Ten years ago, the sky cracked open.
It started above Tokyo—an unnatural tear in the heavens, shimmering like oil on water, rippling with a light that no one could describe. Some called it the end times, others a miracle. But what came through that rupture shattered all hope for normalcy.
The Gate.
A rift between our world and another. One filled with monsters, magic, and untamed chaos. Cities were flattened within days. The military was useless. Tanks and guns couldn't stop creatures born of shadow, flame, or ice.
But humanity was not without its own miracle.
Some people began to change. To awaken.
They were called Super Humans. Warriors, mages, summoners—beings who could channel mana and fight monsters on their own terms. Each was different. Some controlled fire. Some moved at the speed of sound. Some tore beasts apart with their bare hands.
And then there was me.
Kael Elowen. Super Human. E-rank. Water Mage.
Not a warrior. Not a summoner. Not even a proper combat mage.
The weakest of the awakened.
---
My boots squelched in the damp soil of the dungeon as I crept forward, sword drawn. Water dripped from above in a slow, torturous rhythm. I was deep inside a Tier-E ruin called Siltgrove Nest—a forgotten sewer system infested with goblins and toxic rats. It smelled like rot and stagnant hope.
My target was simple: kill five goblins, collect their ears, and return. Standard mission. Barely paid enough to cover teleportation costs. But I needed the credit.
I tightened the grip on my rusted short sword. My left hand twitched, ready to call forth my only spell—Water Splash. A spell so weak, even the rats laughed when I cast it.
I crouched behind a broken pillar. Movement up ahead.
Two goblins. One armed with a rusted spear, the other dragging a half-eaten corpse.
My throat dried. I'd fought goblins before. They were fast, cruel, and smarter than they looked. I was alone, under-equipped, and nearly out of mana.
I counted to three and sprang from cover.
"HYAA!"
I slashed at the nearest goblin. It squealed, blocking with its spear. My blade bounced off the shaft, sending pain up my arm. The second goblin snarled and charged.
I spun, backpedaling. My hand shot forward.
"Water Splash!"
A stream of water—not a jet, not even a strong blast—sprayed the charging goblin in the face. It blinked, annoyed.
I slashed again. Steel met flesh. The first goblin screamed as my blade cut into its shoulder. It retaliated, catching my ribs with a glancing strike. I winced, but didn't stop.
I swept its legs. It fell. I plunged the sword into its throat.
One down.
The second came at me with a broken dagger. I barely blocked, and sparks flew. My weapon twisted in my grip. My shoulder burned. Desperation took hold.
I kicked the goblin in the gut.
It stumbled.
I cast Water Splash again—right in its eyes.
It screeched, blinded. I roared, lunged, and stabbed.
Blood soaked my blade.
I collapsed to my knees, breathing heavily.
"Two... that's two..."
My body ached. My mana reserve—what little I had—was gone.
I wiped my sword clean and dragged the goblin corpses into a pile. Began hacking off ears. It was gruesome work, but standard. Proof of kill. No proof, no pay.
As I worked, my mind drifted to the others.
Sera, the scout with lightning feet. Marn, a fire-thrower who could melt steel. Even Tobi, the F-rank bruiser, had more respect than me. They laughed when I joined the guild. Called me 'Kael the Sponge.' Because water magic soaked, but never struck.
No one wanted me on their party.
So I did solo runs. Scavenged scraps. Lived in the slums near the Edge—where teleportation gates dotted the city and rent was cheap because death was cheaper.
I sheathed my blade and moved deeper into the dungeon. I still needed three more goblins.
The tunnel opened into a wider chamber. Cracked stone pillars, collapsed tiles, and pools of stale water. My ears perked. Chittering.
I ducked behind a collapsed wall.
Four goblins this time.
One wore crude leather armor. Another had what looked like a magical trinket—probably a minor enhancement ring looted from some dead adventurer.
Too many for me.
I should've left. Teleported out. But the spell crystal back to the surface cost 40 credits. I'd barely make 60 from this run. If I retreated now, I'd be in the red.
My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten all day.
I gritted my teeth.
I waited. Watched.
The armored goblin wandered away from the group to take a piss behind a broken wall.
My chance.
I crept behind him, drew my dagger, and slit his throat. He gurgled, fell silently.
Three left.
They noticed too late. I hit one with Water Splash and threw a dagger. It missed. They swarmed.
One tackled me. I fell, sword sliding out of reach.
I grabbed a rock and smashed it against its head. Once. Twice. Blood and bone.
Another bit into my leg. I screamed, kicked, and crawled for my weapon.
Too slow.
The last goblin raised a jagged axe. I rolled, but it grazed my back.
Pain seared through me.
I swung my sword wildly, connecting with its knee. It howled.
I tackled it into the pool of water.
We thrashed. It bit, scratched. I dunked its head, praying it would drown.
Finally, it stopped moving.
I lay there in the water, shivering.
Alive.
Barely.
But alive.
---
It took everything I had to crawl out of that chamber. My wounds bled freely. My fingers trembled. I had all five goblin ears in a pouch. Mission complete.
But something made me stop.
A faint glow.
Not mana light. Not torchlight. Something deeper.
I turned my head and saw it—a small crack in the wall behind the pool. Something shimmered behind it. A light blue crystal embedded in the stone.
I blinked.
Curiosity overrode pain. I crawled to the crack and peered through. Beyond it, a cavern. Smooth walls. Flowing water. Runes.
I had never seen a rune before that glowed like this one.
I reached out and pressed against the stone.
To my surprise, it moved.
With a low groan, the wall gave way.
A hidden passage.
I stepped through.
Immediately, the air changed. Cooler. Thicker. The smell of mana—if such a thing existed—hung in the air. Like ozone before a storm. Like clean rain on ancient stone.
I limped down the passage, each step echoing like thunder.
The path opened into a circular chamber. Water pooled in its center, glowing faintly. Stone pillars lined the walls, carved with unfamiliar symbols.
At the far end stood a door.
Twice my height. Made of coral-blue stone. Ancient. Untouched.
And on its surface—runes in the shape of waves.
One of them pulsed.
Not with light.
With recognition.
My hand moved on its own, drawn to the center rune.
As my fingers brushed it, the world shifted.
Water rose from the pool, not in waves, but in strands—reaching, whispering. They didn't strike. They surrounded me.
And then...
Everything went black.
I floated in a void. Weightless. Breathless. Sightless.
But not alone.
A voice. Faint. Ancient. Powerful.
"Chosen of the current... why do you crawl, when you were born to flow?"
I gasped. Air returned. Sight flooded back. The chamber was silent again.
But something had changed.
On my arm, faint glowing runes. Like the ones on the door. Faint. Flickering.
And in the back of my mind...
A pulse. Like a heartbeat not my own.
Something was awakening.
But not yet.
Not fully.
And I knew then—
Whatever I had just stumbled into...
It wasn't part of the dungeon.
It was something older.
Something divine.
Suddenly, a voice whispered in my mind.
"You are not yet ready."
My hand froze.
The runes faded. The wall returned to normal.
I blinked, heart racing. "What was that…?"
No one ever mentioned anything like this in a Tier-E dungeon.
I looked around. The dungeon was still. Silent.
Whatever it was, it had spoken directly into my mind. And it had responded to me.
Was it… connected to my magic?
I shook my head. Maybe it was mana exhaustion. Maybe I was hallucinating.
Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that something important had just happened.
But for now, I had to get out alive.
I limped back toward the portal.
Tomorrow, maybe I'd return.
And next time, I'd be ready.