The first rays of the rising sun caught the iridescent sheen of Elda's newly constructed vertical farms, turning the city's skyline into a shimmering tapestry of green and steel.
Below, the expressways hummed with sleek, self-driving mag-lev vehicles, a silent testament to a world that had not only endured the Descent three years ago but had vibrantly leaped forward.
Humanity had reacted, adapted, and built upon the ashes of a mere 15% population loss – a statistic that, while horrific, spoke volumes of human resilience and rapid technological mobilization against the initial monster incursions.
This wasn't a world limping along; it was a world thriving, and its pulse, strong and confident.
Leo adjusted the strap of his messenger bag, the high-performance synthetic weave flexing comfortably against his shoulder.
His prosthetic left leg, a marvel of biomechatronics with its quiet whirr-thunk, moved with a fluid grace that belied the original injury.
It was custom-fitted, wirelessly integrated with his nervous system, a testament to the technological advancements spurred by the very System that had introduced monsters to their world.
"Morning, Dad." Leo's voice was as smooth as the polished composite floor of their modern, compact apartment unit. He grabbed a nutrient bar from the sleek, automated dispenser, its taste now almost palatable.
His father, clad in the crisp uniform of a municipal engineer and a Level 19 Construction Worker, offered a smile.
"Morning, Leo. Heading out early, I see. Another run for Henderson?" His tone was jovial, not resigned.
In this new world, his father's pragmatism had found his own way, overseeing the construction of reinforced city infrastructure and coordinating resource distribution.
The 'Descent' had given rise to many new opportunities, and his father, like many, had seized them.
"Not exactly early, but yeah. Filtration units for the new settlement in Sector Eta. Henderson's keen on getting it operational by next cycle." Leo bit into the bar, the subtle sweetness a welcome change from the blandness of early rations.
His father's pride in his work was evident, and Leo didn't mind; his own path, however, lay on a different, solitary path.
He'd long moved past any bitterness about his leg; in a world with advanced prosthetics and potions, it was a minor inconvenience, easily overcomed.
His detachment was a choice, a reflection more intrinsic, not a consequence of his physical state.
"That's good. Sector Eta's a tough one to open up, lots of uncleared pockets. But are you still going to continue with portal work?"
"Well, I have gotten used to it and plan to run a dungeon by tomorrow."
Leo had his leg injured and mutilated when the Descent happened, and had to amputate it. His father, through sheer hard work and leveling up, had recently been promoted, enabling him to secure this advanced prosthetic for Leo, which he'd been getting used to since the beginning of this week.
"Well, take care of yourself." His father's warning was sincere, a reminder of the real dangers that still existed, beyond the city's comfortable bubble.
"Yeah." Leo offered a rare, small smile. "See you later."
"Alright then." His father waved from the kitchen, already reviewing holographic schematics projected from his comms unit.
Stepping out into the vibrant dawn, Leo felt the pulse of the thriving metropolis. The air, crisp and clean thanks to advanced atmospheric purifiers, carried the subtle scent of synth-food and blooming engineered flora. The distant shimmer of a Rift was a familiar sight, an almost artistic backdrop to the city's progress, its energies now largely contained and even harnessed for power.
It is hard to believe that all this was within the span of three years.
From all the novels he had read, when had the world not been in ruins even after 10 years?
At first, when the descent happened, which was on a rare occasion when he went out, he thought he could already foresee the decades-old struggle for humanity's survival, but within three days, all monsters had been dealt with.
All casualties occurred within the first few hours of the monster's descent, including him losing his leg.
After all, most monsters had not even reached First order, and when tanks, fighter jets etc, were unleashed, it was basically taken care of. If not for some particularly troublesome monsters with some special abilities, it would have ended on the first day.
After a week, management was already as stable as stable could be. And this was mostly due to the life-profession skill books that were obtained from dungeons.
Since then, you could see the city changing with each passing day.
And although he lost legs, he did get the system comms, a basic combat sense skill, and a life-skill that helped his father transition into the awakened category.
He passed bustling cafes where early risers sipped nutrient-rich synth-coffees, holographic news feeds flickering with reports of successful Dungeon raids and new territorial expansions.
Children, already putting behind them the grim history, laughed as they chased drone-powered toys down pristine sidewalks.
He walked past the grand entrance of the Awakened Association Building, which included all awakened orgs around the world about a year and a half ago, a gleaming tower of reinforced ceramics and smart glass.
Awakened individuals, easily distinguishable by their confident strides and often subtle energy signatures, moved through the crowd with an air of professional purpose.
They were the new elite, revered guardians and invaluable asset extractors from the Dungeons.
Leo was merely Level 1. His wrist-mounted comms unit displayed the standard System interface:
[Universal System Status]
Name: Leo
Level: 1
Current Role: Portal Specialist (Logistics Division)
HP: 75/75
Strength: 8 | Agility: 7 | Endurance: 8 | Intelligence: 9 | Perception: 10
Skills: Basic combat sense Lv 3.
Unique Energy Attribute: [Absent] | Occupation: [None]
Notes: A One-legged Awakened, optimizing for logistical efficiency.
His attributes had increased compared to three years ago, where, apart from intelligence and perception, the rest were basically between 3-4.
And Lv 3 combat sense was his achievement, even with a broken leg.
The one leg was both metaphorical and literal. Meaning he was one leg into the world of the awakened, and that he was one-legged.
His 'Current Role' had recently been updated by his contracting company to 'Portal Specialist', a slightly more prestigious title than just 'Portal'. It sounded better on paper for a city that valued specialized efficiency above all else.
