The sun had barely risen when Ethan stirred in bed, the warm glow of morning light slipping through the thin curtains. He blinked away the remnants of sleep, a strange mix of nervousness and excitement brewing in his chest. Today was the day — his first dungeon.
Yawning, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed his eyes. His muscles ached pleasantly from the past week's training. The routine had been brutal, but worth it. Now came the next phase.
After dressing in a plain shirt and sweatpants, Ethan padded into the kitchen, the scent of coffee already wafting in the air. His mother stood by the stove, flipping pancakes, while his father sat at the table, reading the news on a tablet. Alice, his energetic younger sister, was doodling in her sketchbook with her legs swinging under the table.
"Morning," Ethan greeted, sliding into his seat.
"Morning, sweetheart," his mom replied, plating a stack of pancakes. "Big day today, isn't it?"
His dad looked up. "Dungeon day?"
Ethan nodded. "Yeah. Gonna take on an F-rank solo. Figured it's about time."
Alice's eyes sparkled. "Does that mean you'll bring home a mana crystal?"
He chuckled. "If I find one, you get dibs."
"Yesss!" she grinned, pumping her fist in the air.
His mom placed the pancakes in front of him, then sat down with her coffee. "Just be careful, alright? Even F-rank dungeons can be dangerous."
"I know. That's why I'm going to get some gear first. There's still about thirty-five hundred left from what Dad gave me."
His father nodded approvingly. "Smart move. Prioritize defense. You may hit hard, but monsters don't care how flashy your spells are if you can't take a hit."
"I was thinking a chestplate and a helmet," Ethan said between bites. "And I need a durable bag to store the mana crystals and any loot I come across."
His mother leaned forward. "Don't forget water, and a first-aid kit. Even if your regeneration is decent, you need supplies."
Ethan finished his breakfast quickly, kissed his mom on the cheek, and gave Alice a hair ruffle as she squealed in protest. He headed back to his room and pulled up his savings account on his tablet, confirming the balance: $3,518.
A few minutes later, he was out the door, the city already buzzing with early activity. The streets of Potsdam were familiar but never dull. Cars rolled by on quiet electric engines, many powered by compact mana crystal converters instead of traditional fuel. Storefronts opened with soft chimes, and a few street vendors had small mana-chargers set up for phones and other gadgets. Massive posters displayed the latest Awakened rankings, while digital billboards advertised new spells, gear, and crystal-enhanced tech. One, in particular, caught his eye:
"F-Rank Gear Sale! Protective Sets for First-Timers!"
Perfect.
He headed to the vendor's location, a modest building tucked between two larger shops. The front was filled with shelves of low-rank gear: leather gloves, reinforced boots, and simple weapons. Ethan made a beeline for the armor section.
A shopkeeper with graying hair and a tired smile greeted him. "First dive?"
"Yeah," Ethan replied. "I need F-rank gear. Just enough to keep me safe. Nothing fancy."
"Budget?"
"Thirty-five hundred. Need a pack too."
The man nodded thoughtfully. "Follow me."
He led Ethan to a section near the back and pointed to a black, reinforced backpack with mana-insulated lining.
"This one's designed for crystal storage. Lightweight, heat-resistant, and reinforced to prevent shattering. 800 bucks."
Ethan nodded. "Sold."
Next, the man showed him a basic F-rank chestplate. It was a matte-gray alloy with minor enchantments, mainly meant to dampen impact and blunt trauma. It felt heavier than expected but manageable.
Ethan inspected the item, and a translucent system window popped up in front of his eyes:
[F-Rank Chestplate]
Vitality: +6
Type: Torso Armor
Rarity: Common
Description: Basic enchanted alloy, designed for blunt impact resistance.
"1,500," the vendor said.
Ethan tried it on and rotated his shoulders. It fit well enough.
"And for the head... this is the best you'll get under budget. Basic reinforced helmet. Steel with internal padding. No enchantments, but solid protection."
He gave it a glance, and once again the system displayed the stats:
[F-Rank Helmet]
Vitality: +4
Type: Head Armor
Rarity: Common
Description: Sturdy steel helmet with padding, designed to reduce head trauma.
"Price?"
"1,000."
That brought his total to 3,300. Just under budget. He paid without hesitation.
When he stepped out of the shop, he wore the chestplate under his jacket and carried the backpack slung over one shoulder, helmet tucked under his arm. He looked less like a rookie and more like someone who meant business.
The sky was brighter now, the sun climbing higher above the city towers. Ethan exhaled, watching his breath fog lightly in the morning chill.
The next step was choosing the right dungeon.
...
Potsdam was a smaller city compared to neighboring Berlin, but it still had its fair share of dungeons thanks to the spread of rift zones across Europe. In total, there were eight stable dungeons in the city. A single C-rank dungeon located on the outskirts of town, two D-rank dungeons near the industrial sector, two E-rank dungeons by the river district, and three F-rank dungeons situated near parks or old commercial zones.
Ethan opened the local dungeon registry on his phone as he sat on a nearby bench. Each dungeon had a brief description, monster list, and entry fees.
The three F-rank dungeons were as follows:
"Whispering Hollow" – Located near the forest edge, it was home to shadowy creatures called Whisperlings. Fast, elusive, and known to attack in groups. Not ideal. One of the more tricky F-rank dungeons.
"Broken Foundry" – Set within the ruins of an old mana-forge facility. Contained mechanical husks, slow-moving but tough. Rustborn, they were called. Mostly Fire-resistant alloys which made it less than ideal for his spell.
"Rotwood Den" – A damp, crumbling tunnel network beneath an abandoned subway project. Populated by Overgrown Rats — bloated, mana-mutated rodents roughly the size of medium dogs. Their fur was patchy, and their teeth unnaturally long. While not very fast, they tended to charge in straight lines and often moved in small packs, making them ideal for training spell accuracy.
That sounded perfect.
He needed something sizable and slow-moving — something he could reliably hit with his fireballs while working on his reaction time. The rats weren't agile like birds or goblins, and while they were more durable than average beasts, they still burned nicely. The risk came only if they swarmed, but spacing and range would take care of that.
"Rotwood Den it is," Ethan muttered.
He hailed a mana-taxi — a regular electric vehicle powered by crystal fuel — and set course. The ride through the streets of Potsdam was quiet, and he used the time to mentally review his spellcasting form and cooldown rotation.
Rotwood Den's entrance was gated and supervised by local Guild reps. Since it was a beginner F-rank dungeon the entrance fee was only 100 dollars. A simple tap of his Awakened ID got him access and deducted the amount, after which he stepped through the checkpoint.
…
A short tunnel led down into the earth, torches lit with blue flame lining the path. The stone underfoot was damp, and the air grew heavier with each step.
He reached the dungeon gate — a swirling portal of green and brown energy that shimmered like a mirage.
With a final breath and a steady grip on his backpack strap, Ethan stepped forward.
And entered the dungeon.