Ding-Ding
{Task: Kill David Blackwood before the end of today.
Punishment: System disabled. Reward: ???}
I kept looking at my system and the task displayed in it.
"Why would my system ask me to kill someone?" I thought. I was getting very confused. It had never been heard of a system giving out tasks, much less a reward, or asking you to kill someone.
Yes, I hated David and his crew for what they had done to me and how they had tortured me over the past few months, and I couldn't blame them, as I knew they all did it just because they were Ethan's puppets. But I don't think I ever wanted to kill him... or did I?
"Aaahh, this is getting even more confusing," I thought, feeling my head ache just thinking about it.
Just as I was engrossed in my thoughts, I heard my name being called to head into the dungeon.
"Michael Arden and David Blackwood, step up to the gate," called out the instructor to us.
Wasn't it funny how my first dungeon was with someone I had hated my entire life—someone I despised? Fate has a weird way of pulling its strings. And then there was my system, which was adamant about making me seek my revenge, even luring me with the promise of a reward, which, by the way, I didn't even know what it was.
I shook my head while walking towards the gate. I could see David also heading toward it, just like me.
David could be said to be handsome, with his dark hair and brown skin, and his blue ocean eyes. He was muscular and tall, which was required of him due to his class as a tanker. Even though David wasn't from a rich family and didn't have any special ability like me and Nick, tankers were not that rare to find—but that doesn't mean they could be overlooked.
I knew David was stronger than me, but I was sure it wasn't by a large gap. Even though he awakened before me and was supposed to be stronger, I possessed the Divine System and was also a wielder of divinity, which made me stronger than any new awakened. It seemed that the world made sure to repay me for all the time I missed.
David's and my eyes met, both of us assessing each other more like checking each other. My violet eyes and his blue eyes locked together. David was the first to look away.
I sighed. I didn't know what this dungeon would bring or if I would survive it, but I promised myself I would face whatever it threw at me. I had to survive. No I must.
Just then, David and I got to the dungeon's gate.
As we approached, we noticed a swirling whirlpool of blue energy blocking our path. The air seemed to distort and ripple around the vortex, as if time stood still, creating an otherworldly aura that made my skin crawl. The whirlpool appeared to be pulling everything toward its center debris, dust, even light but it was stable.
"You are to head into the dungeon, where you are to clear it and face the dungeon boss. You have a day to navigate and clear the dungeon. Do you understand?" the instructor asked both of us.
We both nodded.
"Now, you are to enter the dungeon together, but you will be separated by the dungeon gate and each of you teleported to the end of the other," he continued. I nodded, already understanding the reason. It was for the dungeon to monitor each candidate's progress and make the test fair.
"You may head in now," said the instructor, making way for us to walk into the dungeon gate.
David was the first to enter without a moment's hesitation. Just as I was about to follow, Instructor Kael walked up to me.
"Try your best, and return alive," he said, smiling at me.
I nodded after all, I wasn't planning to die in this dungeon. Even though it was a tier-one dungeon and had its challenges, I was confident in at least surviving it.
"Inside the dungeon, you will face different kinds of monsters. With each kill, you get stronger, and maybe, if you're lucky, your system might reward you with an Echo of Memory or even familiars. Even though I doubt you could receive a familiar in your first dungeon," he said, smiling as he let me enter the dungeon.
I knew that a dungeon came with its dangers and with danger came reward.
"It would be nice to receive an Echo of Memory," I said to myself. After all, all I had was just the Star Bow and the Obsidian Dagger the academy give me and the other one I stole from there but more like took. I needed more if I wanted to become stronger.
I immediately took a breath and walked into the dungeon gate ready to face the dungeon.
As I stepped into the dungeon gate, the air around me began to distort and ripple. A swirling whirlpool of energy materialized before me. I felt myself being pulled into the vortex my body weightless and helpless. Colors blurred and merged around me, a kaleidoscope of lights and energy. The sensation was akin to being torn apart and put back together again, I felt very sick.
When the whirlpool dissipated, I found myself standing in a new, unfamiliar part of the dungeon. The sudden change in surroundings left me disoriented, my senses reeling from the teleportation.
I threw up all I had eaten that morning feeling my whole body ache allover
"They should have warned us before letting us enter," I said, finally able to feel better.
I decided to take a close look at my surroundings, but I was shocked and angry.
"Great. I could have been sent anywhere else, and it just had to be a sand desert?" I said to myself.
Clearly, this day was just getting worse for me. Just then, I saw the sand vibrating toward me as something was moving straight for me and it was fast