Limitless Ascension:The System Chosen-Chapter 15: First Descent

The sun had only just begun to rise over Orario, casting golden light across the cobblestone streets, when Ethan stepped out of the abandoned church. His heartbeat was steady, but his mind wasn't.

Today was his first Dungeon dive.

He felt the weight of the moment settle on his shoulders as he glanced down at the cheap sword strapped to his waist and the basic leather armor covering his chest and legs. The material felt stiff and uncomfortable—worn down, patched in several places. A chipped round shield hung from his back, and the boots he wore had seen better days.

Hestia stood in front of the church door, arms crossed under her chest, worry all over her face.

"Ethan, are you sure about this? That gear isn't good enough," she said, voice tight. "I was going to use the money I earned this week to buy you something new. Just wait a little—"

"It's fine," Ethan interrupted, gently holding out a small bag of coins. "I have some money saved from helping that merchant family the other day."

Hestia blinked as he placed it in her hand. It was the bag of coins he'd been rewarded with after saving the carriage from the dire wolves.

"I'll use some of it to get better gear now," Ethan added with a reassuring smile. "You've already done a lot. Let me handle this."

Hestia looked at the bag, then at him, her lips trembling slightly. She wanted to argue, but instead she nodded slowly.

"Just promise you'll come back safe," she said.

Ethan chuckled. "That's the plan."

He made his way through the city and stopped at a local adventurer's shop near the base of the tower. With his coin pouch, he purchased a new steel short sword, a more reliable leather chest guard, basic health potions, and a small mana recovery vial. Nothing fancy, but better than what he had.

Then he stood at the base of the Tower of Babel, eyes locked on the Dungeon entrance.

This was it.

The gateway to the unknown.

He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves.

His hands clenched slightly around the sword handle.

Calm down. You've trained for this. You've killed monsters before... this isn't your first fight. It's just the first time alone... in the Dungeon.

He descended the stairs, stepping into the dim corridor that led into the Dungeon's first floor. The temperature dropped. The air grew still and heavy.

Stone walls twisted around him, glowing faintly with otherworldly blue light. Strange sounds echoed—distant growls, shifting stones, the soft hum of mana-rich air.

His footsteps echoed as he crept forward, alert.

Then—

A goblin appeared from around the corner.

Its beady yellow eyes locked onto him, and it let out a shriek before charging.

Ethan exhaled. "Let's do this."

He stepped to the side just as the goblin swung its rusted knife. The sword in his hand gleamed briefly before he brought it down in a clean arc, slicing the creature's arm. It shrieked again, lunging wildly. Ethan parried, kicked it back, then drove the blade into its chest.

The goblin collapsed.

A purple glow emerged from the body—a magic stone.

Ethan crouched and picked it up, staring at it.

His hands trembled slightly.

That wasn't so bad.

But his heart was pounding.

He moved deeper into the floor, encountering more goblins and a few kobolds. Each fight became a little easier as his body adjusted. His reflexes sharpened, his footwork improved. Every time he dodged an attack or landed a clean strike, his confidence grew.

Still, there were close calls.

A kobold managed to scratch his arm, drawing blood. Another knocked his shield aside, nearly biting into his shoulder before he slashed its throat.

He took a short rest in one of the narrow corridors, back against the wall. His breath was heavy, sweat dripping down his face.

His first potion was already half-empty.

"Damn... this is harder than I thought," he muttered.

Even with his high stats, this was the Dungeon. The monsters didn't care about numbers—they fought to kill.

Ethan stood back up and pushed onward. His resolve hadn't weakened—it had solidified.

By the time he had cleared the first floor, he had collected six magic stones and three small monster drops.

His arms ached, and his legs were heavy.

He decided not to risk going to the second floor.

Instead, he headed back to the surface.

The sunlight hit his face like a warm embrace as he exited the tower. He squinted against it, blinking quickly.

Alive.

Tired. Hurt. But alive.

He made his way back to the church, where Hestia was waiting by the door, pacing nervously. When she saw him, her eyes lit up with relief.

"Ethan!" she ran toward him. "You're okay!"

"I told you I'd come back," he said with a tired smile, holding out a small pouch. "First Dungeon loot."

She stared at the bag, then at him—covered in dirt, blood, and sweat—and laughed softly.

"You look awful," she said.

"I feel worse," he replied.

She tugged his sleeve. "Come on. I'll clean your wounds. You earned some rest."

As she led him inside, Ethan looked back at the tower for a moment, its immense height stretching into the clouds.

That's only the beginning.

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