Morning sunlight spilled through the vast halls of Exterminator Headquarters, catching on polished marble floors and banners that hung from the tall ceiling. Each banner carried the emblem of the Exterminators. The place felt ancient yet impossibly advanced, as if every stone held a thousand stories.
Agnar walked with Ash, Faye, and Bjorn through the massive corridor, following a group of newly recovered contestants. They had been told to report to the Grand Ceremonial Hall for their induction ceremony.
Even in his clean uniform, Agnar could still feel the aches beneath the bandages. Ash walked beside him munching on a candy bar.
"You sure you're okay?" Ash asked with a mouthful.
"Yeah," Agnar said. "Wouldn't miss this for anything."
Faye walked behind them, quiet as always.
They stepped into the hall and froze.
The chamber was enormous. Crystal lamps floated around the dome ceiling, glowing softly. A long carpet of dark crimson stretched across the floor, leading to a raised stage where officials waited. Medals glimmered on a tray held by a soldier in their uniform.
Hundreds of seats were arranged in rows. Family members, press, high-ranking officers, and veteran Exterminators filled the room, murmuring quietly.
Ash whistled. "This is… bigger than the exam arena."
"Of course it is," Bjorn said calmly. "This hall predates the modern Exterminator Order. Every emblem pinned here carries weight."
As they moved toward their seats, Agnar caught the sound of snoring.
He turned.
Xedra sat slumped in his chair, head tilted back, mouth open.
"It's you," Agnar said. "Didn't think you'd sleep through this."
Xedra jolted awake, choking on his saliva. He squinted at them, rubbing his ears.
"Do you have to be loud?"
Agnar's brow twitched in irritation.
"Huh?! I barely raised my voice you old fart."
Agnar yelling drew some attention to them.
"Important question," Ash called out, suddenly alert. "Do they serve food after this? Preferably meat?"
Thunk.
Ash flinched as Faye lowered her fist.
"Do you think of anything other than food?!" She snapped.
A loud horn echoed through the hall.
Everyone went silent.
The examiner walked onto the stage, clean uniform pressed neatly, his presence sharp and commanding. His eyes swept across the crowd.
"Candidates," he began, "you have survived what many believed impossible."
Agnar felt a chill as memories of the Class S monster flashed through his mind.
"You endured overwhelming odds, protected one another, and proved your resolve."
He paused.
"By the authority of the Exterminator Association, you are hereby recognized as official graduates of this year's exam."
Applause exploded across the hall.
The examiner gestured with one hand. "Step forward and claim your emblems."
One by one, the contestants approached the stage. Their expressions held pride, disbelief, exhaustion, and hope all mixed together.
Ash nudged Agnar. "This is it."
"Yeah," Faye muttered.
Agnar's heart thumped when his name was called.
"Agnar Volstrum."
The hall grew quiet as he walked up the steps. He could feel eyes staring at him from every direction the boy who fought with broken bones, the rookie who predicted attacks he shouldn't have been able to see.
The examiner pinned a silver medal to his chest.
"Well done," he said quietly. "Your instincts saved lives."
Agnar bowed slightly. "Thank you, sir."
Next was Ash.
"Ash Karven."
Ash strutted up with a grin, earning laughter from the crowd. The examiner sighed softly as he pinned the medal.
"Try to stay serious for five minutes."
"No promises," Ash said.
Then Faye.
"Faye Elidra."
Her usually stern face softened as she received her medal. The examiner gave her a respectful nod.
"You have great potential. Don't let it go to waste."
She bowed deeply.
Then Bjorn. Then Xedra. Each received cheers and applause.
Finally, the examiner stepped back and raised his voice.
"Let this moment remind you passing the Raiders exam is not the end."
"It is just the beginning."
Agnar, Ash, Faye, Bjorn, and Xedra exchanged glances.
They had survived… but now the real test was about to start.
After the ceremony, only a small group of graduates those who passed the full exam were led through a secured hallway. Guards lined the walls, stone-faced and alert.
Ash leaned toward Agnar. "Are we… actually meeting the chairman?"
Agnar nodded slowly. "That's what they said."
Faye clasped her hands behind her back, trying to steady her breathing. "This is an honor. Most Exterminators don't meet him until their third or fourth year."
When they reached an enormous brown door, two guards pushed it open.
The chamber inside was dim, illuminated by floating lights that cast a warm glow. And at the far end, standing before a wide circular window that overlooked the city…
Was him.
The Chairman.
His presence felt like an ocean, calm yet overflowing with power. His arms behind his back, and his silver hair reflected the light cast from the window.
"Welcome," he said, not turning around yet.
His voice was soothing yet fierce.
