The next morning, I headed to the Hunter Evaluation Center. The place was already buzzing, a sea of anxious faces all hoping for the same thing.
This was the ultimate crossroads: you either walked out with a license and a future, or you went back to being a lowly peasant in the slums.
I wasn't worried about failing. I already knew I was E-rank. I just needed the damn card so I could legally enter the dungeons. Not because I had some hero complex about slaying monsters, even if that was why the Goddess had tossed me into this world. No, I just wanted the content. I wanted to stream from inside the belly of the beast.
"Next, Erik Glynn," a bored receptionist called out.
I stepped up to the counter, keeping my posture relaxed.
"Re-evaluation?" she asked. She didn't even look up, her fingers flying across a holographic terminal. "Your file says you failed an evaluation last year."
"Yeah, I did," I said, my voice cool and even.
"And you think something's actually changed? Or are you just here to waste our time, Mr. Glynn?"
I leaned against the desk. "Well, isn't that your job? To evaluate everyone who thinks they've finally woken up, no matter how many times they crawl back here?"
"We don't like wasting time," she said, finally snapping her head up to look at me.
"You're getting paid by the hour, aren't you?" I countered. "Seems to me you're being paid exactly for wasting time."
She paused, her eyes scanning my face. A slow, amused smile played on her lips. "If you weren't so handsome, I'd probably crash your face into that wall for the attitude."
I flashed a grin. "Well, thank the Goddess I'm not ugly, then."
"Goddess?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly finding the choice of words weird.
"Hey! Quit the flirting! We're all waiting for a turn here!" someone barked from behind me. I didn't even bother looking back at the guy.
The receptionist didn't either. She just slid a metallic ID card across the desk. "Room 4, to the left," she said, her eyes lingering on me for a second longer.
I took the card and headed for the room.
The Evaluation room was massive, dominated by a heavy, metallic machine sitting right in the center.
There were four people already inside, the female Evaluator and three other guys waiting for their turn. You could smell the nervous sweat in the air as everyone knew this machine was about to decide if they were a somebody or a nobody.
"Bruce!" the Evaluator called out, her eyes fixed on her tablet.
A big, burly guy stepped forward, chest puffed out but his hands shaking just a little.
"Place your hand on the screen," she commanded.
Bruce did as he was told. The moment his palm hit the glass, the machine hummed to life, glowing with a dull blue light before letting out a sharp beep. The Evaluator scanned the weird power numbers that flickered across the display, then double-checked her tablet.
"Congratulations, Bruce. You're an Awakened. D-tier," she said, her voice completely flat as if she said it a thousand times a day.
Bruce didn't care about her tone. He let out a loud whoop, punching the air. She handed him a small card without looking up. "Go to the waiting room. Your documentation and license will be processed there."
"Next, Elliot De Bruyne!"
Bruce started walking toward the exit, his face glowing with pure joy. He passed me, then suddenly skidded to a halt and doubled back, staring at me like he'd seen a ghost.
"Wait... I know you!" he blurted out, his eyes wide with genuine surprise. "Erik! Erik Glynn!"
I didn't recognize the guy at all, so I just gave him a slow nod. "Yeah, that's me."
"What the fuck... oh my god! I'm your biggest fan!" he shouted.
The other guy waiting for his turn, who clearly had no idea what was going on, just looked at us like we were absolute idiots.
"You watch my stream?" I asked, a bit surprised to be recognized in a government building.
"Yeah, man! I mean, it's the coolest stream on the planet," Bruce said, leaning in closer. "I watched that one yesterday with that sexy girl.....Kourtney, right? Fuck, man, you shouldn't tease us like that. I almost lost my mind."
"Didn't think I'd meet a fan in a place like this," I said, leaning back. The attention was a bit much, but hey, fame has its perks.
"Mr. Bruce! You are disturbing the others. Please proceed to the waiting room immediately!" the Evaluator barked, her patience finally hitting zero.
"Ah, sorry ma'am," Bruce stammered, then shot me one last look of pure awe. "Hope we meet again, sir!"
He finally scrambled out, throwing a frantic wave over his shoulder before the door hissed shut. I let out a slow sigh, shaking my head. I'm a celebrity now, huh?
Finally, it was my turn to face the machine.
"Place your hand on the screen, sir," the Evaluator said, her voice dropping back into that robotic drone.
I stepped up and pressed my palm against the glass. The machine hummed, the internal fans whirring as it scanned my mana signature. It glowed a steady blue and gave a sharp beep.
The weird power numbers flickered across the display. The Evaluator checked her tablet, her eyes drifting between the screen and my face for a second. "Hmm. Congratulations, Mr. Glynn. You're an Awakened. E-tier."
She handed me the small metallic card and pointed toward the back. "Proceed to the waiting room for your documentation."
I walked into the waiting area and found Bruce sitting there with a few others, buried in paperwork. But he wasn't the only one who noticed me.
There was a guy in the corner wearing a sharp, expensive suit and glasses that looked like they cost more than my apartment. His eyes followed me from the moment I stepped into the room, tracking every move until I finally sat down.
A moment later, he stood up, adjusted his tie, and sat right next to me.
"Mr. Glynn?" he asked. His voice was smooth, way too polished for a place like this.
"Who's asking?" I said, keeping my tone guarded.
The man smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Sunny Michael. I'm with the Hunters Association. B-rank Hunter."
B-rank? My pulse spiked for a split second before I shoved the feeling down. What the hell does a B-rank want with a freshly minted E-tier like me?
"How can I help you, Mr. Sunny?" I asked, keeping it professional.
He let out a short, tired sigh. "I assume you've seen the news? Or at least heard about the massacre in District 11?"
The Peacekeepers. My mind flashed to the blood-slicked alley and the way my sword had hissed through their spines. Did he find out? Is this a trap?
"I think you can help me out on this case I'm working on," Sunny said, his smile widening as he closed his eyes, looking way too relaxed. "You up for a few questions?"