New Calden City, 11:43 a.m.
It was close to noon, but New Calden City was a place that was never still. From the early hours of dawn till way past midnight, the city was always pulsing with energy. The hustle and bustle of the city never ceased, its streets fully alive with constant movement of people, with vendors shouting their prices and marketing their wares as they pushed their carts down crowded sidewalks.
However, amid the hustle and bustle of the city, there was one building that stood out like a monument. It was the utter definition of power, prestige and prominence.
This building was none other than the New Calden Hunter Association Branch.
The New Calden Hunter Association Branch stood like a fortress of authority at the heart of the city's central district. As a monumental building that was over 50 meters tall, it was very much visible to anyone even from the outer district of New Calden City.
Its exterior was made of reinforced obsidian glass, sleek and reflective as it absorbed the light of the city like a dark mirror. Polished marble steps led to the entrance, and the towering building was flanked side-by-side by two 10 meter tall metal statues of past S-Rank Hunters frozen mid-battle.
A massive golden crest was embedded on one part of the tall building, an insignia that depicted a black star encased in a ring of chains, a symbol of the association's control over chaos.
It was the symbol of the Hunter Association.
A hundred years ago, rifts appeared out of nowhere. They were mysterious spatial gates that led to ancient ruins or medieval ruins, which were the remnants of lost civilizations, mystical powers or ancient beasts.
These rifts existed in different locations in the world, and the loot from them could provide insight to several ancient technologies, magic, and treasures.
However, nothing great came free, and some of the rifts broke apart. As such, monsters, humanoid beasts and creatures that mankind had never seen came out from these rifts. Destruction ensued, cities and countries fell, and millions of people died.
It was a disaster.
No one knew why these rifts suddenly appeared, but with their appearance, humanity was not left behind, and the era of Hunters came.
Some humans awakened abilities that allowed them to stand against the monsters, and they became Hunters.
Hunters were the only ones who could access these rifts, fight these monsters, and return safely with the treasures they acquired.
Naturally, the treasures they acquired were very much useful to the advancement and safety of mankind, and without any suspense, the value of Hunters rose tremendously.
To regulate them, the various upper echelon of the world created the Hunter Association, which were tasked with organizing, licensing and deploying hunters to close rifts and exterminate threats.
Around them, Guilds also emerged. They were private owned institutions usually led by Hunters who did not want to work for the Hunter Association. As the years passed, the new era became the norm, and a century later, the Hunter Association and Guilds became the twin pillars of order in a world that was constantly under the threat of rifts.
***
Noel walked calmly and weaved his way through the busy streets of New Calden City. His destination was none other than the towering Hunter Association building.
Noel was no stranger to this imposing building. After all, he had tried awakening as a hunter twice in this same building during the past three months; granted all two of his attempts ended up in utter failure.
Still, he was determined to try again for the third time, regardless of what the result may be. He was desperately grasping on to the slim chance that he might end up awakening as a Hunter.
Noel let out a helpless sigh.
No use thinking about it now. If I awaken this time around, that'd be great. If I don't, so be it. The most important thing is I tried my best.
Noel pushed open the heavy glass doors of the Hunter Association building. The cool breeze from the lobby's industrial-grade air conditioners hit his face instantly, brushing against the stiff collar of his worn-out suit, which was the best pair of clothing he owned. It was old, faded at the edges, and slightly too loose at the shoulders, but he had ironed it meticulously this morning, paying no heed to the spike in electricity bill it would cost. Since he was hoping to change his life, he decided to be a little stitious and as meticulous as possible
The inside of the lobby was as grand as one would expect it to be. Luxurious crystal chandeliers hung from the towering dome ceilings, their reflections very much visible over polished black and white marble tiles. Giant LED screens displayed various ongoing rift clearances, Hunter rankings, and breaking news from other branches in the world.
It was packed.
Guild scouts and representatives in sleek uniforms clustered across the lobby, their eyes constantly scanning every new face that walked through the entrance. Some stood near designated booths, while others weaved through the crowd like predators hunting prey. Nevertheless, all of them had one goal; and that was to scout fresh talents the moment they awakened.
Despite the clatter in the hall, the voices and the conversations they had were loud and animated.
"Another swordsman? Damn, fifth one this morning."
"He said he got an Archer class. Not bad—solid mid-tier potential."
"Trash-tier class again. Poor kid's stuck at F-rank unless he gets crazy lucky."
"Did you hear? Yesterday, one of the new kids awakened as an Elementalist. The Cloud Fang Guild signed him on the spot!"
"No way. Cloud Fang? Tch. They got money to burn. I still can't believe they rejected our offer."
"You think that's bad? One of our recruits awakened as a Healer, and more than ten Guilds almost came to blows right here in the lobby."
A scout brushed past Noel, eyes fixed on a nervous girl heading toward the testing area. "Please be a Healer. Our whole raid team needs support."
Noel knew the drill.
When someone awakened, they didn't just gain the ability to use Mana. They also gained a Class, one that defined their future as a Hunter. Every new Hunter started at F-rank, regardless of their Class, and had to fight, explore rifts, and grow stronger to climb the ranks.
Unfortunately, not all Classes were made equal.
Classes like Summoner, Elementalist, and Healers were rare and highly sought after, capable of rising quickly through the ranks—especially with Guild support. Meanwhile, common or "low-tier" classes like Swordsman, Assassin or Necromancer rarely made it past D-rank. Most Guilds wouldn't even consider scouting someone with them. There were just too many to count, and most of the time, the returns from the resources they used weren't worth the investment.
