Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 496  Chapter 113.4 - Rewards

I watched the message notification blink on my smartwatch, the cold blue light reflecting off the polished surface of the table. The words on the screen solidified my thoughts—my journey had moved to the next stage. There was no room for hesitation.

'An Adept, huh? Finally, out of the trainee stage.'

The significance of the rank wasn't lost on me. It marked a transition, a shift from being just another face in the organization's pool of potential to someone with real responsibilities and real consequences.

At the same time, I want someone who can act freely. I had gotten a lot of things from this place, and it was better to show some results so that they would not get suspicious or angry.

My thoughts drifted momentarily to what this meant for the path ahead. The choices I would make from this point on carried weight, a tangible impact that could ripple through the layers of the organization and beyond.

I tapped the screen, accessing the details of my first mission as an Adept. The mission brief loaded instantly, and the words were clear and concise.

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Mission Brief:

Location: City of [Veilcroft]

Objective: Join the investigation team.

Details: Recent activities in the city have drawn the organization's attention. You are to integrate with the existing investigation team and assist in uncovering the cause and source of these disturbances. Intelligence suggests the potential involvement of unknown entities or factions. Maintain a low profile and gather information. Additional directives will be communicated as necessary.

Note: Due to your new status as an Adept, your presence will be under scrutiny. Consider this mission a test of your capabilities in a real-world scenario.

Estimated Duration: One week

Point of Contact: Warden [Shanks]

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'Veilcroft…'

The name of the city resonated with a certain familiarity. A place known for its shadows, where whispers traveled faster than light, and secrets were currency.

'A place where the Black Market and the underground organizations had the most presence.'

I wasn't surprised that the organization had its eyes on Veilcroft. After all, even in the game, many missions and events took place there. Thus, it was understandable.

'A place where the Black Market and the underground organizations had the most presence.'

I wasn't surprised that the organization had its eyes on Veilcroft. After all, even in the game, many missions and events took place there. Thus, it was understandable.

It was the kind of place where things festered in the dark, waiting to be uncovered by those skilled enough—or foolish enough—to seek them out.

I glanced at the name listed under the point of contact: Warden [Shanks]. The title "Warden" immediately caught my attention. It wasn't a rank handed out lightly within the organization. To hold that title meant you were formidable, both in power and in authority. It was the same rank as Dakota, the person who had overseen some of my more intense training sessions.

'So they've assigned someone of Dakota's caliber to this mission…'

That only reinforced the seriousness of the situation. Veilcroft wasn't just any city—it was a nexus of power, influence, and danger.

The Black Market thrived there, along with various underground organizations that operated outside the reach of conventional authority. In a place like that, having someone as strong as a Warden wasn't just necessary—it was essential.

'Shanks…' The name didn't ring any bells, but that wasn't unusual. The organization had plenty of operatives who preferred to stay in the shadows, especially those with high-ranking titles.

I'd have to be on my guard.

Working under a Warden meant I'd be under constant scrutiny, not just from the enemies we were investigating but from my own side as well. However, I doubt that the organization's operatives are bad. The treatment I received here was pretty good, so I expect it to be the same in other places.

But there are all types of people around the world as well.

I tapped the screen again, pulling up the details on how I'd be getting to Veilcroft. The next directive was straightforward.

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Transportation: You will be teleported using the organization's warp gates. Prepare yourself accordingly. Departure is scheduled for tomorrow at 7 A.M. sharp. Ensure you have all the necessary equipment and documents. The gate will be active for a limited window, and delays will not be tolerated.

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'Warp gates…'

Made sense. I came here from Arcadia City, but that should not be the only exit out here.

'So they want me there immediately, no room for errors.'

I closed the mission brief, letting the details settle in my mind.

'Aside from that, other details will most likely be given by the personnel here.' With the mission brief closed, I let the information sink in. The warp gate was standard procedure for high-priority missions, ensuring that operatives like me were where they needed to be without delay.

'But, the fact that they are sending me to such a place….It seems they really think highly of me.' That would make sense; after all, I was trying to achieve just exactly that. The more I increase my trust in this place, the better it will be for me to get many rewards.

