"System, how much longer until my next training session?" Alastor asked, already rising from his seat.
"[The next training session is scheduled for midnight.]"
'Midnight? That leaves me with plenty of time,' Alastor thought, pondering his options.
'I should probably visit the Hero Association headquarters and get registered.'
He knew that registering with the Association was a prerequisite for any ability user who wanted to venture outside the safety of the shelter, let alone participate in the exploration and clearing of Abyssal Seeds. It was high time he made it official.
Besides, he still had those two system quests to complete.
-----
[Quest Log]
>Daily Quest_ [Inactive]
--
>Weekly Quest: Seed of the Abyss [Status_ Uncompleted]
Objective: Clear an Abyssal Seed solo.
Rewards: 1 Exp Pill, one random skill unlock.
Penalty for failure: Host will be struck by ten bolts of lightning.
--
>Monthly Quest: False Identity
Objective: Legally change your name to Alastor Havensworth, gain Social Points by having people address you as "Alastor Havensworth."
Rewards: Based on Social Points earned.
#Progress Bar#
Alastor Havensworth [2 Social Points]
>Yearly Quest_----
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With a sigh, Alastor closed the quest screen and started walking toward the Hero Association headquarters.
-----
Meanwhile, a sleek black hovercar cut through the desolate landscape. Broken buildings and crumbling streets stretched out on either side, a stark reminder of the devastating war that had ravaged the land. What was once a bustling human city was now a wasteland, haunted by monsters and the ghosts of the past.
"Sir, I'm detecting multiple beast signatures ahead on our current course. Should I maintain course or take a detour?" The driver's voice broke the silence.
"How many are we talking about?" asked the passenger, a handsome young man with sunglasses perched on his nose. He was impeccably dressed in a black business suit. Anyone familiar with the world's leading tech companies would recognize him as Wan Yu, the rising star CEO of WanTech, renowned for its cutting-edge advancements.
"A small horde, sir."
"Hmm." Wan Yu paused, considering his options.
"Take a detour. While dispatching them wouldn't be an issue, I'd rather not attract unnecessary attention."
"Understood, sir." The driver nodded, expertly steering the hovercar onto a different path.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at their destination: a dilapidated building that was once a grand church, or perhaps even a cathedral. Time had not been kind, leaving it a mere shell of its former glory.
The driver exited the vehicle and opened the back door for Wan Yu. With a graceful step, the young CEO emerged, pausing only to brush an invisible speck of dust from his suit jacket before heading toward the crumbling structure. The driver remained outside.
The building's interior was in an even sorrier state than its exterior. Debris littered the floor – broken statues, chunks of plaster, and other remnants of its past life.
Unfazed, Wan Yu navigated the wreckage, eventually reaching an old iron door, one of the few things seemingly untouched by time's relentless march.
He pushed the door open, revealing a pitch-black chamber, the only light a thin sliver from the open doorway. But even in the dimness, he could make out the shape of a spiral staircase disappearing into the shadows.
Stepping inside, Wan Yu closed the door behind him, plunging the chamber into absolute darkness. He didn't seem concerned in the slightest.
He reached up and removed his sunglasses, revealing eyes that glimmered with a faint purplish hue in the darkness. Activating his bloodline ability, his vision sharpened, the purplish glow intensifying until it pierced the gloom, granting him night vision.
Wang Yu descended the spiral staircase, his footsteps echoing in the silence. The stairs ended in a small chamber, its floor surprisingly adorned with intact mosaic tiles. The rest of the room, however, mirrored the dilapidated state of the building, showing signs of age and neglect.
With his enhanced vision cutting through the darkness, Wan Yu scanned the chamber as he stepped off the last stair. He crossed the room, seemingly coming to a dead end at a blank wall.
But then, he paused. Lifting his foot, he tapped a specific sequence of tiles with a rhythmic beat. A low grinding sound filled the air as a hidden mechanism whirred to life beneath the floor. A small platform, shaped like an open book with crosses etched on either side, rose into view.
Without hesitation, Wan Yu placed his hand on the platform. Closing his eyes, he recited:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?"
"Psalm 27:1, voice recognition scan complete. Access granted," a digitized voice announced from the platform as he finished the verse.
The seemingly ordinary wall before him began to slide away with a heavy grinding sound, revealing a hidden elevator.
Wan Yu stepped inside, the doors closing silently behind him. The elevator began its descent.
Moments later, it came to a smooth stop, a soft chime announcing its arrival. The doors opened to an astonishing sight – a fully functional underground facility, gleaming with technology. It was a stark contrast to the desolate world above, a secret hidden deep beneath the ruins.
Three figures, two men and a woman in a white lab coat, stood waiting as Wan Yu emerged from the elevator.
"Welcome, Mr. Wan. We've been eagerly anticipating your arrival," one of the men greeted, stepping forward to shake his hand.
"Dr. Crowe, a pleasure as always. I trust you have good news for me?" Wan Yu replied, his tone neutral.
"Rest assured, Mr. Wan, you won't be disappointed," replied Dr. Crowe, the facility's head researcher. He was a man in his early fifties, distinguished by salt-and-pepper hair and spectacles perched on his nose.
"Excellent. Show me what you've got." Despite his passive expression, a mischievous glint appeared in Wan Yu's eyes, a faint purplish glow that sent a shiver down the spines of the three researchers.
Suddenly remembering his enhanced vision, Wan Yu quickly slipped his sunglasses back on. He'd forgotten the unsettling effect his ability had on ordinary humans.
"Of course, sir, right this way," Dr. Crowe said, recovering from his brief moment of unease. He led the way, with Wan Yu following closely behind. Dr. Crowe's assistants, Peter and Lily, trailed behind them, their gazes fixed firmly on the floor, seemingly afraid to even look at Wan Yu.
The group made their way through the surprisingly extensive facility. As they passed other personnel in white lab coats, a wave of fear seemed to ripple through the corridors. People either hastily averted their eyes or changed course entirely if they had the opportunity.
Wan Yu paid no mind to their reactions, his focus remaining on Dr. Crowe and their destination.
Finally, they arrived at a heavy security door. Dr. Crowe swiped his ID card, and the door hissed open. They stepped into a large, sterile white room, the door sealing shut behind them as they entered.
All eyes immediately gravitated towards the centerpiece of the room – a massive transparent tank. Even Wan Yu, who had maintained his composure throughout the tour, allowed a flicker of emotion to cross his face. The contents of that tank were, after all, the entire reason for this hidden research facility's existence.