Chapter 8 - First Quest
I woke to the sharp beeping of the alarm I'd set on my new phone. 7:00 AM. The sun was barely cresting the horizon, casting Toronto in a golden glow that made the city look almost peaceful. Almost like home.
But it wasn't home. And I wasn't the same Ethan Parker who had chased his cat into the woods just days ago.
As I showered and dressed in the clothes provided by the Association, my mind kept circling back to the System notification from last night:
[Daily Quest Available Tomorrow: Training Begins]
[Special Skill Selection Available at Level 2]
[Rest Well, Player ^－^ ]
That little emoji at the end bothered me more than it should have. It felt... playful? Personal? Definitely different from what I remembered of Jinwoo's System in the manhwa, which had been coldly efficient and formal. Was it because I'm not from this world originally? It would make sense if it was because I wasn't a hunter like Jinwoo. I had zero experience.
On cue, a new notification appeared as I finished my breakfast:
[Daily Quest: Training Begins]
[Difficulty: E]
[Objective: Clear a D-rank Training Dungeon]
[Reward: 20 EXP, Basic Combat Skill]
[Time Limit: 10 hours]
[Accept?] [Y/N]
A training dungeon? That hadn't been in the manhwa, as far as I could recall. Jinwoo had gone straight into real gates from the beginning.
"But I'm not Jinwoo," I stated, selecting [Y]. "And this isn't the same System."
[Quest Accepted]
[Training Dungeon Location Marked]
[Please proceed to the designated area]
A small map appeared in my vision with a pulsing marker a few blocks from the residential tower. Convenient, especially since I wasn't supposed to leave the building without notifying security. And I still didn't have Loki back.
Speaking of whom...
"Loki," I thought, testing our connection. "Can you hear me?"
No response. Either he was too far away, or our newly established telepathic link had some limitations I didn't understand yet.
Hopefully, he was doing okay in that containment facility. I'd have to wait for Ramirez to arrive at 10 AM to discuss his release.
But the quest had a 10-hour time limit, and the marker wasn't far. I could check it out, be back before Ramirez arrived, and no one would be the wiser.
Decision made, I grabbed my keycard and headed down to the lobby. The security desk was staffed by a different guard than yesterday—a woman with close-cropped blonde hair and the watchful eyes of someone who rarely missed details.
"Ethan Parker, room 412," I said, approaching the desk. "I'd like to go for a walk, maybe find a coffee shop. Get my bearings."
She tapped something into her computer. "Ah, Mr. Parker. Gate victim, under observation." Her tone was professional, neither sympathetic nor suspicious. "You're cleared for monitored excursions. Please keep your phone on you at all times. The tracking function cannot be disabled."
Tracking. Of course they were tracking me.
"I understand," I said, trying to look appropriately compliant. "How far am I allowed to go?"
"Five-block radius from the tower," she replied, handing me a small map with a circle drawn on it. "Stay within this area. If you need to go further, call the number on the back of your ID card for authorization."
I nodded, tucking the map into my pocket. "Thanks. I'll be back within a couple of hours."
Outside, the morning air was crisp, the streets beginning to fill with commuters. Toronto in this world functioned much like Toronto in mine, but with visible differences—hardened security checkpoints at major intersections, occasional hunter patrols, and public shelter markers indicating where civilians should go in case of a gate emergency.
I followed the System's marker, which led me toward a quieter area of the neighborhood. As I walked, I kept testing the boundaries of my System interface, bringing up my status and trying various mental commands.
[Player: Ethan Parker]
[Level: 1]
[Class: Unassigned]
[Health: 100/100]
[Mana: 120/120]
[EXP: 10/100]
[Strength: 10]
[Endurance: 10]
[Agility: 10]
[Intelligence: 15]
[Sense: 12]
[Skills: Familiar Communication (Basic)]
[Titles: None]
[Quests: 1 Active]
The newly acquired "Familiar Communication" skill was listed, with a brief description when I focused on it:
[Familiar Communication (Basic): Allows telepathic communication with bonded familiar within 500 meters when conscious. Range and functionality increase with skill level.]
So that explained why I couldn't reach Loki from the apartment—he was beyond the 500-meter range. The skill description also hinted at upgrades, which was promising.
The map marker led me to what looked like an abandoned storefront with papered-over windows. A small sign in the door simply read "Closed for Renovation." There was nothing to indicate this was anything special, let alone a "training dungeon," but the marker pulsed directly over this location.
