[14th Everdusk, 2103] | CGA Branch, Dyna Crest Country
"Then tell me—do you wish to attempt it or not?"
"Ma'am, I wish to raid it. Waiting won't change anything," I replied firmly. "According to Sir, you'll be testing me against a hunter who's ten to twelve levels stronger. So why not just let me try my luck inside the dungeon? What's the worst that could happen? Lose a limb? It's not like that's never happened before."
There was silence for a moment—until I heard a sigh from the other end.
"...Fine. Prepare yourself. I'll arrive shortly to oversee your test. But listen carefully—if the boss sheathes its weapon, don't push further. Agitate it, and it will kill you."
"Understood, ma'am."
"Then hand the phone back to the field agent and let him handle the rest."
I passed the phone back to the agent. He nodded along to her words a few times before ending the call. Then he looked at me like I'd just sprouted horns.
"...Kid, what the hell are you? How did you manage to convince her? Just a few months ago, she shot down this exact request."
"Maybe she was in a good mood? I just told her the truth."
He gave me a long look, then shook his head.
"...Follow me."
The junior officer behind us shut the door as the field agent led me through a secured hallway. We approached a door that only a few elite hunters were allowed to use. Strong ones, just by the looks of them.
Down a narrow stairwell, we reached the basement floor—another world entirely.
Hunters and officers I'd never seen before roamed freely. There were even stalls set up—selling goods that made my eyes widen. I recognized the origin instantly. Not local. Not even from this realm.
These items were from The Nexus.
A realm we only enter after reaching Tier 1—or in rare cases, when some monster-level talents break through early during Tier 0. Most Tier 0s still grind in dungeons, but those few... they advance too fast.
"Sir," I asked quietly, "does this place have a Nexus portal?"
The agent stopped mid-step. He turned to me with a sharp gaze, as if I'd uttered a taboo.
"...How do you know about that?" he asked, voice cold. "You shouldn't even breathe that word here. Either talk, or die."
His mana surged. The air thickened, heavy and oppressive. I struggled to breathe.
"Sir, please. My parents were Peak Tier 1 hunters. They died protecting this city. They were also Nexus raiders. Before their final mission, they left behind a hidden message for me... in case they never returned. They warned me not to share it with anyone—not even me, unless they were gone. So I followed their instructions. That's how I know."
The pressure around me eased a little.
"...And this message? Where is it?"
"They told me to burn it after reading. Said it would be dangerous in the wrong hands."
"...Haaah. Fine. That does sound like something the old-timers would do." His shoulders relaxed slightly. "Still... tell me something about the Nexus. Something that confirms your knowledge. We usually require a system oath from outsiders."
"Right, but... the info I have might not be anything special. I'm not sure if it'll convince you..."
"...Why am I even in this situation..." He rubbed his temples. "Fine. Just tell me what the letter instructed you to do when entering the Nexus."
So I told him.
The details. The warnings. The sequence. The survival strategies.
Minutes passed as I laid it all out. At the end, he just sighed.
"...You're lucky you're honest, kid. If you'd lied to me—just once—I would've snapped your neck."
/Ughh.../
I forced a nod, swallowing hard. Even with all my power and progress, facing a Tier 1 opponent was suicide. Even most mid-Tier 0 hunters were out of my league.
With the tension eased, he led me to another room. The junior officer from earlier stood waiting beside a strange device. He gave the agent a small nod as we approached.
Then, the door to the dungeon opened.
What lay beyond... wasn't anything I recognized.
No red, green, or blue. No glowing fog. No distorted aura.
Just a milky-grey vortex outlined by white gibberish runes—a portal unlike any I'd seen in this life… or the past two.
"Well, kid, you're not the only one shocked," the agent muttered. "This is the most unique dungeon we've ever encountered. It looks similar to normal ones, but don't be fooled. There's no level cap here."
He pointed toward the portal.
"There's only one monster. The boss. It'll always be ten to fifteen levels higher than you. Beat it in under thirty minutes—or we pull you out."
His eyes met mine.
"...So. Are you ready?"
–
⚔️ Attention, everyone! The raid is about to commence!
💥 Be sure to add it to your library.