Chapter 45: The First Funeral Bell!

The momentum accumulated throughout the battle. The strength he had absorbed. The attributes he had gained. The countless attacks he had endured. Titan Strength and Kinetic smash. Everything converged into a single, decisive blow.

With Titan Strength and Kinetic Smash boosting Him, Aiden’s fist slammed violently into the Corrupt Mayor’s bloated abdomen.

"Break... for me!"

BOOM!!!!!

The impact was monstrous. The terrifying force didn’t merely crush the surface. It penetrated straight through the boss’s body.

The Corrupt Mayor’s enormous frame suddenly froze. The twisted City Hall seal slipped from its fingers.

Clatter.

It struck the floor. The boss slowly lowered its head. Its eyes widened in disbelief as it stared at the enormous depression carved into its chest.

Its purplish-blue skin rapidly faded to gray.

"Im... possible..."

The final word escaped its mouth as little more than a broken whisper.

Then its massive body collapsed.

BOOM!

The moment it struck the ground, its body disintegrated into an enormous torrent of data that surged toward the ceiling, illuminating the entire Council Hall.

[Successfully killed Level 8 Team Dungeon Boss "Corrupt Mayor Grasso" while under-leveled!]

[Gained 5,000 EXP!]

[Ding! Your level has increased to Level 5!]

[Strength +1. Agility +1. Constitution +1. Spirit +1.]

[Gained 5 Free Attribute Points!]

[Greed effect triggered!]

[Additional items obtained: [Corrupt Core] x1, [Twisted City Hall Seal] x1.]

[Soul Essence absorbed! Constitution +3 absorbed from target (Corrupt Mayor)!]

[Team Dungeon "The Fall of City Hall" cleared!]

[Clear Reward obtained: 3,000 EXP, Reputation +500, [City Hall Vault Key] x1!]

The radiance of his level-up enveloped Aiden Cross once again.

It boosted his innate regeneration and his wounds rapidly closed. His exhausted body recovered.

The fatigue that had accumulated throughout the brutal battle was swept away. And once again, his attributes surged.

Aiden slowly clenched his fists. The battle was over. The dungeon had been cleared.

But this... was not the end.

Just as Aiden cleared the dungeon, a grand and thunderous announcement rang out.

It was not merely a system notification. It sounded as though the very rules of the world itself had spoken.

The voice reverberated through the minds of every player within Ashford City, regardless of where they were or what they were doing.

[Area Announcement (Ashford City): Player Reaper is the first to clear the Team Dungeon [The Fall of City Hall] on Normal Difficulty!]

[Reward: 1,000 Reputation, 50 Gold Coins!]

[His heroic deeds shall be recorded in history!]

The announcement rang out three times.

Each repetition struck like a heavy hammer against the hearts of everyone who heard it.

For a brief moment, the entire Ashford City seemed to freeze.

Players fighting desperately through the streets stopped mid-attack and stared into the air in disbelief.

Survivors huddled within ruined buildings widened their eyes. Groups that had been fighting, trading, recruiting, or plotting suddenly fell silent.

Team dungeon. First clear. And it had been done by a single player? Reaper?

That name, carrying an inexplicable weight of murderous intent, was instantly etched into the minds of thousands.

Then the silence exploded.

"Holy shit! A team dungeon! He soloed the first clear?! Is that guy even human?!"

"The Reaper! That’s the guy from the forum! The one selling dungeon guides! He’s actually this strong?!"

"This is insane! We can barely handle Level 5 monsters, and he’s already soloing a team dungeon?!"

"Investigate him! Find out who this Reaper is immediately! I want every piece of information you can get!"

Inside one of the larger guild strongholds, a guild master slammed his palm against the table, his eyes burning with greed and urgency.

"The Reaper..." In another hidden gathering place, a faction leader frowned deeply. "Is he a potential ally... or an enemy?"

Across the city, inside an office building that had been temporarily converted into a stronghold, Damien Bale was standing before several newly recruited members.

Most of them were only Level 2 or 3.

Yet Damien spoke with confidence, calmly outlining his vision for the future and painting a picture of the power they would eventually build.

His charisma was almost tangible.

The [Sovereign of Fate] class seemed to glow faintly around him, subtly amplifying his presence and making those around him instinctively want to believe in his words.

Then the announcement came.

[Area Announcement (Ashford City): Player "The Reaper"...]

Damien’s voice abruptly stopped. The smile on his face froze. For several seconds, he simply stood there.

His fingers tightened around the cup in his hand until his knuckles turned white.

"...The Reaper?" He quietly repeated the name. For the first time since the apocalypse began, genuine seriousness appeared in his eyes.

And beneath that seriousness was something darker. Anger.

Someone had just stolen the spotlight he had intended to claim. Worse... He could feel it.

This mysterious player called Reaper was going to become a massive variable in his plans. And Damien Bale hated variables he couldn’t control.

Inside the Council Hall, Aiden Cross stood silently amid the remnants of the battlefield.

The system announcement continued to echo inside his mind.

One thousand Reputation. Fifty Gold Coins. First clear.

Aiden’s gaze dropped toward the rewards notification before shifting to the Boss’s throne.

He calmly walked over and picked up the [Twisted City Hall Seal] and [City Hall Vault Key].

There was no wild excitement on his face.

No celebration. Only quiet satisfaction.

He had expected this. This was merely the beginning.

A faint, cold smile appeared at the corner of his lips. "Did you hear that, Damien Bale?"

His voice was barely above a whisper, yet it echoed clearly through the empty Council Hall.

"This is only the first funeral bell I’ve rung for you."

He slowly closed his fingers around the twisted seal. "Reaper..."

His smile deepened. "...has come to collect his debt."

From this moment onward, the name ’Reaper’ would no longer be an anonymous username appearing on an online forum.

It had become a name known throughout Ashford City.

A name that had shocked countless players, drawn the attention of every major faction, and, most importantly, entered the sights of his former "good brother," Damien Bale.

Aiden had stepped onto the stage. And the storm had begun.