Hunter License in Hand, Invitation from the Zodiacs

By the time the Hunter Association headquarters' airship slowly landed on its private platform, it was already evening.

The last rays of the setting sun dyed the towering building a dark gold, while its glass curtain walls reflected the fading light.

Leo followed Buzidora out of the cabin and onto solid ground.

People moved briskly through the Association headquarters, most dressed in uniforms or casual clothes suited for mobility.

Buzidora led Leo to a reception hall on one side of headquarters, briefly handed him over to a staff member, and left.

Before leaving, he patted Leo on the shoulder and told him, "Work hard." There was a certain approval in his eyes.

The staff member led Leo through several corridors to a small conference room.

The room was simple. A long table stood in the center, and the Hunter Association's emblem hung on the wall.

"Please wait here. The license presentation briefing will begin shortly."

After the staff member left, Leo sat down and closed his eyes to rest.

About ten minutes later, the door opened.

Beans walked in.

He still wore his trademark outfit—an impeccably tailored suit, his bean-like expression perpetually gentle.

He carried a dark folder in his hands.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Leo."

Beans stood before the long table and placed the folder on it.

"First, congratulations on passing the 285th Hunter Exam. Although the process... was somewhat unusual, the result is certain."

He opened the folder and took out a card.

The lights in the conference room brightened slightly.

Beans walked over to Leo's side of the table and gently set the card down.

It was a palm-sized card.

Its material was unusual. It gleamed with a metallic luster under the lights, yet it did not seem to be metal. Delicate dark patterns lined its edges. At the center of the card, a striking "XX" design took up most of the space.

Beans's voice rang through the quiet room with formal solemnity.

"This card is the Hunter License."

He paused, observing Leo's reaction.

Leo merely looked calmly at the card, with little expression on his face.

"You must think it looks rather ordinary."

Beans continued in an even tone.

"Indeed, aside from its cutting-edge, nearly impossible-to-forge anti-counterfeiting technology and specialized manufacturing process, it does not look much different from an ordinary card."

Then his tone shifted, and his voice suddenly became stern.

"But! Its capabilities are more powerful than you can imagine!"

Beans began listing them one by one. With every point, he lightly tapped the tabletop with a finger, as though emphasizing the key details.

"First, with this card, you may freely enter approximately 90% of the world's restricted countries, as well as 75% of officially designated prohibited zones!"

"Second, you may use 95% of public facilities worldwide for free!"

"Third, with this card, you may apply for financing from the Hunter Association or affiliated banks, with limits equivalent to those of world-class corporations! Enough to support any grand plan you may have."

He took a deep breath before stating the final point.

"Finally."

Beans's gaze settled on Leo's face, as if confirming whether he understood the weight of those words.

"Even if you sell it... you will immediately possess a vast fortune that seven generations could never spend!"

"It can be said that as long as you own it, you will never need to worry about making a living again!"

The room fell briefly silent. Beans waited a few seconds, allowing the information to sink in, then—

His tone abruptly intensified, carrying a strong, almost warning implication.

"So! You must guard against losing it or having it stolen!"

"Once a license is lost, no replacement will be issued!"

"According to our statistics, one-fifth of successful applicants lose their licenses within a year!"

"Therefore, your first test after becoming professional Hunters is—protecting your licenses!"

For the next half hour, Beans gave a detailed introduction to the Hunter Association's rules, obligations, and rights.

His explanation was organized and focused, clearly something he had delivered countless times before.

Beans closed the folder, and his expression seemed to soften somewhat.

"That concludes the briefing."

He walked up to Leo and presented the Hunter License with both hands.

"The road ahead is yours to walk."

There was a trace of sincere encouragement in Beans's voice.

"Please believe in yourself, hold firm to your convictions, overcome every difficulty, and pursue the dream in your heart—"

He paused, then said solemnly:

"Move forward bravely!"

"I hereby announce—Leo has officially become a new Hunter!"

Leo stood and accepted the license with both hands.

The card felt slightly cool in his hand, with an unusual texture. It was lighter than it appeared.

He lowered his head to look at the hunter emblem, then raised his gaze to Beans.

"Thank you."

It was not a courtesy. It was a sincere expression of gratitude.

Beans nodded slightly and stepped back, indicating that he could leave.

Leo carefully tucked the license into his inner pocket and turned to leave the conference room.

The corridor was spacious and bright, with polished marble floors and photographs and brief introductions to Hunters' accomplishments hanging on the walls.

Leo followed the signs toward the exit, his pace neither hurried nor slow.

Just as he turned a corner—

"Long time no see, Leo."

A steady voice came from the corridor on his right.

Leo turned his head.

Mizai Istom stood there, still wearing that dark suit, his eyes as calm as water.

"It has been a long time, Mr. Mizai Istom."

Leo smiled.

"I didn't expect to run into you here."

"It is no coincidence."

Mizai Istom walked over, his steps steady.

"I was waiting for you here."

He stopped in front of Leo.

"You made quite a mess of the Hunter Exam. Out of 754 examinees, 753 lost consciousness. The medical team was busy for an entire day."

Leo smiled awkwardly without offering an explanation.

"However."

Mizai Istom changed the subject.

"With your abilities, passing the exam was a foregone conclusion. But that method... was rather extreme."

His expression grew serious.

"All right, back to business."

Mizai Istom looked directly into Leo's eyes.

"I want to ask you a question first. What kind of Hunter do you want to be?"

The question came suddenly, but Leo did not hesitate.

His smile faded, and his expression turned solemn.

"Before I encountered the Cleaners, I had never seriously considered what kind of Hunter I wanted to be. Perhaps getting the license would have been enough, using it to explore the world more conveniently and improve my strength."

He paused for a second, his tone becoming resolute.

"But now, my goal is to become a Crime Hunter."

Leo's gaze did not waver.

"I want to do whatever I can."

He did not voice his deeper thoughts—if those heinous criminals resisted to the bitter end, he would not hold back.

Proof of Humanity needed life energy to level up anyway. He could consider it the only useful contribution those people would ever make.

But Mizai Istom seemed to read something from Leo's eyes.

He fell silent for several seconds, then slowly nodded.

"Mm. I understand."

He turned and motioned for Leo to follow.

"I would like to invite you to help capture a criminal gang. They are active along the southwestern border of the Ulubian Continent, stealing and selling cultural relics and murdering civilians at will. There are more than thirty confirmed victims, twelve of whom are dead."

Mizai Istom spoke as he walked, his tone as calm as if he were recounting an everyday matter.

"I have had my eye on them for three months, but they are cunning. They relocate swiftly after every operation. This time, we learned that they are about to make a move. We need a fast, precise raid."

Leo barely needed to think.

"No problem. Since one of the Zodiacs is inviting me, I would be happy to assist."

Mizai Istom gave him a slight sidelong glance.

"I will explain the criminal gang's detailed information in another meeting room. Their base, personnel structure, ability traits, and operational patterns... all need careful analysis."

He pushed open a heavy oak door, revealing another corridor beyond.

"Oh, and another member will be departing with us this time."

Mizai Istom paused.

"Kanzai."

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Kanzai, the Zodiacs' Tiger?"

"That's right."

Mizai Istom nodded.

"He is already waiting in the meeting room. Kanzai excels at tracking, so I specifically persuaded him to join this operation."

Leo smiled.

"Then let's go. We shouldn't keep him waiting too long."

The two walked through the long corridor, one after the other.

Their footsteps echoed through the empty passageway, while the lights on the walls stretched and shortened their shadows.