A few weeks had passed since the dungeons first appeared, and the world had settled into a fragile new order. Cities were still scarred from the chaos, but society was adapting. Streets bustled with people again, albeit with a new edge of caution, and towering banners advertised recruitment for newly-formed guilds. For those who had gained powers, now known as awakeners, these guilds offered a purpose, a place to train and earn a living using their abilities.
Arin and Kai walked through the city’s main plaza, taking in the changes. Large posters displayed the emblems of different guilds, each offering something unique. Some focused on monster hunting, while others specialized in dungeon exploration, resource gathering, or even research. Each guild sought to harness the skills of awakeners to keep the world safe—or profitable.
But it wasn’t just the guilds that held power. At the center of this new world was the Awakener Association, a government-led organization created to oversee and regulate awakeners. Every aspiring awakener had to register with the Association to obtain an Awakener ID—an official card that documented their level and skill mastery. The Awakener ID was more than just an ID card; it marked a person’s status and proved their strength and skill to the world.
“You’re seriously thinking about getting your Awakener ID?” Kai asked as they navigated through the plaza.
Arin shrugged, glancing at the imposing Association building across the street. It was a sleek, modern structure that dominated the cityscape, its reflective glass glinting in the afternoon sun. “Yeah, it seems like the smart move. If we have these powers, we should make it official.”
Kai smirked. “They say the tests are pretty tough, though. Apparently, they assess your combat skills, your abilities, and even how well you can work under pressure.”
“I’m up for it if you are,” Arin replied confidently. “Besides, we’ve been training nonstop. I think we can handle it.”
As they approached the entrance, Arin noticed a line of people—some nervous, others brimming with confidence—waiting to enter. Each was here to take the Awakener Assessment. Arin knew the rumors: those who passed the tests were given levels based on their skills and mastery, starting from Level 1 for those who barely made the cut. The higher the level, the more impressive their skill and strength, with the top levels reserved for the most powerful awakeners.
Stepping into the building, Arin and Kai were greeted by a sleek lobby with walls adorned with plaques bearing the names of legendary awakeners. A receptionist directed them to a waiting area, where a display screen showed the criteria for each level and a list of past notable achievements from awakeners who had passed the test.
After a few minutes, their names were called, and they were led into a spacious training hall, outfitted with equipment and targets, while examiners with clipboards watched from the sidelines.
Kai leaned in. “This is it, Arin. Let’s show them what we’ve got.”
The exam proctor, a stern-looking woman with silver hair, addressed them in a clear, authoritative voice. “Welcome to the Awakener Assessment. Today, we’ll be testing your physical prowess, skill control, and adaptability in combat scenarios. Remember, passing this test is a privilege, not a guarantee. Give it your all.”
Arin nodded, feeling a surge of adrenaline. This was his chance to prove himself, to step out of the shadows and take his place among other awakeners.
The first test began—a simple strength and agility trial, where they had to navigate an obstacle course that mimicked dungeon terrain, leaping across broken platforms, dodging moving obstacles, and scaling walls. As they advanced through the trials, Arin saw an option to swap skills pop up on his screen. He quickly exchanged Howl for Enhanced Reflexes, allowing him to nimbly weave through the course with ease.
Kai, meanwhile, summoned his shield and used Shield Mold to create footholds on difficult ledges, enhancing his mobility. Their training paid off, as they both navigated the course with impressive skill.
Next came the combat assessment. Arin and Kai were pitted against simulated monsters—hulking, metallic constructs controlled by the examiners. With his mastery level of Blade Mastery, Arin wielded his sword with precision, landing quick strikes and dodging effortlessly. Kai adapted his Barrier Forge into various forms, blocking blows and retaliating by manipulating his shield’s shape for creative counterattacks.
Finally, after several grueling rounds, the proctor nodded approvingly and recorded their performances. They were led back to the lobby to await their results, catching their breath as they shared a look of accomplishment.
After a short wait, they were called back into the hall, where the proctor handed each of them a small card. Arin looked down, feeling a rush of pride as he read the words: Awakener ID - Level 3.
