Arlo stumbled into his room, his breath coming in heavy gasps as he took in his surroundings. The familiar sight of his belongings scattered across the floor confirmed that the transportation spell had worked flawlessly, bringing him back to the safety of his own space. Exhausted, he navigated through the clutter and collapsed onto his bed, burying his face in the pillow.

"Haa... I'm back," he muttered, his voice muffled by the soft fabric. "That was tiring..."

He shifted, trying to find a comfortable position, but the coin pouch tucked in his tracksuit pocket dug into his side, making it nearly impossible to relax.

With a groan of annoyance, Arlo rolled over and glanced at his alarm clock. The glowing digits read 9:52 PM. He had left for the other world around 9:30 PM, and despite spending several hours there, a mere twenty minutes had passed in this reality.

"That confirms it... time flows differently there," he mumbled, his face once again pressed against the pillow. "Ah, how I've missed this sensation. This feeling of relaxation... I should go to the hunter's association, but it's late. Why not sleep and go tomorrow?"

Arlo laid there for a few minutes, contemplating his options. Suddenly, the words he had spoken at the dining table to his sister echoed in his mind, and he sat up before slamming his hands against his cheeks to regain his focus.

"I'll do it tomorrow... those are some of the most dangerous words a NEET like me can say. Everyone's working hard; I don't have time to be resting."

With that realization, Arlo pushed himself off the bed and made his way out of the room, leaving the coin pouch behind on his desk.

As he stepped into the hallway, the sound of music drifted from his sister's room, a clear indication that she was home and enjoying her free time.

'Looks like Sylvia still isn't home,' he noted, observing the lack of any sound coming from her room. She was likely still at work.

This only fueled Arlo’s resolve, as he descended the stairs, determined to change their situation.

As Arlo descended the stairs, the door to his sister's room suddenly swung open, and Serena emerged, dressed in her pajamas. Fatigue etched on her face, she rubbed her eyes and called out, "Arlo, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm heading out," Arlo replied, pausing on the steps.

"Again?" Serena questioned, her brows furrowing. "Where did you go earlier? I thought you went into your room, but you weren't there."

"Ah, I went out for some fresh air. Maybe you misunderstood?" Arlo offered, his tone casual.

Serena fixed him with a skeptical gaze, her eyes narrowing as she pointed at him. "Alright, let's go with that. But where are you heading out at this time? It's almost 10."

"I have a few things to sort out. Don't worry and go to sleep, alright?" Arlo reassured her, a caring smile gracing his features.

"...Fine. But you better not be planning on doing anything stupid," Serena warned, her voice firm. "About what we spoke about at the table, you really don't have to worry about taking care of us. We're doing just fine, alright?"

Arlo met his sister's gaze, finding strength in her reassuring smile, just as he always did. "Alright, don't worry. I won't do anything stupid."

"Do you promise?" Serena pressed, still unconvinced.

"I promise."

"...Okay. I'm going to get ready for bed since I have work early tomorrow. Make sure you call me if you need anything," she reminded him before turning to head back to her room.

Arlo nodded and made his way to the exit. Once outside, he quickly called for a cab on his phone and waited silently by the entrance, his breath forming misty clouds in the chilly air.

"It's cold... far colder than it was in the other world," Arlo muttered, his body shivering from the biting cold. "Well, I guess that's what you can expect from England."

Arlo and his family had moved to England after the 'gates' started appearing, seeking refuge in one of the most secure habitation zones developed by the country. While England was a great place to live, Arlo's only complaint was the frigid temperatures it often subjected him to.

"Should I use a spell to heat myself up?" he pondered, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "Ah, but that might not be a good idea.’

Arlo remained resolute in his decision to keep his ability to use magic a secret from the world. The risk of being caught using magic in public was too great, especially considering the fact that every time he cast a spell, a magic circle materialized, making it easily detectable.

'Isn't there a way for me to use magic without a magic circle manifesting?' Arlo pondered, his mind drifting back to his encounter with the vampire girl in the guild. 'Wait, didn't she cast a spell that blocked out sound when we were speaking? I didn't see any magic circles appear then.'

The realization struck him, and he made a mental note to ask her about it the next time their paths crossed. However, the uncertainty of when that would happen weighed heavily on his mind.

Time flowed differently between his world and the other world, and while only a day or two might pass for him, there was no telling how many days or even weeks would elapse in the other world. The time conversion remained a mystery to Arlo.

As he lost himself in these thoughts, the cab he had summoned arrived, its yellow exterior gleaming under the streetlights. The driver, seated at the front, glanced at Arlo through the rear-view mirror as he entered and asked, "Good night, sir. Where would you like to go?"

"The London Hunter's Association," Arlo replied.

"Understood," the driver acknowledged, and with that, the car pulled away from the curb, carrying Arlo towards his destination.

The smooth motion of the car and the gentle hum of the engine had a soothing effect on Arlo. As he sat in the backseat, clutching his grimoire tightly, he found himself fighting the urge to drift off to sleep.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

As the drive stretched on, Arlo seized the opportunity to redeem the reward from his recently completed quest. A notification chimed, and four blank cards materialized in the air before him, hovering expectantly.

[Please select a card of your choice.]

The cards, devoid of any markings or hints, offered no indication of their contents. Arlo, however, wasn't particularly concerned about the specifics of his reward, as long as it didn't involve ability points, which held little value for him at the moment.

'...let's go for the second card this time,' he mused, reaching out and grasping the second card from the array.

Instantly, the remaining cards vanished, and the chosen card revealed its contents.

[+3 Stat Points.]

'Yes!' Arlo cheered inwardly, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he stared at the card.

