Chapter 9: A Deal and a Duel
Quinn stepped into the office, his sharp eyes scanning the space. The room was sleek and modern, with a large glass window overlooking the city. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with reports and documents. At the center sat a man who looked to be in his forties, dressed in a tailored dark suit. His piercing gray eyes studied Quinn carefully.
This had to be the head of the AGC in this city.
The man leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him. "So… Quinn, was it?"
Quinn nodded, keeping his stance relaxed.
"You're the first S-Rank Awakened we've had in this city." The man's voice was calm but carried weight. "That kind of power isn't something that appears every day."
Quinn smirked. "I figured."
The man tilted his head slightly. "So, tell me… What do you plan to do with that power?"
Without missing a beat, Quinn replied, "What else? Kill Possessed." His voice was steady, unwavering.
The man raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
Quinn casually leaned against the back of the chair. "I also want to build a guild. A strong one. And to top it off… I wanna make some money."
A small chuckle escaped the man's lips. "Money, huh?"
Quinn shrugged. "You think I woke up with powers just to struggle? No thanks. I've got big plans, and I'm not here to waste time."
The man studied him for a moment as if trying to gauge whether Quinn was just talking big or if he really meant it.
Finally, he gave a small nod. "Ambitious."
Quinn smirked. "That a bad thing?"
"Not at all." The man leaned forward slightly. "In fact, ambition is what separates top hunters from those who burn out and disappear."
Quinn said nothing, simply meeting the man's gaze.
The man exhaled slightly, his gray eyes narrowing as he leaned forward. "You're ambitious, Quinn. I like that. But let's see if you're more than just words."
He tapped his fingers on the desk before continuing, "There have been rumors of a Hollow appearing in the Southwestern District. People have gone missing, and strange occurrences have been reported."
Quinn's expression didn't change, but he was listening carefully.
"I want you to investigate it. If the rumors are true and you manage to take care of the problem, it might bring a ray of hope to your guild-building ambitions."
Quinn put his hand on his chin, thinking. What a nice idea...
"But—" He lowered his hand and grinned. "—only on one condition."
The man raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
Quinn's smirk deepened. "The core of the possessed or hallows whatever those creature are called are mine. I'll take them down and exchange them here for money. That's only fair, don't you think?"
The man chuckled, clearly amused. "A businessman already, huh?"
Quinn leaned back lazily. "Just a guy who knows his worth."
The man nodded. "Alright then, it's a deal."
Before Quinn could stand up to leave, the man's expression shifted slightly. His sharp eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"But before you go," he said, "why don't we have a duel?"
Quinn blinked, then frowned slightly. "A duel? Why?"
The man stood up, buttoning his suit. "I just want to see what you're capable of. S-Ranks don't just pop up every day, and I want to know if your strength is earned or just a lucky awakening."
Quinn sighed, rolling his shoulders. "I won't benefit from fighting you."
The man smirked. "Don't worry—you will. You'll benefit from me later on."
Quinn clicked his tongue. "Tch. Whatever. Let's make this quick."
[System Notification]
[New Quest: Defeat A-Rank Cedric Valorian]
[Reward: Mana Capacity Increase]
A smile formed on Quinn's lips.
This was about to get interesting.
Quinn followed Cedric down a long, sleek hallway, the hum of machinery faintly echoing in the distance. Eventually, they stopped in front of a massive metal door. Without hesitation, Cedric pressed his palm against a scanner, and with a deep mechanical hiss, the doors slid open.
Inside was a state-of-the-art training facility—practically an underground arena. The walls were reinforced with thick layers of mana-infused steel, designed to withstand high-level combat. Scorch marks and deep cracks marred the floor, evidence of past battles fought within these walls.
Quinn whistled, stepping onto the platform. "Thick walls, high ceilings… Looks like this place was built to take a beating." His voice was casual, but his blue eyes gleamed with excitement.
Opposite him, Cedric rolled his shoulders, a smirk playing on his lips. "Glad you noticed. You'll need it."
Without another word, Cedric stripped off his suit jacket, then unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a body like chiseled steel. His muscles bore faint silver streaks—scars from countless battles. But what stood out most was his skin. A faint metallic sheen coated his arms and torso, a clear sign of his Steel Body ability.
"I know what you're thinking," Cedric said. "How does an A-Rank expect to stand against an S-Rank?" He clenched his fists, veins bulging with power. "Well, let me tell you something—I've fought lots of Hollows for years. I've clashed with S-Ranks before. I'm just one step away from reaching that level myself."
