The Unremarkable Janitor

Declan Greyford leaned on his mop, a bead of sweat trickling down his brow. The echoing clangs and shouts from the training rooms of the Xiuyan Hunter's Guild filled the air. Around him, men and women in high-tech armor discussed their latest expeditions into the interdimensional gates, bragging about their kills and loot.

Declan, however, was far removed from the gallantry and excitement. As a janitor, his battleground was the linoleum floor, and his enemies were grime and dust. The only armor he wore was a faded jumpsuit, splattered with cleaning chemicals. His unremarkable features—brown hair, average build, and eyes that nobody could remember the color of—made him almost invisible.

The world had changed. Monsters from other dimensions had begun spilling out of gates that materialized at random. Countries united, setting aside petty squabbles to defend against the unknown. Hunter guilds like Xiuyan were established as the first line of defense. These hunters braved the gates, pushing back the otherworldly invaders and keeping humanity safe.

Everyone had a role in this new world order, but Declan's was at the bottom of the hierarchy. He was an F-Rank Hunter, a title given more out of pity than any expectation of him becoming a true hunter.

He moved his cart down the hall, arriving at a door that read, "Storage: Authorized Personnel Only." What many didn't know was that the room had been sealed for years. It was more of a forgotten relic than a storage room.

As he turned to leave, something caught his eye—a glint coming from under the door. The temptation of the unknown got the better of him. He used his janitorial override code on the access panel. With a reluctant beep, the door slid open.

Stepping inside, he switched on the lights. Old crates, decommissioned weapons, and obsolete training manuals filled the room. But what drew his attention was an ancient-looking terminal at the far end.

On a hunch, he walked over and pressed the power button. The terminal flickered to life. Text scrolled across the screen:

> "Welcome to the Ascendant System. Activate? Y/N"

A shiver went down Declan's spine. Something told him this wasn't just a relic; it was a door, a gateway to power untapped. With a shaky finger, he pressed 'Y.'

The screen blinked.

> "Ascendant System Activated. Initialization process commencing."

A strange sensation enveloped Declan, as if the very cells in his body were reorganizing. Before he knew what was happening, information flooded his mind—data on creatures he'd never seen, tactics he'd never heard of, and abilities he'd never imagined.

He staggered out of the room, locking it behind him. The janitor everyone overlooked was no more. Declan Greyford had stumbled upon something extraordinary—something that promised to change his destiny and shake the foundation of the world itself.

As he returned to his cart, mop still in hand, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was no longer alone. In the depths of his awareness, an entity stirred—something enigmatic and powerful. It was as if the shadows themselves whispered of rival hunters, of dark organizations, and of a mysterious force known only as "The Void."

For the first time, Declan felt a thrill that had nothing to do with cleaning floors. He sensed a journey unfolding, a path fraught with peril, but also with endless possibilities.

And so began the journey of Declan Greyford, the Ascendant Hunter