Chapter 101: The Day Has Arrived
The persistent sound of an alarm broke the silence of the room.
Liam slowly opened his eyes, still confused for a few seconds. He reached one hand toward the nightstand and grabbed his phone, turning off the alarm before it could go off again.
The screen remained lit.
A small note he had scheduled the night before appeared before his eyes.
Squad Selection: Today
Liam couldn’t help but smile.
’Finally.’
He had been waiting for this day for weeks.
After all the training, meetings, dungeons, and preparations, the moment had finally arrived.
Liam placed his phone back on the nightstand and turned his head.
Lydia was lying beside him, a peaceful smile on her face.
"Good morning, honey."
"Good morning."
Liam moved a little closer and smiled.
"Squad Selection day is finally here."
"I know."
Lydia shifted beneath the sheets.
"Are you nervous?"
Liam let out a small laugh.
"A little."
Then he looked toward the ceiling.
"But I’m really looking forward to it."
Lydia smiled.
"Then we need to get ready. One of my copies is making breakfast."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"One of your copies?"
"Yes."
"And how long have you been awake?"
Lydia giggled.
"A few hours."
"A few hours?"
"Well..."
Lydia looked away.
"Maybe I barely slept."
Liam shook his head, amused.
"Why?"
"I couldn’t stop thinking about how this moment would finally arrive."
Liam watched her for a few seconds.
That same excitement was inside him.
He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Then we’d better not be late."
Lydia smiled.
"Let’s go."
Liam got out of bed and walked toward the bathroom.
’Today, something new begins.’
◇◆◇
A few hours later, Liam and Lydia were already inside the Ace of Spades Guild headquarters.
The building was once again packed with hunters.
Although they had already seen an impressive number of people the day before, there seemed to be even more that morning.
Everyone was talking.
Some looked nervous.
Others were trying to appear calm.
Some carried weapons.
Others had specialized equipment.
And there were those who simply remained silent, observing everyone else.
Liam scanned the area with his eyes.
That was when he spotted a familiar face.
Roy.
The young man from the Ouroboros Guild was a few meters ahead, accompanied by two other hunters.
Both men looked quite strong.
One had enormous arms and a serious expression. The other was slightly thinner, but he was carrying equipment that looked quite heavy.
Roy, meanwhile, wore that same smile.
The same smile he had used the day before.
Liam narrowed his eyes slightly.
’There’s something about that guy I don’t like.’
He didn’t know exactly what it was.
Perhaps the way he spoke.
Perhaps how easily he seemed to know everyone.
Or maybe it was simply a feeling.
But there was something fake behind that smile.
"Liam."
Lydia’s voice made him look away.
She pointed toward the other side.
Emily and Chuck were approaching them.
"Good morning!"
Emily raised a hand.
Chuck walked beside her, chewing gum as usual.
"Good morning."
Liam smiled.
Chuck studied him for a few seconds.
"Why are you so serious, buddy?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. You look like you’re thinking too much."
Liam shook his head.
"It’s nothing important."
Emily looked at Lydia.
"Did you enjoy your day off?"
Lydia immediately smiled.
"Yes."
Then she looked at Liam.
"He took me for a walk. We enjoyed the sunshine at the park."
Lydia looked genuinely happy remembering it.
"It was really nice."
Chuck nodded.
"I’m glad you two got to rest."
Then a female voice echoed through the guild’s speakers.
"Attention, applicants. Please proceed to the third basement level of the building. The Squad Selection is about to begin."
The murmurs grew louder.
Chuck pulled a pack of gum from one of his pockets.
He took out a piece and began chewing it.
"Well, we should head to the third basement."
"Of course."
Emily pointed toward the elevators.
"Should we go up that way?"
Liam looked at the enormous line.
"Doesn’t seem like a good idea."
Emily smiled.
"Then stairs."
Chuck nodded.
"Much better."
The four of them began moving forward.
◇◆◇
After picking up their Squad Selection applicant credentials at the reception desk, they arrived at the third basement level.
It wasn’t simply a basement.
It was an enormous hangar.
The space was more than two or three normal floors of the building in height.
Lydia tilted her head upward.
"Wow..."
Her expression was one of complete surprise.
"It’s huge."
Liam looked upward as well.
The ceiling was incredibly far away.
The walls were covered with strange panels that appeared to be part of some far more complex technological system.
’James really built all of this.’
In the center of the enormous space stood the device they had seen in the model.
The large engine was protected by a huge reinforced transparent panel.
No one could get too close.
Liam observed the various structures surrounding the device.
’Everything James works on is incredible.’
Lydia continued watching the hunters arriving.
"How many do you think there’ll be here?"
Chuck looked around.
"It doesn’t matter."
Lydia looked at him.
"It doesn’t?"
"The only thing that matters is who’s left at the end."
Emily smiled.
"For once, I agree with this guy."
Liam let out a small laugh.
The place continued filling up.
There were more and more hunters.
More and more voices.
More and more anticipation.
Some talked about their abilities.
Others tried to analyze their potential rivals.
Liam overheard several conversations.
"How long has he been a hunter?"
"That guy looks pretty strong."
"They say there are more than two hundred applicants."
"Did you see that guy’s equipment?"
Liam took a deep breath.
All of this made the situation feel even more real.
The Selection was about to begin.
Suddenly, the lights in the enormous hangar dimmed slightly.
The murmurs died down, and everyone looked up.
A platform began descending from the ceiling.
Standing on it was a man in a white lab coat.
Instructor James.
His arms were spread wide, and he had a huge smile on his face.
When the platform reached the ground, James took the microphone.
His voice echoed throughout the hangar.
"Welcome, applicants!"
There was silence for a moment.
James smiled even wider.
"To the Ace of Spades Guild’s Squad Selection!"
The hunters began cheering and applauding.
Some raised their arms.
Others stomped their feet on the ground.
Emily smiled.
Chuck even raised his fist while continuing to chew his gum.
Lydia took Liam’s hand.
He gently squeezed it.
Liam felt the hairs on his arms stand on end.
He looked across the enormous hangar.
At James standing on the platform.
At the hundreds of hunters surrounding them.
And at Lydia beside him.
’This event could change our lives forever.’
He thought about their debts.
Everything they had been through.
The money they needed.
His desire to earn a place in a squad.
And everything they could achieve if they were finally accepted.
Lydia looked at him.
"Are you ready, honey?"
Liam smiled.
"More than ever."
James raised the microphone again.
The crowd’s cheers gradually died down.
The Selection was about to begin.