I checked my surroundings. The street was relatively empty, just a few people hurrying past on their way to work. No one was paying attention to the nondescript building or to me.
Cautiously, I approached the door. As soon as I touched the handle, a new notification appeared:
[Training Dungeon Detected]
[Difficulty: D-Rank]
[Recommended Level: 1-5]
[Enter Dungeon?] [Y/N]
This was it.
I took a deep breath and selected [Y].
The world around me warped, reality seeming to bend and twist like fabric being wrung out.
My stomach lurched, a sensation similar to the void gate that had brought me here but less intense. The street, the buildings, the few pedestrians—everything vanished, replaced by a dimly lit stone corridor.
I blinked, adjusting to the sudden change in lighting. The corridor extended about twenty feet ahead before opening into a larger area. The walls were rough-hewn stone, like an ancient dungeon from a fantasy game, complete with mounted torches providing flickering illumination.
[Training Dungeon: Basic Combat]
[Objective: Reach the end of the dungeon]
[Secondary Objective: Defeat the dungeon boss]
[Warning: Real damage can be sustained in training dungeons]
"Real damage, huh?" I muttered, cautiously moving forward. "Good to know this isn't just a simulation."
As I approached the end of the corridor, the System provided another notification:
[First Training Stage: Weapon Selection]
[Please choose a starting weapon for combat training]
The corridor opened into a circular room with weapons displayed on the walls—swords of various sizes, spears, axes, bows, and even what looked like wands and staves. Each weapon glowed faintly with a blue light.
I approached the display, studying my options. In the manhwa, Jinwoo had eventually become primarily a dagger user, though he could wield pretty much anything.
My eyes were drawn to a longsword with a simple design—straight blade, crossguard, and a grip long enough to use one or two-handed.
I reached for it, and as my fingers closed around the hilt, another notification appeared:
[Weapon Selected: Standard Longsword]
[Weapon Stats: Attack +5, Durability 50/50]
[Weapon automatically added to inventory]
The sword vanished from the wall, and I felt a strange weight at my hip. Looking down, I saw the sword had materialized in a scabbard attached to a belt I hadn't been wearing before. The System had literally equipped me.
"Convenient," I said, drawing the sword experimentally. It felt balanced and surprisingly natural in my hand, despite having zero sword training in my life.
As soon as I'd drawn the weapon, a door on the far side of the room slid open, revealing a new passage.
The next corridor was wider and longer than the first, with several alcoves along the sides. I moved cautiously, sword at the ready, every sense alert for danger.
I didn't have to wait long.
From one of the alcoves, a figure lurched forward—humanoid but clearly not human. It resembled a training dummy come to life, with a featureless face and body made of what looked like stitched burlap and straw. In its hand was a crude wooden sword.
[Training Enemy: Straw Soldier]
[Level: 1]
[Health: 50/50]
The dummy lunged at me with surprising speed, its wooden sword swinging in a clumsy but forceful arc. Instinct took over, and I sidestepped, bringing my sword up to block the follow-through of its swing.
The impact jarred my arm, but I held firm. The dummy staggered slightly off-balance, and I saw my opening. I slashed across its midsection, the blade cutting through the burlap with satisfying resistance.
[Critical Hit!]
[Damage Dealt: 15]
[Enemy Health: 35/50]
Critical hit? I hadn't done anything special, just a basic slash. Were critical hits random in this system, or had I unknowingly hit a weak point?
No time to analyze. The straw soldier recovered quickly, renewing its attack with a series of quick jabs. I backpedaled, parrying as best I could. One thrust slipped past my guard, the wooden sword catching me painfully in the ribs.
[Damage Received: 5]
[Your Health: 95/100]
The pain was real—not debilitating but definitely not simulated. I sidestepped another attack and countered with a diagonal slash from shoulder to hip.
[Damage Dealt: 12]
[Enemy Health: 23/50]
We exchanged a few more blows, my technique improving with each exchange as if my body was remembering skills it had never actually learned. Finally, I feinted left and drove my sword directly into the dummy's chest.
[Fatal Hit!]
[Damage Dealt: 25]
[Enemy Defeated]
[EXP Gained: 5]
The straw soldier collapsed, its burlap body unraveling into ordinary straw that dispersed into motes of light. The wooden sword clattered to the ground before dissolving as well.
"Not bad for my first monster kill," I said, catching my breath. "If you can call a walking scarecrow a monster."
