Kazuki woke to sunlight streaming through his apartment window and every muscle in his body screaming in protest. He tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. His abs felt like they had been replaced with concrete, and his legs refused to cooperate.
"Note to self," he groaned, finally managing to roll out of bed. "Invest in a foam roller."
[GOOD MORNING, PLAYER KAZUKI]
[DAILY QUEST ACTIVE: 0% COMPLETE]
[TIME REMAINING: 23 HOURS, 47 MINUTES]
The System's cheerful greeting did nothing to improve his mood. Kazuki limped to the bathroom and examined himself in the mirror. Despite the soreness, he had to admit he looked better. His face seemed less gaunt, and there was a hint of definition in his arms that hadn't been there yesterday.
Two days with the System, and he was already seeing physical changes.
After a cold shower that did little to ease his muscle pain, Kazuki checked his phone. Three missed calls from his mother and a text message.
"Your father and I heard you left your guild. Are you okay? Please call us back."
Kazuki sighed. His parents had never approved of him becoming a Hunter. They would probably be relieved to hear he had quit the Iron Fang Guild, assuming he was finally giving up on his "foolish dream" as his father called it.
But he wasn't giving up. He was just getting started.
He sent a quick text back: "I'm fine. Just changing directions. Will call soon."
His stomach growled, reminding him that two cups of instant ramen weren't enough to fuel a body that was leveling up. Kazuki opened his nearly empty refrigerator and found one egg, half a carton of milk that might be expired, and some wilted vegetables.
"I really need to clear another dungeon," he muttered.
[RECOMMENDATION: VISIT THE HUNTER ASSOCIATION PUBLIC BOARD. INDEPENDENT HUNTERS CAN ACCESS E-RANK AND D-RANK GATES WITHOUT GUILD AFFILIATION.]
"The public board?" Kazuki had heard of it but never bothered to check. Guild members got first pick of the good dungeons, and by the time anything made it to the public board, it was usually the leftover scraps nobody wanted.
But beggars couldn't be choosers.
[ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION: COMPLETE MORNING EXERCISES FIRST. DELAYING DAILY QUEST COMPLETION INCREASES RISK OF FAILURE.]
"Right, right. Push-ups first, food later." Kazuki drank the possibly-expired milk it tasted fine and headed to the rooftop.
The morning air was crisp and cool. A few other residents were already up, hanging laundry or tending to small rooftop gardens. They gave Kazuki odd looks as he dropped to the ground and started his push-ups.
Thanks to the Physical Endurance skill, the exercises felt slightly easier than yesterday. He still struggled with the last twenty push-ups, but he powered through without collapsing. The sit-ups and squats followed, each one burning but manageable.
[PUSH-UPS: 100/100] ✓
[SIT-UPS: 100/100] ✓
[SQUATS: 100/100] ✓
[RUNNING: 0/10 KILOMETERS]
Two hours later, Kazuki finished his ten-kilometer run. He was still sore and exhausted, but not as completely destroyed as he had been last night. Progress.
[DAILY QUEST COMPLETE!]
[+50 EXP]
[+1 TO ALL STATS]
[CURRENT LEVEL: 4]
[EXP: 300/400]
Just one hundred more experience points until he reached level five. Kazuki wondered what would happen when he leveled up again. More stat points to distribute? New skills? Maybe a class selection?
After a quick breakfast of his last egg scrambled with the wilted vegetables, Kazuki changed into clean clothes and headed for the Hunter Association building. The morning rush had begun, and the lobby was packed with Hunters of all ranks preparing for dungeon raids.
The public board was located on the second floor, a massive digital display covering an entire wall. Dozens of available Gates were listed with their rank, location, estimated monster count, and time remaining before closure. Most were E-rank, with a few D-ranks scattered throughout.
Kazuki scanned the listings, looking for something manageable. His eyes stopped on one entry that made his heart skip a beat.
[D-RANK GATE - SHIBUYA DISTRICT]
[MONSTER TYPE: UNKNOWN]
[ESTIMATED COUNT: 15-20]
[TIME UNTIL CLOSURE: 8 HOURS]
[STATUS: UNCLAIMED]
A D-rank dungeon. One full rank above what he had cleared yesterday. It would be dangerous, possibly fatal. But the rewards would be much better than E-rank stones.
"Thinking of taking that one?"
Kazuki turned to find a young woman standing beside him, also studying the board. She was around his age, maybe a year or two younger, with short auburn hair and sharp green eyes. Her Hunter gear was well-maintained but not expensive probably a C-rank or D-rank independent Hunter.
"Maybe," Kazuki said cautiously. "You?"
"I was considering it, but D-rank solo is risky." She extended her hand. "Tanaka Rika. C-rank Hunter, independent."
"Hayato Kazuki. E-rank, also independent." He shook her hand, surprised by her firm grip.
Rika's eyebrows rose. "E-rank? No offense, but you're looking at a D-rank Gate. That's suicide for someone your level."
"I cleared an E-rank dungeon solo yesterday," Kazuki said. "I think I can handle a D-rank."
"You cleared one yesterday?" Rika looked skeptical. "Which one?"
"The factory district Gate. Twenty-one goblins including a two-meter boss."
Rika pulled out her phone and checked something. "Huh. That Gate is listed as closed. Unverified clear, though. That was you?"
"That was me."
She studied him for a long moment, her green eyes sharp and assessing. Finally, she seemed to come to a decision. "How about a temporary partnership? We split the loot fifty-fifty, watch each other's backs. Two Hunters are better than one."
Kazuki hesitated. He had been alone for less than a day, and someone was already offering to team up with him? It seemed too convenient.
