chapter 2: Brother

I woke up and found myself in the same shabby apartment.

I stand up and look outside the window and I estimated that it's just 6 in the morning so I quickly brush my teeth and prepare myself to go out.

Just before I sleep I finished reading the Begginer hunters guide and then saw that as a hunter we are required to go to the nearest center and do a hunters quest according to our ranks and in exchange for that we earn credits, credits are the most used currency in this city..

After more reading I learned that I am in the country of Egrev, region of Corfan and I'm in a small city called bloodstone city known for the bloodstone produced inside the gates subdued by the association.

I only have three set of clothes in my closet not including the oversized shirt I wore before. There a formal, casual and an old jumper made with leather partnered with a white shirt.

I decided to wear the jumper cause I vaguely remember that I have a collection skill and out of the three outfit inside the closet it was the most used.

Out of the corner of the room I spotted a large brown leather backpack with jerky inside. "Wow, I've never tasted a jerky before! It's exactly like in the game."

Remembering that I didn't have any meal yesterday and I also skipped breakfast this morning I chewed the beef jerky quickly.

A smoky flavor instantly filled my mouth and the chewiness was perfect, contrary to the game I played describe that jerky was plain and bland, the one I am chewing was seasoned and actually quite tasty.

I looked in the full body mirror beside the door and saw a teenager looking version of me dressed in a jumper suit with white shirt and equipped with a big backpack.

"if I didn't check my status window yesterday I would really thought I was a teenager." I sighed and fixed the hair covering my forehead and then go outside my apartment.

...

After going out I learned that I was living on the second floor of the building and the first floor was a big house where the landlord live.

After descending downstairs an orange hair filled my vision and was then bump into something hard.

I stumbled backwards in the stairs and heard a low grunt Infront of me.

"Watch where you're going KID!" the kid was said clearly which makes me angry.

I stand up and pat my back."who are you calling kid? And why were you blocking the stairs? Are you some kinda thug?"

"What's that supposed to mean huh?! You-" the man suddenly remembered something and then looked at me seriously.

"*Cough*Kid, yesterday... In the apartment... Did you.." he looked at me with mixed emotion.

"None of your business hmp!" I tried walking away from him but he grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

"I am your landlord... Well the grandson of your landlord so it matters to me!"

I tried shaking him off but to no avail my current body was lacking some muscles to shake this tall muscle head.

"*Sigh* don't worry about it I would not do it again in here if ever.. and also I wouldn't be late paying my rent due again. Is that good?" I asked sarcastically.

He then let go of my hand and then scanned me from head to toe.

"What?"

"Nothing.. nothing.. are you going somewhere perhaps?" He asked.

"The central." I shortly replied.

Well exactly I don't know where is the central but I know I could just asked the people on the way there.

The orange head guy suddenly smiled and offered me his hand. "Great I would be going there too.. you wanna go there together?"

"I don't know..." I said while quietly balancing the pros and cons.

"I have a ride and you could save if we go together right?" He said.

He has a point there, and also It would save me some time if someone could directly drop me off there so I reluctantly agreed.

I shake his hand."fine, by the way I'm Reim."

"I know, my father always talk about you... Well not in the good way haha but no worries I wouldn't judge you on what I have heard."

He smiled and we shaled hands and then we go to the parking lot where he parked his car.

"Woah!" My mouth went wide at the Maybach off road parked under the apartment.

He opened the car seat and showed a proud smile that screams 'im rich and humble'

"Bah! Stop showing off and just drive." Of course I couldn't just say that instead I thanked him and sit inside the car.

He then seat in the driver seat and proceed driving to the central. Outside I can see a thick cover of forest and a few buildings and establishment neatly aligned with the nature like both coexist together naturally and I can't help but be amazed.

While driving I can't help but notice his frequent stares poking me from time to time so I break the ice between us.

"What's your name?" I asked looking at his reflection on the car door's window.

"Wait- uhh... Sorry I forgot to introduce myself I'm Lucas... Lucas Wilson." He said hesitantly.

"Ahh.. ok."

I can't tell if he was expecting another reaction on me or what but I can see in the reflection that he's confused.

'Does my reaction that bad? Should I say more or what? Why does he look like he was offended, I'm confused'

"You can call me brother and treat me like an older brother if you want to I don't mind." He suddenly said.

*Cough* *cough* *cough*

I was so taken aback by what he said that I started to choke on my saliva..

He stopped by the roadside and hand me a bottle of water..

"You... What did you say? You looked like 20 to me." I said while wiping my mouth.

"I said you can treat me as an older brother."

"Hahahahahh you really know how to crack jokes are you?" I laugh while patting his shoulder.

*Silence*

I can feel his face full of annoyance looking at me, I seemed to unintentionally shame him.

