Five days after Bas King was first suspended from school, he was still spending his time working and training every day. Even though five days had passed, only three of those days counted toward his suspension. Honestly, Bas wished he had gotten suspended for longer. Currently, Bas was in his room meditating on top of his improved training formation. He changed the rune composition, allowing the formation to absorb and purify six times the previous world essence. Sitting in the eye of the formation, Bas operated his Evil Dragon Sovereign Record as the image of an Evil Dragon Sovereign appeared in his hunter pool. Bas felt his soul power compressing at a visible rate.
Right now, Bas was at the seventh level of Hunt Foundation, with rank 17 soul power. The distance between the eighth and seventh level was equal to the distance traveled in total thus far. It took many hunters a decade to cross this gap. Between the eighth and the ninth level was double the distance of that, and from the ninth to the tenth level was as wide as leaping over a grand canyon. However, with Bas' premium wood class Soul Record, which was powerful enough to be considered bronze class Hunt Record, the distance between the levels of Hunt Foundation, Fifth Class was really not that much. Even at the higher levels.
Vrrrrmmmmmm...
Vrrrrmmmmmm...
Vrrrrmmmmmm...
Vrrrrmmmmmm...
BINK!
Eighth Level Hunt Foundation!
"I did it, I did it!" Bas stood up and stretched as he laughed like a madman, "Sky foundation stage! I've finally reached it. These last five days were truly not in vain."
Bas was ecstatic because he had come so far without relying on a single pill, or any resources from the King clan. His body felt limber and powerful. If he started Drug Production, how fast would he improve then?
"Fifth Class hunters can't read their stats with a mecha-hand. However, if I'm not mistaken Fifth Class hunters won't have a value more than 9 for any stats. However, the current me is already more powerful than I was at the peak of Fifth Class during my previous life. I've also practiced my first soul skill, Evil Dragon's Claw, to the peak of the wood grade. Evil Dragon Claw is a wood grade hunter skill that has strength comparable to a bronze grade skill. That's because it adds 15 points to my strength, agility, and stamina. If we're at the same level, only those who have practiced Silver Grade hunter skills or better would be able to contend against it. With this skill, I can even battle early fourth class hunters, as long as they aren't using a Max Bronze Grade Skill. If I can make it resonate with my soul, how powerful would it become then?"
Hunter Statistics are based on seven core values: Strength, Agility, Wisdom, Intelligence, Stamina, Endurance, and Luck. With a mecha-hand, one could read their own stats via the bio-connection. However, true elites were able to measure it with their spiritual sense alone. In the era where Bas originated from, they didn't have such a thing as Hunter Statistics, just like he had never heard of a Soul Masonry before. This era was ultimately very different from his own, a lot of time must have passed. Reincarnation was said to take up to 100 generations for the great pharaoh. How long was a generation? It was at least 30 years!
"In retrospect, 300 or so years isn't actually that long," Bas felt satisfied with his progress and was eager to battle another hunter to test his strength.
He wanted to see what the hunters of this era could do. Unfortunately, he was surrounded by mortals. There hadn't even been anyone who noticed the Light of Enlightenment striking him, which should have caused at least a slight commotion. Bas felt that some recluse hunter should have at least come to investigate. Thanks to the light of enlightenment, Bas' spiritual pool had expanded into a spiritual sea. That was skipping the level of a spiritual stream and spiritual lake, it directly advanced into a spiritual sea. This was the mental capacity of a Peak Third Class hunter. This was the difference between a producer and a mason!
"Qi Production and Soul Masonry...interesting. There must be many in the era who are unable to use soul power. If it hadn't become rare, there would be no need for a distinction." Bas King felt this world was full of strange new things, and he couldn't wait to explore its secrets himself.
