A New Beginning
"Is this system going to make me stronger?" Ares muttered, feeling disbelief at the workout the system had assigned him.
But he had no choice—after seeing the penalty quest, it was best to follow it. So, he decided to go through with it. However, before starting, he sat down to eat breakfast—a sandwich packed with juicy beef.
His eyes sparkled, filled with tears of joy as he chewed, savoring every bite.
Munch! Munch!
His body felt better now that he had eaten breakfast, and his stomach was already full.
Let's get started," Ares muttered, his voice filled with motivation.
He began stretching his body before heading out. After a while of dynamic stretching, he stepped outside and started running—covering 10 km through the city.
As he ran along the road, he controlled his breathing by inhaling through his nose instead of his mouth.
Breathing through the nose is more efficient because it allows the air to be filtered, warmed, and humidified before reaching the lungs, helping to protect the respiratory system.
After completing his run, Ares paused for a moment to catch his breath. Then, he moved to the park and began his push-ups.
[Push-ups: 0/100]
After struggling through several reps, he took a short break, drinking some cold water. He opened the bottle and swallowed the refreshing liquid, letting it soothe his dry throat.
Finally, after pushing through the challenge, he completed the daily quest assigned to him. A notification appeared in front of him.
[You Have Completed the Daily Quest][You Received a Reward]
Without hesitation, he immediately accepted the reward. Another message appeared before him.
Reward: five Additional Stat Points[Would you like to collect it?]
Having just run through the city like a dog, Ares quickly accepted the rewards, hoping for something to restore his stamina. However, as the rewards were granted, he only received stat points instead.
His hope shattered into pieces—he had been expecting more. Letting out a sigh, he lay down on the ground for a few minutes, catching his breath and allowing his body to relax. His jacket was completely soaked with sweat from the intense workout.
When he finally returned home, he headed straight to the bathroom, washing up to relax his sore muscles.
After cleaning up, he quickly went to his room, sat on his bed, and after a few seconds, opened his computer—searching for clues about the mysterious key he had found inside of the cave.
He placed his hands on the keyboard and began typing.
[What happens when you find a mystery key inside a dungeon?]
His heart pounded as he hit "Enter," watching the screen load. A list of search results appeared, but none of them seemed useful. When he clicked on a link, it led to another site filled with nonsense.
Frustrated, he tried again, only to be greeted by yet another webpage cluttered with scraps of useless information and obnoxious porn advertisements.
Letting out a deep sigh of disappointment, he leaned back in his chair, resting his head in the corner to cool down. After a moment, he decided to check his current status instead, of opening the system screen.
— Status —
Name: Ares Voldigoad
Level: 4 [20%]
Class: None
HP: 100
MP: 100/100
Strength: 15
Agility: 7
Sense: 3
Intelligence: 7
Fatigue: —
Skill(s): None
------
Unassigned Points: 5
He pondered where to allocate the points he had received from the daily quest, thinking so hard it felt like his brain was about to explode.
After some deliberation, he decided to invest them in his IQ, aiming to sharpen his mind and enhance his strategic thinking.
As soon as the points were applied, he immediately felt more focused and clear-headed.
Intelligence: 7 [+5]
A week passed, and he diligently completed his daily quests every single day, determined to grow stronger. This time, he funneled all his points into Strength, and before long, his power had increased significantly. Tasks that once seemed exhausting now felt effortless, and the daily quests became easy for him.
After finishing his work with the mining team, Ares thought that maybe now was the right time to enter the dungeon. Since he had a stone that could bring him back safely, he felt more confident about taking the risk.
"Let's see how strong I've become," Ares thought, clenching his fist.
Just then, a new notification appeared on the screen.
Ping! Pong!
[You have received the key to enter the dungeon.]
Standing alone in the middle of nowhere, Ares reached out and took the key from the screen. Holding it in front of him, he rotated it to the right, and within seconds, a blue portal appeared before him.
However, as he glanced around, he quickly realized that no one else could see it—only he could. The people around him carried on as if nothing had happened.
Without wasting a minute, Ares stepped forward and entered the portal.
...
As Ares stepped into the portal, he found himself in a new realm, surrounded by various types of goblins—a fighter, a marksman, and a mage casting a spell barrier.
Just then, a quest notification appeared on the screen, instructing him to eliminate the goblins.
[Quest: Kill 10 Goblins][Progress: 0/10][Goblin Level: 3]
Each goblin will grant him 500 EXP, double the amount he earned when facing a wolf. Unlike the wolves, this is more challenging and difficult.
