A brown-skinned girl, who looked to be in her teens, was running for her life. Despair hardened her face as her heart pounded like a big drum.

"UGH! DAMMIT!" she cursed, dodging poison attacks from every direction. Unfamiliar movements caused her to fall hard on the rough ground. Yet, she stood up again.

"Fuh. Uh-uh-uh!"

She gasped, her lungs expanding and contracting to their limit. She was out of breath from the wild, incessant pain. But she had to keep running as fast as she could through the dungeon.

Cave Town, Melanie.

A town built hundreds of years ago with homes carved into mountains. It once offered all the comforts one could imagine, but now it’s home to the creepiest monsters.

As she ran, a strong, sharp stench assaulted her senses, making her eyes water. The once-marvelous interiors, now entwined with rough gray stones and unknown pallid substances, loomed around her. Despite the mutilated scent, she sprinted through.

Her body felt like lead, each step echoing in her muscles like an electric shock. Yet she stubbornly continued to run. She couldn’t stop, even if her muscles burst.

"KIEEKKK!!!”

The loud, eerie sound bombarded her ears as only one thought raced through her head: If she stopped for a second, then death was inevitable.

Death followed closely at her heels, making her run even faster. She knew perfectly well that the reaper of death was pursuing her. A boss monster. No, a black-armored spider. It was over two meters tall, with an exoskeleton larger than a car and thicker than a log.

Its eight sturdy limbs allowed it to run faster than a deer despite its hefty size. But how could this girl still outrun the spider? It was the intuitive agility of someone keenly aware of impending danger

This violent pursuer lived up to its name, with membranes covered by scales harder than brass. Its black hue hinted at its high offensive stats of [50] and even higher defensive stats of [85]. A nest of black-armored spiders was more difficult to deal with than orcs or goblins. Having slain its minions and spiderlings, this large insect was now chasing Jenna, causing debris and a heavy rumble everywhere. The monster didn't seem to tire of the chase with its eight legs.

As the girl started to choke on her impaired breath, the sensation in her legs began to fade. She knew she would soon be unable to run.

‘A little more—just a little more,’ she pleaded with her body, as the point she needed to reach was within sight.

However, nothing goes as planned. Suddenly, her leg got stuck on a rough patch. At that moment, she felt her heart stop.

Her golden eyes widened in shock as many thoughts flooded her mind. She realized that if she fell here, it was all over. Her sensitive ears could hear the monster's poison, and its forelimbs were close to the strands of her hair.

With the last strength she could muster, she threw her whole body forward—one meter. Just as she predicted, the poison attack melted the ground where she had stumbled. The sharp, daggered limb struck the ground intensely, destroying the rocky surface to smithereens.

She had no time to dwell on her luck as she fell and rolled on the ground like a log. Pain penetrated every nook and cranny of her body. Though she was bleeding, she couldn't sense it as she quickly turned her head.

All she saw was the spider racing faster toward her, spitting acid that could melt anything in an instant. Her face hardened in terror and fear. ‘Is this going to be my end?’ she thought sadly, closing her eyes tight in fright. Her body trembled as cold sweat soaked her attire. She waited for her death.

POOUM!

The two muzzle-like maws of the armored spider turned sideways, and its body abruptly changed direction. An attack from an unknown direction sent the monster crashing into a rocky wall nearby.

The gray wall cracked and shattered into debris with such force that fragments fell to the ground with a smash. Fortunately, the wreck occurred on the opposite side of her. Yet, this didn't save her exhausted body from the sharp fragments. The pain was intense, but she didn't give in and struggled to stand up.

Such an impact wouldn't end a monster's life like this; otherwise, it wouldn't be called an armored spider. It would be unwise to delay. So, Jenna ran again.

Behind her, the spider became more terrifying than ever. It began to project acid poison more accurately as if it were done playing with its food.

SWOOSH!

SPLASH!