It was also a reminder that the organization wasn't taking any chances with this assignment. Veilcroft was too important, and the situation too volatile, to rely on conventional travel methods.

'A city like that doesn't leave much room for mistakes,' I thought, mentally preparing myself for what lay ahead. But for now, there wasn't much else to do. The real work would start once I arrived in Veilcroft. Until then, I needed to be ready.

'But aside from that….'

I turned my attention to the drive Reina had given me earlier. It was the thing that I had requested from her as the reward, one of the reasons why I was in this place.

I retrieved the small, sleek drive from my pocket and slotted it into my terminal. The screen flickered to life, displaying a series of files and data logs.

The organization's usual efficiency was evident in the way everything was meticulously organized. The top file was labeled simply: [Silas Vayne].

'Silas Vayne…'

The name had a certain weight to it, one that carried a sense of foreboding.

I tapped on the file and scrolled through the profile, my eyes narrowing as the details began to unfold. Silas Vayne, a name that carried more weight than most would realize.

But I wasn't like most people. I had requested this investigation myself, after all. It wasn't just idle curiosity that had led me to seek out this man's identity—it was a necessity.

'So, they found him after all,' I thought, a sense of satisfaction creeping into my mind.

The organization's reach was vast, and when they set their sights on someone, it was only a matter of time before they found what they were looking for.

Still, the fact that it had taken them this long to trace Silas Vayne was a testament to how deep this man—or rather, this demon—had embedded himself into the human world.

The data on the screen confirmed what I had known: Silas Vayne wasn't just another alias; it was one of the most carefully constructed identities used by a high-ranking demon.

Of course, the organization most likely was not aware of the complete identity. After all, even in the demon realm, this guy is a member of a rather secretive and hidden clan.

This particular demon had managed to weave a complex web of connections, making him nearly impossible to trace without significant resources. But the organization had those resources, and they had used them to their fullest extent.

'Good,' I thought, scanning the list of connections and affiliations that the organization had uncovered. He was involved in everything from the Black Market to high-level political circles. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

And that was the crux of it. The reason I had requested the investigation in the first place. There was something specific I needed from this guy. Something that only he could provide.

'That thing….I need to get it.'

Silas Vayne, or as known as Zharokath.

A member of Void Clan.

And the person who holds the key to the technique that I am developing. The reason why I had been this adamant about using the opportunity that I had gotten as a reward.

Why? You may ask.

The answer relies on the necklace that the guy has.

'That necklace...It holds the key to the entrance of the dungeon.'

It was no ordinary piece of jewelry, and its true value wasn't in gold or jewels. That necklace was the key to a dungeon—a special dungeon nurtured by demons over centuries, a place where dark energies had coalesced into something truly formidable.

It was a place hidden from the world, a secret known only to a few. But once revealed, it would unleash a storm of chaos and destruction that could wipe entire cities off the map.

'A dungeon that could destroy everything…'

The danger was real. That place was a convergence of demonic power and was the home of a certain monster who was now in the stage of growing up.

A monster that is being nurtured by demonic energy.

Once it is exposed, the consequences will be catastrophic.

But amidst that destruction, within the heart of that cursed place, lay a reward. A reward so valuable that it could change the fate of anyone who claimed it. That was why I needed the necklace, why I had been so adamant about using the resources of the organization to track down Zharokath—because that dungeon held something I couldn't afford to pass up.

The technique…' I reminded myself. The technique I was developing required something special, something that could only be found within that dungeon. It wasn't just a matter of power or prestige—it was a necessity. If I was going to push myself to the next level, if I was going to unlock the full potential of the abilities I had worked so hard to cultivate, I needed what lay within that dungeon.

But first, I needed that necklace.

Without it, the entrance to the dungeon would remain sealed, and all the power contained within would be lost to me.

Zharokath knew this, of course.

That's why he kept it so close, why he guarded it with such intensity. He understood the significance of what he held and the potential it had to either make or break the future.

How do I know? Because it is an event in the game.

 ❰After Academy Arc 3, Subjugation of Void Dragon❱

That is the name of the arc.

And what you think is right.

The monster I am going to hunt.

It is a dragon.