Silent Ascension

Two weeks had passed since Jeff's registration at the Hunter Association. His days were filled with menial tasks and small, tedious jobs as a porter. Despite his growing frustration, he didn't give up. He knew this was just the beginning — a test, a trial. It wasn't how he wanted to start, but it was what he had to do.

Today, however, was different.

He had received a new assignment — a real job, not just fetching supplies or running errands for the higher-ranked hunters. This time, he was going into a B-rank dungeon. And despite his initial doubts, something inside him told him that this would be the moment he could truly test his limits.

He stepped through the massive gates of the dungeon with a team of seasoned hunters, each one giving him a skeptical look. He could feel the weight of their expectations — and their doubts.

As the dungeon doors closed behind them, sealing them inside, Jeff took a deep breath. His palms were sweaty, and his heart raced. But this time, there was something else too — a quiet resolve.

The Ascendant Growth skill had been with him since the Rockfang fight, quietly strengthening him in ways he couldn't always see. But he could feel it now, bubbling beneath the surface, waiting for its moment.

This time, he wouldn't hold back. He would rise.

"Stay out of the way, F-rank," Marcus said, his voice dismissive as usual.

But Jeff didn't care. He was done hiding.

He gripped his weapons tightly. "Just watch," he whispered to himself.

The dungeon ahead was dark, filled with danger. But for the first time in his life, Jeff didn't feel like a failure. He felt like he was finally beginning to become something more.

The true test had begun.