"I still don't believe you!"
Antonio is surprisingly alive after rapturing one of his lungs. Although, he is not in the right condition to speak for himself.
"Sir, believe us! That man is really something!"
The remaining hunters spoke in behalf of Antonio. They are really eager to prove that a powerful hunter helped him.
"As much as I want to believe in you, I find it ridiculous to hear that another hunter has entered the Hex without going right through us," The Guildmaster argued.
It was true though. A hunter couldn't easily participate in a raid unless he or she is a Guildmaster. Under the hunter code, except you are a Guildmaster or the head of the Association, you have to undergo some steps before being allowed by the Guild to participate in the raid. It is more harder for hunters who are working as private mercenaries. They need to show their assessment results in order to confirm their ranks and class. In addition to this, entrance to the Hexes that are owned by the powerful guilds are militarized and are flocking with professional gun mans.
Minokawa Guild, as one of the most powerful guilds in the country, is no different. Their Guildmaster closely supervises the hunters who are going to enter their Hexes. Because of this, they maintained a fairly clean management to their territory.
Back on their conversation...
The hunters could only sighed deeply while hearing the stubbornness in their Boss's voice.
Despite their number of testifiers, the Guild master is somewhat persistent that they are lying.
"Didn't you hired some mercenary before entering the Hex?," he suddenly asked one of the survivors.
"Yes, in order to fill up the vacant slots in numbers," the survivor answered.
"Do you have their records? I'm sure you morons are not too incompetent to not even check ever single of their information?," He added with more sarcasm.
"Yes, we checked them! But none of them seemed to be the same with the powerful hunter who killed the boss!," they reasoned out.
"What's their ranking?"
"There are ten of them, 6 are E-ranks while 4 are G-ranks! All of them died inside."
The survivor handed over a small pile of documents containing the information of the mercenaries.
"Died? Did you saw their corpses?," The Guildmaster asked another question.
"Well, to be precise, we only saw nine bodies! The other one was never found since we are in a hurry to exit the Hex."
"And who's that mercenary?"
"Jacey Silvenna..."
The Guildmaster is still full of suspicion. In his mind, the name sounds so unfamiliar, 'I don't think I saw that name anywhere...'
Ever since their guild's founding, there was never a case of a hunter breaching their security. They made sure that everything will run smoothly and that no anomalies would ever happen in their raids.
That notion have been broken at this moment. A mysterious hunter who's entered their territory without compromising an identity meant only one thing...
'The other guilds might be trying to infiltrate our Hex...'
The long pause on the Guildmaster's interrogation had left the survivors afraid. This is because it's either he is thinking something or trying to suppress his uncontrollable anger.
"M-master a-are you a-alrig-"
Before they could even utter those words of concern, they felt an excruciating heat that seeped on their skin.
'Are the guilds trying to bring me down? No, that could not be possibly true! We signed a truce!,' He is still raging within while his right palm is covering his mouth.
"Master, it hurts!"
The Guildmaster could not hear any of the survivors' agony. In his mind, the fact that another guild has infiltrated a Hex of his is unacceptable on his part. He feels as if his pride is shattered.
'Those bastards are trying to humiliate me...'
'I suspect the Sarimbal guild could be behind this. After all, they are desperate to maintain their position in the top 6! Idiots!'
'No, it could also be those damn Tribesman Guild! But I thought, we already agreed that we would stop having excavations on their land!'
Before he could overthink more, the survivors shouted to him.
"MASTER, YOU'RE SCORCHING US!"
He gazed at their direction. There, he saw all of them have burned clothes making them almost naked.
"Pardon me!," He suddenly bowed infront of them, "I'll make sure that you all would be healed at the shortest time possible!"
They could only nod despite their sufferings, afraid that he might scorch their already damaged bodies.
"Thank you for the information! I'll try to find that man you're talking about!"
"Y-yes m-master!"
He immediately left their recovery room and proceeded to walk outside.
His figure is towering enough to fish a lot of attention. His bulky body also heightened his obscure charisma.
The cold wind touched his body by even so, he couldn't care as a burning rage and excitement enveloped his heart.
"Just you wait, Sigma Ghost or whatever weird name you have! I'll make sure that when I find you, you'll answer my questions!"
He dialed a number on his phone before calling it. It didn't took long before the person behind the number answered.
"Ask an appointment with each Guildmaster, tell them that I need to ask them some questions..."
"Understood, Sire! Is there any more?"
"Find also any information related to a hunter named, Jacey Silvenna. I don't care if it's the association or any powerful beings that are protecting him, just acquire it!"
"But it would probably take more or less two weeks before I could obtain it! Is it okay for you?"
