Ethan woke up earlier than usual, the morning sun still peeking over the rooftops. The warmth from his bed was tempting, but his mind was already whirring with today's priorities. Yesterday had been a major milestone: he ranked up to E-rank, bought his first D-rank spell, and felt his power take a tangible leap.
Now, there was something important he couldn't ignore.
"I need to update my ID," he muttered, rubbing his face with both hands. The Awakened Association required every awakener to report class rank-ups. Failure to do so could result in penalties — especially if someone was caught using abilities above their listed level. Not worth the risk.
After a quick shower and a basic breakfast, Ethan threw on his jacket and headed toward the Awakened Association building. The streets were still relatively calm, filled with early risers and the rhythmic sound of shop shutters being lifted.
As he walked, he thought about what to do afterward.
What dungeon should I hit today?
His first instinct was to push forward. Go for a D-rank dungeon. But that idea quickly faded.
From E-rank and up, the difficulty curve spiked. Monsters gained tactics. Traps became more complex. Even experienced awakeners rarely soloed dungeons their rank.
I shouldn't go straight into a D-rank, he thought. Clearing an E-rank dungeon while listed as D-rank wouldn't raise suspicion. But clearing a D-rank while still new to the tier might.
He exhaled slowly.
Play it safe. Smart. That's how I survive, and care for my family.
The Association building looked the same as always: clean marble walls, flowing mana lines etched into the columns, and the faint hum of ambient defensive enchantments. People bustled in and out — some armored, others robed, all with a sense of purpose.
Ethan stepped through the front doors and made his way to the familiar counter.
It was the same receptionist from his awakening day — the woman with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense expression.
She barely glanced up. "Name?"
"Ethan Vale. I'm here to update my rank to D-rank."
Her fingers paused on the keyboard. Slowly, her eyes lifted to meet his.
"Update? You awakened just... what, two weeks ago? F-rank, if I remember right."
Ethan gave a small nod. "I bought a couple spells."
That was all she needed to hear. Her eyes flicked to the side in thought.
Ah. He must've bought an E-rank spell and then a D-rank spell. No way he ranked one up that fast.
"Alright," she said, sliding a familiar form across the counter. "Fill this out. Name, ID, current highest-ranked spell, and class again for verification."
Ethan grabbed the pen and filled it in quickly, listing Surge Step as his highest spell. Once complete, she led him through the doors behind the counter, down the corridor to the Testing Room.
The room was wide and reinforced with spellproof materials. Runic tiles lined the floor, and a monitor glowed softly on the side.
"Demonstrate your listed spell," said the examiner, a man in grey robes holding a clipboard. "You may begin when ready."
Ethan took a deep breath and activated Surge Step.
Instantly, his body surged with energy. Mana flooded into his legs, enhancing his reflexes and raw speed. He felt like he could run faster than the wind itself. Faster than light.
Not actually, of course, he thought with a grin. But damn, it feels close.
He had to suppress the instinct to go all-out. If he pushed too far, the speed alone might register him as a C-rank. That would be suspicious. And if they checked his mana pool too closely...
Instead, he settled on running at just over half his max. His movements were still smooth, crisp, and fast — more than enough to pass.
He dashed the length of the room in just about 3 seconds, pivoted, and stumbled at the end, arms flailing wildly. His balance gave way for a heartbeat, and one foot slipped forward as he nearly crashed into the reinforced wall.
He caught himself just in time, feet sliding across the tile. A puff of dust kicked up from the friction.
"Pheeew... that was close," he muttered, straightening up and brushing invisible dust off his shirt. A sheepish grin tugged at his lips. "Almost embarrassed myself there. Hah..."
The examiner raised an eyebrow but jotted down the final notes.
"You pass. D-rank approved. You'll receive your updated ID shortly."
Ten minutes later, Ethan walked out of the building with a new card in hand.
[AWAKENED ID - ETHAN VALE]
Class: Mage
Rank: D
He exhaled slowly, letting the tension go. One step closer.
But as he tucked the card into his pocket, reality hit him.
Wait... I only have a little over a hundred bucks left, and I would be too embarrassed to ask my parents for money back.
The memory of spending 25,000 on Surge Step hit hard. Entry to most E-rank dungeons required at least 1000, often more depending on the area.
Ethan sighed. "Back to Rotwood, I guess."
…
The walk to Rotwood Den felt nostalgic now. He'd spent so many hours inside those grimy tunnels that the route was burned into his memory. Moss-covered trees, the scent of wet earth, and the dull hum of dungeon mana made the air feel charged.
At the gate, the guards recognized him. One of them blinked at his new ID.
"Weren't you just F-rank last week?"
Ethan smiled modestly. "Been training, and bought some spells."
They let him pass without issue.
The run inside was almost laughably easy now. Fireball tore through the Feral Rats like paper. Surge Step let him reposition faster than the monsters could react. Their screeches barely registered before they were reduced to mana ash.
Less than an hour later, he was standing outside again, brushing rat guts off his sleeve.
The crystal exchange was smooth. Ethan dumped his loot — including an unexpected F-rank spell scroll: Shield Bash — onto the counter.
The clerk raised a brow. "Where'd you find this?"
"Rotwood Den. Boss drop."
"Huh. Not bad. Spell's a bit basic, though."
He handed Ethan the payout slip:
Crystals: $5,600
Spell Scroll: $2,000
Total:$7,600
Ethan took the money with a small nod of thanks. That felt better. A proper buffer again.
Now he could actually afford to step into more dangerous territory.
He pulled out his phone and opened the Awakener's Dungeon Map app. The screen loaded with a glowing map of Potsdam, each pin marking a dungeon.
Potsdam City had two E-rank dungeons accessible to D-rank IDs:
[E-Rank Dungeon: Moonfang Thicket] — rumored to be filled with wolf-type beasts and nighttime ambush predators.
[E-Rank Dungeon: Blightroot Marsh] — a poisonous swamp dungeon known for disease-based creatures and terrain hazards.
Ethan stared at the names for a moment, trying to imagine what each one would be like. Moonfang sounded like a place where mobility would shine. Blightroot sounded... miserable.
He smirked. "Guess I know where I'm going next."
His thumb hovered over Moonfang Thicket. The icon pulsed faintly.
Wolves, huh? Let's see how fast I really am now.
//Authors corner
Ready for an E-rank dungeon next chapter? I got work here in a couple hours, so I will see if I can write next chapter after I get home. If I can't then I'll write it tomorrow! Also so far the poll is only 2 people voted for Ethan to have a brother, and 14 people voted for a sister... (I ran a pole on ScribbleH*b)
Anyways thank you for reading as always!!