Satoya woke up on a hospital bed, the only sound was the soft beeping of the heart monitor. He turned his head, glancing toward the window. The sunrise was blindingly bright. "Last I remember, Roland pinned me against a wall with some flesh tendril…" he muttered, still trying to process what had happened and where he was now.
He spotted a note on the window ledge. "A note?"
Carefully, Satoya sat up. He felt surprisingly fine, despite being certain there had been a hole in his chest from Roland's assault. "I doubt any hospital in the capital is this well-equipped..."
He reached for the note, shielding his eyes from the intense sunlight. "Satoya Kamiyama, when you have awakened, please head to the top floor."
"Someone's expecting me?" he thought, before a nurse opened the door. Taking the opportunity, Satoya asked, "Is this the VHC headquarters?"
The nurse shook her head, correcting him. "This is a hospital stationed next to it."
"An older gentleman asked for you to meet him and others at the top floor," she added, before hastily leaving.
A few minutes later, Satoya waited in the elevator. Once it reached the top floor, the doors opened to reveal Ludwig, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, standing next to a painting.
Ludwig uncrossed his arms. "Took you long enough."
"I'll lead you to the meeting," he said, gesturing for Satoya to follow.
Satoya, trying to break the silence, asked, "What rank are you now?"
Ludwig gave a dry response, "Elite rank 15."
He led Satoya into a small meeting room where several people were already sitting, chatting casually. Juliet and Akemi were deep in conversation about an upcoming festival in the 5th capital, while Rayna and Isaac were arguing about how horrible Isaac's plan to rush toward Roland went.
"Satoya, how'd you recover that quickly?" Edward asked, stifling a yawn, visibly still in pain from his injuries.
Satoya suddenly recalled Roland's words from when he had been captured.
"So, you're the one who has Takeru Oshima's calibre?"
A suffocating sensation gripped his throat, and for a moment, he hesitated, wondering whether or not to reveal the truth. But Ludwig's cold gaze, full of curiosity, left him with no choice. He took a breath.
"I've been told I ha—" He was interrupted by a sudden, unfamiliar presence in the room. Everyone fell silent.
"Young man, take a seat," an older voice commanded kindly. Satoya sat in an empty chair, his gaze shifting to the newcomer.
An older gentleman stood before them, looking no older than 65, dressed in a suit with a red tie bearing a unique pattern. Above his breast pocket was a symbol Satoya didn't recognize.
"TSH?" Satoya thought, wracking his mind for any meaning, but found nothing. Before he could ask, the man spoke.
"Hello. For those who are unfamiliar with me, I am Wenxuan Tsao, a Cadre member of the Void Hunter's Committee."
"Cadre?" Johnathan whispered to Edward, who motioned to the symbol on the man's chest.
"That's not a VHC logo..." Edward whispered back.
"Correct," Wenxuan acknowledged. "I am from The Sovereign Hunt, the smallest branch of the VHC."
"The Sovereign Hunt?" Satoya thought, his curiosity piqued.
Wenxuan began to explain, his deep voice steady and commanding, though there was a touch of weariness in his demeanor. "The Sovereign Hunt was once an independent organization—if you could call it that—dedicated solely to eliminating the Cataclysm of each disaster. But as you all know, there have only been ten disasters in history, each over a hundred years apart."
"Due to insufficient funding over the last four thousand years, the organization was absorbed by the VHC, becoming its smallest branch."
"The Sovereign Hunt remained a secret, with only a select few members allowed in each year. Even though it's existed for so long, our efforts against the Cataclysm were so futile that even the public, and the prime ministers of the capitals, forgot about us entirely."
A tense silence hung in the air. Finally, Ludwig asked, "If you're a Cadre, why are you still here?"
Wenxuan hesitated, sweating slightly before he cleared his throat. "I was assigned to the branch," he muttered.
"Oh, and apologies for going off-topic," Wenxuan continued, trying to ease the tension. "But now, let's talk about your reward."
"Unfortunately, Roland's body was never recovered, but the Cadres of the Void Hunter's Committee have decided to reward you with an all-expenses-paid vacation to the 5th capital."
"Oh, that's where I live!" Sakonori said with a grin, and the room erupted into a lighthearted celebration.
"As you know, the autumn festival starts in two weeks," Wenxuan added, bowing. "Enjoy your vacation."