[Jerome's POV]
"What's the situation? Fill me in."
Jerome Vaughn was the most senior hunter in the vicinity, and he naturally took control of the situation. Though, he was out of breath as he had to travel in haste from the opposite corner of Quinton City just after he had dealt with another monster crisis. Still, he could not take a breather here.
Being one of Quinton City's only two available S-Rank hunters proved to be more than sufficient for the surrounding hunters to let out sighs of relief. Jerome was known to be a man hardened by numerous battles. The situation of life-or-death had always loomed over ever since he graduated from one of the nation's top hunter academies. His snappy and grim attitude caused many to not want to get on his bad side.
A nearby hunter stepped forward not a moment too soon and explained the ongoing situation.
"Sir, we have identified that a Blood-Hound Anubis appeared right next to the Hastings facility. We've covered as much space as we could to reach here. But as you can see…we couldn't avoid sustaining damage and civilian casualties."
"A what―? Why in the world is there an Anubis species here in America!?"
"That's what we were trying to figure out too, sir."
Jerome widened his eyes in surprise at the sudden revelation of the monster's identity.
The Anubis species like the Bloodhound were usually seen in the lands of northern Africa like Egypt, Morocco, Libya, the Levant and some parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Though still a subject of intensive research, some monster species were known to be location bound in terms of their sudden appearance and the Blood-Hound Anubis was one of them.
His eyes then shifted its view towards a certain direction when the hunter pointed his finger. It was towards the Hastings facility. A large portion of the main building was gone and other parts of it were on the verge of crumbling. The Anubis was not seen in sight, it seemed to have gone deeper inside. However, Jerome was able to hear the clashing sounds of combat and he readily reached out for his trusty Solar Flare Blade.
"How many are engaged in combat with the Bloodhound?"
"As of now, three. We got Nick Chester, Gerald Powers and Helen Fulz locking that beast down. The rest are focusing on evacuating as many people as possible."
"...So three A Ranks. Well, that'll do."
Jerome walked at a fast pace as he geared up for the upcoming conflict. The Blood-Hound Anubis was a worrying case to say the least if he didn't intervene as soon as possible. A-Class monsters would usually require at minimum two A-Rank hunters to fight on even ground. That basically translates for other tiers from F to SS. But that is a very simplistic view of looking at it.
As the world now revolves around humans who are capable of superb abilities and unbelievable wonders; basic understanding regarding how to categorize and utilize these abilities to their fullest potential is a must. The key points are as follows:
#### 1. **Basic Concept**
At the tail-end of World War I in 1917, individuals awakened to special powers after a catastrophic event known as "The Convergence," where dimensions started to overlap, and monsters began invading the world. Those who awaken are called "Hunters" and possess the ability to tap into Enigma, a mysterious source of energy that permeates all dimensions.
#### 2. **Hunter Ranks**
Hunters are categorized into ranks based on their abilities and power levels:
**F & E-Rank:** Beginners with basic abilities.
**D-Rank:** Moderately powerful, often forming the backbone of hunter teams.
**C-Rank:** Skilled and experienced, capable of taking on tougher monsters.
**B-Rank:** Highly skilled with powerful abilities, often team leaders.
**A-Rank:** Exceptionally powerful hunters with unique abilities.
**S-Rank:** The elite, few in number, capable of facing the most dangerous threats.
**SS-Rank:** Legends among hunters, their power is unparalleled, and they often operate solo or lead major expeditions.
**Above SS-Rank:** Unexplored territory.
#### 3. **Enigma Abilities**
Enigma abilities are divided into categories, each with their own subtypes:
**Elemental Manipulation:**
- Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice, etc.
**Physical Enhancement:**
- Strength, Speed, Endurance, Agility, Reflexes, etc.
**Mental Abilities:**
- Telekinesis, Telepathy, Mind Control, Illusions, etc.
**Summoning:**
- Ability to summon creatures, spirits, or constructs.
**Spatial Manipulation:**
- Teleportation, Dimensional Storage, Space Distortion, etc.
**Poison & Healing:**
- Regeneration, Healing Others, Purification, Poison Concoction, Alchemy etc.
**Specialized Abilities:**
- Abilities that do not fit the mold and need further research like Time Manipulation, Gravity Control, Energy Absorption, etc.
#### 4. **Enigma Resonance**
Each hunter has an Enigma Core within them that resonates with the Enigma in the world. This resonance determines their affinity and the potency of their abilities. The Enigma Core can be strengthened through:
**Combat Experience:** Defeating monsters and completing missions.
**Enigma Crystals:** Rare crystals containing concentrated Enigma, often found in monster lairs or dimensional rifts.
**Training:** Rigorous physical and mental training to refine control over their abilities.
#### 5. **Skills and Techniques**
Hunters develop specific skills and techniques based on their abilities. These skills are often categorized into tiers:
**Basic Skills:** Commonly known and easily learned by hunters of corresponding ranks. **Advanced Skills:** Require extensive training and experience to master.
