1st Kill

Juan Ladd turned back to the group one last time before stepping through the gate. "I'll go in first. Stay close and follow in order. Make sure you don't stray from the formation."

Without another word, Juan Ladd disappeared into the swirling blue light, followed by the rest of the Hunters. Noah found himself at the back of the line, his eyes wide with anticipation and fear. His mind raced.

'Am I really ready for this?'

Before he could spiral too far into his doubts, one of the Hunters—a burly man with bulging muscles—gave him a dismissive look. "Come on, kid. Don't be so scared. Just stick with the group and let the real Hunters handle the monsters."

Some of the others chuckled at the man's remark, but Noah remained silent, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his dagger. His confidence wavered, but he wasn't about to let fear control him.

As the line moved forward and it was finally his turn, Noah took a deep breath and stepped toward the gate. The air around him grew cold, and a sudden chill ran down his spine as the bright blue light swallowed him whole.

Just before he disappeared, a soft voice came from beside him. "Are you ready?"

Noah turned to see Erin standing there, her gentle smile easing some of his anxiety. Her eyes shone with a quiet confidence, and for a brief moment, Noah felt a sense of calm wash over him.

"I think so," he whispered back, though the pounding of his heart betrayed his uncertainty.

"Don't worry," Erin said softly. "We all start somewhere. Just stay calm, and you'll be fine."

Her words were a small comfort, but Noah still couldn't shake the unease in his chest. Nevertheless, he nodded and followed the others into the gate.

[You've Entered the Dungeon.]

Moments later, Noah found himself in a completely different world. The shift from the familiar to the unknown was jarring, like stepping from a dream into a nightmare. 

The dense forest around them stretched toward the dark, looming sky, its canopy of twisted branches blotting out what little light remained. 

Tall, skeletal trees clawed at the heaven, their bark covered in strange, pulsating patterns that seemed to shift and writhe when Noah wasn't looking directly at them.

The air was thick, heavy with a damp fog that clung to everything it touched, wrapping the world in a suffocating embrace. 

The ground, blanketed in a thick layer of decaying leaves, felt spongy underfoot, and strange, unidentifiable sounds echoed from the depths of the forest—low growls, the snapping of twigs, and the rustling of something far too large to be any animal from the outside world. 

It was a place that felt wrong, as if it were a distorted reflection of reality, a world that had fractured and twisted into something alien.

Noah's skin prickled as the oppressive atmosphere weighed on him. It wasn't just the strange surroundings—it was the feeling of being watched, of unseen eyes tracking their every move from the shadows. 

He swallowed hard, trying to push the growing unease aside as the group gathered near Captain Juan Ladd. 

The captain's face was calm, his eyes scanning their surroundings with the sharpness of a seasoned leader.

"Alright," Juan said in a voice steady but firm, "we're inside the dungeon now. Stay alert and follow my instructions. We're moving slowly at first—exploration comes first, combat second. We don't know what kind of creatures this place might hold, so keep your guard up."

The team nodded and began moving through the dense underbrush, their footsteps muffled by the damp earth and fallen leaves. 

Erin Light, the healer, trailed at the back, her delicate staff clutched tightly in her hands, ready to provide support at a moment's notice. Her soft footsteps barely made a sound, as if the forest itself was allowing her passage. 

Noah walked in the middle of the formation, his heart pounding as he looked around cautiously. Every rustle of a leaf or crack of a branch made him jump slightly, his nerves on edge. 

The bag on his back felt strangely lighter than it should have, but he attributed that to the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Minutes passed, and the eerie silence of the forest only grew heavier. Juan Ladd, always at the front, suddenly raised his hand in a signal to stop. The group froze in place. His voice was barely a whisper, but it carried clearly in the tense air. "There's movement ahead. Stay quiet and prepare for combat."

A metallic screech echoed through the trees, followed by a low rumble that made the ground tremble beneath their feet. The team instinctively gripped their weapons, eyes scanning the darkness ahead for any sign of the source.

And then they appeared.

Out of the thick fog, a pack of wolf-like creatures emerged, their forms twisted and malformed. These weren't ordinary beasts—they were Kaiju, monsters mutated by the chaotic energy of the dungeon. 

Their fur was matted and patchy, their fangs long and sharp, jutting out of mouths that foamed with rage. 

Blood-red eyes glowed ominously in the dark, and their elongated claws dug into the earth as they growled and circled the group.

One of the more experienced Hunters smirked, his sword gleaming in the dim light. "Just low-level wolves," he muttered. "We can take care of them easily."

Juan Ladd nodded, quickly taking control of the situation. "Alright, split into two groups. Group one, engage them head-on. Group two, flank and cut off any escape. Erin, stay back and monitor our condition. Everyone else, stick to the plan."

Without hesitation, the Hunters moved into formation. Noah watched in awe as the more seasoned fighters launched into action, their swords flashing as they clashed with the Kaiju wolves. 

The air was filled with the sounds of battle—swords clashing against claws, growls, and the grunts of effort from the Hunters as they fought. Despite the chaos, they moved with practiced efficiency, cutting down the wolves with skill and precision.

Noah's heart raced as he watched from the sidelines, clutching his dagger tightly. He longed to join the fray, to prove himself as more than just a porter. But before he could act, one of the smaller wolves broke away from the pack, rushing straight at him.

For a moment, Noah froze. The creature's glowing eyes locked onto him, and he could see the hunger in its gaze. But instinct kicked in, and he quickly sidestepped the wolf's initial lunge. 

With a swift motion, he drew his dagger and slashed at its side, the blade sinking into its flesh with surprising ease. 

The wolf let out a pained howl before collapsing to the ground, twitching as its life faded away.

Noah stood there, staring at the creature's body in shock. His hands trembled slightly, but there was a thrill coursing through him—a rush of excitement he had never felt before. He had just killed his first Kaiju.

[You have successfully killed your first Kaiju Beast!]

[Activating the "Null Reaper" trait.]

[You have gained 1 experience point.]

[You have gained 3 more experience points for your first kill.]

"Huh?" Noah muttered, his eyes widening as the notifications flashed in his mind. 

The system, the one he had obtained just days before, was kicking in, turning the world into something akin to a game. He blinked, trying to process it all as he looked down at the creature lying before him.

Despite the victory, something was missing. Noah crouched down, inspecting the wolf's body before driving his dagger into its chest, searching for the blood crystal that should've been there. 

"No blood crystal?" he muttered, a frown tugging at his lips. It wasn't normal for a Kaiju kill to yield nothing.

Still, he didn't dwell on it for long. "Never mind. There's plenty more to gain," he whispered to himself, determined not to lose focus. 

He still had the crystal from the white-haired man, and the four experience points from his kill—it wasn't much, but it was a start.

Captain Juan Ladd approached, having seen Noah's swift takedown. A small smile of approval crossed his face. "Good job, Noah. Keep it up. But stay sharp. We're just getting started."