Chapter 2: G Grade Summoner

Chapter Two

Seeing the EXP he had received, Orion decided to summon his status and see how much he had improved. Ding! The blue screen changed from the previous notification, and a new set of words appeared before his eyes.

Ding! [Status] [Basic Information] Name: Orion Stormblade Talent: Summoner

Grade: G

MP: 10

Level: 0

EXP Needed for Next Level Up: 40.2/100

[Physical Stats]

Strength: 12

Defense: 13

Speed: 16

Constitution: 13

[Mental Stats]

Intelligence: 15

Perception: 15

Will: 50

Wisdom: 12

"I guess I made some improvement."

Orion stared at his status screen for a moment. Most people would probably be crying and tearing their hair out if they saw what they had received after risking their lives for so long. Only 0.2 EXP.

Just 0.2. And nothing more. But Orion was different. He had already been doing this for a very long time. He had gotten used to it.

Even though he had cleared this dungeon more than two hundred times, he was still nowhere near reaching the EXP required to level up.

More than fifty EXP remained before he could finally break through and reach Level One. If things continued at this pace... He was going to take forever to reach Level One.

But he had no choice in the matter. The reason for his low EXP gain was simple. First, this was a recurring dungeon. And at the same time, it was only a Level One dungeon.

The amount of EXP one could obtain from a dungeon like this was naturally bound to be extremely low. But the second reason why his progression had been so painfully slow was mostly related to the first. And that reason was none other than his G-grade talent.

It was common knowledge that the lower one’s talent grade, the harder it was to level up. Even E-grade Awakeners struggled to level up smoothly. As for F-grade Awakeners... It was even worse.

Many of them eventually gave up on ascending to higher levels altogether. And then there was the most worthless of all the trash grades... G-grade. A grade even lower than F.

Anyone unlucky enough to awaken with such a talent was better off sealing their goods and becoming a farmer than trying to become a warrior. They were destined to never rise.

Well... That was what many people believed.

But Orion had never allowed other people’s opinions to determine his capabilities. They said a G-grade Awakener could never reach Level One. And would you look at that? Sooner or later, he was going to reach Level One.

It might take many days. Maybe even longer than that. But it didn’t matter. He was going to reach Level One. Then Level Two. Then Level Three. And he would continue ascending, no matter how impossible it seemed.

What most people believed could never be accomplished... Orion saw as nothing more than a tall wall. He would simply climb over it. And if that wasn’t possible... He would break it down. Then stroll straight past it.

Orion finally broke free from his thoughts. "Perhaps I’ll have to clear this basic dungeon another three hundred times before I reach Level One." He calculated the number in his head. Three hundred more times.

That would mean another three hundred days. Pretty long. He sighed. Then he shook his head, dispersing his thoughts and dismissing the system screen. There was no point thinking about it.

His attention shifted toward the drop left behind by the dungeon boss. The eight goblins had all vanished from the battlefield. In the place where the Goblin Lord had fallen, however, lay a small blue gem.

Orion’s eyes immediately lit up. "I guess I’m in luck, then." The dungeon boss didn’t drop something valuable every time. But this time... It had dropped a Mana Crystal. Orion bent down and picked it up, a small, happy smile blooming across his face. "This is really cool."

He examined the crystal carefully. "This should be worth around 1,000 points." His mood instantly improved.

Orion quickly wrapped the Mana Crystal up as though it were some precious treasure before carefully placing it inside his pocket.

He then wiped his short sword clean with a rag... or rather, a piece of clothing he had torn off for that very purpose. With everything taken care of, he headed back. His belongings, such as his bag and phone, had been kept at the entrance of the dungeon.

He had left them there because he didn’t want them to be damaged or torn apart in the middle of battle. After retrieving his belongings, Orion headed out of the dungeon.

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Back in the real world... Orion stepped forward. The moment he emerged from the dungeon, a fresh breath of air rushed against his face, making him feel refreshed and comfortable. He smiled and took several deep breaths, enjoying the feeling of the outside world.

"You seem to be happier than usual today, lad." An old man’s voice suddenly called out to him from nearby. Orion turned his head. Not far away was a small camp beside the dungeon.

An older man sat there, appearing to be in his early forties. Orion walked over and exchanged a few greetings with him. "Did the dungeon raid go well?" The older man, who went by the name Old Dian, asked with a small, friendly smile.

Orion nodded. "I got something good this time." A small smile appeared on his face, his excitement impossible to hide. Old Dian simply nodded. "You deserve any rewards you get, kid." His smile softened.

