CHAPTER 38: TIER 1 GATE RAID?

As they trudged toward the main building, shoes scuffing the old tiles by the side path, Lanz’s brain started doing that annoying pinball thing.

He kept flicking glances at Kenji, Hiro, and Leo, each one more suspicious than the last. ’It’s finally time,’ he thought, jaw set. ’They better spill. I wanna know what they think about the eastern district gate challenge, I did my part as Zero, they should do theirs as the glazers.’

He cleared his throat, shoving his bag up higher on his shoulder. "So, how was it?" he asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Hiro, walking half a step ahead, turned with the world’s dumbest vacant look on his face. "The what?"

Lanz blinked. "You know... the eastern gate challenge thingy."

A long, collective groan slipped out of all three of them like air leaking from sad balloons. "Uhhhhhhhhhh," they droned together, eyes darting everywhere except at Lanz.

Lanz’s eyebrow twitched. "...What? Was it not fun or something?"

Kenji ran a hand through his hair, face scrunching up like he’d just bitten into a lemon rind. "No, no, it was fun! It’s just... uhhhhhhhh."

Leo didn’t even bother looking up. He just mumbled, mouth half-full, "Good for him, I guess."

"Yeah, good for him," Hiro added, but the way he rolled his eyes made Lanz’s suspicion grow MASSIVELY.

"You guys are not making any sense whatsoever," Lanz said, jabbing a finger at each of them in turn. "You’re being cryptic as hell. Who’s ’him’? What happened? Spill or I’m gonna crash ou—"

Kenji slapped a hand on his shoulder, cutting him off. "Let’s talk about it later at the lunch table, alright? Trust me."

Lanz gaped. "What the f*ck?! Now you’re pulling the ’trust me, bro’ card?!"

Leo shrugged, flicking his wrist at the clock tower peeking over the school gate. "It’s almost time for homeroom, man. Don’t wanna get detention again, right?"

Lanz cursed under his breath, already half-turning to sprint. "Oh sh*t! Gotta go! But you guys better—"

"We’ll talk later! Lunch table!" Hiro called after him, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"You guys better!" Lanz fired back over his shoulder, backpack bouncing wildly as he dashed across the courtyard like he was late for his own funeral.

In his head, one last thought rattled around, equal parts confusion and irritation, ’Why the f*ck are they almost f*cking depressed? I literally put on a show for you guys! Was Zero not cool?!’

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Zero was, in fact, cool.

***

He somehow managed to make it to his homeroom on time. He slammed his palm on the desk to notify everyone that he was there. But duh, nobody cares.

’Nice,’ he thought, a tiny smug grin on his face.

Talia glanced to her side and chuckled.

Mr. Shigeno shuffled in at that exact moment, the same dead-eyed, coffee-breath vibe clinging to him like an old sweater.

He slapped his folder on the front desk with a tired sigh that made half the room sink in their seats.

"Alright, class," he droned, eyes scanning the half-awake faces. "As you all know, this is the last week before summer vacation—"

Before he could even breathe, the entire room erupted into a single, ear-splitting roar. "WHOOOOOOOO!!!" Chairs rattled against the floor. Someone slammed their palm on a desk like they were trying to start a riot.

Mr. Shigeno didn’t flinch, he just closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and let the noise crash over him like a sad ocean wave. He waited until the last whoop turned into a cough before clearing his throat.

"Yes, yes, calm down," he said, voice deceptively calm. "Since summer vacation is almost here, the new student council president proposed, and the board agreed, that as a ’fun farewell for now,’ all students on the Hunter Prep Track shall participate in a raid... at a real Tier 1 Gate."

The air snapped from rowdy to dead-silent in a heartbeat. Lanz felt the back of his neck prickle as every kid in the room turned into a wide-eyed statue.

One boy slowly raised his hand, voice cracking, "Wait... not a simulation?"

"Not a simulation," Mr. Shigeno confirmed, his mouth pulling into that thin line that usually meant ’don’t even try to argue.’

Another student near the back blurted out, "Aren’t fourth-years the only ones who can do an actual Gate raid? Like, by Hunter Association rules?"

Mr. Shigeno nodded once, pushing his glasses up his nose with that familiar ’I’m so done with your questions’ look. "Correct. Normally, only fourth-years get that privilege, but they go in squads of six max, supervised by an A or BBB Rank. You third-years will go in teams of ten. And you’ll have a BB-Rank hunter accompanying you inside the Gate at all times."

The tension cracked like an egg. A collective exhale went around thetimes, you could almost hear spines un-clenching.

"Oh, thank god," someone muttered.

"Yeah, BB-Ranks could solo a Tier 1 without breaking a sweat," a boy across the aisle said, the relief dripping off him like sweat on a hot day.

