Chapter 4

Six months had passed since Ray's fateful encounter with the monster that left him hospitalized. Now, as he turned 18, the moment of awakening his powers was either drawing near or passed.

The bustling city streets buzzed with life as people went about their daily routines.

Within a café, Ray was explaining his situation to his best friend Kevin.

"That's so cool" he awed "My ability is invisibility which has a high upfront cost to teams as for me to be useful, they need to teach me camouflage techniques or I might just kill us all so I'm having trouble finding work, but look at you, you haven't even awakened yet and you're set!"

"I'm just hoping I awaken soon; my family still needs to clear our debt" Ray reponds

"That was really unfortunate, your father took out a loan to buy equipment but before he could even do any good…" Kevin sighed "Don't worry about the awakening, I know you Ray, you're going to get something awesome."

"Yeah" Ray said absentmindedly.

The two continued to speak about their futures when suddenly, a loud and sharp whistling reverberated through the air until something landed on the ground creating a fog of dust, debris, and blood.

As the fog faded, an imposing ancient stone archway with a black portal was revealed.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar pierced the air, sending shockwaves through the hearts of all who heard it.

Duo looked out the window before looking at each other wide eyed.

"Dungeon Outbreak!" someone screamed "Run!!"

Mass panic ensued as the city streets clogged in any direction that wasn't the dungeon.

Monsters from Rank F to D rushed out of the dungeon in mass as they started an onslaught against the city.

"We need to delay these monsters for long enough for hunters to show up!" Ray shouted as he ran out the café door towards the struggle.

"But you haven't awakened" Kevin sighs as he chases after him.

Amidst the chaos of the battle against the unleashed monsters, Ray's keen senses caught a glimpse of a child in distress. With unwavering determination, he swiftly charged through the mayhem towards the child's location.

There, he spotted a thin twig-like creature covered in coarse, leathery skin that ranges in colour from deep reds to ashen greys. Its eyes, gleaming with an otherworldly light, holding an ever-present spark of mischief and cunning. The imp's limbs looked agile and nimble, with slender fingers ending in wickedly curved claws, perfect for intricate manipulations. The imp closed in on the terrified child. Ray's heart raced as he sprinted towards them, he reached the child and swept them up into his arms, shielding them from harm.

The imp screeched angrily, launching itself at Ray with claws outstretched. But Ray's reflexes, honed through training allowed him to barely evade the imp's attacks. With a swift and precise strike, he sent the imp reeling into another monster, giving him the opportunity to escape with the child to safety.

Carrying the child in his arms, Ray slipped through the chaos, using his speed to safely navigate through the battlefield. He reached a secure area where other survivors had gathered, ensuring the child's safety.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ray turned his attention back to the battle, his eyes scanning the chaos for his next target. It was then that he noticed a woman, cornered by a sinister ball of blue fire, its ethereal glow illuminating the surrounding darkness.

Without hesitation, Ray darted towards the woman. He reached her side just in time, intercepting the will-o'-the-wisp's attack with a swift strike, dispersing its malevolent energy.

The woman gasped in relief; her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you! I thought I was done for."

Ray nodded; his voice filled with determination. "Stay close and find shelter. I'll make sure you're safe."

Ray punched the wisp and ran away leading the will-o'-the-wisp away from the woman. He deftly dodged the creature's ethereal attacks carefully. With a series of well-timed strikes, he weakened the will-o'-the-wisp, eventually dissipating it entirely.

As the battle raged on, Ray returned to the woman's side, his expression filled with concern. "Are you alright? Can you find your way to safety?"

The woman nodded, gratitude shining in her eyes. "Yes, thank you. I'll make my way to the designated shelter. Please take care of yourself."

Ray gave her a reassuring smile. "Stay safe, and remember, help is on the way. We won't let these creatures overrun the city."

With a final nod, the woman hurried off towards safety, leaving Ray to re-join the battle.

But before he could continue to save anyone, the imp he fought had returned with 2 more imps.

"This can't be good…" Ray muttered.

The imp sneered as it pointed at Ray. All the imps circled his position before pouncing on him.

Ray panickily rolled out of the way before grabbing his short black sword and preparing for combat.

The imps charged again, claws outstretched. Ray clashed with the closest imp, redirecting the attack towards another imp before hurtling his sword towards the final imp, his sword splitting the imp's skull in half. Whilst the two remaining imps attempted to disentangle each other amid the confusion he caused, he reached the dead imp and pushed his foot into its chest as he pulled out the sword.

He turned around to be confronted with both imps finishing an incantation with their palms outstretched. Two large balls of fire relentlessly flew towards him warming the air.

Ray quickly jumped away, but he reacted too late, the shockwave created from the fire landing where he was thrown through a window into a convenience store as he collided with a bunch of shelves.