**Unique Skills:** Personal techniques developed by individual hunters, often kept secret.
In light of this, one must take note of matchups and how both the hunter and monster's ability may present favorable or unfavorable terms for the parties involved. For example, if an A-Class monster's capability is intrinsically tied to plants and nature, then two A-Rank hunters that specialize in the element of Fire would be more than enough to finish off the monster. However, if the same two A-Rank hunters were to face an A-Class monster that relies heavily on the manipulation of water, then the two hunters would be put at a disadvantage and more reinforcements are required.
This also puts in the heavy emphasis between "Rank" for hunters and "Class" for monsters. Just because both the hunter and the monster are categorized as "A," it does not mean that they are in equal standing. Great luck and extremely favorable circumstances would be the bare minimum for a hunter to finish off a monster of the same category, perhaps not so for the lower categories like F and E. but that is definitely the case for the ones above that.
Putting this into perspective, Jerome quickly recalled the name of the three A-Rank hunters which had just been mentioned earlier.
Nick Chester.
Gerald Powers.
Helen Fulz.
These three were familiar names to Jerome and he had multiple opportunities working with them so chemistry would not be an issue. In terms of their abilities, Both Nick Chester and Gerald Powers were Physical Enhancement types, Nick shined on speed while Gerald on strength. Meanwhile, Helen relied mainly on Earth manipulation abilities.
Jerome sighed in relief.
At least there were no unfavorable matchups against the Anubis. Though that didn't mean that the Bloodhound was to be underestimated. In terms of capabilities, the Blood-Hound Anubis was considered to be one of the weaker variants of the Anubis species as they were usually categorized in the S-Class. The reason for that was because the Blood-Hound Anubis was a pure Physical Enhancement type monster. Ridiculous crazy strength, durability, and also speed considering its size, but not as devastatingly so likened to its peers that had elemental powers or even mental inducing capabilities. This basically prevented the monster from being capable of causing havoc in large scale AoEs (Area oF Effect).
Despite all this, the Bloodhound was still considered as a legitimate threat and placed amongst some of the deadliest monsters within the A-Class category. Hence, many dubbed it as one of those with the title "near S-Class."
If Jerome were to be honest himself, then he would reluctantly agree. He was a man with strict boundaries. If one monster was a B-Class, then it's a B-Class. There's no such thing as "half-a-step A-Class" or "near A-Class monster." Hyperbole didn't suit his cup of tea.
But experience is one hell of a thing. Jerome felt like his mind racing back to a time when he was younger. He had just stepped into S-Rank at the time, and he got the opportunity to join an international task force in Egypt for a year's time frame. And during that year, he almost lost a crucial battle against none other than a Hell-Hound Anubis in a one-on-one.
It was an eye-opening experience to say the least. Even remembering it now left a bitter taste to the veteran hunter's mouth.
"I'll confirm once again…are there any civilians left that need to be rescued?"
"Well…we recently recovered a fellow USHA operations leader by the name of Mr. Burns."
"Burns? You mean, Clyde Burns?"
"Yes sir, apparently he was present prior to the attack for an on-duty assignment from HQ."
"...Bless his soul."
Jerome could see Clyde from the distance surrounded by doctors and healers. He noticed that he wasn't in good shape. Blood came out profusely and he was in an unconscious state. The damage was especially seen from the torso below. As Jerome actively tried to figure out Clyde's condition roughly through sensing his Enigma's core…He found out that Clyde was in critical condition.
'He's fighting for survival.'
Jerome grimaced.
It wasn't easy seeing folks younger than him falling left and right. That was even more so when the promising ones fell. Jerome had the chance to get to know Clyde months prior when the younger man had just been stationed here in Quinton. He saw a lot of promise in him. A-Rank was a certainty for him, perhaps even S-Rank was not an impossibility.
But as of right now, that door seemed to have closed on its own.
"Anyone else?"
"...Moments prior we arrived, our comms 'Silverfox' made contact with a civilian by the name of Cade from Hastings's emergency comms. But we found out that the location of the comms is deep underground so…"
"...So prepare for the worse, eh? Whatever the case, we must recover what we can of him, dead or alive. Take note of his name and other casualties alike. You know what must be done, right?"
"...Yes sir."
"Alright, I'll get moving then."
Jerome furiously ran his Enigma Core to max capacity. His Solar Flare Blade in hand, the S-Rank hunter finally made his move as he dashed towards the eye of the storm. It's time to face an old foe.