Level up the Colony

Timothy collapsed onto his bed, sorting through his plans.

His reason for becoming a hunter was simple, money.

Everyone's reasons also

After the recent incident, resting would be wise, but he needed to decide: find another job or continue as a hunter.

His thoughts were interrupted by a phone call from an unknown number.

He picked it up and It was the hospital.

He had a final check-up scheduled before he'd be allowed to join another raid.

Perfect timing.

The rest of the day blurred by, and soon, morning arrived.

By 4 AM, Timothy was already doing push-ups, drenched in sweat.

Twenty minutes later, he collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.

A sip from his thermos flask helped, but he knew the hardest part was still ahead.

...

[Daily Quest: A Strong Body]

Push-ups: 100/100

Sit-ups: 100/100

Squats: 100/100

Running: 0/10 km

...

"As expected, I'll complete the run on my way to the hospital," he muttered.

After a quick shower, he dressed in casual but well-maintained clothes.

His sneakers were worn out, but they'd last.

He left Gray behind, instructing it to stay put.

He waited a little bit, even by 5 AM; breakfast wasn't ready, so he informed his mother and left.

His jog to the hospital would complete his daily quest.

...

Soon enough, The renovated BMH hospital came into view, its once-thriving reputation overshadowed after the Hunter Association took over.

Timothy was exhausted and soaked in sweat, but he made it.

Inside, the waiting area was packed, even before dawn.

He rested for 30 minutes, then approached a nurse about his appointment.

"You're one of the hunters from the E-rank double dungeon raid, right? With multiple reawakened hunters" she asked, recalling the infamous case.

Timothy frowned.

"Multiple reawakened? What does that mean?"

"The association believes something in that dungeon triggered mass awakenings. They've mandated check-ups to monitor any long-term effects on the hunters that reawakened from that event."

That was news to him.

He wasn't alone.

'But did they have a system too?' he thought

The check-up was routine physical and medical assessments.

"Your results will be available tomorrow," the nurse informed him.

"You're open on Sundays?" he asked.

She smirked.

"Dungeons don't take weekends off."

She tried making conversation, but Timothy was too lost in thought.

By the time they were done, it was already 7 AM.

Before heading home, he checked his quest rewards.

[Daily Quest Completed]

You have received 4 free stat points.

[Do you wish to claim your rewards?]

"Yes."

[Choose a reward:]

1. Full Recovery

2. +3 Stat Points

3. Random Box

"Reward 2," Timothy chose without hesitation.

Stockpiling stats was the best long-term plan.

His mind drifted back to Noah.

"That punch felt good," he smirked, reminiscing.

Now that the check-up was done, it was time to register for a raid.

The Hunter Association's app made it easy, hunters could list their availability, apply for raids, or create their teams.

Timothy set his status as "Available" and registered as a Juggler, meaning he could fill multiple roles.

His profile displayed past raids, rank, and success rates, with no room for fake credentials.

Unfortunately, his record wasn't great.

His last raid was a disaster with high casualties.

No reviews.

No recommendations.

Would anyone even recruit him?

Then, a name flashed in his mind.

Mr. Cyril.

He had awakened as a C-rank in his final moments.

Yet, Timothy hadn't heard of a burial or commendation ceremony.

He was actively the only one who cared about Timothy when it came to Dungeon raids

"Did they just forget about him?" He asked himself thinking of the association.

He then decided he should visit Mr. Cyril's family, he had been close enough to them.

Hailing a cab, he leaned back, stomach growling.

Hopefully, there's food left for me.

I'll go there after getting home

The fare was cheaper this time since the hospital wasn't far from his apartment.

But before they reached his stop, the bus braked suddenly, the road ahead was blocked.

Timothy calmly paid his fare and stepped out.

His apartment was just a short walk away.

As he glanced around, he spotted Section Chief Joshua, the Hunter Association officer who had questioned him at the hospital.

Still dressed in his standard black suit, Joshua exchanged a glance with Timothy before looking away.

"The association blocking this area… Does that mean a gate might spawn nearby?" Timothy thought, excitement bubbling inside him.

"If it's at least a D-rank gate, I might be able to fill in for a missing hunter." His smile widened at the thought.

Behind him, Joshua spoke quietly to someone,

"Keep an eye on him." The person nodded and subtly moved away.

Timothy reached home, all smiles.

His family greeted him warmly.

He checked the kitchen, there was still some spaghetti left.

