The man at the counter imdiately straightened his posture as soon as he heard the voice.
He stood up from his chair and spoke respectfully,
"Vice President, this ignorant newbie claims to have completed an F-Rank mission, but he didn’t bring any evidence. And yet, he still insists on receiving the reward. How outrageous."
He said everything in one breath, clearly trying to shift all bla.
The Vice President of the Befort Hunter Association Branch stepped forward. He appeared to be in his early 40s, with a burly build, long red hair tied neatly behind his head, and sharp, commanding eyes.
He wore a finely tailored suit and carried a noble, no-nonsense presence.
His gaze swept over Ryu from head to toe, eyes narrowing with scrutiny.
As he did, the intimidating Vice President’s brows rose in surprise, as if he had discovered sothing unexpected.
Ryu’s heart trembled. Did he see through my human form?
But fortunately, his worst fear did not co true.
"You have a large amount of mana for a newbie, boy. What’s your na?"
"Ryu," Ryu answered calmly.
"Just Ryu? No family na?"
"No, Sir. I am a survivor from the outer zones. I have no family left to call ho," he said with a sad sigh.
"What mission did you take?" Vice President Darren Lehman asked again.
Ryu showed him the paper.
"This one: Scout the nearby ruins of Old Kraymore, the long-abandoned village three miles to the northeast, and confirm the presence of any Hollowfied creatures. No engagent was required, only observation and a brief report. Reward: 50 silver."
"I’m a newbie without any formal training or experience, so I didn’t know that I needed to present proof as well. But the 50 silver coins reward is really important to . I’m literally broke right now."
Vice President Darren Lehman took the paper from Ryu’s hand and scanned it carefully. His sharp eyes moved slowly over the mission description.
"Old Kraymore..." he muttered. "That place’s been swarming with low-level Hollows lately. We’ve lost two scouting teams in the last week. And you’re saying you went there alone, scouted the area, and returned alive?"
"Yes, Sir," Ryu replied steadily.
Berton, still standing nearby, sneered. "Tch. He probably just ran to the edge of the village, took a look, then ran back claiming heroics. Nothing special."
Darren ignored him and looked directly at Ryu. "You claim to be a rookie. No background. No training. No backing. But you have enough mana to register as a E-Rank hunter."
He leaned forward slightly, his intimidating gaze drilling into Ryu’s to see through any falsehood.
"So tell the truth. What kind of system do you have?"
Ryu paused. He couldn’t reveal the truth. Not that his Dragon God system let him fuse things and absorb bloodlines, or that he was an actual Dragon in disguise. So, he chose to deflect with partial honesty.
"It helps grow stronger by fighting and adapting. Nothing too special... but it works."
Darren held his gaze a mont longer, then stepped back and handed the paper back.
"You don’t seem to be lying. And your mana presence is real. But without proof of a cleared area, I cannot issue a full reward right now. That said..."
He reached into his coat pocket, pulled out a pouch of silver coins, and tossed it to Ryu.
"I’ll lend you so. There’s 50 Silver inside. And I will send a investigation team to check the authenticity of your claims. If it proven truth, you will not have to return it to ."
Ryu caught the coin. "Thank you, Sir."
Darren gave a short nod. "Don’t disappoint , Hunter Ryu. This branch could use so real talent, not liars."
As he turned and walked away, Berton glared at Ryu.
Ryu, however, said nothing. He pocketed the coin and left the hall quietly, his mind already moving toward his next steps.
Watching Ryu’s departing silhouette, Darren muttered, "Why do I feel like we’ve got a new rising star in our branch?"
"Vice President, you actually believed all that? That kid was definitely lying. He is trying to fool us all," Berton said bitterly, clearly still itching to teach Ryu a lesson.
"Shut up, Berton. You have married for a year now, and yet you haven’t learn anything. I’ll be speaking to your old man about your behavior toward new recruits. You’re not fit for this position at all."
Berton clenched his jaw. "But Vice President, I—"
"No buts. Think about changing your attitude a little. Hunters are one of the major lifelines of this city’s defense. Every single one of them, whether weak or strong, matters. More than Diviners, Enchanters, or Beastmasters and that other nonsense. But your treatnt of potential hunters might drive them away from the path entirely."
Berton’s fists tightened, fury bubbling inside him. He cast a burning glare at Ryu’s retreating figure.
’This is all that little bastard’s fault.’ he thought.
"Huh? You’re back already? Ah, what was your na again?" the shopkeeper, Lira, asked as soon as she saw Ryu standing in front of her.
"It’s Ryu. As in happiness," he replied with a casual smile, placing the F-Rank sword and the Hunter License on the desk.
"Where’s Master Rick? I’ve brought back the sword and the license to keep my word."
Lira checked the authenticity of the Hunter License, her lips curling into a faint smile.
"Wow! You really beca a hunter, huh? Wait a second... now that I look at you closely, your body’s completely different!" Her eyes widened slightly as she glanced at his biceps and other exposed muscles. "How did that happen?"
Ryu leaned forward slightly, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
"Oh? You just noticed that, Mrs?" he said, flexing his arm just a little, making the muscle tighten beneath the fabric. "I guess becoming a Hunter does co with... certain side effects."
Lira blinked, then raised an eyebrow. "You saying muscles pop out of nowhere the mont soone gets a license?"
"Well," Ryu grinned, lowering his voice mockingly serious, "Maybe the license grants 10 charm and 5 muscles. Or maybe... I just trained really hard in my dreams."
Lira rolled her eyes but chuckled. "Right. Dream muscles. I’ll be sure to write that down in the shop record book."
"You should," Ryu said, turning around dramatically. "Because they’re only going to get bigger from now."
"Hahaha..." Lira laughed, playfully swatting the air. "Just don’t bulk up too much, Ryu. If you turn into so muscle giant, the poor girls in this city won’t be able to handle you."
Ryu grinned, leaning casually on the counter. "So what? You’re here for , aren’t you, Lira? A mature beauty like you is rare these days."
She pretended to gasp, placing a hand over her chest. "B-but I’m a married woman, you flirt."
"I don’t mind," he said with a wink. "Besides, married or not, beauty deserves appreciation."
Lira’s cheeks flushed a shade pinker than usual. She opened her mouth to respond, but a new voice cut through the playful conversation.
"Ahem. For the love of the gods, what on earth are you two talking about?"
Lira nearly jumped, her face still flushed as she turned toward the source of the voice.
"Master Rick!" she blurted out, trying to act composed. "We were just... talking about swords."
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