Chapter 2: Shadows of the Rift
The dungeon's air grew colder as Ryo Aelren and the party pressed deeper, the faint glow of Lysa's staff casting long shadows across the cavern walls. Ryo's shoulder throbbed where the Riftspawn's claw had grazed him, but he ignored the pain. His mind was fixed on the words that had appeared during the fight: System activated. Skill Unlocked: Survival Instinct. He didn't know what it meant, but it had saved his life.
"Keep up, porter," Tor barked, his warhammer slung over his shoulder. The warrior's bulk filled the narrow passage, his armor clanking with each step. Gav slunk along the walls, eyes scanning for traps, while Lysa muttered incantations under her breath, her staff humming with mana.
Ryo adjusted the heavy pack, his rusted sword tucked into his belt. The System's chime still echoed in his memory, sharp and otherworldly. He wanted to test it, to see if it would speak again, but the dungeon wasn't the place for experiments. Not with Riftspawn lurking.
"Trap ahead," Gav called, crouching near a cluster of glowing runes etched into the floor. "Lysa, can you disarm it?"
The mage nodded, kneeling beside the runes. Her fingers traced the air, weaving threads of mana that pulsed in time with the symbols. "It's a pressure trigger," she said. "Step lightly, or we're all ash."
Ryo watched, fascinated. He'd seen mages before, but never this close. Lysa's precision, the way her mana flowed like water, was mesmerizing. For a moment, he imagined himself wielding such power. Then Tor's glare snapped him back to reality.
"Eyes on the job, runt," the warrior growled. "You're not here to gawk."
Ryo swallowed a retort and focused on the path. The runes flickered out as Lysa finished her work, and the party moved on. The cavern opened into a vast chamber, its ceiling lost in darkness. Stalagmites jutted from the floor like teeth, and in the center stood a stone altar, its surface stained with something dark and crusted.
"Loot," Gav said, his voice tinged with greed. He darted toward the altar, where a small chest gleamed faintly. "This is why we're here."
"Careful," Lysa warned. "Nothing's ever free in a Rift dungeon."
Gav ignored her, prying open the chest with his dagger. Inside was a single item—a black crystal the size of a fist, pulsing with faint violet light. "Mana crystal," he said, grinning. "Low-grade, but it'll fetch a few silvers."
Before anyone could respond, the ground trembled. A low growl echoed through the chamber, and the shadows shifted. Eyes—dozens of them, glowing red—appeared in the darkness. Riftspawn. Not one, but a pack. Smaller than the spider-wolf from before, these were sleek, panther-like creatures with barbed tails and jagged fangs.
"Ambush!" Tor roared, raising his hammer. "Form up!"
Lysa's staff flared, casting light across the chamber. The Riftspawn lunged, their claws scraping stone. Tor met the first head-on, his hammer crushing its skull. Gav danced between two others, his dagger slicing tendons. Lysa unleashed a wave of fire, incinerating one beast but drawing the attention of three more.
Ryo backed against the altar, his heart racing. The pack was too many, too fast. He was no fighter—just a porter with a dull sword. But as a Riftspawn broke free and charged him, the System chimed again.
Survival Instinct activated. Threat detected. Agility boosted by 10%.
Ryo's body felt lighter, his reflexes sharper. He sidestepped the Riftspawn's lunge, its claws missing him by inches. Without thinking, he swung his sword, the rusted blade biting into the creature's flank. It wasn't a deep cut, but the beast yelped, turning to face him.
New Skill Unlocked: Basic Strike. Damage increased by 5% for single-target attacks.
The words flashed before his eyes, but Ryo had no time to process them. The Riftspawn pounced again, and he dove behind the altar, narrowly avoiding its jaws. Tor's hammer smashed another beast nearby, and Lysa's fire lit up the chamber, but the pack kept coming.
"Porter, do something!" Gav shouted, parrying a barbed tail. "Don't just hide!"
Ryo gritted his teeth. He wasn't hiding—he was surviving. But surviving wasn't enough. He gripped his sword, focusing on the Riftspawn stalking him. Basic Strike. He didn't know what it did, but he had to try.
He lunged, aiming for the creature's neck. The sword felt steadier in his hands, the swing more precise. The blade connected, slicing deeper than he expected. The Riftspawn staggered, blood oozing from the wound. Ryo struck again, and this time, the beast collapsed.
Experience gained. Level 0: 10/100.
The System's voice was cold, mechanical, but it sent a thrill through him. He'd killed a Riftspawn. Him, Ryo Aelren, the nobody.
The battle ended as quickly as it began. Tor's hammer crushed the last Riftspawn, and Lysa's flames drove off the stragglers. The chamber fell silent, save for the party's heavy breathing.
"Not bad for a porter," Lysa said, eyeing Ryo with faint curiosity. "Where'd you learn to swing like that?"
Ryo shrugged, his mind still reeling. "Just… instinct."
Gav snorted, pocketing the mana crystal. "Instinct doesn't cut Riftspawn. You're hiding something, runt."
"Let it go," Tor said, wiping blood from his hammer. "He did his job. Let's move."
But Gav's eyes lingered on Ryo, sharp and suspicious. Ryo ignored him, focusing on the System's words. Level 0: 10/100. He wasn't Awakened—not officially—but the System was real, and it was his. A spark of hope flickered in his chest, fragile but growing.
As the party gathered their gear and prepared to leave the chamber, Ryo noticed something on the altar—a faint carving, barely visible beneath the bloodstains. It was a symbol, like the runes on the Rift Gate, but older, more intricate. He didn't know why, but it felt important.
"Move it, porter!" Tor called.
Ryo tore his eyes from the symbol and followed, the weight of the pack lighter than before. The dungeon stretched ahead, dark and unforgiving, but for the first time, Ryo felt ready to face it. The System had chosen him, and he would find out why.
To be continued…