Grabbing his plate, he headed to his room.

As he passed his reading table, he tapped it twice, signaling Gray before heading to the restroom.

Minutes later, soaking wet from his second shower, he stood by the window, watching the bustling neighborhood.

"Maybe it's because of the Hunter Association alert?" He muttered.

Turning back, he spotted Gray scuttling toward his plate.

"Oi, that's mine!" Timothy chuckled before running downstairs.

He went to the backyard vegetable patch, plucking fresh leaves.

Returning, he dropped them in front of Gray, watching as the termite devoured them at an alarming speed.

Satisfied, he got dressed in his usual raid gear, ate quickly, and waited for Gray to also finish its meal

"Alright, time to convince them to let me join, although I lost my weapon at the last raid." He mumbled.

"Should I get a new one..."

Before he could finish his thought

BANG!

A thunderous crash shook the house.

Timothy froze.

Then, he ran downstairs.

He barely processed the blood pooling on the floor.

The TV was shattered.

The twins lay lifeless on the couch.

His mother stood in a pool of her blood, barely conscious, shielding Divine with her body.

His throat went dry.

His heart clenched painfully.

"Edward!!!!" He yelled

---

Ten Minutes Ago…

A well-dressed man with ashen skin and a long cloak walked from door to door, pen and paper in hand.

He knocked, took notes, and moved on.

Until he reached one particular house.

The door creaked open, revealing a 16-year-old girl holding a TV remote.

"Your name, number of residents, and awakened ranks of any family members?" The man asked calmly.

"Who are you?" Divine frowned.

"Ah, apologies," the man said smoothly. "I'm with the Hunter Association, conducting a search-and-rescue survey."

His face remained hidden under a paperboy cap.

No matter how Divine tilted her head, she couldn't see his eyes.

After a moment's hesitation, she sighed.

"My name is Divine Favour Walter. We're—"

"I see. Walters, finally."

His smirk stretched wide.

Divine's brows furrowed.

"Do I know you?" She asked, louder this time, hoping to alert her mother.

Before anyone could react...

A resounding slap sent her flying.

She hit the wall with a thud, gasping in pain.

The man calmly stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

Removing his cap, he finally revealed his glowing red eyes.

Her mother wasn't slow, in seconds, she had a kitchen knife in hand, her hands trembling as she pointed it at him.

Divine shakily stood up, a bleeding gash on her cheek from his nail.

Ignoring her pain, she rushed to stand behind her mother.

Her mother nodded, stepping back slightly.

But the man chuckled, tilting his head.

"I'm not here for you," he said.

"I'm here for your son."

Her mother's expression hardened.

"I don't know where he is," she lied instantly.

"Mummy," Divine whispered,

"be careful. He's a hunter."

The twins, too young to process what was happening, sat frozen in terror.

The man smiled.

"I don't like children seeing this."

With a swipe of his hand, the twins collapsed unconscious.

Their mother gasped, stepping forward...

"Relax," he said smoothly.

"They're still alive. Knocking them out serves me better. They're too young for… torture."

He adjusted his gloves, eyes glowing brighter.

"Now, let's try this again."

"I don't know," his mother gritted out, her voice tight with strain as if fighting something unseen.

His gaze flickered to Divine, who instinctively shut her eyes

But not before blurting out,

"He's in his room!"

Her mother didn't react, still gripping the knife as if it were her last defense.

To her, it was natural for a girl to break under fear.

The intruder chuckled.

"So soon? I thought you'd have more loyalty."

"What do you want with him?" His mother snapped, her voice defiant.

"If you do anything, I'll scream, and the hunters nearby will..."

Her words died as a force seized her throat from behind.

"Good girl," the intruder whispered, his fingers moving like a violinist commanding an unseen instrument.

Divine's body jerked unnaturally, her limbs twisting to the intruder's silent melody.

The more violent his control, the wider his grin stretched.

Tears streamed down both mother and daughter's faces.

In a minute, that seemed like forever, the worst brutality that could ever befall anyone happened.

And after that, Divine seemed to get a hang of herself or the ability suddenly weakened and she resisted.

The intruder frowned.

Her body shot into the air before slamming downward

Straight toward the floor.

At the last second, her mother lunged forward, shielding her with her body, bearing full impact of the clash

The impact shook the house.

Blood pooled beneath her, but she still stood, barely conscious, arms outstretched, protecting Divine.

Then...

Timothy heard the crash.

And stepped into hell.