That night, Reo, Akari and Kenzo went to one of the Sukiyaki restaurants near the Hunter Association Headquarters. Akari tries to ask why Reo can deal with Kenzo in a balanced way even though he has no magic energy at all. But in the end her efforts were in vain because Reo had absolutely no intention to answer the questions that she asked him.
As for Kenzo, whether he was indeed a humble or just an idiot, but he had forgotten the fact that he had just fought equally against Reo who was an ordinary human at that moment. And that night was passed by Reo under the glitter of Tokyo metropolis.
***
A week later, the morning of autumn, early December becomes a period of transition from autumn to winter, and the temperature drops dramatically.
But that did not stop Reo's routine in the morning. Now in the kitchen, Iris is seen sitting at the dining table and writing something on a piece of paper. She was seen wearing rimless glasses and drinking a cup of tea. She is currently 20 years old and currently studying at Tokyo University.
"Winter is almost here, huh."
Hearing Reo's voice, Iris just kept quiet and continued to do her own work. Reo then approached the refrigerator to get a bottle of orange juice, he took the TV remote that was on the refrigerator before sitting next to Iris.
* gulp * * gulp *
* beep *
[News this morning we start from foreign news. Reported directly from the Orkney Islands, Scotland. At this time, the clearing process of the S-Rank Dungeon that appeared there was successfully carried out. ]
Hearing the news, Reo raised his eyebrows.
"An S-Rank Dungeon in Scotland? Why does it appear suddenly," Reo murmured while drinking his juice straight from the bottle. Seeing Reo's attitude, Iris stopped writing and took off her glasses.
"I told you many times not to drink directly from the bottle, right? Use a glass," Iris said with a stoic face to Reo.
"Come on ~ this is just a little more," Reo said with a pleading look, he then glanced back at the TV and said.
"And by the way, I haven't seen the news since yesterday ..."
"Yes, they say it is an S-Rank Dungeon with a wave of magic energy reaching 110.000, a low-level S-Rank Dungeon," Iris said sipping her tea.
"He ~." Reo looked at the TV screen with a mysterious look, he smiled faintly and thought.
'Why in Scotland? '
That is a question that is naturally asked. S-Rank Dungeon is not an event that happens every day, even though humanity has National Level Hunters who can complete an S-Rank Dungeon by themselves, but it is still a dangerous disaster that is feared by many people.
[This Dungeon cleared by one of the Attack Force possessed by the Holy Sword Guild. Attack Force consists of 10 A-Rank Hunter and 2 S-Rank Hunter, led directly by The Genius, Sir Lewis Shermann succeeded in closing the S-Rank Gate in just 3 hours since they first entered the Gate. ]
[According to the chart presented by the Central Hunter Association, in the past 6 months, the appearance of S-Rank Gate has increased rapidly. The increase is classified as abnormal, a total of 12 S-Rank Gate has appeared worldwide over the past 6 months. Compared to last year, the appearance of S-Rank Gate worldwide has increased by 300%.]
[But thanks to the Central Hunter Association who acted swiftly and deftly, of the twelve Gates, none of them were allowed to become Dungeon Break. Everything was successfully cleared by Attack Force from each country. ]
[ That's all the reports I can give, we move on to the next news. We turn to domestic news, early this morning ...]
After seeing the graphic presented on the TV screen previously, Reo then muttered.
"Increased, huh ... Isn't this too sudden."
The atmosphere then became silent, before Iris opened her mouth.
"Didn't you say last night that Akari-nee chan will pick you up to get your Hunter License? Hurry and take a shower before she comes."
"Um, I'll take a bath after she arrives later." Said Reo shrugged his shoulders. Hearing that, Iris stared coldly at Reo.
"You always bother Akari-nee chan to take you everywhere, isn't this the time for you to become independent? Buy a motorcycle, after all, you're old enough to drive it," Iris said.
"Ok ..." Said Reo, before he stood up and went to the bathroom, he paused for a moment and glanced at Iris who was beside him.
"Do you really have to do part-time work to pay for your tuition? You just need to ask the old man, don't you?"
"That's none of your business," Iris answered coldly, returning to her work. But Reo's efforts did not stop there.
"Are you still thinking about that? I don't really understand but isn't it time for you to forget about that? I mean do you feel that there is a feeling in your heart that makes you unable to do it? Or ..."
Blue veins appeared on Iris's forehead before she gently tapped Reo's forehead.
"Hurry up and take a shower before I water your body using cold water in the yard."
Iris is clearly trying to avoid Reo's question. She was not angry at Reo's question that brought up about her past, because she knew that Reo was indeed a person like that, but she still could not open herself to others. Reo who saw that was silent before he stood up and left the kitchen without saying anything.
Iris who saw that then sighed.
"* sigh * That brat ..."
She then looked down and reconsidered Reo's words before shaking her head and resuming her work.
***
After that, Reo went with Akari to the Headquarters of the Japanese Hunter Association to retrieve Reo's Hunter License. Actually Reo's hunter license is not available that way, he and Akari had to wait a few minutes before the hunter license could be taken.
And right now, Reo and Akari were seen chatting in one of the VIP rooms at the Headquarters of the Japanese Hunter Association.
"So you mean, you want me to join your Hunter Guild, Draw Sword Guild?" Reo asked with a flat face. Hearing Reo's words, Akari nodded.
"That's right." Akari then continued her explanation.
"I know you might be wondering, why join a Guild. But by joining a Guild you will receive many benefits that an Independent Hunter will not have."
Akari then began to explain the benefits that Hunter would gain if they joined a Guild.
Basically, the Dungeon management system in each country in the world is delegated to the Hunter Association in that country as written in the Hunter Guidebook. But of course the Gates cannot be fully managed by the Hunter Association because of the large number.
That's why a guild's existence is needed. To clear the gates that are spread across a country, usually the Hunter Association in that country shares the authority to clear the gates to a guild.
But because the Guild usually consisted of high level Hunters, namely C-Rank and above. Only really high level gates are left to the Hunter Guild. Low-level gates will be managed by Hunter Association and low-level Independent Hunters who do not join any Guild.
Therefore, becoming an Independent Hunter is very risky. First, an Independent Hunter will join a different Attack Force in each Raid, their composition of the Attack Force will not be the same as the Attack Force managed by the Guild. And that automatically makes their team's coordination a mess.