"Is that.. really... You're not joking?" I asked

Looking at his face though right now his eyebrows are scrunched up and he has that annoyed look, he looks like a celebrity and guess his age was somewhere twenty.

"Excuse me, how old are you again??"

"21" he said with uninterested and low voice

It looks like he was annoyed on my sudden laughter of him maybe he thought I was mocking him realizing this I quickly clean my side.

"No, no, I'm not mocking you or something I just thought you were kidding.."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" He said with an annoyed expression.

'No, it looks like you're gonna throw me outside'

"Ehem* sorry I really thought you were, but look, I'm not mocking you or anything but dude, I'm older than you." I pat his shoulder.

Instead of getting better his face gets worse and flicked my hands off him. "Are you making fun of me now?"

*Sigh* What a hot tempered man. I take out my hunter identification and presented it to him.

He takes my card confused and scanned it quickly. After that I saw his face changed from annoyed to understanding and then in to ashamed look. He rest his head in the steering wheel and without looking said. "I'm sorry" with a low quite voice.

"No worries about that If you really want to be brothers no problem with me.. just not a big brother haha." I jest which is a wrong move because he only got quieter.

"Uhm if you don't mind can we proceed now or I will be late in the central?"

I wasn't really sure if I'm late or not but to get away from this awkward moment I just make up something.

Lucas then remembered something and then be backed at his previous state and start driving.

Ten minutes driving I don't feel him staring at me anymore instead I can feel our seat getting farther and farther. Soon the silence was broken by him.

"Lucas.."

"Sorry? What?"

"You can just call me Lucas." He said calmly.

I breathe a sigh of relief and nod at him and smiled. "Lucas? What are you gonna do in the central? If you don't mind answering."

Looking at the road he smiled and calmly said. "I was going to get my hunter license this day."

I'm quite surprised that he answered my question I thought he was still awkward with me.

"What about you? What would you do in the central?"

"Oh me? I'm looking for a job in the central." I said unsurely. "If I don't find anything I'll just stroll the central and make myself familiar in the place" I continue.

"Oh great! If you don't mind, would you like to stroll with me? You know I just got here and I wasn't familiar around the place so..."

I didn't think anything about his request and I was quite interested on how do they registered as a hunter so I was considering accepting his offer.

"In exchange I will drive you back to the apartment.. deal?" He hesitantly said.

"Deal!"

And with that we've talked and talked all the way to the central getting us closed like brothers.

On the central..

Lucas and Reim arrived at the bustling street of the central and everywhere they've look they can only see a cemented area no dirt can be seen in the city.

Soon Lucas parked under the hunter association and the two men go to the receptionist to book an awakener exam for hunter registration.

"Lucas Wilson, scheduled for hunter registration"

Upon hearing the surname Wilson the receptionist look attentive and called someone on the phone.

Reim looked confusedly at Lucas but Lucas just smiled at him. Soon three men in suits bowed at the them and lead them to the other room, away from the other examiners that taking the same exam.

"Did you review for the exam?" Reim said to Lucas.

The question made Lucas smile and said "there's no written exam for hunter registration only for tamer and summoner type of awakener does the written exam occur."

Reim made a big "Oh" sound and just followed quietly behind them.

Soon they've arrived at the large white space with a large transparent oval shaped crystal in the middle as tall as three adult man stacked together and two men side by side.

Reim looked around just to see thirty to fourty examiners around very far from the hundreds lined on the receptionist area to register.

"This must be a vip sort of place." Reik unconsciously mumbled.

"Yes, this was a private testing site." Lucas who heard him proudly said that and proceed to walk arrogantly.

Reim who knows the true nature of Lucas just laugh and walk with him towards the middle of the testing site.

An old little woman in a suit was floating infront of the large crystal observed the examiners one by one till her sight come across the two men arrived last.

"The association must be lucky this year!" She approvingly nod her head and then head hold a megaphone.

[To the examiner, to know your capabilities and jobs put your hand in the crystal and infuse your mana with it..]

She then proceed touching the crystal and then a magical thing happened. The crystal turned light purple and soon turned darker until it gets so dark it's not transparent anymore.

[The color indicates the type of your jobs and the intensity of the color would indicate what rank are your job is.]

As soon as the old woman take off her hands the crystal then soon turned back to crystal clear.

This cause a small uproar and noises around the examiners, different sound of anticipation could be heard.

[Line up!]

The voice of the old woman quiet down their voices and soon they've started to hush down.

"You lined up there and I'll be right there along the guys there." Reim pointed at the men who escorted them there.

Lucas nod and proceed to line up with the other examiners..

"Lucas.. good luck!" Reim said before running towards the men.

Lucas smiled proudly and proceed lining up to get examined...