Crocodile Tears

Ah, I finally got rid of them.

For a second, I thought they would've died to the boss. That would've been very unfortunate.

But now that they are dead, I just need to wait for the poison to dissipate.

I sat down by a tree trunk and took out a bottle of water from my backpack.

The refreshing and cooling liquid touched my lips as I gulped the entire bottle down.

This porter was way too dehydrated.

The purple smoke soon cleared up. I stared down at the lifeless bodies with pity. The expression of pain and anguish was still etched on their faces as blood spilled out of their every orifice. What a familiar expression.

My eyes softened for a moment, reminiscing about the past.

Ah, how unpleasant.

Anyways, time to take all of their belongings.

I stripped Manny, along with Mr. and Ms. Whatsitsname of everything they had. Potions, crystals, credit cards, ids, e.t.c.

I then walked toward the boss's bloodied corpse as I carved a hole into its chest. Every beast has a Beast Core within the depths of their bodies, which could be used for a variety of things, from weapons to armor to powering simple devices.

However, they are significantly more pricey than mana crystals, and unlike mana crystals, they can also contain attributes and wills, which cannot be artificially manufactured. But what are the chances of getting a will from an Orc? None.

Why? Because they are stupid. For a beast to manifest a Beast Will, it must be not only powerful but intelligent.

However, this core can fetch quite a high price. How much is one of these? $200,000? $300,000? Speaking of money, I might still have access to my bank account!

Hah...I'm now in a different body. Won't they suspect me of identity fraud as I withdraw copious amounts of money?

But I'll think about that later.

I want to get out of this filthy dungeon.

"Return" I muttered under my breath.

[Return requirements have been met. Transferring Host...]

A bright, almost blinding light engulfed my body, and I was suddenly transported outside of the dungeon's Gate. Several eyes turned towards me with hope and anticipation, only to be left with disappointment and shock.

The Hunters' loved ones waited outside of the gate. And waited. And waited. Waiting for their husbands, wives, and children, to come back. But who came back? A filthy peasant. A nobody porter.

"WHERE IS MY SON?!"

A desperate man attempted to grasp me as the guards left the scene. However, he crashed into one of the guards. The portal had already closed, so they now had nothing else to do, but witness another tragic scene unfold before them.

He got back up again, reaching out for my shoulders.

Ugh...

The touch of another person...it's repulsive.

But I must act accordingly.

I rubbed my eyes as tears flowed down my cheeks. An anguished expression was etched all over my face as I attempted to hide it.

I didn't last that long as a Dungeon Scrapper for no reason! Well...that doesn't really apply now. But I'm still alive! Just in another person's body. Does that still count?

Crocodile tears! No one would accuse a man in mourning!

"...Manny...sniffle...Rivera..."

"They...all died!"

"I...I don't know w-what happened to them..."

I reached out to him, my soft hands shaking in fear.

He shifted me to the side.

His eyes were in horror and anger.

Did that porter guy do it?

Was he the culprit?

But he couldn't help but hold it back. Because how could someone like me be the cause of their deaths? Why? Who? What?

Not only was I acting, but my innocent and tender face also further supported my facade.

Such thoughts are irrational. People are so gullible.

Yet another has been shot down by my flawless acting! A sick, schadenfreude-Esque pleasure bubbles up within me from watching people break down like this. It's akin to watching a classmate get in trouble.

I simply just stood there as the people continued to wail and mourn the deaths of their loved ones. Some of them went up to me, to which I only responded with crocodile tears. They were the ones who failed to accept death. They were the ones who believed naively that their loved ones would come back eventually.

How annoying.

I've seen too many people like that. Too many for me to count. From my youth to my adulthood, to probably the rest of my life.

While I continued my charade, my mind wandered to something else. Two things.

"Where is my house?" and "How could I access my bank account?"

It'd be nigh impossible for someone like me to enter my previous home. Not only was it lined by guards, but also several CCTV.

I put my deep pockets into good use, and it has now backfired on me. Oy vey.

And for all that sweet sweet cash lying in my bank account?

Once news of my death gets out, my bank account would definitely be suspended, and I don't have a will. I wanted to live and die as a greedy bastard. Who was it going to go to anyways?

As time passed, everyone eventually left the scene.

Head down. Check. Tears. Check. Solemn facial expression. Check.

It wouldn't be unlikely for me to bump into one of those people again. What a hassle.

I checked my pockets, along with the large backpack I had on my back. There was a lot of food, or rather tasteless cardboard called "calorie blocks", and water. Even the name was depressing, and the calorie blocks certainly lived up to it. However, every Hunter had to become accustomed to it.

But I'm getting sidetracked.

I shuffled my hands in my pockets, and eventually grasped onto something metallic and shiny- an apartment key!

Lucky me, the previous owner even wrote down the apartment number.

I eventually arrived at his apartment complex. I walked up a couple of stairs, before being greeted by my room. It was small, only having 2 rooms. One bathroom behind a door, and a kitchen and a bed, all in another room. A single window decorated the walls, which were poor in condition.

No, saying that it was a bed is an overstatement. It was more akin to a sleeping bag if anything, like a saggy, uncomfortable futon.

I put down all of my luggage and let out a gasp of relief. This body is too weak.

The light was a warm, dim hue as my eyes softened.

As I looked around, the feeling of it sunk in.

I was no longer in my wealthy house. I could no longer indulge in luxuries beyond any common person. I was no longer even in my own body.

The feeling that I am no longer an 'Agnus'.