Rise from Zero

9

"Hey, you!"

​Gatot's footsteps halted. A brawny hand clad in a brown uniform gripped his shoulder roughly, pulling him away from the sidewalk.

​"Are you a hunter?" the police officer asked, his breath a little ragged, his eyes sweeping Gatot from head to toe.

​Gatot blinked. "Yes, sir. Is there a problem?"

​"Come with me. A gate just opened over there, and they're short on the minimum quota required to enter," the officer said without waiting for an answer, immediately dragging Gatot by the arm down a side alley.

​Gatot held his ground slightly, trying to offer an explanation. "But I'm only an E-rank, sir. I won't be much help in there."

​"Doesn't matter. They don't need your strength. It looks like they just need your body to make up the numbers. Hurry up, before the door closes automatically." The officer kept walking, practically dragging Gatot along.

​Gatot could only let out a long sigh and resign himself to following the officer's lead. That was the miserable fate of an E-rank in this world. Needed not for skill or courage, but simply to fill a slot, to serve as an administrative sacrifice so a group could enter a gate in accordance with the association's regulations. Still, Gatot did not let it bother him. He threw his ego and self-respect far out of mind.

​It doesn't matter, Gatot. You need money right now to pay rent and buy food, not their validation, he thought, comforting himself.

​In an empty parking lot that had already been cordoned off with police tape, a vertical dimensional rift spun slowly in the air, glowing a deep, vibrant blue. Six people equipped with gleaming combat gear stood huddled in front of the gate.

​A large man wearing a polished breastplate, whose appearance immediately marked him as the group leader, stepped forward when he saw the officer approaching with Gatot. Without a word, the large man slipped several hundred-thousand rupiah bills into the officer's uniform pocket.

​The policeman smiled broadly, then patted Gatot's shoulder with artificial warmth. "Good luck in there, kid," he said, turning to walk away with a cheerful spring in his step.

​The large man stared down at Gatot, looking at him with utter disdain from head to toe. "Hello, Gatot."

​Gatot was slightly taken aback to hear his own name. "You know me?"

​"Of course. Who doesn't know you in the hunter community?" The large man laughed hollowly, then turned to his companions. "Hey, look who the cop brought us. It's humanity's weakest weapon. Gatot, the only E-rank left in the country, Total Failure."

​Laughter instantly erupted among the other five hunters. They whispered to one another, pointing at Gatot's plain t-shirt, which stood in stark contrast to their expensive armor.

​Gatot only offered a thin smile. He raised his right hand, scratching the back of his neck out of habit. Insults like this had been his daily bread for the past two years. The pain of it had gone numb, replaced by a thick skin that was no longer affected by harsh words.

​"Alright, enough talking. Our time is limited. Move in," the leader commanded, stepping forward to part the curtain of energy. One by one, they stepped into the swirl of blue light.

​Gatot walked at the very back. As his body crossed the dimensional boundary, a familiar cold sensation enveloped his skin. The surroundings shifted drastically into a damp stone cavern corridor, illuminated by dimly glowing vines.

​A young hunter walking nearby suddenly slowed his pace, matching Gatot's speed.

​"Hello, Brother Gatot," the young man greeted him, his tone sounding a bit nervous.

​Gatot turned to find a youth clad in silver armor that was pristine, without a single scratch. "Hello."

​"My name is Gery. Gery Irawan." The youth extended a hand encased in an expensive leather glove.

​"Are you all in the same group?"

​"No, I just met them today. I'm a C-rank. You can rely on me in here later. Don't wander too far from me, Brother. Just make sure to stay behind me."

​Gatot accepted the handshake, feeling Gery's slight tremor. "Alright, thank you very much, Gery. Your gear is very complete and looks incredibly expensive."

​Gery's face instantly flushed, a spark of pride mixed with awkwardness in his eyes. "Yes, my mother bought it all. She went straight to the equipment store to buy it out as soon as she found out I passed the exam and took the hunter job last week."

​Gatot stopped his tracks for a moment, staring intently at Gery's shining shoulder guards. "Is this your first time entering a gate?"

​"Yes, haha." Gery laughed brightly, trying to dispel the tension hanging over his chest. "But don't worry, Brother. I'm a C-rank. Look at me, with this weapon and armor, I can definitely defeat the monsters in here easily."

​Gatot looked at the back of Gery's clenched fist, then glanced at the dark cavern corridor ahead of them. His mind drifted to the harsh reality that frequently occurred within these rifts. Inside a dungeon, nothing was guaranteed, Gery. Even a C-rank could die a foolish death with a single moment of carelessness.

​Gatot was about to voice his thoughts, but he held back. Let it go, Gatot. Don't break this young man's spirit and make him back down on his first day of work.

​In the end, Gatot only patted Gery's arm guard gently with a genuine smile. "I hope we both make it out safely, Gery."

​"Definitely, Brother. Don't worry, I've got you," Gery exclaimed enthusiastically, quickening his pace to catch up with the group ahead, which was beginning to drift away.

​Gatot walked slowly behind him, his hand secretly brushing against his pants pocket. Although his system had not manifested a new weapon after his iron sword broke, Gatot could feel a dense, warm current of energy flowing through every muscle in his arms and legs. His stats, which now stood at ten for all attributes, provided a sense of security he had never experienced before in his entire life as a hunter.

​"Hey, you two in the back. Quit flirting. Hurry up and walk," the leader shouted from ahead, his voice echoing along the quiet stone cavern walls.

​"Right away, Captain," Gery replied, breaking into a half-run.

​Gatot simply walked at a relaxed, constant rhythm. His sense of smell, which had assimilated with the 'Snake Scent' ability, gradually began to pick up something from the damp cavern air. Amidst the odor of moss and wet stone, there was a very faint, metallic scent of blood, accompanied by several spots of heat that were beginning to move closer from behind the darkness at the turn of the cave.

​Gatot sharpened his gaze.

​Gatot sensed a strange aura from this group. They seemed to be hiding something.