Unlike the Attack Force that is incorporated into the Guild, the Hunters who are incorporated into the Guild will usually be deployed into special teams led by a high-level Hunter. Later, these teams will enter the Dungeon and clear the Gate depending on the strength of their team.
In addition, because Independent Hunters only have the right to enter a low-level Gate, the income they receive from clearing Dungeons is also relatively small compared to the Hunters from the Guild. Because it's usually someone becomes an Independent Hunter not because they want to, but because no Guild is interested in inviting them.
"So you understand, what do I mean? If you choose to become an Independent Hunter, you might only be able to enter a D-Rank Gate, or C-Rank Gate if you are lucky. But if you join a Guild, you will given an excellent facilities, a large income, and the ease of entering Dungeons. That's how important it is to join a Guild," Akari said.
Hearing that Reo knocked on the table using his finger while thinking about Akari's words. If you think logically, there is no advantage to be gained by becoming an Independent Hunter. Reo's goal right now is clear, he wants to get stronger.
And to do that, he must prove whether Heisatsu's hypothesis is right or wrong by entering the Dungeon and killing the Monster. So the most logical choice that Reo can make right now is to accept Akari's invitation to join her guild, Draw Sword Guild.
"But what about my rank, I am an Unranked Hunter whose powers cannot be specifically classified. How will the Guild group me?" Reo asked.
Hearing that Akari smiled.
"You don't need to worry about that problem, a few days ago me and Kenzo met the Guild Master from Draw Sword Guild in person, Goto Ryuji."
"..."
"I convinced him to let you join the Guild with help from Kenzo, didn't I tell you before? as long as I'm with you, you don't need to worry if you want to become a Hunter, I have many connections with many people," Akari said, looking proud of her self .
"So you are a kind of cheat, huh." Reo murmured. He must admit, the existence of Akari really helped Reo to become a Hunter. Not only that, Akari also helped him a lot in studying modern life in Japan.
"So how's your decision? Are you going to join the Guild or not?" Akari asked with a serious expression.
However, before Reo could answer her question, suddenly the door to their room opened and displayed the figure of a man in formal attire. The man then entered before slightly lowering his head in front of Akari and Reo.
"Sorry for making you wait, Shimizu-sama, Shirogami-sama. This is your Hunter License."
"Thank you," said Reo, he then took the Hunter license in the form of a card from the man.
Hunter License is an identity card for Hunter that must be owned by all Hunter. Only Hunters registered in the Hunter Association have a Hunter License.
This Hunter License is also used as a sign of permission to enter the Dungeon, without this card a Hunter cannot enter the Dungeon. The Hunter License is equipped with a special sensor that distinguishes it from a fake one. This also makes it easy for the Hunter Association to record the number of Hunters in their respective countries. Not a few people who tried to fake a hunter's license, but were caught red-handed and thrown into prison because it was one of the criminal acts.
Reo then looked at the card in his hand, it was only the size of a hand grip, made of special material similar to platinum, and silvery in color. Above the card was a photo of Reo, name, class, rank and a brief description of the Hunter Association.
_______________________
Japan Hunters Association License
Name: Shirogami Reo
Class: Assassin
Rank: Unranked
Japan Hunters Association has Approved Shirogami Reo as a Hunter.
_______________________
Seeing the expression on Reo's face, Akari grinned.
"How? The design is cool isn't it? It's very simple but brings a formal and elegant impression."
"Not really, the Library Card Design at my school is much better than this. At first I thought the design of the Hunter License would be very impressive, but this is quite lame."
Hearing Reo's words, Akari facepalmed.
"This idiot... What do you think the Hunter License will look like, huh?"
"Well, I guess it will be made of gold, or something that looks sparkling like that. But it can't be helped, after all, I didn't pay for this," said Reo who then immediately put his Hunter License into his pants pocket.
While Akari, he gave up on all of Reo's bullshit. Reo then stood up from his seat which immediately attracted Akari's attention.
"Hm? Where are you going?"
Hearing that, Reo stopped and looked at Akari with a strange expression.
"Why are you asking instead? Didn't you say it yourself, let's go immediately to your Guild Headquarters, now I have officially become a Hunter."
Hearing Reo's implied confirmation, Akari's expression brightened before she smiled broadly.
"Haha, that's a good decision. Let's go right away."
She then stood up and put her arm around Reo's shoulder before leaving the room, leaving the man in formal attire alone in the room.
***
The headquarters of the Draw Sword Guild is located in Shibuya, it is not too far from the Hunter Association in Asakusa, and only takes a few minutes by car.
When the two of them arrived, Reo was surprised that the Draw Sword Guild Headquarters was basically a skyscraper with dozens of floors. It was much bigger than the Hunter Association Office itself. In front of the building, there is a symbol of two crossing katanas, which is the crest of the Draw Sword Guild itself.
"As expected of one of the strongest guilds in Asia, this is really big, are all the rooms in this building really used?" Reo said while walking beside Akari. They just got out of the car and walked into the Headquarters.
"Only in part, part of it is used as a Hotel and shopping center that is managed directly by the Guild, so just think of it as an additional income for the Guild," Akari said, shrugging. While Reo thinks.
'So the Hunter now has also begun to spread to the business world huh. In the end everything is driven by money, human greed is indeed never exhausted. '
When Akari and Reo arrived at the main entrance, they were greeted with a crowd of reporters who were seen jostling each other and trying to photograph someone using their cameras.
It was a beautiful girl who had a striking appearance with black hair, she seemed to be speaking in front of the reporters with a gentle smile.
"Hm? What's with this crowd." Reo raised his eyebrows but he didn't stop before the two of them finally arrived near the entrance. But when Akari and Reo just wanted to get inside, a man in formal attire wearing sunglasses stopped them.
"Miss, and mister, right now the main entrance is being blocked because-"
But the man stopped talking when he noticed who was in front of him at this time. Akari who was wearing a Hoodie immediately revealed her face and said casually to the man.
"Get away," said Akari who was seen putting her hands in her hoodie pocket. Seeing Akari's face and lollipop candy that became her trademark, the man stuttered.
"A-Akari-sama, sorry for my impoliteness."
"No problem, so get out of my way , I want to go inside." Akari said, she didn't seem offended at all, after all she was someone who was very chill and friendly.
