Half an hour later, Soren arrived at his destination in the bustling Merchant's Crown district, where the Kalmira Awakened Registry Bureau stood as an imposing presence.
The large, modern structure was constructed entirely of reinforced glass, featuring an angular design specifically engineered to withstand sudden Gate Break incidents. Long banners bearing the official Bureau emblem hung elegantly from the entrance, catching the wind above the steady stream of visitors.
Soren pushed through the glass doors into the main lobby, finding the massive space completely crowded with activity. Dozens of people milled about the floor, including young, clearly new Awakened individuals alongside older, significantly more experienced veterans. The air itself buzzed with a chaotic resonance of overlapping mana signatures, causing his newly awakened senses to tingle with awareness as he approached the main reception desk.
A middle-aged woman with sharp eyes looked up from her terminal. "Name and purpose?"
"Soren Valmere. I awakened yesterday. Here to register and apply for a Hunter's License."
She typed rapidly.
"Date of awakening?"
"March 1st. Yesterday night."
"Within the 72-hour window. Good." She handed him a tablet. "Fill out the initial form. Once you're done, proceed to Testing Wing B. Follow the blue line on the floor."
"Thank you."
Soren took the tablet and found a bench along the wall.
The form was extensive. Personal information, medical history, emergency contacts, previous occupation, reason for pursuing Hunter work, and so on. He filled it out methodically, answering honestly where it mattered and vaguely where it didn't.
Date of birth: April 15, Year 175 PA.
Age: 22.
Education: .....
....
He submitted his completed form and followed the glowing blue line painted along the floor, tracing its path through a long corridor that led directly into the heart of the testing facility.
The sprawling Testing Wing was meticulously divided into specialized sections, featuring dedicated physical assessment areas, heavily shielded mana-testing chambers, and advanced ability-evaluation rooms. Throughout the facility, numerous staff in pristine white coats moved purposefully between stations, carefully managing the complex diagnostic equipment while guiding the nervous examinees through their paces.
A young man with a clipboard approached. "Soren Valmere?"
"Yes."
"I'm Technician Mori. I'll be overseeing your evaluation today. Follow me."
Soren followed him to the first station, a cylindrical chamber made of transparent crystal.
"Step inside," Mori instructed. "This will measure your Mana capacity, affinity, and Core stability. Stand still and circulate your Mana naturally."
Soren entered the chamber.
The door sealed behind him with a soft hiss, and the crystal walls immediately began to glow, pulsing with a steady light. Within moments, he felt a distinct pressure against his Core, as though invisible fingers were actively probing his inner energy.
He circulated his Mana exactly as instructed, letting it flow smoothly through the channels established by the Glacial Emperor Scripture.
The crystal walls flared significantly brighter under his guidance, allowing a vivid blue light to dominate the space as it swirled in intricate, frosty patterns. A secondary color appeared soon after, a pale green hue that remained fainter but clearly present along the edges of the primary display.
After a full minute of continuous evaluation, the intense illumination faded back into dormancy.
The door slid open to reveal Technician Mori studying his tablet, his eyes widening significantly as he analyzed the data readings on the screen.
"Interesting," he muttered. "Very interesting."
"Is something wrong?"
"Wrong? No. Quite the opposite." Mori looked up. "Congratulations, you have dual affinity. Ice primary, Wind secondary. And both are high-grade."
He gestured toward the next station. "Place your hand on the evaluation crystal."
Soren pressed his palm against a smooth, spherical crystal mounted on a pedestal.
It flared with light, projecting a holographic display.
————————
[AFFINITY EVALUATION]
Primary Affinity: ICE
Grade: 7 (S-Rank)
Potency: High
Compatibility: Excellent
Secondary Affinity: WIND
Grade: 5 (B-Rank)
Potency: Moderate
Compatibility: Good
[INNATE ABILITIES]
1. Accelerated Regeneration
Grade: C-Rank
Type: Biological Enhancement
Effect: Advanced healing, toxin resistance
2. Fortified Body Constitution
Grade: D-Rank
Type: Physical Enhancement
Effect: 5x baseline human capability
[CIRCLE RANK]
Current: First Circle (Early Stage)
Core Capacity: 2,547 / 10,000
Core Stability: Excellent
Pathway Integrity: Excellent
[OVERALL ASSESSMENT]
Rank: HIGH POTENTIAL (S-CLASS)
Classification: Combat-Type Awakened
Recommended Path: Hunter / Gate Clearing
Estimated Peak: Seventh Circle
————————
Technician Mori stared at the display, then at Soren, then back at the display.
"Grade 7 ice affinity. S-rank talent." He shook his head slowly. "That's top 5% globally. Dual affinity on top of that. And two innate abilities."
