Rowen entered the building through the Karde door. The first look of the building was mesmerizing. The hallway was large and filled with people and Hunters from all around the world. After seeing this, he understood that this building was the "Nexus of Destiny" of this city.
After that, he saw a circular table in the center of the hallway where some ladies were standing behind it. Behind them was a circular pillar with a glass-like thing attached at some height. On it were written about different quests and about their different rank requirements.
After observing Rowen for some time, he approached the table and stood in front of the lady.
The lady greeted him, saying, "Hello, welcome to the Nexus of Destiny. My name is Sarah," she said with a warm smile. "How can I help you?" She glanced at Rowen's clothes, noticing they were torn in some places.
Sarah said to Rowen, "If you're looking for new gear, you can head to the fourth floor where all the items like armor, weapons, and other wearable accessories are sold for the Hunters."
Rowen replied, "No, I have come here to become a hunter. Can you tell me what I have to do for that?"
"Oh, sorry," Sarah responded, "I thought you were looking for some gear based on your appearance. I apologize for my assumption." She bowed slightly to Rowen.
"No need for you to do that," Rowen reassured her. "I do want to change some of my gear, but first, I want to become an official hunter. And by the way, My name is Rowen."
"Thank you for understanding, Rowen," Sarah replied with a grateful smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you officially. Now, let's get you registered as a Hunter."
"This way, please," Sarah gestured, leading the way for Rowen. "First, we have to check your innate attributes and innate energy for that, and then assess your combat powers for your rank evaluation."
"But I've already checked my innate attributes and energy in Aurora Vale. Do I have to do that again?" Rowen inquired.
Sarah replied with a smile, "Yes, sir. It's the basic procedure for the rank evaluation."
Sarah instructed, "Please put your hand on this orb for us to elaborate your innate attribute."
Rowen complied, although he knew the orb wouldn't be able to detect his innate attribute. As Rowen expected, the orb wasn't able to detect his attribute.
Sarah observed, "So, you don't have any type of attribute. Now let's check your innate energy score. Please stand in front of that pillar and put your hand on the crystal embedded in it."
Rowen once again complied with Sarah's request, but he knew that if he didn't control his aether energy, it would cause a big uproar in the city. As all his aether energy was like an innate energy for him, which would attract unwanted attention from the entire world—a situation he wasn't ready for, as he was still weak and not strong enough to protect himself.
After injecting a little of his aether energy into the crystal while trying to control it as best as he could, Rowen quickly moved his hand away. However, the crystal still displayed an innate energy score of 80 out of 100, the standard score for high rankers.
Sarah was shocked. "You have quite a high score of innate energy," she remarked. "It's the standard score. Those who have this level of innate energy score have a great chance of becoming high rankers one day."
She continued, "Now, let's evaluate your rank, as we know you possess the talent to become a Hunter." With that, Sarah directed Rowen towards another pillar, larger than anything else in the room, and said, "For rank evaluation, you have to hit that pillar over there with your sword for us to elaborate the amount of aether energy you possess."
Rowen, taking out his sword from the scabbard which he was wearing on his waist, and moved towards the pillar. He decided not to hold back, eager to test how much he have grown.
Rowen tightening his grip on his sword, and delivered a vertical slash, imbuing his aether energy into the strike. The pillar displayed the amount of aether energy Rowen possessed, showing 830 in floating numbers at its peak.
Sarah exclaimed, "Oh, you're already at the Novice (Expert) rank and nearing your breakthrough to the second rank without even being an official Hunter. You must have worked quite hard for this." If Sarah had known the fact that Rowen didn't even have any aether energy four days ago, she would have been surprised.
Rowen replied with a smile, "Yes, I worked quite hard to reach this rank."
Sarah concluded, "Okay, now all the tests are completed. We just need to go back and register you as an official Hunter."
With the tests completed and Rowen's impressive innate energy score revealed, they made their way back to the registration area. Sarah led Rowen through the process, ensuring all the necessary paperwork was completed accurately.
Once the registration was finalized, Sarah handed Rowen his official Hunter badge, a symbol of his new status within the Hunter community. "This badge holds all your information and serves as your identity proof as a Hunter," she explained.
"As you may know, being a Hunter is a highly respected and admirable profession. However, like everything else, it has its pros and cons," Sarah continued solemnly. "You must be aware of the Hunter Killers. They are Hunters like everyone else, but they roam around, targeting and killing other Hunters for their money, equipment, and loot."