"B-but right now the main entrance is being blocked for reasons you can see ... by yourself-"
However, the man stopped talking when he saw the look Akari was giving, it was a gentle look that seemed to stop the man's heartbeat for a second. Akari just smiled before saying.
"I didn't hear, can you repeat what you said?"
"N-no, please come in."
Akari smiled before walking back, followed by Reo behind her. They just casually passed the guard line and entered.
"They always bother a lot of people, can't they do shit like interviews in a quiet place?" Akari grumbled in annoyance.
"Who is that woman, is she a famous person?"
"That's how it is, Karen Kanzaki, an idol who just became an A-Rank Hunter and joined the Draw Sword Guild. I'm surprised a teenager in your age didn't know her, I guess she's quite famous for a high school teenager."
1
Reo was silent and did not respond to Akari's words. The two of them then took the lift and went up to the 32nd floor, the floor where the Guild Master's office was. After walking for a while, Reo and Akari then arrived in front of a large door, in front of the door, stood a young woman with short hair wearing formal business attire.
"Yo Nanase-chan, is Goto-san inside?" Akari said excitedly as she waved her hand.
"I told you to call me Hanekawa when we were at the office, Shimizu-sama."
The woman named Hanekawa seemed uninterested in being casual in front of Akari.
"Come on, you're too stiff. So ... Is Goto-san inside?" Asked Akari and Hanekawa nodded.
"He's checking the Gate's appearance report today, you can meet him inside."
" Okay thank you. "
Akari then goes inside followed by Reo behind him. When they entered the room, they were greeted by the sight of a man sitting at his desk while reading a document.
He was a tall person with a sharp sense of style. A neatly-trimmed beard. At a glance, the man perfectly fits the image of a Japanese actor. The man was none other than the strongest S-Rank Hunter in Japan as well as the Guild Master of Draw Sword Guild, Goto Ryuji.
"You're late Akari, I've been waiting for you since this morning," said Goto, putting the document on the table and staring at Akari with a stoic face. Hearing that Akari scratched her head.
"Hahaha, I'm sorry Goto-san, you know that the licensing process took quite a long time."
Akari and Reo then sat on the chairs in front of the Goto's desk. While Goto was observing Reo's appearance with an analytical look. Snow white hair that is very unique makes Reo very apprehensive.
"So this kid who has managed to fight in balance with Kenzo?" Goto asked and Akari nodded.
1
"Reo," said Reo, who introduced himself briefly. While Goto, did not let go of his eyes and thought.
'If I hadn't seen it directly I might not have believed, what Akari said was true, this kiddo had absolutely no magic energy in his body, was it possible for him to fight in balance with Kenzo just by relying on his sword skills? It is impossible. 'thought Goto calmly.
"So Reo-kun, you want to join my Guild, right?"
"Not really, I just want to have access to enter the Dungeon more easily, that's all." Reo said, hearing that Akari nudged Reo's hand using her elbow.
"Oi, watch your words."
While Goto, he did not look offended.
"So that's how it is ... You joined my Guild to enter a high level Dungeon that can't be done by an Independent Hunter, right?"
Reo nodded. The atmosphere became quiet before Goto opened his mouth again.
"5 days ago, old man Matsumoto called me directly."
Reo and Akari seem confused about what Goto means.
"He said that Akari would probably invite you, who is an Unranked Hunter to join my Guild. He asked me to hide your identity as a Hunter, that was an unexpected thing, he even did something like that."
Goto then continues.
"To be honest, actually I have absolutely no intention of accepting an Unranked Hunter like you to join my Guild."
Hearing that, Akari was surprised because Goto's words at this time were different from what he said a week ago.
"But Goto-sa-"
Goto raises his hand to stop Akari's words. And continue what he said.
"Your strength cannot be measured numerically, which means that I cannot measure the limits of your strength at all. That will of course bring flaws into my Guild."
"As a Guild Master, I must always keep the guilds that I manage to be well organized according to the system set by the Central Hunter Association. You understand what I mean, right?"
Reo who heard that was silent before staring at Goto.
"Does my fight with Kenzo-san not convince you? I suppose with that alone you can already imagine the level of my strength."
Goto who heard that nodded.
"You're right, draw against an S-Rank hunter, and get direct attention from the old man. I believe Heisatsu-san has taught you many things about Shirogami swordsmanship too, he is a great Hunter, but you must remember, you are only an ordinary human here. "
"Fighting Humans and Monsters is a different matter. Besides, the surge of magical energy emitted from inside the Dungeon has a devastating effect on the body of an ordinary human .... Do you know of a disease called Eternal Sleep?"
Reo nodded, of course he had heard about it. Eternal Sleep is a terrifying illness that appeared when the Gate opened. It happened to Humans that could not handle the ever so present Magic Power that was emitted by numerous things. Due to their nature, there were people in the world weak to magic power exposure. Among such people, one of the side effects of being exposed to a magic power for a long time was the Eternal Sleep.
"That is one of the small effects that ordinary humans feel when exposed to a small amount of magic waves continuously, then what about an ordinary human who enters a dungeon that is the origin of magic energy itself?"
"..." Reo and Akari fell silent.
"Their bodies will slowly disintegrate due to the pressure of the Magic Energy in the Dungeon. The higher the level of a Dungeon, the greater the pressure felt, all of that is written on the Magic Guidebook. So I guess you understand what I mean, I absolutely cannot allow you to join my Guild. "
The atmosphere became silent, all that Goto said was an indisputable fact. The pressure of magical energy in the Dungeon is the reason why no ordinary human is allowed into the Dungeon even though they are protected by a National Level Hunter or have powers equivalent to an E-Rank Hunter.
That was because they did not have magic energy that could protect themselves from that pressure, and in the end they would be destroyed by the ecosystem inside the Dungeon naturally. But what Goto doesn't know is, Reo has Ki to protect himself from the magical energy in the Dungeon.
Akari, who initially fell silent, tried to argue with Goto.
"Then what about Lewis Shermann, he is also an ordinary human, but he can enter the Dungeon freely. Isn't he a real proof that what is written in the Magic Guidebook is not true?"
Hearing that, Goto smirked a little.
"You may have heard this many times, but that man is special. Even though he is just an ordinary human, mysteriously his body has a very high resistance to magic energy. That's why he isn't affected by the waves of magic energy at all."
