Date: 13/03/2021, Saturday
Location: GDA Central Command, Geneva, Switzerland
Time: 09:00 AM
The sky over Geneva was slightly overcast, hinting at the massive shifts about to unfold. Richard Vance stood by the glass window of his expansive office. On the massive screens before him, global news channels broadcasted exactly what he had already calculated. Footage of the first cleared B-Rank Hell Gate in Washington D.C. had spread across the globe like wildfire.
News anchors and military experts shouted themselves hoarse, detailing how B-Rank monsters fell like twigs before the might of S-Rankers. To the world, it was a celebration of victory. To Richard, it was a dangerous trend. The United States had proven that their S-Rankers were powerful enough to bypass the GDA. The global balance of power was slowly slipping from Geneva toward Washington.
Richard took a slow sip of cold coffee from his mug. Not a single crease of worry marred his face; there was only a deep, analytical silence.
The door slid open, and Aris walked in. He wasn't alone this time. Three individuals trailed behind him, their mere presence making the room's atmosphere noticeably heavier. Richard turned.
"Sir, the preliminary report on the B-Rank Hell Gate has arrived from the US," Aris said, projecting his tablet's screen onto the main holographic display. "Alpha Squad cleared the gate in fifty minutes. According to the report, B-Rank gates feature a separate 'Boss Room,' connected to the rest of the dungeon's structure by a massive set of doors. And most importantly... after eliminating the Boss, they acquired an 'Artifact'."
Richard's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "What kind of artifact?"
Aris hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Sir, NADA has outright refused to disclose any information regarding it. Their official statement claims the artifact is now the personal property of the United States and will not be shared for global research."
Richard said nothing. He displayed no anger, no reaction. This arrogance from the US was expected. When humans acquire power, the first thing they challenge is the very system that granted it to them.
His gaze shifted to the three individuals standing behind Aris. They were the absolute pillars of the GDA's Research and Development department.
Alton Moris, an S-Rank Architect whose mind could read spatial dimensions and structures like blueprints.
Vanice Flora, an A-Rank Wisdom class, the foremost expert on mana frequencies and dungeon laws.
And Victor, the GDA's Chief Blacksmith, the man who laid the foundation for Magitech weaponry.
"Is the research complete?" Richard asked, his tone flat and entirely professional. "Is the project I assigned ready for testing?"
Alton Moris, slightly younger than Richard but harboring a strange obsession in his eyes, stepped forward. "Yes, Director. The prototype for the 'Boss Barrier' you conceptualized is ready. Vanice successfully isolated the Boss's mana frequency, and I have converted it into a spatial lock. We can now imprison the Boss inside the room for as long as we desire."
Victor interjected, his hands still stained with black coal and metallic dust. "And it's not just the barrier, Director. We have also forged the specialized Magitech tools required to extract dungeon resources without compromising their mana integrity. For now, they are manual—Magitech Pickaxes and specialized Excavators. They must be wielded by human hands, as automated machinery becomes unstable under heavy mana pressure."
"However, Director," Alton added, "we have already initiated work on new Architect-class blueprints for future automated machines capable of strip-mining entire dungeons without human intervention."
Richard glanced at the main screen. A new signal was blinking in the outer sector of Geneva. A fresh C-Rank Hell Gate had just manifested.
For the first time, a smile crept onto Richard's face—a smile that would make anyone who saw it shiver. It held no joy. It was predatory, terrifying, and bone-chillingly cold. It marked the beginning of an era that would rewrite world history.
"Good," Richard stated coldly. "This is sufficient for a start. Until now, humanity has merely 'cleared' dungeons to close them. The time has come to squeeze them dry."
The people in the room exchanged glances. It was a level of criminal efficiency no one had even dared to imagine. To the world, dungeons were pits of death. To Richard Vance, they were simply unexploited factories.
"Aris," Richard ordered. "Prepare the excavation units. I want zero casualties, only absolute precision. Today, we enter this Hell Gate, imprison its Boss, and strip-mine every single atom of that dungeon."
Aris bowed smartly. "Yes, Sir."
The team filed out of the office. Richard picked up his coat and followed. The thought of the US artifact still lingered in his mind, but he knew the truth: the moment the GDA entered the market with these new resources, the American artifact would pale in comparison.
Richard headed toward the C-Rank gate in Geneva, embarking on a secret mission that would forcefully push humanity into a new industrial era.