I start the day the best way I can: collecting my rewards.

[Ⱡ20.000 added to Inventory]

[Potion of Health]

[Potion of Aura]

[Skill Token]

[Weapon Giftbox]

[Beginner’s Leather Plate]

I have no clue how much money that really is, but it looks like a decent amount. Aside from that, it’s mostly low-level basics—some equipment, a few potions. Standard fare. When I open the giftbox, it reveals an assortment of melee weapons, and I settle on a simple combat knife. A sword or spear might be better for open combat, but I’d rather have something compact and easy to pull from my inventory, at least for now.

Then there’s the weapon that’s already in my inventory.

[The Contender – Lvl 20 Handgun]

The name appeared the moment I thought of it, like the weapon had a presence all its own. It's the only item that reveals its details under [Observe], almost as if it’s glaringly obvious just how powerful it is. Last night’s combat earned me enough experience to reach level three, and completing the additional objective boosted me to level four. Still, I'm nowhere near skilled enough to match this weapon’s power.

In other words, it’s my best line of defense right now. But I only have eight bullets.

“Stats.”

Stats:

Str: 15

Dex: 15

Con: 10

Int: 18

Wis: 10

Cha: 15

“I’d rather keep things balanced than specialize in something useless,” I mutter to myself.

Most of my skills leveled up as well, but it’s already hard to keep track of them all. Nearly everything I do becomes a skill, to the point that I’ve trained myself to ignore the constant notifications. Cooking, cleaning, observing, listening, lying, convincing, running, fighting… each action strengthens something.

“I’ll give it a day or two, see which skills come out on top.”

I strap on my new leather chest plate—not that it feels capable of stopping anything remotely lethal in this gun-loaded world—and leave the rundown shack I’ve called home for the past twenty-four hours.

First stop: a dust shop. Normally, I'd be looking for a new place to stay right away—I’m not one to spend nights on the streets. But with a weapon that’s five times my level by my side, my priorities have shifted a little. Knowing what students at Beacon are capable of, I’m nowhere near prepared for the challenge. Somewhere along the past few weeks Blake took down twenty of those robots I fought last night like it was nothing. Sure, Adam was there, but I doubt it made much difference. Teenagers around here are just built differently, and I can either step up my game or risk becoming Jaune Arc’s rightful heir.

The thought alone gives me all the motivation I need.

It doesn’t take long to find an open dust shop, though I can’t help noting that this place is likely to get robbed in the near future. Now that I know the new term at Beacon is just weeks away, it’s easy to place these events on the timeline. I wonder if I should step in and stop it when the time comes. Roman’s henchmen seemed weaker than the average Grimm, so it could be decent practice.

I just hope I can gain experience without killing anyone. Otherwise, it would be… A little difficult to explain I’m just mob farming.

Pushing the thought aside, I step into the shop and place one of my gun’s dust shells on the counter. The shopkeeper—a well-groomed man in a brown suit—looks up, his expression shifting from boredom to mild surprise as he studies the shell.

It’s no wonder these stores get robbed. Imagine running a shop full of highly valuable dust with zero security besides them hands. Might as well hang a Please Rob Me sign on the door.

“Could I ask for the price of these?” I say, pushing the bullet towards him. “I’ll be joining Beacon soon, and I’m looking to stock up on dust for the new weapon I’m forging.”

[Deception has leveled up!] Deception Lvl 5 (0%)

LEAVE ME ALONE.

The man approaches, squinting as he examines the shell, clearly both confused and intrigued. “Hmm… young man, may I ask where you got this? These aren’t common around Vale.”

Yup, that’s about what I expected.

“My father sent me a small case from Atlas, full of spare parts from broken weapons,” I kept shamelessly lying though my teeth. “I thought of using this shell’s barrel to craft a light rifle, but I wanted to check if dust ammunition would be hard to find.”

“Indeed,” the clerk says, nodding thoughtfully. “Give me a moment; I may have something in the back.”

He disappears, taking longer than I expected before returning with a small wooden box that looks older than my grandfather. Thankfully, the store is mostly empty—do regular people even use dust here?

“Apologies for the delay. I believe these will… suffice for now.”

