"You'd understand if you were in my position- This is insane but..." He could only mutter to myself as he snapped his focus back.

"I would never let this opportunity slip."

. . .

"Hoh, another one with a unique skill. You'll surely go far in this world, I can feel it."

"Y-yes! Thank you, sir! I won't disappoint this guild!"

"Haha! I wouldn't even dream of it, kid."

As naive as anyone else starting out I could only this of my fortune that I was able to awaken as a hunter and defend my home. That man, the Guildmaster, became something of an icon to many hunters who were, for the most part, just like me. He was something so rare in this world, like a Guiding Star.

It was nothing but happy faces for year one. Of course, it would be. We had every advantage we needed to force back any monsters we faced, thanks to his insight. And of course, my luck would run dry as it always did. No, more accurately, it felt as if a piece of my life's fortune was stolen away from me without a chance to resist. The biggest hurdle of my life revealed itself to me.

[Warning! The [Absorption] skill can only be used once, are you sure you would like to use it on the 'Goblin'?]

While my partners watched on to see what I could do, my face crumpled very quickly.

"..I can only use it once."

"What?"

"The skill. [Absorption]. I can only use it once."

"...Well let's not waste it on the goblin, right? Haha!"

"..Yeah, I'll find something cool."

I tried to play it off, but every monster I could think of didn't make the cut. The more monsters I considered, the more their weaknesses became apparent, and the higher my standards rose.

But that's only how it started. The moniker of having a 'Unique Skill' should have put me a cut above the rest, it should have been my ticket to success but like despair, it followed and it killed all hope.

My partners who had already started making a name for themselves in the guild were still by my side, hoping for a breakthrough just as much as I. The Guildmaster who would never let me go gave me as much as I needed for my research that I obsessed over.

"M-maybe we'll leave this for tomorrow, Lyn. Can't you see it's getting late?" An assistant of the Guildmaster often came to say.

I couldn't lose myself in my path. At least not while it was all I had. I'll admit at times I ignored their goodwill, or even pushed them away. But, in the end, as my desperation started to get more and more severe, it was them who stood up for me when those on the sidelines starting to voice their opposition. 

"He still hasn't found a suitable monster yet Guildmaster. You can't really still be placing hope in that man!" Those who rightfully pushed back against the Guildmaster's unexplained decisions were not few.

"My eye has never deceived me. Why should I believe that I've made a mistake when I was in my prime. It is not a matter of pride nor spite, that boy is a diamond in the rough. Maybe not now or even.. in my lifetime, but he is destined for something bigger."

"You and that damn [Observation] skill! At least tell us what's so special about him.." They would grumbled, knowing they couldn't convince him even if they argued for an entire day. And as always he'd respond with:

"You'll see when the time comes, I'm sure."

While I was holding on to my sense of self, despair consumed every bit of naive hope that I had.

I did a 'bit' of research to find the strongest monster I could stand next to. In fact, research was the only thing I did unless I was eating or sleeping. You could say I was also making a name for myself. In time, the opposition started to die down. At some point, people began believing that I had abandoned the life of a hunter altogether.

 Like that, years passed and the world moved on. Trapping myself in my bubble, I had very little contact with the outside world, obsessing over my research. If it wasn't for those three I really would have gone crazy in that life. It wasn't healthy by any means, but at least I didn't take that journey alone. 

'Hopefully one day, I'll be able to thank you all properly.'

Crash!
A decayed building came crashing down, a crumbling down rang out. As hunters prepared for the oncoming battle in the Calamity's domain, I started to regain my focus.

"Earth to Lyn? You still there? Don't you know we need our monster expert?" Ren poked Lyn who started into the distance with a complicated smile.

"Ah- Yeah, is it my cue?" Lyn said, ready to move away from the crowd for a moment.

"Nah you just looked a little lost." She admitted, only wanting to bother him to calm his nerves.

Ren, my most supportive partner. Her fiery tomboyish attitude that never wavered was such a large staple of the hunter world that even I, who locked himself away, would still hear rumors of her escapades. A pillar of light to anyone who was on her good side. Luckily for me, I have permanent seat in her heart. She a hunter that was more than capable of handing this special mission.

In the end, my wait bore fruit. Rumors of the 'strongest monster' had already spread worldwide. The [Calamity], as the system called it. 
This system, that recorded the achievements and power of a hunter, would also alert those who use it to quests that it determines are at their 'Level'.  It accurately displays any items of interest, stat growth, or newly formed skills for a hunter's convenience. It's a simple but effective tool.

'As a Level 1, I really have no business being here.'

However my qualifications are beyond what the system says. As the current leading monster expert of this branch of the Association, I have the role of assessing the power scale of this monster according to the terms of the Association. I assumed that it would be at least as strong the strongest monster any force of hunters had ever raided; the ['Earth Dragon']. 

'Well, that's what it was called but it's characteristics were closer to a snake that loved sand.'

More than likely it would have more than twice it's power. Compared to the scale of that raid that was said to have importance to only the world's leading figures, this event could be said to hold significance to the entire world of citizens and hunters alike.

"It's unfortunate that we had to pull out all the hunters into this mission but we're better safe than sorry. It's not like we can just forget the graveyard the [Earth Dragon] left in it's wake."