He tapped something on his tablet, then froze. "Wait. How old are you?"
"Twenty-two."
Mori's eyes widened further. "Twenty-two? You awakened at twenty-two?"
"Yes. Just yesterday."
"That's..." Mori looked genuinely stunned. "That's unheard of. The latest recorded natural awakening is twenty. Anything past that requires artificial stimulus or extreme trauma, and even then, it almost never works."
He studied Soren with open curiosity now. "What happened? What triggered it?"
Soren kept his expression neutral. "It was a life-threatening situation."
"So extreme stress awakening." Mori made rapid notes. "At age twenty-two with S-rank affinity and dual innates. This is going to cause a stir."
"A stir?"
"Your data will be flagged immediately. The Bureau, the guilds, probably even the National Awakened Defense Corps will want to talk to you."
Soren's jaw tightened slightly. "Can I set my profile to restricted?"
"Smart. But it won't stop official organizations." Mori glanced at him. "The Bureau especially. They recruit high-potential Awakened for government work. You'll probably get contacted within a week or even a day."
"I see."
"One more test. Physical assessment."
Mori led him to a training area with various equipment.
"Show me what you can do. Strength, speed, endurance."
Soren moved through the remaining physical tests with ease. He lifted 250 kilograms overhead without a hint of strain, clocked a sprint at 48 miles per hour, and maintained peak stamina through fifteen minutes of continuous exertion. The Fortified Body Constitution was indeed powerful despite being a D-rank ability, though he could not use it to its fullest potential yet. Mori recorded every metric on his tablet, his expression growing increasingly impressed by the raw data.
"Alright. That's sufficient. Let's process your license."
Twenty minutes later, Soren held his official Hunter's License.
A sleek card made of reinforced material, embedded with a Mana-signature chip.
————————
Name: Soren Valmere
ID: KAL-1973-047821
Age: 22
Rank: First Circle
Hunter Rank: F
License Type: Standard Hunter
Issued: March 2, Year 197 PA
————————
Mori then handed him an information packet. "Access codes for the Hunter Network. App and web portal. You can access gate schedules, equipment vendors, party recruitment, legal resources, and many more."
"Thank you."
"One more thing." Mori's expression turned serious. "As a new First Circle, I strongly recommend that you don't attempt solo Gates immediately. Join a party first. Get experience. A lot of rookies die because they overestimate themselves."
"Understood."
Just as Soren turned to leave, a woman in a formal suit approached.
She was in her thirties, sharp-featured, with an official Bureau badge on her lapel. Her Mana signature was strong. Fourth Circle at least.
"Mr. Valmere," she said smoothly. "I'm Senior Administrator Veyra from the Bureau's Talent Acquisition Department. Do you have a moment?"
Soren stopped and greeted back before asking why.
"A brief conversation about opportunities with the Kalmira Bureau. Given your exceptional evaluation results, we'd like to discuss potential career paths that might interest you."
Her smile was professional, but her eyes were calculating.
"I appreciate the offer," Soren said carefully. "But I'm not interested in joining an organization right now. I have personal matters to handle first."
"Of course. Family comes first." Her smile didn't waver. "But please, take my card. When you're ready to consider your options, we offer excellent benefits. Training resources, access to restricted Gates, stable income, protection."
She handed him a sleek black business card.
————————
Administrator Veyra Lewis
Talent Acquisition Department
Kalmira Awakened Registry Bureau
Direct Line: (555) 0198
————————
"Thank you. I'll keep it in mind."
"Please do. And Mr. Valmere?" Her tone shifted slightly. "Your profile may be restricted, but S-rank potential doesn't stay hidden long. You'll receive many offers. I hope you'll choose carefully and keep us in mind."
She nodded one last time and walked away.
Soren pocketed the card and left the building.
Outside, the late afternoon sun cast long shadows.
He looked down at the license in his hand, his lips curling up faintly.
He was a registered Hunter now.
Which meant he could finally start earning real money, securing an income substantial enough to afford those specialized healing meals and properly support Ethea's long-term recovery.
Soren pulled out his phone and opened the Hunter Network app.
The interface loaded.
————————
[HUNTER NETWORK - KALMIRA BRANCH]
Welcome, Soren Valmere!
Available Features:
- Gate Schedule & Availability
- Party Recruitment Board
- Equipment Market
- Resource Exchange
- Quest Listings
- Training Facilities
————————
He navigated to the Gate Schedule.
Several First Circle Gates were available in the Kalmira region.
However, none of them permitted a solo clear.
He continued scrolling and finally stopped at the title.
[FIRST CIRCLE GATE - AZURE SLIME FOREST]
[Status: OPEN (Solo permitted)]
'...' Soren stared at it before tapping. 'Should I... try my luck?'