finally

The battlefield was silent except for the occasional crackle of burning flesh. Corpses of monsters littered the ground, their bodies torn apart. Some had been crushed beyond recognition, their bones shattered into dust, while others had deep claw marks carved through their bodies. The blood had long since dried, staining the dirt a dark, ugly brown.

Orin stood among the bodies, breathing steadily. His knuckles were sore, the result of countless punches thrown over the past weeks. The air was thick with the stench of death. A cold wind passed through the area, carrying the faint scent of blood.

For the past month, he and Zera had been hunting relentlessly. She went out every day, killing monster after monster. He only went out about six times, but his work was more efficient. The others thought they had cleared the map of level 1 and 2 monsters, but Orin had secretly eliminated several level 3 creatures as well. Thanks to his special physique, he could move undetected, killing them without anyone noticing. He had spent the last month feeding on weaker monsters while storing the stronger ones in his belt for later.

His watch vibrated. A call.

"Hello, Orin. Let's meet at the base," Rael's voice came through the communicator.

Orin glanced at the time. He tapped his watch, opening the suit control panel.

[Physical training suit: 11,000kg]

Training had been difficult. The stronger he became, the harder it was to improve. He lowered the weight to 1000kg, then sprinted back toward the base.

When he arrived, the base was filled with people. The rest of the group was already gathered, waiting.

Rael stood in front of them. "The airship is taking us back. We completed the evaluation in a record one month."

A wave of cheers followed. It was a rare accomplishment.

Rael continued, "We'll be receiving our rewards, but more importantly, one of us has been recognized by the MHU. They will be invited to join the elite hunters program. Congratulations, Zera. You are now officially an elite level 3 hunter."

More applause. It was expected. She had cleared most of the map alone, and she had saved someone's life. At least, that's what people believed. Orin knew the truth, but he didn't care. This worked in his favor. He preferred to remain unnoticed.

One thing caught his interest, though.

"What's the elite hunters program?" he asked.

Rael wasn't surprised by his question. He had always been indifferent to recognition. At least now, he spoke more than before.

"The MHU elite title is given to hunters who have the potential to reach S-rank. The program was recently developed to push them toward that goal. In Zera's case, her explosive energy core gives her a chance to achieve an S-rank electric ability."

The room fell silent. Even Zera looked stunned.

She turned toward Orin, remembering his unnatural strength. Could he also be a candidate? She dismissed the thought. His abilities were strange, but he wasn't an energy user.

Orin left the room without another word.

The training suit and gloves had served him well, but they weren't his. He would have to buy his own gear soon.

A few minutes later, the rooftop opened like a massive mouth, and an airship descended. The team boarded immediately.

Orin took a seat near the back, dressed in the standard uniform, baggy military pants, a plain shirt, and boots.

Zera sat beside him.

"So, Orin, what's your plan after this?"

"I'll join a hunter's hut. I want to explore."

She nodded. "The huts guard the borders of human civilization. Our territory only covers a small part of the continent. There are countless unknown dangers beyond the walls."

Orin knew all of this already. Staying in the city would only bring him trouble. There were too many conflicts between humans. Maybe if they had a bigger threat, they would finally unite. But that wasn't his concern. He had one goal—revenge. The person who destroyed his home was still out there. He would make them suffer.

The airship ride was quick, and soon, they arrived at the Monster Hunter Union.

Agents were waiting for them, their badges gleaming under the artificial lights. Some had silver badges, while others had three-star insignias. The group was led into a room, where each member received their own badge.

Orin glanced at his. Bronze 2-star.

He had no complaints.

Rael and Zera both received bronze 3-star badges.

Zera looked at Orin's badge. She knew better than anyone that his strength was far beyond what this rank suggested. The way he had crushed that monster's crystal armor with his bare hands—there was no way he was just a level 2 hunter. But she kept her thoughts to herself.

The rest of the group received their badges. Most were level 1 or 2 hunters.

Their watches buzzed with notifications.

[Congratulations, you have received 100 contribution points.]

Orin was about to check the details when the entire hall suddenly fell silent.

An old man had appeared.

His hair was green, standing up in jagged spikes. His eyes glowed faintly, and his robe was covered in symbols of nature. His presence was overwhelming, even though he didn't appear physically strong. On his chest was a golden badge with two stars.

Elder Raizo.

Nobody dared to speak. Even Rael stepped aside.

Raizo walked forward, his gaze locked on one person.

Zera.

"You've done well. I'm proud of you," he said, his voice carrying authority.

Zera straightened. "Grandpa… I didn't expect you to come personally."

Orin studied the old man carefully. He had no way to sense energy, but his instincts told him that this was not a man to underestimate. His presence was suffocating, as if the air itself was pressing down.

Then, Raizo's gaze shifted to Orin.

"So, you're the one with extraordinary physical strength?"

Orin stepped forward. "Yes, sir."

Raizo didn't blink. "If you could break level 3 defenses during the first test, why didn't you act during the evaluation? Instead, you got kidnapped."

Orin answered without hesitation. "I knew Zera had a problem. I pushed her to overcome it. It wasn't polite, but I'm ready for punishment."

Zera's eyes widened. "You did it on purpose?"

Before she could say more, Raizo burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Why punish you? You did well. In fact, I think you deserve a reward."

He reached into his storage ring and pulled out a small box.

"This is for you. Use it well."

Orin took it without hesitation. He wondered what was inside.