Chapter 7: The Flashback Story [05] – Three days later.

Time passed quickly. Three days had already gone by, and I was still waiting for the Hunter Association to call me.

Ever since Logan found out that I had awakened, he hadn't dared to lay a hand on me at the store. Not only that, but he even paid me in full without deducting a single cent from my wages.

That day, I was lying in my bedroom, doing nothing, when I decided to check my real stats.

Golden words glowed in front of my eyes.

⟪ STATUS ⟫

[NAME: REN THRONE] LEVEL:1

[HP: 20/20] [MP: 20/20]

[STRENGTH: 10] [SPEED: 10]

[AGILITY: 10] [INTELLIGENCE: 25]

[ENDURANCE: D]

⟪ SKILLS ⟫

[EXTRACTION] RANK: E.

"My stats are still basic… I need to hunt and train harder if I want to improve. And this skill… what does it even do?"

Just as I was lost in thought, my phone buzzed.

I quickly closed the status window and grabbed my phone.

Hunter Association.

I picked up, and the familiar voice of the old lady greeted me.

Without wasting a second, I threw on a decent-looking shirt and trousers, then rushed out the door toward the Hunter Association.

A few moments later, I found myself standing outside the Hunter Association once again. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door.

The same old lady greeted me with a bright smile.

I returned the gesture and asked, "So… uhh… about my Raid Card? Did I officially become a Hunter?"

Her smile remained as she gestured for me to wait. Without another word, she disappeared into a room.

I glanced around and spotted a round sofa nearby. Walking over, I took a seat, letting my eyes wander across the room. The walls were adorned with beautiful paintings and framed photographs of legendary hunters from the past.

Then, my gaze landed on a familiar picture.

My father and mother.

A lump formed in my throat, and my eyes stung with unshed tears. I quickly turned away and wiped them before they could fall.

In front of me was a sleek glass table, and on top of it sat a small fish pot. Inside, a golden fish swam in lazy circles. Beside the pot, a small plate held fish food—likely for people waiting here to pass the time.

I reached over, took a pinch of food, and sprinkled it into the water. The fish darted up eagerly, nibbling at the floating pieces.

As I watched it, lost in thought, I heard footsteps approaching.

I looked up as the old lady returned, carrying a small wooden box in her hands. Her smile was as radiant as the sun.

My heartbeat quickened as I clasped my hands together, anticipation thrumming through my veins. Eager to know my hunter rank.

She extended the wooden box toward me, still smiling. I hesitated for a moment before carefully taking it from her hands. My fingers traced over the smooth surface as I glanced at her, then back at the box.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted the lid and fully opened it.

Inside lay a blue-white card with my photo on it. It resembled a driver's license, but this one held far more significance.

I picked up the card and examined it closely. The left side displayed my photo, while the right side listed my name, skill, and home address.

Then, I searched for my skill rank.

It wasn't there.

I frowned and looked up at the old lady, confused.

She anticipated my question and explained, "I discussed this with our superiors. Your skill is quite unique—we've never encountered one like it before. Because of that, we decided to leave the rank field blank. Officially, you don't have a skill rank."

I nodded in understanding, then glanced back at my card—only to spot something that caught my attention.

F-Rank Hunter.

My gaze flicked up to her again.

She sighed, "Since we don't know your skill rank, we had to assign you a starting position. Looking at your current stats… they align with an E-rank or lower. So, we placed you as an F-rank Hunter."

I nodded again, gripping the card tightly. F-rank… This was just the beginning.

I had already expected this outcome—I knew the rank of my skill. But still, I hadn't thought they would place me in the F-rank category.

At least E-rank would've been better.

I sighed, then gave the old lady one last nod before turning to leave.

"Please come again," she called after me as I pushed open the door and stepped outside.

I paused for a moment, staring down at my newly issued Raid Card.

Now, I could officially raid dungeons. Though, given my rank, I was only allowed access to low-level ones.

I exhaled and tucked the card into my pocket. "Time to make some hard-earned money," I muttered to myself.

Pulling out my phone, I booked a cab to the nearest E-rank dungeon—a place where teams usually gathered to raid.

A few minutes later, the cab arrived, and I slid into the back seat. The driver, a young woman, glanced at me through the rearview mirror as I gave her the address.

"Alpine Square Feet, please."

Her eyes widened slightly upon hearing it.

Alpine Square Feet was a well-known location, named after the Alpine Square Dungeon, an E-rank portal that had stood there for years.

She hesitated only for a moment before giving a small nod and starting the car.

As the vehicle pulled away, I gazed out the window, excitement bubbling in my chest.

My first raid.

Though at the time, I never expected it would also be my last.

The young woman kept stealing glances at me through the rearview mirror. She seemed hesitant at first, but eventually, she spoke. Her voice was soft and warm.

"So… are you a Hunter?"

I tore my gaze away from the window and looked at her, then gave a small nod.

Seeing my confirmation, she leaned back slightly in her seat, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.

"So… you're an E-rank Hunter?"

For a brief moment, I considered lying about my rank. But what was the point?

I shook my head. "No, I'm actually an F-rank Hunter."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

Most people would lie about their rank—ashamed to admit they were at the lowest level. But in truth, F-rank is where it all begins, for most of the people. This is where a Hunter's journey starts.

"Don't you think… an E-rank dungeon might be too difficult for you? I mean, you just said you're an F-rank…" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

I exhaled. "Dungeons start at E-rank. There's no lower difficulty. If I want to grow stronger, I have no choice but to work hard and push forward."

She nodded in understanding and kept driving.

A few moments of silence passed before we arrived at our destination—Alpine Square Feet.

The place was packed. Hunters of all ranks swarmed the area, from F-rank beginners like me to more experienced C- and D-rank Hunters. Many were here to gain EXP points by hunting weaker monsters.

I stepped out of the cab, scanning the crowded plaza.

"It's busier than usual, isn't it?" the young woman commented as she stepped out beside me.

I glanced at her and nodded.

She smiled. "Alright, that'll be twenty bucks for the fare."

I reached into my pocket, pulled out the cash, and handed it to her. She took it, sliding back into the driver's seat.

"Well… good luck out there," she said, flashing a small smile before driving off.

I watched the car disappear into the distance before turning my attention back to the chaotic scene in front of me.

All around, Hunters were calling out, trying to form parties before entering the dungeon.

A five-person team was the safest option.

Going in solo? That was always a gamble.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. Time to find a team.

As I took a step forward, a small girl—around 5'2"—suddenly appeared right in front of me.

Startled, I flinched back slightly.

She wore a pointed hat and had an excited expression, her words tumbling out so fast I could barely process them.

"Are you alone? Want to join my party?"

Her voice had an oddly funny tone, almost too energetic for the chaotic environment around us.

I took a moment to observe her.

She held a small staff, the top adorned with a round circle, and her attire practically screamed mage-class Hunter.

Hunters were classified into various types—Mage, Strength, Shadow, and more—each determined by their skills.

"Uh… sure. I was actually looking for a team myself."

Her eyes lit up with excitement as she clapped her hands together.

"Great! Follow me!" she chirped before skipping ahead.

I hesitated for a second before trailing behind her.

"By the way, my name's Maria. Maria Wingstone!" she said cheerfully.

"I—I'm Ren," I responded, still trying to process how quickly things were moving. 

I noticed she was practically skipping with excitement as she walked.