Chapter 81 What Now? [2]

Vupp-

Coming out of the dungeon, I breathed in the cold air. My clothes fluttered from the gentle morning winds, and the smell of morning dew permeated my nose.

"I'm back…"

'..after ten years.'

The damp air felt refreshing to breathe. I never thought I will feel thankful for being able to feel the wind brush against me.

Vupp-

'Just when I was getting sentimental.'

I turned around. Leon and Susan had also arrived.

Leon looked at the sun and then at our surroundings. He confirmed something and spoke.

"Only a few minutes passed since we entered the dungeon. How?"

"The dungeon was Stage-0 so the time dilation is 1:25."

The time dilation ration for Stages was:- Stage-0:Stage-1:Stage-2 = 1:5:25

Earth was Stage-2 while the dungeon was Stage-0. So, although we spend a few hours inside, only a few minutes had passed on Earth.

Leon nodded his head at my explanation. Then, waiting for a few minutes, he spoke again.

"Why are we not leaving?"

At the cue, a string of notifications appeared only in front of my eyes.

[You have found the hidden skill.]

[You have conquered the Stage-0 Dungeon 'Conqueror's Trail.]

[You had completed the task alone.]

[Preparing additional rewards…..]

[Rewards Prepared: +3 levels]

The string of notifications was something only I could see.

A Stage-0 dungeon has two completion levels. First is the basic 'cleared' completion level. Second is the 'conquered' completion level.

Conquered completion level is not necessary for a successful dungeon raid. Also, a Stage-0 dungeon can be conquered only once.

For 'Conqueror's Trial' finding the hidden skill was needed for conquered completion.

'It's leveling time!'

[You have leveled up]

[You have leveled up]

[You have leveled up]

Feeling ecstatic I answered Leon.

"It's nothing. Let's go."

We began walking down the mountain.

This was a no-name mountain in the mountain range that separated Downtown from the rest of Bermuda Island.

The only detail about this mountain in the novel was 'The mountain that has three rivers intersecting at its base'

'How did you even find this dungeon in this mountain range?'

(We didn't. Leon did.)

(I only told him the description, and that I forgot the exact location. He managed to sniff it out with those clues.)

I turned to Leon.

Sensing my gaze, he tilted his head.

"Is there something you want?"

"Your luck."

"What?"

"Nothing"

Thinking I was acting stupid again, Leon returned his focus to trekking down.

'How cruel? Is this the extent of your friendship? I do want you luck!'

I was sweating a lot as we were trekking down. The heat was unbearable.

Fanning myself with my hand, I saw the other two.

'Are they carrying an AC with them? How come they look so fresh while I look like this?'

It wouldn't be wrong to say I was soaked with sweat.

Then, I learned something new.

'Comparing myself with them will only demotivate me.'

Getting exhausted while going down, I decided to check my status as a means of motivation.

"Status."

======

Name: Nathan Hunt

Rank: Iota

Level: 15

Exp: 3,200/30,000

Remaining SP – 20

Stigma: [Iridescence]

-->Stats:

Strength – 14

Agility – 24

Stamina – 17

Constitution – 21

Ether – 32

Intelligence – 20

Luck – -13

--> Arts:

[Armory of Eridu [Legacy]]

A legacy left behind by one of the twelve ancient heroes. It's the ultimate art of weapon creation and summoning. Upon mastery, the user can create an uncountable number of weapons to overwhelm any battlefield.

Mastery - Proficient

-->Skills:

[Pierce [Common]]

[Golden Turtle [Unique]]

[Appraisal [Legendary]]

[Synchronization]

--> [Quest]:

=========

'It's good.'

I repeatedly nodded my head.

'This is what I am talking about.'

I finally looked a tiny bit strong. With my current status, I won't have to worry about dying at the hands of a random robber!

'20 SP from 4 levels. That is 5 SP per level.'

This might not seem much now. But in the future, it will make a huge difference.

Consider someone with 2 SP/level. If he goes from Iota-rank to Enma-rank, that is Lvl 11 to Lvl 26, he will gain 30 SP.

But I will gain 75 SP with my 5 SP/level talent!

'Hehehe. I can see myself becoming the OP side character.'

Then I focused on my stats.

'My Ether stat grew the highest when I ranked up. From 23 to 32.'

'While my Strength stat grew the least. Only 2 stat points.'

'Still, the result is good. At least all of my stats incre- no wait.'

I focused on that one negative stat.

'It's still -13? Shouldn't luck also increase after leveling up? Why is it the same!'

Cursing at the great-great-great ancestors of the universe, I walked out of the mountain range.

"We are going to miss the train!"

Leon suddenly shouted while he was checking his watch.

Swosh-

Then, without waiting for us, he bolted towards the station.

Behind him, Susan and I followed the suit.

Swosh- Swosh-

"The next train?"

"There is none. Almost all trains are canceled because of the Great War Anniversary."

All three of us ran at our fastest. We began running without minding our surroundings.

"Did I just bump into something?!"

"I don't know. And look ahead while running!"

Ward didn't forbid us from going outdoors on holidays. Missing classes because of that, however, was a different case.

One month detention, cleaning the bathrooms for a week, meeting the Vice-Headmaster. All of this waited for us if we missed the classes!

