"As you may not know, in the higher-ranking cities, the Five Great Families have been monopolizing more and more power, steadily weakening the influence of both the government and the World Hunters Association."
His eyes glimmered with a hint of sadness as he spoke, reflecting the gravity of the situation. "The main reason for the tournament is this: at the beginning of last month, we sent an expedition team consisting of three S-rank hunters and four peak A-rank hunters from the Association. We also asked others to join but none of the Five Great Families agreed to send the hunters from their families. Their mission was to investigate the reason about the increasing number of monsters beyond the boundary."
He paused, his voice faltering for a moment as the weight of the situation began to settle. "About 268 kilometers from the Great Wall, we lost all contact with them," he continued, his tone now reflected anxiety. "Only the World Hunters Association and the Five Great Families know about information which I am going to disclose. So, listen carefully," his tone turned serious. "Shortly after losing contact, we received a series of disturbing images—monsters, larger and more numerous than we've seen in decades, slowly advancing toward the Great Walls. And with the deaths of those highly valuable hunters, the Association's influence has been declining rapidly."
The chairman's face now openly indicated his concern about the loss Hunters Association had faced, the calm facade slipped away, replaced by seriousness as the enormity of the situation weighed upon him.
"I thought I had an idea about what he was going to say, but the situation is far more serious than I initially expected."
Losing even one S-rank hunter was a devastating blow. A single S-rank hunter is equivalent to thousands of A-rank hunters. This revelation showed just how much power the World Hunters Association truly wielded.
"So, the Hunters Associations in every city are holding this tournament to find the greatest talents to nurture," the chairman continued, confirming my suspicions. "If someone from the Five Great Families wins, it will be their gateway into the Association and that's something we absolutely cannot allow. The last thing the Association needs is for the Five Families to infiltrate and further erode our influence."
He paused, his expression softening slightly, his words carried the weight of urgency. "So, as the chairman of this branch of the World Hunters Association, I am personally requesting you to join us. I give you my word that we will not restrict your actions in any way."
He looked at me, his eyes quietly asking for something, like he expected me to do something only I could in the middle of all this chaos.
I took a moment to think it over."I've reached reached the level comparable to an S-rank hunter, but there is still something I lack...access to more dungeons."
"Perhaps having a sponsor wouldn't be such a bad idea," I mused. The path ahead wasn't clear, but this seemed like the easier route to grow stronger. "It isn't every day that the association request someone themselves"
"What are the terms and conditions of the contract that you want me to sign?" I asked, my tone calm, signaling my approval, though I was still skeptical about my decision.
Although a part of me hesitated, I knew deep down that agreeing with the Association could unlock numerous possibilities which I could exploit.
Mr.Victor glanced at his assistant. "Mr.Ethan, bring the contract," he instructed, his voice commanding. Mr.Ethan nodded and swiftly exited the room to carry out the chairman's orders.
A few minutes later, Mr.Ethan returned with a contract paper in his hand. He placed it on the table before me, and Mr.Victor leaned forward slightly. "Mr. Zephyr, we've made sure to leave no room for any complaints on your end. We have done everything we could to meet your expectations. The Hunter Association will provide you with its utmost support, even if you choose not to join us formally," he assured, his tone almost confidant.
He paused briefly, a glint of frustration visible his face. "Since the loss of our valuable hunters, our dungeon-related activities have come to a considerable halt. The large guilds and the Five Great Families have been monopolizing the dungeons. As I'm sure you're aware about the power a single S-rank hunter can wield. A single S-rank hunter can bring an entire city, without one, down to its knees." His words carried a sense of urgency.
"As we were informed about the deaths of our hunters, we concluded that a potential S-rank dungeon could be at play here. The strongest one yet, no less. And with the Five Great Families refusing to help, we're left with no choice but to prepare on our own. That's why we need strong hunters like you," he said, his eyes fixed on me as I scanned through the content of the contract.
I was surprised to find that all the conditions in the contract were heavily in my favor, with the only requirement being that I assist them in controlling the rising number of dungeons. One clause, however, that caught my eye was that despite the favorable terms, I still had the option to leave the Association at any time.
"That's the real advantage,"I thought. The Association was known to be very strict regarding its rules. Once you joined the association, switching allegiance to another faction was nearly impossible and that was the only reason why hunters preferred guilds over association.Yet, here I was, being offered a rare loophole.
"The Association has turned out to be the complete opposite of what I expected," I thought, surprised by how favorable the terms were. This unexpected turn of events left me with no reason to hesitate any longer. Without further delay, I quickly signed the contract.
"Thank you, Mr. Zephyr, for choosing the support of the Association," the chairman said, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I should be the one thanking you," I replied, handing him the contract I just signed. "Just as you said, there really is no room for complaints."
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