Opening the box, he reveals eight shells identical to the one I brought in. Judging by the cushioned, ostentatious display, I’m about to be ripped off.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“These are part of a discontinued line from Atlas,” he says smoothly. “I could probably get more, though it might take a few weeks. They’re disposing of their older calibers, after all.”

“And these eight?”

He can’t quite hide the smirk that edges onto his face. “Since you’ll rarely find these here in Vale… perhaps a thousand Lien per shell? Does that sound right?”

I had to laugh. A thousand for bullets no one else in this city can even use? Nah. I’ll just ask Beacon to order me a supply directly. Not like I’ll need them until classes start. But hey, thanks for your time. Hope you find someone else looking for old Atlasian ammunitions.”

With that, I turned around and did my best impression of leaving.

“Five hundred each!” he calls, his businesslike composure crumbling.

“Nope. Two-fifty or sit on your losses. I’m not doing favors today,” despite my casual tone, I couldn’t hide how much I am enjoying myself.

In the end, I walk out of the store with a full reload at a reasonable price. Still too much for just eight bullets, but worth it if they save my life one day.

But carrying a heavy gun isn’t the same as being strong…

[New mission] Reach level 5 before school starts.

[Additional Objective] Reach level 10 before school starts.

[New mission] [Daily mission] Level up once.

[New mission] [Daily mission] Meet someone.

[New mission] [Daily mission] Level up skills five times.

Just as I think the barrage of notifications is over, a white square takes over my vision.

The system has been updated.

New functionality [Dungeons] has been unlocked.

Would you like to participate in a free test?

[Accept/Decline]

Just as I thought, the system seems to be adapting itself to my needs, reacting to my thoughts more like a living entity than a standard game. With time, I might even develop skills to make my own ammunition from raw dust. But for now, I’m content with what I have.

Glancing around, I step into a nearby alleyway to avoid any curious eyes, then press [Accept]. Reality fractures around me, a rift of light splitting the dirty alley in half as it pulls me into another dimension.

The usual stuff.

❖

Next thing I know, I’m standing in the center of a mysterious, eerie library. Towering wooden shelves spiral upward into darkness, vanishing beyond sight. Instead of a ceiling, the space is lit by floating candlelight—each flame flickers in its own unique patter as it hovers along the space, casting a restless glow over everything. The shifting lights twist around the columns of books, weaving moving shadows that spiral across the floor, wall, and even my own skin, setting an unsettling chill in my chest as the idea of being completely isolated from any other soul starts to settle.

I am on my own.

[Dungeon 1] Library of Shadows.

[New objective] Defeat the dungeon boss.

[Additional objective] Defeat 10 lvl 3 enemies.

[Additional objective] Defeat 3 lvl 5 enemies.

The first thing I do is draw my handgun and rest my finger on the trigger.

[New skill] Handgun mastery.

Then I open my inventory and retrieve the Skill Token from my morning rewards. I press it, channeling its power straight into my new skill, boosting Handgun Mastery to level five. A bit of a waste on a skill with zero XP, but missing a shot here is not an option—not until Beacon starts footing my expenses. For now, I must make every bullet count.

With that out of the way, I pick a direction and start moving forward.

Every so often, I reach for the books scattered around—especially the ones left open on the old tables, pages spread as if their last readers had suddenly fled in terror, abandoning to the darkness. Yet no matter how many I scan, none are in a language I understand. But it feels wrong to leave them behind, so I slip a couple into my inventory. Just in case.

A flicker of movement catches my eye. Far in the shadows, something shifts—a faint blur on the edge of my vision, half-hidden.

It is dark, it is faint, I don’t know what it is, but I can tell it’s there.

Keeping my gun ready, I call out, “Whatever grimdark goblin you are, if you understand words, come out slowly. Hands in the air would be your best move.”

What emerges leaves me speechless. A massive, intricately decorated book slides forward from the shadows and stops before me. Then, with a violent shudder, it opens, pages rustling as if caught in a phantom wind. Something dark and amorphous begins to slither out from the book, materializing into a creature of pure, liquid darkness. Its oily body contorts, snapping into form with teeth that drip venom. The thing’s maw opens in a silent growl—

I pull the trigger. Thunder roars through the library, and a blast of ice obliterates the creature in a single shot, leaving only a dark, foul-smelling puddle.