As the girl evaded the green poison, a loud bang disturbed the atmosphere from one of the crevices.

"Be careful! It's coming this way!"

"I know. Take this, sucker."

Multiple magic shooters screamed as they fired their rifles, bombarding the spider with magic bullets.

"Fucking shit!" she cursed, seeing the ineffectiveness of the magic bullets on the monster. She ran without looking back.

However, that wasn't all.

"Stop! Stop firing!" One of them spoke in astonishment. "What the hell is this spider?"

"Hell if I know! This black armored spider is more shielded than armored," another said, showing pity for the girl being chased. "At least we slowed it down."

Catching a glimpse of their conversation, Jenna thought, 'Slowed it down, my ass! This spider is chasing me even faster.' But she couldn't say that out loud. She could only gnash her teeth and run faster.

After the vest-dressed magic shooters appeared from a crevice, more adventurers began to emerge from the shadows.

BACH!

Only then could the girl breathe calmly and stop running. One of them, a slender black-haired man with gray eyes and a heavy build, wielding a thick shield, shook his head and spoke to the girl. "Thanks for the work. We'll take it from here."

Another young man with a similar physique, also holding a steel shield, clicked his tongue. "Hmph, what luck that decoy has."

Both had hefty, rectangular shields, two meters long and five centimeters thick. While these tankers besieged the black armored spider, resisting its movement, Jenna saw five large spheres of flame with long tails soaring through the air.

One of the magicians let out casually, "Right. This teen sure had a lot of lucky charm."

They hit the exoskeleton of the black spider, which remained in place. The tankers leaped back just in time for what came next.

BOOM!

It felt like a mana grenade had exploded. The outburst was so loud that shrapnel scattered everywhere. Shortly after the balls of flame struck, skeletal armor spread out as green blood gushed from within.

"VAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND DECOY SUCH AS HER THESE DAYS. SO JUST STOP CHATTING AND ATTACK FASTER!" The leader of the adventurers scolded loudly.

Hearing that shout, more adventurers wielding spears and swords appeared from nearby crevices.

"He was just joking, boss. Don't take it to heart. Hehe."

"It seems the boss is always teased these days. Haha."

To those teasing words, the leader's face hardened in embarrassment. Flustered, he yelled, "JUST ATTACK!"

"Yes sir!" To their leader's order, they all stood their ground with determination.

Their weapons, honestly, were innovative improvements compared to many years ago, with sharp cold steel for better damage and better hilts for handling. The sword-wielders were garbed in blue, expensive cloaks with hoods. The spear-wielders wore overall light armor compared to the heavier tankers.

"KIKEEEKK!!!"

The black-armored spider shrieked in unruly pain, lowering its limbs and spraying poison vigorously. Jenna quickly ran away from its attack range as her senses cut into it. Instantly, the adventurers inflicting damage on the spider stepped aside as if all of them were in sync.

It was then that a hefty man, seeming like a small giant, stretched out his hefty shield, into which a huge holographic shield projected itself.

This man's projected shield gleamed green as it collided with the poisonous acid. There was a characteristic sound.

“Ugh!" The hefty man groaned at the weight difference. Just how could such liquid weigh so much, over 2,000 kg? He wondered as the force pushed him back five steps. However, he stood firm, faint mana imbuing his calves and tanked the impact with full force.

Soon after, the hefty man gestured with a roar. "Aah! Ready to attack, the two-second delay has begun."

They all knew the spider would take a few seconds to renew the poison in its glands.

"Let's go. It's our turn to turn the tables!"

"Die, you aggro! Take my ultimate attack!"

"This is my mana sword technique, created just for you, you little spider!"

Every adventurer leaped onto it with full force, shouting with vigor. Their weapons gleamed with their ultimate techniques, pouncing on every section of the spider's body simultaneously.

