Date: 14th Everdusk, 2103 | Location: CGA Branch, Dyna Crest
I sat cross-legged before the lifeless body of the boss, the so-called ruler of this now-ruined goblin village.
My breaths were shallow, and my shoulders were slouched from exhaustion. Not from a glorious battle—but from all the damn running and scheming it took to avoid one. In the end, I didn't even exchange a proper blow with the guy. I had to resort to underhanded tricks to finish him off.
"But hey… there's a saying, right? All's fair in the fight for survival," I muttered, a faint smirk forming as the system notifications rolled in like a reward screen after a long raid.
[You've killed the Corrupted Hobgoblin Warlord {Boss Unit – Mutated (Lv.19)}, 24x Goblins (Lv.9), 3x Goblins (Lv.10)]
[You've gained 2840 EXP] → {3375/700 EXP}
[You've leveled up! Level 14 (+3)] → {975/1000 EXP}
[You've gained 30 Unassigned Stat Points]
[Boss eliminated. Dungeon objective complete. The exit portal will open in 30 minutes.]
I skimmed the data and exhaled, both in relief and frustration. I came close… so damn close to reaching Level 15. If only this idiot boss hadn't gone berserk and killed his own subordinates, I might've made it.
Still, it wasn't a complete loss.
"Let's enjoy what I did earn first."
I approached the corpse, crouched beside it, and tried removing the armor—only to watch it crumble into shards of useless junk. His weapon, the mace, fared no better. Both were corrupted beyond repair.
"Great," I said with a fake sob. "But at least I have the body."
If I was lucky, I could gain some stats… maybe even a skill. I straightened up, raised my palm, and declared:
"Plunder."
A dark energy pulsed from within me, swirling around the boss's body like a swarm of curious shadows. It seeped inside, digging for anything of value.
I blinked at the lines. I hadn't expected the system to filter out the corrupted energy and still let me keep the clean portion of the stats. That alone was a powerful cheat that could make a difference in the future.
"Well, not bad at all," I muttered, standing up. The boss's lifeless stare still lingered on the cracked ground.
I glanced around the battlefield. The goblin village was utterly destroyed. There wasn't even a rat left alive.
"Tch. If only he hadn't killed all his lackeys himself, I'd have gotten the few EXP I needed to push into Level 15."
But what was done was done.
I wandered for a while, hoping to find another goblin… even a bug, if it gave experience. But the silence was final.
Eventually, I returned to where the boss had fallen. From the ground beneath, a shimmering vortex began to form—the dungeon's exit portal.
"Alright… let's go home."
And with that, I stepped inside and vanished, leaving behind a cursed forest and the corpses buried in it.
Outside the Dungeon | CGA Field Site
I emerged from the portal, brimming with new energy despite the fatigue. The sun felt different on my skin, warmer, lighter, like it was congratulating me. I looked around—familiar faces dotted the open clearing, some smiling, some dazed.
A few looked at me and whispered.
"Ah, another one made it out.""That's the quiet guy, right?"
My armor and weapon were safely tucked in my inventory. Couldn't have people seeing those, not after receiving them from the school in secret.
I turned to the public board.
[Rank: 7th]
Perfect.
Not high enough to gather attention. Not low enough to disappoint.
The top three were no surprise—Lucas, Lyre, and that Paladin-class girl from Group C.
I spotted Principal Miriam approaching, his expression calm yet pleased.
"Well done, Evan. You've completed your test. From today onward, you're officially a registered hunter. With that comes responsibility—and freedom," he said with a slight nod.
I nodded back, obediently, respectfully.
"If you wish, you may leave. Or you can stay and wait for the others to finish."
"I'll head home. I could really use the rest, sir."
He nodded again. "Good. Go on, then."
As I turned to leave, I saw his gaze linger on the board. Several names were still gray. Some would never light up again.
Even after years as principal, it still hurt him to lose students.
Later That Day | In Front of Evan's Apartment
I stood near the roadside, waving down a taxi. One arrived in seconds—thanks to the flood of students returning from the test.
"Where to, sir?""Drop me off at…"
I gave the address and sat back as the cab rolled through the streets. It wasn't long before we arrived at a mid-tier apartment complex.
"120 CP," the driver said. I pointed my phone at the screen behind his seat. Beep—done.
"Thank you, and please use our service again!" the car's automated voice chirped as I stepped out and headed for the stairs.
I was just about to insert the key when—
"Where do you think you're going, brat?"
My body tensed.
Two figures blocked the door.
Kale and Brin.
Their faces were impossible to forget.
"Oh, sirs! I was just going inside to rest. My friends and I cleared a dungeon today," I said, as politely and low-key as I could.
"Oh? So you're a Class Awakened now?" Brin sneered. "Looks like the brat's grown wings."
"Oh no, sir! I wouldn't dare to act out in front of you, strong sirs," I said, bowing lightly.
"Then prove it," Kale said. He pulled out a verification orb.
I let it scan me, confident.
[Class: Necromancer Apprentice (D)]
[Level: 7]
[All skills: Level 1 or below]
"He's telling the truth," Kale said with a chuckle. "Trash-tier stats. He's not worth it."
Brin scoffed. "Then he's not worth our time either. Pack your stuff. You're out tomorrow."
"Please! Can I… maybe join your guild or—"
CRACK!
A punch landed straight into my stomach, knocking the air from my lungs. I crumpled to my knees, saliva dripping from my lips.
"Touch me again, and I'll end you. You're not one of us. You never were."
I couldn't even speak. I tried forming words, but only pain came out.
"Hey, was that too much?" Kale whispered.
"Nah. That was barely 5% of my strength," Brin said casually. "He's still a decent punching bag."
They walked off, laughing.
As soon as they were gone, I forced myself up and stumbled into my room, locking the door behind me.
I leaned against the wall, clenching my stomach.
"Aghhh… even after all that strength, it still hurts," I hissed. But despite the pain, a smile crept across my face.
"They're Tier 1… That punch told me everything I needed to know. My time is coming."
To Be Continued…
Why did Evan smile after getting beaten down? Has he gone mad… or is there something deeper hiding beneath that grin? If you want to know, come back later.