"I only hope you won’t work yourself to the bone." Old Dian was a little concerned about the young lad who had been clearing the recurring basic dungeon for several long weeks now.

It was almost as if the boy didn’t know how to get tired. No matter how exhausted or injured he became, he would always return the very next day and continue grinding.

"Don’t worry too much about me, Uncle." Orion took the bottle of water on the table and gulped it down several times.

"Bye now. I’ll be back tomorrow." Before Old Dian could say anything else, Orion suddenly turned around and blasted off, sprinting into the distance at full speed. Old Dian could only stare after him before shaking his head helplessly. "That brat..."

He had fled before Old Dian could even pester him about not coming back again. "Isn’t he worried that he could get himself killed in that dungeon?" Old Dian sighed.

Still, something about the young lad made him feel rather sad. The boy had outstanding willpower and resolve. He was hardworking and possessed a determination that Old Dian rarely saw in young people. But he lacked talent. That was the problem.

After all, if Orion possessed a talent higher than G-grade, there was no way he would have needed to clear the same dungeon more than two hundred times without even reaching Level One. Thinking about it made the elderly man pity him.

Yet at the same time... It made him respect him. Not many people would continue pushing forward like that when all hope seemed lost. That kid... He was a special case.

Meanwhile, Orion blitzed through the streets at his top speed. The sun was already beginning to set. If he got home later than he was supposed to, Mom would scold him. His legs pushed him forward even faster. No.

He wasn’t getting scolded again. He just needed to get home fast enough. But before that... Orion suddenly arrived in front of a large building. Written prominently across the wall above the entrance were several large words: DUNGEON MARKET.

Orion didn’t waste any time. Since this wasn’t his first time coming here, he quickly made his way inside and searched for the person he was looking for. Soon, his gaze landed on a young woman sitting behind one of the counters. He immediately walked toward her. "Sis Mia, good evening."

The young woman, who had dark-red hair, turned around. The moment she saw Orion, a warm smile appeared on her face. "Well, well... who do we have here?" She leaned slightly forward. "If it isn’t our hero." Her smile widened. "What do you have for us today, Hero Orion?"

Orion reached inside his bag and placed the Mana Crystal on the counter. "I got the big catch today." He said it with a huge smile on his face. Mia blinked. That smile... It would probably have made Orion look like an angel if not for the few bloodstains still clinging to his clothes and face.

"Don’t smile at me like that." Mia placed a hand over her chest dramatically. "You’ll make my poor heart fall for you." Orion chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Maybe you’re right. I should keep my charisma to the bare minimum." He gave her a playful smile.

Mia shook her head helplessly before getting to work. She picked up the Mana Crystal and carefully inspected it, confirming its quality before determining its value. A short while later, she transferred the corresponding points to Orion.

His phone immediately blinked. Orion glanced at the screen: [1,200 Points Received.] His eyes widened slightly. "Wait..." He looked at Mia.

"That’s two hundred points higher than the price I was expecting." He stared at the Mana Crystal’s empty spot on the counter. "Sis Mia, did the price go up or something?"

Mia shook her head. "The general price is still 1,000 points." She tapped the counter lightly. "But this Mana Crystal is of higher quality than the usual ones. I believe 1,200 points is a more worthy price for it."

Orion thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I see." He smiled. "Thanks a lot, Sis Mia." He waved at her. "Bye. I gotta go." "See you next time, Hero Orion." Orion waved once more before turning around and leaving the large building.

The moment he stepped outside... His phone suddenly vibrated again. Bzzzt! Orion stopped. He pulled out his phone and opened the new notification. His eyes landed on the words displayed on the screen: [Dungeon Application Rejected.]

Orion’s gaze dropped. The light in his eyes dimmed slightly. "Another rejection, huh..." He stared at the notification for a while. "It must be because I’m Level Zero." His expression remained like that for several moments. Then he blinked. He shook his head.

"Now isn’t the time for that." He had to get home quickly. With that thought, Orion tucked his phone away and once again made his way home at his top speed.

Meanwhile... Far away from the city where Orion was... Several figures stood before a massive, swirling green gateway. The gateway twisted violently, its surface resembling a whirlpool of green energy.

"So this is Dungeon X..." The leader of the group surveyed the gateway with narrowed eyes. He turned his gaze toward the several powerful men standing behind him. His expression gradually became firm. "Alright. Listen up, everyone." The men immediately focused on him.

"We are going to clear this unranked Legendary Dungeon." His voice was filled with determination. "A dungeon that is said to have remained uncleared for years." He stepped forward.

"Today..." His gaze sharpened as he stared into the swirling green gateway. "We shall clear it."