Moments later, the card dissipated, and Arlo's status screen unfurled before him, displaying the stats he could allocate his newly acquired points to.

[Strength: 7] (+)

[Agility: 8] (+)

[Stamina: 5] (+)

[Sense: 5] (+)

[Mana: 0]

[Available Stat Points: 3]

Much to Arlo's disappointment, the Mana stat remained stubbornly locked, refusing to accept any point allocations. This came as no surprise to him, as he still lacked a mana core, a crucial component for mages to wield magic effectively.

While the exact nature of the mana core eluded him, Arlo somewhat understood its significance and resolved to find a way to acquire one upon his return to the other world. For now, he would have to rely on his grimoire to use magic.

With another determined nod, Arlo began tapping on the digital screen, allocating his stat points according to his preferences. Unbeknownst to him, the cab driver glanced at him through the rear-view mirror, a concerned expression etched on his face.

The driver couldn’t see the screen so from his perspective, Arlo appeared to have gone mad.

[Arlo Axton.]

[Race: Human.]

[Core Rank: Awakened.]

[Level 2 (40/100)]

[HP: 100/100%]

[Energy: 100/100%]

[MP: 52/100%]

[Strength: 8]

[Agility: 10]

[Stamina: 5]

[Sense: 5]

[Mana: 0]

[Available Stat Points: 0]

Arlo gazed at his overall status window, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. The improvements were undeniable, especially with the level 2 milestone serving as the cherry on top. However, a glance at his magic power reserve revealed a concerning detail—it had dwindled to half its capacity.

While not entirely surprising, given Arlo's repeated trips to and from the other world without rest, the depletion of his magic power was a cause for concern. Despite the grimoire's ability to recover magic power over time, he hadn’t given it the time to restore it to its full potential.

'Will I really be able to clear a Labyrinth with around half of my reserve...? Even if it's an F-ranked one...' Arlo pondered, doubt creeping into his thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Arlo exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting to the window as the cab neared its destination. The journey had taken approximately thirty minutes, since the London Hunter's Association was located at the heart of the city.

As the vehicle came to a halt, Arlo paid the driver and stepped out, his eyes immediately drawn to the imposing structure before him. The building towered over its surroundings, its glass panels gleaming in the moonlight and a large 'H' portrayed at the top, proudly proclaiming its affiliation with the Hunters.

As he made his way through the parking lot towards the entrance, he couldn't help but notice the diverse array of individuals walking around.

Some were dressed in high-tech battle suits, their high-tech weapons seamlessly integrated into their specialized armor. Others, less fortunate in their financial means, wore more modest attires, their steel armors and weapons similar to the adventurers Arlo had encountered in the other world, albeit with very noticeable differences.

Regardless, Amidst it all, Arlo stood out in his simple orange tracksuit, shivering from the biting cold. Yet, unlike in the other world, no one spared him a second glance as he made his way towards the entrance.

‘No one’s looking at me… is this a dream come true?’ Arlo wondered arrving at the entrance.

As he reached the entrance, the automatic doors slid open, allowing Arlo to step inside. He was instantly greeted by a warm breeze, finding himself in a familiar, spacious foyer with a grand interior that never failed to impress.

The vaulted ceiling soared high above, creating an expansive atmosphere. The polished marble floor gleamed beneath his feet, perfectly reflecting the expression of unease resting on his face.

At the centre of the foyer was a large receptionist desk where countless workers efficiently attended to their duties. To the left and right of the foyer were escalators and elevators which gave access to the upper levels.

Beyond the foyer, was a wide central hallway which stretched into the depths of the building, its length lined with doors which led to countless different rooms.

The air was filled with the sound of phone conversations and murmurs of discussions amongst the hunters gathered by the entrance. Some stood in groups, seemingly waiting for their companions, while others went around searching for groups to join.

‘It’s lively… this place never changes…’

Arlo's mind drifted back to his first visit to this exotic place, the memory still vivid. With a determined nod, he approached the reception area and joined the line, appreciating the efficiency of the workers as he was quickly attended to.

"Hello, how can I help you?" the receptionist asked with a professional smile.

She was a tall young lady, only slightly shorter than Arlo, with brunette hair tied back in a ponytail and sharp black eyes. Her black uniform bore her name, "Maria." and a badge symbolizing the Hunters Guild, a mark of her affiliation.

"Hello, Ms. Maria," Arlo replied politely. "I'm a hunter, and I was wondering if there were any F-Rank gates that needed clearing."

"Certainly," Maria responded. "May I have your hunter's ID?"

Arlo handed over his hunter's ID, nearly mistaking it for his Adventurer's card in his haste. The receptionist took the card and scanned it using a digital system on the computer behind the desk. As she reviewed the information, her expression shifted to one of concern.

"Mr. Axton, it says here that you're an F-Rank hunter and not registered under a party," she said, her worried gaze meeting Arlo's.

"Yeah, I'm planning on heading in on my own," Arlo responded, his nervous smile failing to conceal his unease.

The receptionist's concern deepened as she explained, "As an F-Rank hunter, you're required to have a minimum of four party members to enter a gate. Unless you register under a party, we're not authorized to grant you access to any gate."

Arlo attempted to persuade her, but she remained resolute in her stance. Defeated, he made his way to the seating area, seeking a moment to gather his thoughts and devise a new plan.

Entering the labyrinth with a party was an impossibility for him, and there were two simple reasons behind his reluctance. Firstly, being part of a party would hinder his ability to use magic freely, and without magic, he was nothing more than an average F-Rank weakling.

The second reason, however, ran far deeper.

"A party..." Arlo's voice trailed off while he lowered his gaze.

His eyes grew hollow as painful memories flickered across his mind, casting shadows of the past.