Chapter 13 - Denial

(Speed Hack: It grants you a dramatic increase in your movement speed and reaction time. With each activation, the user could move at twice their normal speed, allowing them to cover ground quickly and evade enemies more effectively. The effects of the skill are multiplied by its level.)

Once again, Zack was left stupefied by the skill he got. Still, he soon recovered from the surprise since there was no point in thinking too much about that. It was better to just use it and see what happens. 

When the next giant ice slimes showed up, Zack activated the skill. Then he charged toward the enemy… the creature suddenly began to move a lot slower than before, while Zack didn't feel anything different with him. However, he soon noticed that the wind was blowing weaker than before, and the snow was falling slower as well; that was the effect of the skill… he could do much faster if compared to anyone else, but his body worked like usual.

The monster tried to hit Zack with its ice lances, but he easily dodged it. With his steel bar, he began to smash the head of the monster, and his power, thanks to the acceleration, increased as well. It was practically the first time Zack killed the monster directly like that, and give seconds were enough to do so.

"All those skills are insanely broken," Zack thought. "Anyway, I will make it reach level five. With this, I will be able to fight half of the time for five minutes. For now, that will be enough."

As Zack activated his Speed Hack skill, he found himself moving at a blistering pace, six times faster than the lumbering monsters around him. At first, the increased speed was exhilarating, allowing him to zip through the battlefield with ease, dodging attacks and striking with precision. But as time went on, he couldn't help but feel a sense of monotony settling in.

Being six times faster than the monsters made things remarkably easy. They moved in slow motion compared to him, their attacks telegraphed and easily avoided. What was once a thrilling challenge now felt mundane and repetitive. But despite the boredom creeping in, Zack remained unfazed.

For Zack, the purpose of being there wasn't to seek out excitement or look for a challenge. He was there to get stronger, hone his skills, and become the best hunter he could be. And if that meant breezing through battles with little effort, then so be it.

Thanks to his skills, Zack was able to kill all the monsters that came from that massive crater, and thanks to that, he realized that sooner or later, the guys from that guild would take notice of him, so it was time to bail.

"I guess I also need a better place to level up," Zack thought when he realized that his backpack was too full. "Where should I go now? I need a place where I won't be bothered."

It was a bit early, but Zack decided to leave to rest and think things through. As soon as he returned to the guild and sold the cores, Zack received sixty thousand credits. He was already considering what he was going to buy next, but when he turned around, the receptionist stopped him.

"Excuse me, mister Zack. I would like to talk with you for a moment.'

"I am not interested in joining your guild," Zack said without turning around. "There is no offer that you can give me that will make me change my life."

The receptionist dude was quite taken aback by Zack's words, that was quite interesting to see given his usual nonchalant behavior. Still, he didn't give up that easily.

"Our guild master wishes to have a talk with you."

"I have an appointment tonight. I can't be late," Zack said.

Zack couldn't help but feel a lot of disgust at the self-serving nature of some people. Just yesterday, when he paid the guild to use their teleportation circle, they treated him as if he were invisible, barely acknowledging his presence. But now, as he walked through the guild's halls, those same people acted as if nothing had happened, eager to engage him in conversation and pretend that they were the best of friends.

It was sickening, really. The blatant hypocrisy of it all made Zack's stomach turn. These guild members were only interested in him when they could benefit from him. But now that they had nothing to lose, they acted as if he were suddenly worthy of their attention.

Zack couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment bubbling up inside him. He wasn't some tool to be used when convenient and discarded when not needed. People deserved to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of whether or not they had useful traits.

"When are you available for a talk?" 

"I will come here when I have the chance," Zack said.

"Zack wasn't planning to ever enter that guild ever again, so he crossed the entrance of the building feeling pretty satisfied. 

Before the rumor that he dislikes guilds spreads around, if he is lucky, he should have at least a few weeks, but considering that he isn't having luck with drops, he didn't want to bet on it.