Adam stood in front of the portal, the faint blue glow reflecting in his eyes. He took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Let's do it." he whispered to himself, steeling his resolve.
....
A sleek, black car bearing the Hunter Association insignia pulled up in front of the apartment complex. The vehicle's doors opened, and several men in dark suits stepped out, each carrying a strange, handheld device.
The one in the lead, a tall, stern-faced man with short-cropped hair, adjusted his tie and looked at the building before walking toward it. Standing outside with his hands in his pockets was a young man, his expression calm despite the circumstances.
"Mr. Sen, right?" the leader asked, his sharp gaze fixed on Adam.
Adam nodded, his voice steady. "Yes, it's me."
The man's eyes narrowed slightly. "We received a report about a possible portal in this area. You're the one who reported it?"
Adam nodded again, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, I found it while I was looking for some tools. Went down to the basement and, well… there it was."
The man raised an eyebrow but said nothing, gesturing for Adam to lead the way. The group followed him inside, their footsteps echoing against the concrete floors as they descended into the basement.
"You live here?" the leader asked, glancing at the damp, dim surroundings.
"Yeah." Adam replied. "Been here for a while. Honestly, I hadn't gone down to the basement in weeks, but I needed something yesterday and figured I'd check."
The man nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation, and motioned for his team to start scanning the area. As they approached the portal, the eerie blue light cast shadows across their faces.
Adam pointed at it. "There it is."
One of the men immediately stepped forward, setting up a scanning device near the portal. The machine emitted a soft hum, its display flickering as it analyzed the mana emanating from the rift.
After a few tense moments, one of the men turned to the leader. "It's a D-rank dungeon, sir."
The leader frowned slightly, his gaze shifting back to Adam. "You made the right call reporting this. If you'd gone in there, you wouldn't have come back out. You're just a regular civilian, after all."
Adam forced a nervous chuckle, wiping his palms on his pants. "Yeah, I figured as much. Better safe than sorry, right?"
'I'm not some overpowered protagonist with plot armor.' Adam thought to himself, his heart racing. 'I've got to play this smart if I want to survive in this world.'
The leader turned to his team, his voice sharp and commanding. "Evacuate the building and secure the area. Notify the Hunter Association immediately. We'll need a team to clear this dungeon before it breaks."
The men snapped into action, their movements swift and professional as they began making calls and directing the residents upstairs. Adam watched them work, his mind racing. This was his first real encounter with the Hunter world, and it was a stark reminder of how dangerous this new reality could be.
'I need to get stronger.' he thought, his resolve hardening. 'And I need to do it well.'
....
Adam was escorted to the Hunter Association building in Alessandria, a modest structure compared to the sprawling headquarters in larger cities. The car ride was quiet, though Adam's mind buzzed with questions and plans. Once inside, he was led through a series of halls until they reached an office marked Portal Discovery Testimonies.
Inside, a man and a woman sat at a simple desk, their attention shifting to Adam as he entered. The man was in his mid-thirties, lean and wiry, with a friendly smile. The woman was younger, her sharp gaze and muscular frame immediately giving off a more intimidating aura.
"Have a seat, Mr. Sen." the woman said curtly, motioning to the chair across from them.
Adam sat down, but as he did, he whispered in his mind, 'Awà, scan them. Are they hunters?'
[Scanning..] Awà responded. A moment later, her voice returned. [Both individuals are hunters. The male displays a mana density and muscle structure many times higher than the host. The female, however, is 13 times stronger.]
Adam's eyebrows twitched slightly. 'Thirteen times stronger?' he thought, impressed.
[Correct.] Awà confirmed. [Her mana density is significantly higher, and her muscle composition suggests enhanced physical training and conditioning.]
The man extended his hand. "I'm Luca, a D-rank hunter. This is my colleague, Elisa. She's a C-rank hunter."
Adam shook his hand and nodded politely. "Nice to meet you both."
Elisa wasted no time. "We'll need your testimony on how you discovered the portal. Once you sign the papers, you'll receive your reward."
The paperwork was straightforward, mostly detailing his discovery and a few liability disclaimers. Adam carefully maintained his story about looking for tools in the basement and finding the portal by accident.
After signing the final document, Luca handed him an envelope. "Three thousand euros, as promised. Thank you for reporting the portal promptly."
"Thanks." Adam said, tucking the envelope into his bag. He stood, gave them a polite nod, and left the office.
....
Adam headed straight for an electronics store in the city. With his newfound money, he purchased a simple laptop, prioritizing functionality over luxury. Once done, he visited the nearest library, scanning the shelves with purpose.
'Awà, record these titles. We're buying everything useful.'
[Understood.] she replied as he noted books on mathematics, physics, biology, history, and even children's educational material. He paid for the books in bulk, arranging for them to be delivered to his apartment the next morning.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Adam's stomach growled in protest. He stopped at a pizza shop, ordering a large pizza topped with everything he loved.
At home, he devoured the meal, the warm, cheesy comfort grounding him after the whirlwind day. As he finished the last slice, he leaned back and asked, 'Awà, how's the scanning been going?'
[Extensive data has been collected.] Awà replied. [The host's instructions to scan animals, humans, mana signatures, and physical compositions throughout the day have yielded comprehensive results.]
'And?' Adam prompted.
[Most individuals in the city exhibit no mana signatures or enhancements beyond baseline human levels. However, exceptions were detected among the Hunters Association staff and other scattered individuals. Further analysis of fauna and flora revealed minimal interaction with mana, though anomalies may exist outside urban areas.]
Adam nodded, satisfied. 'Good. The more we learn now, the better prepared we'll be later.'
[Agreed, Host.]
Adam sat at the desk in his small apartment, the newly purchased laptop in front of him. He carefully unboxed it, setting aside the packaging and powering it on. The screen glowed to life, and he quickly connected it to his home Wi-Fi.
The first thing he did was open a browser and begin searching for websites related to the Hunter world. News outlets, forums, and even social media platforms offered a wealth of information. Adam bookmarked several key sites:
HunterNet: A forum where hunters shared tips, dungeon experiences, and equipment reviews.
Dungeon Daily: A news site dedicated to the latest dungeon activity and hunter rankings.
ManaTheory.com: A blog focused on the science and speculation around mana and portals.
He skimmed through articles about dungeon ranks, monster classifications, and combat techniques, taking mental notes as he read. Awà silently recorded everything, her presence a comforting reminder that he wasn't doing this alone.
As the hours ticked by, fatigue began to weigh on him. Adam closed the laptop and leaned back in his chair, stretching. 'This is a good start.' he thought.
[Data from today's research has been stored and categorized.] Awà informed him. [You may inject it at any time.]
Adam nodded. "Thanks, Awà."
Rising from his seat, he changed into more comfortable clothes and crawled into bed. The events of the day replayed in his mind, from discovering the portal to navigating the Hunter Association's protocols. He felt a flicker of satisfaction mixed with exhaustion.
'Tomorrow's going to be even busier.' he thought as his eyes closed. But for the first time in a long while, he felt prepared.
Sleep claimed him quickly, the faint hum of Awà's presence lulling him into a dreamless rest.