Chapter 100: Elias Cross
The road outside the compound was quieter than David expected.
He and April walked side by side, the afternoon heat settling over the pavement as the noise of the compound slowly disappeared behind them. Cars passed occasionally, tires hissing over the road, while the distant sounds of the city filled the spaces between them.
For the first few minutes, neither of them said anything.
David didn’t mind.
After what had happened at the gym, silence was probably the closest thing to peace he’d had all day.
April, however, seemed unusually quiet.
David glanced at her.
She was walking with her hands clasped behind her back, occasionally kicking at small stones in their path. No teasing. No unnecessary comments. No random attempts to annoy him.
It was almost unsettling.
"You’ve been awfully quiet."
April looked over.
"Have I?"
"Yes."
She considered that for a moment before turning her attention back to the road.
"I don’t really have much to say."
David raised an eyebrow.
"That’s new."
She looked at him again, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
"Mhm."
She faced forward again.
"I’ll have you know, I’m perfectly capable of being quiet."
"I didn’t say you weren’t."
"You implied it."
"I observed it."
"Same thing."
"It’s really not."
April gave him a small, unimpressed look before continuing to walk.
A few more steps passed.
Then she smiled to herself.
"I’m still perfect, though."
David glanced sideways.
There was enough confidence in the way she said it to suggest she’d genuinely considered the matter settled.
"That sentence alone proves you’re not."
She stopped for half a step.
"What?"
David kept walking.
April quickly caught up.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"I am perfect."
"You’ve been calling me a pervert since I opened my front door."
"Because you are one."
"I apologized."
"I accepted your apology."
"Then aren’t you going to let that one go?"
"No."
David sighed quietly.
"Of course."
April’s smile widened.
"Some things are too precious to let go."
"That’s not what precious means."
"It is when I say it."
David looked at her for a moment.
She looked completely satisfied with herself.
He shook his head and faced forward again.
Arguing with April was beginning to feel less like a conversation and more like an unavoidable natural phenomenon.
There was no winning.
There was barely even an ending.
April walked beside him for another few seconds before adding, almost casually, "Besides, you haven’t exactly given me a reason to stop."
David’s eyes shifted toward her.
"What does that mean?"
She smiled.
"You’ll figure it out."
’She’s enjoying this far too much.’
He decided not to ask.
Bit Two — The Hunter Association
The Hunter Association building came into view several minutes later.
David noticed it before April said anything.
It rose above the surrounding buildings, all dark glass and reinforced steel, far larger than the Association branch he had imagined when she’d told him they were going to register.
The emblem of the Hunter Association was displayed high above the entrance, impossible to miss.
But the building wasn’t what made him slow his pace.
It was the crowd.
There were people everywhere.
They filled the wide pavement leading toward the entrance, gathered beneath the signs, stood around in groups, and spilled out toward the street. Some wore ordinary clothes. Others were dressed in Hunter gear, weapons hanging from their belts or strapped across their backs.
A few people were clearly awakened.
David could tell from the way others gave them space.
Then he noticed the cameras.
Reporters stood near the front entrance, some holding microphones while others pointed cameras toward anyone who looked remotely important.
David stared at the scene for a moment.
"That’s a lot of people."
April followed his gaze.
"Told you."
"You didn’t."
"I was going to."
"You never did."
She shrugged.
"Details."
David looked back at the building.
The closer they got, the louder the surrounding noise became.
Someone was arguing near the entrance.
A group of young men were talking excitedly about becoming Hunters.
Two reporters were practically fighting over a better position behind the barricade.
And underneath all of it was the constant movement of people going in and out of the Association.
David’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why is it this crowded?"
April’s expression shifted into something more knowing.
"You’re really behind on current events, aren’t you?"
"I’ve been busy."
"Doing what?"
"Surviving."
She laughed softly.
"Fair."
They continued toward the entrance.
David glanced at the crowd again.
There were far more people here than he’d expected.
It looked less like an office where Hunters came to register and more like half the city had decided they suddenly wanted a piece of whatever was happening.
April slipped a little closer as they approached the entrance, avoiding someone who nearly walked into her.
"Stay close."
David looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because if you lose me in this crowd, I’ll tell everyone you abandoned me."
"You’d survive."
"I know." She smiled. "But you’d still be a pervert who abandoned a helpless girl."
David stared at her.
"You’re not helpless."
"I know that too."
"Then why..."
"Because it sounds better."
