Chapter 4: The System.

A decade ago, the fabric of reality began to unravel, causing mysterious gates to emerge across the globe. These structures appeared in the heart of bustling cities, the countrysides, and even the remote corners of the wilderness, serving as portals to a different dimension.

This new realm, known as the Labyrinths, was a twisted maze filled with monstrous creatures. The emergence of these gates marked the beginning of an era of chaos and uncertainty.

The Labyrinths were not merely passive gateways; they posed an active threat to humanity. If left unchecked, the gates would unleash hordes of monsters upon the world, leaving destruction and havoc in their wake.

As a result, countless cities crumbled, and the number of areas habitable by humans dwindled with each passing day.

When all hope was lost, a mysterious energy source known as "Evolution Energy" emerged. This energy manifested as small, spherical cores within the chests of a select group of individuals, granting them extraordinary abilities that defied explanation when awakened.

These chosen few, known as the Awakened, became humanity's last line of defense against the darkness. With powers ranging from the manipulation of the elements to enhanced physical prowess, the Awakened took up arms and ventured into the depths of the Labyrinths, determined to clear the gates and prevent further destruction.

In response to this new reality, society underwent a drastic reorganization. Governments, corporations, and independent organizations scrambled to recruit and harness the power of the Awakened, forming specialized teams tasked with tackling the gates head-on.

Among these entities rose the Hunters' Organization—an establishment where those who had awakened could register and join the fight against the Labyrinths. The Hunters' Organization became a beacon of hope, uniting the Awakened and providing them with the resources and support needed to face the challenges that lay ahead.

***

Each person's core was assigned a rank, measuring its level of power. Awakened was the lowest rank among the awakening stages, situated just above dormant.

"This... not only does it display my core rank but this system thing also displays my stats perfectly," Arlo marveled, his eyes widening in realization.

Some time ago, Arlo had undergone a physical assessment at the Hunter's Organization when he first awakened. The purpose was to determine his rank.

Despite having awakened, his stats were dismal, with a uniform score of 5 across strength, agility, stamina, and sense. Even the F-Ranked awakened individuals boasted an average of 10 in each stat.

It was a somewhat depressing revelation for Arlo, seeing that his abilities hadn't improved since his initial awakening.

"The energy bar is probably a measure of how much evolution energy I possess," Arlo mused, his gaze shifting to another section of the system interface. "And MP likely stands for magic power. It seems to have decreased by 20% after I used the dimension spell."

The moment Arlo uttered the word "spell," one of the system tabs expanded before him.

[Spells.] (1)

[Dimension Magic.]

[Shows Details…]

"Show details," Arlo commanded, his voice clear and steady.

As he spoke those words, the information displayed on the screen expanded, revealing more intricate details.

[Dimension Magic.]

– [Divine-Class Dimension Magic: World Transportation]

[Mastery: 0.40%]

"Ah, so the spell I used appears in the system," Arlo observed, his curiosity piqued. "It seems there's a mastery level associated with it, and it has increased because I cast the spell."

Arlo couldn't help but wonder what would happen once he mastered the spell, but he knew he was still a long way from achieving such a feat.

With that realization, Arlo's attention shifted to the next tab, which had caught his eye. He was eager to finish inspecting the system screen so he could explore this new world that had opened up before him.

[Ability]

As he opened the tab, a different screen appeared, revealing what appeared to be a skill or, more accurately, an ability tree reminiscent of those found in video games. At the base of the tree, a single word stood out: Abilityless.

Much to Arlo's disappointment, the tab was devoid of any usable skills or abilities. He had been anxious to discover what ability the system would reveal, only to be met with a disheartening emptiness.

"Well... that's just about what I expected anyway," Arlo muttered dejectedly. "It's the reason I was stuck as an F-Ranker."

Most individuals who underwent awakening would emerge with a unique ability. However, Arlo was one of the rare cases where no ability manifested upon awakening.

Coupled with his below-average physical stats, Arlo's lack of an ability placed him among the weakest of hunters, if not the weakest of them all.

Of course, those without an innate ability had the opportunity to acquire one by absorbing an ability orb. However, this was an expensive measure that Arlo could not afford.

Enlisting in the military was an option, but even then, the abilities granted were often low-ranked, hardly worth dedicating years of one's life to obtain.

"Normally, being reminded of my lack of an ability would have left me depressed," Arlo acknowledged, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "But that's fine. Thanks to the grimoire, I'm sure I'll be able to manage."

Arlo's gaze fell upon the grimoire he held, a sense of certainty washing over him. He believed that within its pages lay countless spells that could compensate for his weaknesses.

With that thought in mind, he switched to the next tab on the screen before him.

[Shop.]

[This section is locked.]

"...Alright then," he muttered, moving on to the second-to-last tab.

[Quests.]

[You do not have any quests available.]

"O-Oh... I see..."

[Mail.]

[You do not have any mails available.]

"...Seriously, nothing at all?"

Finding nothing else of interest, Arlo shifted his focus from the screens and back to the closed grimoire.

"Well, now that that's over, I can finally explore the spells you have to offer," he mused, a hint of anticipation in his voice. "It's not like I have anything better to do..."

With that thought, Arlo opened the book to the first page and began flipping through, his eyes scanning the contents as he walked. To his surprise, the second page bore a new, unfamiliar header.