The Hunter's Association refers to a place where mercenaries are stationed, housed in a church that serves as a trading and hiring space for vampire hunters. The large arched building, with its medieval architecture, features a pointed roof made of white plaster. However, its interior has been extensively remodeled.
The front of the building has six arched doors, and at this moment, several hunters and ordinary people carrying money bags are coming and going. As soon as Frean walks inside, he blends into the lively and noisy environment. The place is full of shops, and among the crowd, the sound of bargaining can be heard from time to time.
Some vendors are sitting in their shops, while others set up stalls on the ground.
"Come and take a look! New model silver hunter pistols, 14 shots, finely crafted and lightweight! Pair it with this enhanced silencer I'm holding, and vampires won't be able to escape!" The vendor selling pistols is a large, muscular man. The silver pistol in his hand does indeed seem intricate, though the claims of it being able to trap vampires are just marketing strategies.
"Close-range and long-range spinning knives, sharp-edged and unbreakable, guaranteed high quality." Spinning knives are indeed great weapons, but few people know how to use them properly, as they are easily capable of injuring their own comrades.
"Assistance archery sets, range up to 50 meters, a perfect companion." The vendor selling arrows is a young girl, no older than seven or eight. She stands behind the counter shouting loudly, holding a bow almost as tall as herself, and demonstrating by pulling the string for passersby to see.
At the back of the market, there are no shops, only small stalls selling bits and pieces. One interesting stall is run by an old woman.
"Night Vision Magic Potion, Jumping Magic Potion, Healing Magic Potion... and of course, Night Jasmine Magic Potion." The witch wears a dark purple robe, her hooked nose and slow, ominous voice adding to her mystique.
Frean, curious about the Night Jasmine Magic Potion, steps forward and asks, "What does this potion do?" He is referring to the Night Vision potion.
"This is a Night Vision Magic Potion. When used at night while hunting vampires, it helps you see your surroundings more clearly. It costs only five silver coins."
"Give me one bottle, old woman, and what about this one?" Frean points to the Night Jasmine Magic Potion.
The old woman smiles and raises a shriveled hand to cover her mouth.
"This is Night Jasmine Magic Potion. Any female vampire who smells it at night will be irresistibly aroused, seeking the owner of the fragrance and... heh heh heh."
Frean freezes in surprise, his ears turning red, and the old woman continues, "Would you like a bottle? Many hunters love to use it."
"No, just the Night Vision Magic Potion," Frean replies, his tone stiff. The old woman smiles again, hands over the potion, and Frean gives her the silver coins.
After taking the potion, Frean turns to leave but notices that the potion in his hand feels strangely warm. He tries to put it into his pocket, only to realize that his waist storage pocket is broken. Thinking back, he remembers that the Cloak Night Demon had injured his side that night, likely tearing the pocket. He places the potion into a pocket on his pants instead.
Gripping the cloak in his hand, Frean walks toward the hunter window.
There are twelve windows in total. The one on the far left is the Underground City window, followed by two task settlement windows, three task reception windows, four item exchange windows, and two hiring windows. The task settlement window is where completed tasks are settled, while the task windows are where vampire hunters accept or view tasks. The item exchange windows allow hunters to trade items they have obtained, offering a wide range of exchange options at reasonable prices. Lastly, the hiring windows are where employers issue tasks.
Frean heads toward the task settlement window, where a man stands at the window on the left, while the right side is empty. After choosing his destination, Frean strides forward but is stopped by someone.
"Hey! Frean, looks like you're making good progress!" A tall man with curly yellow hair approaches. His deep eyes and prominent nose are characteristic of the medieval people. He is Frean's former partner, who had taken on a personal task and temporarily separated from him.
"Charles, you're back!" Frean's usually stoic face cracks into the faintest of smiles.
"Yeah, but it looks like you haven't changed," Charles says with a smile, his more gentle nature evident as he teases Frean.
"Mhm," Frean responds, heading toward the window. "Hello, I'm here for task settlement, name Frean, task: Eliminate Cloak Night Demon."
"Please wait a moment, sir." A woman dressed in Rococo-style attire inside the window takes a feather pen and starts writing on some paper, then takes the cloak and gives Frean a silver medal.
"Two already?" Charles raises an eyebrow. "Seems like you did well, getting rid of that vampire."
"Yeah, I've reached Gold Rank," Frean replies briefly, his tone neutral, though his expression shows a hint of satisfaction.
"Then let's go see the Underground City later."
"You too... congratulations," Frean realizes his partner is already a Gold Rank hunter as well, likely due to the high-level difficulty of his recent personal task.
After exchanging his two silver medals for gold ones at the item exchange window, Frean gazes at the golden badges on his chest, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Even without taking mercenary tasks, he would receive two gold coins as a monthly bounty, which would help improve his sister's life.
"Come on, Frean, hurry up! I can't wait to see the Underground City!" Charles pushes him forward, clearly eager to see the Underground City, a place only accessible to Gold and Elite hunters.
The two arrive at the Underground City window, which is unlike the other windows. There is no receptionist—just a wooden door with two indents shaped like the Gold and Elite badges. It seems that by inserting their badges into these indents, they can enter.
The two pass through easily. Charles sneers, "This setup is too simple. What if I lose my badge or it gets stolen? Then anyone could get in."
"It shouldn't be that simple," Frean responds quietly.
Behind the door is a long, winding spiral staircase, leading down into the Underground City beneath the Hunter's Association. The stairs are smooth and polished, exuding an air of nobility, with a red carpet laid along the steps. After walking for nearly a minute, the light ahead grows brighter, and they finally reach a platform. Behind a standard counter stands a woman dressed in Rococo attire.
Behind her, a large, grandiose door opens automatically, revealing the full view of the Underground City.
"Welcome, Frean and Charles, to the Underground City." The woman smiles, and the doors swing open to reveal the splendor awaiting them.