The Fire Burns Low

  The fire flickered, casting faint shadows across the damp cavern walls.

  Ethan sat near the edge of the camp, his back against the rough stone, head still heavy from his nightmare.

  His hands were clenched into fists, his breathing still a little uneven.

  But the others?

  They weren’t looking at him with disdain anymore.

  Not even Kara.

  For the first time since joining them, they weren’t treating him like an outsider.

  Not completely.

  An Unspoken Shift

  Leah sat cross-legged near the fire, arms resting on her knees.

  She wasn’t prying.

  Just watching.

  Gareth was tending to his spear, running a whetstone over the metal with practiced ease.

  Kara was sitting off to the side, arms still crossed, but her expression was less sharp than usual.

  The air was different now.

  For the first time, Ethan felt like he wasn’t completely alone.

  He exhaled.

  Then opened his status screen.

  Ethan’s First Real Growth

  [STATUS SCREEN]

  Name: Ethan Voss

  Class: ??? (Unawakened – In Progress)

  Level: 5

  Health: 180/200

  Mana: 40/40

  Strength: 12 → 16

  Agility: 16 → 22

  Endurance: 13 → 16

  Perception: 14 → 17

  Mana Control: 5 → 6

  Available Stat Points: 0

  Ethan stared at the numbers, heart pounding slightly.

  It was working.

  His agility was faster, his stamina was lasting longer, and he wasn’t completely useless in a fight anymore.

  But there was still a long way to go.

  And Gareth?

  He seemed to sense Ethan’s thoughts.

  “Five levels already, huh?” Gareth muttered, glancing toward him. Ethan nodded. “Yeah… it feels like a lot, but at the same time, not enough.” “That’s because it isn’t.” Ethan frowned. “What do you mean?” Gareth finished sharpening his spear, setting it aside. He leaned forward slightly, expression serious. “Once you hit Level 10, the System assigns you a Class.” Ethan’s breath caught. “A… Class?” Gareth nodded. “Every adventurer has one. Fighters, mages, archers—it doesn’t matter. Once you reach Level 10, the System scans your growth and assigns you a path.” He tilted his head. “You ever wonder why you never got one?” Ethan hesitated. He had. More times than he could count. Most people awakened within weeks of the System descending. Some had even gained Legendary-tier abilities on day one. But Ethan? Nothing. No skills. No power. No Class. Until now. Gareth continued, “The fact that you’re only getting a Class now means one of two things.” “One, you were never meant to be an adventurer, and the System finally took pity on you.” Ethan gritted his teeth. “And two?” Gareth exhaled. “Two? It means whatever you’re getting… it’s not normal.” A Weapon for Survival There was a moment of silence. Then—Gareth reached into his pack. He pulled out a small, curved dagger. The blade was simple. Steel. A little worn. But functional. He tossed it to Ethan. Ethan caught it instinctively, eyes widening slightly. “What’s this?” “A weapon,” Gareth said simply. “You’re not going to survive down here swinging rocks around like a caveman.” Ethan glanced at Kara. She was watching, but didn’t say anything. Didn’t argue. That alone was progress. Ethan gripped the dagger’s handle. For the first time, he had something real to fight with. Something that wasn’t just desperation. Something his own. “Thanks,” he muttered. Gareth just nodded. “Don’t die with it.”

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  They set out the next morning. The further they went into Nightshade Caverns, the denser the air became. The dungeon was changing. The System’s presence was stronger here. And the monsters? They were getting bolder. The first fight came quickly. A lone Nightfang, smaller than the Alpha but still dangerous. Gareth held up a hand. “You take this one,” he told Ethan. Ethan blinked. “What?” “You need practice.” The Nightfang growled, muscles tensed. Ethan’s fingers tightened around his dagger. The monster lunged. And this time? Ethan moved. He sidestepped, using his new Agility boost to avoid the strike. The Nightfang skidded on the stone—exposed. Ethan reacted. He struck fast—dagger flashing forward— And buried the blade into its throat. The creature gurgled, legs twitching. Then—it collapsed. Ethan panted. Then—a notification.

  [You have slain a Nightfang.] +540 EXP Earned.

  He wasn’t just surviving anymore. He was fighting. And winning.

  The next fights were team battles.

  Each one pushed Ethan further.

  He wasn’t standing in the back anymore.

  He was part of the fight.

  Leah covered him with barriers.

  Kara begrudgingly called out enemy movements.

  Even Gareth seemed slightly less irritated with him.

  Slowly—

  Step by step—

  He was becoming one of them.

  The tunnel narrowed. Too late, Gareth realized. “This is a choke point,” he muttered. “We need to—” The walls shook. And from above— A Nightfang dropped directly onto Ethan. He barely had time to react before claws dug into his shoulder. Pain shot through his body as he staggered. The creature’s jaws snapped at his face— And before he could move— A sword flashed. Kara’s blade slammed into the Nightfang’s skull, piercing clean through. The creature twitched. Then, with a sharp yank—she tore the blade free. Blood splattered across the stone. The monster slumped over. Dead. Kara clicked her tongue, flicking the blood from her sword. “Try not to get crushed next time, yeah?” Ethan exhaled. For her? That was probably the closest thing to a compliment. The Final Room Awaits They regrouped. Their torches flickered against the massive stone doors ahead. A sign of the final chamber. Gareth narrowed his eyes. “This is it,” he murmured. “The boss is behind that door.” Ethan gripped his dagger. His chest felt tight. Not from fear. Not anymore. But from anticipation. Because this time? He wasn’t just surviving. He was ready to fight.