A hunter never slept with both eyes closed, even with one eye shut and one open, one couldn't still get a good sleep. It was just like my Master in my past life would always say to me.
I darted my eyes through the crowd as far and wide as I could, searching out the figure of Terrence Kenton but I couldn't see him.
The thought of him had my blood boiling and my hands instinctively folded into fists.
How much more the sight of him?
Ignoring the uneasiness that the hot atmosphere inside the hall brought, the recruits continued to cheer for German, chanting his name as he poured more fire into their hearts.
German Barns created this illusion inside their minds that made them believe that they had made the best decisions of their lives and were on the best possible paths they could ever take.
Left for the new recruits, they were hyped in their minds, so much that many of them certainly believed that they could handle their own against the dangers of the world right now.
I shook my head in disappointment because I knew what had happened.
None of the decisions that anyone here had taken was from their free will even if it looked so.
They were primed.
We were all primed.
Some through their parents and families.
Some by false good deeds and alms which they received from unknown individuals, who promised to better their lives and families if they had any.
Some from personal interactions with the Instructors.
Some also were as a repayment of their debts to a person, who was linked to the Cube.
Some were handpicked from the underworld of this world, et cetera.
One way or another, the decision to join the N.R.P was not absolutely voluntary, given that the Cube had a hand or even a finger worth of influence in that decision.
The recruits continued to cheer and shout.
As for me, I released a sigh, conveying my dismay with the current situation.
This wasn't what I needed. I needed a fan or something to start with at least.
'It's so damn hot.'
German continued to talk for several minutes and when he was done, every one of us proceeded to line up in four ranks which consisted of several rows and columns.
The registration of my fingerprints and scans was about to commence.
The registration was simply to help us gain the prestigious Cube ID—a means of identification which could be used within and without the facility.
At least, that was how it seemed to us, recruits, who had been oblivious to its true purpose.
This item of identification was a literal small, black cube; call it a deep black Rubik cube.
The cube was registered exclusively to one recruit. A multi-functional material that could take any shape or form depending on what its owner wants at the time.
The other purpose for the registration which I hadn't known until later in my time as a recruit here was that the cube that we received was a means to keep tabs on every single recruit at any time… and our personal details which had been scanned could be used to track you down wherever you were.
The black Cube ID was so important to students of the Cube that we wouldn't do anything without it.
So, we were handicapped from the start.
Even I, who possesses prior knowledge, am left without a choice but to accept the cube.
There was almost nothing within the premises of the Cube which did not require using this means of identification.
It was the key to several locks that were connected to us.
If one ever wanted to make any purchases, they had to use it in its card form as well.
Although they didn't know this yet, every one of us would come to have this ID as a companion until we have completed this New Recruit Program and even beyond.
The entire registration process lasted a little beyond two hours and once it was done, German gave us a final address and introduced himself as the Instructor who was in charge of our batch above all else.
…German was the Head Instructor.
That was good news for me.
'Truly nothing changed. Everything is still the same as I had lived it,' I thought as my lips rose slightly into a grin.
It was good that German Barns was still the Head Instructor for my year because his Skill was something that I would like to possess eventually.
In my previous life, I had not been opportuned to take hold of such an ability because German had been wary of me after witnessing me foolishly reveal my Skill to all in that life.
As I recalled the events that would happen in German Barns' life, my hands were folded and I sucked my teeth.
…'Only to fall prey to Terrence's Skill. What a bastard that Hero really is.'
That was not going to happen this time around. I will be there to make sure that Terrence never gets his hand on the Copper Stage Hunter's ability.
"Thank you for your time!" German's voice resonated throughout the hall.
"On your IDs now, you will see a number. That's your room number which you will share with another recruit.
"Kindly go there as that would be where you will be staying until you graduate. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir!" We chorused loudly in assent to his instructions, our voices reverberating and nearly shaking the metallic walls of the hall.
Turning my cube around, I already knew the room that I would get.
Of course, it was still the same old Room 434, one of the rooms on the topmost floor of our dorm building.
And of course, the noisy brat from our batch was still my roommate, hahaha.
Somewhere else within the same hall, a white-haired recruit sucked air through his mouth and into his belly before shouting at the top of his lungs.
"WHO ELSE IS IN ROOM 434!!!!"
'Fucking twat. Now, I have to get used to his noisy personality all over again. Fucking Bright Holden.'
A smile formed on my face when I remembered the name I started calling him.
'Fucking 'Brat' Holden. Maybe I would rename him earlier than I had done in my past life,' I thought with a chuckle.
Knowing that Bright wouldn't stop shouting for his roommate until I appeared, I stepped out and identified myself just to save everyone's ears and dampen the situation before it escalated.
"Nice to meet you too, man," I said as I shook the white-haired boy.
Bright Holden, my fucking noisy roommate.
Now that he was standing face-to-face with me once again, I realised how much I had missed his shouting and energy.