"What? Why him?"


    "I think you''ve made a mistake, sir. That is the boy with no talent!"


    "What about me, sir? I am a Grade Four fire ability user! I will be of great help!"


    "I can''t believe he chose that trash over us!"


    Noise erupted in the cafeteria after David selected Ss. Everyone had expressions of disbelief on their faces; even Ss was quite shocked that he had been chosen for the mission.


    "Silence!" David''s authoritative voice cut through the noise, causing the students to quiet immediately. "Pleasee forward." He then turned his gaze toward Ss and spoke calmly.


    Ss hesitated for a moment before walking toward David.


    "You don''t have to worry; you won''t be joining us inbat. All we need you to do is carry our equipment and collect valuable parts from dead mutants. Do you understand?" David exined, and Ss nodded.


    "You said I''ll get paid, right?" Ss asked in a hushed tone.


    "Yes, you will be rewarded," David confirmed.


    "Very well, then. I''m in."


    David squeezed Ss''s shoulder after hearing his response, then turned and began to walk away.


    "Come on, the portal has been activated," David said before exiting the cafeteria. Before Ss left, he nced back at the faces of the students, who were all disying looks of hatred and jealousy.


    He stared at them for a few moments before exiting the cafeteria.


    David and the other staff members led Ss to the portal room. After a brief walk, they finally arrived.


    At the center of the room stood a round blue portal, with three individuals in shiny ck armor standing beside it.


    "Is that the student joining us?" a female staff member inquired, eyeing Ss from head to toe with a look of puzzlement.


    "Yes. Ss Griswold will be joining us on the raid," David responded.


    "Isn''t this the same student with no mutant ability? He''s not equipped with an active skill slot, so he''s definitely the one," the female staff member, Alisha, pointed out.


    "Yes, you are right, Alisha. This is the boy with no ability. But it doesn''t matter since he''s only needed to carry our bags and collect valuable body parts. It''s not like he''ll be needed inbat or anything," David remarked.


    "It doesn''t matter whether or not he will be fighting mutants; this is a portal leading to a Grade 5 mutant realm. It would be dangerous for someone like him to be there," Alisha interjected.


    "Nothing will happen, Alisha. We will handle the mutants, and he will take care of carrying our bags and supplies," David retorted.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I agree with Alisha. This person will only be a liability. I can''t fight mutants and also worry about protecting someone weak. Tell him to go back to ss and bring someone who''s at least Grade 3," a man among the group, Jonas, chimed in.


    David sighed and walked over to the group.


    "Let me have a quick word with you all," David said as he took the entire team, except Ss, to a corner. He then began to whisper to them, and a few secondster, they walked back to Ss.


    "Just make sure you stay close to us, all right?" Alisha said, tapping his shoulder softly.


    Ss was surprised that she was suddenly amodating of him joining them, and he became curious about what exactly David had told them to change their minds.


    "Here are the bags I want you to carry for us," David said, handing over tworge bags to Ss. Ss grabbed the bags, slinging one behind him and the other in front. The bags were quite heavy, but as long as he received decent payment at the end, he was fine with it.


    The group moved closer to the portal and stood in front of it.


    "Everyone ready?!" David asked audibly, and the group responded collectively. "Let''s go!"


    With those final words, they stepped into the portal and vanished instantly.


    A few seconds after disappearing from the portal room, the group appeared at their destination. Ss''s heart raced as it was his first time traveling through a portal to the Mutant''s realm.


    He took a moment to survey his surroundings.


    The area was dark and filled with towering mountains. Roaring and screeching sounds echoed from a distance, and what appeared to be giant crimson bats with sharp wings filled the air.


    "Don''t make any noise to avoid attracting the Death Bats Mutants. They are all blind but are drawn to sounds," David instructed, producing a round orb from his pouch and tapping it twice.


    The orb began to glow a bright yellow light, slightly illuminating their path and making it easier for them to advance.


    As they approached the mountains, Ss decided to ask a question.


    "What exactly is this raid about? You mentioned something about an artifact," Ss whispered.


    "Yes, Ss. This isn''t like any other raid. We are not after valuable mutant body parts," David exined.


    Mutant body parts can be used to craft weapons and armor, known as mutant weapons or mutant armor. The higher the grade of the mutant killed, the higher the grade of the weapons. However, these weapons are not cheap; a single mutant dagger can be worth thousands of Tokens. Only those from affluent families or those who hunt mutants themselves to collect valuable body parts own such gear.


    "So, what artifact are we looking for?" Ss inquired.


    David cleared his throat before asking, "Have you heard of the Apex Mutant?"


    "I''ve heard stories. The only mutant who was able to master every single mutant ability. I heard it was the most powerful mutant and could wipe out humanity in the blink of an eye," Ss responded.


    "That is correct. We are here in this realm to search for the artifact of the Apex Mutant," David informed, and Ss''s eyes widened in shock.