Thanks to the Annual Great War Anniversary, no vehicles were allowed on the road. The roads were almost empty.

The train was our last option.

It was also thanks to the empty road that we could run at our top speed without obstruction."

"Huff.. Run slowly.. you are running to.o..huff..fas..t"

This was me, by the way.

Running at my top speed was draining my stamina at an alarming pace.

Smirk-

Susan turned and gave an irritating smirk when she heard me.

Unable to look at that smirk anymore, I looked at Leon.

'I can understand, Susan, but why is he faster than me?'

Leon's stats should be equal if not lower than mine.

But I quickly realized the reason behind his unending stamina and cursed him just as quickly.

'[War God Physique] is a total cheat!'

Running at our top speed proved to be a good choice. We were almost at the station.

The problem was I had run out of gas.

"Shu..ld I uze ..huff.. Sta.. poin..huff..s"

I could barely take another step.

WEEOOWEWOWEEWOO-

"THE THREE AWAKENERS RUNNING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. STOP RUNNING. I REPEAT. THE THREE AWAKENERS RUNNING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. STOP RUNNING."

WEEOOWEWOWEEWOO-

"YOU ARE UNDERARREST FOR BREAKING RULE UNDER SECTION 420: ALL AWAKANERS ARE BANNED TO USE THEIR SUPERIOR PHYSICAL ABILITIES IN PUBLIC AREAS, AND SECTION 62-1A: AWAKENERS ARE BANNED TO CAUSE ANY HARM TO PUBLIC PROPERTIES UNLESS IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES"

WEEOOOWEWOWEEWOO-

"THE THREE AWAKENERS RUNNING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. STOP RUNNING. I REPEAT. STOP RUNNING."

The Gia's AI police, Boogeyman, began blaring alarms at us.

It had a giant metallic body that was tall as a one-story building. Two thin pipe-like arms that had a claw at their ends. A round head with a single eye and one tire to act as its base.

It was also wearing a black cap and a black shirt with the golden logo of the police, an eagle.

'Just my luck.'

We were still a bit far away from the station and the boogeyman was already catching up to us.

"What should we do? Should we stop?!"

"No, of course not. Run faster!"

Getting caught was not an option. Ward was going to make us 'train' thoroughly if there were any criminal records against us.

Moreover, Lilith's dad should already be eyeing me and Leon because of how chummy she was getting with us. He won't let us go easily!

"Run as if your life is depended on it!"

Because it literally did.

The pressure was so much that I was already speaking without huffing!

"I'll take care of the Boogeyman! Keep running!"

I immediately stopped and used my stat points.

[Stamina – 17 --> Stamina – 20]

[Agility – 24 --> Agility – 30]

I immediately felt my fatigue lessen and my muscles tightened.

'[Domination Decree]'

An invisible pressure descended on the area.

Swosh-

I turned around and stopped running.

'Construct'

p Phzzzt-

Watching my movements, the boogeyman also stopped.

"SCANNING THE AWAKENER TO GET A MATCH. SCANNING..SCANNING..ERROR! ERROR! NO MATC-"

Swish-

A one-meter-long spear flew straight for the boogeyman.

The attack was sudden and precise. The spear flew to its marks without deviating.

Grab-

But the boogeyman easily caught it.

"AGGRESSION FROM AWAKENER DETECTED. ACTIVATING BATT-"

"[Pierce]"

The spear in the boogeyman's hands suddenly elongated and pierced its head!

"BAT…TLE M..OD…."

The boogeyman spoke for one last time before shutting down.

Swosh-

I immediately started running again.

The moment I reached the station, I saw the door closing.

Fortunately, with my increased agility, I was able to get inside in time.

"Huff..Huff.."

"Did you attack it?"

A concerned Leon asked.

Attacking the boogeyman wasn't simple. If get caught now, our sentence will be at least tripled. We will also have to give compensation for damaging it, which was around 100,000 B.

"Yes, there was no other choice."

Thump-

Leon slumped on the desk with an empty look. It seems he had given up on the future.

"Money, money, money,.."

Leon started repeating the word 'money' like a broken translator.

'He's overreacting.'

(Because you never said that you took care of it properly.)

There was nothing to worry about.

When the boogeyman was running after us, it never saw our faces.

Also, I used [Domination Decree] before turning. With the skill's ability to mask my entire being, even the robot wasn't able to scan me.

So, all in all, we were safe.

"Money, money, money,.."

(What about the cameras at the station?)

"Eh?"

(Eh?)

Crap, I forgot them.

But I still didn't get agitated. I had an OP helper with me!

"Susan, can you?"

Susan's eye twitched as she saw me requesting to take care of the issue in case anything happens.

But ultimately, she nodded.

"Money, money, money,.."

"Haaaa.."

I slumped beside Leon.

-Ting! –Ting!

I pulled my ringing device.

[Note to all Cadets. The mid-term examination will begin the next week.]

The notification was about the mid-terms that were going to begin shortly.

It reminded me of something. But I didn't worry. Eth should have done that in my stead.

"I didn't study at all"

(Me too.)

"What?"

(What?)

-Ting! –Ting!

[Failure to pass the exams will result in expulsion]

And so began my 7days of hell.