Dungeon Hunter Hub is located in every major city. New City is the third largest in this region, and its hub is fully financed and managed by the government.
This was the first time Zayden saw one in real life. Usually, he only caught glimpses through live feeds on social media or news clips. And now that he was here, it was huge.
Rows of vehicles filled the massive parking lots surrounding the structure. It was built like a stadium, oval in shape with multiple floors, and its modern design shifted every few minutes. The exterior was made of sleek white steel, and as expected, massive LED screens displayed images of high-ranked hunters in action.
"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Max called out, snapping Zayden from his daze.
"Oh, okay, coming!"
As they stepped inside, Zayden was once again left speechless. The interior was breathtaking. It felt like the future had fused with nature.
"They planted trees inside?! What kind of species is that?"
"They're using drones to deliver food from the café?"
"Is that... a holographic screen?"
Zayden's astonishment grew with every step. He looked like a village boy seeing a city for the first time.
"Amazing, right?" Max said, grinning. "This is what the government can do with the money they pour into dungeon hunting. Most of this tech came from the dungeons themselves."
Max recalled his own first visit three years ago, his reaction back then had been just like Zayden's now.
As Zayden looked around, he noticed people going about their business, some walking on the upper levels. And above them all, on the ceiling, was a painting of a man, someone he didn't recognize.
As they walked deeper into the hub, Zayden's eyes locked onto a giant rectangular screen. It displayed a table filled with names, neatly arranged in rows.
"What is this, Max? A leaderboard?" Zayden asked, familiar with the concept from his experience playing online games.
"Yes. This is the ranking of the top dungeon hunters based on their contributions," Max replied.
"Why are most of them in gold, and some in red?" Zayden pointed at the screen, where the top 15 names were highlighted, most in gold, a few in red.
"Red is for A-rank. Gold is... of course, S-rank. They always dominate this leaderboard every year. Lowly hunters like us don't stand a chance," Max said with a faint smile.
"They must be really talented to stand among the top," Zayden remarked. He had always believed that hard work could achieve anything, that's what he'd been taught at school and at home. Though, deep down, he knew he had already strayed from that path. He wanted quick success. Otherwise, his bank account would not be frozen by now.
"Well, talent is only a third of it. The other two-thirds are connection, support, and, of course… money. A lot of money. You see, every dungeon hunter starts at the same place. Even the people on this leaderboard. All of them began at F-rank. So you might think that makes it fair, right? But no. If you've got strong backing, you shoot up the ranks like a rocket. See that A-rank guy at number 13? I still remember, we registered as dungeon hunters the same week. And now, three years later, he's top 15 in this district while I've been stuck at Rank C for a whole year. It's only because he got a full scholarship from one of the top dungeon academies. They funded his entire growth," Max said. Zayden could sense the dissatisfaction in his tone and expression.
"But even as strong as they are… if everyone on that screen combined their power, they still couldn't hurt a single one coming from that place," Max added, pointing toward a canvas drawing of a towering structure on the wall. It was the largest illustration in the entire building.
Zayden looked at the tower and couldn't escape the majestic aura radiating from the drawing. Below it, a plaque read: The Tower of Ascension.
'What kind of name is that? The person who named this tower must be a hardcore fan of xiaxia novels,' he thought.
"That's enough talk. Let's head to the registration desk before the crowd shows up," Max said as he quickened his pace.
Zayden took one last glance at the drawing before following behind.
After several minutes of walking...
"Lucky us. Not many people came to register today," Max said.
"Was it usually crowded before?" Zayden asked.
"Not really. But ever since the Lumina Group entered the Asian League, people saw a golden opportunity and tried their luck in this... career," Max answered.
"Is the Lumina Group that good? I've never heard of them."
"You don't know the Lumina Group?" Max raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course, knowing you, always spending your time draining your wallet with your rich-boy circle. No wonder you don't know anything going on in the world." Max sneered.
'Damn, that hurt. Even though he's right.'
"Lumina Group is one of the top five dungeon companies in the world. They're credited with reviving the European League's economy in just ten years after the dungeon break nearly collapsed the continent. Now, the European League ranks second, just behind the North American League. That shows how good they are."
"You know a lot, dude." Zayden had already learned more from Max today than he could find on the internet.
"If you stay in this job for years, you'll pick up stuff like this," Max replied as he walked toward the reception desk.
"Hello and good morning! Welcome to the New City Dungeon Hunter Hub. How can I help you today?" the receptionist greeted them with a bright smile. She wore a formal dark blue uniform with a skirt, looking sharp and professional.
Max suddenly pushed Zayden forward.
"Err, hello. Can I register as a dungeon hunter?" Zayden asked, trying to sound confident.
"Okay. Please hand me your ID card."
Zayden handed over his ID. The receptionist checked the system, but then her expression changed, her brows furrowed.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Zayden. Are you sure you want to register as a dungeon hunter?" she asked carefully.
"Yes. Why? Is there a problem?"
"No... but according to the system, it says you already registered last night."
Zayden turned to look at Max. Both of them froze.