⟟ Vault Seeker I ⟟
The crowd of people walked across the zebra crossing, moving with purpose. They wore all kinds of clothes—suits, hoodies, casual wear—blending seamlessly into the modern cityscape. The hum of the city, filled with the rhythm of hurried footsteps and the low chatter of voices, played in the background.
Among them was a girl, no older than eighteen, dressed in a comfortable light pink hoodie. Her pace was casual, but her eyes were alert, scanning her surroundings. Pigeons pecked at the ground near the curb, gathering scraps of food, their beady eyes watching the passersby.
Suddenly, a passerby moved too quickly, startling the pigeons. The flock took flight in a burst of flapping wings, scattering across the sky in all directions. The girl watched them briefly before continuing her walk, veering off the crowded street and into a nearby alleyway. The alley was clean and well-maintained, a stark contrast to the chaotic city street just moments before.
As she moved deeper into the alley, her eyes caught a figure lying against a dumpster—Rowan. His clothing was torn, and his body was covered in blood, a stark and jarring sight against the otherwise quiet alley. She froze for a moment, her breath catching in her throat.
With a sigh, she approached him cautiously.
Rowan's eyes fluttered open slowly, the bright light above him blinding him for a moment. His hand instinctively rose to shield his eyes, but the movement was slow and heavy, as though his body was fighting against him. The blinding light eventually softened, and he began to take in his surroundings.
The room he found himself in was nothing like the alley. It was small, cozy—almost comforting. A single bed, covered with pink sheets, sat against one wall. Plushies of all shapes and sizes were scattered across the bed, giving the room a childish, welcoming feel. A nightstand stood next to the bed, with various knick-knacks and small items cluttering its surface.
Rowan's body screamed in pain as he tried to move, and his mind sharpened with the realization of just how badly he was injured. Every muscle and bone ached as if they had been through an ordeal he couldn't quite remember. His chest and arms were wrapped in bandages, though the blood had seeped through in some places, staining them a dark crimson. His head throbbed, and his vision was blurry for a moment as he shifted on the couch.
He tried to sit up, but the weight of his injuries made it difficult.
"Don't move, you're badly injured," a voice broke through his dazed thoughts.
Rowan turned his head slightly and saw the girl sitting at a small desk nearby, focused on something in front of her. She hadn't noticed him yet.
"Just gonna sit," Rowan muttered under his breath, and with great effort, he shifted into a sitting position on the couch.
He immediately noticed something strange—the gravity in this room felt different, heavier. His body reacted to it in a way he hadn't expected. He felt drained, as though everything here was more taxing than what he was used to. Have I been going from universe to another or maybe dimensions?
The thought lingered in his mind as he tried to make sense of his situation. Before he could ponder more, the girl placed a cup of tea on the coffee table in front of him, breaking his focus.
Rowan blinked in confusion and looked up at her. She was watching him, waiting for something.
"Tea," she said, matter-of-factly. "My name is Alina."
"Rowan," he replied with a small sigh, trying to process what was happening. He glanced down at the tea, then back at her, still disoriented.
Alina gave him a small smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She seemed distracted. "Are you a dungeon raider?" she asked, eyeing him curiously.
Rowan blinked, clearly confused by the question. "What's a dungeon raider?"
Alina raised an eyebrow, surprised by his response. She seemed taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered. She muttered to herself. "Everyone should know about dungeon raiders. They're people who have the system and are allowed to raid dungeons. You can only see the system yourself, though."
Rowan furrowed his brows. "The system? Dungeons?"
Alina's expression shifted to one of disbelief, as if she couldn't fathom not knowing about it. "Everyone should know this stuff. It's part of life. The system is this special phenomenon that lets people gain power. You get stronger by killing monsters, called Ruinborns, found inside dungeons."
Rowan sat up straighter, his interest piqued. "Ruinborns? Dungeons?"
Alina nodded, her voice gaining a little enthusiasm. "Yeah. Dungeons are these mysterious places that appear randomly in the world. They're rare, but once one opens, Ruinborns start coming out. And unmaintained dungeons are dangerous because the monsters can escape. That's where dungeon raiders come in—we go into the dungeons, clear them out, and make sure the monsters don't get loose."
Rowan was listening intently, trying to process everything she was saying. "So, you're a… dungeon raider?" he asked cautiously, eyeing her with suspicion.
Alina gave a nervous laugh. "Well, yeah, I'm about to be famous," she said, quickly adding, "I mean, I'm a well-known one, just… not quite as famous yet."
Her attempt at a confident smile faltered, and she quickly looked away, clearly embarrassed by the exaggeration.
Rowan raised an eyebrow but didn't press her on it. Instead, he was more focused on the information she had provided.
"So," he said, "you're telling me there are these dungeons, filled with monsters, and people who have the system can go into them and get stronger by killing these… Ruinborns?"
Alina nodded, confirming his words. "Yeah. It's how most people get stronger these days. You start out small, and the more monsters you kill, the stronger you get. It's dangerous, but the rewards is high."
Rowan's eyes drifted as he absorbed the new information. He had never heard of anything like this, but it explained some of the strange occurrences he had witnessed before.
Just as his mind was about to wander again, he suddenly noticed something—there, floating beside him, was a glowing digital screen. The screen was semi-transparent, flickering slightly as if it was something that didn't quite belong in this world.
Rowan's eyes widened in realization. The system.
He stared at it for a moment, unsure of what to do or think. His fingers twitched instinctively as he reached for the screen. As his hand neared, the screen flickered and adjusted, aligning itself with his movements. He then glanced at Alina, the curiosity overwhelming him.
"What is that?" Rowan asked, his voice laced with uncertainty, pointing at the screen.
Alina turned to look at him, and her eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, she looked at the screen, but she couldn't see what he was referring to. There was nothing floating beside him, nothing out of the ordinary.
"What screen?" she asked, puzzled.
Rowan raised an eyebrow and gestured to the space beside him, where the screen hovered. "The one right there," he said, voice tinged with confusion. "It's right here. You don't see it?"
Alina blinked and then paused, realization dawning on her face. Her eyes widened in shock.
"That's… the system!" she exclaimed, her voice trailing off as she stared at him. "I didn't even think about it… But it makes sense. You seem to have the system, too."
Rowan looked back at the screen, processing this new piece of information. "The system…?"
Alina nodded slowly, her voice filled with awe and a hint of disbelief. "Yeah. Only you can see it. It's how people with the system are able to track their progress and interact with their power."
Rowan's gaze remained fixed on the screen, still trying to wrap his head around what was happening. This was just another layer to the mystery that had been unfolding around him since his arrival in this situation.