Nathan stood from his seat when his name was called.
He crossed the waiting area and approached the counter where he had registered earlier. The same woman sat behind the glass, posture unchanged, eyes already on the screen in front of her.
"Is it done?" Nathan asked, keeping his voice level.
"Just a second, sir," she replied without looking up.
She reached down beside her chair and pulled out a slim, dark card encased in a clear sleeve.
Nathan's breath caught.
She slid it through the opening in the glass.
"This is your registration card," she said while smiling. "Your hunter license."
Nathan took it carefully, as if it might break or he might get it dirty.
The card was heavier than he expected. Matte black with a thin silver line running across its surface. His name was printed clearly. A small system seal in the corner that shimmered faintly when he tilted it.
This wasn't just identification, this was permission to hunt.
Without it, no one was allowed near a rift. Normal civilians entering one was treated as suicide—or worse, negligence.
Nathan turned the card over slowly.
The woman continued speaking.
"It is my duty to inform you that as a newly registered hunter, you are authorized to access the government-controlled Grade Zero rift in Unit Meridian Twelve."
Nathan looked up.
"This license is valid across all Units," she added. "Should you travel or relocate, it will remain recognized."
He nodded slowly, absorbing every word.
"As a new hunter," she continued, "you are also eligible to claim one complimentary weapon and basic equipment package from the Item Collection Office."
Nathan's grip tightened slightly on the card.
"Please proceed there when ready," she finished.
"Thank you," Nathan said.
His voice came out steady.
The girl at the counter nodded once and turned back to her screen, continuing her work.
Nathan stepped away from the counter.
For a moment, he just stood there and after a second he looked down again.
'I finally got it.'
After years of waiting. Of watching and wondering if something was wrong with him—
He finally had it.
Nathan smiled from ear to ear with tears welling up in his eyes.
He quickly dabbed his eyes, turned around and followed the sign toward the Item Collection Office.
As he walked, he couldn't stop glancing at the card in his hand. Every few steps, he checked it again, half-expecting it to disappear.
All that waiting was now worth it.
***
The Item Collection Office was smaller than the registration area but more controlled. Fewer people. Thicker glass. A reinforced door leading deeper into the building.
Nathan approached the counter.
An old man sat behind it, hair gray and neatly combed back, suit pressed to perfection. His eyes were sharp despite his age.
"Good morning," Nathan said.
The old man looked up. "Hey young man, what can I do for you?"
"I was sent here to redeem my equipment," Nathan said, holding up his license.
The old man nodded and gestured. "Let me see."
Nathan slid the card through the opening.
The man examined it closely, scanning the system seal, checking the details. He didn't rush.
A full minute passed.
Finally, the old man slid the card back.
"New registration," he said. "Alright."
He reached for the phone on his desk and dialed a short number.
"Send the warehouse administrator to the front," he said.
He hung up and looked at Nathan again.
"Wait here."
Nathan nodded.
A few moments later, footsteps approached from the side corridor.
A man in a dark suit emerged.
He moved differently from the others.
Not hurried. Not stiff.
There was weight in his every step.
Nathan felt it immediately.
The air around the man felt heavier. Not threatening—but dense, like pressure before a storm.
'He's a hunter' Nathan thought instinctively.
The old man gestured. "This is the warehouse administrator and he'll provide you your equipment."
The man inclined his head slightly toward Nathan. "Follow me."
Nathan nodded and did.
They turned away from the counter and headed toward a secured door leading deeper into the building.
As the door opened, Nathan took one last look at his license.
Then he stepped forward.
Toward his first real step as a hunter.
Nathan followed the warehouse administrator through a side corridor that branched away from the main office.
The air changed almost immediately.
It was cooler here, with a faint metallic smell that reminded Nathan of old storage rooms and tool sheds. The hallway lights were dimmer, spaced farther apart, and the walls were reinforced with thick panels that dulled sound.
They walked in silence.
The man in front didn't look back. His pace was steady, confident, as if he'd walked this route thousands of times.
Nathan adjusted his grip on his license card, then slid it carefully back into his pocket.
A heavy door came into view at the end of the corridor.
