Solo Leveling: Forceborn

"Power untested is no power at all."

The first week of my awakening is a blur of trial and error. I barely stepped out of the training hall. Every day brought something new - exhilarating for some, painful for others. By the end of that week, I had learned the basics of my gravity manipulation. Lifting, pulling, pushing - all that was fine. But combat was a whole different story; finesse called for practice. Lots of it.

Still, there was only so much I could learn on my own. If I wanted to grow stronger, I needed real-world experience. That meant dungeons, raids, and, most importantly, a team.

Finding a guild was easier said than done. While Hunters were in high demand, guilds were picky. No one wanted to invest resources in someone unproven, even if they were a B-rank Mage. After days of searching, I finally received an offer from a guild called "Ironclad." It wasn't one of the big names like Apex, Crimson Tide, and Scavengers Guild, but it wasn't unknown either. Their roster included an A-rank Hunter, which spoke volumes about their reputation.

"You've got potential," their recruiter had said. "We'll see if you've got what it takes."

The words stayed with me. Potential wasn't enough; I had to prove myself.

My first raid with Ironclad came sooner than expected. There was this dungeon, a C-rank, manageable but still deadly. The team leader was Allen Hart, a B-rank Swordsman who had the uncanny ability of commanding attention. Very broad-shouldered and very loud, he exudes pure confidence-the kind that made people listen without raising an eyebrow.

"Alright, rookies," Allen barked, clapping his hands together. "This isn't your first dungeon, but it's your first with me. Stick to your roles, and we'll get through this."

He scanned the group, his eyes lingering on me. "Kael, right? Gravity Mage?"

I nodded.

"Good. Stay near the backline, support when needed, and don't try anything flashy. Got it?"

"Got it."

Allen grinned and clapped me on the shoulder. "You'll do fine. Just don't get us all killed."

The entrance to the dungeon loomed in front of us, a jagged tear in the earth pulsing unnatural. My heart raced as we stepped inside. The air was colder, the light dimmer. Crystals embedded in the walls gave off a faint blue hue, casting eerie shadows.

"Eyes up," Allen said. "Monsters here are pack hunters. You see one, there's probably five more waiting."

The first wave came quickly—gnarled creatures with too many limbs and sharp, glinting teeth. Allen charged forward, his greatsword cleaving through the first two like butter. The rest of the team moved with precision, spells and strikes raining down on the enemies.

I hung back, watching, waiting for my moment. Then it came.

A monster broke through the front line, rushing toward one of our Healers. My instincts kicked in. I focused on the ground beneath the creature, increasing the gravity tenfold. It froze mid-stride, its legs buckling under the weight. A swift arrow from our Archer finished the job.

"Nice save," Allen called out, nodding in my direction. "Keep it up."

The compliment was a small shot of pride that ran through me, but I didn't let it distract me. The dungeon wasn't over yet.

We pushed forward, the battles becoming tougher. I tried my skills, discovering new ways to shift the balance. In one skirmish, I created a gravity well that pulled enemies into a tight cluster, making them easy targets for our Mage's fireball. In another, I lightened the weight of a fallen ally, allowing them to retreat faster.

By the end of the raid, my body ached, and my mana reserves were all but exhausted. But we had done it. No casualties, minimal injuries. A success.

We headed back to the guild hall, where the team celebrated with drinks and laughter. Allen raised a glass in my direction.

"To the rookie! You did good today, Kael."

I smiled, raising my own glass. For the first time since my awakening, I felt like I belonged. But as the night wore on, one thought lingered in the back of my mind.

This was just the beginning.