After finishing his dungeon hunt, Alden didn't immediately return to his dorm. Instead, he made his way toward the Awakened Union—the largest and most influential organization overseeing dungeons, monster materials, and awakened individuals.
The streets of the city were still bustling despite the late hour. Neon signs flickered along the roads, displaying advertisements for mana-infused weapons, elixirs, and training centers. Some shops even had holographic projections of high-ranked adventurers endorsing their products.
Alden pulled his coat tighter around himself as he walked through the cold night air. Shiranui, his nine-tailed fox, padded alongside him, his golden eyes scanning the surroundings with a mix of curiosity and boredom.
"You are planning something, aren't you?" Shiranui said, his voice smooth and knowing.
Alden gave a small smirk. "You could say that. The first step is securing a stable identity as an adventurer. After that, I can move freely between dungeons."
Kurenai, his katana, vibrated slightly from where it was sheathed at his waist. "Tch. You're growing too cautious. If you're strong, you take what you need. Simple."
"Strength without control leads to an early grave," Alden countered, his fingers briefly brushing the hilt of his sword. "I have no intention of dying early."
Kurenai huffed but didn't argue further.
---
The Awakened Union
The building stood tall and imposing, with giant mana-infused glass windows that shimmered under the moonlight. The emblem of the Awakened Union—a golden phoenix rising from mana flames—was displayed on the front.
As Alden stepped inside, the temperature shifted from the night's chill to a comfortable warmth. The lobby was filled with adventurers, merchants, and guild representatives discussing business.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
He walked up to the reception desk, where a young woman in a formal uniform greeted him with a professional smile.
"Welcome to the Awakened Union. How can I assist you today?"
"I'd like to sell some monster materials and also register for an Adventurer's ID."
She nodded and handed him a form. "Please fill out your basic information. Your ID rank will be based on your current recorded strength and dungeon clearance history."
Alden took the form and filled it out quickly. He couldn't reveal his true strength, so he kept things low-profile.
After turning in the form, he placed a spatial storage bag on the counter, filled with the materials he harvested from the monsters.
The receptionist's eyes widened slightly as she checked the contents.
"You hunted all of these… alone?" she asked, her tone laced with surprise.
Alden simply nodded. "Is there an issue?"
She quickly shook her head. "Not at all! In fact, this is an impressive haul for a solo hunter. Please wait while we assess the value."
While she handled the transaction, Alden turned to the registration counter, where a middle-aged man examined his paperwork.
"You're applying for an Adventurer's ID?" the man asked, adjusting his glasses. "You've already hunted in a dungeon without one?"
"Solo training," Alden replied smoothly.
The man raised an eyebrow but didn't question further. "Since you have dungeon experience, I'll register you as a D-Rank Adventurer. Your ID should be ready in a few minutes."
Alden nodded. Everything was going smoothly.
---
Storage Ring & Final Preparations
While waiting, Alden browsed through the Union's marketplace. There was one thing he absolutely needed—a storage ring.
Carrying around a bulky spatial storage bag was inefficient. A storage ring, on the other hand, allowed him to store and retrieve items instantly.
After looking through several options, he settled on a medium-grade storage ring with 15 cubic meters of space—enough for weapons, supplies, and monster materials.
The cost was steep at 500,000 credits, but thanks to his investments, he wasn't worried about money.
After purchasing the ring and transferring his stored materials, he flexed his fingers, feeling the weightless band on his hand.
"This will make things easier."
---
A New Dungeon – The Snowfield Hunt
The next morning, Alden packed his gear and prepared for his next hunt.
This time, he wasn't going to a forest dungeon. Instead, he chose a snowfield dungeon—an environment filled with ice wolves, frost golems, and mutated snow leopards.
As he boarded a mana-powered transport vehicle toward the dungeon site, Shiranui sat curled beside him, his tails flicking lazily.
"A dungeon filled with ice creatures. I suppose this will be more challenging?" the fox asked.
Alden smirked. "That's the point. The monsters there have higher-quality mana cores than the ones I fought yesterday."
Kurenai let out a sharp laugh. "So that's why you're going. You're not just hunting—you're gathering fuel."
Alden didn't deny it.
The mana cores from D-Rank snow creatures had purer energy compared to low-ranked goblins and wolves. If he wanted to maximize Kamui and his Sharingan's abilities, he needed better resources.
As the vehicle approached the dungeon entrance, a cold wind swept through the air. Snowflakes drifted from the sky, covering the ground in a thick, icy layer.
The Snowfield Dungeon stood before him—a massive frozen cave entrance surrounded by jagged ice formations. Several adventurers were already gathered outside, forming hunting parties and preparing their equipment.
Alden cracked his neck, adjusting the strap of his katana.
Time for round two.