She walked ahead before he could answer.
David watched her for a second.
Then sighed and followed.
The Association entrance was only a few steps away now.
And the moment they crossed through the doors, the noise of the outside world seemed to follow them inside.
The noise only became worse once they stepped inside.
David’s eyes moved across the lobby.
It was enormous.
Several reception desks stretched along the far wall, each marked with a different service. Hunter identification. Mission requests. Rank evaluation.
And near the far end—
Hunter Registration.
David’s gaze followed the sign down to the line beneath it.
He stopped.
April took another step before noticing.
"What?"
David pointed.
She looked.
The line was long.
Not normal long.
It stretched almost across the lobby, with people still joining the end of it.
David pulled out his phone.
8:42 AM.
He looked at the time.
Then at the line.
"...It’s not even nine."
April glanced at him.
"Yeah."
"How long have they been doing this?"
"Probably since they opened."
"And people are still joining?"
"Apparently."
David watched another group walk over and take their place at the back.
He slowly put his phone away.
"We’re going to be here all day."
April shrugged.
"You wanted to come."
"You wanted to register."
"Exactly."
She smiled.
"So we’re both suffering."
David looked at her.
"That’s not how that works."
"It is today."
He sighed and looked back at the line.
There wasn’t much point complaining.
If she wanted to register, they’d register.
He just hadn’t expected half the city to have the same idea.
Bit Four — The Crowd
They moved farther into the lobby, following the flow of people around the registration area.
David began to notice just how many of them were here.
Young men arguing about their potential ranks.
People showing off recently awakened abilities.
Groups discussing the latest news surrounding Elias Cross.
Everywhere he looked, the same name seemed to surface.
Elias Cross.
One man had apparently been enough to make people rethink their entire future.
April glanced at him.
"You’re awfully quiet again."
"I’m observing."
"That’s what quiet people call being quiet."
David looked at her.
"You talk enough for both of us."
"You’re welcome."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
They continued forward.
April leaned slightly toward him.
"So, Mr. Experienced Hunter..."
David already knew where this was going.
"What?"
"Are you going to stand here looking miserable the entire day?"
"I’m not miserable."
"You look miserable."
"I always look like this."
"Exactly."
She grinned.
"Pervert."
David exhaled through his nose.
"One day, you’re going to get tired of that."
"No."
She said it so casually that he didn’t bother responding.
He opened his mouth anyway.
"You know, I—"
Bit Five — Elias
Something hit him.
David stopped.
The word died before it left his mouth.
A pressure had suddenly filled the entire building.
Not a sound.
Not even a visible change.
Just—
Something.
Something heavy enough to make his body react before his mind understood it.
His breath caught.
His muscles tightened.
A cold shiver ran through him as what felt like murderous intent poured through his body.
Around him, the lobby went silent.
People froze.
David looked around.
Everyone had felt it.
Even April.
Her smile was gone. Her entire expression had changed. For once, she wasn’t teasing him.
Then a roar exploded through the building.
"ELIAS!"
The sound thundered through the lobby, followed by another violent surge of magic.
David’s eyes widened.
The pressure was stronger now.
Far stronger.
His body trembled despite himself.
’Run.’
He didn’t know why that thought came so naturally.
He only knew it was right.
Another roar shook the building.
People began moving.
Hunters rushed toward the source while others hurried away from it.
David didn’t think.
He ran.
April was already beside him.
"What the hell is happening?!"
"I don’t know!"
"You don’t know?"
"Do I look like I know?!"
They pushed through the crowd, following the surge of power deeper into the Association.
The closer they got, the harder it became to breathe.
And David couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever was waiting ahead was something he had no business seeing.
They pushed through the crowd until they reached the next section of the lobby. And David saw him.
A man stood in the middle of the open floor. He wasn’t doing anything. He didn’t need to. The magic pouring from him was enough.
People had instinctively cleared a wide space around him, leaving no one willing to stand too close.
David’s eyes narrowed. Someone behind him whispered.
"Dorian Veilborne."
Another voice answered, barely audible.
"An S-Rank Hunter..."
David’s expression changed. S-Rank. So this was what one looked like.
The man slowly lifted his head. His eyes swept across the crowd. Then his voice erupted again.
"ELIAS CROSS!"
The sheer force of the roar seemed to shake the air.
David’s chest tightened. Dorian’s killing intent surged once more.
"Get your ass out here!"
His gaze sharpened.
"I’m here to kill you!"