No signs or decorations.
Just a thick slab of metal with a scanner embedded beside it.
The man stopped and placed his hand on the panel. The door unlocked with a low click and slid open.
The armory warehouse lay beyond.
Nathan stepped inside and paused.
The space was larger than he expected.
Rows of racks stretched out in neat lines, each holding weapons and equipment sealed in protective wraps. Everything was labeled. Everything was organized. There were no flashy displays. No exotic shapes glowing behind glass.
Nathan took a slow breath.
"This is where we issue beginner equipment," the man said, voice calm. "Government standard."
He turned slightly, finally looking at Nathan. Up close, the pressure Nathan had felt earlier made more sense. The man's posture was relaxed, but there was a quiet readiness to him, like someone who never fully turned off their awareness.
"Do you know what weapon you want?" the man asked. "You get one."
Nathan nodded.
He had thought about this long before today.
Long before he ever stepped into the Hunter Association.
But standing here, surrounded by real weapons, the decision felt heavier.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Thinking about Swords, Axes, Bows, Spears and how it would feel using each one of them.
Nathan opened his eyes.
The truth was that he wasn't exceptional with any weapon. But, with enough practice, he could handle most of them decently.
But decency wasn't what mattered right now.
Survival did.
"I want a spear," Nathan said.
The man's expression shifted.
Not exactly surprised but more like a look of approval.
"Good choice," he said.
Nathan let out a quiet breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
The man gestured for him to wait, then turned and walked deeper into the warehouse.
Nathan stayed where he was, hands loosely at his sides.
He glanced around again, taking in the racks.
This wasn't where powerful hunters came to upgrade.
This was where people started.
His thoughts drifted forward, past the warehouse, past the building.
To the Sunken Maintenance Tunnels.
Narrow corridors. Low ceilings. Limited visibility.
A spear made sense there.
Distance mattered. Reach was crucial to not get hurt.
Against goblins who are fast, aggressive, and smaller than humans, a spear allowed control. It let you strike without closing in. It let you react without committing your entire body.
Nathan imagined bracing the spear against the ground, controlling a chokepoint. Keeping enemies at bay.
It wasn't flashy.
It was practical.
Footsteps approached.
The man returned, carrying a bundle of items.
He set them down on a nearby counter one by one.
First—the spear.
It was simple.
A straight wooden shaft, smooth and unadorned. The spearhead was steel, cleanly forged, sharp but plain. There were no runes neither enhancements.
This was a Government-issued speared, not the greatest but at least reliable.
Nathan reached out and took it, feeling the weight settle into his hands.
Balanced.
Second—the vest.
A leather vest, dark brown, reinforced along the chest and shoulders. It looked flexible, but sturdy enough to absorb weak slashes or glancing blows.
This will be very important against the goblins.
Third—and fourth.
Two small vials.
Regeneration potions.
Nathan blinked.
He'd expected one.
He looked up at the man, confused.
"I thought—"
The man smiled.
"This is the least I can do for another spearman," he said.
Nathan froze.
"…Another?" he asked.
The man chuckled softly. "You'll understand later."
Nathan stared at the potions again, then back at the man.
"Thank you," Nathan said, genuinely.
He accepted the items carefully, securing the potions and adjusting the strap of the vest over his shoulder. He tested the spear's grip again, getting used to its length.
The man stepped back. "That's all you get for now."
Nathan nodded. "I understand."
"Take care of it," the man added. "And take care of yourself."
Nathan inclined his head slightly. "I will."
They walked back toward the corridor together.
At the door, the man stopped.
"You made a good choice," he said again. "Distance keeps you alive."
Nathan nodded once more.
Then the door closed behind him.
Nathan emerged back into the main office area, equipment secured, spear resting comfortably against his shoulder.
People still moved around him. Lines formed and dissolved. Clerks spoke in calm, professional tones.
Nothing had changed.
But for him, everything had changed today.
Nathan took a step forward.
As he walked toward the exit, he glanced down at his spear.
This was the start of his journey.
Nathan stepped out of the Hunter Association building, equipped at last, ready to take his first real step into the world he'd watched for so long.