Three days had passed since Ren's intensive study sessions in the archive, and now only three days remained before his departure for the S-rank gate. The knowledge he'd absorbed about hunter and monster classifications still swirled in his mind, creating a foundation of understanding that felt both comforting and terrifying in equal measure.
He had been planning to grab food from the cafeteria and retreat to his room for another evening of solitary meals and preparation.
Brother Lu had advised him to keep his mask on even while inside the guild building, and Ren understood the reasoning behind it. First, it would help solidify his position as an S-rank hunter of the Dao Guild, establishing his presence and reputation within the organization. Second, it would allow him to build connections as Nox rather than as Ren, which could prove valuable given how his fame had skyrocketed after the trial incident.
The attention was almost overwhelming. Everywhere he went within the guild building, curious gazes followed his distinctive plague doctor mask. The stares weren't hostile, but they carried weight—the kind of scrutiny that came with being a newly awakened S-rank hunter who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Fortunately, none of the other hunters had approached him directly, though he suspected that had more to do with his intimidating appearance than any particular social protocol.
He had turned off the unsettling passive skill built into the mask, but apparently the plague doctor aesthetic still carried enough natural intimidation factor to keep casual conversations at bay. The long black beak, dark lenses, and overall ominous silhouette weren't exactly inviting to most people.
The cafeteria was bustling with activity when he arrived, hunters of various ranks chatting over their meals while the kitchen staff worked efficiently to keep up with demand. The familiar sounds of clinking dishes, sizzling pans, and casual conversation created a surprisingly domestic atmosphere that contrasted sharply with the dangerous nature of their profession.
"Hello, chef. What's on the recommendation list today?" Ren asked, approaching the serving counter.
The chef startled slightly, clearly having been focused entirely on his cooking and not noticing Nox's approach. He looked up with surprise before his expression shifted to one of recognition and mild nervousness.
"Ah, sorry, Mr. Nox. Today we have Thai cuisine. There's Pad Krapao made with crispy savage beast belly, and some Thai green curry prepared with spirit snake meat. Both are quite popular today."
"Oh, you know my name?" Nox asked, genuinely curious about how widely his identity had spread within the guild.
"Of course. In the guild there's only one person wearing a plague doctor mask, after all,"
the chef replied with a slight smile, his initial nervousness fading into something approaching friendliness.
"Haha, fair point," Nox chuckled, appreciating the straightforward honesty.
He ordered both food options, planning to take them back to his room where he could eat in peace and continue reviewing the tactical information he'd been studying. The aromatic spices from the dishes filled the air around him, making his mouth water despite the complicated logistics of eating while maintaining his masked identity.
"Hello, Mr. Nox."
Nox turned his head toward the source of the voice, finding a young man with striking blond hair and purple eyes who appeared to be in his early twenties. The stranger had an open, friendly expression that contrasted with the cautious distance most other guild members maintained around him.
"My name is Henry Hess, Mr. Nox. I'm a Phantom Stalker from the ranger path. I'm the S-rank hunter who will be going to the S-rank gate with you in a few days."
So this was his mission partner. Nox studied Henry more carefully, noting the lean build typical of ranger-class hunters and the alert way he carried himself. There was an eager energy about him that suggested either youthful enthusiasm or dangerous overconfidence.
"I'm Nox, the Hollow Doctor from the healer path. Nice to meet you, Henry."
"Do you want to eat together? We could discuss some of the mission details while we're at it."
Nox considered for a moment. He had been planning on another solitary meal, but getting to know his mission partner before they faced life-or-death situations together seemed like a sensible precaution. Plus, Henry's straightforward approach was refreshing after days of being stared at from a distance.
"Sure, that sounds like a good idea."
They selected a table in the corner of the cafeteria, positioned where they could speak with relative privacy while still maintaining a view of the room around them. The background noise of other conversations would help mask their discussion of potentially sensitive mission details.
Once they were settled with their food, Henry leaned forward with obvious curiosity.
"Mr. Nox, are you a natural awakened S-rank?"
"Yes, I just awakened sometime ago," Nox replied, keeping his answer vague.
"Whoa, me too! It must have been hard, Mr. Nox. In my trial, I had to kill four Destruction-rank monsters. I narrowly escaped death—what terrible memories."
Ha, well for you it was Destruction-rank. For me, I had to kill a fucking god, Ren thought wryly.
Aloud, he said, "Yeah, for me it was a Calamity-rank spider. I almost had a heart attack."
"Hahahaha, yeah, most natural awakened S-ranks have terrible experiences, but at least it's better than death, right?"
Henry laughed, apparently finding shared trauma to be a bonding experience.
"Well, that makes sense."
Henry took a large bite of his Pad Krapao before continuing.
"May I ask about your skills, Mr. Nox?"
"Just call me Nox."
"Thanks! You can just call me Henry."
"Sure, Henry."
"Well, Nox, what skills do you have? We'll need to understand each other's abilities to some extent after all."
Nox had prepared for this question
"It's a healing skill, like my class suggests. I'm a doctor—my main ability is in healing, but I can fight to some extent. Though not as strongly as an S-rank fighter would."
"Oh, I understand. You have a healer class after all," Henry said, stuffing more food into his mouth with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely enjoyed eating.
Henry looked at Nox with sudden concern.
"Oh, I'm really sorry for not thinking about your convenience. You can't take off the mask to eat, right?"
"Yes, I can't take off the mask, but I can still eat."
"Huh, how?"
"Well, my class is aligned with mutant healer types, so my power is a bit weird."
"How so?" Henry's eyes lit up with genuine curiosity rather than the disgust or fear Nox had come to expect when people learned about the more unsettling aspects of his abilities.
This guy reminded him a bit of Elias, though the comparison wasn't entirely fair. Henry's gaze held pure curiosity without any hint of the madness that had characterized Elias's interest in disturbing things. Where Elias had been fascinated by horror and darkness, Henry seemed to approach the unusual with the enthusiasm of a kid encountering a new phenomenon.
Ren made a decision. If they were going to be fighting together, Henry needed to see at least some of what he was capable of. Better to gauge his reaction now than in the middle of a life-threatening situation.
He pulled off his right glove slowly, revealing pale skin that looked normal at first glance. Then, as Henry watched with rapt attention, a mouth began to slowly appear on his palm. The lips formed gradually, like a flower blooming in reverse, revealing teeth and a tongue that looked disturbingly human.
Henry's reaction was immediate and enthusiastic. "Wowwww, so cool, Nox!"