GATE ZERO

I never asked for this.

One minute, I was crawling out of that Gate broken, burned, and bleeding like a ghost nobody cared about.

The next, the world was different.

Quiet, but heavy.

Like something was watching.

Like something was waiting.

I sat down on a cracked curb and caught my breath.

Then it hit me.

A flicker of light—almost like a glitch in the corner of my vision.

I blinked.

A window appeared.

Black, sleek, with glowing white letters.

[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]

"Welcome, Crispin David."

No, this wasn't a dream.

This was real.

I tapped the window with a shaky finger.

Stats, skills, quests.

My life was suddenly a video game.

[LEVEL] 1 — D-Class Hunter

[HP] 100

[MP] 30

[STR] 5

[AGI] 6

[INT] 4

And underneath, a quest blinked:

[Quest] Enter Gate and survive. [Completed]

I scoffed.

Great. A system that tells me what I already survived.

Then a new quest popped up.

[Quest] Clear the Southbridge Gate (Dungeon). Difficulty: Low. Reward: Experience + Item Drop.

Hell yeah.

If this thing wanted me to play along, fine. I'd play.

The city streets were a battleground.

The Gate wasn't just some doorway.

It was a nightmare leaking into our world.

Monsters crawling out in packs, killing anyone stupid enough to stand their ground.

But this time, I had a system.

A power.

And a shot.

I headed toward the Gate location marked on the map glowing in my vision.

My hands tingled with that strange ember fire.

My first real test.

When I arrived, a group of hunters was already battling a pack of low-level monstersmutated dogs with razor claws and glowing eyes.

I hung back.

Watching.

Calculating.

They were fast, but disorganized.

I could do better.

A beast lunged at me.

I didn't think.

I burned.

Fire exploded from my palms, searing flesh and fur.

The beast screamed and collapsed.

The others stared.

A smirk crept across my face.

I wasn't just a D-Class anymore.

The system buzzed.

[Level Up Available]

Hell yes.

I took my first step into something bigger.

But I had no idea just how deep the rabbit hole went Alright, boss! Here's the next chunk of Chapter 3 — Crispin stepping into his first quests, feeling the rush of leveling up, and the harsh realities of the Hunter world crashing in. Ready? Let's roll.

The moment I crushed that mutating dog with flames, everything changed.

The other hunters looked at me like I was some kind of freak — a D-Class showing off.

I didn't care.

A surge of adrenaline rushed through me. The system's interface hovered in my vision, showing EXP gained, stats ticking upward.

[EXP Gained: 150]

[Current EXP: 150 / 300]

My hands still burned faintly. Not pain power.

I scanned the battlefield. More beasts coming.

The others weren't ready.

One hunter, a woman with a sniper rifle, shouted, "Watch your backs!"

I felt the system buzz again.

[New Skill Unlocked: Flame Burst]

A skill? Already?

I barely had time to think before another dog leapt at me, teeth bared.

I clenched my fist, and a ball of flame exploded outward.

The beasts screamed, scattering in panic.

The hunters regrouped, giving me wary glances.

I knew what they were thinking: "Who the hell is this rookie?"

I grinned.

We pushed deeper into the Gate.

The city behind us blurred into shadows.

Inside, the ruins were cold, dark crawling with monsters desperate and dangerous.

I kept my system open, watching quests and stats, tracking every heartbeat.

Every kill.

Every move.

We came to a dead end.

A massive monster blocked the path a grotesque giant with scales like iron and claws sharp as razors.

The other hunters hesitated.

I stepped forward.

My hands burned brighter.

"Let's see what you've got," I muttered.

The fight was brutal.

The beast swung a massive claw.

I dodged, barely.

My flames clashed with its iron scales.

The system buzzed madly.

[Skill Activated: Flame Burst]

[Damage: 500]

The beast roared, staggering.

I pressed the attack.

Burnout surged through me — black fire licking my skin but fueling my strength.

The hunters rallied, attacking the beast's exposed sides.

Finally, with a shattering roar, the beast fell.

The Gate trembled.

Light flashed.

The system chimed:

[Quest Complete: Clear the Southbridge Gate]

[Reward: Experience + Rare Item]

That night, I sat alone on the rooftop, city lights flickering beneath me.

The system glowed softly.

[Level Up Available]

I clenched my fists.

This was just the start.

Something deeper lurked in the Gates.

Something they didn't want me to find.