WebNovels

Chapter 23 - Chapter 22: Reminder

System Notification:

For reminder, host: after this, you must open a clinic and complete your system quest.

Ren stood quietly as the elevator rose, the soft hum of machinery the only thing filling the silence between him and Joseph.

Can't it wait? he thought, half-hoping the system had finally learned to give him a break.

System:

Yes. It can. But I suggest you open it soon otherwise, you won't get stronger. There's no money coming in.

He sighed through his nose.

Can't I just work as a Hunter and use that money to upgrade myself through the system?

System:

Host. The system is called Doctor of the Gospel. Not Hunter of the Gospel.

"…Fair enough," he muttered under his breath.

System:

So I suggest you gather real world currency and open a clinic as soon as possible.

Sure. I'll just file some paperwork and perform surgery for cash. Normal stuff.

System Notification:

Host. You have an unclaimed reward from your battle with the Plague God. Do you wish to claim it now?

He blinked.

Later, he thought. I have to be alone first. It's too risky.

System:

Acknowledged.

The elevator chimed. Joseph stepped forward and turned to speak, as if nothing about this situation was out of place.

"We use this floor to receive important guests," he said. "It's modeled like a hotel."

Ren glanced down the hallway. Plush carpet, soft yellow lighting, and gold-trimmed doorplates. Clean. Overly sterile. Still not as bad as a hospital, but close.

"So I'm a VIP now?" Ren asked, voice dry.

Joseph smiled. "Of course. You're now one of the strongest Hunters in Qintara."

Ren's steps faltered.

"…Wait. Seriously?"

Joseph nodded. "Even without examining your class or skill set in full, based on the data from that dream monster, it's safe to assume you're at least S-Rank."

They passed another corridor corner. Ren noticed the faint scent of citrus in the air—someone had taken scent control very seriously up here.

"For reference," Joseph continued, "Qintara currently has nine S-Rank Hunters. And three Mythical-Rank Hunters."

Ren looked sideways. "And I'd be the tenth?"

"Correct."

He processed that in silence. The number wasn't small. Not huge either. Just… terrifying.

"What's a Mythical-Rank Hunter, then?"

"Oh," Joseph said, a little surprised. "Right. Your memories have been... adjusted."

He stopped walking and gestured toward a door at the end of the hallway. Room 666.

Ren narrowed his eyes at the number. "What a bad omen," he muttered.

"A Mythical-Rank Hunter," Joseph explained, "is someone who has evolved beyond S-Rank. They possess a unique Class that's exclusive to them. There can only be one of each."

Ren nodded slowly, storing the info away. New term: Mythical-Rank. Dangerous tier. Limited slots. Got it.

"This will be your room for the night, Mr. Hector," Joseph said, stopping in front of the cursed number. "You can order food through the tablet inside. I'll return tomorrow around noon."

Ren grabbed the handle. "Sounds good."

"Oh, and I'll have clothes sent up. Including a proper suit. Please wear it—we'll be meeting some high-ranking individuals."

"Sure," Ren said, though he already knew he was going to hate it.

Joseph gave a polite nod, then walked away without another word.

The door clicked open easily. Inside, the lights flicked on automatically.

Ren stepped in—and immediately froze.

It was luxurious.

Five-star hotel level. A massive bed with a sunken frame, silk sheets, and an actual chandelier. There was even a hot tub sunken into the floor near the glass balcony wall.

He let the door close behind him with a soft hiss.

"...Huh."

The last time he'd lived in a room this nice, he was still inside the Trial Realm. And the walls had been breathing.

This one was better.

For now.

He walked across the room, kicked off the emergency slippers someone had left neatly by the bed, and collapsed backward onto the mattress.

The ceiling was high and painted in a soft beige tone. He stared at it blankly.

He sat up, rubbed his face, and looked around again.

The silence in the room wasn't comforting. It was the kind of silence you only get in buildings that are too clean. The kind built to look impressive, not lived in.

The clinic, the quest, the reward… it all loomed in his peripheral thoughts. But for now, he forced it aside.

Ren made his way to the small tablet resting on the nightstand. As promised, it had a menu. He scrolled through it, looking for anything with carbs and caffeine.

The food could wait too.

He needed to think.

He was now, officially, one of the top ten Hunters in the country. And no one knew what class he truly held. Not even him. The system had granted power, but no one had evaluated it. No tests. No baseline. Just fear points and whatever mutations it decided to drop into his body.

Worse, he was expected to build a clinic now. In this world. With no paperwork. No ID. No medical license.

He sighed and leaned back into the bed.

The mattress was incredible. Just the right firmness. If he weren't halfway spiraling into existential dread, he'd have appreciated it more.

His thoughts drifted back to the Trial Realm.

The Plague God. The flesh-covered city. The way his tentacles had stitched patients together while they screamed.

He had healed them.

Horrifically.

But healed them nonetheless.

That had to count for something.

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