Moving forward, I encountered two more straw soldiers in quick succession. Each battle went more smoothly than the last, my movements becoming more confident as I adjusted to the weight and reach of the sword. By the third dummy, I was actually anticipating its moves, countering with well-timed ripostes that the System rewarded with critical hit notifications.
After defeating the third dummy, I checked my status:
[EXP: 25/100]
[Level Progress: 25%]
[Health: 85/100]
I was a quarter of the way to level 2 already. At this rate, I might level up before completing the dungeon. The prospect was exciting—what skills would become available? What stats would I be able to improve?
The corridor eventually opened into another large chamber, this one arranged like an obstacle course. Swinging pendulums, narrow walkways over pit traps, and what looked like pressure plates on the floor.
[Second Training Stage: Agility and Perception]
[Objective: Cross the chamber without sustaining damage]
[Hint: Observe before acting]
This was different from the combat test. Here, rushing in would clearly be a mistake. I took the hint and spent a few minutes studying the patterns of the traps—the timing of the pendulums, the subtle differences in the flooring that indicated pressure plates.
When I felt confident, I began my approach. The first obstacle was simple enough—timing my run between two swinging pendulum blades. I counted their rhythm, then dashed through during the safe interval.
Next came the pressure plates. Some were obvious, with slightly different coloring, but others were nearly indistinguishable from the regular floor. I tested one with the tip of my sword, jumping back as a dart shot from the wall.
[Trap Detected]
[Perception Check Successful]
[Sense Skill Progress: 1%]
Interesting. The System was tracking my skill use even without formal skills being unlocked. I carefully picked my way across the chamber, using my sword to test suspicious areas and timing my movements between mechanical traps.
One misstep sent me scrambling to avoid a triggered trap, the edge of a pendulum catching my shoulder.
[Damage Received: 8]
[Your Health: 77/100]
I hissed in pain but kept moving. By the time I reached the far side of the chamber, I'd triggered two more minor traps, costing me another 12 health points, but I'd made it through without any serious injury.
[Stage Complete]
[Performance Rating: B]
[Reward: Minor Healing Potion]
A small vial containing blue liquid materialized on a pedestal near the exit. I picked it up, examining it curiously.
[Minor Healing Potion]
[Restores 25 HP when consumed]
[Automatically added to inventory]
The potion disappeared from my hand, and a small notification showed it was now in my inventory. I mentally commanded the inventory to open, and a grid-like interface appeared in my vision, showing the potion as my only item besides the equipped sword.
"Might as well use it now," I decided, mentally selecting the potion. It reappeared in my hand, and I uncorked it, downing the contents in one swallow.
The liquid tasted pleasantly like mint and honey, a cool sensation spreading through my body from my core outward. The various scrapes and bruises I'd accumulated began to fade.
[Health Restored: 25]
[Current Health: 90/100]
Better. Not perfect, but I was in good shape for whatever came next.
The third chamber contained a series of puzzle-like challenges—rune sequences that needed to be arranged correctly, a weight-balance system that required distributing metal spheres in the right combination, and a mirror array that needed alignment to direct a beam of light to a target.
[Third Training Stage: Intelligence and Problem-Solving]
[Objective: Solve all puzzles to proceed]
[Hint: The solution changes with each attempt]
These were right up my alley. While I'd never considered myself a genius, I'd always excelled at logical puzzles and pattern recognition. The rune sequence was first—I quickly identified it as a simple substitution cipher once I spotted the repeating patterns. The weight balance was basic algebra disguised as a physical puzzle.
The mirror array gave me the most trouble, requiring precise adjustments and spatial reasoning. After several attempts, I finally aligned the mirrors correctly, sending the light beam to its target.
[Stage Complete]
[Performance Rating: A+]
[Reward: Skill Book (Basic)]
A glowing tome appeared on a pedestal, its cover emblazoned with a simple sword symbol.
[Skill Book: Basic Swordsmanship]
[Learn basic sword techniques and stances]
[Would you like to learn this skill?] [Y/N]
I selected [Y] without hesitation. The book floated up from the pedestal, hovering before me. Its pages began to flip rapidly, emitting a golden light that washed over me. Then the book itself dissolved into particles of light that sank into my skin.
Knowledge flooded my mind—proper grips, stances, strike angles, defensive positions, footwork patterns. It wasn't just information; it was muscle memory, as if I'd practiced these techniques for years.
