Shun POV:
[You have cleared the mission: ‘Body for Revenge.’]
[The Mission Log has been updated.]
[Mission: Body Test
Difficulty: F
Progress needs comparison to be verified. Take down a Rank F Dungeon.
Reward: None.
Failure: Null.]
“You’re not in charge here.”
I swiped my hand through the window, dispelling it in the process. The system seemed to be giving me missions based on my own intentions now, but that was pointless too.
“Inventory.”
Another light blue window appeared. Grey spaces formed rows of five, creating the typical user interface of a backpack.
I located Atlas in the top row and hovered my hand over the artifact. The space enlarged, allowing me to remove Atlas from the inventory before it returned to its standard size.
“Tch. The only use this has is storing objects.”
My experiments with the inventory were nothing but disappointing. Living animals, dead animals and everything else that wasn’t an object were repelled by it. That included food ingredients too, which forced me to hunt every day because this damn system is damn useless!
“Activate.”
Atlas V3 floated in the air with a holographic map above its head. The nearest city to my current location was called Patari, and it was far from Shako.
‘...’
I turned my attention toward my upper clothes. They screamed for the tension to be released; the fabric stretched beyond its limit. It was the result of my body fat reaching 4%, toning my lean frame to a suitable level.
Before I arrived in Ayadell, I worked out for the first time during the summer holidays and gained a little muscle. That was for fun, but this...
This was for revenge.
I ripped up the rags, making it resemble some sort of open jacket. Anything was better than looking like an absolute mug.
I lowered my centre of gravity in the middle of the clearing. Bare toes gripped the earth, splintering the surrounding ground. The shift in the air signalled the arrival of something new—something reborn. A trail of wind shot through the dense forest, and Atlas whizzed by my side.
It was time for the next step.
***
“Give me an Adventurer License.”
I peered down at the receptionist behind the front desk. ‘Atwood’ was written in bold on his nametag, and he had spent the last five minutes annoying me.
“Sir, as I explained before, without at least taking the Aptitude Tests and the Dungeon Tutorial, you are putting your life at risk! Please think twice about this!”
The slight raise of his voice hoped to carry the concern to its target: my brain. Thin eyebrows curved toward the ceiling, reflecting the danger he believed dungeons carried.
The problem was I couldn’t care less about his worry.
“...”
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My eyes narrowed, and Atwood let out a defeated sigh. He pulled out a piece of paper and placed a quill pen beside it.
“Please fill out the form here and add your signature to the bottom.”
“Is there no way to get a license without filling out any forms?”
His facial features fell to a neutral position. Two eyes looked at me, speechless. He took a few seconds, frowned, and then opened his mouth again.
“Sir, do you want to be an Adventurer or a Mercenary?”
“...”
This wasn’t good. Given Chloe’s position, she could get her hands on this information with ease. Using it as a way to track me down before I could grow powerful enough to kill her was also a plausible possibility.
“Is Shun a popular name in this area of Sharir?”
“...No?”
“How many people are registered with your guild under that name?”
“...No one?”
I clenched my teeth and picked up the quill pen. There was no other option. I had to sign the form.
‘I’m not scared of you. I’m not scared of you!’
The pen snapped in half from the explosion of my Ki. Atwood blinked several times before a brief glance to the side failed to figure out the cause of my outburst.
“Give me the highest dungeon a no rank can take.”
“...Right away, Sir.”
***
I examined the sheet of paper that Atwood gave me. It contained basic details on the dungeon as well as a small number in brackets next to its name.
[The Mission Log has been updated.]
[Mission: Extreme Body Test
Difficulty: D
Progress needs comparison to be verified, but revenge needs blood to be appeased. Take down a Rank D Dungeon.
Rewards: 50 silver.
Failure: Death.]
“...”
I compared the currency rate to other fantasy settings I was familiar with. It was likely that Ayadell utilised denominations of 10, i.e. 10 copper equals 1 silver, and 100 silver equals 1 gold.
“A Rank D Dungeon has a reward of only 50 silver?”
My eyebrows fell at the payout; I expected it to be much higher than that.
“I don’t give a damn about money.”
I crushed the paper into a ball and dashed it to the side. It landed in a bin at the other end of the plaza while I continued on to the dungeon site.
[Extra details have been added to the mission: ‘Extreme Body Test.’]
[Mission: Extreme Body Test
Difficulty: D
Progress needs comparison to be verified, but revenge needs blood to be appeased. Take down a Rank D Dungeon.
----
Dungeon: Tower of the Cryptic Soldier (12/100)
Difficulty: D~C
Boss Monster: Troll Guardian.
Floor Bosses: 4 - 8.
Floor Number: 4.
Party Requirement: 5.
Soldiers lie. Soldiers die. Soldiers fall. Soldiers rise. In the tower I stay, beneath the darkness I lay. Come and find me. Be careful. Be careful. One little mistake and death is all that awaits.
Rewards: 50 silver + Random Loot Drops.
Failure: Death.]
“...”
I dispelled the system window and made my way toward what appeared to be the entrance. Several soldiers stood in front of a small stairway that led to a platform where a tower penetrated the sky.
“Young man, stop right there and show us your adventurer license.”
I slipped my hand into my pocket and handed it over to the guard. His eyes ran over it multiple times, checking its authenticity.
“Where is your party?”
“...”
I took the license back but had nothing to say. Why does everyone here like to talk so much? I just want to get into that damn dungeon.
“Are you deaf? We asked you a question. This is for your own safe—“
“Does it look like I can afford a damn party?”
The second guard shut his mouth. His eyebrows wobbled before he opened it again. It was true; I had no money. I had no friends.
I was alone.
That was how it started, and that was how it would end.
“...We can arrange for some adventurers to party with you. I apologise if I made you uncomfortable.”
I cocked my head to the side at his concern. Did he think I wanted his compassion? Did he think I needed his or anyone else’s care?
I passed that point long ago.
Despite the physicality I possessed, the soldiers didn’t bat an eye at it. It wasn’t a surprise, but they didn’t understand the intent behind the body I had forged.
“I need no one.”
“...Young man, have you at least taken the Dungeon Tutorial? This dungeon has been designated as Dungeon Clear only. Please do not destroy the Boss Room.”
A Dungeon Clear was most likely the equivalent of replaying a stage in a video game. It’s an interesting concept I haven’t come across in a lot of novels since usually once a dungeon is cleared, that’s it.
In that regard, these Dungeons were more like Raids. That meant the number I saw next to the dungeon name represented the number of times they needed to clear it within a certain time frame to avoid... A Dungeon Break? Or maybe the rank of the Dungeon increases?
“I understand.”
The group of soldiers looked at one another before letting out a collective helpless sigh. The oldest guard stepped forward; his worry sinking the wrinkles around his eyes.
“There are 12 entries remaining on this dungeon. After that, you’ll no longer be paid to clear this dungeon until next month.”
I gave him a nod and noted that it was similar to my own thoughts. Each dungeon had a flat rate: the reward received upon successful clear. Additional funds came from the loot the Adventurer earned, but they would have to sell this themselves.
Or… perhaps Ki Artifacts were another way Adventurers could make profit?
The oldest soldier moved to the side, and the others followed suit. I walked past them, only looking back once I reached the top of the stairs.
“This won’t take long.”
“Uh... Yes... Please be careful.”
I wasn’t teleported inside until I placed my hand against a barrier covering the tower. It was so thin that I could barely see it without pushing my concentration to the limit.
I hid bulging eyes that made my lips curve upward.
“It’s time to grow.”