Before the results were announced, a group of three higher-ranked hunters in the back were conversing amongst one another.
"The kid definitely pulled back his punches, I don't think he would have lost if he fought seriously," the blue-haired hunter claimed.
"Yeah, I think we can all agree on that. But why would he? He is only 10, maybe he just didn't want to hurt our little Lena? She is adorable, it would make sense."
"But still, I feel like something is off about him. First of all, why is he covering his face so much? Have you noticed how hard he kept trying to hide it?
"You've been quiet this whole time, what do you think, Arthur?" Arthur, with his fiery red hair, was the one who first noticed the boy when he felt his gaze. The boy's gaze somewhat irked him, and he decided to play it off with a thumbs up to not distract the young boy during his test.
Arthur, a rank 4 hunter, had the respect of the other two hunters, who were both a full rank below him.
"I'm not thinking much. I think we should keep an eye out on him, there seems to be a dark aura surrounding him, but I did not feel any hostility or any evil intent coming directly from the boy. But what caught my eye was the ring on his thumb. Did either of you notice it?"
The two hunters looked at each other, unsure what Arthur was talking about, and simply shrugged.
'Hmm, I wonder how they did not notice it? The ring was definitely giving off vibes of being enchanted, but if a rank 3 hunter can't notice it, that makes me think it's a high-level item. But why would the kid have it?' Arthur pondered deeply.
"Well regardless, I'm going to continue observing his progress. You two, try to rank up soon, I need some more rank 4's to join my party as there have been strange rumors recently that I wanted to investigate."
"We both tried the rank 4 test less than a month ago, it did not go well," the blue-haired hunter said as he scratched the back of his head. "We'll have to try again in 5 months, we'll make sure to get it by then!"
"I see, well, if you need any tips let me know," Arthur smirked as he said that and started to walk away, waving goodbye.
Unbeknownst to any of them, Alex actually heard the whole conversation. No one would expect that he has super hearing. The conversation sent shivers down his spine, and he continued to fiddle with the ring while hiding his hand in his hoodie pocket.
'I need to be more careful, especially around that Arthur guy, turns out he's rank 4, that's really high up there. If he were to take any action, I would not be able to stop him from doing whatever he wanted to me.' Alex's resolve to get stronger, faster, was furthered.
In GreenHaven, the public hunter rank distribution was as follows:
Rank 1 - 10%
Rank 2 - 25%
Rank 3 - 40%
Rank 4 - 20-25%
Rank 5 - 0-5%
The western part of the world had a higher number of overall rank 4 and rank 5 hunters than Greenhaven, mostly attributed to their more rigorous training regimes and resources available to nurture quality hunters. But there were sure to be other hidden secrets that they were hiding and not wanting to share with the other countries in the world to maintain their dominance. Just like Earth, politics is a dirty game, often played by the greatest liars.
Soon after, the officer announced that both Lena and Alex had successfully earned their Hunter Rank 1 badges.
This declaration was met with loud cheers from the audience, who clinked their big mugs in a celebratory fashion, spilling drops of the dark Shadow Stout everywhere. Alex, observing his surroundings, felt an unfamiliar sensation.
People were praising him, and before he knew it, tears started to fall from his eyes.
Other hunters noticed, but instead of mocking him, they lifted Alex into the air, chanting his name in unison. "Alex! Alex! Alex!" As his tears dried, Alex's genuine smile emerged, only to be met with surprised looks from everyone around him.
"Whoa, Alex, those teeth! I know you're an orphan and all, but don't you ever brush? From now on, buddy, keep that smile under wraps!" the hunters exclaimed amidst laughter. They weren't being mean; they were genuinely taken aback.
"I brush every day, I swear! It's just bad genetics! When I'm strong enough, I'm going to make you all as toothy as me; then, we'll see who's laughing!" Alex retorted, still grinning with his piranha-like pointy teeth.
After the celebration ended, the officer handed Alex his hunter's badge. Alex pinned it to the top right of his hoodie with pride. The badges, enchanted with a special magic, clung to any material and wouldn't come off unless removed by the badge owner.
This was his first real possession, his very own hunter's badge!
Exhausted from the day's events and starting to feel hungry, Alex declined the hunters' invitation to stay at the guild for the night, craving some privacy. He was still not ready to reveal his true appearance, still hidden beneath his hoodie.
On his way home, Alex stopped by a food stand, purchasing any raw meat left over from the previous night with the little money he had, before heading back to his apartment.
Once home, he locked the door, drew the curtains, removed his hoodie, and headed to the bathroom to examine his reflection. He noticed his hair was slightly better than when he was level 1, about 15% better, he estimated.
His upper body was well-built, not exactly sporting abs, but definitely toned. His forearms showed clear definition.
However, as his gaze traveled downwards, his enthusiasm waned. His legs, still too skinny compared to the rest of his body, were a comical contrast.
"Great, now I'm officially a walking lollipop," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head with a mix of amusement and slight exasperation.
Alex grabbed the meat he bought, shoved it down his throat without really thinking about it, and went to sleep. And as usual, not forgetting to hug his box of possessions.
In the quiet of the night, a new determination took root in Alex's heart. He resolved to climb the ranks, to harness his powers, and understand the mysteries surrounding him. This was his mission, his personal ambition. The road ahead was long and uncertain, but Alex was ready to face whatever challenges came his way.