Blood Assimilation

Randy observed the situation in the building as he walked towards a brown-haired girl, Zophia, who had also noticed him approaching her and loudly called out: "Hey, Randy! So you were back yesterday. When you did not report in regarding the completion of your mission before we had to close down yesterday, I thought that something had happened to you during your rank mission; Fortunately, that wasn't the case."

Randy felt apologetic when he heard Zophia's concerned voice, and he spoke: "Sorry about that. I came late yesterday because I lost track of time."

Zophia recalled something and opened her to say something, but Randy suddenly asked while pointing behind himself: "What's going on today? Why are there so many people here standing around?"

Hearing his question, Zophia ignored her previous thoughts and quickly answered: "Ah, about that… there's a request from the church to search in the Meistic forest, and they're offering quite a large price for scout specialists mostly… Enough about that, You have completed your rank mission, right?

"Yeah, I did." Randy nodded in confirmation and then said: "But do you want the furs and fangs right here? There's quite a lot of them."

"No, I will take that later." Zophia shook her head and then stated: "For now, can you hand me your temporary card? I will have to get you your official dungeon hunter card before anything else."

"Eh, is that okay?" Randy was shocked and then he stated with a doubtful voice: "I mean, you haven't checked whether I have them with me or not. What if I lied about my rank mission and then purchased them from someone after this?"

Zophia giggled when she heard his words and said: "You don't have to worry about that. Not to mention, since you have made it back alive, it means that you have at least managed to defeat the grey wolves on the first floor."

"Although I assume that you went further than that, which is why you came back late. But did you forget that the rank mission's requirement for completion was simply to bring back the furs and fangs of the grey wolves alone?"

"Ah." Randy let out a sound when he recalled that being the case. He had almost forgotten about the actual requirement since he had been hunting for a few days inside the dungeon.

"By the way, what is your level right now?" Zophia suddenly asked.

"Ah, it says level 55 on here." Randy replied.

"…"

For some reason, Zophia did not react much this time, almost like she was shocked speechless, or perhaps she had already foreseen his growth beforehand, so she did not react to his level that had risen way too quickly from just a single day of hunting inside the dungeon.

Furthermore, she only stared at him with a gawking expression for a brief moment before abruptly speaking in a strange voice: "A-Anyway, wait here for a moment. I will have your official dungeon hunter card ready and brought back after I have input in some other miscellaneous information."

"Oh, okay." Randy replied, noticing her strange tone, but he ignored that and proceeded to wait for her as instructed.

In the meantime, he turned his attention elsewhere; He perked up his ears and listened to the other members of the society as they indulge in their discussions about something most likely related to a request that was posted on the bulletin board, which had requests and mission posted.

"I'm telling you that there must be something going on for those pompous church people to request help from us, dungeon hunters." Someone firmly stated.

"What makes you think that? Can you not see how much they're offering for a simple search request, what fool would give up some sum of money just because they're suspicious about their actions?"

"Yeah, isn't it only searching for their leader who had gone missing in the forest? With my skill set, as long as there are traces, I can easily track anyone." This person boasted with confidence.

"You guys are just idiots with no brains. We would have to venture into the Meistic forest; A place that is infested with so many dangerous magical beasts. Not to mention, the recent discovery of those vampires who might have set their base in the forest. If you guys are that stupid, you can go and risk your lives for just a few golds that could be earned anytime for people like us." A bald and muscular man scoffed and disagreed with them.

"You're saying that because you have a higher level than us, right? Suit yourself."

"Well, that's right. You just need to increase your level. What's so hard about it, you bunch of spineless fools?"

While everyone was talking among themselves, another person who was wearing a long robe, seemingly a magician frowned. Even though he had been quiet all this time, he suddenly chimed with a doubtful expression when he heard the bald man's statement just now.

"For the captain of the church first order to be missing in the Meistic forest means they were on some secret mission. And if they had been attacked and killed by a magical beast in the forest then this search would be hopeless."

"On the other hand, if they were with the recently discovered vampires, there's a chance that they are still alive. After all, all the church people carry artifacts that are deterrent against dark attribute skill or ability. In other words, they are only hanging by a thread and could die at any time."

"What the hell is he talking about? Are you trying to be smart or something by saying such long sentences?"

"Well, I'm just saying that…"

"Enough, why would we believe that what you're saying is the truth? Aren't you just saying that because you're scared?"

"No, that's not it, I'm just saying that…"

"Whatever! I am taking this request whether it is dangerous like you said or not. Aren't we already risking our lives by hunting in the dungeons anyway? What's there to be afraid of with a simple search request?"

As Randy listened to this group of people, he quickly noticed that what these people were talking about was most likely related to those two armored men who were with the blonde man he killed. The old man and every in the village stated that they were people from the church of light when they heard about Klara's situation at the time.

'It seems like they think that he's still alive and are searching for him. Unfortunately for them, he's already dead, so this search would indeed be pointless as his corpse is still inside my storage bracelet. I should find some time to get rid of it. Even though his corpse is not rotting inside my storage bracelet, I can't let his corpse occupy the minimum space inside my storage bracelet.'

As he was thinking of this, Zophia arrived at her counter with a new card in her hand, seemingly his official dungeon hunter card and she outstretched her hand toward him.

"Here you go. Congratulations! You're now officially a dungeon hunter." Zophia wholeheartedly said to him with a smile.

Randy took the card from her hand and said: "Thank you."

As Randy was observing the new details on his dungeon hunter card, Zophia suddenly spoke: "Ah, Randy, the society leader wanted to personally discuss your first request."

"My first request?"

"That's right. When you officially join the society as a dungeon hunter, you'll have to complete one request from the society leader, and from then on, you can choose whatever request or mission that you want to complete."

"So there was something like that?" Randy muttered and then continued: "So how do you receive this request?"

"Ah, about wait here." Zophia said that and then put a signboard with the word [closed] in front of her counter before walking somewhere in the back.

A few moments later, she came out to the front, gestured, and then said with a smile: "Follow me. I will guide you to the society leader's office upstairs."

Randy did not say anything and only followed right behind her as they climbed the stairs that led upstairs until they reached the ten floor.

Afterward, they walked through the corridor for a while and then arrived in front of a certain room door.

Zophia knocked on the door and said: "Society leader, I've brought him."

"Oh, come on in." A husky man's voice resounded from inside the room behind the door.

However, at this moment, Randy instantly scowled when he heard the familiar voice, but he did not say anything upon this discovery and only followed Zophia into the room.

"Oh, young man, we meet again. Well, I wasn't wrong about what I said yesterday, right? Hahaha." A grey-haired middle-aged man with a bulky figure laughed at this moment when he saw Randy.

"Eh? Eh?" Zophia turned her head back and forth between Randy and the grey-haired middle-aged man in confusion. She was very sure that this was the first time that they are both meeting with each other, but it seems like that was not the case at all, judging from the middle-aged man's tone.

Hearing the grey-haired middle-aged man's words, Randy was only silent for a moment before he spoke with an apologetic tone: "Sir, I would like to apologize for previous actions. I did not know that you were the society leader at the time, so I acted quite rude and aggressive our first encounter."

"No worries, no worries. It was my fault for sneaking around at night just because I was curious of our new promising member."

The grey-haired middle-aged man smiled with a pleased expression and waved his hand dismissively at his words.