A week had already passed when Trevor finally set out for the hunters’ recruitment. It was going to be quite a long journey, and despite everything that had happened, he still had not been able to gain full versatility in his use of ancient magic, nor was he yet strong enough for the combat that awaited him. Speaking of which, Caroline somehow had not really healed up nicely after taking the knock. She was still kind of bedridden—just that she was not dead yet—and her mana was still depleting. Somehow, it was sort of what his mother had, but based on the fact that he had already been with his mother several times after that, her ailment seemed to have been getting much, much, much better.
Trevor prepared, quickly packed up his luggage, and went straight to Caroline’s room. She was lying on the bed, sweat dripping from her forehead, and she was bedridden as always. Her eyes were closed, but her face still looked as beautiful as it could. And right then and there, Trevor realized a very important detail. It was not really her fault that she told her dad. Maybe she was forced to do it. Or probably, maybe it was just her looks that were deceiving him at the moment. Basically, there was still nothing that could happen that would make Trevor still trust Caroline as much as he did in the past. Not after what she had done to him. That was still betrayal. No matter how much he wanted to sugarcoat it, she had still betrayed his trust. And now, he just could not trust her as much anymore.
Trevor walked calmly up to the bed, bent down, and gave Caroline a peck on the forehead. His journey to the hunters’ recruitment might be longer than he might have expected. And also, it might even take his life. But he had already done all he could, and this was the only other path he could take towards getting a comfortable life for both him and his mom, which was something he had promised himself he would do. When he was done, he just stared at the door and stared back at Caroline for some time before walking away. He could not really miss the portal. A portal had already been assigned to every single candidate of the hunters’ recruitment. Somehow, he had managed to do all this without Mia even finding out. So basically, before Mia noticed he was already participating in the hunters’ recruitment, he would have already been there. And he would have already been there.
In no time, Trevor finally arrived at the location that had already been described in the forum. He stood there looking around. He could not see anybody, but after a while he brought out the stone which he had been given and placed it on the ground as instructed in the forum he had read. After placing it on the ground, he circled around the precious stone for about four minutes, and after a while, a large white portal opened before him. Without hesitating, he jumped in. Everything turned black the moment he jumped in. By the time he regained consciousness, he was standing in a dense crowd of people. There were a lot of people in the room, and there was a podium, as though everyone was waiting for someone to address them. Trevor knew better than to begin asking silly questions. He just stayed for some while observing what was happening, and he discovered that the stage was being set for a presentation and that the many people there were waiting for a particular somebody to come and address them. So after reading the room for a while, Trevor was able to understand everything he needed to without really asking anybody any questions. He stayed aside as everyone else was and looked at the podium, waiting for someone to come and address them.
Before long, a young woman—probably around the age of twenty—walked up. Her hair was grey and her eyes were also grey. She looked very, very sleepy, as though she did not want to be there and just wanted to keep sleeping for some time. She walked up to the podium, looked at the large crowd, and began to finally address them. She was holding a mana speaker, something that could enhance her voice without her really using any enhancing devices like a microphone or anything of that sort. Besides, by the way, the place where they were staying looked like a local place, so there was nowhere that a microphone could be made available for them.
"Excuse me, everyone," the woman spoke calmly, as though she really owned the room. Just one word from her already got the noisy crowd silent. Everyone looked eager and courageous, as though they wanted to gain something from the meeting. They were so eager to participate in the guild trials. Most of them were hopefully wishing this was the chance for them to change the situations of their families. So it was understandable why the whole place was noisy. But the woman was not having it.
"What do you guys think this is? Do you think this is a party of some sort? Mind you, I hope you know only one hundred of you will be selected. So if I were you, I would be silently soliloquizing and thinking about how to strategically use my strengths for the greater good instead of making noise and gossiping about frivolities."
The woman still seemed tired as she addressed the crowd, but it was evident that she was a no-nonsense girl.
"Now, to the events of the day," she said.
