The world had changed. Everything has changed.
No one could ever say exactly when was the first gate of the dungeon apeared. Everyone could only remember the moment and how it happened so fast. The moment where everyone had lost people and their loved ones in that one single day.
At first, they thought it was miracle, probably a weird miracle?
It was a massive glowing circle suspended midair, there were lights swirling around, seemingly..alive.
And in just a blink of an eye, the monsters came, small ones at first, beast that should have only existed in movies and books were coming out from the weirdly looking gate of hell.
There were lizardfolks, giant wolves, goblins, creeping vines that moves seems to move with purpose, giant centipede and even a lion with lizard body...It was chaos.
And humanity panicked. It was overwhelming. Military was useless, a few of the monstere skin were hard to penetrate with just a normal bullet.
Cities were burned in a single day, entire towns vanished in hours, even water area were dangerous, there were also monsters appearing in the ocean. Everywhere was dangerous.
But then slowly, the so called hunters appeared.
At first, they were anomalies, young men and young women receiving a system, a unique window that grants each users a stat and abilities granting them powers rhey could never thought they can have.
No one knew why some were chosen and others were not. Some were lucky with strong skills; others, like most, barely scraped by.
And with the appearance of the hunters. Humanity adapted. Governments reorganized.
Specialized bureaus were formed to manage hunters, track dungeon appearances, and protect civilians.
Cities started to have containment walls, and reports of dungeon cores — a glowing gem of immense power that became daily news.
Every gate that appears has countdown, every dungeon is a looming deadline, qnd so, the world became a race against monsters, with hunters as both shield and sword.
In this new world order, there were families who rose above all else. Families of hunters, dynasties built on bloodlines, skill, and sheer power. Among them, the Wardrieu family towered above the rest.
They were not just powerful — they were legends.
Aelric and Nigel Wardrieu, the eldest brothers, were S-rank hunters, the kind whose names alone could silence a room. Handsome, commanding, and unrivaled in skill, they had become household names.
And every successful dungeon raid they completed was celebrated, every artifact they brought back were coveted.
It was as the world watched their triumphs like they were stories out of an epic, and perhaps, in a sense, they were.
But then there was Kaelon Wardrieu. He us youngest of the Wardrieu siblings.
An E-rank hunter. A name that carried disappointment
A guy who was weak where his family was strong, he was slow where they were precise, quiet where they were charismatic.
He—The one whose failures were magnified because everything else about the family shone so brightly, while his is just...well, he is just ...him. The blacksheep of his family.
And today, the Wardrieu Guild is preparing for a big celebration and as usual, the guild is always buzzing. Always in the news. Cameras and flashing lights around everytime the two Wardrieu brothers appears alongside with their grandfather Osgood.
The celebration was echoed in the city of Suncrest. Everything was on TV's news and newspapers as Aelric and Nigel of Wardrieu family has yet again successfully cleared a level A dungeon in record time.
The brothers names has again light up every headlines of the news, guest filled thr grwnd hall of the Wardrieu Guild. Praises in whispers for the two brothers.
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Meanwhile, Inside the office Osgood Wardrieu, the grandfather of the Wardrieu siblings sat on his swivel chair, floor ceiling window with tall buildings as his background.
Osgood may have aged, but his gaze has always remained sharp, his presence as always is commanding. Osgood had built the Wardrieu legacy and as the leader of the guild, he had little patience for weakneses.
Osgood then smiled proudly clapping his hands looking at Aelric and Nigel in front of his desk with the proudest grin on his face.
"Oho, my boys" Osgood says, his voice carrying across the hall of the office, looking and sounding so proud.
"Another dungeon cleared, another masterpiece by my grandsons. Truly, the world bends at your feet." Osgood then leaned back in his chair, stroking his beard as if savoring the moment.
"Aelric, Nigel… exemplary work, as always. I am very pleased and proud of you two's achievement, always remarkable! " Osgood praises the two brothers, a proud old man.
The two bodyguard and Agnes, the assistant and secretary of Osgood Wardrieu gives an applause, and the brothers exchanged polite, practiced smiles.
Nigel and Aelric had grown accustomed to the admiration, after all, they have heard thousands of praises for them.
Yet something about it — the constant expectations — never felt heavy. Not for them, of course.
Then Osgood's gaze shifted. Slowly. Deliberately. Then It fell on the youngest Wardrieu.
Standing behind the two brothers, bruises on his face and arms, hands clenched at his sides, his shoulders slightly slumped,he knew what was going to happen or perhaps... already expecting.
"Kaelon," Osgood coldy called, his voice sharp.
"I heard you raid a level D dungeon...Alone. and yet, you failed. Again. That the other members of the Wardrieu Guild have to take care of it." Osgood shook his head.
"Honestly, perhaps it is time you reconsider your life as a hunter. The world does not wait for the weak." Osgood looked at Kaelon, meeting Kaelon's eyes.
"Perhaps … you should give up this charade and work like a normal man, or at the very least, find a strong party to carry you." Osgood says, looking at his youngest grandson.
A few guards in the room murmurs in agreement that Agnes have to side eyed them to shut up, while some suppressed their laughter.
Though, Kaelon remained quiet, his head bowed slightly. There was no excuse that would satisfy Osgood, his grandfather.
There was no explanation that could hide the contrast between him and his siblings.
And maybe, his mother could be right, he should give up and just work ... normally.
But to Kaelon, if he does what they say, to give up, for him, they are winning...and just like anyone else, he wants to prove that he can be stronger too...
"Useless," Osgood continued, leaning forward.
"You're a disgrace this family's name. You are already 26. You should leave everything behind." Osgood says looking at Kaelon.
"I've checked every works you did, and you are always behind, always failing… When will you understand that not everyone can rise to greatness?" Osgood harshly says, crossing his arms.
Kaelon was about to open his mouth to say something, but silence was safer than protest... Well, for now.
Everyone have already picture it clear in their head,Kaelon had always been the one they expected would never reach the top where his two brother's are standing.
" You are dismiss. This is the last time I'm gonna say it to you, do not shame this family, or I will have no choice but to remove you from this family." Osgood coldy says that made the two eldest sibling looked at their grandfather and at their youngest brother.
"Grandfather...that is a bit too much." Aelric says looking at his grandfather.
"Too much or not, he needs to remember that there's no room for failure in this family, or do you all boys wants to be the same like what happened to your father? Do not fail." Osgood says, voice so sharp that Nigel could only clench his fist secretly.
Meanwhile, Kaelon have left the office after what happened everything in the office.
Because who would want to stay in that suffocating room? That would not be Kaelon.
Why? Because Kaelon had to prepare for another dungeon raid but this time, instead of raiding it alone, Kaelon have joined a party to raid the level C dungeon of minotaurs.
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Kaelon may have failed countless times, bht there's no room for idling. And today, its a new dungeon to raid.
The party Kaelon joined today consisted of three other hunters. Two B-rankers, one C rank healer, and Kaelon, the E-ranker, whose main role was… well... to carry materials.
The thought stung — but Kaelon swallowed his pride. Survival came first anyway.