Two Years Later – The World Has Moved On
The world didn’t end when the System descended.
It changed.
People adapted. Cities were rebuilt. Guilds formed. Governments fractured and restructured under the pressure of the new order.
Monsters still roamed outside city limits, but humanity had fought back.
Adventurers were now the world’s elite. The strongest controlled wealth, respect, and influence.
And those without power?
They barely scraped by.
Ethan knew this better than anyone.
Because he was still one of them.
Life as an Unranked
Ethan pulled his hood lower, shielding his face from the chill of Portland’s morning wind.
His coat was thin, barely holding together at the seams. Not much protection against the cold, but it was all he had.
The streets were already alive with activity—merchants setting up their stalls, adventurers in shining armor strolling confidently toward the Guild Hall, civilians rushing to their daily work.
Ethan wasn’t one of them.
He wasn’t an adventurer.
He wasn’t even considered useful.
He was Unranked.
Two years had passed since the System’s arrival, and he still hadn’t awakened a class.
Most people awakened within weeks. Some had even gained Legendary-tier abilities on Day One.
But Ethan?
Nothing.
No skills. No power. Nothing but bad luck.
His stomach growled.
He had exactly three silver and sixteen copper left in his pouch. Not enough for a proper meal.
Not unless he skipped dinner again.
His boots scuffed against the cracked pavement as he walked toward the local Guild Hall—a towering structure reinforced with mana-imbued stone, banners displaying the crest of the Portland Adventurers’ Guild.
Ethan hated this place.
Not because of the building itself—but because of what it represented.
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A world where he didn’t belong.
Inside, adventurers lounged in expensive gear, laughing over tavern-style breakfasts served to those who could afford them.
Some had enchanted weapons strapped to their backs. Others had glowing rings on their fingers, each one proof of their status.
Ethan wasn’t jealous of their strength.
He was jealous of their choices.
Of their ability to do something.
Because for two years, he had been stuck.
Unranked. Unwanted. Useless.
And no one let him forget it.
The Guild Hall – Another Day, Another Failure
Ethan approached the job board, scanning for anything that didn’t require a rank.
Most requests were out of reach.
[D-Rank Raid: Cursed Hollow Dungeon] – Min. Strength 30 required.
[C-Rank Boss Hunt: Infernal Basilisk] – No Unranked allowed.
[B-Rank Rift Expedition] – Must be Level 20+.
His fists clenched.
Nothing. As usual.
The adventurers nearby noticed him.
They always did.
“You still looking, Voss?”
Ethan turned his head toward the voice—Reiner, a Level 18 swordsman with a smug grin.
“Gonna keep standing there like an idiot, or finally take the hint that no one’s hiring a porter who can’t even defend himself?”
Ethan ignored him.
He had learned long ago that responding only made it worse.
Another adventurer—Sarah, a healer—leaned in. “Hey, maybe he’s hoping for a miracle.”
She laughed, nudging Reiner. “Maybe he’s waiting for the System to finally pity him and give him a class.”
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
He forced himself to breathe.
They weren’t worth it.
They weren’t the reason he was here.
A Chance at Something More
Then—he saw it.
A small handwritten job request, tacked to the bottom of the board.
[Porter Needed – F-Rank Dungeon, Nightshade Caverns.]
Low-risk. Team already assembled. Looking for supply carrier. Pay: 5 silver per trip.
It wasn’t a combat job.
It wasn’t prestigious.
But it was a foot in the door.
A chance to step into a dungeon.
A chance to—
Maybe—finally Awaken.
Ethan reached out—
Only for another hand to grab the paper first.
His stomach dropped.
He turned—and came face-to-face with another Unranked.
Competition for Survival
The guy was a little younger than Ethan, maybe nineteen.
Thin. Undernourished.
And just as desperate.
The kid’s eyes darted toward him, grip tightening on the paper.
“I… I need this job,” he said quickly. “I won’t get another chance.”
Ethan didn’t move.
Because he understood.
This wasn’t just a job.
For Unranked people like them, it was survival.
If Ethan took it, this guy might not eat for the next week.
If Ethan let it go—he wouldn’t eat.
Their eyes met.
A silent war.
Ethan’s stomach churned.
But in the end—
He did what he had to do.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered.
Then, before the kid could argue—
Ethan ripped the request free and walked away.
Because there was no room for mercy in desperation.
Meeting the Team
The rendezvous point was a small adventurer’s guild branch, near the city’s southern exit.
Ethan entered, spotting the team immediately.
They were already geared up.
Three of them.
Gareth – The Spear-Wielder. Tall, muscular, and looked like he could break Ethan in half.
Kara – The Swordswoman. Red-haired, sharp-eyed, and already annoyed by his presence.
Leah – The Healer. The only one who didn’t look like she wanted to throw him out.
Gareth frowned. “You’re the porter?”
Ethan nodded. “That’s me.”
Kara groaned. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. We’re taking another Unranked?”
Leah sighed. “It’s just a simple run. We need someone to carry supplies.”
Gareth grunted.
“Fine. But listen up, Voss.”
He stepped forward, looming over Ethan.
“You’re not a fighter. You’re not an adventurer. You’re baggage.”
His voice was cold.
“You fall behind? You get left behind.”
Ethan’s hands curled into fists.
He said nothing.
Just nodded.
Because he wasn’t here to argue.
He was here to survive.
And if this dungeon was the only way to start climbing out of the pit he’d been trapped in—
Then he’d take whatever they threw at him.
