I am The Weakest Among Them, But I Don't Really Care.

The aftermath of the battle left a strange stillness in the air. The boss monster's crumbling remains were scattered across the battlefield, ash mingling with the blood and debris from the fight. Carter Hayes stood at the center of it all, his hands still faintly tingling with the residual energy of his attack. Around him, the Hunters were staring—not just at him, but at what he had done.

Carter wiped the sweat from his brow, every muscle in his body aching from the strain of channeling the portal's energy. He turned to Lila, who was still gripping her sword tightly, her knuckles white. Her face was pale, her eyes wide, but she took a cautious step forward.

"What… was that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Carter opened his mouth to respond, but he hesitated. What could he say? That he had unlocked a skill completely outside the system's rules? That he had no idea what had just happened or how he had survived?

"It's… new," he said finally, his voice hoarse. "I don't know exactly what it is yet. I just know it works."

"That wasn't just some normal skill," Lila said, her tone hardening. She sheathed her sword and pointed at him, her brow furrowing. "That was something else. You absorbed the portal's energy, didn't you? That shouldn't be possible."

Carter shrugged helplessly. "I didn't have much of a choice. It was either that, or die."

The Hunters behind Lila murmured among themselves, their expressions a mix of fear, awe, and suspicion. Carter could feel their gazes boring into him, but he couldn't bring himself to meet their eyes. He didn't want to think about what they saw when they looked at him now. Was he a hero? A freak? Or something worse?

Before anyone could say more, a sharp, mechanical chime echoed through the battlefield. Carter's heart sank as a new notification appeared in his vision:

System Alert: Portal Energy Disturbance Detected. Investigating Anomaly.

"What does that mean?" Lila asked, glancing at the glowing text that hovered in the air before Carter.

"It means trouble," Carter muttered, the unease in his stomach growing. Whatever the system was, it clearly didn't like what he had done.

Lila frowned but didn't press the issue. Instead, she turned to the remaining Hunters and barked orders. "Secure the area. Check for survivors and make sure the perimeter is clear. The last thing we need is more monsters sneaking in while we're distracted."

The Hunters nodded and scattered, leaving Carter alone with Lila. She crossed her arms and studied him, her sharp gaze making him feel like an insect under a magnifying glass.

"You need to come with me," she said finally. "The Guild's going to want answers, and I'm not letting you disappear before they get them."

Carter hesitated. The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into a Guild interrogation, especially when he didn't have any real answers to give. But he also knew that running wasn't an option. Not anymore.

"Fine," he said, his voice resigned. "But can I at least get some food first? I'm starving."

Lila snorted, the tension in her posture easing slightly. "Yeah, I think you've earned it. Come on."

The Guild outpost was a far cry from the chaos of the battlefield. Nestled in the ruins of an old office building, it had been fortified with steel barricades and reinforced walls. Inside, the air was thick with the hum of machinery and the chatter of Hunters and support staff. Carter followed Lila through the bustling halls, his eyes darting to the strange devices and glowing screens that lined the walls.

They passed a group of medics tending to injured Hunters, their hands glowing with healing magic. Nearby, a tech specialist was dismantling a damaged drone, muttering curses under his breath. The entire place felt like a hive of activity, every person focused on their task.

Lila led Carter to a small room at the back of the outpost. It was sparsely furnished, with a metal table and two chairs. A single light bulb flickered overhead, casting harsh shadows on the walls. Lila gestured for him to sit, and he did so reluctantly.

"Wait here," she said. "I'll get someone from command."

Carter nodded, though his stomach twisted with anxiety. As Lila left the room, he leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. His mind was still racing, replaying the events of the battle over and over. The way the energy had surged through him, the way it had responded to his will—it was unlike anything he had ever experienced. And the system's reaction… what did it mean?

Before he could dwell on it further, the door opened, and a tall man in a black uniform stepped inside. His sharp features and piercing gray eyes gave him an air of authority, and the golden insignia on his chest marked him as a high-ranking Guild officer. He closed the door behind him and took the seat across from Carter.

"My name is Commander Ryker," he said, his voice calm but firm. "I understand you were involved in the recent portal break. I need you to tell me exactly what happened."

Carter hesitated, his fingers drumming nervously on the table. "I… I don't really know how to explain it," he admitted. "One moment, I was running for my life. The next, I… I unlocked a skill."

Ryker raised an eyebrow. "A skill? What kind of skill?"

Carter swallowed hard. "It's called Adaptive Resonance. It lets me absorb and manipulate energy from my surroundings. I used it to—" He paused, searching for the right words. "To stop the boss monster. I think I drew power from the portal itself."

Ryker's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. "You 'think' you drew power from the portal?"

Carter nodded. "It's hard to explain. It just… happened. I didn't plan it. I didn't even know I could do it until it was already happening."

For a long moment, Ryker said nothing. He studied Carter with an intensity that made him squirm in his seat. Finally, he leaned back and folded his arms.

"This 'Adaptive Resonance' of yours," Ryker said slowly, "isn't a standard skill. It's not something that exists within the system's parameters."

"I figured as much," Carter said dryly.

"That makes you an anomaly," Ryker continued, ignoring Carter's tone. "And anomalies are dangerous. To themselves and to everyone around them."

Carter bristled. "I didn't ask for this, you know. I'm just trying to survive."

"And yet, your survival has disrupted the system itself," Ryker said. "Do you understand the implications of that? The system governs everything—our abilities, our resources, our very way of life. If you've somehow managed to operate outside of it, you could be a threat to the entire balance of our world."

Carter's fists clenched under the table. "I'm not a threat," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm just trying to figure out what's happening to me."

Ryker's gaze softened, but only slightly. "Perhaps. But until we know more, you'll need to be monitored. For your safety and ours."

"What does that mean?" Carter asked warily.

"It means you'll stay here, under Guild supervision," Ryker said. "You'll undergo tests to determine the extent of your abilities and their potential risks. And until we're certain you're not a danger, you won't be allowed to leave."

Carter opened his mouth to argue, but Ryker held up a hand. "This isn't a punishment," he said. "It's a precaution. You may have saved lives today, but we can't ignore the fact that you've also triggered a system alert. That's not something we can take lightly."

Carter slumped in his chair, his shoulders sagging. He didn't like it, but he knew he didn't have much of a choice. For now, he was stuck here, a prisoner of his own abilities.

As Ryker stood and left the room, Carter leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. His journey was far from over, and the path ahead was more uncertain than ever.