Juan stood over the last goblin's corpse, its dark green blood soaking into the dungeon floor. He wiped sweat from his brow and caught his breath, heart hammering like a war drum in his chest.
His eyes drifted to the glowing crystal in the creature's chest.
∗Notification:CoreDetected–RustfangGoblin(D−Rank)∗
Cores can be collected and sold to Hunter Bureau-approved vendors or used for personal training. Extraction tools recommended.
Juan crouched and pried the core free using a jagged scrap of metal he'd sharpened earlier. The orb pulsed faintly in his hand — warm, like a weak heart.
He swallowed hard. This… this is real money. Real power.
He turned to the other corpses, collecting three more before he felt the weight of exhaustion crush him. The cold metal in his bones started to hum, low and steady — like it wanted more.
∗SystemPing:Coreabsorptionpossible.Skillcompatibilitydetected.∗
Would you like to absorb one (1) Rustfang Goblin Core?
Yes | No
Juan hesitated. "Screw it."
He tapped YES.
The moment the core disintegrated in his palm, a surge of heat rushed through his veins. His legs buckled slightly, the metal in his skin pulsing, tightening, hardening briefly.
Skill Progress: Metal Skin Harden — +2% durability
Absorption limit for D-rank cores: 1/day
Future limit increases with level progression
Juan stared at his trembling hands, equal parts thrilled and terrified. He was changing — not just stronger, but something… more.
He stumbled back through the portal, breath ragged but victorious.
A Hunter Bureau van awaited, and the moment he exited, one of the handlers rushed to him.
"Taraki, right? First-timer?"
Juan nodded.
"Where's your team?"
He lifted a sack with four cores and a few crude goblin weapons. "Did it solo."
The handler blinked. "You… cleared it alone?"
Juan shrugged. "Mostly."
The man checked a holo-tablet, eyes widening slightly. "Impressive. You'll want to head inside. Bureau wants to register your core value and verify the dungeon's state. This could qualify you for an immediate evaluation bump."
Juan's stomach fluttered — not from fear, but from something like hope.
Inside the Bureau facility, Juan sat across from a silver-haired analyst who scanned the cores with a handheld tool.
"Quality average," she muttered. "But quantity and kill report match. You survived solo in a D-rank dungeon. Very few E-Rank Hunters come out of that alive."
She glanced at him. "Any injuries?"
Juan flexed his hand. "None serious."
Her gaze sharpened. "And your skin… it's ironized?"
He nodded. "It's a skill. Metal Skin Harden."
"Rare one. Passive defensive skills usually don't show up at E-Class."
Juan stayed quiet.
She leaned back, tapping her fingers. "We'll notify the evaluation board. With permission, I'm logging this as a recommended fast-track for D-Class eligibility. You'll need to pass another dungeon test or complete three verified solo runs."
NewSystemObjectiveAdded:RankEvaluationRouteUnlocked
Complete two additional solo dungeon runs (D-Rank or higher) to initiate auto-rank evaluation.
Juan stood. "Thanks. Really."
"Don't thank me yet," she said dryly. "You've entered the Bureau's radar now. You'll either climb… or burn."
Later that night, back in their small apartment, his sister Andrea was curled up on the couch watching lecture recordings on her tablet.
"Kuya," she said, glancing up with a small smile. "You survived."
He tossed her a plastic bag. "Goblin core money. We're eating real food tonight."
Her eyes lit up. "Legit?"
He nodded, then collapsed on the floor, exhaling hard. "First dungeon cleared. System gave me another skill boost. My skin's getting tougher."
"You're literally built like rebar now," she teased.
He chuckled. "That's the plan."
Andrea's smile faded slightly. "Be careful, Kuya."
"I will."
She hesitated. "Promise?"
Juan opened one eye. "I survived a pack of mana-crazed goblins with nothing but a pipe and my bare fists. I think I've earned at least one week of braggi
ng rights."
"Fine," she said, "But if you die before I graduate, I'll kill you again."