[B-Rank Gate Cleared: Gion Street]
[Bonus: 300 Gold Acquired.]
Renji paused, genuinely stunned. He hadn't ever imagined the System would reward gold as currency. "Wow, gold?"
He looked amazed as the familiar blue windows detailed his phenomenal stat boosts.
[System Record: Renji Kurozawa]
| Statistic | Previous Value | New Value |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 12 | 29 |
| Speed | 17 | 29 |
| Agility | 10 | 29 |
| Endurance | N/A | 20 |
| Vitality | 78% | 90% |
[Skill Update: Bone Grasp (Tier 4)]
[Skill Update: Shadow Pulse (Tier 2)]
Renji spotted the Knight's massive sword lying on the cold stone floor. He took the heavy blade; it was enormous, yet he held it tight, instantly recognizing its value, and stored it within his inventory.
[Weapon Acquired: Obsidian Greatsword (B-Rank)]
[Signature: Renji Kurozawa]
He turned to leave just as the cavern began its final, terrifying collapse. Pillars shattered, crashing to the ground. The entire hall, and the dungeon itself, shook violently.
Renji sprinted out of the hall, his speed fluid and breathtaking. He reached the main chamber where his comrades had fallen. As he leaped past the pile of bodies, his eyes suddenly flashed on the invisible creature's remains. He paused.
He looked closely at the faint shimmering outline of the entity, then raised his hand and extended it over the invisible being's corpse. "Arise!"
Suddenly, the entity's soul awakened, bursting into a swirl of green flame. It materialized fully: a lean, spectral warrior with its head covered by a billowing black hood. It sank to one knee before Renji, waiting for command.
"Kneel again under my will," Renji commanded.
The newly formed Shadow immediately vanished, merging into Renji's own shadow as his newest soldier.
[New Servant Acquired: Whisper]
[Rank: B]
[Skill Unlocked: Time Dilation (A short-duration effect that freezes all perceived time for external entities, allowing only their eyes to move. User remains fully mobile.)]
The entire dungeon completely collapsed moments after Renji got out, the Gate vanishing as the last of the debris settled.
"Huh, I cleared the Gate," Renji said, brushing the dirt from his now-tattered clothes.
He then remembered his earlier encounter with the Knight in the dungeon.
"The System saved me back there," he murmured, slowly piecing it together. "That means it truly doesn't want me to die."
He smiled. His hoodie was ruined, and his trousers were completely shredded. "I need to grab some new clothes before I check on Kenta."
Kyoto News Break
Later, on a busy street corner, a news bulletin blared from a massive public screen.
[Afternoon News: Gion Street, Kyoto.]
"This afternoon, at Gion Street, where the sudden Gate appeared, ten Hunters reportedly from Tokyo entered the dungeon. None of them survived, with the exception of only one Hunter, an E-Rank Hunter who incredibly managed to survive and furthermore, clear the entire Gate. We are still looking for the remaining four Gates in the region to be cleared. Stay tuned for updates."
Renji stood on the street, calmly listening to the report while casually eating a piece of toffee. He smiled, looking placidly at the screen. Not wanting to waste any more time, he walked away.
A girl who had earlier seen him emerge from the vanishing Gate silently followed him.
Renji didn't notice right away, but then he heard the same light footsteps he'd dismissed while listening to the news. Now, those same steps were persistently echoing in his ears.
He paused, still looking straight ahead. "Why are you following me?" he asked calmly.
The girl clearly hadn't expected to be caught. "Huh?"
"Why are you following me, kid?" he repeated, turning toward her. The girl had striking black hair and sharp green eyes that locked onto his own.
The girl didn't appear scared or even particularly unsettled. She was casually chewing gum and holding her phone.
Renji walked close to her and placed his hand lightly on her shoulder. "What's your name?"
"I'm Hikari," she replied.
Renji smiled, briefly closing his eyes. Hikari reminded him strongly of his mother. "So, why were you following me, Hikari?"
"Huh? Following you? Nah, I'm just walking this way," she lied, quickly walking past him.
Renji smiled again, shaking his head gently, and then continued walking toward the clothing store.
Inside the store, as he scanned the racks, completely undecided on what to buy, he spotted the same girl hiding behind a display of clothes.
"Hmm, this girl is very stubborn," he thought.
He walked gently over to her and pulled her out from behind the rack.
"But I thought you said you weren't spying on me," Renji teased.
Hikari lowered her head, then suddenly shouted, as if Renji were miles away. "I saw you, okay! I saw you get out of the Gate! And I always dream of becoming a Hunter!"
Renji looked into her eyes. He could feel an intense mix of hatred and eagerness swirling there. He was puzzled by her declaration.
"It's very dangerous. I'm afraid that…"
"Afraid of what?" she interrupted.
Renji turned, walking away. Hikari immediately followed, which frustrated Renji slightly. "Go to your parents, okay!"
Hearing the word "parents," her mood abruptly changed. Renji looked back at her, noticing the shift. "Why?" he asked softly.
Her voice was instantly sad as she replied. "My parents are dead."
Renji's eyes widened in genuine shock, and he felt a wave of sadness for her. "How did that happen?"
"They were killed by a beast," she narrated, tears beginning to well up. "There was a night we visited my grandparents. On the way home, a beast, it looked like a horse but with huge black horns and sharp teeth—stood in the middle of the road. It charged forward, crashing into our car. Its horns shattered the glass and pierced right through them. Luckily for me, I survived because I was sleeping in the back seat."
Hikari finished her story, tears freely dripping down her face.
Renji couldn't bear to see her in that state. "I'm so sorry," he said, fully confronting her. "Hey, how old are you?"
The girl quickly wiped her tears and looked up at Renji. "Fifteen."
"Wait, what? Fifteen?"
beautiful Hikari nodded affirmation.
Renji exhaled, then looked at her with a gentle, warming smile. "Hey, I needed to buy some clothes. Can you help me pick something out?"
Hikari instantly cleared her tears and nodded, happily sprinting through the racks, searching for an outfit that would suit him.
"Over here!" she called out, holding up a beautiful set of clothing for Renji to inspect.
It was a long, light-white hoodie with an assassin-style hood and matching black trousers attached to it. Renji's eyes lit up, and he nodded frantically.
He quickly removed his tattered hoodie, revealing the multitude of scars covering his torso. Hikari's eyes instantly locked onto his body, but she suddenly looked away, moving to the other side of the rack, a faint blush on her cheeks.
After Renji put on the new clothes, they fit perfectly and felt incredibly cool. The hoodie fell to his thigh, blending seamlessly with the trousers.
"Wow, Mr. It looks great," the girl said, her eyes narrowed in appreciation.
"Um, it's Renji," he corrected her gently.
"Oh, okay. Renji."
He laughed and turned to leave, but leaving her alone didn't feel right. "Hey, so where are you going to go now?"
The girl stretched her hands out helplessly, replying, "I don't know."
Renji sighed, seeing no other choice. "Whatever. Follow me." He turned, walking out after paying for the clothes.
Hikari was clearly excited, happily running to catch up with him.
That was a significant turn in Renji's story! He cleared an elite dungeon, got a massive power boost, gained a powerful new Shadow Soldier, and picked up a teenage orphan companion.