Goto's words had just silenced Akari, she was unable to reply her Guild Master's words. The atmosphere then became quiet before Reo suddenly said.
"But I can also make that as an excuse for you to rethink your decision, right?"
Reo's golden eyes met with Goto's. Akari also tilted her head in confusion at Reo's words.
"What do you mean?" Said Goto in his distinctive raspy voice.
"If a guy named Lewis is special, that doesn't mean I'm not special, right?"
Hearing that, Goto's expression became serious.
"So you mean, you want to prove that you also have high resistance to magical energy even though you are just an ordinary human like him?"
Reo only smiled faintly as the answer. Goto then continues.
"If you want to do that you should just give up, there are already some fools like you who enter the Dungeon even though they are not Awakened and end up being minced meat in the Dungeon."
"But we won't know before we try, right? ..." The expression on Reo's face was very relaxed and carefree, he smiled innocently as if he had just said a few jokes.
"Then what do you want to do?" Goto glared. Reo then pointed to Goto.
"What if we make a bet, you and me," said Reo, who then pointed to himself. While Goto raised his eyebrows.
"Bet?"
Reo nodded.
"If I enter the Dungeon and can survive until the Gate is closed, then you must accept me into your Guild and give me an authority equivalent to S-Rank Hunter. But if I enter the Dungeon and die, then I am the loser and you do not need to be responsible for my death. How about that? "
Hearing Reo's ridiculous betting conditions, Akari made a strange face.
"Wait a minute, can such thing still be called a bet? Isn't that more like a one-sided agreement? How could Goto-san approve it." Akari then glanced at Goto and waited for his refusal.
However, Goto instead grinned broadly and said.
"That sounds interesting."
"Huh !?" Akari could only gape after hearing an unexpected answer from Goto.
"All right, I accept your bet. I will put you in one of the Attack Force and let you enter the Dungeon, if you manage to get out safely. Then I will acknowledge your abilities and consider you equal to S-Rank Hunter. Then give you an authority to clearing a Dungeon alone, that's what you want right? "Said Goto.
While Reo smiled and said.
"Yes, I'm glad you understand."
"Wait a minute, are you really sure about this Goto-san?" Akari said, still not understanding why Goto suddenly changed his mind.
"He who dug his own grave and I was not harmed at all in this matter, so why reject it?"
"But ..." traces of worry could be seen on Akari's face, after hearing Goto's words earlier, she realized that letting Reo become a Hunter was a mistake.
Goto then took a piece of paper from the pile of documents he had read before. That is a document containing the appearance of Gate in Japan today.
"Take this," Goto said, handing the paper to Reo. Reo then accepts it and looks at the contents of the paper.
"That is data about a B-Rank Dungeon that appeared in Yokohama today, in two days my Guild will send an Attack Force to clear it up, so you can join the Attack Force and prove yourself."
Hearing that Akari widened her eyes.
"B-Rank? That's too Dang-"
"Alright, I'll come to the location in two days," said Reo without any hesitation.
"At least listen to me first, * sigh *" Akari gave up, she was fed up with all this nonsense.
Reo and Goto looked at each other before Reo said while pointing at Akari.
"Akari-nee will be the witness, so I hope you don't break your promise."
"Say that after you get out of the Dungeon," Goto said.
The atmosphere then became quiet before Reo stood up and said to Akari who seemed to be sitting listlessly.
"Let's go," said Reo, looking down slightly at Goto before turning and leaving. While Akari also stood up and bowing.
"Thank you for your time, Goto-san. I apologize for the boy's rude behavior."
"No problem, close the door again when you get out," Goto said.
Akari nodded before catching up with Reo who had first left the room. While Goto who was left alone then smiled and looked at the ceiling of his room before muttering.
"Shirogami Reo, huh. This boy must be very talented in the swordsmanship because he mastered the Shirogami sword style that I could not even learn. Sensei does have good eyes."
***
Orkney Islands, Scotland.
At this time in one of the refugee camps established by Central Hunter Association in the suburbs of Stromness, seen a man sitting on a chair and playing with the children who were there.
The man is seen wearing a black T-shirt with trousers that are slightly dirty, he has a very handsome face with a gentle and sharp eyes. His jet black hair looked messy as if he had just finished a hard job, and he was seen wearing glasses. That person is Lewis Shermann.
"And boom, disappear !!"
Seeing the magic trick done by Lewis, the eyes of the children sitting in front of him became shining and a big smile was displayed on their small faces.
"Wow, cool."
"Uncle, try to do that one more time."
Looking at the children who looked happy in front of him, Lewis smiled.
"Alright, alright wait a minute ... boom, come back !!"
"Woah, how come?"
"Uncle your tricks is so cool, teach me please!"
When Lewis was busy playing with children, suddenly a man came from the side and came to him. It was a handsome young man who was around 17 years old, he had brown skin and black hair. His face was handsome and his gaze sharp, his athletic body hidden behind the tuxedo he was wearing.
Feeling the man's presence, Lewis then smiled at the children. He took a bag of bread in his hand and said to them.
"All right, the show ends there. Take this and feed the birds there," Lewis said.
"Eh ~, no fun."
"Come on uncle ..."
"We can do it again sometime, okay?" Hearing Lewis' words, the children then nodded in disappointment before running around carrying the bread bag Lewis had given earlier. Lewis who saw that smiled.
"You see, that's the smile that we just protected, Martius."
Lewis glanced at the young man beside him. The young man is none other than Martius, he seems to have grown into a man over the past 6 years. His height had reached 190 cm, and a man's aura also radiated from him.
"So why did you see me?"
"I just want to say goodbye, my plane has arrived and I must immediately return to London," said Martius.
"I see, our little princess has called you. That little girl really loves you, right?" Lewis said with a laugh.
"The two of us are just a friends, an ordinary person like me does not deserve to be paired with someone from a royal family like her," said Martius with a deadpan expression.
"Alright, alright. So, what about your debut as a Hunter? Do you feel a little better?" Said Lewis, smiling while looking at the beautiful morning scenery in the British North Sea.
"Nothing special, I must become stronger to become the next Symbol of Peace."
5
"I see, well fight. If you need anything, you can ask me. I'll help you," Lewis said.
The atmosphere then became silent, and the sound of the wind whistling could be heard clearly. Lewis then looked to the sky with a gentle smile.
"I hope it will be a sunny day."