Lvl 3 enemies defeated: 1 of 10.

“JESUS FUCKING CHRIST.”

It worked—both the gun and my aim—but holy hell, that recoil packs a punch. If it weren’t for my aura, my wrist would be shattered. Still, the firepower’s incredible. My bullets are all ice, but I might as well be holding a disintegration cannon.

But my excitement doesn’t last long. The echo of my shot ripples through the library, drawing more creatures toward me. I see them—some still clawing their way out of books, others fully formed, their dark, animalistic shapes lurching out of the shadows, all of them rushing to close the distance.

Having wasted enough, I put away [The Contender] and draw my combat knife, breaking into a sprint. I’ve never felt so alive.

The real battle begins as I let the horde inch closer, watching them carefully. Soon, though, their numbers start overwhelming any chances I could have in melee. I need an alternative. I drive my shoulder against one of the towering shelves, shoving it hard until it finally gives. By the time the structure comes back, I am no longer there to support its weight. The impact lands like a missile, sending a shockwave echoing down the library’s narrow aisles.

Lvl 3 enemies defeated: 4 of 10.

With the horde slightly thinned, I leap back into action. The first to fall is a round, shapeless creature. I stab it deep, twisting my knife as it writhes, stabbing again and again as it lunges for me with snapping jaws. Another creature jumps at my shoulder, biting into my aura, nearly making me scream. I jam my knife into its single eye, shoving until it stops moving.

Aura: [-80% ]

Barely a breath later, a new challenger advances. This one is… different. While the lesser creatures are chaotic blobs, trying painfully to mimic life, this one has form. It’s some twisted fairytale spirit—a half-plant, half-gnome horror, its features warped and rotting. The sight alone is enough to make my grip tighten. It is a wretched, miserable shadow of itself, and I will not tolerate its continued existence.

The clash is swift, every strike precise. I pour my aura into my blade, extending it into a projection of my own soul. Growling and thrashing, the demon retaliates, but I keep pressing, forcing it down as its form crumbles into blackened mud. Somehow, seeing it destroyed feels right. They are monsters.

Aura: [-30% ]

Worn out, I sit down for a moment, savoring the quiet and shadows.

Vesper has leveled up! Upa-yay!

God, I hate this thing.

❖

A couple hours and a Potion of Aura later, my kill list is clean.

Lvl 3 enemies defeated: 10 of 10.

Lvl 5 enemies defeated: 3 of 3.

Only one thing left to do.

Tracking down the dungeon boss isn’t hard—its aura of dread stains an entire wing of the library, like a predator marking its territory. I check my status before pressing forward, more out of habit than hesitation.

HP: [-80% ]

Aura: [-50% ]

MP: [-100%-]

The boss’s chamber extends like a throne room, centered around a massive fireplace that roars with unnatural, blue-white flames. Crimson carpet spills across the floor like a river of blood, every fiber gleaming in the flickering light. The entire room radiates a sinister opulence—walls lined with gilded bookcases, artifacts, and glimmering chains of gold that seem woven from nightmares. It’s as if I’ve stepped into the sanctum of a dark scholar-king, a place where knowledge and malice reign as one.

And there, in the heart of this grim sanctum, stands the creature.

Its form is almost regal, framed in an aura of dark power that seems to shape and twist the very shadows. Ancient robes hang from its wizardly frame, adorned with glinting, sickly-golden accents, the fabric swaying like it’s alive. It grips a twisted staff of blackened wood, intricate and foreboding, capped with an orb that pulses with a slow, malevolent rhythm. Eyes like burning coals lock onto me, and a low, mocking chuckle escapes its maw, its jagged mouth curving into a grin that drips with arrogance and centuries of cruelty.

It inclines its head, a twisted display of courtly reverence, as if savoring the arrival of its newest prey.

The air hums with dark energy, charged and waiting for a showdown worthy of legends—

I pull out my gun and blow away half of its chest.

“Ekkkkka! Taka-buka-chaka!”

It screeches in a guttural, nonsensical tongue. Not bothering to decipher it, I fire again.

Ping!

The data from this battle has been successfully gathered for consideration!

[Dungeon completed]

Would you like to go back?

[Accept/Decline]