To learn to become a hunter one had to graduate from a defense school. You could enter after awakening but some did enroll before thanks to their background.
Well, in the human nation there were only three defense schools. Those who graduated here would receive a degree of hunter and would be allocated grade, they were able to be promoted to top positions.
But in such desperate times each and every human resource was needed, thus private hunter institutes were allowed, but their certificates would only allow limited growth potential.
And among the three defense schools, United Nation Hunter Program ranked number one. The staff were experienced veterans. Professors were only hired on an invite only basis and all of them were people with great achievements under their name. And to say the principal was a member of the High Council, a government body, himself.
Thus it was the place where the most talented, geniuses and those with great backgrounds usually enrolled.
Gustav was similar. He was admitted only because of his background. Otherwise his talent wasn't even fit to become a hunter.
As Gustav was swiftly moving for the exit, a heavy voice made him stop.
"Stop there, child. Where are you going?"
It was the security guard of the building.
"Just a morning walk."
"Morning walk at 3 am?"
"Yes."
"No, can't go. No one is allowed to move outside before the professors come here to pick you all up for the ceremony."
"Not even for a little while? Like a walk just around the building?"
"Sorry kid, rules are rules. It is to make sure everyone is present for the ceremony."
Tsk, why the fuck does nothing go like planned even once?
Hearing this, the nonchalance on Gustav's face quickly faded. This was his master plan, or to say his only plan to survive the murder.
And now it was all meaningless.
Like in the novel, the reason for his murder was the trash guardian he summoned. The thing was, Gustav was the only child of the clan's patriarch and he cared deeply for Gustav. Even to the point of still making him heir of the clan despite his trash talent. This caused many sponsors and supporters to leave Volford and their influence began to shatter.
Thus the elders of the clan decided to end Gustav to reverse it.
Well if I remember it right, it actually went south and triggered a huge bloodbath where the patriarch killed the entire elder council and ran away.
It was a pretty sick chapter.
Remembering it, Gustav panicked. His chance of survival just faded. If the ceremony went like it went in the novel then they would surely kill him.
As Gustav was thinking all that, he remained standing there with his face all tensed. It was noticed by the guard.
"Kid."
"Hey kid!"
"KID!"
"Huh... Yes?"
Gustav was confused as he looked at the guard calling him out.
"Why are you standing there? Are you scared of tomorrow's ceremony? Stressed about what you will summon?"
The guard asked. To dismiss the conversation quick, Gustav just nodded.
The guard took a pause. Looking at him he said,
"I was there. I saw it with my own eyes. People dying like ants. Not an easy death one could escape with. It was gruesome. I too cared a lot about what I would summon. My aspiration depended on it, but at that moment all I cared about was to live somehow. That time I truly understood how lucky it is to live and hope for another day."
Gustav's eyes narrowed as he just stood there looking at the guard.
The guard continued, "When such fate comes, no one will care about what they summoned or what their aptitude was. All I want to say is whatever guardian you summon or whatever the world says, know that you are the lucky one."
"Thanks for comforting me. Somehow I'm feeling better. Whatever I summon, looking down I guess I'm better than most." Gustav walked closer. "What do you say, should we drink a cup of coffee waiting for the morning?"
"Yes sir, I will prepare a cup of coffee to your room in a minute."
"No, I mean would you give me company?"
The guard let out a chuckle as if it was a joke. "Sir, you're an heir of the great clan and I'm a mere guard. How can I company you?"
"Prepare a cup of coffee for us both. Let's chat some more. Tell me about your battlefield days."
Without further complaint the guard did what Gustav said.
Gustav was indeed stressed about various things. Getting transmigrated out of nowhere and with such dire circumstances, there were many things going on in his mind. But listening to the guard he somewhat felt better.
Calm.
He felt hope.
He wanted to plan for his survival. That's when it hit him. The guardian summoning depended on the soul, not the body. And now if it was his soul, maybe he could land a better guardian. He wasn't sure but now he was somewhat excited.
The guard came with two cups of coffee. It was 3 am. They both sat at the nearby table, chatting and waiting for the dawn.
Listening to his experience, for the guard it was letting things out and he felt better sharing. And for Gustav he got to understand more about the world.
Laughing, kidding and even bitching about others, the time passed and it was already dawn.
The students, all prepared, came down waiting for the instructor to guide them to the ceremony hall.
Some were already enrolled but most weren't students of the program yet. They were only here for the ceremony.
The admission test would be ten days after that.
An admission test for commoners, but for those with rich backgrounds it was just a placement test. Their admission was somewhat guaranteed.
After ten minutes a muscular man in military uniform and wearing sunglasses opened the building doors. His boys stationed outside.
He wasn't a professor but a member of staff.
He first looked at everyone then ordered his boys to check if there was still any student inside.
After making sure that everyone was present, he said, "Make a line and in pairs of six you will seat in the jeep. Don't break the order and be patient."
He finished and walked outside.