Jenna, gnashing her teeth at the agony that had now befallen her, watched the scene. Even if the outer exoskeleton was like armor, the interior body was as soft as foam. One of her eyes was closed by the sting of blood oozing from her head. Any monster whose flesh was cut deeply simultaneously would die eventually.

Attacked with more flame balls, the black spider screamed fiercely, struggling to squeeze out any fight with its remaining five limbs. But it was too late. Its armored skin melted like a hot liquid. Then, multiple weapons struck its fovea and abdomen in sequence. A stream of hot blood splattered from the huge laceration.

"KIKEEKKK!!!"

More agonizing cries filled the air as the monster fought for its life. Pain and fear clouded its pebbled mind. It wanted to live so badly. Just a predator a minute ago, now it was a prey being hunted down by humans whose lives it had once ended. An eerie, sickening smell of its blood lingered in the air. It decided to die rather than survive like prey. It let go of its regret and misfortune, staggered, and shrieked faintly. Then it collapsed to the ground with a huge thud. Lifeless. Its once predatory life ended just like prey.

"Fuh..." The brown-skinned girl exhaled with relief and plopped down on the ground. Her whole body throbbed unbearably. Even without taking off her long black sleeves, she was sure she was shrouded in bruises and wounds.

"Good job, guys! Nice attacks!"

"We did it; the hideous spider is dead! Those Dealers were dope."

"Wow! What a nice catch today!"

Jenna glanced into the distance and saw the adventurers congratulating each other on the victory. 'Why are they rejoicing when they only inflicted damage on it?' she inwardly clicked her tongue. They never ran like she did. She admitted, irritatedly, that their happiness never applied to her. Moreover, they could manipulate and conjure mana, while she was just an ordinary, unremarkable, and irrelevant young lady. Nothing more or less.

"Hey brat, why are you falling apart as if you did something great? Do you want us to lower your daily pay?" Approaching Jenna, a man shouted sharply. He had brown hair and dark eyes with a dubious smile that annoyed Jenna so much she felt like beating him black and blue. However, she didn't dare react to such cold words, even though the man was only about twenty years old. All because he was an adventurer.

"Hey, Dave! Give her a break, would ya? She’s been running around today," another voice spoke out, seeming to help Jenna.

"Why though?" Dave grunted arrogantly. "It's not that difficult to be used as a decoy. She needs to do her job properly."

The slender man gestured for Dave to leave. "Leave her alone. She is not your plaything. Go bother someone else."

Scowling, Dave groaned unsatisfactorily. "Yes, yes. But she should still be doing the work she’s paid for, right?"

The hefty tanker with a giant build, who had blocked the spider's poison earlier, stood up for Jenna. Of course, she didn’t need it; after all, she was used to this way of life. The man also told her to rest since being a decoy required a lot of strength. Even the older, white-haired spear-wielder agreed.

The bodies of the spiders were scattered all over the cave, with green blood everywhere.

'So persistent,' Jenna inwardly gritted her teeth at Dave's bad manners. Listening to their exchange, she closed her eyes and smiled reverently.

"Consider yourself lucky today. If not for the other adventurers, I would have fired you right now." Dave spat disgustedly and headed towards the lifeless, black-armored spiders.

Staring at his back, Jenna wiped the blood off and sighed deeply. 'Making gold coins isn’t easy these days.' Working with a fool like Dave burdened her heart greatly, but she had no choice. Groaning, Jenna limped up from the ground. All her accumulated injuries throbbed at once. If she sustained any heavy injuries, she would have to stay…

Unable to finish her thought, her attention drifted to the porters who were dismantling and binding the carcasses of the spiders, loading them onto a large cart. Other adventurers didn’t bother with them since it was their job. They just chuckled and chatted among themselves. Though exhausted, Jenna thought she could earn extra pay if she helped them. She trudged past the wielders and helped the porters load the carcasses.

"Huey, it’s been hard for you. Take a rest," one of them insisted, misunderstanding her intention.

