Zero rank gate.

The night was too peaceful before destruction occurred. The sky was clear to see the stars in detailed pictures, so he turned on his phone's camera and pointed above to take a picture. 

The screen of his phone was broken, but the camera was alright. So he took a photo but it didn't capture the scenery as he expected from it. 

"I don't even have any money left to buy a new phone ."

His face became full of disappointment after looking at the picture he just took.

 But he couldn't delete it because it captured some of the big stars which were brighter than the smaller ones. 

The wind became rough on the top of the building he was sitting on. So he looked in the opposite direction of the wind and saw the tower of the Golden Eye guild. 

It was the tallest building in the city he was living in and it was the brightest one among all the buildings beside it.

It is also the biggest and the most reputed guild in this country. They hold the biggest number of gates and only the members of the guild are authorized inside them. 

So, only B to S class people is allowed to take the Hunter examination. And all the people who are awakened with a C to F class can only apply for bag carrier or monster cleaning jobs at the Golden Eye guild. 

He rubbed his dry hands against each other and blew out warm air by making a small hole in the middle. He wasn't comfortable up there because of the cold wind but the scenery of the night city with the sky filled with stars was really relaxing to him.

He looked at the time and it was already midnight. His duty was about to start. 

Beep ! Beep ! Beep! 

"Looks like it's time for me to get going."

He looked at his smart watch and saw a text message from his mother. 

*Bring some painkillers when you get home. Love mom.*

"'Then I have to work overtime today."

He took his small dagger and put it inside his inventory and took out his badge to enter the Golden Eye guild to get ready for his duty. 

I wonder how much weight I have to carry in our next team missions. My back is already giving up at 22. 

In front of the Golden Eye guild,  there was a crowd. They were all low-class awakened waiting for their turn to get inside the building. 

So he also joined the huge line and waited for his turn. It was an ordinary day just like it was yesterday for the past six years to him.

Just like yesterday, he went inside the building and checked in to join a team as an E-rank monster corps and flesh collector. 

Just like yesterday, he got assigned to a team of 10 A-rank members out of the city. 

Beep!! 

"Mr Taerun, here's your guild card. Have a great day today. Please get on the bus and wait until the hunters come and then you will be ready for your departure. "

"Thank you."

Yesterday, I only earned 100$ and my mom is having a hard time taking care of my brother alone with this small amount of money. 

Every time I go out for work, mom hugs me tightly because there's no guarantee that I will come back home. She acts as if I am going to die inside of the gates. 

She is always worried about me…

He got on the bus full of other low-class awakened people and the bus started. 

"Hey Taerun, did you eat your dinner? You look like you're starving to death. "

A man beside his seat gave him a sandwich and he took it politely. 

"Eat well before you go inside the gates. Because it might be your last meal. So enjoy every bite of it."

   -Why is everyone mentioning death today? 

"Yes, brother."

  -Enjoy every bite you say, your sandwich really tastes like sand inside my mouth. How old is it anyway? 10 days?

Taerun looked at him and saw his face full of frustration. He was scared of something. 

"Are you alright brother?"

He looked around him and saw the same frustrating expression on every person's face. 

  -Why is everyone acting like that?

"Taerun, I just got goosebumps all over my body for some reason. I don't feel so good today. "

Some people also complained about the same thing. They weren't feeling good for some reason. Some of them also called their family members to talk with. 

  -Why is everyone acting weird? 

The bus stopped in a remote location and they all went outside to get prepared for their missions. 

A huge neon blue gate was standing on the field and wind was coming out from it. It was connected with so many wires and a transmitter to measure the Gate type. A man with glasses was checking its situation and permitted the hunters to go inside.

The gate was a B-type dungeon. So the transmitter was showing a light green colour as the mana measurements. 

Taerun picked up some bags on his shoulder and went inside the gate after the hunters went inside.

Ting!

[You've entered a B+ dungeon. The dark ghoul dungeon .]

-It gave me a notification when I entered here. Hm?

