At this point, the live TV broadcast came to an abrupt end, leaving a tense silence in its wake.
For just a heartbeat, the shop remained still. Then—
A burst of voices shattered the quiet.
"Who is this young man? He's so arrogant!" an older man grumbled, eyes narrowed as he leaned forward to catch any further details.
"Who knows?" a younger onlooker chimed in, a mix of disbelief and excitement flashing across his face. "But... this kid is really a big shot!"
"My daughter also took the test, she barely passed. I've gotta go check with her. If she's the one, we're set for life!"
"Please, the Women on TV clearly said 'young man,' not 'young woman.' Get it right!"
"Who cares? It didn't specify. You don't know anything!"
"Man, What luck! If I had that chance, I wouldn't be here eating this junk."
As the program resumed, the crowd slowly began to thin out, though the excitement still lingered in the air.
Despite the stir caused by the Crypta Warfare Department's announcement, the reality was that it still felt distant for most people.
Leonardo, scratching his head, mumbled, "Well, this is something. I wonder who the heck got picked by the Warfare Department… Must be someone pretty special."
He turned to Adam, eyes wide with curiosity. "Hey, Adam, didn't you take the test two days ago? Any idea who this guy might be?"
Adam, who was absentmindedly swirling his beer, froze in place. The others didn't know, but Adam did.
Who else could it be but him, the unlucky fool who got drenched by a Magnetic Fang Beast's stomach acid?
So, he's actually on the radar of the Warfare Department now...
Sure, no one wants to deal with a mess like him, but once they see a diamond in the rough, everyone wants to stake their claim!
Adam stood frozen, staring at the system message that had just appeared in front of him, his mind racing.
[New tasks detected...]
[Mission content: Branch 1, accept the invitation of the Crypta Warfare Department and obtain the qualification of the National Doom-Breaker of the Darkhaven Imperium. Completing this branch mission will reward you with 10,000 Doomsteed experience points.]
[Branch 2: Decline the invitation of the Crypta Warfare Department, join the Global Doom-Breakers Association's Crypta branch, obtain certification from the Doom-Breakers Association, and earn random exclusive skills.]
[Special note: This task is an optional side mission. You can choose to complete one of the two paths.]
"Wait, what?" Adam blinked, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two options, utterly dumbfounded.
A multiple-choice mission? This was not what he expected to see today.
Two paths for becoming a Doom-Breaker?
In this era, Doom-Breakers could belong to either the national factions or to the Global Doom-Breakers Association. The first group, the National Doom-Breakers, were closely tied to various empires and served as the backbone of military power in the world. The Darkhaven Imperium, Crypta's ruling empire, had its own elite group of Doom-Breakers, with prestigious ranks and power to command.
On the other hand, the Global Doom-Breakers Association was a worldwide organization, one that emerged after the cataclysm hundreds of years ago. It united all nations in an effort to fight back against global threats, offering a sense of unity and a shared cause—albeit with a more decentralized structure.
Its primary function is to organize the Doom-Breakers, helping to resist the monster invasions that threaten all of human civilization.
At the same time, the Global Doom-Breakers Association also serves as a monitoring and enforcement body.
Since the dawn of civilization, human nature has proven unpredictable.
In this post-apocalyptic world, many have gained control of powerful armed monsters, using them for malicious purposes and terrorizing the innocent.
The Doom-Breakers Association holds the authority to eliminate or capture these rogue individuals.
Currently, branches of the Doom-Breakers Association exist in the fortress cities of every empire across the world.
In theory, becoming a National Doom-Breaker or joining the Doom-Breakers Association are both legitimate paths to becoming an official Doom-Breaker.
The difference between the two, however, is significant:
The National Doom-Breakers enjoy more power and authority, but their personal freedom is more restricted by the imperial government.
The Doom-Breakers Association, on the other hand, offers more personal freedom but comes with greater responsibilities.
---
"They both have their merits... but which one should I choose?"
Adam stared at the rewards for the two side quests offered by the system.
Becoming a National Doom-Breaker for the Darkhaven Imperium would reward him with 10,000 Alienor experience points.
While the reward was generous, it didn't hold much value for Adam right now.
Rose was already at Level 4, and her strength was more than sufficient.
The 10,000 experience points wouldn't do much for her.
On the other hand, the reward for the second branch mission—exclusive skills—was something Adam could truly look forward to.
These skills were tailored to Adam's abilities, giving him incredible auxiliary functions.
In a sense, these exclusive skills were the key to helping Adam surpass others in the future.
After weighing the pros and cons, Adam finally made up his mind.
National Doom-Breaker?
Not for me...
I'd rather have my freedom!
" Adam... what's going on? Are you feeling okay?"
Noticing Adam lost in thought, Leonardo looked at him with concern.
"I'm fine..."
Snapping back to reality, Adam quickly set his beer down and asked, "Leonardo, how much cash do you have on you?"
"What's up?"
Adam squinted his eyes, murmuring to himself, "I need to head to the city center for something important... and I'm short on funds."
After fumbling through his pockets for a while, Leonardo pulled out a crumpled stack of banknotes and set them on the table.
"I only have 500 left... You can take it for now."
Five hundred coins was about half a month's salary for Leonardo, and it had been earned with his sweat and effort.
His family wasn't wealthy, and his parents lived modestly, hoping that he would one day marry and have children. If he could become a Doom-Breaker, it would lift the family's fortunes.
But 500 wasn't nearly enough for Adam...
The Doom-Breakers Association's Crypta branch was located in the heart of the city.
It was at least a hundred kilometers away from the slums.
Adam had made up his mind to leave this wretched place called the slums. With his current abilities, securing official certification from the Alliance Association would be easy.
With the official certification of a Doom-Breaker, Adam would be eligible for demon-hunting missions from the Doom-Breakers Association.
These missions, where he would go out of the city to eliminate troublesome monsters, offered rewards substantial enough to change his life dramatically.
But to do that, he needed start-up capital!
Without it, Adam would likely starve before even reaching the city center...
"Keep the money, Leonardo. You've worked hard for it..." Adam pushed the stack of notes back toward him with a slight smile.
"Don't worry about it. I'll figure something out!"
Just as the two were speaking, a group of greasy-haired thugs walked into the restaurant, their presence immediately noticed.
The leader of the group was a burly man with a thick, fleshy face and a jagged scar running across his cheek, giving him a menacing and brutal appearance.
Before Leonardo could put the money away, the burly man stormed forward, grabbing his hand.
"Well, well, Leonardo, look at you, all generous today!" The man sneered, his grin wide and unsettling.
"I haven't seen you in a while. You've got enough coin to waste on drinks, huh?"
"Scar... I'm just here for a meal with my friend. Please, don't cause trouble," Leonardo said awkwardly, trying to defuse the tension.
"Cut the crap!" The burly man snarled, ripping the banknotes from Leonardo's hand. "Your parents are struggling, so it's your job to step up, right? Consider this your contribution—interest on the debt!"