The inside of the Hunters' Association felt different now. The first time I was here, it was all about registration, evaluation, and rankings. Now? I was being led down a different path—one not meant for the public.
The woman—still nameless—walked ahead without a word, taking me through a side door past the usual registration areas. We stepped into a secured elevator, and she tapped a keycard against the panel.
The floor number didn't show.
I leaned against the wall. "So, do I finally get your name, or are we sticking to the whole 'mysterious agent' thing?"
She barely glanced at me. "You can call me Raven."
"Real name?"
She gave me a look. Obviously not.
Figures.
The elevator descended. Way longer than it should have.
When the doors opened, I stepped into an underground facility.
The air smelled different—sterile, reinforced. The lighting was dim, but I could make out sparring areas, weapons lockers, and training grounds.
And most importantly—other Hunters.
But they weren't ordinary.
They moved differently. They weren't standing around chatting like the recruits above. Every step was calculated. Every movement had purpose.
They were killers.
Elite Hunters.
And now, I was walking among them.
Raven guided me toward a glass-walled observation room. Inside, two Hunters were sparring.
One of them wielded a greatsword, his swings powerful enough to crack the reinforced flooring. The other moved like a ghost, evading with fluid precision before countering with a dagger aimed at the throat.
Neither landed a hit.
I watched, impressed.
"These are our Specialists," Raven said. "Hunters who've surpassed the standard ranking system."
I glanced at her. "Surpassed? You mean they're stronger than S-Rank?"
She nodded. "S-Rank is the highest public ranking. But strength doesn't stop there. Some individuals break through the limits—people with abilities that don't fit into normal classifications."
I looked back at the fight. They weren't just strong. Their movements were precise, controlled. Like they had trained in ways no normal Hunter ever could.
I had spent a hundred years in stopped time training alone.
But these people?
They trained against each other.
Raven watched me carefully. "You're already beyond normal rankings. We can help you go even further."
We left the observation room and continued through the underground facility.
"This isn't just about power," Raven said. "It's about control. Hunters like you—people who awaken with abilities beyond standard measurement—you need training. Without it, you're a threat."
I smirked. "So this is babysitting?"
Raven didn't react. "Think of it as refinement."
We stopped in front of a reinforced door. With another keycard tap, it slid open.
Inside was a training chamber. Not a gym—this was something else.
Weapons lined the walls. Automated dummies stood ready. The floor had impact marks like it had seen thousands of battles.
"This is where you'll be tested," Raven said. "If you pass, you'll be one of us. If not…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
I cracked my knuckles. "Alright, let's get this over with."
Raven just stepped back.
And then—
The alarms blared.
A voice came through the speakers.
"Emergency alert! A Gate has opened—Class A threat detected!"
Raven's expression darkened. She tapped her earpiece. "Location?"
A pause. Then—
"Inside the city."
I frowned. "That's not normal, is it?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she turned to me. "Looks like your test just got real."
The door slid open again—this time leading to an armory. Weapons of all types gleamed under the dim lighting.
Raven motioned to them. "Pick one."
I looked at the weapons. Then at my hands.
Then, with a grin, I cracked my neck.
"No need. I've got everything I need."
Raven's eyes flickered with curiosity.
Then, without another word, we headed out.