XXXII
The stewardess was mundane, so there was no chance she'd catch on to my aura work. I watched her disappear down the aisle, seemingly oblivious, but something about the train felt… off.
A few moments later, I recognized something going on…
Earlier, the staff had been making their rounds, handing out food and drinks. Now, they were gone—vanished without a trace.
Most of the train staff were ordinary people, unconnected to the world of hunters. That meant they probably weren't part of whatever was coming. I leaned slightly toward Black, keeping my voice low. "It's almost time. How's your surveillance going?"
Black's response was measured, as always. "I found a couple of suspicious items imbued with aura."
I nodded, the pieces falling into place.
This exam setup was familiar. In my novel, it was one of the most grueling trials for the protagonist. A long, tension-filled arc where he had to track down and appraise aura-infused items, many of which were cleverly disguised. Some seemed harmless but concealed something dangerous, while others appeared cursed or misleading. It was a test of perception, intuition, and skill.
Not for me, though.
"I could appraise those items from here," I suggested, glancing at Black. "If you let me use my ability on your spiders."
Black didn't hesitate. From his sleeve, he summoned a small, almost imperceptible spider and held it out. Without a word, I touched it, focusing on channeling my power.
First, I marked the spider with my aura, and to my surprise, it worked. Either aura beasts weren't considered fully organic, or this was another quirk of my abilities. Encouraged, I marked more of his spiders as he released them to scuttle around our section of the train.
Black's spiders were remarkable. Small and nearly invisible, they seemed to possess natural stealth capabilities—perfect for surveillance. Combining my Vision attribute with the principles of Soul Link, I activated Soul Vision to enhance my perception.
"The pendant and the coin," I said, spotting two distinct auras nearby. "Those are the closest aura-infused items. Take them. They'll probably come in handy for the next stage. Just keep them close—no need to draw attention."
Black gave a silent nod and dispatched his spiders to retrieve the objects. He moved with quiet precision, following my advice exactly.
Through my tarot connection, I reached out to Selena. "Selena, do you copy? There's an aura-infused item hidden near you. Check the compartment to your left, under the seat three rows ahead, and one embedded by the window. I have a strong feeling these will be important."
Before I could hear her response, a booming voice echoed through the train.
"Hello~! This is the president speaking! Mic test, mic test..."
Bob's voice, playful and commanding, filled the cabin.
"We're going to play the Train Game! Rules are simple," he began, drawing the attention of every hunter onboard.
I leaned forward, listening intently.
"Your objective: The train is filled with mundane and aura-infused objects. Hunters must use their Maker abilities to identify, catalog, and analyze the aura-infused items," Bob explained. "But beware—some objects are cursed or have misleading auras. Mishandling them can disrupt your perception and lead to costly mistakes."
This was it—the real challenge.
"To pass this test," Bob continued, "you'll need to imbue your aura onto an item to match this frequency—"
A resonant hum filled the air: Tnnnng~!
"—and then survive the next stage," Bob said. "Killing is permitted, but escalation has consequences. Remember, the number of aura-infused items is limited... not all of you will pass! Hahaha! Good luck!"
The tension in the cabin was palpable. Hunters rose from their seats, eyes darting between each other, gauging threats and potential opportunities. The atmosphere reeked of suspicion and desperation.
I stayed seated, watching the chaos build. There was no need to draw attention to myself.
Black tossed me the golden coin he'd retrieved. "I'll take the pendant," he said, already focusing on the object in his hand.
I examined the coin. One side bore the relief of a naked woman; the other showed an eagle and the words "Hunter Association." Closing my hand around it, I concentrated on the frequency Bob had demonstrated, channeling my aura to match it.
Beside me, Black mirrored my actions, his focus razor-sharp.
"Three!" Bob's voice rang out, followed by a blinding flash of light.
When the brightness faded, I found myself standing on a beach. The golden sand stretched endlessly, the ocean sparkling under a clear blue sky.
Black appeared beside me, his expression as unreadable as ever. "Didn't see that coming," he muttered.
Bob didn't even finish counting down and we've passed the exam… Hopefully, he wouldn't gripe on us for it.
"Well, that was easy," Black remarked with a smirk tugging at his lips. "Seems teaming up with you was the right choice. My spiders wouldn't have lasted long in the chaos back there… my aura beasts aren't exactly built for durability."
I glanced at him, knowing full well that his dismissal was a façade. Black wasn't weak—far from it. His calm demeanor belied a calculating mind and a dangerous edge. I took in the unexpected beachside setting, the golden sand stretching to meet the sparkling ocean.
"Any idea where we are?" I asked.
Black scanned the horizon, his sharp eyes narrowing. "This is Kaliya Resorts, far south of the Union," he said confidently.
Before I could respond, a swirling mass of shadows began to gather in front of us, condensing into the silhouette of a familiar figure.
"Impressive…" the shadowy form intoned, its voice smooth and dark. "This is a record breaker. The fifth stage of the exam is only beginning now, yet here you two are."
Black's posture stiffened, though his voice remained calm. "Who are you?"
I stepped in before things escalated. "It's Silhouette," I said, my tone even. "One of the Seven Extremes. He proctored the first part of the exam. What are you doing here?"
Silhouette let out a low chuckle, his presence suffocating even under the open sky. "I'm here to settle a few things with Bob. My services don't come cheap, and I plan on getting what I'm owed… personally."
Black didn't flinch. "Then you are irrelevant to me."
Whoa. A little too direct there, Black.
Before Silhouette could respond, Black turned to me, all business. "If this is the utmost southern part of the Claimed Lands… then we must be near the World Wall."
The mention of the World Wall made my stomach tighten. Those colossal structures were legendary—barriers so massive they could be seen from miles away, shielding Claimed Lands from the Forbidden Region. I squinted, activating my Vision attribute, and spotted a faint, gray line far in the distance.
