When Leon arrived at the guild hall, it was around lunchtime. A few hours had passed since the test, and the lunch crowd had already come and gone. Now, a new wave of people were beginning to trickle in for dinner. It was at this time that a receptionist came to call him.
"Thank you for your patience sir. Right this way please.
He followed her down the back hallway once again, past the dice room from earlier, all the way to the end of the corridor. The receptionist knocked on a door before opening it and gesturing for him to enter.
Inside was the Guild Master's office. A massive wooden desk dominated the room, flanked by bookshelves lining the side walls and windows stretching across the far end.
Seated at the desk was the Guild Master. An older man, bald, with a long white beard that fell to his chest. His face was deeply lined, yet his eyes were sharp and serene, radiating a calm authority. He wore simple robes of faded grey, more suited to a monastery than an office. Despite his age, his frame was strong and disciplined, honed by years of training and meditation.
An old monk, now serving as the Guild Master. He didn't give off the same 'death' vibe as Rika, but he had a quiet intensity.
"Hello..? I'm Leon. I'm here because I got a 20 on the gold die...."
"Come, take a seat. I am Nadu, Master of Jeif'he's Hunter's Guild."
His voice was calm and slow, each word taking its time to emerge, as if he spoke with the confidence of someone who knew he would not be interrupted.
"I've heard a bit about you. Country folk. Probably your first time in a city. Attributless. Average abilities. A hero-level Vitality. Befriended our local man-hater. Even got Rika to pay your fees. That's probably more surprising than you having 20+ in only one ability."
"Oh ummm. I didn't know she had such a reputation. I just spoke to her since she looked strong."
"Well that she is. Rika is part of one of our top five parties. Rose Thorns. It's an all-female group. Of them, Rika is known to be particularly hostile toward men. That's why I find it more surprising than your situation. Having 20 plus in only one ability is uncommon. But when it does happen, not much comes of it. That's why many don't hear about it."
"What do you mean?"
"Individuals who have only one hero-level ability often just become civilians. Heads of their respective occupations, yes, but still normal. A scholar uses Intelligence. A musician, Charisma. Vitality is nice to have. But no jobs are really centered around it."
"Okay, but you didn't call me here just to tell me that, right? There must be something I can do. Are there skills that convert Vitality into healing? Turn my health into power?"
"How about we confirm your Vitality. Then we can discuss options. If you pass."
Nadu reached underneath his desk and pulled out a long cylindrical die. Its ends were pentagonal pyramids, and its sides were triangles and diamonds. It was an oddly perfect geometrical shape. It stood out to Leon even more in this magical world.
"This is a special die. Unlike the others, it can only be used once. When you roll it, it will break into two dice. One will show the tens. The other shows the ones. Whenever you're ready."
Here we go again. Another dice roll to decide my fate. A 32 is what I need to pass. Just the HP of a dragon. No biggie.
He rolled the cylindrical die. It cracked in two upon hitting the table, bursting into a pair of blinding flashes. Unlike the smaller dice that merely flickered as they rolled, these two were the equivalent of a flash grenade in his old world. Leon was forced to bring up his arms to shield his eyes, wincing as the light flooded the room.
The dice had stopped, the light finally fading. After blinking away the lingering after images, Leon lowered his arms and leaned over the table to see the result.
00.
0.
He stood frozen, confused, unsure how to process the results.
Zero? How? Shouldn't I have gotten at least 20? Or is 20 the minimum? Would a 1 here have been 21? Now what!?
"Wow... An actual one hundred."
Eh!? Wait, what did he say?
"Though technically it is undetermined. But as far as I know, a larger dice does not exist. In fact, I can't think of any creature or thing that has an ability of 100."
"So the three zeros mean one hundred!? That's amazing!"
The Guild Master spoke, his voice no longer surprised by the results, but now low and stern, carrying a weight that made the air feel heavier.
"No. That's actually quite bad. There are creatures out there that feed on human vitality. Vampires, Liches, Banshees and more. If one of them found you, you'd be a feast. A walking treasure chest of untold power. With the rest of you being so average, you wouldn't stand a chance. You'd be easy prey. Not to mention the recent reports of vampire and succubus attacks in the city."
He stood up, his eyes narrowing.
"Truthfully… I should kill now. Before such a monster finds you..."
"Hold up a second. I've been asking about turning my Vitality into power this entire time. If monsters can do it, why can't I? Then I could defend myself."
"...Unfortunately, I'm not going to kill you. Though, I don't even know if I can. 100 Vitality is beyond comprehension. I'm also required to accept your request to join. Since you do pass the minimum number of points. But I'm not too happy about it..."
He paused for a moment before sitting back down.
"Is it possible to turn Vitality into power? Yes. But no one good natured would know how. Those that do, usually steal life force from others. Never using their own. You would have to find someone who studies dark arts and get them to help. Not easy when they could just lock you up for their own gain."
Damn. He's got a point. As I stand, I'm more useful to monsters than I am to myself.
"Alright then, so now what?"
"I hate to say it. But you're officially a hunter. You can come by tomorrow and get your card. You'll be starting at the lowest rank, Tier 5. You'll get the rundown when you get your card. More importantly, keep this quiet. For yours and everyone's safety. I'll contact some of our more shady hunters. If they know a thing or two. Maybe I can find you a way to be of use."
"Guess that makes me a hunter, then. Even if the welcome was... a little aggressive, I look forward to working with the guild!"
He was trying not to grin, but it was there. There was a pulse of excitement in his chest. A lot had happened this day. But his fresh start in a new world had finally begun.