" Yeah, me too. "
That night, Reo, Akari and Kenzo went to one of the Sukiyaki restaurants near the Hunter Association Headquarters. Akari tries to ask why Reo can deal with Kenzo in a balanced way even though he has no magic energy at all. But in the end her efforts were in vain because Reo had absolutely no intention to answer the questions that she asked him.
As for Kenzo, whether he was indeed a humble or just an idiot, but he had forgotten the fact that he had just fought equally against Reo who was an ordinary human at that moment. And that night was passed by Reo under the glitter of Tokyo metropolis.
***
A week later, the morning of autumn, early December becomes a period of transition from autumn to winter, and the temperature drops dramatically.
But that did not stop Reo's routine in the morning. Now in the kitchen, Iris is seen sitting at the dining table and writing something on a piece of paper. She was seen wearing rimless glasses and drinking a cup of tea. She is currently 20 years old and currently studying at Tokyo University.
"Winter is almost here, huh."
Hearing Reo's voice, Iris just kept quiet and continued to do her own work. Reo then approached the refrigerator to get a bottle of orange juice, he took the TV remote that was on the refrigerator before sitting next to Iris.
* gulp * * gulp *
* beep *
[News this morning we start from foreign news. Reported directly from the Orkney Islands, Scotland. At this time, the clearing process of the S-Rank Dungeon that appeared there was successfully carried out. ]
Hearing the news, Reo raised his eyebrows.
"An S-Rank Dungeon in Scotland? Why does it appear suddenly," Reo murmured while drinking his juice straight from the bottle. Seeing Reo's attitude, Iris stopped writing and took off her glasses.
"I told you many times not to drink directly from the bottle, right? Use a glass," Iris said with a stoic face to Reo.
"Come on ~ this is just a little more," Reo said with a pleading look, he then glanced back at the TV and said.
"And by the way, I haven't seen the news since yesterday ..."
"Yes, they say it is an S-Rank Dungeon with a wave of magic energy reaching 110.000, a low-level S-Rank Dungeon," Iris said sipping her tea.
"He ~." Reo looked at the TV screen with a mysterious look, he smiled faintly and thought.
'Why in Scotland? '
That is a question that is naturally asked. S-Rank Dungeon is not an event that happens every day, even though humanity has National Level Hunters who can complete an S-Rank Dungeon by themselves, but it is still a dangerous disaster that is feared by many people.
[This Dungeon cleared by one of the Attack Force possessed by the Holy Sword Guild. Attack Force consists of 10 A-Rank Hunter and 2 S-Rank Hunter, led directly by The Genius, Sir Lewis Shermann succeeded in closing the S-Rank Gate in just 3 hours since they first entered the Gate. ]
[According to the chart presented by the Central Hunter Association, in the past 6 months, the appearance of S-Rank Gate has increased rapidly. The increase is classified as abnormal, a total of 12 S-Rank Gate has appeared worldwide over the past 6 months. Compared to last year, the appearance of S-Rank Gate worldwide has increased by 300%.]
[But thanks to the Central Hunter Association who acted swiftly and deftly, of the twelve Gates, none of them were allowed to become Dungeon Break. Everything was successfully cleared by Attack Force from each country. ]
[ That's all the reports I can give, we move on to the next news. We turn to domestic news, early this morning ...]
After seeing the graphic presented on the TV screen previously, Reo then muttered.
"Increased, huh ... Isn't this too sudden."
The atmosphere then became silent, before Iris opened her mouth.
"Didn't you say last night that Akari-nee chan will pick you up to get your Hunter License? Hurry and take a shower before she comes."
"Um, I'll take a bath after she arrives later." Said Reo shrugged his shoulders. Hearing that, Iris stared coldly at Reo.
"You always bother Akari-nee chan to take you everywhere, isn't this the time for you to become independent? Buy a motorcycle, after all, you're old enough to drive it," Iris said.
"Ok ..." Said Reo, before he stood up and went to the bathroom, he paused for a moment and glanced at Iris who was beside him.
"Do you really have to do part-time work to pay for your tuition? You just need to ask the old man, don't you?"
"That's none of your business," Iris answered coldly, returning to her work. But Reo's efforts did not stop there.
"Are you still thinking about that? I don't really understand but isn't it time for you to forget about that? I mean do you feel that there is a feeling in your heart that makes you unable to do it? Or ..."
Blue veins appeared on Iris's forehead before she gently tapped Reo's forehead.
"Hurry up and take a shower before I water your body using cold water in the yard."
Iris is clearly trying to avoid Reo's question. She was not angry at Reo's question that brought up about her past, because she knew that Reo was indeed a person like that, but she still could not open herself to others. Reo who saw that was silent before he stood up and left the kitchen without saying anything.
Iris who saw that then sighed.
"* sigh * That brat ..."
She then looked down and reconsidered Reo's words before shaking her head and resuming her work.
***
After that, Reo went with Akari to the Headquarters of the Japanese Hunter Association to retrieve Reo's Hunter License. Actually Reo's hunter license is not available that way, he and Akari had to wait a few minutes before the hunter license could be taken.
And right now, Reo and Akari were seen chatting in one of the VIP rooms at the Headquarters of the Japanese Hunter Association.
"So you mean, you want me to join your Hunter Guild, Draw Sword Guild?" Reo asked with a flat face. Hearing Reo's words, Akari nodded.
"That's right." Akari then continued her explanation.
"I know you might be wondering, why join a Guild. But by joining a Guild you will receive many benefits that an Independent Hunter will not have."
Akari then began to explain the benefits that Hunter would gain if they joined a Guild.
Basically, the Dungeon management system in each country in the world is delegated to the Hunter Association in that country as written in the Hunter Guidebook. But of course the Gates cannot be fully managed by the Hunter Association because of the large number.
That's why a guild's existence is needed. To clear the gates that are spread across a country, usually the Hunter Association in that country shares the authority to clear the gates to a guild.
But because the Guild usually consisted of high level Hunters, namely C-Rank and above. Only really high level gates are left to the Hunter Guild. Low-level gates will be managed by Hunter Association and low-level Independent Hunters who do not join any Guild.
Therefore, becoming an Independent Hunter is very risky. First, an Independent Hunter will join a different Attack Force in each Raid, their composition of the Attack Force will not be the same as the Attack Force managed by the Guild. And that automatically makes their team's coordination a mess.
