Error!
The next morning, the sun's golden rays streamed through Noah Nightshade's window, waking him from a deep sleep. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of striking blue irises as he blinked in the light
His body still felt heavy and sluggish from the events of the previous day, and as he sat up in bed, he yawned, stretching his arms above his head, still looking tired from yesterday's events.
His room, simple and unadorned, seemed quieter than usual, almost as if it were reflecting the calm before the storm of his new life as a Hunter.
Noah slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, walking over to his wardrobe.
His jacket was still on the floor where he had left it the night before. He picked it up, his fingers brushing against the fabric as he reached into the pocket, pulling out the crumpled money he had earned and placing it in the safe.
His eyes lingered on the torn shirt he had worn, now stained with congealed blood. He frowned, his mind flashing back to the intense moments leading up to this new beginning. Without another thought, he grabbed a clean shirt, jacket, and pants from the wardrobe and headed to the bathroom.
The sounds of the washing machine hummed as Noah tossed in his dirty clothes. The warm spray of the shower soothed his aching muscles, washing away not only the physical grime but also some of the tension that had settled in his mind.
After drying off and putting on fresh clothes, Noah brushed his teeth with methodical precision before heading back into the kitchen.
As the kettle whistled, he poured himself a cup of tea and sat down at the dining table.
He stared into the steam, the events of the last few days playing on a loop in his mind. His hand twitched as he thought of the mysterious Status Window that had appeared before him, an ancient inheritance he had stumbled upon purely by chance.
The dark blue screen materialized in front of him once again, filling his vision with its eerie glow.
[Name: Noah Nightshade]
[Age: 18]
[Gender: Male]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Duelist]
[Trait: Null Reaper]
[Title: None]
[Rank: Dormant]
[Tier: Lower- garde]
[Experience Points: 0]
His brow furrowed as he read through the information again. It was almost identical to the data his Alliance Bracelet displayed. But one thing gnawed at him—the "Null Reaper" trait. He had no idea what it meant or how it could help him.
Noah tried to push it out of his mind for the moment. He didn't have the resources or knowledge to dig deeper into it just yet. Another thing that caught his attention was the fact that his experience points were at zero.
"Is this like the experience points in video games?" he mused aloud, thinking back to how popular games had become in this era.
In a world where Kaiju monsters and supernatural abilities were a reality, gaming had become more than just entertainment.
World championships were held regularly, and even Noah's older brother had once been a reigning champion in these games. A bittersweet smile crept onto his face at the memory.
Another screen suddenly appeared next to the first one, containing a list of options:
[Show detailed statistics]
[Show available skills]
[Void inventory] (closed)
[Okaris records] (closed)
[Crafts Store] (Closed)
Noah's curiosity piqued, and he immediately checked the list of available skills, only to find nothing.
"It looks like it doesn't count life skills like cooking or washing dishes, thankfully," he muttered with a dry laugh. He didn't need a reminder of his mundane skills like those.
"And what about these?"
This time he decided to dig a little deeper as he might succeed in getting a hint or two after all.
Noah stared at the window, then raised his hand and pressed it again:
- [Error]: "Does not meet the level or condition required to unlock the Void Inventory."
- [Error]: "Does not meet the level or condition required to unlock the Okaris Records."
- [Error]: "Does not meet the level or condition required to unlock the Crafts Store."
Frustration welled up inside him as the error messages filled the screen.
'What are these conditions?' he thought, sighing heavily.
He desperately wanted to unlock these mysterious features, but it seemed like that would take time—something he wasn't sure he had.
Ding-!
Just as he was about to delve further into the mysteries of his status window, a sudden ding interrupted his thoughts.
His phone was ringing in the bedroom. He drained the last of his tea and stood up, making his way to the other room to answer it. "Hello?" he greeted the caller.
The voice on the other end was from the Adventurers' Association, informing him of a gate that had opened near a park in the city.
They were gathering Hunters to close it, and they wanted Noah to join.
His heart raced as he agreed and hung up. 'This is it. My first job as a Hunter.'
He placed his porter's license on the desk, replacing it with his newly obtained Hunter's license. The small card felt heavier in his hands now, as though it carried all the weight of his dreams.
Excitement and fear churned in his stomach as he realized what this day would mean for him.
Noah knelt down by the side of his bed, pulling out a dusty box hidden beneath it. He placed it beside him and stared at it for a moment, emotions swirling in his chest.
He opened the box slowly, revealing a single dagger inside. The weapon had been with him since the earliest days of his training, a reminder of his past and a promise for the future.
He gripped the dagger firmly, a soft smile tugging at his lips. It symbolized the long road he had walked to get here, and now that road was finally opening up before him.
Noah tied the dagger behind his jacket, out of sight but within reach. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his clothes and giving himself one last glance.
'I'm ready… I guess?'
He walked out of his room and went to the door of his home.
Stepping out of his apartment, Noah took a taxi toward the park, his heart thudding with anticipation for what awaited him at the dungeon.
This was the start of his new life as a Hunter, and he was determined to face it head-on.