CHAPTER 70: LET’S GO EXPLORE THE TOWN!

Chapter 69

As the bright light dimmed down, Max’s eyes, which were initially tightly shut, slowly fluttered open and he found himself standing in front of a wooden door.

Off to the side were rows of similar doors, neatly lined up in a corridor-like fashion that stretched further than his eyes could immediately follow.

The quiet air of the hallway made every sound—his faint breathing, the soft creak of his shoes against the tiled floor echo slightly. Max stared at the door before him over and over again, anxious and tense, as if the simple act of opening it would determine his fate.

’I wonder who my roommate will be. If it’s that annoying snorty brat, I swear I will just calmly burn this whole place down with my draconic flames.’ Max cursed inwardly as his brows furrowed and he eyed the door strangely.

’A new life, a new place, and of course... new women to conquer. I care less about these hunters and their shitty business. Let’s just get this over with and find out who my roommate is, shall we?’ He exhaled deeply before pushing the door wide open and stepping in.

The first thing that caught his attention was the surprising neatness of the room. It was slightly more spacious than he had expected.

Not luxurious by any means, but it offered enough room to move around freely without the suffocating feeling of a cage. The walls were painted in a soft, dull cream, though faint cracks crept along the corners like tiny spiderwebs, giving the place an aged yet lived-in feel.

To the right of the entrance stood two wooden wardrobes. They were modest in design, their surfaces scratched in places but polished clean enough to reflect a faint glimmer from the sunlight spilling in. One of them had a dangling key still stuck in its lock, as though the last person who used it had forgotten to take it out.

Against the left wall rested a metal-framed bunk bed. Both the top and bottom bunks were neatly made with matching grey sheets, each pillow firm and puffed. The mattress didn’t look like luxury, but compared to the floor or the rocky terrains he had slept on before, it was more than a blessing. A steel ladder clung to the bed’s side, rust eating into its edges.

In the far corner, beneath a wide window that filtered warm streaks of orange sunlight, stood a small desk with a single wooden chair tucked beneath it.

A reading lamp perched on the desk, crooked at the neck but still usable. Beside it sat a notepad, its pages completely blank, waiting for thoughts, sketches, or plans of someone who cared enough to write.

The floor was tiled in faded white. Scuff marks and hairline cracks lined it, each mark a quiet testament to the many who had lived here before. Overall, it was the kind of space that carried history in silence, one that had seen countless occupants come and go. And now... it was his. Well, not only his.

Max’s dragon eyes activated instantly, glowing faintly as a sense of awareness filled him.

In a burst of speed, he darted forward and spun, unleashing a swift kick aimed behind him.

His leg was stopped mid-strike, blocked effortlessly by a hand. Standing behind him with a wide grin was a familiar figure.

"Welcome, roommate." The individual smiled broadly.

Max’s eyes widened in sheer horror.

"You?!" he roared, pulling his leg back down with a scowl deepening on his face.

"Thankfully the association has a little bit of sense to put me in the same room as my friend." The figure smirked.

"We aren’t friends," Max waved dismissively, turning around to head toward the bed. His tone was sharp, laced with annoyance. "And don’t disturb me, Jake."

"Oh, come on!" Jake chuckled as he dragged the wooden chair out from the desk and dropped lazily into it. "We’ll be forced to become friends sooner or later. After all, we’re roommates now."

"That would never happen." Max scoffed coldly as he grabbed the folded uniform lying neatly on his bed and held it up to inspect.

It consisted of a pair of black pants and a long-sleeved shirt with thin white stripes around the collar area. It was plain, practical, but at least it looked durable.

Max placed it carefully back down before reaching for the box he had nearly forgotten. He had dropped it earlier thanks to Jake’s annoying attempt at surprising him. Now, he crouched, opened the lid, and revealed his gears lying neatly within.

He pulled out a pair of boots which he examined properly. They were snug-looking boots that would reach one’s ankles, designed with sturdy seams and thick soles that gave off a durable vibe.

Alongside them was a sharp-looking sword with a black hilt that gleamed faintly under the light, its edge whispering danger with every small movement.

According to Ben, these pieces of equipment were around the Advanced tier, as the association couldn’t afford to hand out anything higher than that for hunters who were still on the lower ladder.

The E-rankers only got basic-tier equipment, the D-rankers were handed intermediate-tier gear, while the C and even the B-rankers were provided advanced-tier weapons and armor. Anything beyond that was reserved for the true elites.

"Looks nice, I guess." Max mumbled under his breath as he quickly tried on the uniform.

In less than a minute, he was fully clad in the black attire. The shirt carried the insignia of a fang on his chest, bold and intimidating, and for the final touch, he slipped into the advanced-tier boots and strapped the sleek sword to his waist.

But the very moment he wore the boots, a notification flashed across his vision.

Tring!

{Advanced tier boots detected}

{Host will now reap the advantage of wearing the boot}

{+5 AGI stat}

"Huh?" Max muttered as he quickly opened up his status tab and scrolled down to his agility stat.

{AGI: 58 (+5)}

’What does this mean?’ Max thought in confusion.

"As long as you put on that boot, you will always have a plus five to that stat. But if you take it off, your stats will revert back to normal. So with the boots on, you will be slightly faster." Pix explained patiently, and Max gave a small nod as he digested the information.

"Are you just going to stand there admiring yourself, or shall we do something?" Jake asked, clicking his tongue as his eyes darted over Max’s new gear.

"Don’t speak to me." Max coldly replied, focusing instead on his sword as he examined the weight and balance of the blade.

"No can’t do. Let’s head into town and explore this place more." Jake suggested, his tone light but eager.

"This place has a town?" Max asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly surprised.

"Of course yes." Jake facepalmed himself. "Even though it is hidden from the normal world, it is still a city that houses the families of some, if not all, the hunters here. That way they can work outside this place in peace without worrying about the safety of their loved ones."

"Huh?" Max muttered again, a little lost at the concept.

"Yup. Not all the hunters though. Just the ones whose families live in tier four and five towns.

I mean, if your family can live in a tier three town and above, there’s no need to bring them here since they can fend for themselves properly." Jake shrugged, and Max simply nodded along.

’That’s actually quite thoughtful.’ Max admitted inwardly.

"So what do you say? Shall we go explore a bit?" Jake asked with an eager smile, clearly hoping Max would agree.

"If I say no, you won’t let me be, will you?" Max asked with a small frown tugging at his face.

"Nope." Jake grinned cheekily, and Max could only sigh in defeat.

"Fine." Max said in resignation, his tone carrying both reluctance and a faint trace of curiosity.