The First King of Beasts
Chapter 31 Badlands. Collecting Reward

One of the guards that had approached Dustin turned a bit and looked behind to steal a glance, and as soon as he met with the city lord's gaze, he turned his head back faster than a snail retreating into it's shell.

'Fuck!' "It's actually the city lord!" He whispered to his fellow guard.

"Of course! Do you think anyone dares to impersonate the city lord? Dummy." 'More importantly, who is this beggar? Why is he so important?'

"Sorry for the mistreatment. Please, do accept my most sincere apologies." A sharp voice said from behind the guards.

"No no, they were just doing their job. It's all good." Dustin said as the city lord got closer.

"Fall back to your posts." She said.

"Yes Ma'am!" Both guards said, almost like a reflex as they hurried their steps back to their respective posts.

"Welcome to Badlands. I'm the city lord, Akara."

...

While Dustin was being greeted and welcomed by the city lord, the others were still trying to complete their mission of getting to the red marker.

Not only the 'earths warriors' were busy, even the messenger was forced to work. After Dustin had reached the set location required by the quest given to all, the messenger was rudely interrupted by his assistant as she relayed he news to him.

"What do you mean? Someone has actually reached the town? Who is that?" The messenger asked.

"I don't know. He was among those who didn't record their names in the archive."

"Hmm, I see. Very interesting."

"There is another serious problem, actually. The final trial, the sea serpent, it's no longer there. It seemed to have disappeared, somehow." She said.

"Haha-Hahahah.. Did we just stumble upon a gem? No doubt he has a hand in this." The messenger said, with a wide grin over his face. "To be able to best an E rank monster at the peak of it's rank. Make sure to keep an eye on him. Observe him every opportunity you get."

"Yes."

"As for the solution, you just substitute the snake with something else of similar rank and difficulty."

"Yes."

The messenger had a slender figure and fair skin, almost like that of a female, but his body features, voice and demeanour did well to show his masculinity. While he was a lazy type that preferred to lazy around, his assistant was the opposite, as she was almost never doing nothing.

...

"Please, follow me." Akara said, leading the way back into the town.

As they entered the town, Dustin noticed in an instant how desolate it was. There weren't many people moving around, just a few, not even up to ten. At the doors of some buildings, there were also suspicious looking people stationed that reminded Dustin of some old scenes. 'Never knew these kind of guys would also exist in another world.' He said in his mind, as he scanned the place.

"The place looks a bit scanty." Dustin said, while throwing his head around from time to time.

"It is. Everyone has been ordered to return to their homes on your arrival. Whether you are friend or foe, we do not know. We were only informed to receive you." Akara replied.

"I see." Dustin sort of understood the overall idea.

"What may I refer to you as?" Akara said, as she stopped in front of a big building.

Dustin thought for a split second, then he answered. "Dust. You can call me Dust."

"Dust," Akara repeated, "what a strange name." She completed under her breathe.

"This is the city hall. Follow me."

'So this is where I'll be getting my reward. Nice.'

They walked in, and just as they entered, they were greeted by a young lady standing beside the door. She had short black hair that was styled upwards, and was a bit shorter than the city lord and Dustin.

"Welcome, lord." The lady said.

"Yes. Take this man to show him around, when you are done, bring him to my office." Akara said, and even before receiving response, she turned and left Dustin with the lady.

"Yes, lord."

Dustin was quite stunned by the scene to be honest. After making a personal trip all the way to the main gate, and ushering him here like some special guest, she just dumps him with someone else as soon as she gets the chance. 'I know I'm not handsome, but still...'

"Welcome, ..."

"You can call me Dust."

"Oh, pardon. Welcome, Dust. Please, follow along and I'll show you around." The lady said, as she turned around and began walking, her gown swaying along.

Dustin followed for a very short while before interrupting the fore told plans and requested to be taken elsewhere first. He was a bit curious what the reward the voice he heard earlier said, would be. He wasted little time, and asked the lady to take him to the place where rewards were collected. Without any hesitation, she took him to where he sort.

When they arrived at the side of the building where the lady pointed out to be the collection centre, Dustin was once again amazed by the architecture of the place. The whole town had an ancient vibe and mood to it, same with the city hall. This particular room Dustin was brought to seemed to have more of whatever that mystifying feeling he felt throughout the town was.

The place was not to be called a room, as that wouldn't do it justice. A hall was more applicable. There were four pillars that touched the ceiling from the ground, and these pillars were embroiled with similar patterns and markings on them that further more brought out the mystic look. At the opposite end of the hall, facing the door where Dustin and the lady entered from, where two statues that faced each other. There were humanoid statues that bent a little and extended one hand outwards, almost like a ballet dancer.

"Wow." Dustin said in a mockingly ecstatic tone. 'So gods also engage in these stuffs, huh?' Dustin thought, as he pictured the image of one of the gods he knew from earth (Zues) dancing on ice. 'Guess he would know how to do such things, seeing as it would attract unsuspecting women. Aiy aiy.'

"This is where quests are given and collected. And here is also where rewards are received. You can now access your system and everything will continue from there. After the first visit to this hall, unless it's points or some minor things, every other thing will have to be received here." Said the lady.

'The system. System, your turn.'

[You have been rewarded 5,000 points for being the first to complete the quest. Extra 5,000 has been added for arriving much ahead of specified time.]

[The cores of all the monsters you have slain will be transferred to you in a minute]

"Oh 5,000? I don't know if that's something great or not." Dustin said as he stared at the system interface.

The lady behind him couldn't help but stare curiously, as she couldn't see any indication that he was even looking at the system. Unlike Dustin, every other person could see another's system, the only thing was that they would be unable to see what is written on it unless granted permission. Dustin just seemed to be looking at thin air.

"Points are like currency here, we use them whenever there is to be a transaction, and in some other cases as well. 5,000 is quite much, with it, you won't be needing any extra for some time." The lady said as she heard Dustin call the figure. She figured it was the thing he was referring to.

"Oh, is that so? I was actually wondering when the gold would come." Too much gaming had kept Dustin waiting for some gold coins. He didn't say anything about the extra points, as he felt there was no need.

"You should be receiving your cores any moment now." She said.

"Yeah.."

It wasn't long before a minute had passed, before a brilliant golden light shown from the floor near Dustin. When it was disappeared, it left something behind, and that was three white sacks that sat on the floor with another one half filled amongst them.

Seeing the bags, the lady's eyes narrowed a bit as she observed the bags.

'What could be the reward? And why's it so big?'