The morning air felt fresh as Raden Dharma stepped out of the hospital's main entrance. His hair was a bit messy, his face pale but filled with determination. Though his body hadn't fully recovered, his steps were steady. He wore a thin jacket that the hospital had returned to him in a small plastic bag, along with his worn-out shoes and patched-up pants.
Jakarta was still as busy as ever, as if it never cared about the tragedies that happened inside the gates. Traffic was heavy, horns honked in chorus, and pedestrians rushed past with busy faces. The world kept turning—even if an entire hunting party had vanished without a trace.
Raden stood in front of the hospital for a moment, looking up at the brightening sky. Behind his vacant gaze, his mind was already miles ahead of his body.
> [Daily Mission: Defeat 10 monsters]
Reward: Will be granted upon completion
Failure: -5 random stat points
That system screen appeared again this morning, as if to remind him that time moves forward—and missions don't wait forever.
Raden didn't know exactly where to go, but he knew where to find monsters. There were always public gates open for beginner hunters, usually managed by the government or hunter associations. All he had to do was sneak in—or convince someone to let him try.
After walking for nearly an hour, he arrived at a public terminal that was often used as a gathering point for porters and low-ranked hunters. From there, public gates could be accessed via shuttle provided by the association. No one paid attention to his arrival. He was just another unfamiliar face among the crowd trying to earn a living in this harsh world.
Raden sat on one of the long wooden benches near the shuttle stop. Around him, a few young porters were joking around while eating fried snacks, while hunters in special vests spoke seriously in another corner. He lowered his head, hiding his face. He knew some people might recognize him from the news—as the lone survivor of a dungeon break.
"Hey, you!" a voice called from the guard post. An older man in a gate officer uniform waved him over. "You wanna take the shuttle to a gate? Show me your hunter card first!"
Raden slowly stood and walked closer. He knew this might be a problem.
"I… don't have a hunter card yet," he said hesitantly.
The guard raised an eyebrow. "You a porter?"
"Yes, I used to just carry gear… but now I want to try hunting."
The guard stared at his face for a moment, then his eyes widened slightly. "Wait… you're that kid from the news, aren't you? The one who survived the dungeon break alone?"
Raden nodded slightly.
"Damn… A kid like you got out of a dungeon that wiped out a whole squad?" he muttered, shaking his head. "Alright, I'll let you in—but only to a Rank E public gate. And don't cause trouble."
Raden bowed respectfully. "Thank you, sir."
A small gray shuttle took them about fifteen minutes southward, to a small complex with block-shaped concrete buildings. At the center stood a blue gate with a surface like calm water. A few guards stood nearby, but the place was relatively quiet.
After getting permission, Raden stepped toward the gate. His breath trembled slightly. His heart pounded hard. He had entered gates before—but always with a team. This time, he was alone.
"Going in solo? Not scared, kid?" one of the officers asked, half-joking.
"Yes, sir," Raden replied with a faint smile.
The moment he touched the surface of the gate, the world around him changed. The surroundings grew dark and damp. The air smelled of wet soil, and faint rustling sounds came from the bushes. He was in a small forest—typical terrain inside public gates. In the distance, moss-covered stone ruins stood silent.
He silently activated his system.
> [Player Status: Raden Dharma]
Level: 5
EXP: 60/200
STR: 17
VIT: 14
AGI: 13
INT: 10
WIS: 11
Unspent Points: 0
No time to waste. Footsteps rustled from the bushes. He crouched down quickly, grabbing a small rock and holding it like a weapon. A goblin emerged, wielding a dull dagger and reeking of rot.
Raden sprang from the bushes, smashing the goblin's head with the rock. It staggered, and he followed up with a kick to its gut. As it fell, he stomped on its head without hesitation until it stopped moving.
> [+50 EXP]
[Drop Item: Goblin Coin x1, Dull Dagger]
[EXP: 110/200]
He picked up the dull dagger—still usable—and pocketed the coin. Goblin coins, while ordinary, could be sold to the association for cash. He moved cautiously through the ruins. Two more goblins appeared from behind a mossy stone wall.
This fight was tougher. He blocked the first strike and stabbed the first goblin in the chest with the dagger he'd taken. The second slashed his arm, but Raden managed to stab it in the neck from the side.
> [+50 EXP] x2
[Level Up!]
[Level: 6]
[EXP: 10/250]
[+5 Stat Points]
[Drop Item: Goblin Coin x2, Torn Leather Gloves]
Panting, Raden's eyes shone with excitement. This… this felt right. He had fought—and won. He put on the torn gloves. A little protection was better than none.
He allocated 3 points to Strength and 2 to Agility. His body felt a bit lighter and stronger.
He continued through the path between small trees and scattered stones. This time he moved more carefully, using bushes for cover. One by one, he encountered and defeated goblins with simple yet effective methods. Some he knocked out with thrown rocks, others he tricked into traps using tree branches.
> [+50 EXP] x3
[EXP: 160/250]
[Drop Item: Goblin Coin x3, Dirty Headband, Low-Grade Crystal Shard]
The crystal caught his attention. These were often used in magic tools or energy purification devices. Small, but valuable.
One final goblin appeared as he approached the edge of the ruins. This one was slightly larger—likely the group's minor leader. It attacked with more force, and Raden had to dodge several times before he could thrust his dagger into its lower jaw.
> [+50 EXP]
[Level: 6]
[EXP: 210/250]
[Drop Item: Goblin Coin x1, Goblin Bone Necklace]
> [Daily Mission Complete!]
[Reward: 1x Daily Reward Chest (Can be opened outside the gate)]
Raden smiled with satisfaction. His hands were bleeding, breath heavy, but deep inside, he felt a fulfillment he hadn't known in a long time.
He walked back toward the entry path. The glow of the exit portal shimmered like swirling water. He stepped through it.
Back outside, the gate officers looked at him with surprise. His ragged clothes were soaked in monster blood—but his eyes no longer looked hollow. He handed over the drop items to the results officer and received a participation token.
"First time entering solo?" the officer asked.
Raden nodded.
"You're not just an ordinary hunter, huh?"
"Something like that," he replied, then turned and walked away—carrying with him the faintly glowing daily reward chest, visible only to his system.