"Unique scenario…?" Aslan muttered, eyes fixed on the notification hovering before him.
He glanced down at his hands—hands that clearly weren't his own.
And yet, despite being in a different body, everything felt… oddly natural, almost like it had always been this way.
As Aslan tried to comprehend the situation, another notification appeared before him.
[Unique Scenario Description: You are currently playing as 'Dean', a young man who'd lost his parents to monsters two years ago. In order to provide for, as well as protect, your little sister, who is your remaining family, you have decided to become a Paladin for the Astral Kingdom.]
"Playing…? So I am roleplaying as Dean? Am I inside a dungeon right now?"
When he studied dungeons at the library a few days ago, he learned that some rare dungeons possessed unique properties that had special clear conditions. For example, suddenly becoming a farmer and needing to grow a certain plant to clear the dungeon. Such dungeons were commonly known as role-playing dungeons.
After taking a moment to digest his situation, Aslan lightly smacked his face with both hands and muttered, "Alright, let's do this."
Without even thinking, Aslan began walking in a certain direction. He didn't know where the Paladin recruitment was taking place, but his body instinctively moved as though it did.
The Astral Kingdom was a vast city built in a circular formation spanning over a hundred miles, with Dean's home located at its outermost edge, where the commoners and poor people lived. Fortunately, there were teleportation devices scattered around the city that allowed for fast travel.
As Aslan wandered through the city, he took in its unfamiliar scenery. Unlike his own world of towering skyscrapers and paved roads, this place was lined with modest buildings and stone-paved streets.
Eventually, Aslan arrived at the teleportation device, which was a simple circular platform with magic symbols engraved all around it.
"Where would you like to go?" asked the man managing the device when Aslan got close.
"I'm going to the Paladin recruitment."
"The Astral Barracks it is. That will be one silver coin."
Unfortunately, these teleportation devices were not free, so only those well off or in an emergency used them.
Aslan subconsciously searched his pocket to find several coins inside. When he took them out, he could see two silver coins and three bronze coins.
Aslan immediately paid the man one of the silver coins.
After accepting the money, the manager tapped the platform with his stick, and moments later, it began to glow a faint blue light.
"You may enter."
As Aslan stepped onto the platform, the scenery shifted before he even realized it. While the atmosphere and architectural style remained consistent, everything around him was markedly cleaner and newer than the city's outskirts, where trash cluttered the streets and the buildings showed signs of age and wear.
Not far from the teleportation device stood a tall stone wall, resembling a barricade, with the flag of the Astral Kingdom hanging proudly upon it. Outside, a long line of rugged-looking individuals—mostly men—could be seen waiting.
"That must be the Astral Barracks…"
He stepped off the platform and made his way toward the wall, joining the end of the line moments later. Aslan now inhabited the body of a young adult—tall, lean, and refined. Though he didn't appear muscular at first glance, his physique was honed to near perfection.
Most of the people in line appeared to be around Aslan's age, though slightly older. Their worn-out clothing suggested they had come here for the same reason he had—to change their life for the better or to support someone.
In the Astral Kingdom, becoming a Paladin was highly sought after—not only did it grant ordinary people inhuman strength and unique abilities, but it also elevated them to the status of elites within the kingdom.
Thousands flock to the recruitment each year, but only a select few are ever chosen, as it requires more than just talent and hard work to pass the recruitment.
"The line's moving quite fast," Aslan thought to himself, noticing how he advanced every few seconds.
Before long, he reached the entrance to the barracks—only to realize the line continued to coil several times within. At a glance, there were thousands of applicants ahead.
At the very front sat two men behind a long table, upon which rested what looked like a crystal ball. Both men radiated a powerful aura similar to that of Awakeners, but they were much more powerful than anyone Aslan had encountered before.
He then watched as one of the applicants stepped up to the desk and bowed respectfully to the two men before placing his large hand on the crystal ball.
However, after a few silent moments with no reaction from the crystal ball, the applicant turned away, his expression heavy with disappointment.
This scene repeated for the next hundred applicants—each stepping forward, only to leave in disappointment—until something finally happened. When one applicant placed his hand on the crystal ball, it began to emit a faint golden glow.
Seeing this, one of the two men behind the table nodded and said, "Congratulations, you have the aptitude to become a Paladin."
"Th-Thank you!" The applicant shouted with blissful tears flowing down his face.
"Please, follow me."
One of the workers in the background gestured toward the applicant.
Meanwhile, the others waiting in line watched the applicant follow the worker away with envious gazes.
Time passed swiftly, and after thousands of applicants had failed the first test, Aslan's turn was finally approaching.
'Even though so many people have gone, only three people have been accepted so far…' Aslan swallowed nervously, wondering what would happen to the Unique Scenario if he failed here.
After the dozen applicants before him had failed, it was finally Aslan's turn to step forward. He approached the table with stiff, cautious movements, and bowed respectfully to the two men, who didn't respond and silently stared at him.
Aslan took a deep breath and touched the crystal ball the next moment.
The crystal ball was cold to the touch at first, but it quickly grew warmer—until, all of a sudden, it burst into a golden glow.
This golden light was unlike anything seen before, and not even the previous three who had passed came close. It was so brilliant, so blinding, that the crystal ball resembled a miniature sun.
The moment the two men saw it, their eyes widened in shock, and for the first time, both of them rose to their feet.