System Creator of Divine Objects

The dungeon door glowed as the group headed back out into the city. The contrast between the dark, oppressive cavern and the bustling urban streets was stark, but Max barely noticed it. His mind raced, replaying the events of the battle over and over again.

The others looked at him nervously, with expressions that mixed astonishment and suspicion. Clara stayed close, her concern was evident. Even Gerald, who usually radiated confidence, avoided looking Max straight in the eye.

When they arrived at the hunters association outpost to report their success, the silence was finally broken.

"Max," Gerald said, stepping in front of him. His tone was stern, but his curiosity betrayed him. That attack back there... That was not an F-rank.

Max moved uncomfortably. "I was lucky."

- Any luck? Gerald raised an eyebrow. Don't play dumb with me. That sword and the skill you used... these are not things an F-rank hunter should have. What's happening?

Clara came between them. - Gerald, leave him alone. We are all alive because of him.

Gerald clenched his jaw, but said nothing. With a grunt, he turned around and walked towards the outpost to deliver the dungeon report.

"Thank you," Max murmured to Clara.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Don't mention it. But seriously, Max, where did that sword come from? Did you really make it yourself?"

Max hesitated. He wanted to trust Clara (she had always been kind to him), but the Divine System was something he couldn't quite explain.

"It's complicated," he finally said. "Let's say that... I've improved a little bit."

Clara frowned, but did not insist. - It's okay. Just be careful, okay? Things like that get attention, and not always the good kind.

Max sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the Divine Sword resting against the wall. The faint glow of the weapon seemed to beat in time with the beating of his heart.

"System," he whispered, not sure if he would respond.

The golden interface instantly appeared, floating before him.

Welcome back, Max.

Current Progress: 10% towards the Divine Awakening.

- Divine awakening? - he murmured —. What does that mean?

Divine awakening: a stage in your evolution as a creator. Unlock new abilities and access higher-level creations.

- Higher level creations... Max ran a hand through his hair. This is crazy. I'm just an F-rank hunter. Why me?

The system remained silent, as if it had no answer or had simply decided not to provide one.

While Max was thinking about his next steps, his phone vibrated on the bedside table. He picked it up and saw a notification from the hunters association:

Notice:

A new dungeon has been identified in your area. Preliminary scans suggest that this is an F-rank gate. Recruitment for the raid starts tomorrow morning.

Max frowned. Another dungeon so soon? Normally, he would avoid consecutive raids, but with the Divine Sword, he felt a strange attraction to further test his limits.

Just as I was about to get off the phone, another notification popped up. This one was not from the association.

WARNING: Unregistered activity was detected in the dungeon.

Source: System of creation of divine objects.

Max's eyes widened. "Unregistered dungeon? What does that mean?"

Explanation:

A hidden dungeon has manifested near your location. These dungeons are not detected by conventional means and usually contain rare materials and powerful adversaries.

Do you want to investigate?

Max hesitated. Hidden dungeons were the stuff of legends, talked about by hunters in whispers but rarely confirmed. The thought of venturing into one of them alone was terrifying, but the possible rewards...

"Do I have another option?" he muttered.

After taking a deep breath, he selected Yes. The system responded instantly.

Location of the hidden dungeon:

coordinates loaded on the map.

Difficulty: Unknown.

The screen faded and Max felt a shiver run down his spine.

Max was standing on the edge of an abandoned industrial district on the outskirts of the city. A smell of rust and decay permeated the air, and the faint hum of the hidden dungeon door vibrated in his chest.

The entrance looked nothing like the official dungeon doors I had seen. Instead of a spinning vortex, it was an irregular crack in reality, the edges of which creaked with unstable energy.

- Are you really doing this alone? - Clara's voice startled him.

Max turned and saw her approaching with the bow slung over her shoulder. - Clara, what are you doing here?

—I followed you—" he said bluntly. You're not exactly subtle and you've been acting strangely since yesterday. What's the matter?

Max sighed. "Look, this is dangerous. You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you," she replied. But here we are. So, what's the plan?

Max thought about arguing, but he knew there was no point. Clara was stubborn and, deep down, he was glad to have company.

"Okay—" he said, "but stay close to me." This is not a normal dungeon.

Together they went through the door.

The atmosphere inside was oppressive, unlike anything Max had ever experienced. The walls were made of smooth, black stone, and the air was charged with an unnatural stillness.

- What is this place? - Clara whispered, her voice echoing faintly.

Max did not answer. His gaze was fixed on the faint glimmer of light ahead. As they proceeded, the system interface appeared again.

WARNING: A high-level threat has been detected.

Proceed with caution.

Max tightened his grip on the Divine Sword. "Stay behind me—" he said in a firm voice.

Clara nodded, not questioning it for once.

They entered a huge chamber whose roof stretched out into the darkness. At the center stood a creature unlike anything Max had ever seen: a towering humanoid figure in obsidian armor and glowing red eyes.

Hidden dungeon boss: Obsidian Guardian

Rank: A

Max's heart sank. Rank A? What the hell is this thing doing in an F-rank dungeon?

The creature turned to them and fixed its gaze on Max. With a deafening roar, he attacked.

- Clara, run! - Max shouted as he raised the Divine Sword.