A day had already passed since the humiliation Zach faced and currently, everybody could be seen taking their breakfast in the canteen except Zach, Jake, and Max. Original content can be found at NoveI(F)ire.net
They weren’t even planning on coming, not until all the new hunters that were in Max’s batch received a notification on their comm devices, informing them that they had to be in the canteen for a special announcement.
And now, Max, Jake, along with Zach, were forced to appear in the canteen, and so they did.
The dragon vessel could be seen walking in, hands tucked in his pockets with a nonchalant expression on his face as he stepped into the canteen. Instantly, a hush befell the room as everyone turned to stare at him.
’Hmm... I’m feeling like the protagonist of an anime all of a sudden. This silence only ever comes for the protagonist and here I am feeling it. Mehn! My aura has just risen.’ Max chuckled inwardly as he casually strode over and took a seat.
A few minutes later, Jake walked in after coming back from somewhere and went ahead to sit beside Max.
Then, a few more minutes later, Zach walked in. His head was held down as he avoided any form of eye contact with anybody.
Even though he tried, he still heard chuckles coming from a few tables, but he ignored them until he passed by one particular spot. There, he saw Max seated comfortably, not even sparing him a glance.
Zach sighed heavily and with a frown, he continued toward where his friends were seated. But when they saw him approaching, they stood up and outright changed seats, leaving him stranded in the middle of the hall.
Max tilted his head, staring at the helpless Zach whose hands were tightly clenched, teeth grinding back and forth, the pain of obvious betrayal from his so-called friends etched across his face.
’Now I kinda feel bad for him. Poor guy.’ Max sighed inwardly before facing forward again. ’But he kinda deserved it though. He should know that whether you have power, money, or strength, you should always remain humble and not let them get to your head.
Being poor is bad, being weak and powerless is also a root of all evils. Once you attain power, you must never let it get to your head, otherwise you will be forcefully humbled sooner or later.’
"I don’t understand," Pix finally spoke inside Max’s head. "Who are you even speaking with? You’re talking as if you’re giving a moral lesson to kids on a TV show."
"Buzz off." Max mumbled in annoyance.
"You said something?" Jake asked curiously.
"No..." Max was about to reply when the doors to the canteen swung wide open and two individuals walked in.
The first figure was a male the canteen was already familiar with, especially Max. This was Hunter Elijah — an A ranked hunter who carried a small frown on his face as he entered.
Beside him was a stunning female. She was so breathtaking that Max’s mouth hung slightly open as he stared at her hungrily.
She was the epitome of beauty, with a naturally busty figure, her chest easily a G-cup, and her ass was so perfectly rounded it looked like two ripe melons stacked together. That was how captivating she was.
Her flawless skin was smooth and radiant, adorned with delicate designs that looked like tattoos snaking across her arms. Her crimson eyes glimmered with a mix of allure and authority, frequently shifting between a smile and a faint frown.
Her long, luscious pink hair cascaded down to her waist freely, swaying as she walked with elegance that made her look less like a hunter and more like an untouchable goddess.
’I almost forgot my main motive for coming into this association. I need and want more girls!’ Max roared internally as he eyed the female, though careful not to make it too obvious. His lips twitched slightly, but he quickly masked it with a calm expression.
"Is that everybody?" Elijah asked as the hush in the room deepened, and the hunters all nodded in unison.
"Good. I’m not one for beating around the bush, so I’ll hit the nail on the head and go straight to the point.
Now, some information has just reached my ears. An incident happened here a day ago that should never have occurred. Honestly, I don’t know what got into the said hunter’s head, but what I don’t appreciate is you all mocking him and calling him names."
Hearing that, every gaze in the hall naturally drifted toward Zach, who sat stiff with his hands clenched in anger, his jaw muscles twitching as if he was barely keeping his fury in check.
"You all are adults. Legal adults, even though most of you are just eighteen. Many of you here are C and B ranked hunters, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t order within these walls.
We are to respect each other no matter what. Regardless of how weird, foolish, or even naked our colleagues may appear, respect must always come first. That is why I hereby order you all to stop calling him names. And whosoever dares to disobey me will face my wrath.
And let me make this clear—there hasn’t been a child born yet in this world who can try to take me on." Elijah’s tone dropped low, his words carrying a deadly weight, and as they fell upon the hunters, a terrifying aura burst forth.
The suffocating pressure swept across the entire hall, forcing everyone into complete, pin-drop silence. Some even broke into a cold sweat, their throats dry as sandpaper.
’Tch!’ Max scoffed inwardly, unimpressed but not foolish enough to show it.
"Anyway," Elijah continued, withdrawing his aura as if nothing had happened. He turned towards the female beside him and gestured gracefully. "I want you all to welcome a new addition to your batch. She just took her test and has been deemed fit enough to become a hunter.
So, welcome Daki Nomed—a C ranked hunter, like the majority of you here."
The hunters offered polite smiles and a few nods while Daki bowed slightly toward the hall filled with nearly a hundred hunters.
Her crimson eyes gleamed as she raised her head, and her presence seemed to light up the atmosphere in a different way, capturing attention even without trying.
"One last thing," Elijah said, turning back to address everyone. "For the new hunters here, I strongly advise you to form a team or a group of some sort.
You cannot go on missions alone, so it will be wise to create a pack and stick with them. Make sure they are people you can trust with your life because missions are dangerous, and working together means putting your survival in the hands of others. Choose carefully, and understand the responsibility that comes with it.
Anyway, that’s all from me."
The very next instant, his figure blurred. To many, it looked like he had teleported, vanishing in a flash, but the faint sound of the door shutting behind him betrayed his departure.