Chapter No.8 Confidence?!

[Lucifer's POV]

I totally risked it!

Acting all confident and mysterious?!

What if they were to ask for my ID or something?!

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as I walked away from the chamber. The theatrics were fun, sure, but my heart was still pounding. What if they had pushed their luck? Sure, I could've overwhelmed them easily, but killing them would have put that organization 'Bureau' or whatever they talked about on my tail.

But Hunters, huh?!

It is like those mangas and novels where hunters act as freelance protectors, diving into dungeons to exterminate threats and collect loot. They're organized enough to have a "Bureau," so I guess there's some structure to it. Typical adventurer guild stuff.

But is it the modern world or the medieval one?

Guess I will find out about it after leaving this place.

Focusing on the system notification of completed mission—

[Ding! Mission Completed!]

[Mission: Dungeon Clearance]

[Objective: Defeat the Dungeon Boss (1/1)](✔)

[Rewards: 50 Exp, 2 Attribute Points]

[Claim the rewards?]

[Y/N]

Yeah, After almost dying for this, why the fuck would I not claim the rewards?

"Yes, claim," I muttered under my breath. The familiar chime of the system's response rang in my ears.

[Ding! Rewards Claimed!]

[+50 Exp obtained!]

[+2 Attribute Points obtained!]

'Profile'

[User: Lucifer Morningstar]

[Level: 02, 73/400 Exp]

[HP: 12/12]

[MP: 120/120]

[Strength: 12]

[Agility: 12]

[Stamina: 12]

[Free AP: 2]

*Skills*

[Hellfire (Lvl.02, Exp.48/200): A technique that consists in invoking the infernal flames of the hell itself. The fire of hell were no different from normal fire, but after purifying so many sins and so many sinners, it became the most powerful fire, having even burned the god of fire himself, making him beg Lucifer to put out those flames before he died. To increase the power of the hellfire, you must burn either sins or sinners in it.

—After reaching Lvl.02, The user's body adapted better to the hellfire, and control over it became slightly more natural, making it possible to purify humans who were very corroded by sin. Humans with few sins cannot be cleansed.]

[Hell Steps (Lvl. 01, Exp.50/100): A technique that consists of opening a wormhole to hell and leaving somewhere else in a fraction of a second. The greater the distance, the greater the energy used.]

---

My eyes roamed the profile again, my mind buzzing as I took in the rewards. Two attribute points and a decent chunk of experience—that was solid progress, especially considering I barely made it out alive.

It was tempting to just dump the attribute points right away, but I knew I should hold off for a second. There was more information I needed. And I didn't want to waste them without thinking things through.

But as I moved forward, a sudden thought struck me. Hellfire. My technique was stronger now. I could feel the difference already in how the power moved through me, more controlled, more... precise. It was an unnerving thought. If I kept going down this path, I could become a walking inferno. Would I be able to control it forever?

I rubbed my fingers together, feeling the faint heat emanating from them. The power was still so new, and I wasn't sure where it would lead, but that wasn't something to worry about now.

A shimmering blue portal-like ripple appeared just ahead of me.

Is this the exit?!

The blue portal flickered like a distant star, rippling as if it were alive, beckoning me toward it. It looked almost too perfect, too convenient, as if the system had conveniently mapped out an escape route. I stopped for a moment, scrutinizing it.

If I walked through, would it really be the exit? Or was I falling into some kind of trap? I had just faced a dungeon boss, and the world wasn't exactly a friendly place. The Bureau might have been watching. If they knew I was involved in this dungeon clearing, things could get messy.

I took a step closer, my foot hovering in midair. The portal hummed softly, like a pulse beneath the surface. Come on, Lucifer. You've faced worse than this.

I glanced back one last time at the darkened corridors behind me. Nothing was following. No loud footsteps or voices. Just the echo of my own uncertainty. I should've expected this—nothing in this world is easy.

But hell, it wasn't like I had many choices left. I didn't want to linger here and make myself a target for whatever organization was pulling the strings. Not when the portal promised an easy out.

I stepped forward.

Honk! Honk!

"Hey! Someone is coming out!"

"Is it cleared?"

"Yeah right, they just entered the dungeon some half an hour ago. They should've been stuck inside by now!"

I froze mid-step, hearing the voices before I could react.

What the hell?

My heart pounding in my chest as I tried to make sense of what was happening. The sound of honking cars and distant voices reached my ears, but it wasn't just the noise that startled me—it was the scene unfolding before my eyes.

The highway was cluttered with vehicles, cars parked haphazardly along the sides, some with their hazard lights flashing. Large banners fluttered in the breeze, emblazoned with the words "Warning: Dungeon Ahead." A couple of pedestrians walked past, carrying heavy gear, as if they were casually strolling through a disaster zone.

So it is a modern world after all—

"Hey! Someone's out!"

I whipped around, startled again. A group of people near the entrance to the dungeon, who had been waiting, immediately noticed me. One of them—a younger guy, probably in his twenties—approached with a confident stride.

"Huh! Who are you? I'm sure you were not with the Red Guardian guild team when they entered, so my question is who are you?"