Kai grinned as he read his own card, mirroring Arin’s level. “Level 3! Not bad, huh?”
Arin chuckled, looking around at the other awakeners. “Not bad at all. But it sounds like the highest level’s way beyond this. We’ve got more training ahead of us if we want to rise through the ranks.”
With their Awakener IDs in hand, they left the Association building, feeling like they had stepped into a new chapter of their lives. The world had changed, and so had they. As Level 3 awakeners, they were ready to make their mark.
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Arin and Kai, now officially recognized as Level 3 awakeners, made their way through the bustling city toward the Dungeon Zone. This high-security area, once an open park, was now cordoned off and heavily patrolled by guards from the Awakener Association. Here, newly-formed dungeons pulsed ominously, each one containing the unpredictable threats that had turned the world upside down.
Stone markers sat at each dungeon’s entrance, inscribed with numbers indicating the recommended strength level for entry. Lower numbers marked beginner dungeons, while higher levels warned of the powerful creatures lurking within.
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They stopped at a smaller dungeon marked Recommended Level 2-3. After showing their IDs, the guards waved them through the checkpoint.
As they entered, the air grew damp and heavy, thick with a faint metallic scent. Flickering torchlight cast shadows across the stone walls, adding to the sense of mystery and danger that filled the atmosphere. The sounds of dripping water echoed, masking other, more subtle noises deeper within.
“I don’t know about you, but this place feels way different than anything we’ve faced outside,” Kai whispered, adjusting his stance as he raised his shield.
“Agreed. Let’s keep our guard up,” Arin replied, his gaze sharp as he scanned their surroundings.
Just then, a low growl echoed through the dim corridor. From the shadows, several goblin-like creatures emerged, their green eyes glinting with a mischievous, cunning intelligence. They were small but fast, darting forward with surprising coordination.
“Kai, try out that new skill!” Arin shouted, stepping back.
Kai nodded, activating Shield Mold. His shield glowed and curved to create a barrier between them and the goblins, who clawed and scratched at it, snarling in frustration.
Seeing an opening, Arin swapped Enhanced Reflexes for Howl and let out a fierce cry. A surge of power coursed through him, and he moved with heightened speed and strength. Dashing around Kai’s shield, he met the goblins head-on, delivering swift, precise strikes that made short work of the creatures.
With each fallen goblin, a surprising sight greeted them—unlike monsters outside, these creatures didn’t remain when they were defeated. Instead, they dissolved into a dark mist, leaving behind small, glowing crystals about the size of quarters. The crystals had a faint, pulsating glow, and Arin could feel a strange energy emanating from them.
“What’s this?” Kai asked, crouching down to pick up one of the crystals.
“Not sure,” Arin replied, pocketing another one. “Maybe it’s something unique to dungeon monsters?”
They continued forward, their confidence growing as they dispatched more goblins. The monsters, though weak, were fast and clever, often trying to flank or overwhelm them in numbers. But Arin’s increased speed from Howl and Kai’s adaptable Shield Mold kept them one step ahead.
After a few more encounters, they finally entered a larger chamber, where a group of goblins waited, one of them noticeably larger than the others. This goblin let out a shrill, rallying cry, spurring the others to charge forward as a united front.
Arin looked to Kai, who gave a nod, readying his shield. “Let’s take them down.”
Arin activated Howl again, his agility and strength spiking as he moved forward to engage. The goblins closed in, but Kai quickly molded his shield to block the larger goblin’s attack, holding it in place while Arin took down the smaller creatures one by one.
Working together, they cut down the goblins, their bodies vanishing in wisps of dark mist and leaving more of the tiny crystals scattered across the chamber floor.
As they picked up the last of the crystals, Arin inspected one closely. “These could be valuable. Maybe they’re some kind of dungeon resource.”
Kai nodded, pocketing his own share. “Whatever they are, I get the feeling we’re just scratching the surface of what these dungeons can offer.”
Then there was a sound of a door opening.
