The Superintendence of Hunters and Hounds (SHH) is a universal organization created through an initiative aimed at managing relationships among Parahumans, Hunters, Hounds, military students, scientists, researchers, soldiers, and various other groups interested in fostering mutually beneficial relationships.

In short, the SHH is a global-scale Human Resources department. Every city, without exception, is required to have an SHH in its Military Zone, whether it is a small Level 1 Fortress City like Efflium or a Level 5 Fortress City like Arvellium.

This is one of the Seven Universal Laws established under the Eryndor Treaty, in the 13th year After the Great Degeneration. The law adheres to the principle that knowledge is the most valuable asset and the strongest weapon against enemies.

As the ancient philosopher once said: "Know yourself and your enemy, and you will fear no result in a hundred battles."

Every SHH must create, manage, and continuously update a database of its Parahumans and Hunters, from the weakest to the strongest. With this information, the military, research and development organizations, and even Hunters themselves can find exactly what they are looking for.

A clear example of this is when a battalion captain is preparing for field operations to maintain perimeter security. The captain can request the services of a Hunter specialized in information gathering through the SHH. The SHH assigns a Risk Ranking to the mission and publishes the request on its mission list, enabling the suitable Hunter to find it easily.

In other cases, when time is of the essence or the situation is urgent, the SHH can directly contact Hunters who fit the mission profile. If the Hunter has a valid reason, they can decline the mission; otherwise, they are obligated to accept it or face an appropriate penalty.

The relationships are complex, but the SHH follows independent rules updated only when the global SHH leaders convene and reach a consensus on amendments to the regulations. Furthermore, any alterations or interventions in SHH regulations by other organizations or governments are strictly prohibited.

A clear example of this rigidity is the structural layout of SHH facilities. The infrastructure adheres to a strict standard: a large main building surrounded by six independent structures. The size varies widely, ranging from a 30-story building to one with 100 stories, with relative dimensions for width and height.

The main building is separated from the structures by a moat, through which the training areas below are visible. In fact, the entire visible structural complex is merely the ground level of the facility, constructed above two or more subterranean levels that span the entire perimeter of the SHH.

The level immediately below ground is dedicated to providing free physical activities and training for Parahumans and at a small fee for Hunters. For this reason, each structure connects to the main building and to its nearest structure via suspended corridors.

The parking structure is one of these six, also serving as one of the three SHH entrances. The other entrances are through the Main hall, the structure closest to the parking lot, and the SHH HR department, located at the far corner from the parking lot.

"Why are we here, Greg?"

"We’re looking for help."

"Help? What kind of help?"

"..."

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Exiting the parking structure and walking down the corridor to the Main Hall, Monique followed Gregory a step behind. She had no idea what prompted Gregory's urgency to visit the SHH. Gregory, on the other hand, walked comfortably down the corridor, occasionally greeting acquaintances from the Academy. He was also notably intrigued by the Parahumans passing by.

Many had human appearances with some animal-like features, much like Monique. These were the Animan Parahumans, who had less than 30% of their bodies degenerated—the most common subgroup among Parahumans.

Gregory calmly observed rabbit, fox, bear, cat, tiger, lynx, and wolf ears, among others, along with a variety of horns—large, small, curved, broken, and even multiple pairs. The variety was mesmerizing...

However, he was in a hurry and could not afford distractions. He quickly made his way to his destination.

"..." Monique was not pleased.

She felt ignored, and Gregory was far too preoccupied with the passing women to notice, souring her mood further. It only worsened when they reached their destination: the Main Hall.

Essentially, the Main Hall was a massive room serving as the main entrance and public reception area for the Superintendence.

Ding-dong Trin-tin Clack-clack Swish Bzzzt

As Gregory pushed open one of the wide glass doors, a cold draft swept past them, mingling with an array of soft yet irritating sounds. The ringing of bells, the hum of fans, the noise of printers or copiers at work. Telephones ringing and glass doors sliding open.

Click-click Tap-tap Plink

Once inside, additional sounds merged into a strange background noise—neither irritating nor pleasant. Mouse clicks, light footsteps in the corridors, the sound of a cup being filled, or the murmurs of low conversations—all contributed to an instinctively unsettling ambiance.

"I love coming here..."

Despite the noise, the visual spectacle before Gregory was nothing short of amazing. A wide grin spread across his face as he admired the vibrant mix of people in the Hall.

The place was bustling with Parahumans and ordinary humans, far outnumbering those in the corridors. Groups of Parahumans sat in waiting benches near the entrance; some accompanied while entering or exiting, others alone, heading straight to reception desks before disappearing into a corridor leading to the main building.

A few lone humans, mostly young like Gregory, stood out among the crowd, drawing curious glances from all around. Even Gregory felt the attention as he entered, though he categorically ignored it. Fortunately, the stares dissipated quickly once they noticed Monique, her sour expression worsening upon realizing the attention directed at Gregory.

"Let’s finish what we need here so we can head home, Greg. I don’t like all these stares at you." She moved closer to Gregory, almost brushing against him, her eyes scanning for the sources of the attention.

"That’s nonsense, M. Let them look; staring won’t hurt me," Gregory replied, giving her a few comforting pats on the back.

"Humph. We’ll deal with this at home..." Monique decided to save her complaints for when they were no longer in public.

Efficiency and practicality were clearly on display at the SHH. The Main Hall was spacious yet meticulously designed to maximize space.

The main façade was constructed from the same transparent and extremely durable material as the city's protective dome. The naturally lit space featured numerous waiting benches and sofas arranged around compact center tables stocked with treats.

Amidst these waiting areas, a long carpet guided visitors to several reception counters. Located on both sides of the hall, these counters formed a path to the final desk at the far end.

Each of the three desks served distinct purposes: mission management, public reception, and the last is exclusive for recruitment/management of Parahuman.

"Miss Juliette, It seems like ages since I've seen your beautiful face. How have you been this past month? Busy?"

Walking through the crowd at the first two desks, Gregory and Monique approached the final desk. There, six human women were seated in comfortable chairs. Two were cheerfully attending to Parahumans—or gossiping, depending on how one viewed it.

The remaining four were busy with their phones and computers until Gregory approached.

"Ooooh, if it isn’t Efflium’s infamous Casanova. What brings you here? Searching for our dear, innocent Nancy?" Juliette, the receptionist Gregory stopped at, greeted him.

She was an older woman, yet radiated enviable vitality. Her black hair was tied into a long, voluminous ponytail, framing her round face and accentuating her bright red lipstick.

Her green eyes were striking, but her plunging neckline drew even more attention to her ample chest. And as if that wasn’t enough…

"Why don’t you ever wear something more modest?"

Juliette adored wearing tight outfits with no bra...