As the doors slid shut behind me, the air inside the elevator felt heavier. Not from any physical force, but from the weight of the moment itself.
Agent Hale tapped a sequence into the control panel, and the elevator began its smooth ascent.
A subtle hum filled the silence, the only sound accompanying the faint vibrations beneath our feet.
Leon, as always, was the most at ease, leaning casually against the back wall with his hands in his pockets. Meanwhile, Hale stood upright, his posture impeccable, his gaze fixed ahead like a man who never let his guard down.
"Is this really necessary?" I finally asked, breaking the silence.
Hale glanced at me. "Meeting the President? Why is he so curious about me?"
I nodded.
"Curiosity can be a powerful thing." He glanced at the floor indicator. "And you'll soon find out just how curious he is."
I exhaled, shifting my weight slightly. I had no idea what to expect from the Hunter Association's President, but if he was anything like the rumors suggested…
This was going to be anything but a simple meeting.
A small chime echoed through the elevator.
Ding.
The elevator doors parted, revealing a long, sleek hallway. The floors were polished marble, reflecting the soft glow of recessed lighting overhead. The walls bore no decorations—no paintings, no awards, nothing unnecessary. It was a corridor designed for efficiency, for business.
At the far end, an imposing set of double doors loomed, reinforced with high-security enchantments that shimmered faintly under the artificial light. Even from here, I could feel it—an invisible pressure lingering in the air, subtle but undeniable.
Hale stepped out first, his movements precise and measured. Leon followed, looking far too relaxed for the situation.
I took a slow breath, then followed them down the hall.
Hale stopped just before the doors and turned to me. "When we enter, speak only when spoken to. The President doesn't waste time with pleasantries."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Got it."
Leon smirked. "Don't screw this up, Ryzen."
Hale ignored him and pressed his palm against a biometric scanner embedded in the wall. The runes flickered to life for a second, scanning him before the doors unlocked with a heavy clunk.
Then, with the faintest creak, the doors swung inward, and we stepped inside.
The room was massive. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows stretched behind a sleek black desk, offering a breathtaking view of City A's skyline. Beyond that, the ocean glistened under the morning sun, stretching far into the horizon.
But the man sitting at the desk was far more imposing than the view.
Hunter Association President – Darius Vaughn.
He sat with his fingers interlocked, elbows resting on the polished surface of his desk. His silver hair was neatly combed back, and his sharp blue eyes held an intensity that cut straight through the room. A man in his late forties, but with an aura that felt timeless.
Even without activating any abilities, I could tell that this was someone who stood at the peak of power.
Hale bowed slightly. "Mr. President."
Leon gave a nod of acknowledgment.
Vaughn's eyes studied me with a piercing gaze, and for a moment, the room was completely silent.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"So," his voice was deep, steady. "You're Ryzen Kael."
I met his gaze. "Yes."
Vaughn leaned back slightly, his expression is unreadable. "I've been hearing some interesting things about you."
He reached for a thin folder on his desk, flipping it open.
"No registered class. No official rank. Failed the Hunter Association's evaluation." He glanced up, eyes narrowing. "And yet, somehow, you survived an A-rank dungeon boss."
His voice remained calm, but there was something behind it—a sharpness.
I held his gaze. "I guess I got lucky."
Vaughn closed the folder and set it aside. Then, he leaned forward slightly.
"I don't believe in luck."
Then he gestured toward me. "Let's see what you really are."
The air around him shifted.
Pressure.
The air in the room felt heavier, charged with something unseen yet very undeniable. It wasn't magic. It wasn't an ability.
It was presence—the kind that only the truly powerful possessed.
Darius Vaughn didn't move. He didn't need to.
The sheer weight of his existence pressed down on me, like a predator sizing up its prey.
I clenched my fists, every fiber of my being screaming at me to react. To defend. To prove myself.
Leon tensed beside me, though he didn't interfere. Hale remained composed, as if this was expected.
Vaughn studied me, eyes sharp.
Darius Vaughn didn't move. He didn't need to.
The sheer weight of his existence pressed down on me, like a predator sizing up its prey.
I clenched my fists, every fiber of my being screaming at me to react. To defend. To prove myself.
Leon tensed beside me, though he didn't interfere. Hale remained composed, as if this was expected.
Vaughn studied me, eyes sharp. "Stand firm, or kneel. Your choice."
The pressure around me surged. I felt my heartbeat pounding in my ears, my muscles tightening under the strain. My breath came slower, more controlled.
Then. there's a flicker. Something within me stirred.
[Adaptive Growth has activated.]
The weight pushing down on me began to shift, no longer feeling as overwhelming. My body, my mind—they were adjusting.
The suffocating pressure… vanished like it had never been there.
Vaughn leaned back slightly, a glint of intrigue in his sharp blue eyes.
Leon exhaled beside me, muttering, "Not bad."
Hale, ever composed, remained silent.
The President finally spoke. "Interesting."
He tapped his fingers against the desk, studying me as if I were a puzzle he hadn't quite solved yet.
Then, after a pause, he nodded slightly. "Very well. You pass. You will undergo another Hunter evaluation. Officially. But make no mistake this time, we will find out exactly what you are."
But I simply nodded. "Understood."
Vaughn smirked faintly, as if pleased with my response. "Good. Then welcome, Ryzen Kael… to the real beginning."