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### **Chapter One: The Rank That Shouldn't Exist**
Ju Sung stood at the edge of the abyss.
The gate pulsed in front of him, a swirling vortex of violet mist and black lightning that hummed like a living thing. People said dungeons looked like scars in the world, tearing into reality like claws through flesh. Up close, it looked more like an eye—one that stared right through you. It saw everything. Especially weakness.
And Ju Sung had plenty of that.
"Are you *really* going in there?" a voice called from behind. It was one of the newer Hunters, a fresh C-rank, still cocky, still wearing his guild-issued armor like it meant something. "Or are you just sightseeing? Don't wanna die before lunch, you know."
Ju Sung didn't reply. He was used to the comments by now. After all, it wasn't every day someone with a **Dead Rank** stepped up to a dungeon.
He glanced down at the faded stamp on his Hunter ID. Most had ranks: A, B, C, D—sometimes even the elusive S. His read something different.
> **RANK: DEAD**
It wasn't a joke. When he touched the Awakening Crystal, it flickered—then went dark. Dead. As if the system itself had rejected him.
No guild took him in. No party let him join. He trained alone. Hunted alone. Survived alone.
But something about this dungeon was different. He could feel it in his bones—a low, crawling pull in his chest like cold fingers tugging at a door he hadn't known existed.
"Don't," the C-rank warned again, softer this time. "There's something off about this gate. Even high-ranks are hesitating. You'll just die in there, man."
Ju Sung finally turned. His eyes were calm, unreadable.
"Then let me die."
He stepped into the gate.
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Inside, it was cold.
Not temperature-wise—spiritually. The dungeon's air was heavy with silence, like it had been holding its breath for centuries. The obsidian walls pulsed faintly with veins of red light, twitching with life.
There were no goblins. No low-tier monsters.
Only corpses.
He found them in the first chamber. Three Hunters. At least A-rank, judging by their gear. Torn apart. Armor shredded like wet paper.
In the center of the room stood a figure.
It wasn't a monster.
It was a man.
Black robes. Ash-grey skin. Eyes like dying stars. On the back of his hand, glowing faintly in red—
The same mark as Ju Sung's.
**Dead Rank.**
The figure smiled.
"I've been waiting for you."
And then, everything stopped.
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**[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]**
**[Classified Rank: DEAD recognized.]**
**[Reconnecting lost protocol…]**
**[Error. Error. Protocol corrupted.]**
**[Manual Override in effect.]**
Ju Sung staggered back. A screen appeared in front of him—hanging in the air, faintly glitching like broken glass. He'd never seen a system prompt like it. It wasn't polished. It wasn't clean.
It was…raw.
> **[You have awakened the Forgotten System.]**
> **[Path: Graveborn Ascension]**
> **[Progress: 0.0%]**
> **[WARNING: All skills and stats must be earned through death, survival, or sacrifice.]**
> **[Initial Ability Unlocked: "Second Breath" — Allows revival once after fatal injury. Cooldown: 72 hours.]**
> **[Stat Sync Disabled. You will not grow through traditional methods.]**
Ju Sung stared. "...What the hell?"
The robed figure raised a hand—and then vanished, dissipating into shadow. No sound. No threat. Just gone.
In his place was a trail. A long, winding stairway deeper into the dungeon.
Ju Sung gripped his blade. His heart was hammering—but not with fear.
With purpose.
This system didn't promise power. It promised pain. Sacrifice. Hard-earned survival.
But it was the first time *anything* had acknowledged him.
**Dead Rank wasn't the end.**
It was just the beginning.
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