The Dungeon in the middle of Shibuya
Amidst the chaos and panic caused by the system to the public, there was an individual who had been gaming all day in his room.
A 25-year-old NEET was excitedly fighting a boss in an MMORPG.
"Yes! I finally got it!" he exclaimed, thrilled after acquiring a rare item from the boss fight.
"I can finally rest. I've been up for quite a long time," he muttered, yawning and scratching his eyes, showing the exhaustion from gaming nonstop.
Just as he was about to relax, the system suddenly interrupted, popping up in front of his view.
DING!
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
> Welcome.
You have been selected as a Player.
You are now part of a system designed to enhance your abilities to survive the upcoming challenges.
He blinked at the glowing text floating in front of him.
"I definitely need to rest. I'm seeing things now," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
But before he could relax, another notification appeared.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
> This is no longer optional.
You must confirm your participation to proceed.
Failure to confirm within the given timeframe will result in immediate consequences.
A countdown timer materialized above him, glowing ominously.
> Countdown: 7 Days, 00 Hours, 00 Minutes
Time Remaining: 168:00:00
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
> Please confirm your participation by tapping "Confirm" below.
Declining the offer is not an option.
---
"W-What is going on?" he stammered.
It felt too real. He tried scratching his eyes and even waved his hand through the floating notification, but it simply passed through like mist.
"There's no way this is happening right now… This is just like one of those isekai manga or novels I've read," he mumbled, staring at the screen in disbelief.
As he tried to make sense of what was happening, a smirk slowly crept across his face.
"Okay, real or not, why not try it and see what happens?"
Out of boredom—but undeniably excited by this strange phenomenon—he raised his hand and tapped "Confirm."
As he confirmed his participation to become a Player, a new notification appeared.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
> You have successfully confirmed your participation.
Congratulations, Player.
You are now officially registered in the system.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
> Status Updating...
Your status has been updated.
---
[PLAYER STATUS]
Title: —
Name: Hoshino Yuu
Class: —
Level: 1
HP: 100
MP: 50
ST: 75
AD: 10
MD: 5
DEF: 8
MDEF: 5
---
[Options]
▶ View Detailed Status
✖ Close Window
---
He narrowed his eyes at the floating window in front of him.
"Standard stuff... but maybe there's more to this."
He tapped View Detailed Status.
---
[DETAILED STATUS]
Title: —
Name: Hoshino Yuu
Class: —
Level: 1
HP: 100
MP: 50
ST: 75
AD: 10
MD: 5
DEF: 8
MDEF: 5
CRIT: 2%
CC: 5%
CRD: 150%
CD: 0%
MS: 100
AS: 1.0
STR: 5
AGI: 4
INT: 3
DEX: 4
WIS: 3
---
[Options]
◀ Back to Basic Status
✖ Close Window
---
"Yeah, as I thought. Nothing special yet," he muttered, tapping Close Window.
DING!
Suddenly, a sleek sidebar menu appeared on the left side of his vision.
---
[SYSTEM MENU]
▶ Player
▶ Equip
▶ Skills
▶ Inventory
✖ Hide Menu
---
He blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Okay... now it's starting to feel legit."
Without hesitation, he tapped on Equip.
---
[PLAYER EQUIPMENT]
Equipped Items:
Weapon: — (Empty)
Helmet: — (Empty)
Chestplate: — (Empty)
Leggings: — (Empty)
Boots: — (Empty)
Gloves: — (Empty)
Accessories:
Earring: — (Empty)
Pendant: — (Empty)
Bracelet: — (Empty)
Ring: — (Empty)
---
[Cosmetics]
(Appearance only, no stat bonuses)
Head: — (Empty)
Body: — (Empty)
Back: — (Empty)
Weapon Skin: — (Empty)
---
[INVENTORY]
(Equippable Items Available)
Weapons:
None Available
Armor:
None Available
Accessories:
None Available
[Cosmetic Inventory]
(Optional appearance items)
None Available
---
[Options]
◀ Back to Menu
✖ Close Window
---
"No starter weapon? I see where this is heading."
He sighed and quickly navigated back to the menu, curiosity pushing him forward.
TAP — Skills
---
[SKILLS]
Passive Abilities: — (None)
Active Skills: — (None)
Special Abilities: — (None)
---
[Options]
◀ Back to Menu
✖ Close Window
---
"Wow. Absolutely nothing."
Still unfazed, he backed out and selected Inventory.
