Rega sat in the interrogation chair, answering every question the Hunter Association staff threw at him regarding the incident.
There wasn't much Rega could say; by the time he had noticed the victims, they had already met a tragic end.
Sensing Rega's mental state, the staff decided to end the interrogation.
"Thank you, Mr. Rega," the officer said, his voice deep and filled with genuine gratitude.
"Thanks to your help, we are able to return their remains to their families."
However, the officer's words did nothing to ease Rega's mind.
"Mr. Rega, being a Hunter is the most lucrative yet most perilous profession in the world. Every Hunter knows they are dancing with death, yet they never stop venturing into dungeons. Do you know why?"
The question caught Rega off guard.
If it were just about money, a Hunter only needed to hunt once a month to cover their basic needs. Clearly, money wasn't the primary driver.
"Is it... because they crave adventure?"
"Exactly. Many Hunters long for a life of freedom, exploring dungeons in the hopes that one day, they can cross through the gates and see the vast world beyond."
Rega fell silent for a moment. A faint smile played on his lips.
"Thank you. I feel a bit better now."
The officer was right. Any Hunter who stepped into a dungeon understood the risks and was prepared to face them.
In other words, this was the result of their own choices. Rega didn't need to carry the guilt of arriving too late.
"This isn't good... because of the 10,000x System boost, my sense of danger is becoming skewed."
(I understand your point, Master, but I believe it doesn't matter as long as you possess sufficient power.)
"You're right, Ai. Now, I need to focus on leveling up."
Rega's expression hardened with renewed determination. Ai gave a small nod, her own motivation mirrored in his.
...
"Tornado Vortex!"
Boom!
Gaa—!
A violent tornado erupted from the tip of Rega's spear, obliterating a hundred Red Goblins instantly, leaving nothing behind.
[Kill confirmed. EXP successfully multiplied!]
[Level up! Level up! Level up...]
[Skill usage confirmed. Skill EXP successfully multiplied!]
[Wind Magic has reached Master rank!]
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Rega opened his status panel and smiled with satisfaction.
Name: Rega
Level: 123 (Every 1,000 levels, Rank can be increased)
Class: Spear Master
HP: 6,500
MP: 5,000 / 6,300
STR: 6,200
AGI: 6,700
VIT: 6,000
INT: 7,000
Rank: 5
Skills:
Master Spearmanship (Max?)
Master Physical Augmentation (Max?)
Master Appraisal (Max?)
Master Wind Magic (Max?)
"Level 123... still a long way from Rank 6."
Rega sighed, a helpless expression on his face.
If other Hunters saw his status and heard his complaints, they might literally die of envy. A typical rookie Hunter would take years to reach Rank 5. Rega had achieved it in less than two months, and he was still complaining? The world was truly unfair.
"Hah, the EXP from Red Goblins isn't significant anymore. I need to find stronger opponents or look for another dungeon."
Since finding a new dungeon was a last resort, Rega decided to descend to the fourth floor to hunt the Pink Goblins there. Unfortunately, they were only slightly stronger than the Red ones, and the EXP gain was underwhelming.
He pushed down to the ninth floor to hunt Black Goblins, but even then, his motivation waned as the EXP failed to meet his expectations.
In the world of Hunters, the wider the power gap between the Hunter and the monster, the less EXP gained. If Rega didn't have the 10,000x System, it would take him an entire day just to gain ten levels.
"The tenth floor is the Boss Room. There should be something decent there."
A faint, eager smile returned to Rega's face as he descended the stairs.
Race: Elite Goblin
Level: 50
Skills: ...
Rega's smile vanished, replaced by an immediate look of disappointment.
"Just an Elite Goblin? What a waste of anticipation."
Slash!
With a single swing of his spear, a blade of wind sliced through the air, cleaving the Elite Goblin vertically in two.
[Kill confirmed. EXP successfully multiplied!]
[Level up!]
Rega exhaled a long sigh and muttered under his breath,
"It's time to find a higher-tier dungeon than this Jaran Dungeon."
To be continued...