Unlike the Attack Force that is incorporated into the Guild, the Hunters who are incorporated into the Guild will usually be deployed into special teams led by a high-level Hunter. Later, these teams will enter the Dungeon and clear the Gate depending on the strength of their team.
In addition, because Independent Hunters only have the right to enter a low-level Gate, the income they receive from clearing Dungeons is also relatively small compared to the Hunters from the Guild. Because it's usually someone becomes an Independent Hunter not because they want to, but because no Guild is interested in inviting them.
"So you understand, what do I mean? If you choose to become an Independent Hunter, you might only be able to enter a D-Rank Gate, or C-Rank Gate if you are lucky. But if you join a Guild, you will given an excellent facilities, a large income, and the ease of entering Dungeons. That's how important it is to join a Guild," Akari said.
Hearing that Reo knocked on the table using his finger while thinking about Akari's words. If you think logically, there is no advantage to be gained by becoming an Independent Hunter. Reo's goal right now is clear, he wants to get stronger.
And to do that, he must prove whether Heisatsu's hypothesis is right or wrong by entering the Dungeon and killing the Monster. So the most logical choice that Reo can make right now is to accept Akari's invitation to join her guild, Draw Sword Guild.
"But what about my rank, I am an Unranked Hunter whose powers cannot be specifically classified. How will the Guild group me?" Reo asked.
Hearing that Akari smiled.
"You don't need to worry about that problem, a few days ago me and Kenzo met the Guild Master from Draw Sword Guild in person, Goto Ryuji."
"..."
"I convinced him to let you join the Guild with help from Kenzo, didn't I tell you before? as long as I'm with you, you don't need to worry if you want to become a Hunter, I have many connections with many people," Akari said, looking proud of her self .
"So you are a kind of cheat, huh." Reo murmured. He must admit, the existence of Akari really helped Reo to become a Hunter. Not only that, Akari also helped him a lot in studying modern life in Japan.
"So how's your decision? Are you going to join the Guild or not?" Akari asked with a serious expression.
However, before Reo could answer her question, suddenly the door to their room opened and displayed the figure of a man in formal attire. The man then entered before slightly lowering his head in front of Akari and Reo.
"Sorry for making you wait, Shimizu-sama, Shirogami-sama. This is your Hunter License."
"Thank you," said Reo, he then took the Hunter license in the form of a card from the man.
Hunter License is an identity card for Hunter that must be owned by all Hunter. Only Hunters registered in the Hunter Association have a Hunter License.
This Hunter License is also used as a sign of permission to enter the Dungeon, without this card a Hunter cannot enter the Dungeon. The Hunter License is equipped with a special sensor that distinguishes it from a fake one. This also makes it easy for the Hunter Association to record the number of Hunters in their respective countries. Not a few people who tried to fake a hunter's license, but were caught red-handed and thrown into prison because it was one of the criminal acts.
Reo then looked at the card in his hand, it was only the size of a hand grip, made of special material similar to platinum, and silvery in color. Above the card was a photo of Reo, name, class, rank and a brief description of the Hunter Association.
_______________________
Japan Hunters Association License
Name: Shirogami Reo
Class: Assassin
Rank: Unranked
Japan Hunters Association has Approved Shirogami Reo as a Hunter.
_______________________
Seeing the expression on Reo's face, Akari grinned.
"How? The design is cool isn't it? It's very simple but brings a formal and elegant impression."
"Not really, the Library Card Design at my school is much better than this. At first I thought the design of the Hunter License would be very impressive, but this is quite lame."
Hearing Reo's words, Akari facepalmed.
"This idiot... What do you think the Hunter License will look like, huh?"
"Well, I guess it will be made of gold, or something that looks sparkling like that. But it can't be helped, after all, I didn't pay for this," said Reo who then immediately put his Hunter License into his pants pocket.
While Akari, he gave up on all of Reo's bullshit. Reo then stood up from his seat which immediately attracted Akari's attention.
"Hm? Where are you going?"
Hearing that, Reo stopped and looked at Akari with a strange expression.
"Why are you asking instead? Didn't you say it yourself, let's go immediately to your Guild Headquarters, now I have officially become a Hunter."
Hearing Reo's implied confirmation, Akari's expression brightened before she smiled broadly.
"Haha, that's a good decision. Let's go right away."
She then stood up and put her arm around Reo's shoulder before leaving the room, leaving the man in formal attire alone in the room.
***
The headquarters of the Draw Sword Guild is located in Shibuya, it is not too far from the Hunter Association in Asakusa, and only takes a few minutes by car.
When the two of them arrived, Reo was surprised that the Draw Sword Guild Headquarters was basically a skyscraper with dozens of floors. It was much bigger than the Hunter Association Office itself. In front of the building, there is a symbol of two crossing katanas, which is the crest of the Draw Sword Guild itself.
"As expected of one of the strongest guilds in Asia, this is really big, are all the rooms in this building really used?" Reo said while walking beside Akari. They just got out of the car and walked into the Headquarters.
"Only in part, part of it is used as a Hotel and shopping center that is managed directly by the Guild, so just think of it as an additional income for the Guild," Akari said, shrugging. While Reo thinks.
'So the Hunter now has also begun to spread to the business world huh. In the end everything is driven by money, human greed is indeed never exhausted. '
When Akari and Reo arrived at the main entrance, they were greeted with a crowd of reporters who were seen jostling each other and trying to photograph someone using their cameras.
It was a beautiful girl who had a striking appearance with black hair, she seemed to be speaking in front of the reporters with a gentle smile.
"Hm? What's with this crowd." Reo raised his eyebrows but he didn't stop before the two of them finally arrived near the entrance. But when Akari and Reo just wanted to get inside, a man in formal attire wearing sunglasses stopped them.
"Miss, and mister, right now the main entrance is being blocked because-"
But the man stopped talking when he noticed who was in front of him at this time. Akari who was wearing a Hoodie immediately revealed her face and said casually to the man.
"Get away," said Akari who was seen putting her hands in her hoodie pocket. Seeing Akari's face and lollipop candy that became her trademark, the man stuttered.
"A-Akari-sama, sorry for my impoliteness."
"No problem, so get out of my way , I want to go inside." Akari said, she didn't seem offended at all, after all she was someone who was very chill and friendly.