"True. Just look at your exhausted movements. Just take a break; we can do it ourselves," another porter, around her age, also refused her help.

Being a porter might look easy, but it had its fair share of struggles. Moreover, it was low pay, which was insufficient for someone like Jenna. Smiling casually, she spoke politely. "I wish I could. Let's do it together; I love to help."

Since Jenna insisted, the porters had no choice but to accept her help. They all nodded. Although her body hurt like crazy, she gritted her teeth just to gain a little more gold and began to lift the heavy corpses onto the cart. After a while of precise arrangement, the carcasses were loaded onto the cart and tightly bound. Without delay, they set off through the cave town’s first entrance.

TMP! TMP!

The adventurers were occupied, conversing with their teammates as they began to separate upon exiting the cave town. Bleakly, Jenna breathed deeply as her mind wandered. 'Should I still keep doing this difficult job just for money?' Obsessive introspection filled her mind as she waited for her paycheck. Although she needed to live somehow, she had to continue one way or another. She concluded hopefully.

"Here. Your paycheck for today." The leader of the team, a man in his early thirties with unkempt black hair and a hooded robe, handed her a pouch.

Jenna collected it and counted the coins. The pouch contained fifty gold coins, more than her usual thirty. ‘So helping the porters was worthwhile,’ she mused. It wasn’t a small amount, but not much by today’s standards. Fifty gold coins were worth ten bills, and ten bills equaled one imperial bill. Although there were good opportunities to work like this every day, it was difficult to find a place where one could earn as many coins as this. Never mind getting 'bills' or 'imperial bills' paid as a decoy.

“Jenna, you did well today. I heard what happened after the raid. Never mind Dave; he’s just an arrogant adventurer," the team leader encouraged her with a sincere smile.

"It’s no problem at all. Don’t worry about it," Jenna smiled reverently, tucking the pouch into her pocket. She knew what kind of man their leader was. A business strategist who praises a tool to make it feel warmth, so it returns the next day for more hard-core utilization. That’s how his team rose to the top fifty in the hunting team rank on the Lancaster continent.

"If so," the leader nodded, "It worries me that Dave allows himself to speak in that tone, so I will warn him not to do that again."

"Like I said, everything is fine. So I’ll go then?"

"Come on. I’ll see you in a week. And watch your health! Go to the team quarters to give your report before departing…" The leader waved his hand and walked away.

"Okay, I will. Bye," Jenna responded. Even if she hadn’t been told, she would have done it anyway. It was the norm. Jenna separated from them and went through the long, dense forest to the team quarters.

* * *

"Porter Jenna, you're back in one piece, huh? Heard Dave was being his usual scumbag self," the female receptionist spoke firmly and casually to the pre-adult seated beyond the counter. She collected the written report file from her, her bright gray eyes and long brown hair shimmering under the light as she sifted through the raid details. She then slotted the file into a pile behind the counter.

“Rumors do spread fast. I did indeed make it back alive,” Jenna replied calmly with a reverent smile, though the pain coursing through her body reminded her of the near-death experience. “Ugh! But I almost died though.”

"If that's how it is, then awesome. But girl, Dave, and those guys? Always getting on your nerves. Total lack of discipline, you know?" the receptionist expressed her concern, momentarily forgetting that Dave and the others were just outside.

“You know he could hear you,” Jenna whispered, partially covering her mouth. Though it was unlikely, adventurers often had heightened senses.

The receptionist’s expression reddened in embarrassment as she realized her oversight. Murmuring and hiding her true intention, she added, “Hell if I care.”

Of course, she did care; she could lose her job if higher-ups found out she had bad-mouthed an important adventurer. Seeing her flustered expression, Jenna spoke teasingly, “You look cute when you’re embarrassed, hehe.”