[Skill Acquired: Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1)]
[Increases attack accuracy and damage with sword-type weapons by 10%]
[Skill can be upgraded through use and training]
I swung my sword experimentally, immediately noticing the difference. My movements were more precise, more efficient, with less wasted energy. I genuinely knew how to use a sword now. Fucking awesome.
The final doorway slid open, revealing a short corridor that led to what was clearly the final chamber.
Unlike the utilitarian design of the previous rooms, this one had ornate carvings on the archway depicting warriors in battle.
"The boss room," I murmured, taking a moment to mentally prepare myself. I rolled my shoulders, adjusted my grip on the sword, and stepped through the archway.
The chamber beyond was circular and much larger than the previous ones, with a domed ceiling from which hung a massive crystal chandelier. The floor was polished marble, and at the center stood a single figure—a fully armored knight, at least seven feet tall, with a greataxe clutched in gauntleted hands.
[Training Boss: Stone Guardian]
[Level: 5]
[Health: 200/200]
[Warning: This enemy is significantly stronger than previous encounters]
"No kidding," I muttered, eyeing the imposing figure warily. This was going to be a very different fight from the straw soldiers.
As if sensing my thoughts, the guardian's helmet turned toward me with a grinding sound of stone on stone. Eyes glowed with blue fire inside the visor, and it raised its axe in a formal salute.
Then it charged.
The guardian was surprisingly fast for something made of stone, closing the distance between us in seconds. Its axe swept down in an overhead strike that would have cleaved me in half if I hadn't leapt aside.
The axe hit the marble floor with a thunderous crack, fragments of stone exploding outward. I used the opening to deliver a quick slash to its exposed side, but my sword barely scratched its stone armor.
[Damage Dealt: 3]
[Enemy Health: 197/200]
I grunted, dodging another sweeping attack. This wasn't going to work. Brute force against stone was a losing proposition.
I needed strategy. The guardian was strong and surprisingly fast, but its movements were predictable—programmed attack patterns rather than adaptive combat intelligence.
After dodging a few more attacks, I began to see the pattern: overhead strike, horizontal sweep, forward thrust, repeat.
Once I recognized the sequence, I could anticipate its moves. I dodged the overhead strike, sidestepped the sweep, and when the thrust came, I parried the axe shaft aside and delivered a precision strike to the joint at its elbow.
[Critical Hit!]
[Damage Dealt: 15]
[Enemy Health: 182/200]
[Weakness discovered: Joint connections]
There it was. The joints were vulnerable. I adjusted my strategy, focusing exclusively on attacking the connections between armor plates—elbows, knees, neck, the gaps at the waist.
The guardian adjusted too, becoming more defensive, but I pressed my advantage. I feinted an attack at its knee, then changed direction mid-swing to strike at its neck joint when it moved to protect its lower body.
[Critical Hit!]
[Damage Dealt: 18]
[Enemy Health: 164/200]
We fell into a deadly dance across the marble floor—me darting in to deliver precision strikes at vulnerable points, the guardian attempting to crush me with its tremendous strength.
Several times, I wasn't quick enough to dodge completely, the edge of its axe or a stone fist catching me glancing blows.
[Damage Received: 10]
[Your Health: 80/100]
The fight dragged on, both of us wearing each other down. My arms burned with fatigue, my breath coming in ragged gasps, but the guardian was showing damage too—cracks spreading across its stone surface, movements becoming stiffer.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I saw my opening. The guardian raised its axe for another overhead strike, but the movement was slower than before. I dashed forward instead of away, sliding beneath the descending axe and driving my sword upward into the gap beneath its helmet with all my remaining strength.
[Fatal Hit!]
[Critical Damage: 35]
[Enemy Health: 0/200]
[Boss Defeated!]
[EXP Gained: 75]
The guardian froze mid-attack, blue fire flickering in its helmet. Then, with a sound like sighing wind, the flame extinguished. The stone body crumbled, pieces falling away until nothing remained but a pile of rubble.
I collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath, sword point resting on the ground for support. My entire body ached, several cuts and bruises making themselves painfully known now that the adrenaline was fading.
[Dungeon Clear!]
[Rating: A]
[Total EXP Gained: 100]
[Quest Complete: Training Begins]
[Rewards: 20 EXP, Combat Basics skill unlocked]
[Level Up!]
