"Reinforcement? Me? The backup plan for special grade veteran warriors?" Kyle asked, his brows shooting up in disbelief.
Even saying it aloud sounded ridiculous.
He had awakened only recently, and now they were entrusting him with a responsibility of this magnitude? If not for the man’s usual impassive expression, Kyle would have dismissed the whole thing as some elaborate joke.
"Hmm, I understand how it sounds, but that’s the conclusion we reached after a long discussion," Pascal replied calmly. There wasn’t the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice, as though placing the lives of special grade warriors in Kyle’s hands was the most natural decision in the world.
Kyle wasn’t underestimating himself.
He simply understood the gap that still existed between strength and experience. Carrying such a burden demanded far more than raw power.
"Why me?" he asked, keeping his voice as steady as he could.
Pascal let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his chair.
He appeared to be searching for the right words when, all of a sudden,
"It’s because we know."
A deep, weighty voice echoed from behind them.
Ava instinctively flinched.
Pascal slowly rose from his seat as a towering man emerged from the shadows, his imposing frame nearly brushing the hanging lamp overhead.
"Kyle, this is the Defense Chief, Mr. Arlong Regandor. He is the face of PSC across all of Guhang, and the one who recommended your name for this program."
The title alone was enough to make Kyle rise to his feet.
Arlong had a dark complexion, a thick white beard that merged seamlessly into an equally full mustache, and a completely shaved head. Dressed in a dark yellow suit, he carried himself with the unmistakable aura of a mafia boss, despite the official title he bore.
Naturally, Kyle kept that observation to himself.
"Sit," Arlong said, lowering himself into the chair Pascal had just vacated.
Kyle glanced at Pascal before taking his seat once more.
"Everyone, leave. Cyrus stays."
His commanding voice left no room for hesitation.
Kyle didn’t need to activate God’s Eye to know every guard had already filed out of the room. Ava followed them as well, though for some reason, she left with her teeth clenched, her annoyance impossible to hide.
He spared her only a fleeting glance before turning his full attention back to Arlong.
Kyle met the man’s gaze.
"Kyle," Arlong began, "every hunter has things they choose to keep hidden. A weapon. A skill. Sometimes something even more personal. But you... you’ve hidden far more than most."
Kyle’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Arlong continued, "Back then, you fought that special grade simply to survive. That’s the only footage the others has seen. They know you somehow tore off its arm and created the opening Veronica needed to finish the fight."
Kyle let out a quiet hum of surprise.
"And why did you do that?"
For a brief moment, he wished they hadn’t known how that battle had truly ended.
It was nothing more than wishful thinking.
"Because we weren’t certain what exactly happened to you in that moment," Arlong replied. "Whatever it was, it granted you overwhelming strength. We also know it lasted only a short time since you retreated almost immediately afterward."
Kyle clicked his tongue and chewed the inside of his lip before replying, "Aren’t you reading too much into it? Maybe that thing was just weaker than everyone thought, and I was simply playing with it."
Pascal shook his head with a sigh.
"We have the Genesis recordings, Kyle. During those brief moments when you seized control of the battlefield, your presence became so terrifyingly unstable that, for an instant, we genuinely believed you might erase the rift through your sheer existence alone."
"..." So they had investigated far more thoroughly than he expected.
It seemed Veronica’s information about that area being outside the sensors’ coverage hadn’t been entirely accurate after all.
"Look, Kyle," Arlong said, his tone softening slightly. "We won’t force you to reveal your abilities to us. Though if you did, we could probably help you develop them even further."
Kyle offered no response.
The truth was, he had no intention of revealing anything, not just because trust came hard to him, but because people like Ava existed within their organization.
"But regardless of that," Arlong continued, "there is one thing we do trust."
"Your absurd rate of growth."
That, above everything else, was why he was here. It was why the central authority wanted Kyle to be part of this operation.
Kyle leaned back in his chair.
"So you’re saying you want to train me because you believe I’ll become strong enough to serve as their backup?"
Pascal answered that.
"Within a single month, you’ve reached a level where you stand alongside or above a special grade, even if only for a short time. That’s a fact we can’t ignore. Looking at it logically, another three months should be enough for you to become reliable support for those warriors."
Kyle felt a flicker of embarrassment, though none of it showed on his face.
Objectively speaking, Pascal wasn’t wrong.
Thanks to the System and Veronica’s guidance, his growth had been nothing short of extraordinary.
The quests, the Temple, and the blessings bestowed by his viewers all accelerated his progress, allowing both his strength and skills to evolve at a pace no ordinary hunter could hope to match.
As time passed, others had begun noticing it as well.
That was precisely why these two men were sitting across from him now, trying to convince him to accept their proposal.
"Kyle, we’re offering you an opportunity to sharpen your abilities. We’ll provide you with the resources, the equipment, and the people who can help you see flaws and possibilities you might never discover on your own."
Arlong’s gaze remained unwavering.
"In return, we ask for only one promise."
Kyle drew a slow, deep breath.
Now this...
This was a decision that carried real weight.
....
Blake had returned home to collect a few files from his room.
But the moment he stepped inside, he came face to face with the one person he had no desire to see.
Without a single word of acknowledgment, he walked past him.
"Did he leave for the academy?" Mathew called after him, clearly having no intention of letting him leave in silence.
"I believe you already know the answer," Blake replied without slowing his pace.
"I received a call from the Maylith household just now."
Blake stopped in his tracks.
His expression immediately turned cold as he looked back over his shoulder.
"You approached them?"
Mathew’s eyes narrowed.
"Were you not listening? They called me."
A frown creased Blake’s forehead.
Why him?
Why would the Maylith household contact Mathew instead of him?
"What did they say?" Blake asked.
Mathew turned his back to him.
"That’s a personal matter. I’d rather not discuss it with anyone. It’s rather important, you see."
Blake watched the old man walk away, his jaw tightening.
He definitely knew about Kyle’s relationship with Amanda.
That was exactly why the mention of the Maylith household had immediately put Blake on guard.
I can’t let him fill their ears with nonsense.
No matter what, I have to make sure Kyle’s connection with the Maylith family remains untouched.