He was a professional Pyromancer and Qi Producer in his previous incarnation. His Qi Production was centered around Drug Production and Record Production, the big money makers. These were skills that he hadn't lost during reincarnation. He could still feel the fire elements in the air, and he knew where the highest concentrations were just by closing his eyes. If Bas was near any fire, he could probably manipulate at will. Of course, he wouldn't be able to form attacks with pyromancy while he was only at the Fifth Class, unless he cultivated a battle flame. However, how could Bas survive integration with a battle flame at the Hunt Foundation rank?
This was wishful thinking.
All he needed was time.
"Now is a good time to check out those underground fights I've been hearing about."
Two days ago a co-worker was bragging to Bas about how epic the underground hunter tournaments were this year. Underground Hunters were those who secretly practiced Hunter Artes in the mortal world. While most of these 'so-called' hunters were mere Hunt Neophytes, Bas held hope that he would encounter a Hunt Foundation, Fifth Class Hunter or maybe even a Hunt Expert, Fourth Class Hunter.
Hunt Experts were especially tough, especially the druids. A Hunt Expert or a druid like himself were just what Bas needed to test the limits of his strength. He estimated that he should be able to fight against a three-star Hunt Expert, but a four-star Hunt Expert would probably be too powerful for him to match.
"Anyway, there's no longer anyone in my class who could be considered a threat." Bas King was 70% positive about this.
After all, Lucara Angels was an enigma.
After washing up in the bathroom, and briefly cooking for his mother, Bas departed the apartment building, cruising on his hoverbike all the way to the entrance of the sewage system for the entire metropolis. He locked his hoverbike up at hoverbay a few blocks away before venturing in on foot.
Deep within the sewers, it was like a never-ending maze that traveled the length of the enormous metropolis. If the electronic invitation didn't guide guests, Bas would definitely get lost a few times. Luckily, as long as the light on the little invitation was green and not red, Bas could be sure he was walking the right way.
After walking for a dozen miles under the city, Bas actually sensed the presence of extremely vital hunt qi. This was a clear sign that hunters were gathered. Bas grew excited as he had not been in contact with his own kind for a few years now. Walking out of a tunnel into an open space, Bas saw hundreds of people surrounding a combat ring inside of a metal cage. He was relatively shocked. Shocking still was the fact that 2/5 of these hundreds of people were actually hunters! Bas had never seen so many hunters in mortal society, let alone all gathered in one place. After a quick sweep of his third class spiritual sense, Bas was able to detect two individuals with fourth class hunt qi. One was an old man sitting next to a red-haired girl in a mask, and the other a bald muscle-head standing guard in front of a blonde-haired gentleman with clear blue eyes.
Bas wondered what type of personage would need to hire a Hunt Expert as a bodyguard. The wages must be quite impressive, to say the least, "Maybe I should consider working as a bodyguard? There are far easier ways to earn money, but good fights are hard to find."
"Harlots and animals, welcome all to the Underground Hunter Tournament! The winner of tonight's third match and still the Fifth Class Champion of the Underworld Cup, Texas Banger!"
"Oooohhh!!"
The crowd went wild as the incredibly sexy announcer held up the red-haired brute, Texas Banger's hand! Texas snatched the mic from the announcer and grabbed a handful of her plump rear end, "Haha, to my fans I, AHHH!"
Just as the champ was about to gloat, his arm was twisted six ways to Sunday before anyone could react. The sexy announcer easily reduced the champ to a crying baby as punishment for his sexual harassment.
She grabbed the microphone from the ground next to the wailing man, and addressed the crowd, "Listen up, you motherfuckers! Remember this lesson well. If any of you dare to disrespect this lady again, you won't be leaving with a just a broken arm!
"Hubba, hubba," Bas King stared with wide violet-gold eyes at this incredibly hot and equally fierce woman.
Before she attacked he was unable to sense it, but she was actually also Hunt Expert! One who had exceptional control over her aura. When he saw the reigning champ was merely at seventh level Hunt Foundation, Bas almost walked back out. Now, his interest in this Underground Hunter Tournament was suddenly reignited.