"Seriously, quit it! Don't think you can pull a fast one on me!" Upon being teased, a sharp knock from the vexed receptionist interrupted her.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Jenna groaned, feeling a big bump forming on her head. "Why did you do that? That hurts, you know." The pain overwhelmed her, and she slumped against the counter, seeing stars.

Witnessing this, the receptionist began to panic, attempting to use healing magic on her. "Oh, my bad! I forgot you were already hurt. Let me fix you up." She extended her hand.

Speaking of magic, a hundred years ago, multiple events struck the world out of nowhere. Science later proved that a planet similar to this one existed beyond the sky. On that planet, a certain event occurred, and it exploded. As a result, fragments of that world started hurtling toward this world.

Part of this world began to fuse with those fragments. That event was called [The Collision]. That's how varieties of monsters were introduced into this world. With that, 45% of the world's areas were affected. Eventually, those areas were called the [Monsters' Expanse].

Humans were caught off guard, lost control over that land, and weren't given any time to prepare for these monsters. As an inferior species, humans couldn't do anything. But fortunately, along with the disaster from the other world, the natural limit humans were born with and the limitation of potential caused by the natural law of the world was completely shattered by the law of mana.

Those inherent abilities and skills awakened by the law of mana varied among individuals. Those who trained and utilized their potential to regain control over the land were known as adventurers. And thus, the era of adventurers began.

However, those unable to tap into this mana or awaken compatible combat skills were dubbed 'awakened.' One such individual was the receptionist.

"Hey, hold still," she said as faint gleams of green aura wrapped around Jenna's head, causing a tingling sensation. Her healing ability wasn't as strong as that of specialized adventurers, but it was enough to mend the teen's injuries.

Shortly after, the gentle green aura enveloped Jenna's body. ‘Uh, isn’t this sensation... that?’ Right away, Jenna recalled the low-rank potions she received when she was once hospitalized. She felt a sensation similar to what she was feeling now. If she were to put this feeling into words, it’d be like a refreshing warmth stitching her bruises and wounds before leaving again—something like that.

SHU!

As the green aura slowly dissipated, Jenna couldn't help but feel a bit rueful. She got up from her seat, lightly jumped up and down, and stretched her body. It didn't hurt anymore.

"How can this be?! Miss receptionist, do you have healing abilities?" Jenna's eyes sparkled with amazement.

"Yeah, but it's nothing to brag about," the receptionist said, tilting her head awkwardly. "It's pretty minor and can't heal deep wounds." Her cheeks flushed faint red, feeling saddened by her skill's limitations.

But Jenna's amazement skyrocketed. Her head, which had felt like it might explode, was now calm, and her stiff muscles had lightened. Though her fatigue wasn't gone, she could move around more easily. The effect, in a sense, was top-notch. ‘Isn’t this amazing?’ Jenna’s eyes now resembled circles as she sat back with a sincere smile.

"Don't look sad; your healing skill was sufficient. If not, I would be unable to go into the monsters' expanse next week. Be proud of it."

Her smile grew brighter, reassuring the young lady that her potential wasn't worthless but amazing. At Jenna's sincere gratitude, the receptionist’s expression brightened as she nodded, looking proud.

'Heck, I'm thirsty!' This sudden thirst caught Jenna off guard as her parched throat urged her to get up. "Miss, I will be right back."

"Okay," the receptionist responded, her face slightly flustered, smiling sincerely for the first time in a while.

Today seemed to have ended without any problems. Jenna had received healing from the receptionist, who had relieved her of the unlucky predicament she was in. 'What a lucky day this was,' Jenna couldn't help but feel grateful once again, her movements feeling light as she walked upright, unlike before. As her attention darted around, she noticed only a few adventurers remaining in the team quarters hall—a building filled with prestige and luxury.

The marble hall depicted vivid images of seasoned adventurers seated around steel tables, chatting or checking the briefing board for upcoming raids and rewards. On a normal day, not a weekend, the extravagant ambiance would be jam-packed with adventurers gearing up for missions into the monsters' expanse.