Quinn tilted his head slightly. Confident, huh?
Still, he wasn't here to crush Cedric's pride. This was a perfect chance to test his gravity magic properly.
"Alright," Quinn muttered, his fingers twitching slightly as he adjusted to the mana in the air.
A voice from above called out. An Awakened standing on an elevated platform raised a whistle to his lips.
The moment the whistle blew, Cedric exploded forward.
BOOM!
The reinforced floor shattered beneath his launch, a shockwave blasting outward as he covered the distance in an instant. His fist, coated in a metallic sheen, rocketed toward Quinn's face like a cannonball.
BANG!
Quinn tilted his head just enough to evade, feeling the rush of air as the fist grazed past his cheek. But Cedric didn't let up.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A storm of punches and kicks followed. Each strike carried devastating force—enough to cave in concrete. The sheer pressure of Cedric's relentless assault sent ripples through the air, and with every impact, the ground beneath them cracked.
Quinn dodged effortlessly, weaving through the barrage like a shadow. His movements were smooth, fluid—like gravity itself bent around him.
Then—
BAM!
A knee strike crashed into Quinn's ribs, followed by a brutal hook to the jaw. A spinning kick roared toward his temple—
THWAM!
Quinn was sent skidding backward, dust rising in his wake.
Cedric narrowed his eyes, expecting to see Quinn stagger. But as the dust settled, Quinn stood there untouched. Not a single scratch.
Quinn exhaled slowly, brushing off his shoulder. "That was close."
Cedric's eyes widened. Impossible.
Even though he wasn't using his full strength, his blows should have caused some damage. Yet, Quinn looked perfectly fine—like nothing had even touched him.
Quinn grinned to himself. Good thing my Gravity Shield absorbed most of that impact.
Cedric clenched his fists. "Let's see how long you can keep that up!"
He surged forward again—only this time, Quinn responded.
Gravity Pull.
A sudden, invisible force yanked Cedric downward. His sprint faltered as his body felt three times heavier, his steps becoming sluggish. His eyes widened in surprise.
"What—?!"
BOOM!
Quinn's fist crashed into Cedric's gut, sending him reeling backward. The shockwave cracked the floor beneath them. But Cedric gritted his teeth and countered immediately, unleashing a rapid succession of 60 blows in just 30 seconds.
Each strike was like a wrecking ball, and yet—
THWAP! THWAP! THWAP!
Quinn dodged every hit. The moment Cedric's final punch connected, Quinn simply tilted his head slightly. Cedric stepped back, breathing heavily. "You're joking…" he muttered.
Quinn smirked. "Not bad. But—"
BOOM!
With a mere flick of his fingers, Quinn activated Gravity Spike. A sudden surge of gravity slammed into Cedric, forcing him down mid-movement. His knees buckled, his body crashing into the floor as if a mountain had just dropped onto him.
"Gah—!" Cedric groaned, struggling against the pressure.
But he wasn't done yet. With sheer brute force, he powered through the crushing weight and launched himself forward, fist-cocked back for a devastating strike.
Quinn's golden eyes gleamed.
Gravity Wave.
BOOM!
A massive shockwave of gravitational force erupted outward, hurling Cedric across the arena. He slammed into the reinforced wall with a deafening crash, cracks spiderwebbing through the steel.
The arena trembled.
Before Cedric could recover, Quinn appeared in front of him in an instant.
WHAM!
A crushing knee to the gut sent Cedric sprawling onto the ground. The floor caved in beneath him.
Groaning, Cedric tried to stand, but Quinn's foot pressed against his chest, pinning him down.
"Still think you can beat me?" Quinn asked, looking down at him with a calm expression.
Cedric coughed, then let out a small chuckle. "Heh… Expected from an S-Rank like you."
[System Notification]
[Quest Complete: Defeat A-Rank Cedric Valorian]
[Reward: Mana Capacity Increased]
Quinn exhaled, feeling a surge of mana course through him.
Cedric lay back, staring at the ceiling with a smirk. "Alright… I'll admit it. That was a hell of a fight."
Quinn stretched his arms, already turning to leave. "Eh. You weren't bad either. Solid defense."
Cedric let out a short laugh. "You didn't even break a sweat, did you?"
Quinn simply smirked over his shoulder.
The duel was over.