"Wakey wakey wakey….Sleepy head." Garret called as he tapped the sleeping teenager lightly on his back. He heard a low grunts before the blonde teenager raised his lower body up.
"You're quite a good sleeper Boy." Garret taunted the blonde teenager who was still unaware of his surroundings. He just woke up from sleep and was trying to put pieces together. It didn't take long before his brain processed all the necessary information he needed.
He quickly tried to rise up from the bed but Garret's firm hand managed to keep him still. "Easy Boy. There's no cause for alarm."
The Teenager recognized the owner of the voice and moreover with the help of the active Skill which was in the Blindfold Band, he could see the Energy Core of the person Right in front of him. "What happened? Where am I?" The Blonde Teenager asked after calming down. All he remembered was walking through a bright light with the others.
"You're in the Hunter's Guild Larry, you passed out through the Teleporter and were brought to one of their hangers." Garret explained.
"The Hunter Guild." The Blonde Teenager now recognized as Larry Quinn sighed after repeating the name. After facing hell in the Military Academy and now he's in another institute he knew nothing about. But things weren't the same as last time. He isn't just a Blind Loser anymore but a Blind Dhampir.
"What's it Boy? Your face doesn't look great. You don't love it here?" Garret asked and Larry instantly shook his head.
"No. It just felt different, it just felt like starting over once again." Larry replied sincerely.
"I understand Boy but I know you can do it. You saved not just my life but that of my teammates. You're stronger than you look, I hate to admit it." These words of Garret put a smile on the face of the Blonde Teenager causing his cheek to flush red.
"Now look at that. I've prepared your clothes,the bathroom is by the left corner. Go freshened up or do you need any help doing that?"
"No..help .no I'm fine. I'll be fine." Larry stuttered unsure of what Garret meant by help. The older man just chuckled and walked out of the scene leaving only Larry who quickly walked to the left corner. It didn't take long before he located the bathroom.
*****
Larry stepped out of the hanger fully dressed in the outfit Garret had prepared for him. He was wearing a white body fitting top and a black pants which complimented his black boots and the Black Blindfold Band that was pressed on his face.
"That was refreshing. It's been weeks since I brushed my teeth and had such a good bath." Larry said to himself with his face full of smiles but there's one thought that lingered on his mind. 'What's next?'
"That was way too fast Larry, I was expecting you to take hours." Garret said from behind as he walked up to Larry who didn't need to turn before acknowledging his presence. Larry didn't know what to say or how to reply to Garret. The last thing he wanted was for his upperclassman to think that he was snubbing him and the truth was that he was out of speech.
"What's with the confused look? You're worried about what's next aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm gonna get registered right?"
Larry replied with a question of his own and Garret shook his head. Although the Blonde Teenager could not see this, he witnessed the reaction in his energy core.
"No Larry. You first need to undergo some assessment." Garret replied walking forward while Larry followed closely from behind, his mind still trying to process what his upperclassman meant by assessment.
"I see you're confused. The assessment is just a test that will prove if you're qualified to join the ranks in the Hunter's Guild." Garret explained as they continued walking and soon they got to an open space where Larry could feel a different presence.
"You're up next," Garret said, stopping at the entrance to the open space. Larry took a breath, feeling the energy shift around him as he stepped forward. The area was vast—he could sense it, the way the air opened up. His blindfold's ability allowed him to detect the presence of others, all with cores radiating distinct energy signatures.
He heard voices, the murmur of people nearby, likely the other new recruits waiting for their assessments. Larry's nerves kicked in, but he clenched his fists, focusing on his breathing. He couldn't let them know. His Blood Core had to remain a secret.
"Larry Quinn?" A new voice, sharp and authoritative, cut through the air. The voice belonged to a figure with a deep energy signature, one of the higher-ups, no doubt.
"Yes," Larry responded, stepping forward. His body tensed. He couldn't afford to mess this up. Every movement needed to be calculated.
"Stand over there." The voice directed him to a spot in the center of the open space. Larry followed the energy signature, his senses extending around him, piecing together the layout. He could feel others watching him, the scrutiny heavy in the air.
"You'll be assessed on your combat skills, reaction speed, and your use of your core." The voice paused, and Larry felt a moment of panic. Core? He hadn't fully unlocked everything about his Blood Core. No one could know about it, and there was no way he could use it in front of everyone.
But Garret had reassured him that the Hunter's Guild had their own ways of assessing individuals with unique circumstances. Larry just had to stay calm.
"Don't worry. We know some of you haven't fully unlocked your abilities yet," the voice said, as if reading his mind. Larry let out a slow breath, his muscles loosening just a little.
"Your first opponent," the voice continued, "is a basic-tier meteor beast simulation. Defeat it, and we'll move to the next stage."
A whirring sound echoed from across the open space, and Larry sensed something large shifting in front of him. His hands flexed instinctively as his blindfold helped map out the area in front of him. It wasn't a real meteor beast—he knew that—but the simulation's energy core was surprisingly similar to the real thing.
The ground trembled slightly, signaling the beast's approach. Larry could feel the simulated energy pulse—slow, deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. His body reacted on instinct, moving to the left as he heard the beast lunge forward, its claws scraping the ground.
Focus. You're stronger than this.
Larry concentrated, activating his enhanced senses. His hearing sharpened, detecting the subtle shifts in the beast's movements. He sidestepped its attack, feeling the rush of air as its claws barely missed him.
"Good," the voice echoed from above. "But don't just dodge. Fight back."
Larry gritted his teeth, knowing he couldn't just rely on his evasiveness. He needed to strike. Without his Blood Core's abilities, he had to rely on his physical strength and combat training. He waited for the beast to lunge again. This time, as it moved, he ducked low and surged forward, delivering a swift kick to its side.
The beast staggered, and Larry pressed his advantage, moving in close. He slammed his elbow into the simulation's core, feeling the impact resonate through his arm. The beast let out a low growl-like sound before its body crumbled into simulated dust.
Larry straightened, his breathing steady. He could feel eyes on him, some impressed, some skeptical. It wasn't the flashiest fight, but it was effective. And, most importantly, he hadn't exposed his Blood Core.
"Not bad," the authoritative voice said. "But that was just the warm-up."
Larry stiffened. The atmosphere around him grew tense as the energy signatures shifted. This time, the next opponent felt different—stronger, more dangerous.
"We'll increase the difficulty for the next round. Prepare yourself."
From the far side of the space, another simulated creature materialized. This one pulsed with a higher-tier energy signature, something beyond what Larry had faced before. The tension in the air was palpable, and Larry knew this next fight would push him to his limits.
The figure watching him chuckled, as if waiting to see how he'd handle this challenge. "Let's see what you've really got, Larry Quinn."