Chapter 191: Beginning Of The Exploration.
Kael stared at the information displayed before him for another moment before silently dismissing Eye of Judgment.
"He’s quite powerful."
There was no exaggeration in his voice.
S Rank Hunters truly existed on another level. Compared to an A Rank, an S Rank wasn’t simply a stronger version of the same thing. The gap between the two was closer to stepping into an entirely different realm of strength.
Perhaps that was why there were so few S Rank Hunters in the world.
While Kael was still thinking about it, Ignas suddenly noticed him.
The middle-aged man looked in his direction before a bright smile spread across his face. He immediately walked over, his silver armor producing faint metallic sounds with every step.
"You must be Kael?"
"Yes."
Kael reached out and took the hand Ignas offered.
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
The moment their hands connected, Kael felt pressure.
Ignas was testing him.
It wasn’t particularly subtle either. The Knight gradually increased the strength of his grip, seemingly curious about how much force the young S Rank Hunter could withstand.
Kael’s expression didn’t change.
Earth energy quietly flowed through his arm and gathered around his hand, reinforcing his flesh and bones without producing any visible fluctuation.
The pressure continued for several seconds.
Neither of them moved.
Then Ignas suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
He released Kael’s hand and shook his head.
"Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I just wanted to check out the young man who managed to hold his own against that lunatic red-haired woman."
Kael’s brows furrowed slightly.
"The red-haired woman?"
He had a vague idea of who Ignas was talking about.
Scarlet Fist.
Kael was still relatively new to the world of S Rank Hunters. He knew the names of some of them, but he hadn’t bothered learning the reputations and personalities of every powerful Hunter in existence.
Apparently, Scarlet Fist had quite the reputation.
Ignas chuckled when he noticed Kael’s expression.
"Anyways, congratulations on becoming an S Rank Hunter. You’ve certainly earned it."
"Thanks."
"I’ve got to go."
Ignas turned around and walked back toward his team.
His group soon moved toward another corner of the area, where they began waiting for the exploration to officially begin.
Kael watched them for a moment before turning his attention elsewhere.
Not long afterward, the third team arrived.
Their leader was a stern-looking man who didn’t even bother paying much attention to the other teams. He simply walked toward the designated area with his team following behind him and remained there in silence.
A short while later, the fourth and final team arrived.
This time, their leader was a beautiful woman with golden hair, dressed in an outfit resembling that of a mage.
With the arrival of the fourth team, every exploration team was finally present.
All that remained was for the exploration to begin.
Time continued to pass.
Then the clock struck eight.
Jonas returned to the gathering area, having taken charge of coordinating the entire expedition. He looked over the assembled Hunters and the numerous specialists standing behind them before raising his voice.
"It’s eight o’clock. The exploration of the new Rift officially begins now."
The atmosphere immediately changed.
The Hunters began making their final preparations.
The specialists accompanying each team also began moving into position.
Unlike the main exploration teams, these people weren’t responsible for fighting their way through the Rift or mapping out its dangers themselves. Their job was to support the Hunters.
Some were porters responsible for carrying equipment and supplies.
Others operated specialized machines designed to measure things such as air toxicity, temperature, mana density, and other environmental factors.
There were also machines capable of assisting with mapping the Rift and recording various environmental data that would later be analyzed by the Association.
Every exploration team had been assigned its own group of specialists.
Once everything was ready, the Hunters began moving toward the Rift.
Ignas’s team entered first.
Kael’s team followed.
The remaining teams entered shortly afterward.
The moment Kael stepped through the tear in space, that familiar sensation returned.
His body felt as though it were being squeezed through an impossibly narrow passage.
Space pressed against him from every direction before releasing him just as suddenly.
A wave of freezing air struck him.
Kael opened his eyes.
Snow.
Endless snow stretched across the landscape.
A thick layer of white covered the ground as far as he could see, while cold fog drifted through the air and partially obscured the surroundings. The temperature was far beyond anything found in the outside world.
Kael glanced around.
He quickly located his team.
Not far away stood Ignas’s team, which had entered before them.
"Btzzz!"
Helen’s teeth chattered.
"So cold."
Kael looked toward the rest of his team.
The situation wasn’t much better.
Several of them were shivering, their bodies visibly reacting to the extreme temperature.
Fortunately, they had already read the preliminary exploration report.
They hadn’t entered the Rift unprepared.
One after another, they began activating the equipment and items they had brought specifically to deal with the cold.
Protective barriers formed around their bodies.
Specialized equipment began regulating their body temperatures.
The shivering gradually subsided as the preparations took effect.
Kael watched them for another moment before relaxing slightly.
At least the environment wouldn’t cripple his team.
That would have been troublesome.
He turned around.
The remaining exploration teams had also entered the Rift, and soon all four teams were gathered near the entrance.
Ignas stepped forward.
"Alright. Each exploration team will split up and explore a different direction."
He looked across the gathered Hunters.
"We’ll report back here in twelve hours. After that, we’ll exit the Rift together."
Ignas paused.
"Anyone have any objections?"
Silence followed.
Nobody spoke.
Then the stern-faced man who had arrived with the third team finally stepped forward.
His eyes shifted toward Kael.
"New guy."
Kael looked at him.
"Since this is your first Rift exploration, why don’t you stick with me for today?"
His tone remained calm and matter-of-fact.
"That way, you can get a better understanding of how these explorations are conducted and minimize the risks involved."
Nobody objected.
It made sense.
Kael was an S Rank Hunter, but this was still his first proper large-scale Rift exploration. Having someone experienced guide him through the process would naturally reduce unnecessary risks.
The others turned toward Kael.
One by one, their eyes settled on him.
They waited for his response to the offer.