[You are now Level 2]
[All stats increased by 1]
[5 Stat Points available for distribution]
[New Skills Available for Selection]
The experience from completing the dungeon and defeating the boss, combined with the quest reward, had pushed me over the threshold to Level 2. Excitement momentarily overcame my exhaustion. My first level up!
[Player: Ethan Parker]
[Level: 2]
[Class: Unassigned]
[Health: 80/110] (Base increased from 100 to 110)
[Mana: 130/130] (Base increased from 120 to 130)
[Strength: 11]
[Endurance: 11]
[Agility: 11]
[Intelligence: 16]
[Sense: 13]
[Available Points: 5]
I had five points to allocate however I wanted. I decided on a balanced approach for now:
[Allocate 1 point to Strength]
[Allocate 1 point to Endurance]
[Allocate 1 point to Agility]
[Allocate 1 point to Intelligence]
[Allocate 1 point to Sense]
The System confirmed my choices, updating my status:
[Strength: 12]
[Endurance: 12]
[Agility: 12]
[Intelligence: 17]
[Sense: 14]
[Available Points: 0]
Next came skill selection. A list appeared in my vision:
[Available Basic Skills (Select One):
- Mana Manipulation (Channel mana for enhanced effects)
- Detect Life (Sense living beings within a limited radius)
- Light Step (Reduce movement noise and improve balance)
- Combat Analysis (Identify enemy patterns and weaknesses faster)
- Energy Burst (Channel energy for a single enhanced physical action)]
All of them sounded useful, but Combat Analysis stood out. It would complement my fighting style, which relied on precision and targeting weaknesses rather than raw power.
I selected it, and a brief rush of knowledge filled my mind, similar to but less intense than the skill book experience.
[Skill Acquired: Combat Analysis (Lv.1)]
[Increases ability to detect enemy patterns and weaknesses by 15%]
[Provides limited information about enemy statistics]
[Skill can be upgraded through use and training]
Between this and the Basic Swordsmanship skill, I was already substantially more capable in combat than I had been just an hour ago. The System also added the promised quest reward:
[Skill Acquired: Combat Basics (Lv.1)]
[Provides foundational knowledge of combat stances, movements, and timing]
[Increases overall combat effectiveness by 5%]
[Skill can be upgraded through use and training]
As I mentally reviewed my new capabilities, a final notification appeared:
[Training Dungeon Complete]
[Returning to entry point in 10 seconds]
[All non-consumable items acquired in dungeon will be returned to System inventory]
[10... 9... 8...]
I sheathed my sword, knowing I'd lose it upon exit but hoping I'd have opportunities to acquire permanent weapons soon.
The countdown reached zero, and the same warping sensation enveloped me. The dungeon faded away, reality bending and twisting until I found myself standing outside the abandoned storefront once more.
The morning sun was brighter now, the street busier with pedestrians. According to my phone, I'd been "inside" for nearly two hours, though it had felt like much longer. The sword was gone, as promised, but my level, stats, and skills remained.
More importantly, I felt different. Stronger, more confident, more... connected to this world somehow. The experience had been both exhilarating and sobering.
But I was still injured. My health was at 80/110, and the cuts and bruises from the dungeon had manifested in the real world as actual injuries. Nothing serious—I wouldn't need medical attention—but noticeable enough that I'd need to explain them if asked.
I checked the time again: 9:45 AM. Ramirez would be arriving at my apartment in fifteen minutes. I needed to get back quickly.
As I hurried toward the tower, I couldn't help but smile despite my aches and pains. My first quest was complete. I was level 2. I had actual combat skills.
This was just the beginning, but it was a good start. And soon, I'd have Loki back, and we could begin planning our next moves in earnest.
A notification blinked in my vision as I approached the tower:
[Daily Quest Complete: Training Begins]
[Total EXP Gained: 120]
[Current Level: 2 (0/200 EXP to next level)]
[Congratulations on your first level up! ^-^ ]
There it was again—that little emoji. My System definitely had a personality, or at least a quirk, that I hadn't seen in the manhwa version.
For some reason, that small detail was oddly comforting. Maybe I wasn't just following Jinwoo's path after all. Maybe this was truly my own journey.
With that thought warming me more than it probably should have, I nodded to the security guard as I re-entered the building, heading up to prepare for Ramirez's visit and the next step in establishing my new life in this world.
"Level 2," I murmured as the elevator doors closed. "Watch out, gates. Ethan Parker is officially a player in the game."