The hours slipped by, marked only by the relentless rise and fall of the sun. Evander threw himself into the hunt, acquainting himself with the lay of the land and the beasts that roamed the wilderness. The rhythmic swish of the long grass against his boots, the call of unseen creatures, and the earthy scent of the forest combined to create a symphony of the wild. The repeated sensation of tension and release as he took down each monster filled his day with purpose. Yet, a question nagged at him. Why are there so many monsters so close to the city? He mused over this enigma, but no clear answer presented itself.

As twilight began to paint the sky with hues of purple and orange, Evander took inventory of his haul. His pack was laden with cores, gleaming with latent energy, and chunks of monster items that he hoped would fetch a good price at the marketplace.

With the setting sun as his backdrop, he made his way towards the city gate. Stealth was his ally, his hood a shield for his identity, as he moved with the quiet grace of a shadow. He found himself amidst a stream of hunters, each returning home after a long day. Some trudged along on foot, their tired faces illuminated by the last rays of the sun. Others pulled large carts, burdened with the grotesque forms of slain beasts. He watched as they made their way to the city, and noted with a touch of surprise how nothing of the monsters seemed to go to waste. Every inch, from hide to horn, was being hauled back for a purpose unknown to him.

His heart pounded a wild rhythm in his chest as the enormous city gate loomed closer with every step. It was a monumental monolith, a testament to human resilience against the monstrous hordes. Cloaked in the waning light, he inched closer to it. The hum of conversation, the occasional laughter and the clinking sound of weaponry filled the air. He kept his eyes trained on the ground, letting the hood of his cloak shield his face from prying eyes. The thrum of activity, the presence of so many people made him feel exposed and yet, paradoxically, he was just another faceless hunter in the crowd.

Evander's heart thudded in his chest as he crossed the threshold of the city gate. Every muscle was tensed, ready for the alarms to blare, for the guards to swoop in. His every nerve seemed attuned to the faintest shift in the environment. But no signal flared, no voice shouted out in alarm. He slipped through the imposing city gate unchallenged, a sigh of relief escaping him.

The city sprawled out before him, an array of buildings towering into the sky. He found himself stepping onto the wide expanse of a grand plaza, the cobblestones underfoot gleaming under the pale light of lanterns. Around him, massive structures stretched skywards, their facades hinting at a warehouse district. The air buzzed with the cacophony of activity, the lingering scent of the wilderness was replaced with the sharp tang of metal and the warm aroma of baking bread wafting from a nearby bakery.

He turned his attention to the stream of hunters, their paths leading towards a massive building on the outskirts of the plaza. A hulking construct that seemed to pulsate with the energy of a beehive. He followed in their wake, his eyes drawn to the spectacle ahead.

What appeared to be an abattoir of sorts was, in reality, a high-tech production facility, starkly contrastive against the backdrop of the city. Sleek conveyors looped around the vast expanse of the floor, snaking their way through a maze of machinery. Workers in protective gear darted in and out, skillfully maneuvering around the complex arrangement. The grim business of processing the hunted beasts was carried out with the precision of a well-oiled machine, the gore kept at a minimal by technology that was light years ahead.

Hunters were feeding their gruesome haul into a large funnel-like opening that led to the conveyor system. Each beast was whisked away, to be disassembled into valuable components. For larger kills, there were vehicle bays on one side where heavy-duty trucks rumbled in, their cargo beds laden with creatures of unimaginable size and ferocity.

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From where he stood, Evander could see the systematic procedure unfold. The efficient stripping of hide, the extraction of valuable cores, the collection of every tooth and claw. The beast’s remains were whisked away to be further processed in another part of the facility, presumably to be used in a myriad of ways, from weaponry to everyday items.

Evander found himself standing at the back of a compact queue, his eyes trained on a burly woman a few spots ahead. With biceps that could rival tree trunks and a no-nonsense demeanor, she was singlehandedly managing the incoming goods with the precision of a seasoned professional. Her husky voice echoed through the bustling room, threading its way through the clamor like a ship sailing against the tide. As Evander moved forward, inch by inch, the sounds of the city outside the facility were gradually replaced by the rhythmic hum of the machines and the chatter of people engaged in trade.

Finally, the time came for him to step up. As he did, the burly woman took a cursory glance at him and let out a bellow, "Damn! Another one of those survivalist nutjobs!" The proclamation hung in the air, punctuating the bustling room with a wave of muted laughter. His cheeks flushed, a heat creeping up his neck, but he remained silent.

As the laughter subsided, he began to unload his small backpack. He revealed the cores and other miscellaneous parts from the beasts he had killed. The woman's initial disdain seemed to give way to a grudging admiration as she surveyed the items on the table.

"Been weeks or months collecting all of these cores, haven't you?" she asked, her voice brimming with unspoken respect. A corner of her mouth lifted in a half-smile as she looked at him, almost seeing him for the first time. The question hung in the air between them, but Evander kept silent, allowing her assumptions to fill the gaps in conversation.

She weighed and inspected each item with a skilled eye before passing him a small, intricately carved token. Magic pulsated within it, the tiny object humming with the equivalent of his earnings. Her large hand wrapped around his smaller one, pressing the token into his palm, a silent confirmation of their transaction.

With a wave of her hand, she directed him towards an office tucked away in one corner of the room, where another queue was beginning to form. "Next!" she barked, already turning her attention to the next customer.

So far, so good, Evander mused as he weaved his way through the maze of tables, the weight of the token heavy in his pocket. He blended into the moving tide of people.

At the end of the queue, Evander stood out like a shadow amongst a riot of color, his hood drawn up and concealing his face. His thoughts were inward, silently rehearsing the possible responses if his secret was discovered. Yet, even as his anxiety warred with the need for anonymity, the world around him did not cease. He became an unintentional eavesdropper to the lively conversations around him.

A group of women, their voices as boisterous as their spirits, filled the queue with an animated discussion about their plans for the night. Laughter punctuated their talks as they laid bare the hopes for the evening's entertainment. One woman, in particular, a bright grin adorning her face, boasted about her plans to visit a special bar, one known for its one male dancer. The comment elicited roars of laughter and envious shouts from the group, the echo of their cheerfulness stretching to the far corners of the room. Yet, all Evander could do was listen, his role limited to being a silent observer.

By the time he stepped into the shabby office, the din of the conversation had faded into a distant hum. The clerk, a woman of nondescript age, looked as though she would rather be anywhere else. She barely glanced at him as she motioned for him to place his token on a crystal embedded in the desk.

A holographic display sprang to life above the crystal, scrolling through a list of his items and their corresponding market prices. He squinted at the luminescent figures, his heart skipping a beat as he realized the worth of some of the body parts he had brought back. The numbers danced in front of his eyes, a tantalizing promise of wealth he hadn't expected.

I need to figure out how to transport more of these, Evander thought, already planning his next hunt. But for now, he was content to pocket the small fortune he had made. He placed his payment stone on the crystal, and with a slight humming, the amount was transferred. The transaction complete, he found himself grinning beneath his hood.

Quickly, he turned and stepped back into the bustle of the city, the disinterested clerk already summoning the next person in line. The hood continued to shadow his features, a necessary safeguard in the sea of unknown faces. But beneath it, a smile played on his lips – the thrill of success, the promise of more to come.