: D ][ Mana: - 500 ][ Strength: D ][ Agility: D ]
[Existence: - LOCKED ][ Cosmic Energy: -- ][ Cosmic Vault: - Enigmatic Repository of Knowledge ] [ Lifespan Cost: ? ]
......
He asked, "Alice, what is EE?"
Alice replied, [ Master, EE stands for Essence Energy. When you kill enemies in cosmic space, you gain this energy since the world orb in this space cannot absorb the essence of anything you kill. I added this feature to the status window so you can check how much 'EE' is required to rank up, and you can also obtain 'EE' from monster cores. ]
Alex felt pleased with the changes but then noticed that his occupation was locked, and there was another locked function as well. This meant that Alice didn't have information about them, so he asked, "Alice, why is my occupation locked, and what is the locked function?"
[ Master, I currently have limited information about it. I'll need more time to gather data ] she replied.
After reviewing everything, Alex contemplated where he should go. After some thought, he decided to level up by heading to the dungeon. But first, he utilized his unique ability to gather mana from his surroundings.
Skill Name: Mana Conduit
Skill Description:
Mana Conduit is a unique skill possessed by Alex, enabling him to attract mana from his surroundings and store it directly in cosmic space. By tapping into the natural energy of the world, Alex can draw mana towards himself, harnessing its power for various purposes.
Over 30 minutes later, Alex surveyed his surroundings. He could no longer sense any mana as he had absorbed it all. After that, he checked his status window.
[ Alex ] [ Occupation: - LOCKED ]
[ Rank: D ][ EE: 120/500 ][ Lifespan: 200 ][ Vitality: D ][ Mana: - A ][ Strength: D ][ Agility: D ][
Existence: - LOCKED ][ Cosmic Energy: -- ][ Cosmic Vault: - Enigmatic Repository of Knowledge ] [ Lifespan Cost: ? ]
......
"I possess mana comparable to that of an A-rank hunter. This is impossible for anyone else because humans can only store a limited amount of mana in their bodies. However, in my case, I have space to store it, and this space is infinite.
As long as I can store mana, I will never run out of it," Alex realized, feeling content that most of his issues had been resolved. With that, he set off for a nearby dungeon to rank up. But before that, he picked up his smartphone and checked the details of the nearby dungeons because he didn't want to go unprepared.
He gathered a lot of information about the nearby dungeons and selected the best one that suited his needs. Now that he had reached D-rank, he chose an E-rank dungeon to ensure his safety. The dungeon he was heading to was called the [ Goblin's Lair ]
This dungeon consisted of five floors, each housing 10-20 monsters, with a formidable Goblin serving as the final boss. F and E-ranked hunter parties regularly cleared this dungeon, and casualties were rare as long as everyone fulfilled their roles.
The most common party composition for this dungeon included two Knights focusing on Vitality, two berserkers emphasizing Strength, and two mages specializing in Mana.
The Knights acted as tanks, berserkers delivered heavy blows, and mages harnessed the power of Mana. It was similar to a game party, but here it was happening in reality. Such a surreal reality. Well, never mind, my mood... forget it.
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After reviewing the details multiple times, Alex headed towards his first dungeon.
A massive monolithic structure surrounded by towering walls stood before the dungeon gate, and security was tight since it was now government property.
"There's a reason why security is so tight," Alex thought. "Since this dungeon is cleared by numerous hunters every day, they sell monster parts and skill books from the loot, earning millions of federal coins. This arrangement is also profitable for the government as they have access to most of the resources and monster cores."
This monolith had a green color, indicating that it was a normal dungeon with little danger of a dungeon break. If the color changed to orange and then red, it meant that a dungeon break was imminent.
Due to the arrival of mana in this world, there had been several dungeon breaks, and the government understood this system.
Casualties were also not uncommon. Teams with ineffective or unlucky members often struggled to handle the boss monster.
"I hope I'll be fine. Well, I'm going to a dungeon one rank lower than mine, so everything should be good," Alex thought,
mustering his emotions and self-confidence. He presented his hunter license to the guard at the dungeon gate and was then directed to the dungeon's lobby, where many teams were waiting in line to enter. he also joined the line.
"Is this guy going alone? It must be a joke, right?" Hunter A commented.
"I think he's from a wealthy family and came here to commit suicide. Hahaha," Hunter B laughed.
"Both of you, stop making fun of him. He might be planning to solo this dungeon. Haha," Hunter C said.
Alex ignored their conversation and patiently waited for his turn. After 10 minutes had passed and most hunters had already entered the dungeon, it was finally his turn.
In an instant, he was transported into a large cavern where two goblins immediately caught his attention. Observing their body structure and his surroundings, Alex prepared for the hunt—the beginning of his first dungeon experience.
[Shadow Spike!]
With a swift and lethal motion, my shadow spikes tore through the goblins' bodies, causing dark red blood to spray and splatter across the cave walls. The goblins let out agonized screams as their lives were abruptly ended, their bodies crumpling to the floor in a pool of blood and gore. Relishing in the chaos, I collected their gruesome loot, their torn limbs and mangled remains.