"Quite far," I muttered.
Black frowned, his analytical mind already at work. "How did we get here so quickly? The capital is days away. Even on a bullet train, we couldn't have made it in less than a day. I don't know whether to be impressed by the Association's resources or disgusted by their extravagance."
I shrugged, keeping my tone nonchalant. "It's something like a Teleportation Array. Science and aura working together."
Of course, I didn't go into detail. The World Path—a satellite network that facilitated aura-based teleportation—was a closely guarded secret. Black wasn't exactly cleared for that level of intel, and I wasn't about to be the one to spill it.
Silhouette's voice cut through my thoughts. "You have good intuition."
I met his gaze—or at least the void where his eyes should have been. "What do you want?"
"Just small talk," he said smoothly.
"Then talk."
He paused, his tone shifting slightly. "How is Selena doing?"
That caught me off guard. "Ah, she's your daughter, right? She's fine."
Silhouette's expression—or lack thereof—didn't change. "I see you're well-informed. Tell her I'll still accept her with open arms, and she can come home anytime she wants."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell her that yourself?"
The air grew colder, and I felt an almost imperceptible shift. Only then did I realize something was wrong.
I didn't have a shadow.
Silhouette's voice turned icy. "Because I've sworn to never acknowledge her existence until she bends the knee."
Sweat prickled on my brow as I met his non-existing gaze, the weight of his words pressing down on me. He was playing with me—reminding me how easily he could snuff me out if he wanted to.
"Pick your words wisely, boy," Silhouette warned. "I won't be merciful next time."
With a flick of his hand, my shadow slid back into place as if it had never left. Silhouette dissolved into the air, his presence leaving behind an oppressive stillness.
I exhaled slowly, only now noticing the resort staff gathering nearby. They seemed oblivious to the tension that had just filled the air, their cheerful demeanor a stark contrast to what had just happened.
Black was watching me, one eyebrow raised. "What are you doing? You've been staring off into space. Something interesting about that particular female? Or was it the tree?"
I followed his gaze to one of the staff members, a woman in a swimsuit helping her colleagues decorate the resort.
"Neither," I muttered, shaking my head.
Black slid off his shades, his tone dripping with mockery. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."
"How long has it been since Silhouette disappeared?" I asked, still feeling the residual tension in my muscles.
Black shrugged casually, leaning against a nearby tree. "Around a minute. If he attacked you, I couldn't tell. That's why I opted for a wait-and-see approach."
A minute? It had felt like hours. Silhouette must have distorted my perception of time, attacking my psyche without lifting a finger. The Seven Extremes were dangerous, but seeing Silhouette's abilities firsthand forced me to reevaluate just how deadly they were.
One of the resort staff approached us, smiling politely. "Would you like a tour of the resort?"
I waved them off. "No, thanks. Do you have a hot spring?"
They nodded and gave me directions. I turned to Black. "You coming?"
He shook his head. "Not my thing. I'll keep watch instead."
Fair enough. I made my way to the hot spring, leaving Black to his own devices. The other hunters would take at least a week to finish the fifth stage. The exam wasn't as simple as it seemed. Securing the right frequency of aura while ensuring the item remained intact was no easy feat.
Selena hadn't passed yet, and she'd had a head start. That alone was proof of how grueling the test was.
A few minutes roaimg around… and…
Steam rose around me as I sank into the hot spring, the warmth seeping into my tired muscles. The water was perfect—just the right temperature to relax but not make me sluggish. I closed my eyes, letting myself unwind.
This was my first time in a hot spring, and it was strangely refreshing. Almost novel. I dipped my head underwater, the heat enveloping me completely, and when I surfaced, I froze.
Across from me, seated as if he'd been there the whole time, was the president.
Bald, grinning, and still wearing his ridiculous red cape, Bob's presence was as unsettling as it was absurd. How had he even gotten here without me noticing?
I took a steadying breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "How may I help you, President?"
Bob leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. "I heard from Stefan that you're interested in joining the Hunting Dogs."
"Yes," I replied evenly. "I plan to rise through the Association's ranks in record time."
Bob raised an eyebrow, his grin never faltering. "Why?"
"To contribute—"
He cut me off with a wave of his hand. "Let's skip the BS. What do you really want from joining the Association?"
I met his gaze, letting the truth spill out. "The destruction of a certain organization that put my wife's and son's lives in danger."
Bob's grin faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. He nodded slowly. "That's good enough. The important thing is that you don't have ill intentions toward the Hunter's Association."
Leaning forward, he studied me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. "Tell me, how is Leora doing? That girl's like a daughter to me."
I blinked. "Huh? Aren't you, like, three years older than her?"
Bob's grin returned, wider than ever. "Age doesn't matter when it comes to love!"
I sighed, shaking my head. "You're using that quote in the entirely wrong context—and no, there's no love involved here. That's my wife we're talking about."
Bob chuckled, his tone light. "Monogamy is overrated!"
What the hell?
It was only then that I noticed he was still wearing his cape, even while soaking in the hot spring.
I pointed at it. "That cape… can you teach me how to do it?"
Bob's eyes gleamed with interest. "You recognized what it is… impressive. So, tell me, what is this cape I'm wearing?"
He was testing me, and I welcomed the challenge.
"It's aura," I said confidently.
Bob's grin widened, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Pure aura. Not bad, kid. Most wouldn't notice unless they've studied the principles behind it. But theory and practice… they're two different beasts, aren't they?"
I nodded. "That's why I asked. My theoretical knowledge is top-notch, but I know I'm still lacking in technique."
Bob laughed, his voice booming. "Well, that's quite arrogant of you!"
~032