Chapter 2: The System Awakens

The moment the Ogre's blade was about to strike, everything froze.

The dungeon, the screams of the dying hunters, the monster's murderous gaze—all of it stopped in place, as if the world itself had paused.

And then, in the silence, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in Raon's mind.

[You have met the conditions for Awakening.]

[Would you like to accept?]

Raon's breath hitched.

He had heard of hunters getting second awakenings, but it was incredibly rare—only happening to a handful of S-Rank legends. Yet, here he was, an E-Rank loser, being offered something impossible.

Was this a hallucination? A trick of the mind before death?

His instincts screamed at him.

"This is real."

[Accept?]

[Yes] / [No]

There was no hesitation.

"...Yes."

The moment he uttered the word, everything changed.

A wave of power surged through him, burning like molten fire in his veins. His body trembled, his vision blurred, and then—

The world moved again.

The Ogre's blade came crashing down, but this time, Raon dodged.

His body reacted faster than his mind could comprehend. He rolled to the side, landing on his feet with newfound agility. The dungeon's cold air felt different against his skin—lighter, sharper.

And then, another notification appeared.

[Awakening Complete.]

[You have acquired a Unique Class: The Abyss Walker.]

Raon's heart pounded.

Unique Class? That was unheard of. Hunters usually fell into standard categories—Tank, Mage, Assassin. But Unique Classes were the stuff of legends.

More messages followed.

[New Ability Unlocked: Shadow Assimilation]

[Your stats have been recalculated.]

A sudden rush of understanding filled his mind. His instincts sharpened, and he could feel something new lurking within him—something dark.

The Ogre roared, preparing to attack again.

But this time, Raon wasn't afraid.

A slow grin spread across his face.

"Let's test this out."

He moved.

Faster than he ever thought possible, he dashed forward, straight at the monster.