But for Leo, it was better than nothing. He knew that, for Skills, apart from basic combat or survival instincts, which he acquired as one of the first few people to kill a monster, more specific abilities were either gained through Occupation progression or learned from professional skill-books found in Dungeons. His father, being a high-level construction worker, had access to many resources, but even he couldn't simply "get" Leo a combat skill.
Skills, much like levels, had to be earned through direct engagement with the System's mechanics.
The reason 'Portal Specialists' existed at all, in a world of advanced transport, lay in the insidious nature of the Dungeons.
While the cities themselves were largely safe and connected by protected routes, the vast stretches of land between major population centers were often riddled with Dungeon entrances and prone to unpredictable Dungeon Breaks.
These events could unleash monster infestations that rendered conventional air or ground transport routes impassable for days. Hence, highly trained (or, in Leo's case, desperate and strategically unique) individuals were needed to navigate these dangerous inter-city zones.
And that was Leo's niche. Not as an Awakened Hunter, delving into Dungeon cores, fighting powerful beasts for lucrative spoils. That required qualifications which he both has and lacks, or rather, he lacked.
He knew that EXP was gained only from monsters killed inside Dungeons. The vast mutated fauna that roamed the wildlands between cities yielded nothing.
Except for Dungeon Breaks. A small, almost negligible 1/10th of the monster's XP could be gained from a Dungeon Break kill.
This meager gain was why most professional Awakened focused on proper Dungeon raids, but for Leo, it was a path that aligned with his intentions, albeit even if it was a little. But he didn't have the qualifications to go for more.
He had killed his share of these Dungeon Break stragglers over the past two years. But the System status barely budged, but he didn't mind.
He knew, with absolute certainty, that a simple kill was not enough to trigger anything beyond a meager XP tick. But he still went ahead with it, not for the EXP but for the experience, and if not because of the unreliability of the pre-descent era prothesis for combat, he would have entered a dungeon long ago.
But tomorrow, he planned to enter an actual Dungeon. The city solo newbie dungeon that his dad got a spot for. He believes he could handle that, especially with his Lv 3 combat sense and the advanced capabilities of his new prosthetic.
He'd spent the week getting accustomed to its fluid response, its silent motors, its seamless integration with his nervous system. Today's portal run was simply a final test, a shakedown cruise to ensure his mobility was perfect for the real challenge tomorrow.
He manually directed his delivery pod through the last security checkpoint, its reinforced gate smoothly retracting.
Beyond it, the urban landscape softened, giving way to well-maintained green zones and then, further still, to reclamation districts where nature, guided by human hand, was slowly reclaiming the ruins of older, less resilient structures. Even here, there was a sense of order, of a threat under control. This wasn't the chaotic wildlands of three years ago; this was territory being actively managed by humanity.
The pod's advanced sensors hummed, painting a detailed topographical map on his internal display. His route cut through a newly designated containment zone, an area where non-hostile mutated flora was being cultivated.
It was considered low-risk, as any large monster incursions would immediately trip automated alarms.
He observed the strange, luminescent vegetation, some glowing a soft blue, others pulsing with faint green light. In the distance, he could hear the high-pitched chirps of Sky-Weavers, small, insectoid flying creatures that spun iridescent webs between trees, generally harmless unless disturbed.
Closer by, the subtle undulations of the ground hinted at Earth-Grub colonies, burrowing creatures that fed on mana-rich soil and were routinely harvested by biologists.
This was a living, evolving ecosystem, meticulously monitored and managed.
Although he was already getting tired of this view, luckily, he would be able to start running dungeons tomorrow.
He continued his journey, the delivery pod humming along the reclaimed routes. He passed several automated surveillance drones, their red indicator lights blinking rhythmically, sweeping the perimeter.
Occasionally, he'd spot a patrol of 1st Order Awakened, moving with disciplined efficiency, their subtle energy signatures almost palpable even at a distance.
They were the city's protectors; the reason Elda thrived. He admired their focus, skills, and dedication. Even if the path wasn't for him.
The journey to Sector Eta was uneventful, and the work was the same as usual. The filtration units were offloaded at the new settlement, a small, prefabricated outpost bustling with engineers and life-support specialists. The air there felt cleaner, the lights brighter, a testament to Henderson's efficiency and the relentless human drive to expand and reclaim.
He exchanged pleasantries with the lead engineer, a colleague of his dad, he guessed.
Receiving a digital confirmation for his work along with his pay, he hopped back into his pod back towards Elda.
The return trip, though, did encounter a small break which he was able to dispatch one or two little monsters before the patrol cleaned everything up, then he continued on his way. A quiet traverse through controlled wilderness.
He noted a recent scorch mark on a distant ridge, likely from a high-level Awakened's attack – a reminder that even in this managed environment, threats still emerged and were dealt with swiftly.
He mentally logged the anomaly, curious about the type of monster that might have caused such damage, even if it wasn't his immediate concern.
The sun's descent painted the Elda skyline in hues of orange and purple. Leo steered his pod back into the heart of the city.
The evening rush was in full swing, holographic advertisements dancing on building facades, street vendors selling snacks, and the hum of countless lives lived in a world reimagined.
He navigated to the logistics depot, completing his final paperwork, and also resigned.
'Another successful day- I guess,' he made some cash and confirmed he was ready for the dungeon run tomorrow.
Back in his apartment, the aroma of meat stew filled the air. His father was already home, the day's work done.
Leo stretched, feeling the pleasant ache of exertion in his muscles, the gentle thrum of his prosthetic. He felt no surge of power. The day had been ordinary, a routine portal run.
But as he settled down to eat, his mind already drifted to the no-rank solo newbie Dungeon tomorrow.
Where he would officially begin his journey.
Tomorrow he would run a dungeon, not just because he wants to level up,
But because that's where the road he was on passed through.