Chapter 144 | Promotion: D-Rank Hero
Dexter walked to the backyard. Selene was on the old swing chair with her eyes closed in cultivation.
"Selene, I’m heading out to purchase some things at the market."
She looked up from the swing, her echolocation mapping his outline. "...Okay."
Dexter nodded and headed back inside. He walked to the living room. Where Lyra was seated on the couch and Mira was at the window.
"I’m heading out."
Dexter said announces to then.
’Take care, Dexter,’ Lyra’s soft, melodic voice echoed in his mind.
Dexter smiled at her. "I will."
Then he turned to face Mira.
Mira opened her eyes. She looked at him with a flat expression.
"Okay," she said. Then, without changing her expression, she added: "Tell the fourth wife we said ’hi’."
Dexter almost choked on his own spit. "Fourth wife? What fourth wife?"
Mira simply sneered, closed her eyes, and resumed cultivating.
Dexter felt Lyra’s gaze on him from the couch.
He turned and saw her looking up at him through her AI glasses, her dark eyes narrow with suspicion.
He coughed awkwardly. "Don’t mind her. She just likes stirring up trouble."
Lyra blinked and looked at him suspiciously before slowly nodding her head.
Dexter glared at Mira who sat there with that infuriating ghost of a smile on her lips as he opened the door and left.
•••
Dexter took the Tier-6 car and drove out of the neighborhood. But he wasn’t actually heading to the supermarket.
He was going to the Hero Association.
Since he was heading to get somethings, he might as well finsh all his task today.l instead of postponing it till tomorrow.
The drive took about fifteen minutes.
The familiar fortress-like structure of the Hero Association Branch soon loomed into view. It was just as majestic and intimidating as the first time Rachel had brought him here.
He pulled up to the main gate and lowered his window.
"Identificarion Please?"
The guard leaned forward, scanning the golden identification card Dexter held out.
The guard’s posture changed instantly. He snapped to attention, his fist slamming against his chest in a sharp salute.
"Welcome, Mr. Dexter! Have a great day, sir!"
Dexter nodded politely, rolled up the window, and drove through the gate.
He parked in the visitor lot, killed the engine, and walked toward the administration center.
The main hall was as enormous as he remembered, hundreds of heroes moving through the place. He approached the reception counter, where a young woman with glasses and a professional smile sat behind a sleek terminal.
"I’m here for my promotion," Dexter said. "Dexter Ashford."
The receptionist offered him a courteous smile. "One moment, please."
She lowered her gaze and began typing rapidly on her terminal.
A few seconds passed. Then her expression changed slightly as her smile became more genuine and less forced.
She looked back up at Dexter.
"Mr. Dexter, we’ve been expecting you." She straightened in her chair. "You’ve been scheduled for the twentieth floor. Please take the elevator at the end of the corridor." She gestured toward a hallway on the left.
"Someone will be waiting to receive you."
"Thank you," Dexter said, keeping his expression neutral.
He walked down the indicated corridor and at the end of the corridor, a sleek elevator waited with its doors already open.
He stepped inside. The doors closed with a soft hiss and he pushed the button marked ’20’.
A few seconds later.
"Ding!"
The elevator chimed.
’Floor 20.’
The doors slid open.
The elevator doors opened on the twentieth floor, and Dexter stepped out into a wide, elegantly furnished corridor.
A middle-aged man was standing directly in front of the elevator, waiting. He was dressed in a sharp grey suit, his hair neatly combed, his posture straight and professional. He smiled warmly as Dexter stepped forward.
"Mr. Dexter?"
Dexter nodded.
The man immediately extended his hand. "It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Simon. I’m one of the administrative supervisors here."
Dexter shook his hand. "The pleasure is mine."
Simon’s smile widened. "Supervisor Stan has spoken very highly of you."
Dexter’s brows furrowed slightly as he searched his memory. Stan... then it clicked.
Supervisor Stan the senior official who had accompanied Rachel during the dungeon outbreak investigation and had quietly arranged for Dexter to receive a substantial payout.
"Ah, Supervisor Stan," Dexter said, nodding. "I remember him."
Simon gestured down the corridor. "Please follow me."
He led Dexter to a massive corner office nearby.
The room was impressive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire Hero Association compound, a polished mahogany desk, leather chairs, and bookshelves.
Simon gestured for Dexter to sit. Dexter settled into a comfortable leather chair opposite the desk while Simon took his own seat on the other side.
Simon folded his hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly.
"First of all," he began, his tone formal but warm, "on behalf of the Hero Association, I’d like to sincerely thank you for your contribution during the monster outbreak at Stonebridge Market District."
Dexter gave a small nod. "It was my duty."
Simon continued. "When the dimensional gate first appeared, it was classified as an E-Rank Gate. However, after further investigation, we have officially upgraded the incident to a C-Rank Monster Outbreak."
He paused, letting the weight of that classification settle.
"Initially, we considered classifying it as a B-Rank outbreak. However, the total number of Ultra-Class monsters that emerged was fewer than ten. According to Hero Association regulations, that places the incident within the C-Rank category."
He slid a document across the desk. Dexter glanced at it—a detailed after-action report with his name, contribution summary, and combat assessment.
"Taking your performance into account," Simon said, "the Association has unanimously approved your promotion. You will be promoted from F-Rank directly to D-Rank Hero."
He paused again, a faint smile touching his lips.
"In addition... you will retain your Gold Privilege status."
Dexter’s eyebrows rose. "Since it’s a C rank outbreak which I participated in, should I not receive a C rank License?"
Simon nodded, clearly anticipating the question. "Ordinarily, yes. You would have received a C-Rank license, given that you participated in clearing a C-Rank outbreak. However, there’s a complication."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Your Gold Privilege is extremely valuable. It’s a status reserved for rookies whose evaluated potential places them in the top percentile of their registration cohort. If we promoted you directly to C-Rank, your privilege tier would automatically reset under Association regulations. You would lose your Gold status and revert to Iron Privilege until you rebuilt your record through additional C-Rank dungeon clears."
Simon spread his hands.
"We felt that would unduly penalize you and undervalue your actual combat ability. The board engaged in considerable discussion before reaching a consensus. It was decided that maintaining your Gold Privilege as a D-Rank Hero would serve you and the Association far better than a standard C-Rank license with Iron Privilege."
He tapped the document.
"A Gold D-Rank Hero receives significantly more benefits than an ordinary C-Rank Hero. Higher mission priority, better dungeon invitations, access to premium equipment stores, increased stipend, and priority for emergency response opportunities."
Dexter considered this for a moment. It doesn’t sound half bad. As long as the pay and benefits were better, he didn’t particularly care what letter was printed on his card.
He nodded. "That’s acceptable."
Simon smiled. "Good." He then asked, "May I have your current license card, please?"
Dexter reached into his pocket and produced his golden F-Rank Hero identification card. He handed it across the desk.
Simon examined the card briefly, then snapped his fingers. A side door opened, and a young, very pretty woman stepped into the office.
,She carried a tablet and smiled pleasantly.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Simon?"