"Here you go," Ben said as he presented the comm device to one of the E rankers, then continued distributing the rest to the others.
One by one, the minutes passed until finally, every single person in the room had a comm device, which they carefully examined with curious eyes.
Max could be seen tapping on the screen, sliding his finger across it, checking, testing, and trying to get used to its functions.
’Works like my smartphone from my old world. I even forgot I once swore I’d get myself a phone here. Back then, I was too poor to afford one, but now... things are changing. I think I’ve found a way to get richer. Anyway, let’s see what this device has in store for me.’ Max thought as he clicked on a tab labeled Missions.
It was empty. He skimmed over to Available Threats, but still nothing appeared. He frowned slightly, curiosity gnawing at him as he continued to scroll. He was still observing the device, flipping between tabs and swiping through blank pages, when he heard Ben’s voice.
"Okay. Everybody got their devices, huh?" Ben asked, scanning the room with a sharp gaze, making sure each person had one. He nodded at their focused faces, all of them glancing curiously through the devices. "Nice. Now, next up." His tone shifted as he gestured to the second cart positioned to his left.
"Now what’s in the second cart?" Jasmine asked with a raised eyebrow, curiosity dripping from her voice.
Ben sighed, his expression turning more serious. "I know that not all of you are hybrids. And in this field of ours, we don’t want the death of a hunter on our hands.
So, we decided to put our master craftsmen to work. They’ve been forging weapons that not only allow most of you to even the field against your opponents, but also help you grow stronger."
With a dramatic motion, he opened the cart. The lid creaked as a faint gust of wind rushed out, rustling through the room like an invisible hand. Everyone leaned forward, eyes narrowing in anticipation as Ben reached inside.
Finally, he pulled something out.
It was a pair of sleek black boots. He lifted them into the air so all could see.
"These," Ben declared, his voice steady and commanding, "are what give us an edge against our opponents. Beast gears."
A ripple of surprise ran through the room.
"Beast gears?" Max echoed with a raised eyebrow, the term piquing his interest.
Ben nodded. "Equipment crafted from the body, bones, or cores of beasts. They carry the strength and properties of the creatures they came from.
What? Did you really think the association would send a bunch of weak humans out into the field? No. We aren’t stupid. We already know we won’t always receive batches of hybrids."
Murmurs spread through the crowd as Ben’s words sank in.
"If you are human and feel out of place, don’t," Ben continued firmly, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Ninety percent of the members in the association are humans. Heck, out of the three S-ranked hunters we have, two are humans. So don’t count yourself out just yet."
That statement alone stunned many, and even Max couldn’t help but be impressed.
’Three S-ranked hunters? And two of them are humans? That’s insane. How did they even rise that high with... oh wait. Of course. They must have used beast gears.
Especially ones crafted from the dragons of old.’ Max sighed inwardly as a faint glow flickered in his pupils. His dragon eyes activated instinctively, peering into the cart with precision.
’I can’t see any dragon weapons in there. These are purely beast-forged weapons.’
A soft voice stirred in his mind.
"It’s a smart move from the association. I think I’ve figured out why," Pix suddenly said.
’Which is?’ Max asked inwardly, never shifting his gaze from the cart.
"It wouldn’t be wise to hand out weapons that are too powerful to just anyone. Especially not to weak, untested hunters. Think about it. Remember Elijah, the man you met in the bar? He said hunters who wield dragon weapons can draw essence directly from them, using it to enhance their strength and speed, right?" Pix asked, her voice calm yet calculating.
Max’s fingers curled slightly around his comm device as he mulled over her words. The room around him buzzed with whispers of awe and excitement, but in his heart, he knew this was only the beginning.
’Yeah. But I noticed the essence in his own sword was still immense,’ Max replied inwardly, recalling Elijah’s weapon.
"Exactly. It looks like even as an A-ranked hunter, his body isn’t strong enough to handle a large amount of essence. He probably only siphons a little at a time to boost himself, which explains why his sword was still brimming with unused energy." Pix added matter-of-factly.
’Which means... those human S-ranked hunters must have refined their bodies to the point where they can draw more essence directly from the weapon?’ Max asked, his eyes widening as the realization sank in.
"I’m afraid we might be right. Think about it, even if dragons were more common five or four hundred years ago, most of them would not have been strong enough—or even carried lasting essence once turned into weapons. The ones that retained it would be rare, extremely rare." Pix spouted, her tone calm yet sharp.
’If the weapons are that few, it would mean only those who are strong or impressive enough would ever be bestowed with them. And one condition... they must be humans.’ Max concluded inwardly, though his head began to throb from overthinking. He pressed his temple lightly. ’Crap. That means those S-rankers aren’t just strong, they’re complete monsters.’
"Anyway," Ben’s commanding voice cut sharply through Max’s thoughts, snapping him back to the present. "These weapons will be given to you according to your rank. So if you are an E-ranked human hunter, you will only receive a basic-tier gear. You’ll have to work hard if you want more exclusive perks. Now, let’s begin."
The crowd straightened as he began calling hunters one after the other to come collect their gear.
’At least we’re getting something to start with,’ Max thought, shifting his weight with his hands tucked deep into his pockets. ’Unlike a certain NovelHub that got adapted into an anime where the MC had to suffer like a dog being the weakest hunter alive.
He would almost get killed over and over because of how pathetic he and his weapons were. At least this association has some sense, giving us gears from the start.’
He watched quietly as the line moved. Hunters stepped forward, collected their gear, and returned—most receiving a pair of boots for speed boosts alongside their chosen weapon.
The hybrids in the group stood aside, exempt from the line. Max, hiding under the guise of being a regular human—though his earlier performance had already sparked doubts in the minds of many, joined the queue as well.
Finally, it was his turn. He was handed a pair of sturdy boots as expected and then asked for his weapon of choice. Without hesitation, he picked a sword which was a sleek katana. The moment he gripped the hilt, he felt the faint hum of beast energy vibrating through it. He gave a curt nod and walked off, blending back into the group.
Soon, the weapon distribution came to an end. Ben looked more than satisfied as his lips curled into a small smile.
"That is all for today. You will now be teleported to your rooms, where you will find your designated roommates. Your uniforms have already been laid out on your beds, with spare sets folded neatly in the wardrobes. Good luck to you all, and welcome once again to the association. Till we meet again."
Right on cue, the entire room lit up with a blinding white glow. The light swallowed them whole, erasing every shadow in the chamber.