---
[INVENTORY]
Item Storage: (Empty)
You currently have no items.
---
[Options]
◀ Back to Menu
✖ Close Window
---
"...Not even a health potion. They're really making me start from zero."
But instead of frustration, He chuckled.
"Fine. Let's see how far I can go with nothing."
He glanced back at the floating sidebar.
The last option caught his attention—Hide Menu.
"Hmm... let's try this."
TAP.
The entire menu slid smoothly out of view, leaving his vision clear.
"...Okay, that's neat."
He moved his hand again, and the menu reappeared.
"Oh, that's going to be useful."
He grinned.
"Alright, System. Let's play."
Right after he finally closed or hid the menu, a new notification appeared.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
DING
MAIN QUEST MENU UNLOCKED
---
As soon as it appeared, the intrigue and excitement on his face were impossible to hide. He quickly opened the Main Quest Menu.
"A quest? Finally. Let's see what kind of challenge this system has in store for me."
---
MAIN QUEST
Objective: Defeat the Goblin General in the upcoming raid.
Raid Countdown: 7 days - 0 hours - 0 minutes
Remaining Time: 168:00:00
---
He stared at the objective for a moment, waiting for more details to appear.
"...That's it?" he muttered, frowning.
He tapped on the quest, swiped, and even tried refreshing the menu, but nothing changed. No map, no quest markers—nothing.
"How am I supposed to fight this Goblin General if I can't even leave this room?"
Frustration crept in as he sighed.
"So what, I'm just supposed to wait for seven days?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, pacing in his room.
"How the hell am I supposed to grind or prepare for this?"
DING!
Another notification popped up.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
DAILY QUEST MENU UNLOCKED
---
His eyes lit up again.
"Ah, finally. Maybe this will help me get started."
He quickly opened the Daily Quest Menu, expecting something exciting.
---
DAILY QUESTS
1. Basic Training Regimen
20 Push-ups
20 Sit-ups
20 Squats
Run for 1 km
Reward: +1 Strength (STR), +1 Dexterity (DEX), +1 Agility (AGI)
---
He stared at the screen in silence.
"...You're kidding me."
His face twisted in disappointment.
"Push-ups? Sit-ups? Squats? Running? This is just basic gym stuff!"
He slumped back into his chair, groaning.
"I thought this was a game system, not a fitness app."
But then, his eyes caught the reward.
"+1 Strength, Dexterity, and Agility… huh."
He leaned back, arms crossed.
"...Three stat points a day isn't bad."
But as he thought about it more, his smirk slowly faded.
He glanced down at himself—at his soft belly stretching against his oversized tracksuit, the baggy sleeves drooping over his wrists.
The half-empty soda can on his desk. The mountain of snack wrappers on the floor.
A sinking feeling settled in.
"...Wait. Can I even do this?"
Push-ups, sit-ups, squats… and running?
Running a whole kilometer?
He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Man, when was the last time I even ran anywhere?"
Just the thought of getting down for a single push-up made his arms feel heavy.
He groaned and leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the glowing quest window.
"This is going to suck."
But then, he glanced back at the Main Quest—Defeat the Goblin General.
He exhaled sharply.
"...What am I gonna do?"
His hand tightened into a fist.
"Tch. Fine. One step at a time."
Slowly, he pushed himself up from the chair, wincing slightly as his joints popped.
"Twenty push-ups, huh?" He stared at the floor like it was his greatest enemy.
"How hard can it be?"
He got down, bracing himself.
"Alright... let's do this."
...
One push-up later.
"...Oh God, I'm dying."
He collapsed face-first onto the floor, groaning in pain.
This was going to be a long seven days.
D-Day: Dungeon Raid
Goblin General Raid
Raid Countdown
Remaining Time: 6 Hours
---
Shibuya Crossing, Japan
In the center of Shibuya Crossing, a towering, pillar-like structure loomed ominously. Its dark surface pulsed faintly with an eerie glow, casting unsettling shadows across the streets. Barricades surrounded the area, with armed vehicles, tanks, and heavily armed soldiers stationed at every corner, securing the perimeter and anxiously awaiting whatever might come.
Nearby the barricades, groups of people gathered, trying to observe the mysterious structure.
"Great, just what we needed," one said, adjusting his tie as he looked at the scene ahead.
"I know, right? This is a major disturbance. How are we supposed to get to work with all this?" the other replied, shaking his head. "And what's that thing? It's like it just popped out of nowhere."