The Guildmaster stopped to think for a minute. Two weeks is definitely excruciating for him but if it would mean obtaining a highly important information, he is willing to wait.
Yes, the name Mike Sandoval caught his excitement. Once he became fixated on something, he'll make sure that he is going to win.
"Just go and do it!"
"Alright! I'll make sure to not disappoint you..."
The other person in the phone stopped for a minute before continuing.
"Master Silas, my savior!"
***
"I can convert these treasures into money!"
Mike is very happy to see the hidden feature of the Primordial Box which is the ability to convert items into real-life money.
This could only mean a greater thing-- he would not be having any issues regarding financial matter as he looted all the treasures in the hidden boss lair.
More treasures equals to more money.
In addition, there is also a feature that enables Mike to buy exceptional items from the system.
"Can't say that finding that hidden lair is bad since it gave me these outstanding features."
With the power of the system, amplified by the recent acquisition of the Primordial Box, Mike's priority is no longer the resources when raiding a Hex. He can now sustain himself for a long run without running out of supplies. All he needs are just a hefty stack of treasures to convert into many.
"It's like a hidden bank account if I'm going to be asked!"
Anyways, the current focus should be in his Sister's safety. Mike, ever since, being teleported by the system to a near-far city has always been filled with anxiety and concern for his remaining family.
"I hope that the two of them are safe," referring to his sister and aunt.
Now that he is traveling to go back in Manila, he couldn't help but feel that he was being watched by someone. He chose to road a bus to avoid any attention.
He turned his head around him but he found nothing suspicious.
"Maybe I was just being delusional, there's no way after all that they would find me here! Haha!"
But just as he is ready to plugged his wired headphones again to his ears, which he removed earlier, a large hand caught his shoulder.
"Ay pota! Puwet ng kabayo!"
(Damn, asshole!)
He suddenly muttered a large number of curses before calming down.
Shortly after, he attempted to escape from the powerful grasp of the man who's currently holding his shoulder.
"Sit down, I know who you are!," the man whispered.
If this man is talking to the old Mike Sandoval, he might've been successful in intimidating the hunter. Unbeknownst to him, Mike have already changed by miles apart during his short stay in Antipolo.
Armed now with a new system and unmatched dexterity, confrontations like this is now a piece of cake for him.
If there is one hunter who experienced the true horrors of the Hexes, it would be him. A mere taunt by another hunter whom he didn't even know won't break his spirit.
"What do you want?," he glanced at the man with a cold-shivering gaze, "I'm afraid I don't have business with anybody today..."
"I'm Tonyo Marquez from the association," he introduced himself, "Would you mind if I sit beside you while we were on this boring bus journey? The silence is killing me..."
Mike responded with a laugh before speaking.
"I don't think I'm considerate enough to offer these two seats that I bought from the bus conductor. So... Nope!"
Tonyo's fist slammed at the back of Mike's seat. His outside demeanor seems to have been calm and composed but actually, he is really brimming with anger for a supposed low-ranking hunter who can surprisingly shatter his unbreakable patience.
"It's not like I'm asking for your permission," The association personnel named Tonyo finally unleashed his aura.
For the other bus passengers, the air felt too strangling as if someone is trying to take their life. Unfortunately, they could only imagine the cause of that agony as they are not hunters.
"Tone down your aggressive behavior, the people are dying..."
"What if I could not control it?"
The tension is sky-high like that of a battle between two eagles, who are aiming for the highest point in the heavens.
"Then, I'll do it myself..."
Mike suddenly slapped Tonyo with a simple yet precise strike that it turned the latter's right cheek to be red.
"You lowlife!"
"I told you, I'll do it myself!"
Mike is waiting for a retaliation. His hands are ready to cast a powerful spell that would surely end the life of the man in front of him. However, before he could unleash a preemptive strike, Tonyo laughed hysterically that It drawn attentions from the passengers near them.
"Hahahahahaha! Oh my! This is ridiculous! Very brave I supposed! Hahahahahahaha! Oh my goodness, I couldn't contain my laugh! Hahahahaha!"
The face of a man with a murderous aura suddenly changed to that of a crazy person who laughs suddenly amidst a serious situation.
"What the hell are you on about? Huh?," Mike asked Tonyo with a serious look plastered on his face.
"I'm sorry about earlier! I'm only testing you to see if you are not a psychopath hunter! Well, it turned out to be me who is the crazy one!"
"You said that you are from the association? How did you guys find out that I'm here in Antipolo, alive and kicking?"
"Connections, mister hunter... The association is far more powerful that what you think it is!"
"I see! So how about you stop pestering me and leave this bus?"
"I still have a business with you."