I’m truly sorry.
Some of the earlier Chapters contain mistakes — continuity issues, typos, pacing problems, and other errors that I should have caught sooner. I know how frustrating that can be when you’re invested in a story, and I take full responsibility for it.
I’m currently going back through those Chapters to correct them properly. Updates and fixes will be posted as soon as they’re ready.
Thank you for your patience, your support, and for sticking with the story even when it wasn’t perfect. I appreciate every one of you more than I can say.
I’ll do better.
The Silver Guild examination hall stretched wider than any stadium Trevor had ever seen.
Tiered stone seating rose in concentric circles around a central platform that glowed with layered runes.
Thousands of candidates packed the stands and floor—hunters of every rank from D to A, all competing for the limited slots in the Silver Guild’s next intake.
The air smelled of sweat, ozone, and nervous magic.
Lira Voss stood on the raised dais in the exact center.
She was tall, silver-haired, and moved like someone who had already decided the day was a waste of her time.
Her examiner’s coat hung open. She held a data slate in one hand and sipped from a steaming cup with the other.
When she spoke, her voice carried through amplification runes without effort.
"Phase One. Strength. Simple. You will be paired. Each pair enters an artificial dungeon. Clear it. Defeat your opponent. Only the winners advance. Half of you will be gone by nightfall. Cry about it later."
She flicked her wrist. Holographic numbers appeared above every candidate’s head. Trevor’s read 047. A second later a matching number flared above a tall man three rows ahead.
Kael Draven.
Kael turned. Broad shoulders, sharp jaw, expensive armor etched with family crests. He looked Trevor up and down once and smirked.
"Lane. The mutt who got lucky with a system. Try not to die too fast. I have dinner plans."
Trevor said nothing. The Primordial Seed System pulsed once in the back of his mind, quiet and ready.
His current stats sat well above what most A-ranks expected from someone still officially listed as a rising B. Essence reserves were high.
The marks on his harem members thrummed faintly at the edge of his awareness—Mia, Lisa, Vespera, Seraphine, Caroline. They were not here. This phase was solo.
Lira raised her slate again. "Pairs, step onto the platform when called. You enter the simulation the moment both feet cross the line.
Defeat condition is opponent incapacitation or death. Dungeon clear is secondary but speeds the process.
Begin."
Trevor and Kael were called in the first wave.
The platform activated. White light swallowed them.
They stood in a ruined stone fortress under a blood-red sky. The artificial dungeon’s parameters resolved in Trevor’s vision:
[Artificial Dungeon: Crimson Keep – Rank A simulation]
[Objective: Reach the central throne room and defeat the opposing candidate]
[Environmental hazards active]
[Time limit: none]
Kael already had his weapon out—a long, curved saber that burned with red fire. "I’m not wasting time with the monsters. Come here and kneel."
Trevor drew his own blade. The system fed him a clean combat overlay. Kael’s movements telegraphed arrogance. High strength, average speed, low adaptability.
The first exchange lasted four seconds. Kael lunged with a heavy overhead slash.
Trevor sidestepped, cut the tendon behind Kael’s knee, and stepped past. Kael staggered, snarling. The second exchange lasted six seconds.
Trevor broke Kael’s guard, slammed the pommel into his temple, and drove him into a pillar hard enough to crack the stone.
Kael roared and released a wave of blood-fire.
The simulation walls shook. Trevor walked through it. Essence reinforced his skin. The heat registered as mild discomfort. He closed the distance, caught Kael’s wrist, and broke it with a single twist.
"You talk too much," Trevor said.
Kael’s free hand flared with a desperate technique.
Trevor’s knee met his solar plexus. Air left Kael’s lungs in a wet gasp. Trevor followed with an elbow to the jaw. Kael hit the floor. Trevor planted a boot on his chest and rested the tip of his blade against Kael’s throat.
"Yield."
Kael’s eyes burned with humiliation. He spat blood.
"Fuck you."