A small group of individuals, dressed in matching robes, stood across the street. They held signs that read "Repent Now" and "The End is Near."
One of them spoke passionately, as if trying to convince those nearby.
"This is it! The end of the world is upon us! The structure is a sign from the heavens! We must repent for our sins and prepare for what's coming!"
Another member of the group nodded solemnly.
"Everyone must join us in prayer. This is a test. Only those who are pure will survive."
A few onlookers whispered in disbelief, clearly unsettled by their fervor.
In the otherside a vlogger, holding his camera in front of him, smiled excitedly as he began streaming.
"Yo, what's up, everyone? This is CrazyCamz, and we're here in Shibuya Crossing right now. And look at this—out of nowhere, this huge pillar just appeared! What do you think it is, guys? Is it some kind of secret government project? Or maybe even an alien invasion? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!"
As he panned the camera toward the towering structure, he spotted a nearby soldier.
He stepped toward the officer, holding out the camera. "Hey, officer! What's going on here? Is this some kind of alien thing, or are we just getting some crazy movie promo?"
The soldier quickly raised a hand and stepped forward, blocking the vlogger's view. "Step back. Stay behind the barricades. It's not safe here. Don't get any closer."
The vlogger backed up slightly, not quite satisfied with the response. He turned back to his camera, still grinning.
"Alright, alright, looks like the government's trying to hide something from us. But you know what? I'm gonna keep streaming this for you guys. This might be the start of an alien invasion, or maybe something even bigger. Whatever it is, I'll keep you updated. So make sure you like, share, and comment—don't miss out!"
Also a man pushed his way through the crowd. His clothes were ragged, and his hair was unkempt. He raised his arms dramatically, shouting to anyone who would listen.
"You don't get it! You have to confirm the system!" he screamed, his voice shaky but intense. "The monsters are coming, the goblins! I saw the countdown—I confirmed it! It's already begun!"
His eyes darted back to the towering structure, his hands trembling as he pointed at it with a shaking finger.
"You think this is some kind of joke? No! That thing, that pillar, it's a portal! Goblins—real goblins—are coming through, and they're gonna tear us all apart! This is the end of humanity, you hear me?! If you don't confirm now, you're all gonna die!"
People around him started backing away, some looking at each other uncertainly, others pulling out their phones to record him.
One person muttered to their friend, "See? That's what happens when you pay attention to that floating countdown. It's making people crazy."
Another person whispered, "I told you, don't focus on it. It's messing with everyone's heads."
The man, growing more frantic, turned to a group of office workers standing nearby. His eyes were wide with fear. "You don't want to die, do you? Confirm the system now! Don't let them take you down with those monsters! You have no idea what's coming!"
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder, some voices dismissing him while others started to look uneasy.
A woman from the crowd called out, "He's crazy! Don't listen to him!"
Others nodded, a mix of nervousness and disbelief coloring their reactions. "Yeah, ignore it," one person muttered. "It's messing with everyone's minds, making them think crazy things."
But the man ignored them, continuing to scream in desperation. "You think I'm crazy? Fine! But when those goblins come—when they come—don't say I didn't warn you!"
The crowd stepped back, some of them muttering to each other, shaking their heads.
Near one of the armored vehicles, a group of soldiers stood on high alert, nervously eyeing the massive structure.
The officer who have returned to his post after a brief trip to grab coffee, his hand holding a takeout cup as he scanned the crowd and the looming structure. He walked up to his fellow officers, who were still keeping an eye on the area.
"Did you see that guy?" one of the officers asked, nodding toward a man in the crowd who was frantically speaking to anyone who would listen. "He confirm the system, saying that monsters are coming out of that pillar."
The officer with the coffee took a long sip, his expression neutral. "Ignore it. He's just some crazy guy. True or not, we're fully equipped for whatever comes our way. We're here to protect the civilians."
Another officer, who had been quiet, spoke up cautiously. "But we've got orders from above to stay alert. Whatever happens, we need to be prepared."
A third officer, glancing at the structure, shook his head. "I still think we need to confirm the system. That guy's not the only one raising alarms. This whole situation feels off."
The officer with the coffee sighed, his eyes drifting back to the pillar. "Look, nothing's happened yet since the system first showed up. I think it's better to just ignore it for now. We're already geared up, and I don't think this pillar is connected to the system at all. It's probably just some weird coincidence."