As Jenna strolled forward, the few around gave her passing glances. Some gossiped about her being a decoy, claiming it was the only role she was useful in, labeling her a pathetic weakling. With some sneers, she wondered if they wanted to make a ruckus, but that wasn't the case, so she simply continued her stride.

Finally reaching the end of the team quarter hall and down the passageway, a vending machine came into sight. The sun's rays shone brightly, tingling her skin as she blinked, adjusting her gaze to the intensity of the light, and walked toward the vending machine.

"Look, there's that dumbass who dreams the impossible; can anyone even become a professional author these days?" Dave, the adventurer, sneered, glancing at Jenna before turning to his friend. Speaking of Dave, he was twenty years old and a typical delinquent. However, after awakening a few months ago, he made a name for himself in the team.

"Hey, at least she graduated from the Academy.”

"Hmph, so what if she graduated from Academy? It's all about ability these days, isn't it?”

"Well, that's true. Someone I know told me that people have no right to dream if they have no privilege.”

"People have no right to dream if they have no privilege? How did those words spew out of your dumbass brain?”

"Don't make fun of me, would ya?”

"Pfft! Yeah, yeah!”

Their conversation became drowned out as Jenna walked far from them. She, who caught a peek at their gossip, clicked her tongue. She had no choice but to agree. Just as they stated, this teen dreamed of being a professional writer; she studied English and learned how to write a novel. She graduated from a prestigious academy and was also active in many book clubs to build her writing skills to submit to a publisher.

‘However, a 28-year-old academy graduate is right here.’ Her lips pouted as she confidently selected a bottle of water and inserted the silver coin remaining in her back pocket into the coin slot.

CLUNK!

Shortly, the bottle of water descended into the pick-up box. Fifty gold coins per day, to put it simply, amounted to ten 'bills' four times a month for this random, replaceable employee. She had been covered in bruises and wounds just a while ago, having run and evaded the monsters' attacks as a decoy. If her bones were to break, she would be out for months.

'If I die, it's over,' she assumed as she picked up the bottle of purified water, gnashing her teeth in frustration. It was painful being a decoy, but she had no choice. It was because of [mana comatose], one of the symptoms that had afflicted many people around the world after the collision, causing them to fall into a coma for unknown reasons with almost zero chance of waking up.

'Technically alive, but with zero chance of waking up,' she thought as she unscrewed the lid and gulped it down.

‘Father,’ she couldn’t help but recall her comatose father lying in a hospital, breathing but unconscious. He had fallen victim to this illness five years ago. The doctor had stated that the illness had been slowly affecting him even before then. If only she had known earlier, she would have admitted him to the hospital. But she couldn’t. She had just been an ordinary academy student when she received the news that her dear father had been admitted to the hospital. Now, she had to do this job, even if it meant risking her life.

‘I can’t give up on my father for gold coins,’ she mused, as the water relieved her fatigue and thirst just a little. She encouraged herself even more. Her father would wake up someday... someday.

“Ha-ah…” she breathed. “Without a doubt.” She clenched her fist tightly and threw the crushed empty bottle into the trash bin.

— — — — —

Beyond the forbidden reinforced border wall known as the [Monsters’ Expanse], in a land spanning billions of acres where no civilization could coexist, a rapid molecular fluctuation occurred. This sudden change awakened a 10-meter entity from hibernation in an extensive dark cave.

The eruption of the cave into shrapnel marked the transformation of the terrain from a tropical forest into a tundra landscape. As the vista distorted, the rumble of the monster’s hefty feet echoed through the area. The source of this rapid destruction remained a mystery. Despite numerous attempts by adventurers to enter the crack, none have returned.

After a few moments, something slowly emerged from the shrapnel and dust. It was a muscular giant with snow-white fur, reddish facial features, and a height of 6.5 meters. The creature resembled a sturdy primitive man, with forward-protruding molars. Sniffing continuously, the hideous giant stepped out into the open.