"B-but right now the main entrance is being blocked for reasons you can see ... by yourself-"
However, the man stopped talking when he saw the look Akari was giving, it was a gentle look that seemed to stop the man's heartbeat for a second. Akari just smiled before saying.
"I didn't hear, can you repeat what you said?"
"N-no, please come in."
Akari smiled before walking back, followed by Reo behind her. They just casually passed the guard line and entered.
"They always bother a lot of people, can't they do shit like interviews in a quiet place?" Akari grumbled in annoyance.
"Who is that woman, is she a famous person?"
"That's how it is, Karen Kanzaki, an idol who just became an A-Rank Hunter and joined the Draw Sword Guild. I'm surprised a teenager in your age didn't know her, I guess she's quite famous for a high school teenager."
1
Reo was silent and did not respond to Akari's words. The two of them then took the lift and went up to the 32nd floor, the floor where the Guild Master's office was. After walking for a while, Reo and Akari then arrived in front of a large door, in front of the door, stood a young woman with short hair wearing formal business attire.
"Yo Nanase-chan, is Goto-san inside?" Akari said excitedly as she waved her hand.
"I told you to call me Hanekawa when we were at the office, Shimizu-sama."
The woman named Hanekawa seemed uninterested in being casual in front of Akari.
"Come on, you're too stiff. So ... Is Goto-san inside?" Asked Akari and Hanekawa nodded.
"He's checking the Gate's appearance report today, you can meet him inside."
" Okay thank you. "
Akari then goes inside followed by Reo behind him. When they entered the room, they were greeted by the sight of a man sitting at his desk while reading a document.
He was a tall person with a sharp sense of style. A neatly-trimmed beard. At a glance, the man perfectly fits the image of a Japanese actor. The man was none other than the strongest S-Rank Hunter in Japan as well as the Guild Master of Draw Sword Guild, Goto Ryuji.
"You're late Akari, I've been waiting for you since this morning," said Goto, putting the document on the table and staring at Akari with a stoic face. Hearing that Akari scratched her head.
"Hahaha, I'm sorry Goto-san, you know that the licensing process took quite a long time."
Akari and Reo then sat on the chairs in front of the Goto's desk. While Goto was observing Reo's appearance with an analytical look. Snow white hair that is very unique makes Reo very apprehensive.
"So this kid who has managed to fight in balance with Kenzo?" Goto asked and Akari nodded.
1
"Reo," said Reo, who introduced himself briefly. While Goto, did not let go of his eyes and thought.
'If I hadn't seen it directly I might not have believed, what Akari said was true, this kiddo had absolutely no magic energy in his body, was it possible for him to fight in balance with Kenzo just by relying on his sword skills? It is impossible. 'thought Goto calmly.
"So Reo-kun, you want to join my Guild, right?"
"Not really, I just want to have access to enter the Dungeon more easily, that's all." Reo said, hearing that Akari nudged Reo's hand using her elbow.
"Oi, watch your words."
While Goto, he did not look offended.
"So that's how it is ... You joined my Guild to enter a high level Dungeon that can't be done by an Independent Hunter, right?"
Reo nodded. The atmosphere became quiet before Goto opened his mouth again.
"5 days ago, old man Matsumoto called me directly."
Reo and Akari seem confused about what Goto means.
"He said that Akari would probably invite you, who is an Unranked Hunter to join my Guild. He asked me to hide your identity as a Hunter, that was an unexpected thing, he even did something like that."
Goto then continues.
"To be honest, actually I have absolutely no intention of accepting an Unranked Hunter like you to join my Guild."
Hearing that, Akari was surprised because Goto's words at this time were different from what he said a week ago.
"But Goto-sa-"
Goto raises his hand to stop Akari's words. And continue what he said.
"Your strength cannot be measured numerically, which means that I cannot measure the limits of your strength at all. That will of course bring flaws into my Guild."
"As a Guild Master, I must always keep the guilds that I manage to be well organized according to the system set by the Central Hunter Association. You understand what I mean, right?"
Reo who heard that was silent before staring at Goto.
"Does my fight with Kenzo-san not convince you? I suppose with that alone you can already imagine the level of my strength."
Goto who heard that nodded.
"You're right, draw against an S-Rank hunter, and get direct attention from the old man. I believe Heisatsu-san has taught you many things about Shirogami swordsmanship too, he is a great Hunter, but you must remember, you are only an ordinary human here. "
"Fighting Humans and Monsters is a different matter. Besides, the surge of magical energy emitted from inside the Dungeon has a devastating effect on the body of an ordinary human .... Do you know of a disease called Eternal Sleep?"
Reo nodded, of course he had heard about it. Eternal Sleep is a terrifying illness that appeared when the Gate opened. It happened to Humans that could not handle the ever so present Magic Power that was emitted by numerous things. Due to their nature, there were people in the world weak to magic power exposure. Among such people, one of the side effects of being exposed to a magic power for a long time was the Eternal Sleep.
"That is one of the small effects that ordinary humans feel when exposed to a small amount of magic waves continuously, then what about an ordinary human who enters a dungeon that is the origin of magic energy itself?"
"..." Reo and Akari fell silent.
"Their bodies will slowly disintegrate due to the pressure of the Magic Energy in the Dungeon. The higher the level of a Dungeon, the greater the pressure felt, all of that is written on the Magic Guidebook. So I guess you understand what I mean, I absolutely cannot allow you to join my Guild. "
The atmosphere became silent, all that Goto said was an indisputable fact. The pressure of magical energy in the Dungeon is the reason why no ordinary human is allowed into the Dungeon even though they are protected by a National Level Hunter or have powers equivalent to an E-Rank Hunter.
That was because they did not have magic energy that could protect themselves from that pressure, and in the end they would be destroyed by the ecosystem inside the Dungeon naturally. But what Goto doesn't know is, Reo has Ki to protect himself from the magical energy in the Dungeon.
Akari, who initially fell silent, tried to argue with Goto.
"Then what about Lewis Shermann, he is also an ordinary human, but he can enter the Dungeon freely. Isn't he a real proof that what is written in the Magic Guidebook is not true?"
Hearing that, Goto smirked a little.
"You may have heard this many times, but that man is special. Even though he is just an ordinary human, mysteriously his body has a very high resistance to magic energy. That's why he isn't affected by the waves of magic energy at all."
