Raden stood frozen. The sound of wind rustling through the trees disappeared, as if time itself held its breath alongside him.
Three icons floated in the transparent screen before him, slowly rotating as if beckoning him to choose:
Warrior: The path of brute strength. Massive weapons, high defense, unmatched endurance on the front lines.
Ranger: Master of distance. Deadly precision with arrows and traps, swift and unbound.
Voidblade: A foreign class, unknown to him. The icon showed a hooded silhouette wielding two black daggers that floated at his sides. No description. Only a name... and a strange tug in his chest.
Raden furrowed his brow. "Voidblade..." he whispered.
He reached out to touch the icon, and instantly, the world around him vanished. In the blink of an eye, he stood in a pitch-black space with no walls, no floor, no sky. Only himself... and a voice.
> [Voidblade is a unique class. Created solely for one individual within the system.] [A balance of shadow and blade. Utilizing cunning and agility, it strikes from angles unreachable by ordinary fighters.] [Warning: This path will not be easy.]
Raden clenched his fists. A faint image of the Ebon Dagger appeared at his side. As "Voidblade" was mentioned, the dagger vibrated—as if returning to its birthplace.
"If this path is meant only for me..." he whispered. "Then I will walk it."
He selected the Voidblade icon.
A blinding light flashed before his eyes. When he came to, he was still in the forest—but his body felt different. Not larger. Not heavier. But lighter. Quieter. His breath blended with the shadows.
> [You have chosen the class: Voidblade] [Unlocked Active Skills: Shadow Step, Void Slash] [Passive Skill Activated: Hidden Presence – Drastically reduces monster aggro and enemy detection.] [Preferred Weapons: Daggers, light swords, dual weapons.] [Initial Bonus: +2 AGI, +2 INT]
Raden's status had changed:
Name: Raden Dharma
Level: 20
Class: Voidblade
EXP: 0/950
Stat Points: 2
Attributes: STR 21 / AGI 22 / VIT 16 / INT 9 / LUK 3
Weapon: Ebon Dagger
Active Skills: Shadow Step, Void Slash
Passive Skill: Hidden Presence
He shifted slightly as he activated Shadow Step. Instantly, his shadow elongated, and his body slid sideways with speed beyond normal sight.
"Fast... but silent," he gasped.
He tested Void Slash on a large tree nearby. As he swung the dagger, a black shadow erupted from the blade, slicing halfway through the tree trunk.
The effect wasn't just physical. There was an energy—perhaps magic, or something darker.
For the next several minutes, he adjusted to his new skills. His movements became smoother. He could sneak, kill, and vanish before other monsters could react.
He resumed hunting. One mutant after another fell in silence.
> [EXP +120]
[EXP +90]
[EXP +110]
His level rose steadily, but one thing was clear: his kill efficiency had doubled.
He completed that day's daily mission without a single injury.
> [Daily Mission Complete - Defeat 15 Monsters]
Reward: +150 EXP, 1x Healing Potion, 1x Low-Grade Energy Stone
His thoughts returned to one thing:
"If this class is only accessible to me... then sooner or later, someone will notice."
He stored the energy stone and exited the gate as usual.
Outside, the atmosphere had shifted.
A man in a black cloak, bearing the emblem of the government organization on his shoulder, watched Raden from a distance. He didn't approach, didn't speak. He simply observed.
The next day
Raden returned to his lodging and found a message from the shop owner where he usually bought food.
> "Someone was looking for you. Wore a suit. Didn't say his name."
Raden wasn't surprised. He knew it had to be someone from the government.
"Looks like I've drawn too much attention. They're starting to suspect me."
From that point on, he became more cautious.
He chose gates randomly. Changed his entry and exit times. Sometimes staying only an hour, other times three. All to make his movements harder to track.
But the EXP kept flowing.
> [Level Up - Level 21]
[Level Up - Level 22]
[Level Up - Level 23]
At this rate, he estimated reaching level 30 in just a few days.
Yet something gnawed at him.
"Is this class really only mine...? Not a single mention of it on any hunter forums. It's as if it never existed."
Is the system... hiding something?
Day 7
Raden entered a rarely used gate on the city's western edge. Said to be deserted and rocky, it was exactly the kind of place he preferred.
Inside, he explored narrow crevices and found a small cave. There... a massive Mutant Goblin sat, as if waiting for its prey.
Its body was as tall as an adult human, with two black horns and glowing red eyes.
The battle was fierce. But Raden was no longer the same.
He activated Shadow Step, appeared beside the monster, and slashed its neck with Void Slash. The creature thrashed, but its movements were slower than expected.
Minutes later...
> [EXP +300]
[Item Acquired: Mutant Horn, Medium-Grade Energy Stone]
[Level Up - Level 24]
After the fight, Raden leaned against the cave wall. His breathing was heavy, but his eyes were calm.
He opened the system screen and smiled.
"Now, I'm far stronger than before. The world may judge me by my beginning... but I will write the ending myself."
[System Panel]
Name: Raden Dharma
Level: 24
EXP: 130/1000
Stat Points: 4
Class: Voidblade
Weapon: Ebon Dagger
Active Skills: Shadow Step, Void Slash
Passive Skill: Hidden Presence
Attributes: STR 24 / AGI 25 / VIT 18 / INT 11 / LUK 3
New Items: Mutant Horn, Medium-Grade Energy Stone