It took Corvus several minutes to process his application. However, he spent a few minutes longer compared to the average applicant because he became a bit hesitant when he remembered his mother while he was filling up the information regarding his beneficiary in case he perished.
In the end, he transferred the registration bonus amounting to Five Hundred Thousand Avalon Currency to his mother's bank account. It was enough to pay their debt to his aunt, amounting to Three Hundred Thousand Avalon Currency.
"There's an excess of two hundred thousand Acu. I'll leave it to Ma's discretion on where to use the money. But knowing her... She'd probably save it for Jiro's studies." He murmured to himself as he was guided by a PHO staff to the orientation area.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived in a room that was filled with 'capsules' where he needed to lay down and hibernate to start his orientation. Capsules are oval-shaped refrigerator looking machine that was commonly used for medical purposes, especially on critical patients.
Capsules also had other uses like games and simulation of virtual realities, unmanned control of robots, VR control mode of Mechas, and a lot more. Hence, it was not surprising to Corvus that the orientation might include a simulation related to possible scenarios in Paradiso.
"Please lay down comfortably into the capsule, Sir." The staff said whilst typing in a holographic keyboard beside the capsule that was assigned to Corvus.
Corvus nodded in response as he entered the Capsule together with his bags. Then, the staff gave him some reminders and instructions before closing the door of the capsule.
"Sir, I would like to remind you that you can repeat the orientation as many times as you want. Just select the 'go again' option at the end of every session to start the orientation again. In case you are done with the orientation, please look for me at the registration area all the time. I would give you your Hunter Card together with the latest data recorded from your orientation."
"Thanks!" Corvus said as he nodded towards the staff with a smile. Then, the staff closed the door of the capsule and booted the capsule, marking that his 'orientation' was about to start.
At this moment, the capsule was slowly filled with white smoke that somehow made Corvus sleepy. He laid comfortably in the capsule and hugged the bags tightly before his consciousness started to fade. And like a seer that had accurately predicted his time of sleep, a robotic voice sounded and gave him a few instructions.
[Welcome! The New Hunter Orientation would commence soon!]
[Please close your eyes! Please close your eyes! Please close your eyes!]
[Starting the orientation in 5 seconds!]
[Hibernating in 5!]
[Hibernating in 4!]
[Hibernating in 3!]
[Hibernating in 2!]
[Hibernating in 1!]
Corvus followed the instruction of the system and closed his eyes. Slowly, his consciousness faded as he entered into a deep sleep. But after a few minutes, his eyes slowly opened like someone who had just awaken from a good night's sleep.
However, instead of being inside the capsule, he was inside a plain white cubic room with a big monitor in front. The moment he moved on his chair, the white walls slowly changed into gray and became more bearable to his eyes.
That said, Corvus rubbed his eyes as it slowly adjusted to the brightness of the room--like how one felt after staring for a long time in the sun. When he had successfully adjusted and was not 'slightly' dizzy anymore, Corvus read the text that was displayed on the monitor in front of him.
[Experience is the best way to learn. Please say 'START' to begin the orientation!]
Corvus did not start the orientation right away. He rested for a few more minutes before he started the orientation--ensuring that he had adjusted to the Virtual Mode. At the same time, he wanted to prepare his mind so that he would be able to absorb every single piece of information.
"Start!" He said, nervously.
[Activation confirmed!]
[Starting simulation in 3!]
[Starting simulation in 2!]
[Starting simulation in 1!]
Slowly, the surroundings changed. From the plain gray-colored walls, Corvus was somehow transported inside a briefing room on a spaceship. He was in the room together with several people who were quietly waiting for someone who would speak at the podium.
This gave Corvus a chance to glance around and assess the situation in that scenario. Thanks to his experience of playing Virtual Reality games as a part-time job offered to him by his classmates, he at least had an idea of what to do in that kind of situation.
By eavesdropping on the discussion of other people in the room, he was able to learn that they were about to have a final meeting before they would enter a magical planet called, Tordha. Unfortunately, that's all the information he was able to learn as the same old man that he met earlier, entered the room and went into the podium.
"Ehem! Ehem!" The old man faked a cough that consequently caught the attention of everyone. The room went deathly silent as no one dared to make the slightest noise--seemingly out of fear and respect to the old man.
However, the scene paused in the next tick of the clock as everyone, including the old man, froze in time. That said, unlike Ladal's 'Time Freeze', the surroundings did not become black and white.
It was a bit awkward scene for Corvus as he increased his awareness to its maximum. And only after several minutes of observation did he notice the system instructions displayed in the 'blackboard' looking monitor in front of them.
[Welcome to the Simulated Orientation, Young Hunter!]
[The following scenarios came from actual footage recorded by the Paradiso Hunter Organization. Though the orientation would take place in the form of simulation, rest assured that there would be pauses similar to this occasion to explain the basic information that every aspiring hunter should know before you head into the Magical Universe of Paradiso.]
[However, please do note that failure to achieve certain goals in some scenarios would result in the restart of that specific scenario, or your return to a specific savepoint. The Paradiso Hunter Organization designed the simulation in this way to increase the survivability of every hunter, especially those who lack information about the Magical Universe even up to this point.]
[Please say 'Proceed' to continue!]
"No wonder there was a line regarding experience at the start!" He said, "Anyway... Let's proceed!"