The oppressive, red aura of the Boss evaporated instantly. The silence that followed was absolute.
Reagan stood in front of the Boss carcass, his porter's vest slightly singed, his expression mid shocked. He knew he was strong, but this was too much. The pickaxe in his hand, crumbled. It couldn't handle the excess output of power.
He checked the flickering screen in front of him.
[Dungeon Boss Defeated]
[Exp Gained: 10]
[Level Up Requirements Not Met]
[Current Exp: 10/1000]
[Gained one Rune Stone]
"Ten? Only ten?" He whispered to himself, ignoring the paralyzed hunters behind him. "Even though it was weak, it was supposed to give me hundreds of exp. At this rate I will need to kill at least a hundred B rank dungeon bosses just to level up. Even the rest of the monsters didn't drop exp. I really need the hunter's ID."
Behind him, Clyde had fallen to his knees. His sword, a high quality blade that cost millions, lay forgotten on the ground. Leon was staring at the trench in the wall, his mind refusing to accept that a human being had just altered the topography of a dungeon with a single swing.
Aurora, the mage whose entire hunter's life was built on the logic of mana circles and elemental tiers, was shaking so violently her staff clattered against the stone.
"There was... no mana," she gasped, her voice barely a thread. "I watched him. I felt for the flow... but there was nothing. No wind magic, no reinforcement. He just... he just hit it. How can a human body move like that?"
Clyde looked up at Reagan. The newbie porter who had been carrying bags, who had been quiet and unassuming, now looked like a predator that had accidentally stepped into a cage of kittens.
"Who... what are you?" Clyde asked, his voice cracking with a mixture or awe and terror. "Non awakened shouldn't have that kind of power. To add to that, you are a human."
Reagan turned back at them. The predator's intensity in his eyes flickered out, replaced by the mask of a tired worker who just wanted to go home. He looked at Alex, who was still bleeding out against the wall.
"We are wasting time," Reagan said, his voice flat. "The dungeon boss is dead, but the gate will close in less than an hour. If you want to keep your tanker alive, move. Now."
He walked over to Alex, effortlessly slung the massive, armor - clad man over his shoulder as he weighed nothing, and began to walk toward the exit.
"Are you coming?" Reagan asked, looking back at the stunned knights. "Or do I need to carry the luggage and the hunters?"
Outside, the atmosphere was electric. A sleek, black helicopter bearing the crest of the Sovereign Guild touched down in the middle of the park. Out stepped Kaelen Voss, an A rank hunter known as 'Azure Blade.' He was flanked as a team of B rank specialists, all of them geared for a war zone.
"Director Marcus," Kaelen said, his voice cold and efficient. "Give me the sit - rep. How is long has the B rank resonance been active?"
"Thirty minutes," Marcus replied, wiping sweat from his brow. "The party inside is C rank, led by Clyde. We are expecting zero survivors."
"Guild master's brother is in there?" Kaelen asked.
"Yes. We just need you kill the monsters inside before a dungeon break occurs while we carry out their bodies."
Kaelen nodded, drawing a sword that hummed with high frequency mana.
"Understood. We will clear the -"
The gate flared. The crimson violent swirling vortex, stabilized.
The soldiers, and guild officials held their breath, expecting a tide of monsters to pour out. Instead, a single figure stepped through the portal.
It was Reagan. He was still wearing his dusty porter's vest, carrying the unconscious, blood - slicked Alex over one shoulder and two massive bays of crystals in his other hand.
Behind him, the rest of Clyde's party stumbled out, looking like they had seen of a god and been blinded by light.
The Director froze. Kaelen Voss narrowed his eyes, his mana sensing ability screaming at him. He looked at Reagan, but his "Sense" skill returned nothing. Instead, he got a stinging sensation in his eyes.
Reagan walked past the A rank hunter, past the stunned officials and set Alex down in front of the medical tent. He dropped the bags of crystals at Clyde's feet.
"Clyde, are you okay?" The Director asked when he saw his limp arm.
"Yeah. Just need a little healing."
As the Association recovery team began healing the injured and the A rank Kaelen tried to process why a non - awakener was not trembling, Reagan simply checked his watch.
"Twelve past noon," Reagan muttered. "What should I do until evening?"
His stomach made a noise. "Guess I should eat first."
He disappeared into the crowd, leaving the "elites" of the world behind.
....
08: 00 pm.
Reagan and Laura sat at the dining table enjoying the delicacies the servants presented.
"So, how was the dungeon raid?" Laura asked
"Not what I expected. They were too weak. Can you arrange for me to enter a high rank dungeon?"
"I wish I could. But even I can't break rules. To enter the dungeon as a hunter you need an ID and the next time they are registering hunters is next month. Until then, you have to work as porter. But if I raid a dungeon, I will tell you."
"I have to wait for thirty days?"
"Don't be so down. Here," she said as she passed an ATM card. "Your pay for today." They continued eating.
....
10:50 pm
Reagan lay on the bed as he stared at his system.
[Rune Stone]
'I got this when I defeated the boss but what does it do?' he pressed the more details option.
[Venom Rune Stone]
[When crushed the user will gain a poison skill]
'There was no such thing as Rune Stone in the Tower. Is this a perk of an updated system. I'll see if I can sell it tomorrow.
He shut off the mana light before dozing off.
[System Reboot]
[Transferring the Host into the Dream Realm]