"We place bounties on the heads of these criminals, but some may still evade capture due to their influence or powerful backgrounds," Sarah cautioned. "It's better to be safe than sorry."
"And from now you're officially part of our ranks," Sarah said, offering Rowen a congratulatory smile. "Welcome to the world of Hunters, where adventure and challenges await at every turn."
Rowen nodded, a sense of pride swelling within him as he pinned the badge to his attire. "Thank you, Sarah. And don't worry I'm ready for whatever comes my way.
Rowen asked Sarah, "Can you tell me where I can sell these Goblin (Savage) cores?" as he showed her the cores in his pouch.
Sarah nodded, understanding his inquiry. "So, you want to sell these cores. You can sell them on the second floor, where all the hunters sell their spoils."
Curious, Rowen inquired further, "Can you tell me the way to reach the second floor?"
Sarah gestured towards the options. "You can either take the stairs over there, or you can also go to the next floor using that platform wh—"
Sarah paused as she noticed a commotion nearby, then continued, "Using that platform, which is located at the end of the hallway. It will take you directly to the second floor. Just be cautious, as it can get quite busy up there."
Rowen stood on the platform, feeling a slight thrill as it began to ascend to the second floor. Once it reached its destination, he stepped off and quickly made his way towards the area where hunters sold their spoils.
With eager anticipation, Rowen navigated through the bustling second floor, which exuded a richer atmosphere compared to the plain first floor. It was clear from the ornate flooring that this was the hub of all transactions within the Nexus of Destiny. Rowen absorbed the sights and sounds of the busy hallway as he made his way towards the designated area.
Similar to the first floor, Rowen found a circular desk behind which some ladies stood, ready to assist with transactions. With determination in his step, he approached the desk to sell the cores.
The lady greeted Rowen warmly, saying, "Welcome! How can I assist you today?"
Rowen replied, "I want to sell these Goblin (Savage) cores," as he showed her the cores in his pouch.
"Certainly," the lady responded. "But first, let's check these cores and assess their value." Rowen handed his pouch to the lady, waiting patiently as she examined the cores using a machine.
After a moment, the lady returned and said, "That will be 1500 gold coins for 15 Goblin (Savage) cores. How would you like to receive the payment, in gold or on your Aurum Vault Card?"
Rowen looked confused. "Aurum Vault Card? What is that?" he asked, giving her an inquiring look.
The lady explained, "Oh, you don't have an Aurum Vault Card. Let me explain. It's like a digital wallet that stores your earnings and allows you to make transactions securely within the Nexus of Destiny."
Rowen listened intently as the lady explained the concept of the Aurum Vault Card. Intrigued, he nodded for her to continue.
The lady elaborated, "With an Aurum Vault Card, you can securely store your earnings from selling items, completing quests, or receiving rewards. It eliminates the need to carry physical gold coins and provides added security for your funds. Plus, you can use it to make purchases within the Nexus of Destiny or withdraw your funds at any designated location from any branch of the Nexus of Destiny."
Rowen nodded, starting to grasp the benefits of having an Aurum Vault Card. "That sounds convenient," he remarked."How can I get one of these Aurum Vault Cards for myself?" he asked the lady.
The lady smiled and nodded in agreement. "An excellent choice. Wait a minute, and I will create an Aurum Vault Card for you." She disappeared momentarily, returning with a white card adorned with golden lines. "Here is your Aurum Vault Card. All you need to do is provide a drop of blood, and it will bond to you."
Rowen followed her instructions, allowing a drop of blood to seal the bond with the card. Once the process was complete, the lady transferred Rowen's funds to the card by touch it with the other card that she had.
"Let me tell you one more thing," she continued. "We have seven types of colored cards: White, Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Red, and Black. Each represents its own certain requirement of gold. The white card you are holding is the basic one, but as you accumulate a certain amount of money, the card will change its color to green."
Rowen listened attentively, taking in the information about the colored Aurum Vault Cards.
"Thank you for explaining," he replied. "I'll make sure to keep an eye on my card's color as I progress."
The lady nodded with a smile. "You're welcome. Just remember to check in periodically to see if your card has upgraded. It's a sign of your growing wealth and status within the Hunter community."
With a grateful nod, Rowen thanked the lady once again for her assistance, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having his own Aurum Vault Card. He then turned and made his way towards the platform once more, eager to head to the next floor of the Nexus of Destiny.