[ANALYSIS: TANAKA RIKA - LEVEL 8 HUNTER]
[THREAT LEVEL: LOW]
[COMBAT STYLE: SPEED-BASED MELEE]
[ASSESSMENT: POTENTIAL ALLY]
The System's Observe skill activated automatically, displaying information about Rika. Level eight was significantly higher than his level four. She could probably clear a D-rank dungeon by herself if she wanted to.
So why was she offering to partner with an E-rank?
"Why do you want to team up with me?" Kazuki asked bluntly. "You're C-rank. You don't need my help."
Rika smiled, and there was something sad in her expression. "Honestly? Because I know what it's like to be an independent Hunter that nobody wants to work with. When I first started, I was weak too. Other Hunters treated me like garbage. Someone gave me a chance when I needed it most, and I've been trying to pay it forward ever since."
Her words resonated with Kazuki. He understood that feeling all too well.
"Plus," Rika continued, "you cleared a goblin dungeon solo as an E-rank. That takes either incredible skill or incredible luck. Either way, I'd rather have you watching my back than going in alone."
Kazuki made his decision. "Alright. Fifty-fifty split, temporary partnership for this one dungeon."
"Deal." Rika pulled up the Gate information on her phone. "The Shibuya D-rank opened yesterday afternoon. Hunter Association scouts reported hearing wolf howls from inside. Probably a pack of Dire Wolves, which means they'll hunt in groups. We'll need to be smart about this."
"Dire Wolves?" Kazuki had heard of them but never fought one. They were larger and more intelligent than regular wolves, with some possessing minor magic abilities.
"You've never fought Dire Wolves before, have you?" Rika asked, reading his expression.
"No," Kazuki admitted.
"They're fast and they work together like a real wolf pack. The alpha will hang back while the others test us, looking for weaknesses. If we can take out the alpha early, the rest will be easier to handle." Rika started walking toward the exit. "Come on. We should gear up and head out. The Gate closes in eight hours, and we'll want plenty of time."
Kazuki followed her out of the Hunter Association building. "I need to make a quick stop at a gear shop. My dagger barely survived yesterday."
"There's a good discount shop near Shibuya station. We can stop there on the way."
The gear shop was tucked into a side street, easy to miss if you didn't know where to look. The owner, an elderly man with graying hair, looked up from his newspaper as they entered.
"Morning, Rika-chan," he said warmly. "Back so soon?"
"Morning, Tanaka-san. My friend needs a weapon upgrade." Rika gestured to Kazuki.
"Friend?" The old man squinted at Kazuki. "What happened to your last dagger, young man?"
"Twenty-one goblins," Kazuki said simply.
Tanaka-san whistled low. "Well, you'll need something sturdier than a standard iron blade. Come, let me show you what I have."
The back of the shop was lined with weapons of all types. Swords, spears, axes, bows, and dozens of daggers. Kazuki's eyes were drawn to a pair of matching daggers with black hilts and slightly curved blades.
"Good eye," Tanaka-san said, pulling them down. "Steel alloy with minor durability enchantment. They won't break against D-rank monsters. Twenty thousand yen for the pair."
Kazuki's heart sank. He had maybe fifteen thousand yen in his account, and he needed that for rent.
"I'll cover it," Rika said, pulling out her card. "Consider it an investment in our partnership."
"I can't ask you to..."
"You're not asking. I'm offering." Rika smiled. "Besides, I've seen too many Hunters die because they went into dungeons with cheap gear. If we're doing this together, I want us both properly equipped."
The gesture reminded Kazuki of why he had agreed to this partnership. Rika understood what it was like to struggle, to be looked down on. She was offering him a chance, just like someone had once offered her.
"Thank you," Kazuki said sincerely. "I'll pay you back from my share of the loot."
"Deal." Rika completed the purchase, and Kazuki strapped the twin daggers to his belt. They felt perfectly balanced, and the hilts fit his hands like they were custom-made.
[EQUIPMENT UPDATED: TWIN DAGGERS (ENHANCED)]
[ATTACK POWER: +8]
[DURABILITY: HIGH]
[SPECIAL EFFECT: 5% INCREASED CRITICAL HIT CHANCE]
The System registered the new weapons, and Kazuki felt a surge of confidence. With better gear, increased stats, and a capable partner, he actually had a chance of surviving a D-rank dungeon.
They took the train to Shibuya, and Rika used the time to quiz him on his combat experience and abilities. Kazuki kept the System a secret but shared his basic fighting style and the skills he supposedly had. Rika listened carefully, occasionally offering advice or tactical suggestions.
"Your biggest weakness is stamina management," she said. "E-rank Hunters burn out fast in extended fights. Pace yourself, don't waste energy on unnecessary movements, and let me handle the alpha if we can isolate it."
"Got it," Kazuki said, though with his improved stats and Physical Endurance skill, stamina was less of an issue than Rika thought.
The Gate pulsed in an alley behind a popular shopping center. Hunter Association guards had cordoned off the area, and a small crowd of civilians watched from a safe distance, taking pictures with their phones.
Rika showed her Hunter license to the guards, and Kazuki did the same. One guard raised an eyebrow at his E-rank designation but didn't comment.
"Good luck," the guard said. "Try not to die."
"Encouraging," Kazuki muttered.
Rika grinned. "Ready to see if you're really as capable as you claim?"
Kazuki drew his new daggers, feeling their weight in his hands. Through the swirling purple Gate, he could hear distant howling deep, threatening, and far too close.
"Let's find out," he said.
Together, they stepped through the Gate into the unknown.
[End of Chapter 8]
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