I blinked at the guy, trying to process what he was saying. The way he looked at me—it was as if I was some kind of anomaly. And honestly, I kind of felt like one. A lone figure emerging from a dungeon that just had a "Red Guardian" guild team enter? That couldn't be good.

"I am with the team but I was nearby when I was informed of the dungeon emergence, so I entered ahead of them," I said those words with such confidence that the guy gave me a skeptical look, his eyebrows furrowing. He seemed to weigh my words, as if he could sense something off but couldn't put his finger on it. The other members of his group shifted their stances slightly, keeping an eye on me.

"Really? Just 'happened' to be nearby?" he asked, clearly not convinced. "That's pretty coincidental, don't you think?"

I could tell he wasn't buying my excuse, but I wasn't exactly in the mood for a drawn-out interrogation. I flashed him a grin, doing my best to keep up the façade of casual confidence.

"Life's full of coincidences, my friend," I replied smoothly. "I'd say it's the thrill of the dungeon that got me moving faster than the rest of your team."

The guy seemed to process my response for a moment before shrugging, apparently deciding that pushing further might not be worth the trouble. He gave a short nod, though his eyes were still a little narrowed. "Alright, whatever. I'm Jason, by the way."

"Lucifer," I responded, offering a brief, neutral nod.

Jason's gaze shifted toward the dungeon entrance, "So, dungeon I cleared?"

"Yeah, the Team inside is making sure that every monster is taken care of," I said while keeping the air of confidence, not letting him probe too much into the details. The last thing I needed was to get caught in a web of lies.

"So, sending the miners inside shouldn't be a problem?"

I furrowed my brow at the mention of miners, trying to make sense of it. Miners? In a dungeon? What was this world turning into? It wasn't like I'd seen any sign of mining gear or anything related to that inside the dungeon.

"Miners?" I asked, letting the question linger in the air. "What do you mean by that?"

Jason looked back at me, seeming slightly confused but still managing a casual tone. "Well, miners are responsible for mining ores and mana crystals in dungeons once the Strike Team has eliminated all monsters except the boss."

"Mmm... But the dungeon boss is taken care of."

"WHAT?!"

Jason's eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at me as if I had just told him I'd been chatting with a ghost in the dungeon.

"You're telling me the boss is dead?" He looked around at the others in his group, his voice rising in disbelief. "The whole dungeon? Finished?"

I nodded, forcing myself to stay calm. Inside, my nerves were on edge. How could they not know? Wasn't this a part of the system here? Weren't they supposed to clear the place? This didn't add up.

"Yeah, it's done," I repeated, trying to keep my tone steady. "The monsters are cleared, and the boss is gone. Should be all safe now for your team to head in."

Jason didn't immediately respond. Instead, he muttered something under his breath, his eyes narrowing further. The group behind him seemed unsure, shifting awkwardly, and exchanging uncertain glances. It was clear they didn't quite know what to make of this situation.

"Idiot! Who clears the dungeon before the miners' team comes in?!" one of the other members snapped, clearly frustrated.

"Once the boss is killed, the dungeon will stay open for about an hour before closing on its own. That means less time for the miners to gather the valuable ores and mana crystals," another person from the group chimed in, frustration evident in their voice. "Why the hell did you clear the place ahead of us? You've wasted valuable time!"

I could feel the tension in the air rising, the looks of confusion and anger from the group starting to weigh on me. My casual demeanor was starting to crack, but I couldn't afford to show weakness. These people were probably part of the system, and if they were already in contact with the Bureau or whoever was in charge, then things could escalate quickly.

"I didn't know the rules, alright?" I said with a shrug, trying to downplay the situation. "I was just doing my job—clearing the dungeon. Don't shoot the messenger."

Jason's eyes narrowed, and I saw the flicker of doubt in his expression. He was clearly questioning whether my story checked out or not. If the boss was dead, then why hadn't the other teams come out? Why was there a delay?

The silence stretched between us for a few moments, tension hanging thick. Finally, Jason broke it with a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead. "Alright, alright... it's done, so it's done. But this isn't how things are supposed to work."

I nodded, still keeping my stance casual despite the nerves bubbling beneath the surface. "Guess I'm just lucky I had some time to spare."

Jason gave me a look that was equal parts suspicion and resignation. "Lucky? Don't bet on it next time. You're on thin ice, but for now, we'll let it slide. You'd better clear out before the next team arrives, though."

I gave a nonchalant wave, turning my back and heading toward the side of the highway. As I walked away, I could feel their eyes still on me, their stares heavy with suspicion. There was no doubt that my unorthodox behavior had raised a lot of red flags.

I couldn't help but feel like I'd just walked into something bigger than I had anticipated. Miners? Dungeons? And this whole "Bureau" organization—there was too much I didn't understand yet.

But that was for later. Right now, I needed to get out of this mess and figure out my next move.

The moment I turned the corner and out of sight of the group, I let out a long breath, my pulse still racing. I had managed to dodge that bullet, but it felt like the calm before a storm. It was only a matter of time before the pieces started to fall into place, and I needed to be prepared for whatever came next.

First things first, I needed answers.

.

..

...

[To Be Continue]

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