"Awaken as something good, and you're golden," Noel muttered under his breath as he glanced around the bustling hall. He couldn't help but feel extremely nervous despite the fact that it was his third time here. On the other hand, it was probably because it was his third time here that he was feeling extremely nervous.
It was his final chance after all.
Noel let out a deep sigh, straightened his back and walked towards the registration terminal with a determined expression on his face. However, he had barely taken five steps before someone blocked his path.
A man stepped in front of Noel, snapping him from his thoughts. He had short auburn hair, a sharp face, and a friendly grin.
"You're here to awaken?" The man asked with a grin, offering a hand. He was dressed smartly in a black and blue Guild uniform, a gold pin gleaming on his lapel.
Noel blinked. "Yeah. Third time actually."
Ronan's eyes twitched, but he masked it with a polite chuckle.
"Well, third time's the charm, right? The name's Ronan. I'm a scout from the Verdant Blade Guild. We're a second-rate Guild, nothing too flashy, but we've got steady growth and good rift access."
"Noel." Noel introduced himself as he gave a polite nod, unsure why the man was talking to him.
"I'll be blunt," Ronan said, stepping closer. "If you awaken with a decent Class—even just a mid-tier class like Guardian Knight or Archer—we'd love to have a chat. We're always looking for fresh talent with potential."
Noel's heart thudded in his chest, as though he couldn't believe his ears.
"You're offering me a chance?"
Ronan smiled politely, seemingly experienced with this kind of situation.
"It's not an offer. We're simply interested in you. If you awaken, come find me after your test. We can talk about possibilities."
Before Noel could respond however, a loud commotion erupted near the entrance, and both of them couldn't help but stare as well.
"No way! Isn't that the Rose Palace Guild?"
"The Rose Palace is here? Aren't they based in the capital?"
"Heidi's awakening today? The Heidi?!"
"No kidding. Even Bianca is here! She's an actual B-rank Hunter. What the hell...?"
A group of uninformed individuals entered through the private Guild entrance at the side. Their coats were white with rose-gold linings, the unmistakable mark of Rose Palace, one of the most elite first-rate Guilds in the nation; and at the center of the procession was a stunning lady.
The stunning young woman with flowing blonde hair, striking emerald eyes, walked calmly with a graceful yet proud posture. Her body was like the sculpture of a greek goddess, with curves in the perfect places. Her tailored jacket bore the sigil of the Rose Palace Guild, a golden rose wrapped in a crystal.
They were walking out of the Awakening Chamber.
Her name rippled through the crowd, and danced clandestinely on the lips of every one present.
"Heidi Everhart." someone in the crowd whispered with reverence.
She looked every bit the noble everyone whispered she was—gorgeous, poised, and untouchable. A crystalline screen above the reception area flickered to life, displaying her awakening results for all to see.
Name: Heidi Everhart
Class: Summoner
Rank: F
Affiliation: Rose Palace Guild
Status: Cleared
"A Summoner! Are you kidding me?"
"She awakened as a Summoner? That's one of the rarest classes!" another voice said, stunned.
"She actually awakened as a summoner?!"
"Of course she did. She's from the Everhart bloodline. They've got old magic in their veins."
"Damn, Rose Palace got a jackpot."
"With the Rose Palace backing her? She's gonna skyrocket to B-rank in months!"
"A rare class like that... lucky doesn't even begin to cover it."
Noel stood still, trying his best not to gape. He didn't know much about guild politics, but even he had heard of the Rose Palace. They were a top ranked first-rate Guild known for producing talented Hunters. Furthermore, they even had two A-ranked hunters in their Guild! Their resources, reputation, and reach were definitely unmatched.
Noel watched the scene unfold in silence, completely overwhelmed. Ronan noticed his blank expression and leaned closer.
"Who is she?" Noel asked softly, a curious expression on his face.
Ronan turned to stare at him.
"You don't know who she is?" he asked, eyes wide with disbelief.
"That's Heidi Everhart. Her family's loaded with Mana lineage. Rose Palace scouted her even before she turned sixteen. And now, she just awakened as a Summoner. That's like finding a diamond inside a mountain of gold." Ronan explained patiently to Noel, while staring at him with a puzzled expression.
Has he been living under a rock?
"Still, Rose Palace just won the lottery," he muttered enviously. "Summoner is one of the rarest support-attack classes with massive growth potential. With a guild like the Rose Palace backing her, she could very well be S-rank in a few years."
"She just awakened, though, and she's only F-rank." Noel said, still staring at her stunning figure.
Ronan nodded in agreement.
"True. Everyone starts at F rank, but rank doesn't mean much until you grow. It's all about the class you awaken, and what you do with it. Guilds like hers provide ancient tomes, relics, access to high-tier rifts, as well as everything she needs to evolve quickly. It'll only be a matter of time before her name becomes global. Meanwhile, someone with a weak class and no Guild? Stuck at the bottom forever." Ronan added wistfully.
Heidi's gaze swept the rowdy lobby as if scanning the insects beneath her feet, and for a brief moment, her emerald eyes locked with Noel's.
They stared at each other for a brief moment, then she looked away, a look of complete disinterest on her face.
Noel smiled bitterly. Yeah... we're not even in the same world.
He let out a bitter sigh, and then turned to Ronan.
"Thanks for the offer, but I should go."
Ronan raised a brow, surprised at Noel's decision. "You sure? You seem a bit nervous. You shouldn't rush this, you know?"
"It's fine. Let's see what fate has in store first." Noel said quietly.
With a soft exhale, he turned away from the crowd, his hands tucked into the pockets of his worn-out suit pants, and walked toward the entrance that led to the Awakening Chambers.