Goto's words had just silenced Akari, she was unable to reply her Guild Master's words. The atmosphere then became quiet before Reo suddenly said.
"But I can also make that as an excuse for you to rethink your decision, right?"
Reo's golden eyes met with Goto's. Akari also tilted her head in confusion at Reo's words.
"What do you mean?" Said Goto in his distinctive raspy voice.
"If a guy named Lewis is special, that doesn't mean I'm not special, right?"
Hearing that, Goto's expression became serious.
"So you mean, you want to prove that you also have high resistance to magical energy even though you are just an ordinary human like him?"
Reo only smiled faintly as the answer. Goto then continues.
"If you want to do that you should just give up, there are already some fools like you who enter the Dungeon even though they are not Awakened and end up being minced meat in the Dungeon."
"But we won't know before we try, right? ..." The expression on Reo's face was very relaxed and carefree, he smiled innocently as if he had just said a few jokes.
"Then what do you want to do?" Goto glared. Reo then pointed to Goto.
"What if we make a bet, you and me," said Reo, who then pointed to himself. While Goto raised his eyebrows.
"Bet?"
Reo nodded.
"If I enter the Dungeon and can survive until the Gate is closed, then you must accept me into your Guild and give me an authority equivalent to S-Rank Hunter. But if I enter the Dungeon and die, then I am the loser and you do not need to be responsible for my death. How about that? "
Hearing Reo's ridiculous betting conditions, Akari made a strange face.
"Wait a minute, can such thing still be called a bet? Isn't that more like a one-sided agreement? How could Goto-san approve it." Akari then glanced at Goto and waited for his refusal.
However, Goto instead grinned broadly and said.
"That sounds interesting."
"Huh !?" Akari could only gape after hearing an unexpected answer from Goto.
"All right, I accept your bet. I will put you in one of the Attack Force and let you enter the Dungeon, if you manage to get out safely. Then I will acknowledge your abilities and consider you equal to S-Rank Hunter. Then give you an authority to clearing a Dungeon alone, that's what you want right? "Said Goto.
While Reo smiled and said.
"Yes, I'm glad you understand."
"Wait a minute, are you really sure about this Goto-san?" Akari said, still not understanding why Goto suddenly changed his mind.
"He who dug his own grave and I was not harmed at all in this matter, so why reject it?"
"But ..." traces of worry could be seen on Akari's face, after hearing Goto's words earlier, she realized that letting Reo become a Hunter was a mistake.
Goto then took a piece of paper from the pile of documents he had read before. That is a document containing the appearance of Gate in Japan today.
"Take this," Goto said, handing the paper to Reo. Reo then accepts it and looks at the contents of the paper.
"That is data about a B-Rank Dungeon that appeared in Yokohama today, in two days my Guild will send an Attack Force to clear it up, so you can join the Attack Force and prove yourself."
Hearing that Akari widened her eyes.
"B-Rank? That's too Dang-"
"Alright, I'll come to the location in two days," said Reo without any hesitation.
"At least listen to me first, * sigh *" Akari gave up, she was fed up with all this nonsense.
Reo and Goto looked at each other before Reo said while pointing at Akari.
"Akari-nee will be the witness, so I hope you don't break your promise."
"Say that after you get out of the Dungeon," Goto said.
The atmosphere then became quiet before Reo stood up and said to Akari who seemed to be sitting listlessly.
"Let's go," said Reo, looking down slightly at Goto before turning and leaving. While Akari also stood up and bowing.
"Thank you for your time, Goto-san. I apologize for the boy's rude behavior."
"No problem, close the door again when you get out," Goto said.
Akari nodded before catching up with Reo who had first left the room. While Goto who was left alone then smiled and looked at the ceiling of his room before muttering.
"Shirogami Reo, huh. This boy must be very talented in the swordsmanship because he mastered the Shirogami sword style that I could not even learn. Sensei does have good eyes."
***
Orkney Islands, Scotland.
At this time in one of the refugee camps established by Central Hunter Association in the suburbs of Stromness, seen a man sitting on a chair and playing with the children who were there.
The man is seen wearing a black T-shirt with trousers that are slightly dirty, he has a very handsome face with a gentle and sharp eyes. His jet black hair looked messy as if he had just finished a hard job, and he was seen wearing glasses. That person is Lewis Shermann.
"And boom, disappear !!"
Seeing the magic trick done by Lewis, the eyes of the children sitting in front of him became shining and a big smile was displayed on their small faces.
"Wow, cool."
"Uncle, try to do that one more time."
Looking at the children who looked happy in front of him, Lewis smiled.
"Alright, alright wait a minute ... boom, come back !!"
"Woah, how come?"
"Uncle your tricks is so cool, teach me please!"
When Lewis was busy playing with children, suddenly a man came from the side and came to him. It was a handsome young man who was around 17 years old, he had brown skin and black hair. His face was handsome and his gaze sharp, his athletic body hidden behind the tuxedo he was wearing.
Feeling the man's presence, Lewis then smiled at the children. He took a bag of bread in his hand and said to them.
"All right, the show ends there. Take this and feed the birds there," Lewis said.
"Eh ~, no fun."
"Come on uncle ..."
"We can do it again sometime, okay?" Hearing Lewis' words, the children then nodded in disappointment before running around carrying the bread bag Lewis had given earlier. Lewis who saw that smiled.
"You see, that's the smile that we just protected, Martius."
Lewis glanced at the young man beside him. The young man is none other than Martius, he seems to have grown into a man over the past 6 years. His height had reached 190 cm, and a man's aura also radiated from him.
"So why did you see me?"
"I just want to say goodbye, my plane has arrived and I must immediately return to London," said Martius.
"I see, our little princess has called you. That little girl really loves you, right?" Lewis said with a laugh.
"The two of us are just a friends, an ordinary person like me does not deserve to be paired with someone from a royal family like her," said Martius with a deadpan expression.
"Alright, alright. So, what about your debut as a Hunter? Do you feel a little better?" Said Lewis, smiling while looking at the beautiful morning scenery in the British North Sea.
"Nothing special, I must become stronger to become the next Symbol of Peace."
5
"I see, well fight. If you need anything, you can ask me. I'll help you," Lewis said.
The atmosphere then became silent, and the sound of the wind whistling could be heard clearly. Lewis then looked to the sky with a gentle smile.
"I hope it will be a sunny day."
" Yeah, me too. "