Continuing further into the dungeon, I encountered a horde of goblins, their terrifying forms snarling and baring their sharp, bloodstained teeth. Without hesitation, I unleashed a barrage of shadow spikes upon them, each strike piercing their flesh, causing sprays of blood and severed limbs to fly through the air. The cavern echoed with the cries of the dying goblins, their bodies torn apart and scattered across the floor.
The cycle repeated, room after room, as I left a trail of destruction in my wake. The walls became streaked with fresh blood, and the air filled with the scent of death.
And so, an extraordinary feat unfolded within the E-ranked Dungeon, Goblin's Lair. Without a moment's respite, I, a D-ranked hunter, cleared the 1st floor, then the 2nd, the 3rd, and all the way to the bottommost floor, leaving behind a scene of carnage and devastation.
After effortlessly vanquishing the goblin inhabitants of the deepest level, I stood before the ominous Boss Room. If anyone were to witness my brutal and swift progression through this dungeon, they would be amazed and astounded. A full team of seasoned adventurers struggled for hours to reach this point, yet I, achieved it in a mere 20 minutes.
Suppressing the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins, I pushed open the heavy doors of the boss room and stepped into the heart of darkness, where a monstrous goblin sat upon a throne, surrounded by a chilling display of bones and remnants. In the face of this ominous sight, I clenched my fists and spoke with unwavering resolve.
[SHADOW SPIKE]
As I unleashed a barrage of shadow spikes, each one found its mark, piercing through the goblin's flesh and sending shockwaves of pain through its body. The cave reverberated with the echoes of its anguished screams.
Undeterred by its feeble charge, I continued to spam the skill relentlessly. My abundant mana reserves gave me an overwhelming advantage over this lowly goblin from an E-ranked dungeon.
Suddenly, an earth-shaking roar erupted from the goblin, causing the cave to tremble in response. But my smile remained unyielding as I witnessed the goblin's futile attempts to counter my Attacks.
One by one, the shadow spikes found their mark, penetrating its chest, shattering its shoulders, and impaling its head. With a final, devastating strike, the goblin's body crumpled to the ground, its life force extinguished.
As the goblin's remains evaporated into thin air, a sense of triumph washed over me. Amidst the remnants, I discovered a shimmering blue gem and a skill book, the spoils of my hard-fought victory. The blue gem turned out to be a teleportation gem, a valuable item that would transport me out of the dungeon once dungeon had been conquered.
With a contented sigh, I smiled with satisfaction of completing my first-ever solo dungeon hunt.
I proceed towards the now deceased goblin to inspect any potential drops. By its side, I find a few E-rank [Cores] and a [Skill Book].
I retrieve the [Cores] and carefully place them inside my bag, ensuring their safekeeping. Then, I reach out to claim the skill book, [ Danger Sense ] which surprises me with its significance.
It reminds me of the Spidey sense i seen in a movie during my time on Earth. Although not the rarest of E-rank skill books, it holds considerable value in the market.
Then I cleared this dungeon two more times, and this time it only took 15 minutes each. I didn't want to attract too much attention, just enough to rank up to C Rank.
After successfully clearing the dungeon, I made my way back to Hotel Royal Orbit and entered my room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I eagerly checked my loot, eager to see what I had obtained.
[ Master, here are the details of the loot you acquired from clearing the dungeon:
- Goblin Corpses: You have obtained several goblin corpses, which can be used for various purposes such as selling for federal coins or extracting materials for crafting.
- E Rank Cores: Alongside the goblin corpses, you have acquired a number of E Rank cores. These cores contain concentrated energy and can be used for enhancing your abilities or exchanging for valuable resources.
- Skill Book: Additionally, you have obtained a skill book named "Danger Sense." This book contains the knowledge to learn and master the "Danger Sense" skill. It grants you heightened awareness and the ability to detect potential threats or imminent danger in your surroundings. ]
I immediately begin the process of learning the "Danger Sense" skill, focusing my attention on the knowledge contained within the skill book. With Alice's assistance, I absorb the information and integrate it into my abilities, gaining the heightened awareness and danger detection provided by the skill.
Afterwards, I ask Alice to utilize the goblin corpses to extract their essence and convert it into Essence Energy (EE). With her help, the cosmic space within me acts as a repository, absorbing the essence and transforming it into usable EE. Additionally, the monster cores are also converted into EE, maximizing their potential.
Satisfied with the efficient conversion process, I find myself growing weary from the day's exertions. I settle down and slowly drift off to sleep, confident in the progress I have made and eager to face new challenges in the future.
-----
As Alex drifts into sleep, a sudden beam of light pierces through his body, causing him to stir. A notification promptly appears on a red-tinted screen, indicating an attempt by an external force to interfere with reality.
[ Master ]
[ An outside force is attempting to interfere with reality ]
[ The passive skill "Forth Wall" has been activated ]
[ The forth wall skill is displaying its formidable nature in response to the external entity ]
[ **As it hungrily seeks to consume the entity that dares to encroach upon our realm** ]
Shortly after, a second notification appears in blue text:
"[Protagonist viewpoint has been permanently activated; the story will progress from the protagonist's perspective. If the protagonist is unaware of certain events, the viewpoint will shift to the author's perspective.]"