Grunting, the monster began to move slowly in one direction. Emitting a loud vibrating sound, it chose a path slightly west of the border, drawn by the arid scent it perceived. Determined, the monster walked toward the borderline.

* * *

Jenna, feeling agitated after drinking too much water, sat on a bench near the vending machine. She rested her exhausted body and felt the chilly winter breeze brush through her white-silver hair.

As the wind whispered its quiet melody, she mumbled to herself, "The storm of winter approaches." It was a season when monsters roamed more freely in the [Monsters' Expanse]. Cracks appeared more frequently, and with them, more danger. Thinking of monsters, her mind drifted to the recent hunt in Cave Town, Melanie.

Those hellish experiences made Jenna exhale deeply. "The raid would've been much tougher if we hadn't dealt with those minions."

Jenna would've endured more injuries and exhaustion chasing down scores of black-armed spiders. Despite being E-rank monsters, their sheer numbers often overwhelmed adventurers. However, once the minions were dispatched, luring out the D-ranked boss monster from its nest with a decoy became straightforward.

This hunting strategy was perfect for lower-ranked adventurers like Jenna's party, allowing them to take on D-rank monsters with fewer risks.

F-rank monsters may be the lowest tier, but their boss monsters are disproportionately formidable, often impervious to conventional hunting methods. The boss monsters of E-rank creatures are even more potent. The black-armed spider boss is the strongest in the D-rank category. Thorough preparation is essential for adventurers of all levels.

In the end, everything worked out just fine. Jenna breathed a sigh of relief, her soul finding tranquility akin to a calm sea.

Yet, she suddenly wondered, ‘But would fifty gold coins be enough?’ While her usual monthly earnings amounted to thirty gold coins, this time she pocketed fifty. After deducting the hospital fee and living expenses totaling forty gold coins, she was left with a surplus of ten. Despite having more cash than usual, dissatisfaction lingered.

‘At this rate... When will I ever…’ 

Dismay quickly morphed into bitterness as she clenched her teeth in frustration, realizing her meager pay as a decoy wouldn't suffice to aid her ailing father. She couldn't endure this any longer, but she pondered how she could escape this predicament.

"...!"

V-VO-OOM!!

At that moment, Jenna's attention snapped to the rumble of approaching automobiles—bulky, lengthy vehicles pulling into the team quarters parking lot. "The Alpha A team just wrapped up their raid," she muttered. In short, they had concluded their raid for the week.

The Alpha A team, an elite group within her team, specialized in the toughest raids. These days, they had been coming back late and bloody; after all, their mission was to reclaim some of the [Monsters' Expanse] not far from the team quarters.

There were so many adventurers these days that even Jenna's team had a lot of groups in their team quarters in this district. If not told, no one would believe there were only about 15,000 adventurers in the whole [Jubilee City]. Yet, the spoils from monster carcasses fetched exorbitant prices, explaining the rush of civilians to join the ranks after awakening.

"No one wants to be the original awakened person," Jenna mused aloud, shaking her head at the sight of the Alpha A team adventurers trudging into the quarters. 

‘If it weren't for the benefits of monster hunting, then why would so many civilians want to be chosen by the law of mana?’ 

Jenna pondered, gazing up at the azure sky and marveling at the leisurely drift of fluffy white clouds. She sighed deeply, savoring the gentle breeze that rustled everything in its path.

Jenna carried the weight of her burdens, her mind adrift in a sea of loneliness and despair, like the wind scattering in all directions. For four whole years, she hadn't written any novels or even picked up a pen. Her once-bright dream had faded into emptiness, like a void.

As the harsh reality of her life replayed in her mind, she fought back tears. Her eyes dimmed with gloom, and her lips were swollen with unspoken sorrow. 'But I mustn't cry,' she reminded herself, knowing her father wouldn't approve. With a heavy heart, she rubbed her eyes, trying to push away the tide of emotions.

