I Awakened as an SSS-Rank System Maker!

Darlene was relaxed, though her eyes flickered with subtle calculation, as if she was already assessing her allies.

The small boy sat with his legs tucked under him, eerily silent, his golden eyes sharp and intelligent.

Kyle remained rigid and composed, but Lucas could tell the A-rank fighter wasn’t happy about following orders.

The other two C-ranks looked unremarkable, but that could mean anything.

Breaking the silence, Darlene leaned forward slightly. "So, what’s the strategy?"

Siman, as expected, didn’t seem interested in explaining anything. Instead, he simply looked at Lucas. "You’re the tactician, right? Go ahead."

Lucas didn’t argue. "Alright. First, we need to analyze the dungeon type. The mission slip didn’t give specifics, so we’ll evaluate once we arrive. But assuming it’s standard, we’ll move in a standard formation."

Darlene nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

Kyle, however, exhaled through his nose. "Standard formation? We don’t even know what kind of threats we’re facing."

Lucas met his gaze. "Which is why we’ll adapt as needed. The point is to have a starting plan, not to follow it blindly."

Kyle didn’t respond, but his expression remained skeptical.

---

The carriage rolled to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust as the team arrived at their destination an abandoned farm at the edge of the highway. The land was barren, the soil cracked and lifeless, with nothing but a few withered trees standing against the cold wind. In the middle of the field stood a massive magical gate, glowing with an eerie blue light.

Lucas stepped out first, his boots crunching against the dry earth. He gazed at the gate with sharp eyes, feeling the dense energy radiating from it. The atmosphere was thick, almost suffocating.

Andre cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Well, it looks welcoming enough."

Siman, ever composed, simply nodded. "No time to hesitate."

Kyle crossed his arms, his expression skeptical. "This better be worth it."

The others were less vocal, but their body language spoke volumes. Darlene’s fingers tightened around her staff, and the two C-rank men shifted uncomfortably, their confidence clearly wavering. The small boy with yellow hair, however, remained eerily calm, observing everything with an unreadable gaze.

Lucas exhaled. "Alright, no point in wasting time. Let’s go in."

Without further delay, they stepped forward, vanishing into the glowing light.

---

The moment they crossed the threshold, the light from the entrance dimmed, and the world around them shifted. They were standing in a massive cave, its ceiling so high it was lost in shadows. The walls were lined with countless blue crystals, casting a soft, ghostly glow that barely provided enough visibility.

The air was thick with moisture, carrying a faint metallic scent.

One of the C-rank men, his voice filled with curiosity, muttered, "Crystals? Are these magical stones?"

Darlene ran her fingers across one of the glowing formations before shaking her head. "No, just ordinary crystals. They have no magical properties."

The moment of stillness was short-lived.

A sound echoed through the cavern a skittering noise, like claws scraping against stone.

Then, from the depths of the cave, shadows stirred.

Glowing red eyes blinked into existence.

The creatures emerged, slipping out of the darkness like living nightmares. They were humanoid but twisted blackened goblins with elongated limbs and jagged claws. Their bodies seemed to blend into the surrounding shadows, moving unnaturally fast.

Lucas’s lips curled into a smirk. "Looks like we have company."

Siman cracked his neck. "They don’t look too tough."

Darlene, gripping her staff, hissed, "Don’t underestimate them. Shadow creatures are always tricky."

Kyle let out a low chuckle. "Let’s see if your confidence holds up."

Lucas, ignoring the banter, turned to Siman. "Alright, you know what to do." Then, shifting his gaze to Andre, he added, "Go with him."

The rest of the group exchanged confused glances.

Darlene frowned. "What? Even if Siman is A-rank, he can’t clear the dungeon alone with just Andre!"

Kyle scoffed. "Ha! You’re either insane or stupid. Fine, I’ll watch you get torn apart."

Lucas merely shrugged, unfazed by their reactions. Without another word, he, Siman, and Andre advanced toward the creatures, leaving the others behind.

As the trio moved, the goblins reacted instantly, their bodies shifting into the shadows before launching themselves forward at inhuman speeds.

Lucas calmly observed their movements. "Alright, black goblins... Siman, you know what to do. Just cut off their arms and legs, and leave the rest to Andre."

Siman grinned. "Easy."

But instead of drawing a sword, he extended his hand toward Lucas. "Give me a knife."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "A knife? You serious?"

Siman didn’t respond, just waited.

After a short pause, Lucas pulled a small knife from his belt and tossed it to him. The weapon was ridiculously unimpressive barely sharp enough to cut through fruit.

Kyle laughed mockingly from the back. "Oh, this is going to be good."

Siman caught the knife without hesitation.

And then

He disappeared.

A sharp slicing sound echoed through the cave.

Then another.

And another.

In less than three seconds, Siman reappeared on the other side of the battlefield. The knife in his hand dripped with thick, black blood.

The goblins froze.

Then

They collapsed.

Limbs severed. Bodies twitching on the ground, still alive but rendered completely useless.

The cave fell into an eerie silence.

Lucas let out a low chuckle. "Damn, you’re fast."

Kyle’s smirk vanished, replaced with wide-eyed disbelief. The others, even Darlene, were momentarily speechless.

Siman spun the knife between his fingers before flicking off the blood. "Well, they were slow."

Lucas turned to Andre. "Alright, your turn."

Andre, who had been watching with a lazy expression, finally stepped forward. He didn’t carry any weapons he didn’t need them.

He placed a foot on one of the writhing goblins and pressed down.

Hard.

A sickening crunch filled the air.

One by one, he moved methodically, finishing off the creatures without resistance. He didn’t rush, didn’t waste energy. Just raw, brutal efficiency.

By the time he was done, the cavern was silent once more.

Lucas exhaled and turned back toward the others. "See? Told you we’d handle it."

Kyle clenched his jaw but said nothing.

Darlene crossed her arms. "Next time, maybe warn us before pulling something like that."

Lucas smirked. "Where’s the fun in that?"