The wail of the sirens had only just faded, yet their echoes still lingered in the minds of the students. A nearby F-rank Gate had just been cleared by a team of Hunters, and the school was finally returning to silence.
But for Asher Vaos, this was no "peace."
To him, it was nothing more than the tiresome mechanism of this world, repeating itself over and over again.
---
"A Gate opened near the school again… what bad luck," a teacher muttered softly as he checked over the students filing back into their classroom.
Then, in a stern voice, he declared:
"Listen carefully, everyone. Entering a Gate without authorization from the Hunter Association is a serious crime. Anyone caught inside without a Hunter's License faces up to ten years in prison—or a fine of tens of millions."
Gasps spread across the room. Some students laughed nervously, as if doubting anyone would be foolish enough to try such a thing.
At the window, Asher barely glanced over. To him, it wasn't worth even a thought.
---
The teacher's voice droned on, but Asher's mind was filled with fragments of the past—battles against gods, spirits, and demons. Back then, twisted laws had forced him to fight. Now, this world used "Hunter Associations" and legal codes to chain its people.
> "No matter the world… you can never escape being shackled, can you?"
His eyes remained hollow.
---
"Hey, do you think S-rank Hunters are cool?"
The voice of a classmate broke the silence beside him.
It was a small boy named Ken, grinning in excitement as he shoved his smartphone forward. On the screen, a B-rank Hunter clashed with an orc.
"I wanna try becoming a Hunter too. Even a C-rank could probably make enough to support their family."
Asher glanced at him for only a split second before muttering:
"…Annoying."
Ken flinched, then scratched his head with an awkward laugh.
"Haha… you always talk weird, man."
---
[ You have gained EXP ×2 for your first Goblin kill: 100 ]
[ Level Up: 1 → 2 ]
[Status Window]
Name: Asher Vaos
Race: Human (???)
Class: Unassigned
Level: 2 (EXP 0/200)
HP: 120 / 120
MP: 110 / 110
Physical Attack: 2
Magic Attack: 2
Defense: 0
Speed: 1
Mind: ∞
---
That evening, the cafeteria TV blared with urgent news.
[ An E-rank Gate has appeared in the central shopping district ]
[ The Hunter Association urges civilians to evacuate. A team of rank D or higher will be dispatched to clear it ]
The students around him stirred—some in fear, some in excitement.
Asher simply walked out of the cafeteria in silence.
He ignored the warnings. He ignored the laws. Right and wrong meant nothing to him.
The only thing that mattered was—
> "Gates… without them, I cannot grow stronger."
---
That night, as neon lights bathed the city streets, Asher walked alone through a quiet alley. Ahead, he saw the road being sealed off by Association agents.
And there it was—the Gate.
A shimmering violet curtain, pulsing in the darkness.
His heart, which should have been hollow, gave a faint, restless beat.
> "Illegal? …How irritating."
"As long as I still draw breath… Gates are nothing more than tools. Tools to return me to the summit."
With that thought, Asher's figure vanished into the shadows—
while sirens and flashing lights wailed in the distance.