The System Awakens: Rise of the Champion

Damian jumped off a building and landed gracefully in front of a massive ten-story structure.

What was once an apartment complex had now been converted into the headquarters of a guild.

"So, they're already starting to claim ownership of the gates, huh," Damian muttered with a snort of annoyance.

Beneath this building lay a gate that acted as a portal, instantly transporting those who entered it to the second-largest country in Asia.

Damian had intended to use it, but it seemed his plan was flawed.

The gates were already being seized and claimed by guilds.

The guild that had claimed ownership of this location was called the United Swords Guild.

Damian couldn't tell if it was pure coincidence, but the guild members seemed to primarily wield swords as their weapons.

"Wait, now that I think about it, even before the Day of Awakening, weren't there novels and games related to apocalypses and systems?" A realization struck Damian, his expression shifting to one of puzzlement.

"What the hell? Is everything we thought was fiction becoming reality? Just what is going on here?" He narrowed his eyes, shaking his head in displeasure.

A hint of regret surfaced as he recalled how disinterested he had been in such stories before the Day of Awakening.

"Maybe that's why the people who played those games or read fictional novels about apocalypses became some of the strongest awakeners. Reality turned out to be eerily similar to their fantasies," Damian sighed.

"Well, at least I have my memories from before my regression. That should give me an advantage over most others," he muttered as he shifted his gaze to the guild office of the United Swords Guild.

"Now, how should I approach this? They're definitely not going to let me use the gate easily," Damian thought, his irritation evident on his face.

Though many monsters had emerged from the gates, their numbers weren't nearly enough for awakeners to level up significantly.

The amount of experience gained from killing them would decrease drastically over time.

When the system's invitation for Class Assignment appeared, the strongest awakener on Earth had only reached around level 35.

Damian hadn't been at that level before his regression, but his stats were leagues ahead of others at comparable levels.

In terms of raw stats, he was on par with someone between levels 40 and 45, but his mana stat had already surpassed 100.

If he combined his magic with the inherited ability he awakened, Damian was confident he could take on anyone on Earth.

And let's not forget, he still had over 45 free stat points he could allocate at any time.

This alone gave him confidence in his ability to stand against anyone.

However, one issue remained.

"I might have trouble with the guild leaders. Supposedly, they've awakened incredibly powerful talents and abilities that make them exceptionally strong," Damian mused.

He could vividly remember a dozen or so individuals who awakened the most overpowered abilities imaginable.

These abilities were so formidable that no one could stand against them except for one another.

Most of these individuals eventually rose to become leaders of the greatest guilds in the world, guilds that dominated the Earth in the aftermath of the Day of Awakening.

There were many Awakeners with abilities that granted special effects, significantly increasing their stats or other physical capabilities.

If Damian encountered someone like that in the United Swords Guild, he might face trouble dealing with them.

Damian considered this with a stern expression for a few moments before irritation flashed across his face.

"Forget it. Let's just deal with it head-on," Damian snorted, striding through the front door of the guild's headquarters as if he owned the place.

As soon as he entered, he immediately caught the attention of everyone inside.

His appearance was striking, and it was impossible to ignore him.

After extracting all the mana from the Forest Heart Creeper's source core, the unabsorbed excess mana had been used to reconstruct and refine his physical body.

The transformation was profound.

All the abnormalities in his body had been corrected, and his chronic sickness completely cured.

His body had reached peak condition, which greatly enhanced his comprehension abilities, strengthened his bones, and increased his height to an impressive 6'3".

The blemishes on his skin vanished, leaving it pale yet healthy.

His naturally blue eyes had deepened into a vivid sapphire shade, and his dark black hair now looked clean, shiny, and softer, styled in a casually messy, medium length.

Wearing a full-sleeved, hooded brown t-shirt paired with black pants and sneakers, Damian looked undeniably handsome.

He was turning heads wherever he went, though he seemed entirely unaware of it.

Even if he had noticed, he wouldn't have cared.

Now, as he entered the headquarters of the United Swords Guild, he became the immediate center of attention.

At least twenty people were inside, going about their business, but something else quickly caught Damian's notice, making him raise an eyebrow.

"Why are there so many Asian people here?" Damian wondered silently. "I suppose the guild must have extensive interactions with Asian countries. If that's the case, it's possible the members here might also possess Qi cultivation methods."

Damian pondered this briefly as he walked toward the receptionist, who greeted him with a warm smile.

"Welcome, sir. How can I help you today?" the receptionist asked politely.

"Not much," Damian replied casually. "I just want to use the Gungeon Gate you're hiding in the basement."

"…What?" The receptionist blinked, certain she had misheard him.

"S-Sir, I think you're mistaken. We're a guild that handles monster and Corruptant hunting missions. We don't provide services like that, and we certainly don't own a gate," she replied, maintaining her professional smile.

"Is that so?" Damian frowned, studying her expression for a moment.

"It seems she genuinely doesn't know about the gate in the basement," Damian thought. "That's understandable. A gate capable of enabling global travel would be highly valuable and could attract unwanted trouble. It's no wonder they've kept it hidden."

A sly grin spread across Damian's face.

"Why do I feel so uneasy all of a sudden?" the receptionist thought nervously as she looked at him.

Damian leaned forward slightly. "I'd like to meet the Guild Master."

"The Guild Master?" The receptionist raised an eyebrow, her polite demeanor slipping for a moment.

Around the room, other Awakeners, many of them armed with swords, turned their attention to him, their gazes narrowing.

"Yes, the Guild Master," Damian repeated, ignoring the stares of the dozens of Awakeners who were now focused on him.

"The Guild Master is very busy," the receptionist said hesitantly.

"May I take a message to deliver to him?"

Before Damian could reply, he felt a firm hand land on his shoulder.

...

[A/N: Come on, everyone! You've made it this far, so why not add my novel to your favorites? And if it's not too much trouble, please leave a review or drop some POWER STONES!]