Light swallowed Adrian whole.
For a brief moment—
There was nothing.
No sound.
No weight.
No pain.
Then—
Air rushed into his lungs.
Adrian opened his eyes.
He was back.
The familiar sight of the Hunter Association Gate Facility greeted him. The swirling dungeon gate behind him flickered—
Then collapsed.
Gone.
Silence fell across the area.
"…He came out."
A voice broke it.
Then another.
"Wait… wasn't he alone?"
"No party. No backup."
"That's the F-rank guy, right?"
Adrian stood still.
The Bloodfang Dagger rested quietly in his hand.
Warm.
Real.
"…He survived?"
The murmurs grew louder.
Hunters nearby stared at him like they were seeing a ghost.
"Impossible…"
"A solo clear? No way."
"That dungeon wasn't that easy."
Adrian didn't respond.
Didn't care.
Because in front of him—
A screen appeared.
[Dungeon Clear Rewards Calculated]
[Bonus EXP Granted]
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Lone Predator]
[Reward: +2 Stat Points]
Adrian's eyes sharpened.
"…Open status."
[Status Window]
Name: Adrian Velasco
Level: 7
Rank: F
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Endurance: 7
Perception: 11
Available Points: 2
Skills:
Predator Instinct (Lv. 1)
He stared at the numbers.
Then clenched his fist.
"…This is real."
His body felt different.
Stronger.
Lighter.
Controlled.
"Hey."
A voice cut through the noise.
A man stepped forward.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Armor reinforced with mana threads.
A B-rank Hunter, judging by the pressure he gave off.
"You," the man said, eyes narrowing. "You went in alone?"
Adrian looked at him.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"…Yes."
The man frowned.
"That dungeon requires at least a 3-man team."
"And yet," Adrian replied, "I'm standing here."
A few Hunters nearby exchanged glances.
Tension rose.
The man stepped closer.
"…Show me your rank."
Adrian didn't move.
"…Why?"
"To confirm you're not lying."
A pause.
Then Adrian smirked slightly.
"…Fine."
He raised his hand toward the nearby testing device.
The crystal lit up.
Numbers appeared.
[Mana Output: 9]
[Rank: F]
Silence.
"…Still F-rank?"
Confusion spread instantly.
"That doesn't make sense."
"No way an F-rank cleared that dungeon solo."
"Is the device broken?"
The B-rank Hunter's expression darkened.
"…You're hiding something."
Adrian tilted his head slightly.
"…Or maybe you're just underestimating me."
The air grew heavy.
For a moment—
It felt like a fight might break out.
Then—
A new voice interrupted.
"That's enough."
Everyone turned.
A woman approached.
Calm.
Composed.
Dressed in a black Hunter Association uniform.
Her presence alone silenced the crowd.
"…Vice Captain Seo."
Whispers spread.
Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"She's strong…"
She stopped in front of him.
Studied him.
Carefully.
"…You cleared the dungeon alone?" she asked.
"…Yes."
Her gaze shifted to the dagger in his hand.
Then back to his eyes.
"…Interesting."
A pause.
Then—
She smiled faintly.
"Adrian Velasco."
His name felt different coming from her.
Like it meant something now.
"You'll report to the Association tomorrow."
The crowd stirred.
"…For what?"
Adrian asked.
Her eyes locked onto his.
"…Re-evaluation."
Silence.
Then she turned—
And walked away.
Just like that.
The tension broke.
Hunters began talking again.
Louder.
More curious.
But Adrian—
He stood there quietly.
"…Re-evaluation, huh."
His grip tightened around the Bloodfang Dagger.
A slow smile formed.
"…Good."
Because deep down—
He already knew.
This was only the beginning.
And soon—
Everyone would know his name.