Akira's lips twisted upward as his mind raced with possibilities. The description of his new ability filled the status window:
[White Lightning: This allows the user to create white lightning and control it at will, molding it into whatever forms they find suitable.]
Already, a faint crackling of energy stirred inside him—a sleeping storm desperate to break free. His fists clenched in excitement.
"This… this changes everything," he muttered, his voice low but brimming with anticipation.
Suddenly, his veins surged with renewed energy as his body recovered to peak condition after leveling up. Where exhaustion had weighed him down moments ago, now a burning desire to test his new skill took hold.
"I'll use this power… to make them pay," Akira said, his eyes narrowing. "All of them."
In a flicker, the status window vanished, and Akira clenched his fists, feeling the White Lightning crackling within. He dusted off his hands, glancing around the now-empty dungeon.
Sand clung to his boots and the edges of his clothes, but the hard-fought victory felt satisfying. He smirked.
"This low D-Rank dungeon was easier than I expected," he said aloud, his voice echoing in the cavernous space.
His gaze swept the area, landing on the magic stones scattered across the ground—remnants of his battle with the sandworm. Each stone pulsed faintly, its trapped magical energy glowing softly in his palm.
"Hiroshi will know what to do with these," Akira thought, pocketing a handful. "I need every coin I can get."
But as he gathered more stones, frustration crept in. "Damn it. There's too many. I can't carry all of them—not without a better way to store them."
He clenched his jaw, resolving to bring a backpack next time. "Running around with pockets full of stones isn't going to cut it."
As he moved through the remains of the sandworm, something glinted near where the creature's maw had fallen. Akira crouched, picking up a small, jagged tooth roughly the size of a dagger.
"Huh… this looks interesting," he muttered, turning it over in his hand.
Curious, he called up his status window to inspect the item:
[Item: Crysdagger]
[Type: Dagger]
[Tier: D]
[Weight: 1.8 kg]
[Durability: 58/100]
[Enhancements:]
The stats were meager, especially compared to his Pantho Sword. It wasn't sharp or deadly, but its sturdy design and slight boost to critical hits might be useful in a pinch.
"Not much use to me right now," Akira said, shoving it into his pouch. "But i think Hiroshi can sell it."
With the magic stones and Crysdagger secured, Akira scanned the dungeon one last time. Finding nothing else of value, he headed for the exit portal that had appeared after clearing the dungeon.
As he stepped through, the cold air of the outside world hit him. He froze, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene.
An agent stood at the entrance, clipboard in hand, his sharp gaze scanning the area. These officials were responsible for ensuring dungeon clearances were thorough—making sure no creatures were left behind to pose a future threat. They were a common sight at D-rank dungeons and above, except E-rank dungeons they rarely warranted their attention.
"E-rank dungeons don't even warrant an agent's attention," - Akira thought, his expression unreadable. "Too low-risk, not worth the trouble. But once you hit D-rank and above, they come crawling out to monitor everything. Checkpoints, performance reports, making sure no one leaves a mess behind. A thankless job, but necessary, I guess."
It was among his duties monitoring the activities, checking up on performances, avoiding unnecessary risks to the world.
Akira's jaw tightened as he recognized the man.
Because this very man before him was...this was the agent who had handled the forged documents that stripped him of his father's wealth. This agent is the one who, not long ago, handled the documents that ultimately robbed Akira of his father's wealth. He was the one who helped ensure Akira's name was signed away on those forged documents before the dungeon raid with Eri.The betrayal still burned, but Akira forced himself to stay calm, pulling his hood lower to obscure his face.
"Damn… this is the worst. I can't afford to expose my identity yet."
"So, you're alive," the agent said, raising an eyebrow. "When I saw a lone C-rank STAR had booked this dungeon, I thought it might be too much for you."
Akira's fists clenched at his sides, but his voice remained steady. "You sound disappointed."
The agent chuckled, glancing at the dungeon entrance. "It's just procedure. If STARS can't manage their own reservations, it's on us to clean up the mess. You'd be shocked how many don't even bother clearing the dungeons they claim."
Akira crossed his arms, his tone laced with mockery. "And we wouldn't want anything bad to happen, would we?"
For a moment, the agent hesitated, catching the edge in Akira's voice. He cleared his throat and looked away. "Anyway, as long as it's clear, I don't care what you do in there."
Akira stepped forward, his gaze sharp and unforgiving. The agent stiffened slightly as Akira's voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. "I wonder… do you care about anything other than yourself?"
The agent's brow furrowed as he studied Akira's face, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Have we… met before?"
Akira's expression remained stoic, his head tilting slightly to keep his face obscured. "Doubt it. I'm new to this line of work. Just another rookie, nothing memorable about me."
Before the agent could press further, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the tension. A second agent appeared, his uniform identical but his demeanor more relaxed. He glanced at Akira, then smirked.
"If you're already C-rank and still new to this, your growth potential must be impressive," he said, clearly referencing the fake ID Hiroshi had provided.
Akira's heart jumped as he recognized the second agent—the very man who had done the "transfer" of his family's assets. The memory of that day flashed in his mind, but he kept his expression neutral.
The first agent turned to his colleague, nodding toward Akira. "Something about this one feels familiar."
The second agent snickered, his eyes narrowing as he studied Akira. "You sure? He looks like just another rookie to me."
Akira shrugged, feigning nervousness. "Look, I know the drill. I'm just not used to all these… formalities yet."
The first agent folded his arms, leaning closer. "Funny. You look like someone who's had enough experience to know better."
The second agent's smirk faded, replaced by a calculating stare. "Just know this. If you try anything questionable in these parts, we'll know about it."
Akira gave them a curt nod, already stepping around them. "Appreciate the warning. I'll keep that in mind."
As he turned to leave, the second agent suddenly grabbed his wrist, spinning him back around. "Wait a minute," he said, his voice sharp. "You're not going anywhere until we're done here."
Akira's eyes narrowed, but he didn't resist. "I've already cleared the dungeon. What more do you want?"
The first agent stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "We want to know why a C-rank STAR is running solo in an D-rank dungeon. And why you're so eager to leave."
Akira forced a calm smile, though his mind raced. "Like I said, I'm new. Just trying to prove myself."
The agents exchanged a look, their suspicion palpable."Hey you..." he said, pointing a finger at Akira. "Tell me something do you perhaps know..."