[Dungeon class B+. Dark Ghoul numbers : ?. Hidden dungeon class : ? ]

A question mark ? I've never seen one in any gates before. Didn't they notice it?

Once you get inside of a dungeon, you can't get out until you complete the mission or die. Seeing a question mark is really giving me chills down my spine. 

Why am I suddenly feeling cold? It's not even that cold inside. 

He checked his watch and saw it was only 24° C inside the dungeon and it was normal.  But he couldn't understand why he was getting scared .

"Hey! I see a group of monsters in front of the cave!! Everyone follow me!!"

The team leader of the group shouted and the hunter party followed him. And the collector party was getting their blades ready to cut the monster corpses and collect the monster core from them. 

Taerun took his daggers out and wore a mask because the smell of freshly killed monsters made him nauseous. 

System. Show me my level. 

[Host :Taerun Osamu. 

Age : 22.

Class : E+ level 3.

Mana : E+ level 2.

Skills : Basic stabbing : A+. Basic magic attack: B+.

Basic body defence: C+ . Medium cutting skill : A+.

Medium skinning skill : A+. Medium monster weakness detecting skill : A+. 

Special skill : ■■■■. Class : ■■■■. Level : ■■■■. ]

At least I am good at cutting and skinning. But it won't be levelled up anymore. I need to check what's inside of this blank covered space.

It's been six years but my skills haven't levelled up a single bit. Not even a minor change. It feels like it needs something to level up. Like a little push or motivation? 

Ting! 

[ Dark Ghoul dungeon raised from level B+ to level A+.]

[WARNING ! WARNING! The current host is not powerful enough to finish this mission. ]

[Notice : Gate is closing. Please leave the place as soon as you can. ]

-What? The type of dungeon class is raised? It never happened before! 

He looked around and saw the collector team already left with the hunter group. He was the only one left behind in the dark dungeon. 

-Where are they…

He tried to connect with his other party members but they didn't answer the call. 

Suddenly, a call from a hunter came to his watch and he requested support from him.

"A Hubert is asking for a collector's support? Are they okay?"

Taerun ran towards the boss room of the dungeon and saw nothing but blood. There were corpses all over the place, some monster's body and a frustrated woman sitting near a man's body. 

-What the hell!!

"Hey!!! You're finally here. Help me over here, you're free anyway."

"What.. h..aappend her..ee??"

Taerun started trembling in fear because every person from the collector team had died. There were only 3 people left from the hunter team and they were fighting with a really powerful monster. 

"What are you doing over there!! Come here, you damn E class!!!!"

"What can I do in the middle of you guys fighting with a huge monster? You're supposed to protect us while we collect the monster core!"

"Shut up and do what I say!!! Come here!! Or you will die by my own hands!!!"

"I don't want..t..o!!!..."

I have to get out!! I have to run away to the gates. This mission is a failure so the gate will be open right? I have to go!!

He stood up and ran back to where he came from. 

"You damn rat!!!!! Come here!!!!!!"

My life is the first priority ! I can't die here. I have to go out. I'd rather beg beside the street and stay alive rather than dying at the hands of a damn monster!!

He ran to the gates but unfortunately, he couldn't cross the gate. He was stuck in the dungeon. 

[WARNING! WARNING! Dungeon class raised to S + rank. 

Change of conditions:

Finish the mission to get out of the dungeon in 10 minutes.

Failing penalty: Transfer to another dungeon.   ]

His cold sweat was falling down his head. He could feel his mouth was dry as sand. 

[WARNING WARNING! Dungeon Rank raised to S++ rank. 

WARNING! …

WARNING!...

WARNING!...

WARNING!...]

All he could do to see his system's notification popping out with red warning screens and the dungeon was raising its rank high every second. 

[WARNING. WARNING! . Dungeon class raided to ■■■ class. 

Mission failing penalty: Death.]

He gulped some saliva into his dry throat and looked at his system's screens.

-I miss my mom already…