He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. The goblins were usually not too difficult, but he knew he couldn't underestimate them—he couldn't afford to make a mistake because one mistake could put his life in danger.
He pulled out his dagger, and he held it tightly, gazing at the goblins' movements.
With his strength boosted, instincts sharpened, and IQ heightened, Ares felt more prepared.
"Let's go" Ares muttered.
"Come on, monster!" Ares exclaimed, taunting the goblin to come at him.
The goblins charged at him one after another, but Ares only grinned. He swiftly maneuvered past them, targeting the mage first—the one supporting the others.
Dodging incoming attacks, he rushed forward, his steel dagger aimed directly at the goblin mage's throat. In an instant, he slashed through, killing it before it could even react.
A system notification rang out:
[You Have Killed the Goblin Mage][You Have Gained 500 EXP]
Ares stood over the fallen goblin mage, his dagger dripping with blood. The remaining goblins rushed toward him, but he smirked—close combat was his advantage.
Without hesitation, he dashed toward the nearest archer.
The goblin archer quickly pulled its bowstring, releasing an arrow that whizzed past his shoulder, barely missing him. But before it could nock another arrow, Ares closed the distance, delivering a swift, precise strike. His dagger pierced the goblin's throat, silencing it forever.
"Die, monsters." Ares muttered, watching the archer's lifeless body collapse.
The remaining goblin fighter hesitated, eyes filled with fear. They stood frozen, unsure whether to advance after witnessing Ares' brutal efficiency.
Seeing their hesitation, Ares taunted them, forcing the goblin fighter to shake off its doubts and charge at him. But Ares was too fast—dodging each attack effortlessly, he struck back with precise, lethal blows.
One by one, he slaughtered them, quickly thinning their numbers.
Within an hour, the goblins were completely wiped out.
A familiar notification rang out once again:
Ping! Pong!
[You Have Killed All the Goblins][You Have Gained Experience]
As the battle ended, a bright glow caught Ares' eye—a rare item had dropped.
[You Have Obtained: Goblin's Talisman of Swift Foot]
Grade: Rare
Effect: Increases the wearer's movement speed by 15% and reduces stamina consumption during combat.
This item would greatly enhance Ares' mobility in battle. Without hesitation, he immediately equipped the talisman, feeling a surge of lightness in his steps.
"Cool," he muttered, staring at his feet. His eyes glinted with excitement, amazed by the unexpected reward.
Just then, another notification rang out—a sign of his progress.
Ping! Pong!
[Level Up!]Level 4 → Level 5
Ares had gained 10 stat points to distribute. Without wasting time, he opened his status page:
Name: Ares Voldigoad
Level: 5 (10%)
Class: None
HP: 100MP: 100/100
Strength: 15
Agility: 7
Sense: 3
Intelligence: 10
Fatigue: —
Skill(s): None
----
Remaining Points: 10
This time, he spent 5 points on his sense stat without hesitation, He immediately felt the shift as his senses sharpened, widening to a 5-meter radius. He could hear the faintest movement of air. With the 5 points, he boosted his agility further, feeling the power surging through him.
Ares made a mental note—next time he earned more stat points, he would invest them in Strength. He needed to grow stronger as fast as possible. If he was going to face tougher enemies, he had to ensure that his attacks hit even harder.
After the intense battle, he decided to leave the dungeon. Going deeper wasn't an option—not yet. He still lacked the strength to face whatever lay ahead.
"Maybe someday, I'll be ready."
Without hesitation, he activated the teleportation stone, and in an instant, he was back outside. The fresh air hit his face, and his stomach grumbled—he had been craving something all day.
"I deserve a reward for today."
With that thought, Ares headed off to treat himself to a bowl of ramen.
Soup!
On the other hand, the Hunter Association has been having trouble recently because dungeons keep appearing frequently, And they are having difficulty handling it.
[THE HEAD HUNTER OF THE ASSOCIATION]
[HENRY STONE]
[CHAIRMAN]
[S-RANK]
An old man with silver-gray hair and a rugged face, full of deep wrinkles and piercing brown eyes that retain a sharp intensity. His large, calloused hands and muscular physique reflect years of labor and discipline. Despite his age, he carries himself with a straight posture, and his skin is tanned and tough. He dresses simply.
He is the first S-rank in Graythorne and one of the strongest in the national hunter.
He called out to the leaders of the five Hunter Guilds in Graythorne.
These five guilds are the strongest in Graythorne, each with a unique ability. One of them is where Ares works as part of the mining team.