My two partners, who led a division of hunters as a duo stood by my side. A couple of victims who had fallen down my rabbit hole. Sunny, a stoic swordsman who specializes in paralysis techniques, and Ren, a magic bowswoman who had a talent in restricting her enemies' abilities.

'Hopefully they'll be able to employ the new strategy I came up with. It might work better than I thought.' 

The duo had a habit of always unleashing all they had to completely decimate their enemy.
Like that they became prodigies in the hunter world. In an effort to protect me, or to keep me on my leash, they surrounded me and constantly poked at my uselessness.

"You sure you're ready? You're shaking before the monster is even here~" Ren said in an effort to lighten the mood.

"I'm just cold, yeah. Very cold." I could hold a calm face, but that didn't stop the anxiety, and it didn't make me a better liar.

"Haah, even the most basic hunters are resistant to the elements." She added, doing her best to appear arrogant

'I'm worse off than a basic hunter huh...?' Lyn sulked, not being able to saying anything in prove her wrong.

"Focus, Ren. The division is getting restless again. Especially those who haven't raided before." Sunny interjected. Although he'd been staring silently at me this whole time he still had a responsibility to lead, and an obligation to keep his co-captain in check.

'It's like they think I'm their son.'

If anything, it was reassuring to know that I had nothing to do, and that the pair would do anything in their power to protect me. However, to avoid being pampered, I went to check my Status while ignoring the staring and teasing of the couple.

---

Name: Lyn Cypher

Magic Type:

Skills: [Absorbtion] LVL MAX

Sig. Items: [Relay Stone] x5 [Enhancement Pill] x2

Race: Human

Level: 1

[What a one trick pony you are, huhu. You'll die with a blank slate like this very soon.]

---

'Not even this system has faith in me. At least in the beginning you gave me a warm welcome.'

"No matter, it's all about getting the last laugh" . Even if I had the minimum amount of stat points or the most basic constitution there was one thing I was always held pride in.

Stats.

STR: 5

DEX: 3

INT: 8

WIS: 4

VIT: ???

END: 10

I had the max endurance stat for a level one, and my Vitality couldn't even be measured.

'At least that's what I hope that means.'

My system had the '???' value since the very beginning. 

"No matter, it's not something I need to get to the bottom of."
I scanned the horizon trying to find a decent spot to hide away.

'The distant shouting makes for excellent white noise'

Sunny watched with a complicated face before whispering to Ren, who stood close to him.
"Are we sure we can protect him? At Level One he isn't even authorized to use artifacts."

"We're already breaking tons of rules by hiding him here. This might be his only chance, and we can't just take that away from him."

Ren was just as worried as Sunny but at least, according to Lyn's plan, this was the path of least resistance. And Lyn was usually correct on monster matters.

"Just make sure to keep an eye on the relay stones. He'll be the center of attention when this is all over, and his plan heavily relies on us to escape."

"Assuming we'll put an end to it already?"

"..." Conflicted, Sunny couldn't come up with a response so easily. 

'If this is anything like back then.. who knows how this will go.'

In the end Sunny's emotions still weren't settled. 

. . . 

Taking refuge in the small hole that Ren dug after I couldn't find a spot, Sunny, who prepared cover me with a flat boulder reminded me again,
"Stick to the plan, Lyn. You're in, then you're out-"

"Don't do anything stupid. I know. I got it." I replied, a little annoyed I was still hearing it.
'I'm not sure I can even forget it'

Quickly, I climbed down into the hole to set up my space in advance.

Truthfully, I could barely focus on his words. I knew the two who were the type to never let anything related to me go wouldn't miss the anxiety of finally being in a real battlefield. 
"After so long in that Library this is almost paralyzing."

I sighed and made sure I got everything in order, especially myself.
'You're not in danger. Get it together.' I repeated thoroughly as I tried to reassure myself. I would be alone with my thoughts for a while, and that was anything but comforting. Still, I steadied my breath. I was on the outside of the Calamity's domain. I was almost certain I'd be safe, and yet I couldn't shake this foreboding feeling.

'Is this how it feels every time for them? To risk their lives?'
Thinking back on how often I cursed hunters I felt a little shame. No matter, the time for the calamity to arrived had come and gone but seemed like nothing happened so far.

'Was the system off? That's impossible, how could an omniscient system be incorrect..'

I poked my head out to watch and was blasted by the swirling dust.  An intense whistle rang out across the field.

"They did say the exposure to a large amount of mana will make a ringing noise but this... This isn't normal. It shouldn't be this loud, right?"

Now there was no one by my side to reassure me. Sunny and Ren, who were quite a distance away at this point , glanced back and forth between the crowd. It was clear that everyone was sharing the same confusion and fear. 

CRRK!

Suddenly a crack formed above us. The sky began to shatter and the being responsible for it, flaunted it's power.
Crouched in this hole in the dead soil that was our battlefield, I watched as that terrifying being descended alone.

A [Calamity] appeared.
 

[The Calamity 'Husk Who Returns Home' Has Descended!]

But as if I didn't have room to feel fear, my anticipation grew. My excitement grew. If I ever had to point to an absolute existence. One that felt like it couldn't be overcome, like it wasn't made to be overcome, that thing would be my first and only choice.

'This is it. My defining moment. I'll sever my old fate.'

A true monster.  All for me.

"It's perfect."