"Yeah, BB-Ranks could solo a Tier 2 if they really pushed," one guy whispered, sounding half-scared, half-impressed. "Tier 1’s basically a warm-up for them."

Two girls near the window leaned in toward each other, whispering way too loudly. "I wonder who it is?" one of them squealed. "Do you think they’re cute? Like one of those popular ones who does sponsored clear streams?"

"Yeah! Or maybe they’re a local pro... oh my god, what if they sign autographs?"

Lanz tuned them out when he felt a soft nudge against his arm. He glanced sideways, catching Talia’s dark hair falling across her shoulder as she leaned just close enough for only him to hear.

"Wish you could come," she whispered.

The words poked something weird in his chest. He blinked, caught off-guard by the look in her eyes, a tiny hint of guilt that didn’t suit her at all.

"Wha—? Oh. Yeah. Can’t really join in on the fun since I’m, y’know, system-locked," Lanz stammered, rubbing the back of his neck like that would chase off the sudden heat on his ears.

"Y—Yeah..." she murmured back, lips tugging down into a tiny frown.

"What? Are you actually feeling bad for me right now?" Lanz teased, bumping her elbow with his. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Softy."

She rolled her eyes, biting down on a smile that threatened to break through. "Wow. And I was actually feeling bad for you. Guess I’ll save my pity for someone who deserves it."

"You don’t have to feel bad for me anyway!" he shot back, voice just a touch too loud, but he didn’t care. "If anything, this is f*cking great. You all go get your butts kicked by beasts, while I nap at home. Well, except you I guess. But still, I get free entertainment and no bruises. I’m basically winning."

She scoffed, and that scoff curled up into the prettiest smile he has ever seen.

Lanz caught it, the way her hair fell in her eyes, the way that tiny grin cracked her usual stone-cold mask. It stuck to his ribs for no good reason.

’God, she’s gonna be the end of me.’

TIK. TIK. TIK. TIK. TIK.

The entire room jolted as Mr. Shigeno whacked the board with his stick, eyes flicking around like he’d caught everyone texting mid-lecture.

"Alright, enough swooning and whispering back there," he snapped, voice dry as desert sand. "Do you all remember what I told you last week?"

A low, awkward groan rose up like a half-dead zombie choir. "Uhhhhhhhhh—"

"Uhhh huh, no," Mr. Shigeno barked right back. "You’re having your long quiz. Now. Get out your papers. Keep your excuses to yourselves."

Lanz didn’t even bother stifling the dying wheeze that left his lungs.

’Perfect. A pop quiz on top of this Gate drama. Love that for me,’ he thought, eyes dead as he pulled out his battered notebook.

Yeah, let’s skip this sh*t.

***

The second the last quiz paper hit Mr. Shigeno’s desk, Lanz all but slithered out of his seat, shoulders sagging like he’d just survived a Tier 7 Gate with no mana, no stamina, and no f*cking self-love left in the tank.

He dragged himself through the hallway, eyes glazed over like a knocked-out raid boss, one hand rubbing at his temple as if it might erase the fresh trauma.

"God... numbers are so f*cking evil," he muttered under his breath, voice cracked from not sleeping and cramming half the quiz by pure brain guesswork.

He stumbled to a stop by the cafeteria doors, caught a glimpse of the usual lunch rush chaos, and rolled his shoulders back like he was about to stage a one-man intervention.

’Alright... time to hear what these idiots thought of my amazing performance at the event,’ he thought, jaw tightening around the tiniest grin.

And once again, Zero was indeed cool, and they better agree.

End of Chapter 38.

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ALT SYSTEM — USER PROFILE: ZERO

Level: 13

EXP: 64 / 130

Next Reward: +10 Stat Points to a chosen stat

Global System Tracking: DISABLED

World Rank Association: UNLINKED

Stats:

STR: 10 | AGI: 10 (Affinity) | VIT: 5 | DEX: 5 | INT: 11 | WIS: 5

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Derived Stat — MANA: 55 / 55]

Skills:

[Crimson Slash Lv. 1]

[Phantom Stride Lv. 2]

[Blade Control Lv.1]

[Parry Timing Lv.1]

[Reflex Sync Lv.1] (Passive Skill)

[Combat Awareness Lv.2] (Passive Skill)

[Skill Fusion Menu: Active]

[Dev Tree: Tier 0 Access Granted]

[Developer Node – Fusion Core Anchor: Active]

[Skill Slot Available — Unassigned]

Equipment:

Aged Blade Fragment (??? Rarity) (Bound)

Goblin Dagger

Spiked Boar Tusk Shard

Lightweight Chest Padding

Boots of Basic Mobility

Fingerless Gloves (Basic)

Starter Cloak: Faded Black

Training Ring (+1 VIT)