Stepping out of the dungeon I find myself back in the same alley I entered before, however, now there were people from the hunters association blocking off the dungeon I was just inside.
"Hey who's that?" One of the workers said, causing the rest to look at me as the dungeon gates closed behind me.
"You there, did you just come out of that dungeon?" A woman who I assume was in charge asked me as she cautiously walked towards me.
"Yeah, what of it?" I asked, my hands in my pocket as she eyed me up and down.
"Y-You aren't a monster from the dungeon right?" She asks hesitantly, likely intimidated by the residual bloodlust radiating off me after that thrilling boss battle.
"If I were a monster, I'd have killed the lot of you already. So why ask such foolish questions?" I said as she inhales and turned back to her crew.
"Alright everyone, looks like this dungeon has been cleared already. Let's pack it up and get back to patrolling for other dungeons." The woman shouted as the men get back to work.
She turns back to me extending her hand out for a handshake.
"Hey my name is Jihye, Kim Jihye leader of this team of The Hunter's Association - Gate Containment Unit. Who might you be handsome?" she said a light smile on her face.
I shook her hand after a bit before speaking.
"I'm Sukuna, and yes I am a hunter before you ask."
"So uh, did you have a party with you when you entered that dungeon? There's a rule that states-"
"I didn't have a party, I have no use for the aid of others within a dungeon. If you want to force a party onto me then...." I stop myself there, no need to go on a rant about my new ego.
Maybe Sukuna's influence on me is stronger than I thought. Those memories when I first got here... they feel like I was actually there but it was just this body.
"R-Right, well that isn't up to me to enforce, but I'll have to report this to headquarters." She says under her breath before looking back up at me.
"Well anyways, since you've handled everything here already I'll just uh... Catch up to my team now, try to follow the rules next time..." She spoke awkwardly as she stiffly walked away.
'What a strange woman...' I thought before shrugging, walking off to fulfill my original goal, having a large meal, I'm starving.
"Wait a damn second..." I muttered, thinking back, what was the one thing I didn't do in the dungeon?
'God damn it! I left every single essence stone in all the monsters I killed, no, even worse, I probably destroyed most of them with my Dismantles' I thought as I checked my pocket, seeing I had no money at all.
"Fuck me, I'm going to have to clear another dungeon, more carefully than last time at that." I said, kicking a rock that flew through a window in the distance.
'My bad' I thought, walking off as if nothing happened as an angry guy came out of the building shouting and looking around.
'Perhaps when I get strong enough to kill S-Ranks I'll be able to eat whatever I want for free, maybe I'll even get to bully S-Ranks and kick their asses for a while before the Ant Island Raid happens.'
Damn Sukuna's mind is definitely changing my mentality overall. Not that I mind all that much.
For a few hours I walk around looking for a decent enough dungeon to clear out that was at least a higher rank than D-Rank, after all where's the fun in crushing ants with my full power?
"Oh, is it truly my lucky day?" I said with a smirk, seeing a group of Hunters getting ready to enter a C-Rank Dungeon, at least according to the Hunter's Association Briefing Team that was present.
"Remember this is a C-Rank Dungeon, all Hunters under C-Rank keep together and listen to the team leader. We don't need any unnecessary casualties in the dungeon if they're easily avoidable." A gruff, middle aged man in the HA's uniform spoke as the hunters he addressed nodded.
"There room for one more?" I ask smiling lightly with my hands in my pocket.
"Sorry pal but our team's already full, we won't be splitting up the loot anymore than we already have. And our team of 10 is already prepared to go in." A C-Rank Hunter said waving me off.
"Well that's a shame..."
I stared at the Dungeon gate and crouched down, making the 3 C-Rank Hunters raise an eyebrow.
Boom!
With a burst of speed that cracks the ground I jumped into the gate before they can stop me, leaving behind a few words.
"I'll just be taking the loot then, do forgive me" I said as they stare at the dungeon in shock for a few moments.
"Such blatant disregard for the association's rules, and the laws regarding dungeons." One of the lower-ranked hunters present says as the C-Rank Leader snaps out of his trance.
"Damnit everyone with me, before this bastard steals all our loot!. And you Association guy, let them know about this incident, I want this guy to pay for acting all high and mighty." he said as they all rushed into the portal behind me.
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"Wow, this dungeon is nice"
I look around a bit, and from what I can gather it's some kind of ancient temple or something like that.
CLICK
I instinctively raised a hand, catching a large boulder that swung at me from the ceiling. Looking down I noticed a small pressure plate that set off the trap and sighed.
"I have to be honest, I hate puzzles in the middle of combat"
Twing
Fwoosh!
'Dismantle' I thought, casually dicing 5 arrows out of the sky as I look to my left to see the hunters who were about to clear this dungeon.
"Do you idiots want to die?" I asked, radiating bloodlust at the group, the female C-Rank lowering her bow.
"We could ask you the same question bastard. You're trying to take all our loot for yourself. We paid for the right to clear this dungeon so why should you come in for free?" The leader said, a snarl on his face as a few others nodded in agreement.
"Why you ask? Well it's obviously because I'm strong, stronger than all of you lot combined in fact" I say grinning as they take a step back.
"Anyways I don't need much of this loot. I'm not all that interested in money anymore after all, but I do need to pay for my feast since I'm so hungry." I said patting my stomach.
"So how about this... I'll take half of all loot in this dungeon for myself, and in exchange you all get to live. How's that sound?" I asked, pointing a finger at them, making them tense up.
'I have no idea how he cut those arrows from so far away like that... And he's been holding up that massive boulder this whole time and he doesn't look the least but strained either.' the leader thought to himself before lowering his guard.
"Alright, we'll do as you say you damn psycho..." He said, ashamed he would give up so easily, but something told him it'd be stupid to fight against it. After all, C-Rank Dungeons while fairly lucrative, isn't worth their lives if they can do another Dungeon tomorrow.
"Great, I'm happy you're so smart to realize your situation. I'll be going ahead now, you lot just collect the stones, I'll handle the monsters okay." I said, walking off with a wave.
I trigger another boulder trap when walking, but I cut it to find dust before it reaches me, my walk never slowing.
"Alright everyone collect as much loot as you can while Me, Chaewon, and Hyun-Woo will protect you from any stray Monsters that guy leaves behind." The leader said as everyone nods and starts collecting the loot following my trail of destruction.
—————————————————
Shing!
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
"Hmm, these Aztec looking robots are an interesting kind of monster." I said, catching a punch from one of them as I activate CLEAVE, dicing it into scrap metal.
I was already level 20 now, how amazing for me, that's 4 more stat points in each stat.
Turning around I see the hunter party behind me gathering any essence stones they could find.
"You lot are more useful than I thought you'd be. Not killing you back there was the right choice." I said, smiling at their annoyed faces.
"Why go through clearing a dungeon just to eat a feast?" One of the D-Rank hunters asked. She was a swordswoman and looked nervous when my eyes landed on her.
"Interesting question... If I had to say it's because I enjoy the thrill of combat, and I'm always seeking a greater challenge. Though I'd understand if weaklings such as yourselves didn't understand the concept." I said, ruining their already ruined mood even more.
"Anyways, once I kill the boss of this dungeon and claim my very honestly earned essence stones, I'll trade them in for cash and get lots of food to eat." I said before turning away from them and walking towards the large set of doors that was there.
"If you lot have everything, let's continue to the boss room. Who knows, maybe you'll all learn a thing or two from watching a real hunter fight."