Return to Civilization II

As Peter walked out of the car, he was met with the familiar smell of freshly cut grass and blooming flowers. The front garden to the Magtris Mansion must have been tended to recently,

Peter walked without a walking stick, only using his enhanced senses to navigate around. He sensed several distinct heartbeats at the front of the doors of the mansion.

"Welcome back, Welcome back brother. You don't understand how happy we were when we find out you were still alive." Alex was the first to greet the returning member of the Magtris family.

He gripped Peter's shoulder tightly, trying to get a reaction out of him but was surprised, when Peter brushed past him without care, like an unmovable boulder. Alex fell on his backside, staring up at the back of Peter walking away from him nonchalantly like he didn't even exist.

Marcus - the older brother - scoffed at Peter's gesture.

Alex was going to retaliate but his mother gave him an annoyed look, making him get up immediately and save the retaliation for later.

"Welcome back Peter." The stepmother greeted, covering her face with her fan.

"Thank you," Peter replied, coldly, walking past her.

As Peter predicted, his father wasn't there to greet him, and for some reason this upset Peter even though he didn't love the crooked man.

And where was Emma? Peter could only reason that the stepmother and her two sons knew that she was getting too close to him, so they locked her up.

Peter strolled into the mansion, he was greeted by several maids, who silently approved of the young master's change in demeanor and growth.

He briefly greeted them, heading straight for the garden at the back of the Mansion. This was where he used to meditate before.

He needed some alone time, just coming back and hearing their scummy voices annoyed him.

Peter sat down under a tall familiar tree, absorbing mana and clearing his mind. He was now close to breaking through to the 7th Stage of the Novice Rank. Once he reached the 7th Stage, he could go through surgery with the help of Ella and implant his first mana absorbing rune into his body, getting him one step closer to having a never-ending loop of mana.

'It looks like it didn't take long for them to come for you. Go teach them a lesson, they'll remember.' Noah spoke, causing Peter to get up from his lotus position.

"So we're gonna do this now?" Peter asked, looking at the 2 brothers coming for him.

"Don't act like you're something just because you survived by pure luck. Anyone could have pulled off what you did. And now, I'm going to put you back in your place. You peasant." Alex spat, walking closer towards Peter, imbuing his fists with water magic.

"Ironic coming from you. Don't talk about social status. You merely adopted the dark… I was born in it." Peter smiled, knowing he had angered Alex.

A straight punch was aimed for his head, but Peter slyly dodged it, slipping the punch by leaning his head to the right. He weaved around with his hands in his pockets as more kicks and punches came his way, but nothing managed to come in contact with his body.

"You are far too weak. Now sit." Peter's words were nonchalant but all his killing intent and immense and menacing mana pressure were exerted on the 2 boys. Both boys weren't even at the proficient rank, they could do nothing under Peter's powerful pressure.

Whilst Alex's face went pale white and he fell to his knees immediately, under the large pressure, his older brother began taking steps back in fear. If Peter could see their reactions right now he would have laughed but instead, he could hear their rapid heartbeats, almost like their hearts were trying to jump out of their chests.

This was the first time he truly felt that he had become much stronger than before.

"So this is your stepbrother you both have been telling me about. He's truly a menace isn't he?" A middle-aged man's voice echoed from behind the boys.

"Teacher." Marcus, gulped, regaining his footing.

Peter ignored the middle-aged man's presence and kicked Alex's head, making him fly into a small tree, unconscious.

The teacher was about to move but stopped midway, sensing a bad feeling from within his gut.

Peter's Darkness mana trickled up his face and his dark hair flowed up ominously. The shadow soldiers within his shadow were bursting to be unleashed onto their master's enemies but Peter stopped them from flowing out.

"Wh-What are you?" The man asked, looking at Peter with wide eyes and taking steps back. He could clearly sense that Peter's cultivation stage was only at the 6th Stage of the Novice Rank but why did he feel like he would get killed in a fight with the young boy.

"You all better not come near me ever again, otherwise I'll do worse than what you used to do to me." Peter's words were simple but they spoke volumes, as he walked past them with his hands in his pockets.

His demeanor told them they were cannon fodder in front of him and they could do nothing to dispute that.

**

Peter stood in front of a large modern building in the center of the bustling city.

Since they arrived back in their modern lives, Noah had been pestering Peter to get a job and the immediate answer to that was to become a Hunter by registering at the Hunter Association.

The Hunter Association dealt with the handling of magical beasts in enchanted zones and dangerous areas around the city walls to protect the city.

Although Peter was still too young by 6 years, Noah knew how to get into the Association through an illegal method.

He'd have to bribe one of the contractors with a lot of money to get him on the system. When he was alive, a lot of people became Hunters this way and he hoped this method hadn't been patched.

Both Peter and Noah switched control. Noah immediately took off the bandage around his eyes and put on the white mask from Peter's storage dimension in his bracelet.

He walked passed dozens of people, some eyeing him oddly and others not even recognizing his presence.

He avoided the Large Hunter Bureau and instead walked passed it and into a rowdy pub.

As he walked in, the putrid smell of liquor and pungent body odor wafted up his nose.

Different groups of people were spread out across the well-lit-up pub, laughing and drinking heavily.

"What are you doing here midget?" A drunk old fat man asked, getting in Noah's way.

He tried to grab Noah but his arm was caught before it was snapped the other way making the old man scream in pain. He tapped the man's head with two fingers imbued in darkness mana, making him go unconscious.

The large man fell to the ground like a dead body. Everyone stopped to watch what had just happened before everyone started cheering and laughing at the way the large man was manhandled.

This pub was actually where most low-ranking Hunters came for enjoyment and also where the secret contractor lied.

Noah walked over the fat body getting to the bar. An old bartender stood wiping several glasses.

"What can I get you, young man?" He asked, looking at Noah's disguised appearance like he could see through the mask.

"Leonard Gray."

"What did Gray say to the moo-"

"I will steal you one day." Noah replied with the code phrase.

The Bartender nodded his head, "Upstairs then to your left."

Noah headed right towards the stairs and went up them.

He knocked on the door to his left and waited for a response.

"Come in." Noah entered, turning the knob of the door as soon as he heard the man's voice.

"Another weird-looking fella. What do you want? Out with it?" Leonard sat behind a wooden desk with a computer in front of him.

"I need a Hunter's license," Noah replied.

"I can do an <E Rank> license for 50,000 credits but the risk of being caught will be close to none.

"Any rank higher than that will cost you 50,000 credits more each time and of course, the risk will increase as you go higher."

"I'll go with the <E Rank License> please." Noah walked up and sat down in the seat in front of him.

"Name?"

"Daemon… It's Daemon Spades." Noah spoke the name of one of the previous Stigma holder's names.

"Age?"

"Eighteen."

"Cultivation Rank?"

"1st stage Proficient Rank."

"Is that another lie or are you actually that rank? I may not be a cultivator but I can tell when someone is lying. Being a Hunter is not so easy kid." Leonard stopped typing eyeing Noah.

"If you must know, I've actually downgraded my power by saying proficient rank. Please don't meddle in things you're uninvited in." Noah replied with a cold tone.

"Fine…All done. Normally you'd need a practical test but I've passed you anyway. Give me your contact, when your Hunter credentials are received I'll send them to you straight away along with your Hunter ID."

"Thank you. Friday wire him 50,000 credits along with my contact number."

"Yes sir," Friday replied in a monotonous tone.

A loud 'ting' resounded before Leonard smiled offering to shake Noah's hand.

Noah accepted the offer and shook his hand sealing the deal.

He was now on his way to becoming a Hunter.