When Lucas opened his eyes again, the dungeon vanished, leaving him stranded on top of a mountain hill.
His hand flinched, feeling the cool air breeze through his body.
His eyes were a little unfocused. The Wolf of Blackflame's gaze still lingered on his mind.
At that moment, a notification appeared in front of him.
[Title: Marked by Blackflame]
[Description: Moments before the dungeon collapsed, the Wolf of Blackflame had marked you as its personal prey.]
[Effect: Causes lower-level monsters to fear you. Increases fire resistance.]
[Potential: D-Rank]
Lucas stared at it before putting it away.
He raised his head and took in the mountain hills and vast forest before him.
Nature had never looked so beautiful to him until now.
Then, he exhaled deeply and smiled.
A smile so wide it looked crazy.
But that was not far from the truth.
What he had experienced was really crazy. Not even in his wildest dreams could he imagine it happening.
His life flashed before his eyes.
He had struggled, fought desperately, and clung to the sharpest knives just to survive…
And now, his efforts were finally rewarded.
Lucas raised his hand and clenched it tightly. He took a deep breath and screamed on top of his lungs.
"Hell yeah!"
He wasn't the type to do this sort of thing, but at this moment he felt it was just right.
Long ago, the ordeals of life had toned, and washed down his hot-blooded passion and ambition.
But with his brand new transformation, something within him was reignited.
He felt his blood blaze, and screaming with ambition.
Even Lucas felt afraid on what he could do. Despite that, he couldn't wipe off the cheeky smirk on his face.
"Hahahahahaha!"
After enjoying himself for a while, he suddenly realized something strange.
Lucas looked up.
The sky had a strange hue.
It was red.
The smile on his face faded, and his eyes turned complex, staring directly at the red sky.
Something was about to come.
And it wasn't something good.
One hundred years ago, the sky turned dark and the Dark Giants, the envoy of destruction and darkness, came.
They destroyed human society with their overwhelming abilities.
During that time, there were only four emperors. The invasion of the Dark Giants directly made two more emperors.
But even then, humanity could only barely fight back. It was a brutal time.
Eighty years ago, the sky rippled, and the Blue Sea Calamity came…
Fifty years ago, the sky turned yellow, and the Spring Autumn Death Calamity came…
Each calamity gave rise to two new emperors, but also brought destruction to human society.
But one thing was for certain.
The sky always changed.
Now, the sky had changed once more.
Lucas' celebration was cut short.
Potential and talent was nothing without strength to back it up.
He had to become stronger.
No… he needs to become the strongest.
He exhaled deeply, immersing himself in the cool air.
***
The journey back to the nearest city went smoothly.
The City of Kahlarkhun.
A city founded by the deceased half-emperor, Sage Kahlarkhun.
In honor of his deeds and great wisdom, the city was preserved and continued to be managed by his descendants.
Even though the sun was setting down, the city was still bustling with activity.
Lucas went through the entrance and cleared his throat before speaking to the security guard.
"I lost my Hunter ID."
The security guard looked at him for a moment before taking out a mana reader.
Lucas put his right hand on top of it.
Every hunter has their own unique mana signature.
When a hunter awakens for the first time, they register their identity in the Hunter Association.
Their mana signature is then sent and stored within the Mage Tower, which would be used to verify their identity in the future.
The mana reader suddenly buzzed, indicating successful verification.
"Remember to renew your Hunter ID in the Hunter's Association."
The security guard said slowly, closing his eyes.
"Go."
Lucas nodded slowly before going on his way.
The City of Kahlarkhun was large, filled with towering buildings, huge establishments, and a massive statue in the middle.
But most notable was the city's most famous building—the Sanctum Arcanum.
Sage Kahlarkhun's personal sanctuary.
Lucas didn't immediately went to renew his ID in the Hunter's Association, he could do it tomorrow.
First, he went around the city to look for a cheap hotel to sleep in.
After comparing the prices, he chose a small hotel hidden behind a mall.
He successfully booked a room using some of his emergency funds.
It was already very late when he settled in.
He sat on the hotel bed.
"No matter how many times I look at it…"
Lucas let out a sigh. He looked at his Hunter Profile and smiled slightly.
"It still doesn't feel real."
He wasn't used to things getting handed to him. A small part of him felt uncomfortable of the luck he was having.
However, he didn't want to worry about it so he put it on the back of his mind for the time being.
It was time to plan his next step.
Lucas stood up and walked towards the window. He gazed at the city quietly.
The City of Kahlarkhun.
The path to becoming the strongest starts from here.
Buzz!
At that moment, the giant screens across the city flickered, shifting to a different feed.
Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch, Lucas included.
"Good evening, residents and visitors of Kahlarkhun."
A tall, bald man with a thick beard appeared on screen. His voice was low, but it commanded attention.
"This is Mayor Perrier Karls speaking."
He paused, exhaling slowly.
"At 15:47 this afternoon, the sky turned red. The seas showed an unusual shift in current and temperature. Following this, the Fifth Emperor announced a crucial discovery."
"He said, "God is dead."… What he may mean by that exactly, we are currently investigating."
His tone turned grim and solemn.
"But it doesn't change the fact that a major threat is approaching us once more. A calamity at the same level as the Dark Giants Calamity one hundred years ago…, no it may even be worse."
Perrier paused, looking directly at the camera.
"I won't lie to you. This may be the greatest threat this city—no, humanity has ever faced."
The camera widened, revealing the large staff behind Perrier.
"But do not falter… do not cower. I promise that I will protect you. We will protect you with the best we can. That is the responsibility a Hunter has."
"All hunters, from Rank C and above, are to report to the Sanctum Arcanum within the hour. Citizens are advised to remain indoors."
"Starting from today, Hunters will get a discount on products and facilities according to their rank. New training programs and special dungeon expeditions will be announced as well. Please look forward to it."
Perrier pressed his chest twice and then made a cross on his mind.
"By the words of Sage, Kahlarkhun, my great ancestor…"
"Glory to the mind!"