"Listen, if you're handing me over to the Sarimbal Guild master, I tell you right now that It won't be an easy fight for you. I don't plan surrendering mys-"
"No, actually! It's the opposite!"
"Huh?"
"Oh didn't I tell you that the association is currently conducting an investigation to all of the great guilds in secrecy?"
"Thanks for sharing but again, I couldn't care more."
"We suspect that out of the six, the Guilmaster of Sarimbal Guild is the most unknown and obscure!"
"Just get to the point, I want to lie my head near the window now!"
"And we wanted to hire some special people to help us in this investigation. You see, we suspect that you might be an unmarked hunter!"
The association supervises the registration of new hunters. They are the entity responsible in confirming the hunters' class, stat, and abilities.
As soon as a hunter was awakened, the association will be marking them based on their level.
Let's say for example that you are a newly awakened hunter who's C-rank, you will be then given a specific mark that corresponds to that rank.
The association thought that in order for a hunter to be easily determined of their rank, they must show a special symbol which is engraved on their hands and other body parts.
However, this is not always the case.
There are some instances of hunters experiencing an ascension to their rank.
Let's say that a former C-rank hunter mysteriously ascended their rank to B or an A-rank hunter ascending to S-rank, the mark originally imprinted will be considered inaccurate and null.
Those hunters who possess psychopath personality, will use this as an opportunity to kill other hunters inside a Hex as there was no way to confirm what their true ranks are or if they awakened new abilities and skills.
The association deemed these individuals as "special" and are in demand for the Guilds who are desperate to have bigger spheres of influence in the country.
Mike, on the other hand, was not convinced that he was a special individual.
"I'm not...," he argued
"Well, I've already expected for you to say that. After all, I don't know what you're planning to or the way how your mind works!," Tonyo touched Mike's forehead which made the latter irritated.
"Anyway, I supposed this is where our conversation ends. I still have errands to do. If you're interested, you can go to the association for a retest of your abilities. Just say my name, you will be discounted."
Before he left the bus, he warned something on Mike in a whisper...
"I understood, thank you!"
Tonyo nodded before leaving the bus.
On the other hand, an idea suddenly popped out of Mike's mind.
"I must hide my aunt and sister somewhere safe!"
The news brought by Tonyo had scared Mike to the end of his bones. He knew that he needed to do something about that.
***
"Yesterday, a new type of Hex was formed somewhere in the hills of Bulacan!"
In one of secret meeting rooms in the
Association's headquarters in Manila, top officials are contending over what action should be done for the alarming revelation of a new hex in Bulacan.
(Bulacan= A province in the Philippines)
The chairman is at the center of the meeting table, his right fingers are touching his chin in a sophisticated and manly manner while the others are safely tucked beneath his navy blue tuxedo.
Loud noises enveloped the room as suggestions have been uttered by the people present in the meeting.
If there's one thing that they are in common, they are all freaking out at the thoughts of another catastrophic event like what happened in Pasay Black Hex that incinerated a quarter of the Capital's population and casualties on various parts of Southern Tagalog.
(Southern Tagalog= a region in the southern part of Luzon where the population's primarily language is Tagalog)
"Up until now, the Hex hasn't shown anything bizarre, so we classified the threat for now as 5th class," the spokesperson of the Chairman informed.
Everyone is silent before another important official spoke.
"But we still need to ensure that if incase it suddenly activated, all preparatory measures are now done!"
"But preparatory measures cannot be easily made if it's outside Metro Manila...," the Spokesperson refuted
"Why?"
"Because Bulacan is not directly under our sphere of influence. A powerful Guild is the one responsible!," one of the other officials answered the question in behald of common sense.
"Well, if that's the case, we must contact that particular Guild now so that we can immediately keep a close eye on the mysterious Hex!"
"That is not easy..."
"Why?," they asked in unity.
"Bulacan is the center of Sarimbal Guild's administration...," The Chairman suddenly answered.
"Oh, I see..."
Helplessness pictured their eyes.
"For now, we would provide any form of assistance to the guilds in case they seek our help! That's the best thing that we can do for now! As long as the Hex is not yet in a point where there's a need for our direct intervention, we will continue to trust the Sarimbal Guild to handle it!"
"We understood..."
"Stay calm and collected, my dear friends! We don't know what would happen tomorrow and the next day!"
The Chairman's voice is full of authority. Just a slight sound of it and everyone became silent. He rarely spoke in meetings like this, but if he did, the others would feel relieved as not only his decisions offer little resistance, they are also the most likable and agreeable among the council.
They barely noticed it but the Chairman was frowning all throughout the meeting. He is the person who understands the true scale of this particular Hex in Bulacan and its threat.
"All of you know nothing ..."