Agnar felt his heart tightening in his chest. This was the strongest Exterminator in existence. The man whose victories shaped the world. The man he admired.
The chairman finally turned.
His eyes were empty... and yet his smile carried warmth.
"You have done well," he said. "Your courage in the face of certain doom is commendable."
The rookies stiffened. The examiner quietly stepped forward and saluted.
"Chairman, these are the best of the best this year."
"I'm aware," the chairman interrupted. "And we will welcome them accordingly."
He walked toward the group.
"To be an Exterminator is not to seek glory," he said. "It is to shoulder danger others cannot bear."
His gaze lingered on each of them.
"You will be assigned your districts tomorrow. You will serve the people and protect humanity."
Agnar felt a strange pressure in his head as the chairman's eyes glanced to his direction.
He stiffened.
The chairman straightened his coat. He raised a hand in dismissal.
The rookies saluted and left the chamber with pounding hearts.
The next morning, the rookies gathered in the Deployment Hall. Holoscreens floated above, displaying unit names, divisions, and duties.
Veteran officers shouted instructions, organizing dozens of new recruits.
Ash stretched lazily.
"What unit do you think they'll assign us to?"
Faye shot him a flat look. "We will find out soon enough."
A voice echoed from the stage.
"Rookies! Listen up!"
The examiner stepped forward. "You're not being sent to elite units."
Groans rippled through the hall.
"For your first year," he continued, "you'll serve in Response Units. Patrols. Minor anomaly suppression."
"So... guard duty," Ash said.
"Yes," the examiner replied flatly.
He began assigning units.
"Bjorn Stonehart — Unit 2."
"Faye Elidra — Unit 2."
Faye nodded, expression steady.
"Xedra Vonn — Unit 9."
Then
"Ash Karven — Unit 5."
Ash pumped a fist. "Yes! Lucky number!"
Agnar held his breath.
"Agnar Volstrum — Unit 5."
He exhaled slowly.
Ash slung an arm around him. "Bro. Same team."
Faye looked at them, her expression unreadable for a moment.
The examiner clapped once.
"One more thing…"
Everyone turned.
"You deserve to know my name."
He removed his coat and revealed a dark uniform lined with the emblem of the upper command.
"My name is Raiken Draavos. Second-in-command to the Chairman."
Gasps rippled through the rookies.
Agnar stared, stunned.
Ash's jaw dropped. "Whaaat?!"
Agnar nodded. "That makes sense, he had an aura to him," he murmured.
Raiken continued, "Report to your Unit leaders tomorrow. Dismissed."
Later that day, Agnar and Ash explored the outer district a lively area filled with markets, cafés, and citizens going about their daily routines.
Ash munched on a pastry. "Guard duty won't be that bad."
Agnar sighed, "You might be right."
Then
"HELP! Someone stop him! He stole my purse!"
A woman pointed toward a young man sprinting through the street.
Ash's eyes sparkled.
Agnar tightened his gloves. "Let's go."
They bolted after the thief.
The man dashed into an alley.
Agnar ran across the ground, weaving through barrels and crates. Ash leaped onto a wall, running sideways with impossible agility.
"How the hell are you doing that?!" Agnar shouted.
"I'm built different!" Ash yelled back.
The thief jumped over a railing and sprinted onto a rooftop.
Ash vaulted onto a clothesline pole, flipping onto the roof in seconds.
Agnar climbed up using raw strength.
They surrounded the thief on both ends of the roof.
Ash smirked. "Nowhere to run."
Agnar stepped forward. "Give the purse back."
The thief trembled but reached into his coat.
Agnar's hand moved toward his weapon instinctively.
But what the thief pulled out wasn't the purse.
It was a MEX-grade gun.
Agnar's heart froze.
Ash's grin vanished.
"That's our MEX weapon…" Ash whispered. "How did he get a hold of that?."
The thief's eyes were wild. "Stay back!"
He fired randomly.
Agnar grabbed Ash and dove behind a vent as the blast scorched the roof.
"That's the real deal!" Ash shouted.
"No kidding!"
The thief jumped to the next building and disappeared through an open window.
Agnar and Ash looked at each other, breathless.
"That weapon…" Agnar said.
"It shouldn't be wielded by civilians," Ash finished.
Agnar tapped the communicator on his wrist.
"This is Agnar Volstrum, Unit 5. We have a situation. A civilian is in possession of MEX weaponry."
A deep voice replied instantly.
"Location?"
"North Market District," Agnar said. "He escaped into the buildings."
There was silence.
Then the voice said sharply, "Return to base immediately. This is bigger than a simple theft."
Agnar and Ash exchanged worried looks.
Something was happening.
Something serious.
And their first day as Exterminators had just begun.