The receptionist tilted her head slightly as she looked at Ryan, visibly unimpressed. She was pretty—blonde hair which was tied into a loose bun, chewing gum lazily.
But her expressions carried that particular kind of boredom which one attains only when they're sick of their work—like seeing thousands of desperate wannabes before Ryan.
Her eyes flickered over Silas as she scanned from head to toe—the old coat of his, the sweat which was glimmering on his face, the faint twitch in his eye.
"You want the permission for the clearance of E-Rank Gate, huh?" she asked, voice flat.
Silas didn't even blink as his expression remained static, voice came slowly. "Yeah, hand over the license for it already."
She raised an eyebrow, her fingers tapping lazily onto the glowing holographic keyboard which was resting on top of the table in front of her. "Name?"
"Name is Silas Veil," his voice came, low but firm.
A soft chime of the computer echoed in the air, she scrolled down through the data before the data about him appeared on the screen. The corner of her mouth curled up into a small smirk.
"F-Rank," she said as her gaze met Silas's. "You're F-Rank, the lowest among the lowest. Still, demanding the permission for E-Rank gate?"
Silas's jaw tightened. It wasn't the words which stung him—he'd heard it too many times before in his life too, but it was the tone in which she said that.
It was casual and faintly amused, like she was trying to mock his condition.
"You can't take E-Rank gates with this clearance," she said, spinning the screen towards him. "Go and do your little F-Rank gates first. Why not go and bring me 10 rat tails of whatsoever?" She said with a smirk on her face, tone filled with mockery.
Her smile widened a bit, a trace of mockery was buried behind that smile.
Silas's breathing became ragged, then he smiled too—but it wasn't a normal pleasant smile.
"Just give me the goddamn license, I'm not here for your small bickering, you know."
The receptionist blinked as she heard Silas be stubborn about it, voice came low. "Excuse me, Mr. Silas?"
'System.' Silas thought. 'How do I trick her into giving me the clearance?'
[System Response: Options Available]
[Say you're part of a party and already registered.]
[Say your rank has not been updated since awakening.]
[Say you're going in solo and don't care if you die.]
[Bribe.]
[Seduce. (Not Recommended)]
Silas let out a slow sigh as he scanned all of those options. 'I'll choose option three.' Option third had the right kind of feeling buried in it to throw her normal demeanor.
"I don't care if I die," he said as his voice kept low. "I'll be going inside solo, I don't need anyone else by my side. That's none of your concern."
The air in the room suddenly shifted. A few people nearby glanced at him and let out a few chuckles among themselves.
The receptionist leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowed down a bit. "Are you suicidal or something?"
Silas gave a small nod in agreement, a short breathless laugh left his mouth. "Maybe I am. Who fucking knows?"
She stared at him for a brief moment then let out a slow laugh—not kindly, but out of curiosity, like she was looking at something which would be exciting to watch over."People like you," she said, tapping her pen against the table. "Either rise to be the best in the world or die in just five seconds."
Silas tilted his head slightly as a small smirk curled up on his lips. "Guess we'll find out soon what kind I am?"
She looked at him once more before she let out a deep sigh. Then she started typing on the holographic keyboard again. "Alright, suicidal newbie. You got your temporary E-Rank access. But you'll be flagged if you die there, no refunds."
"That's fair," Silas muttered under his breath, tone flat.
The low hum of the printer echoed in the room. A few seconds later, a slim black license card slid out of the console. The glowing blue core at its center pulsed slightly—a heartbeat of mana.
She slid it across the desk towards Silas without looking up from her computer. "Try not to make me file a death report by the morning, alright?"
Silas took the card, his fingers touching the material of the surface. It felt warm—alive somehow. A small smile curled up on his lips.
"Let's see if I'm suicidal or not," he whispered under his breath. "Or a god in the making."
Without muttering any other word, he turned and walked away from there, steps slow.
The lobby of the Awakened Bureau buzzed with life. Hunters in armor traded stories near the bounty boards, vendors hawked enchanted gear from portable booths, and the smell of ozone and steel filled the air.
Silas moved through the crowd like a shadow, eyes fixated at one point, coat brushing against his legs. The noise of the crowd didn't reach his ears—completely focused. He felt detached from the world—like it was already behind him.
Outside, the rain had started falling once again—soft, deliberate, steady droplets coming from the sky. The city was completely filled with neon lights and glass. He pulled his coat closer as he waved for the taxi.
The car stopped in front of him with a quiet screech. The driver was an older man with stubble and weary eyes. He looked at Silas once through the side mirror. Then again, then the third time.
Silas's face was pale, lips curled into a faint grin. His eyes gleamed with a feverish energy, too alive to be normal.
"Where do you want to go?" the driver asked, voice low.
"Nearest E-Rank gate," Silas said, tone firm.
The driver didn't respond back to him, just gave a small nod and started driving.
The rain tapped softly against the windows as the taxi rolled through the streets. Neon signs were across the roads—red, blue, violet—and Silas watched them as the taxi passed them.
'Now, I can just do anything I want to do,' he thought as he looked outside of the window. 'Climb up, kill, hunt. No one will taunt me anymore, I'll make the world remember my name.'
[System Message: Host has unlocked Gate Access for Dimensional Trials.]
[Dungeon Detected:]
[Location: Sector 12 — Abandoned Metro Gate.]
[Rank: E.]
[Recommendation: First blood must be earned.]
[You can do it, Host.]
Silas's lips curled into a small smirk as he looked at the panel.
The taxi slowly stopped in front of a small old subway station. Its entrance was a bit cracked as the metal gate was rusted, the gates were already half open.
The driver didn't say a word. He just watched as Silas stepped out into the rain, his coat immediately soaking through.
The air outside buzzed faintly—heavy with mana.
Other hunters were nearby. One limped out of the gate with an injured arm, others were laughing while dragging the stuff of a slain monster behind them. A third sat on the steps, smoking in silence with dead eyes.
Silas's eyes scanned them briefly, then his gaze shifted down at the sleek hunting knife which was strapped to his thigh. It was simple, sharp yet reliable.
He drew it out, the blade reflected the bright light which it caught from the nearby lightbulbs.
"Let's ball," he muttered under his breath.
The air shimmered a bit—a swirling gust of deep blue light was pulsing like a heartbeat in front of him. The mana radiating out of the dungeon gate made his hairs stand, goosebumps filled his entire body.
Silas took a deep breath as his chest rose up and then down.
Then he stepped forward towards the entry. The first step was slow, the second felt like the pressure in the air had shifted a bit.
And with the third, the world around him had vanished in a flash of blue light. Silas had entered the dungeon.