Chapter 737: Reunion
"Almond Region is also one of the many regions among the Hundred Battle Regions that is under the constant threat of Null attacks," Arlen explained as he strode ahead, his voice carrying over the quiet murmur of the bustling streets filled with people moving beneath the ominous red clouds.
His eyes were sharp as he navigated the crowded avenues, leading Max and the others toward the looming silhouette of a colossal tower rising like a white spear against the crimson sky. "That’s why it’s mandatory for 2-star geniuses to join the Hunter Association at least once in their lifetime to hunt and kill those Nulls."
The group pressed onward, weaving through throngs of robed experts, merchants, and travelers whose faces were lit intermittently by the shifting glow of crimson lightning flashing overhead. Eventually, they arrived at the base of the massive tower, its white stone walls etched with intricate carvings depicting heroic battles against monstrous creatures, each scene illuminated in flashes of red light filtering through the swirling clouds.
The tower was the Hunter Association’s headquarters—a fortress of order and vigilance in a region constantly on the knife’s edge of chaos. As they stepped inside, they were immediately swallowed by a cacophony of voices and hurried footsteps.
The vast lobby bustled with activity, filled with experts clad in a wild array of robes and armor, clerks carrying stacks of documents, and towering notice boards glowing with holographic mission postings.
Despite the overwhelming number of people streaming in and out—teams of hunters returning bloodied from missions, others departing armed to the teeth—everything inside operated with a smooth, almost military efficiency.
Lines were orderly, clerks moved with practiced speed, and security experts kept watchful eyes on the crowd, ensuring not a single scuffle or delay disrupted the flow.
Max and his companions made their way through the throng until they reached a large marble counter where the registration center stood. There, they queued briefly before being beckoned forward by a polite receptionist, a young woman with neatly tied hair and robes embroidered with the Hunter Association’s insignia.
With swift, deft fingers, she helped them complete the registration process, inputting their names into a sleek crystal console that projected faint holographic glyphs above its surface.
Once the details were finalized, she retrieved several small objects from a hidden compartment beneath the counter and handed one to each of them. "Keep this always with you when you hunt Nulls," she instructed, her voice polite but firm as her eyes met Max’s. "It will automatically count the number of Nulls you kill."
Max took the object and turned it over in his palm, studying it curiously. It was a hexagonal-shaped stone, smooth and cold to the touch, carved with faintly glowing runes that pulsed gently like a quiet heartbeat.
At its center, a small screen displayed his name in delicate script, and below it, a single stark number: ’0.’