The Hunter Guild stood before me, a fortress of warriors, mages, and mercenaries. Inside, the air was thick with ambition. Some sought wealth, others glory.
I was here for something far greater.
Pushing open the heavy doors, I stepped inside. The grand hall stretched before me, alive with the sounds of clanking armor and murmured deals. Mission boards lined the walls, packed with requests ranging from monster hunts to assassination contracts.
My gaze shifted to the reception desk, where several women worked efficiently, their uniforms crisp, their expressions sharp.
One of them—long auburn hair, golden eyes like a beast ready to pounce—locked eyes with me and smiled.
"Welcome to the Hunter Guild! How can I assist you?"
I adjusted my stance, my voice altered by the enchanted mask my father had given me.
"I'm here to register as a hunter."
Her eyes gleamed with interest. "Good choice. Here's the form. Take your time."
I moved to the side, unfolding the parchment.
Name…
Using my real name was out of the question.
"Unknown"? No, too pretentious.
"Shadow"? Nah, too edgy.
A smirk played on my lips.
"Phantom."
Perfect.
I continued filling it out.
Name: Phantom
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Class: Commoner
Magic Affinity: Fire, Water, Wind (Can't reveal I have every damn element—too much attention.)
Combat Style: Magic Swordsman
Satisfied, I slid the parchment across the counter.
The receptionist skimmed through it—then froze.
"Sir… you have three elemental affinities? A triple-caster?"
I shrugged. "Guess I'm built different."
She chuckled. "That's rare. Most people are lucky to have even one. Anyway, you're now eligible for the Hunter Exam. The test has three stages:
1. A mock battle against another participant.
2. A solo dungeon trial—an artificial dungeon created by a Seventh-Ring Master.
3. A team mission to retrieve a B-rank beast core.
Your performance will determine your rank, from E to S. But S and A have extra tiers—SSS, SS, S, and AAA, AA, A. If you dominate the third exam, you might even get a special-grade mount."
I pocketed the token she handed me. "Understood. When does it start?"
"Right now. Here's your participant number."
I glanced at the number.
71.
My eye twitched.
"Oh, hell no. My bad luck number. Nothing's gonna happen… right?"
Shaking it off, I followed her down a corridor, entering the Hunter Arena.
The battlefield stretched wide—training dummies, sparring rings, and an underground dungeon entrance. The air thrummed with tension as hunters-in-training clashed, testing their mettle before their turn came.
I scanned the crowd.
Strong. Weak. Pretenders. Killers.
Then my eyes locked onto a lone figure.
A man stood motionless, wrapped in black, a blindfold covering his eyes.
"The hell? A blind guy's taking the exam?"
Before I could dwell on it, a sharp voice rang out.
"ATTENTION! THE EXAM BEGINS NOW!"
A woman stepped forward—tall, battle-hardened, with a long scar across her cheek. The examiner.
"I'll call numbers. If it's yours, step into the arena."
The first match was called.
"Number 57 and Number 42, get in here!"
Two fighters entered the ring.
"Rules are simple: No killing. No dark artifacts. Everything else is fair game. Fight!"
Steel clashed, magic exploded, and the fight ended in minutes.
"Winner: Number 57!"
More matches followed—some ended in blood, others in pure humiliation. Then—
"Number 71 and Number 57, step forward!"
I stepped onto the battlefield.
Time to see how much I've really grown.
Number 57—a muscle-bound brute with a cocky grin—cracked his knuckles.
"So, a magic swordsman, huh? Go ahead, draw your sword."
I rolled my shoulders, shaking my head.
"I won't need it."
His grin widened. "Fucking bastard. You think you can beat me in close combat? My fists are hardened steel. Your body? Looks fragile as hell."
I raised my fists.
"Let's find out."
His expression twisted with rage. "I'll fucking break you."
He charged, fists flying.
Sloppy. Full of openings.
I sidestepped at the last second, twisted my body—and slammed a 160° spinning back kick into his jaw.
CRACK.
His body went limp, crashing to the ground.
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED?!"
"DID HE JUST INVENT A NEW FIGHTING STYLE?!"
"HE KNOCKED HIM OUT IN A SINGLE KICK?!"
The blindfolded man chuckled.
"He's good. Might be worth getting to know."
I cracked my neck, staring at my unconscious opponent.
"Tch. Didn't think he'd drop in one hit. Guess I should hold back next time."
The examiner raised her hand.
"Winner: Number 71—Phantom!"
The first test was over.
But this was just the beginning.
Because in this exam… someone didn't just want to pass.
They wanted me dead.
To Be Continued…