It was dark, the room's cold air drifting slowly, slight sounds of dripping water echoing through the stone halls. This is where the white haired boy found himself making any slight move would be followed by the sounds of shackles. Awaking in this room was strange as the male had no prior memories of how he ended up here. All he knew was his name…Raven….

It was as normal as any other day for Raven. Just finishing off some errands he found himself in one of his favorite book stores. The store always had exactly what he was looking for. While being into books Raven always enjoyed the idea of being a really powerful character in a video game. A childish dream yes he knew, but the ability to level up, increase his stats, and even gain new skills just to get stronger. Little did he know however this idea would soon become a reality.

Leaving the store with a new book in hand, and making sure he was good to walk across the street. After checking this, he made his way across the street, but then as if in slow motion he turned his head to the sound of sirens approaching. Suddenly, a speeding white car was directly in front of him. He didn't really understand what was happening, but he did know that it was all fading in and out, he felt the impact, the tumbling, and the rough landing on the asphalt of the street he was once crossing. Soon the sounds of screaming and yelling followed the massive headache or at least that's what it felt like. He just wanted to sleep and for everything to shut up…

Soon, he reopened his eyes to an empty space and a screen? It was a light blue screen but it wasn’t attached to any wires or technology at all. Further examination shows it's almost see through…Finally he decides to read the screen.

Hello [Player]

It seems you have

[Perished]

Oh! Don’t you worry now!

If you agree to play the game of the

[Admins]

You'll get one more shot at [Life]!

Do you want to play?

[YES] [NO]

Player? Raven stares confused not only was a blue screen telling him he was dead it also offered him another chance to live, but what or who are the admins, and what's this game they want him to play. Well he wasn't going to not accept this offer.. Quickly now he hovered his hand over the yes option tapping it his vision went dark again as if he was knocked out.

This was how he found himself in this dark, cold room. He struggled a bit in his shackles before in an instant a bright blue screen appeared right in his face.

Welcome to

[The Trials of the Hidden Dungeon]

Raven looked closely at the message in a raspy voice he muttered, “trials..? Dungeon…?” Raven groaned a bit in pain. It feels like he was beaten and starved mercilessly.. Then the screen vanished, being replaced by another almost instantaneously. He was still amazed or maybe he was shocked at this whole situation and how these messages kept popping up.

Trial One

Escape What Seems to be the Infinite Castle!

You wake up in a dungeon confused…

You've been imprisoned by the Alecia Royal Family

Will you escape? Or die trying?

Reward: 2 Rare Boxes

Failure: Death

Raven stares at the pop up. Is it supposed to be a sort of quest? He continues to read before it vanishes as he still struggles to process the situation. Soon he heard footsteps and the jingling of keys. Someone was coming…Then a medieval guard with a lantern in his hand walked in front of the cell with a very solemn expression on his face staring right at Raven. Raven stared back at the guard. The guard finally spoke after a few minutes of unspoken silence, “No matter how hard you stare it won’t get you out of those chains..” He chuckled slowly before making his way out of sight in the cell. No matter how Raven looked at his situation he was screwed.. He couldn't break through metal chains, he's not that strong.. As if these so-called “admins” heard his thoughts a window popped up.

First time user detected

Would you like to claim the

[Starter] Box?

[Starter] Box

+ 2 [Starter] skills

+[Basic] class related gear

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Raven read the contents of the starter box. What was a class? He was never given a class! Rolling his eyes decided to try and claim it anyway. As he did the screen glitched and another screen overlapped it, but this screen was red instead of blue portraying an error message.

⚠️Error⚠️

No class detected

Generating Class Cards

Raven stared blankly; he was confused, especially when multiple cards with pictures of people in suits of armor and each wielding different weapons suddenly appeared in front of his face. From his situation he assumed these were so-called “class” cards. He tried to focus on picking a card but then another warning appeared.

⚠️If a class card is not picked in 10 seconds⚠️

A card will be chosen at random

10 seconds?! His eyes scrambled for a card to choose and when he found his choice he tried to select it but that's when he realized it was rigged from the beginning! He couldn't even move his hands to select a card!

⚠️No card was chosen in the amount of time⚠️

Randomizing. . .

He couldn’t believe his fate in these trials were left by pure luck?! It didn't take long for a new window to appear. This time now it was the normal blue he was slowly getting used to.

✅ Class Selected! ✅

[Hidden] Rank

[The One Chosen By The Gods]

When the class was revealed he was confused. Raven never saw a class like this in the selection, “guess it's called hidden for a reason..” Now though he was more focused on the name of the class. He was chosen by the gods? Or was it just the name of the class..? He didn't get another chance to think as more pop ups appeared.

Access granted!

You've gained access to the [Stats] window

Raven nodded slowly along with the pop ups

Claiming [Starter] Box . . .

That's when a golden box fell from the stone ceiling and right in front of him. The lid then suddenly popped off flying to the side almost hitting Raven. Then 4 more blue screens flew out from it forming a single field line.

Skill Gained

[Subspace of the Goddess]

Grants user access to an inventor-like subspace where items may be stored!

Cost: None

Cooldown: None

(If in combat you must wait a minute in between uses)

Skill Gained

[A Prayer to the Gods]

Praying to the gods can double a stat for a period of time

Cost: none

Cooldown: Hour

Weapon Gained!

[Pity from the Gods]

A basic sword given the title to mock its user

+5 strength

2+ Defense (when blocking)

Armor Gained

[A Favor from the Gods]

A set of light metal armor including, chestplate, leggings, and gloves.

20+ Defense

(must be wearing all pieces to get full 20 defense)

All Items have been sent to your subspace

To these “gods” Raven must be just some pawn in their little game forced to play. He says as if he didn't get a choice before ending up in this situation. First things first he decides to check his stats. The stats window appears just by him having the thought of wanting to open it. The window opens having his stats neatly organized and in the top right a picture of him staring blankly at the direction the photo was seen to be taken.

Name: Raven

Strength: 6

Defense: 3

Stamina: 11

Speed: 5

Magic: 2

Raven started to do the math if he equips the sword and doubles his strength it should be more than enough to escape. With this in mind he tries to open the subspace..

⚠️Hands restrained⚠️

⚠️Subspace Access Denied⚠️

Raven sighed but nodded slowly maybe he can still get out by doubling it now at his current stats. He started to internally pray to the so-called gods, “Oh almighty gods grant me strength.”

The gods hear your prayers

Your strength is double for an hour

With Ravens now doubled strength he started to pull on his restraints hearing the crumbling and the bending of the metal. The shackles slowly gave out and set him free from those binds. Getting up he stretched a bit now accessing the subspace a blue portal appeared he reached in. After trying to figure out how to use this pocket dimension he eventually equipped the sword and armor. Now his strength was even higher before it was doubled (now being 17) just because the sword was on his person. Looking at the bars of his cell he grabbed one bar in each hand and slowly but surely pulled the metal apart, opening enough room for him to step through. His main goal now was to find a way out of this dungeon and get something to drink or maybe even eat….

Raven didn't really know where to go from here so he decided to follow in the footsteps of the guard from earlier. Every step he took it echoed in the halls. Nothing seemed to change as he walked strangely enough. He hasn't seen another cell since his own before he began walking. That's when his worries ended or so he thought as he heard the familiar sound of keys jangling from behind him, and the faint light from a lantern laying out on the walls. He turned around expecting to have to walk a bit to get closer, but when he did turn he found himself back where he began but this time face to face with that same guard from before….