Awakening Of The Forgotten World

The heavy stone doors slammed shut behind Dain, sealing him inside.

The air changed instantly.

The torches along the walls flickered, casting eerie shadows across the vast chamber ahead. The ground was uneven, cracked from centuries of neglect. The scent of dust, damp stone, and something more ancient filled the space.

Dain's iron sword was already in his hands, his muscles tensed.

A notification appeared.

[Boss Room Entered: Guardian of Valdros]

Threat Level: High

His pulse quickened.

This wasn't just another fight.

This was his first true boss battle.

And there was no escape.

A low hum filled the chamber.

The ground beneath him rumbled.

Then—a pair of glowing blue eyes appeared in the darkness.

Dain gritted his teeth as the figure emerged from the shadows.

It was massive—a towering skeletal knight clad in ancient, rusted armor. A massive two-handed greatsword rested in its bony grip, cracks running along its jagged edge.

A notification appeared.

[Boss Identified: Guardian of Valdros (Lv.10)]

• Health: 200/200

• Threat Level: Extreme

• Status: Undead, Cursed

Dain's stomach tightened.

Level 10.

This thing was stronger than the Hobgoblin Warlord.

And he had barely survived that fight.

The Guardian's blue eyes locked onto him.

Then—it moved.

The greatsword came down in a brutal arc.

Dain dove aside, rolling just in time as the blade crashed into the ground, sending cracks racing across the stone.

Too strong.

He had to be faster.

Dain countered instantly, his iron sword flashing toward the Guardian's exposed ribs.

His blade struck—

And bounced off.

A notification appeared.

[Ineffective Attack: Armor Too Strong]

Dain's eyes widened.

He had barely scratched it.

The Guardian swung again, and Dain barely had time to dodge backwards. The wind from the swing rippled through his clothes.

This wasn't a normal enemy.

He couldn't just hack away at it.

He needed to think.

Dain took a shaky breath, forcing himself to focus.

His Combat Awareness (Lv.1) skill kicked in, sharpening his perception.

He studied the Guardian.

• The armor was too thick. Direct attacks wouldn't work.

• It was slow. But its reach was massive.

• It had a pattern. It always overcommitted on its swings.

A plan formed in his mind.

He had to bait it.

Make it overextend.

And then—strike where the armor was weakest.

Dain tightened his grip on his sword.

This was going to be risky.

But it was the only way.

Dain stepped forward, feinting a quick strike.

The Guardian reacted instantly, raising its greatsword and swinging down.

There!

Dain rolled forward—straight under the attack.

The massive sword slammed into the ground, getting momentarily stuck.

Dain's eyes locked onto the weak point.

The exposed joint in its back.

He drove his sword into it with all his strength.

[Critical Hit! 35 Damage Dealt]

The Guardian let out a deep, hollow growl, staggering forward.

It had felt that.

Dain grinned.

It wasn't invincible.

The Guardian ripped its sword free, its glowing blue eyes flaring in rage.

It moved faster.

Dain barely had time to dodge, but the Guardian's follow-up caught him off guard.

A heavy kick to the chest.

The impact sent him flying, his back slamming into a pillar.

[Health: 15/80]

Dain coughed, gasping for air.

That hit had nearly killed him.

The Guardian was learning.

It wasn't just a mindless undead.

It was adapting.

Dain staggered to his feet.

His vision blurred for a moment.

He had to end this soon.

Another notification appeared.

[New Skill Activated: Focused Strike (Lv.1)]

• Temporarily increases attack precision for one strike.

• Ignores minor armor resistance.

Dain's breath hitched.

This was his chance.

The Guardian charged.

Dain didn't move.

He held his ground, waiting.

The Guardian raised its sword for a final, crushing blow.

Dain exhaled.

And at the last second—

He stepped forward.

Right into the Guardian's attack range.

The massive greatsword came down—

Dain ducked under it.

His sword flashed.

He drove it straight through the Guardian's skull.

The Focused Strike skill activated.

[Critical Hit! 75 Damage Dealt]

The Guardian froze.

Then—the blue light in its eyes flickered.

A deep groan echoed through the chamber.

The greatsword slipped from its grasp.

The armor cracked.

Then—the entire skeleton crumbled to dust.

A chime echoed.

[Boss Defeated: Guardian of Valdros]

+300 Experience Gained

[Level Up!]

Level: 8 → 9

Dain staggered back, panting.

It was over.

He had won.

But then—a new notification appeared.

[Secret Objective Completed: First Dungeon Clear]

[System Unlock: Dungeon Interface]

Dain's breath caught.

Then—a second message.

[New Class Unlocked: Dungeon Explorer]

• Grants increased rewards for dungeon clears.

• Unlocks hidden system features.

Dain stared.

A class?

The system had given him a class.

A class meant specialization. Growth. Unique abilities.

This… changed everything.

His hands trembled as he scrolled to the next message.

[New Skill Unlocked: Dungeon Sense (Lv.1)]

• Allows user to detect nearby dungeon entrances.

• Grants a small boost to perception within dungeons.

Dain exhaled.

His first dungeon. His first boss fight.

And now…

His first step toward something greater.

He wasn't just a survivor anymore.

He was a Dungeon Explorer.

And this was just the beginning.