Mikael_Guerrero_3059

In a world where nearly everyone awakens to powerful abilities at the age of fourteen, Ren Kisaragi remains powerless. Scarred by the trauma of his father’s death in a dungeon collapse, his awakening never comes, leaving him to survive as a scavenger—harvesting monster corpses to support his ailing mother and little sister, Yui.
Looked down on by hunters and ignored by society, Ren bears the weight of his family’s survival with quiet determination. But everything changes the day he encounters a forgotten creature deep within a dungeon. Marked by a strange symbol, Ren unlocks a terrifying new power—not from the world of light, but from the void itself.
As dungeons grow unstable and ancient threats awaken, Ren begins a dangerous descent—not just into the depths of the earth, but into the heart of what he truly is. Guided by pain, grounded by love, and shadowed by a power that could consume him, Ren must forge his own path. Not as a hero. Not as a monster.
But as the boy who refused to break.

Dungeons Scavenger:The Boy Who Couldn’t Awaken

Ren stood alone, the city glowing softly beneath him. The wind carried the scent of spring—new life, fresh beginnings. But inside him, something old had finally returned.

The warmth of his mother's embrace.

Yui's tiny hands clutching his as they ran through crowded markets.

Kaede's laughter in the rain, her eyes fierce even when she pretended not to care.

It came back all at once—and broke him.

He dropped to his knees, hands pressed to his face, shoulders shaking as tears fell freely.

"I remember…" he whispered. "I remember everything…"

He choked on his breath. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry… for forgetting, for leaving, for everything."

Kaede was there—when, he didn't know. She stepped toward him slowly, reaching out.

He grabbed her hand, held it like a lifeline.

"I missed you," he whispered. "I thought I'd never find my way back to you. To Yui. To… us."

Kaede knelt beside him, eyes wet. "You're here now. That's all that matters."

Ren looked at her, really looked at her—eyes wide, heart racing.

And before he could stop himself, the words fell:

Then her voice, soft, trembling. "Ren…"

He backed away slightly, shocked. "I didn't mean to say that—no, I did. I just… I didn't mean to say it now."

Kaede smiled through her tears. "You idiot."

She pulled him into her arms, and he let himself be held.

And on that rooftop, beneath the stars, Ren Kisaragi—fully himself—finally came home.

Chapter 44: I Know Who I Am