Abyssborn Journey

Astrea's eyes shot open, his body stiff and disoriented. The air around him felt thick and damp, a far cry from the quiet of the streets he had been wandering just moments ago. The sound of dripping water echoed through the unfamiliar darkness.

He sat up quickly, rubbing his head, and immediately noticed something was off. The familiar hum of the system was louder than ever, its presence far more imposing than before.

[Weekly Quest: Level One Dungeon]

[Objective: Defeat 50 Zombies approaching your position]

[Failure will result in punishment]

Astrea's heart sank. "What the hell is this?" He growled, already feeling the blood rush to his head in frustration. "You can't just dump me in some dungeon without warning!"

The system remained silent, a constant reminder of his new, harsh reality. Astrea's eyes scanned his surroundings—a dimly lit cavern-like space, its walls covered in moss and dripping with moisture. There were no doors, no exits, just shadows and the faint stench of decay.

Before Astrea could process his situation further, he heard it. The shuffling, groaning sound of something dead dragging itself closer. His heart pounded in his chest as a low growl echoed through the chamber.

"Nice, I get a dungeon crawl... on top of everything else," he muttered, standing up and brushing the dirt off his armor.

The ground trembled as the first wave of undead staggered into view. Eyes rotting, skin decayed, their movements jerky but relentless. The sight sent a chill down Astrea's spine, but he quickly pushed the fear aside.

[Warning: 50 Zombies approaching]

"Alright, let's dance." Astrea grinned, his teeth flashing in the dim light.

Astrea's hand flew to the hilt of his sword, the fiery blade of Fire Trailblazer igniting with a roar as the flames leapt into the air. His Abysswalker armor shimmered, dark and imposing, as it wrapped around him, blending him with the shadows.

With a burst of speed, Astrea leaped forward into the horde, his sword sweeping through the air in arcs of fire. Each strike cleaved through the zombies with ease, the fiery blade scorching their putrid flesh.

The first few zombies fell to the ground in a heap of smoldering corpses. Yet, for every one that died, another took its place. The sheer numbers kept coming, the chamber filled with the sickening sounds of bone cracking and flesh burning.

Astrea's breath came faster, his mind locked into the rhythm of battle. Despite the overwhelming odds, he felt a surge of exhilaration. This was the kind of challenge he had been craving. The kind of test he needed to prove himself.

As the zombies closed in, some attempted to claw at him, but Astrea was too fast. He danced through the battlefield, every movement precise and calculated. His Fire Trailblazer burned brightly as he cut through their ranks, flames licking at the decaying flesh of his enemies.

But they kept coming. And soon, the horde grew too large to handle in one sweep.

"Damn, I'm gonna need a strategy for this."

He took a deep breath, stepping back momentarily. His mind raced. A few zombies wouldn't be a problem, but 50? That was going to be a challenge. He was strong, but not invincible.

Astrea's gaze locked onto the farthest corner of the cavern, where a small cluster of zombies gathered. "Time to end this."

With a focused yell, he leapt into the air, his sword trailing fire behind him as he slammed into the zombie horde like a comet, carving through them with a massive downward strike. The blast of flame created a shockwave, knocking back the rest of the zombies in a 20-foot radius.

Astrea landed gracefully, his sword held low, flames still dancing along the blade. The remaining zombies staggered back, clearly stunned by the force of his attack.

He narrowed his eyes, his body tensing in preparation for the next wave. The zombies, though relentless, were weak and slow. Their strength lay in their numbers, not in their individual power.

With a deep breath, Astrea moved forward, his sword swiping through the remaining undead like a scythe through wheat. Each strike was precise, focused, and fueled by his burning desire to survive.

One by one, the zombies fell, their bodies reduced to ash and charred remnants. As the last of them crumbled, Astrea stood victorious, panting from the effort.

The system's voice chimed again, cold and detached.

[Quest Complete: 50 Zombies Defeated]

[Reward: +5 Strength, +5 Agility, +2 to Luck]

Astrea took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I don't care what happens next. I'm done with these ridiculous trials," he muttered under his breath. "Let's just get this over with."

As the dungeon around him began to shift, the eerie glow fading into nothingness, Astrea knew this was only the beginning. There would be more trials, more dungeons, and more battles to fight.

"Alright, system. Show me my status."

With a chime, the translucent blue interface appeared before him, displaying his updated stats.

[Status Update]

HP: 120 (Increased by 20 from battle)

MP: 210 (Slight recovery during rest)

Agility: 155 (+5 from the reward)

Strength: 155 (+5 from the reward)

Astrea scrolled through the stats, his eyes narrowing. "It's something, but not enough. I'm going to need a lot more power if I'm supposed to survive here."

The system chimed again.

[Reminder: Growth through challenges will increase your capabilities. The next phase awaits]

"Yes, yes, I get it." Astrea wiped the sweat from his brow, taking in the aftermath of the zombie horde. The dungeon had fallen eerily silent, save for the faint crackling of flames. His breath was heavy, but a sense of satisfaction settled over him. He'd completed the first part of this hellish challenge.

"Is that all?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the empty space around him, looking for any more threats.

The system's voice chimed in, as cold and impassive as ever.

[You have completed the first phase of the dungeon]

[A dungeon floor consists of three phases: Minions, Mid Boss, and Last Boss]

[Congratulations, you've completed the first phase]

[Reward: Surprise Box has been granted]

Astrea's eyes narrowed. "A surprise box? What is this, some kind of game show?"

The system, of course, offered no answer, but the box appeared before him, hovering slightly above the ground, glowing with a faint blue light.

He stepped forward and opened the box, a small item floating out of it. It shimmered for a moment before settling into his hand.

[Sprint (Level 1) acquired]

[Effect: Increases movement speed by 50% for 2 seconds]

Astrea raised an eyebrow as he inspected the item. "Well, that's... interesting, I guess. Could come in handy." He pocketed it for later use.

Despite his brief triumph, a nagging thought kept creeping into his mind. He glanced around the dungeon once more, but it felt oddly empty now that the battle had ended. He couldn't help but think about the bigger picture.

The reality of his situation was starting to hit him. Sure, he had strength, he had power, and system. But none of that would matter if he couldn't navigate this world.

Money. Identity. Connections. 

He didn't want to end up living on the streets, or worse, being hunted down like some rogue magus without any real place in this world. He had no identity here, nothing that could tie him to a life he could live freely.

Astrea ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling up. "I need to figure out how to get a proper identity... and fast. I can't just keep hiding in the shadows, playing this game of survival."

The dungeon, for all its dangers, was starting to feel like a distraction from the real issue: survival in a world that didn't recognize him. The system gave him power, yes, but it didn't offer the tools to build a life. Not in the traditional sense.

He sighed and started walking toward the exit, the stone walls of the dungeon beginning to shift and fade as the next phase prepared itself. "I need a way in," he thought, "Some kind of connection to the people here. I can't stay alone forever."

His mind raced with possibilities. Could he find a powerful organization, or perhaps someone who could help him forge an identity in this world? Or would he have to fight his way to the top, slowly building influence with each victory?

Whatever it was, he knew he couldn't waste time.

To be continued...