Chapter 46

Maria Woods, the association's co-chairwoman, was dragging me through the corridors of the Hero Association building. I followed her without complaint, though my curiosity couldn't stay silent for long.

"Can I ask where we're headed?" I inquired, my voice calm.

"To your new home," she replied with a grin. "It's a place where heroes under the association's banner can stay, train, and connect. Think of it as a sanctuary for heroes."

A sanctuary, huh? Sounded suspiciously like a dorm for overgrown kids. Not that I cared—my only reason for being here was access to that top-tier information network.

"So," I asked, "when a gate opens, how quickly would we be informed?"

Maria tilted her head thoughtfully. "About five minutes. Guilds, on the other hand, usually take an hour to get the news."

I smiled inwardly. Perfect. That would give me a head start to clear gates before anyone else could stake a claim.

"You can't do that."

Her voice startled me. Did she read my mind?

"Do what?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Take over all the gates for yourself," she said, pouting like a scolding teacher.

"And why not?" I asked, still playing along.

"Because gates are often bought by guilds, and once a guild purchases a gate, it's their property. Clearing a guild-owned gate without permission is illegal. Gates are valuable not just for their monsters but for the resources inside—adamantite, mithril, and magic stones."

I groaned internally. So this world's system wasn't much different from my old one—where adventurers claimed gates just by being the first to see them. Here, people used money instead of muscle to call dibs.

"I just want to serve my goddess," I mumbled, frustration evident in my voice.

Maria raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that response. "Are you religious or something?"

"Something like that," I muttered, avoiding her gaze.

"Well, I don't know much about that stuff," she said with a shrug. "I'm an atheist. I don't believe in gods."

"Why?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She glanced at me and smirked. "Why bother with someone you can't even meet?"

"I can meet my goddess," I said, pouting slightly.

Maria chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh, really? That's a good one!"

"I'm telling the truth," I insisted, my voice firm.

She softened her tone and said, "Well, faith isn't a bad thing. It's what makes us human, after all."

Her words confused me. Human? I was far from human.

The conversation shifted back to business as Maria laid out more details. "You can clear gates in Japan as long as you follow our rules."

"Rules?" I asked, my interest piqued.

"Yes. You can't enter a gate that's been purchased, but there's a one-hour window before a gate goes to auction. During that time, if you consult the association and get approval, you can clear it without breaking any laws."

A wide grin spread across my face. So, all I had to do was claim the gate before the auction? That worked perfectly for me.

Maria continued, "Alternatively, you can buy gates yourself, but that takes money—lots of it."

Money, huh? That might be an issue. Or... maybe not. A brilliant idea sparked in my mind.

"Can I sell materials to buy gates?" I asked eagerly.

Maria frowned. "It's not that easy—"

"I have plenty of adamantite, mithril, and even orichalcum—"

Her hand clamped over my mouth, and she leaned in close, her expression deadly serious. "Don't talk about orichalcum in public. Even the walls have ears."

Her proximity made me blush slightly. "You're... a little close," I mumbled against her hand.

Realizing the awkward distance, she quickly stepped back, clearing her throat. "Ahem. Anyway, yes, you can sell those materials, but you'll need to be discreet. Orichalcum is incredibly rare. Even S-rankers only wear it as jewelry."

"Got it," I said with a grin.

Before long, we arrived at our destination. Maria gestured proudly at the sprawling facility before us.

"So, Mr. Zoth, from here on, this is your new home."

I was expecting a simple dormitory, but what greeted me was beyond anything I'd imagined. The place was enormous—a sprawling complex filled with training grounds, sparring arenas, and heroes honing their skills.

"This is..." I muttered, awestruck.

Maria smiled. "Welcome to the Hero Association, Mr. SS+ Ranker."