'No. Let's focus on reality for now,' she scolded herself. Though she had become adept at masking her feelings to become a decoy, she couldn't help but show them when she thought about her sickly father and her abandoned career. Yet, there was still one thing she could do – earn money, even if it meant risking her life. Every penny she earned went towards her father's care, leaving no room for hesitation. Jenna focused her distracted gaze with firm determination, releasing her tight fist.

"Let's go see Father," she decided, realizing it had been two days since her last visit. He might be feeling lonely in that sterile hospital room. "I need to find an elixir to wake him up," she muttered, her words tinged with desperation.

So far, her goal to raise five hundred gold coins to cure her father's illness remained at two hundred. With that amount, she needed to purchase a 'bloodied elixir,' a potion made from the blood of a phoenix from the south.

This elixir, renowned for its ability to cure all diseases, regenerate dead cells, heal wounded organs, and enhance the physical body, came at a staggering cost. However, it didn't offer immunity or guarantee that the patient wouldn't fall ill again.

‘But that's what I need. If only I had it…’ Unable to conclude her thoughts, she rose from the bench, bidding farewell to the receptionist and expressing gratitude once more for her healing magic. The receptionist had been the only one in the team quarters who had shown her kindness, so leaving abruptly would be awkward.

With resolve, she began to stride down the passageway toward the main entrance of the team quarters. Suddenly, halfway through, the world shook on its axis.

RUMBLE!

“…!”

"What?" Jenna was stunned as her body shook violently. Struggling to maintain balance, she heard a strange noise, a low frequency reverberating as if something heavy was plummeting from above. "What's that whistling sound?" she murmured, her golden eyes darting around to locate its source.

Looking up, despair washed over her. Her eyes widened in terror, and her hair stood on end. "Damn it," she cursed, unable to contain her shock. In this situation, swearing seemed only natural; if she were still depressed, she might have doubted her senses and clicked her tongue in disbelief. But...

For a brief moment, reality seemed to dissolve around her, as if the world suddenly became a fantasy. Yet, the distorted air and the deafening noise were all too real, grounding her in the harsh truth.

"Why is that falling from the sky out of nowhere? Is this another collision?" Snapping back to reality, Jenna panicked and instinctively began to run. With each step, exhaustion gripped her tighter, her breath growing shallow. Another heavy rumble sent her stumbling uncontrollably before she fell.

When she finally regained her bearings, she saw a massive, distorted tram that had crashed with incredible force from above. Survival adrenaline coursed through her veins, pushing her through the exhaustion. She scrambled to her feet without hesitation. She was accustomed to glancing over her shoulder as she fled, her body trembling, her lungs gasping for precious air.

A heavy shockwave reverberated through the area, spawned by the wreckage of armored vehicles and a disfigured automobile strewn about. The air grew thin, her heart racing frantically.

"Why am I in this mess again?" Jenna bit her lower lip as she muttered. Frustration knotted her whitish-silver brow and distorted her expression. She was accustomed to sprinting from monsters, but an eerie sense of dread urged her onward, warning that stopping meant certain doom. She couldn't afford to die, not when her father's life depended on her. No, she had to survive.

With desperation fueling her, she bolted forward, ignoring the accumulated fatigue pulsing through her body. But just as she neared the entrance to safety, a barrage of vehicles rained down upon the quarters.

"What?!" she exclaimed, teeth gnashing in shock as her eyes widened. The falling objects shattered the team quarters building, unleashing a series of powerful explosions as they collided.

The force of the impact sent her teenage frame hurtling backward amidst a shower of debris. Time seemed to slow as searing pain shot through her body. She struggled to draw breath, blood trickling down her forehead.

‘Father... Ciel...' Her mind flickered with images of her loved ones as consciousness slipped away before she was swallowed by darkness, crushed against an unknown wall by the force of the explosion.