There stood another goblin Unlike the other goblins, this one stood apart in both appearance and demeanor. Cloaked in tattered, dark robes, the Goblin moved with an eerie grace, a sinister calm radiating from its presence. The goblin’s green skin was darker, almost a shade of murky gray, and its eyes glowed a deep, unsettling red, piercing the shadows like twin embers. A tattered hood obscured much of its face, but the sharp, jagged grin visible beneath revealed a row of blackened teeth.
What set this goblin apart, however, was the eerie display of telekinesis. Surrounding it in a chaotic orbit were several gleaming knives—each one floating in mid-air, rotating slowly like a deadly halo. The blades hummed with a faint, unnatural energy as they were controlled by the Goblin's will. The goblin’s small, sinewy hands were raised slightly, fingers twitching as if conducting the knives, each one ready to be hurled at any target within range.
The Goblin moved with an unsettling confidence, using the knives to both defend and attack. The blades could hover just inches away from its body, responding instantly to any threat. With a quick thought, the goblin could send them darting forward in a flurry of lethal strikes, aiming for vital points. The knives were incredibly fast and deadly, but their true power lay in their unpredictable nature. The Goblin could make them weave through the air, circling around its foes, forcing them to dodge in every direction.
Despite its apparent reliance on its telekinetic ability, the goblin was no slouch in physical combat. Agile and quick, it was adept at closing the distance between it and its enemies, attacking with vicious precision.
The air was thick with tension as Arin and Kai quickly assessed the situation. The knives hummed ominously, a sound that sent a chill down their spines. Unlike the other goblins, this one wasn’t charging at them with reckless abandon; it stood still, calculating, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
"Watch out for those knives!" Arin called, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.
Kai raised his shield, his eyes narrowing in on the floating weapons. “They look like they’re controlled by its will. We need to be careful.”
The Goblin seemed to sense their hesitation and, with a sharp, twisted grin, flicked its hand. In an instant, the knives flew forward, circling them with blinding speed. Each one sliced through the air with deadly precision, aiming for weak points in their armor and the gaps in their defenses.
Arin swiftly activated Howl, his speed and strength increasing as he dashed toward the goblin. But as he closed the distance, the knives surged toward him like a swarm of deadly hornets, forcing him to backpedal and dodge with all his enhanced reflexes.
“Damn! It's fast!” Arin shouted, narrowly avoiding a blade that whizzed past his ear.
Kai quickly adjusted his shield, manipulating its form with Shield Mold to block a few of the incoming knives, but the sheer speed of the attack left him constantly on the defensive.
The Goblin smirked from under its hood, twisting its hand once again. The knives responded, changing their formation into a tight, swirling vortex of blades. They charged at Kai and Arin, attempting to overwhelm them with their sheer numbers and speed.
"Hold steady!" Kai shouted, his shield flaring in size as he blocked more of the blades. “I can’t hold them forever!”
Arin, seeing an opening, charged toward the goblin, his sword raised, and at the last moment, swapped Howl for Enhanced Reflexes. With blinding speed, he moved in close, avoiding the knives and landing a precise strike on the goblin’s hooded form.
The Goblin staggered back, momentarily losing control over its knives. But the creature recovered quickly, launching them once more at Arin, who now had to fight against both the creature and the floating weapons at once.
As Arin closed in with his enhanced speed, the Goblin Blademaster was caught off guard by the sudden onslaught. With a swift, calculated strike, Arin stabbed his sword up through the creature’s chin and into its skull. The goblin let out a choked, gurgling sound before its body went limp, its telekinetically controlled knives falling from the air like dead weight and clattering to the ground.
The goblin’s form dissolved into a dark mist, just like the others, leaving behind a faint, pulsing glow. However, this time, the crystal left behind was noticeably larger, about the size of a small coin, glowing with a deep blue hue and radiating an unfamiliar energy. Alongside it, two new objects materialized: a random ability book and a skill book.
The ability book shimmered with an ethereal light, while the skill book looked like a worn, aged tome, but with a distinct aura that suggested it contained knowledge of great value. Both books rested on the stone floor, their covers marked with strange symbols that seemed to swirl gently.