“I’ll be right back.” After gently stroking Monique’s hair, Gregory walked to the door where Juliette was waiting for him.

As soon as they entered the door, a hallway with 10 other doors side by side was waiting for them. Juliette went ahead and walked to door number 8, which was a little further to the right. Again, Gregory followed her to the door and entered.

Now, he was in a small room, similar to a psychologist’s office. A sofa to lie down on, a large armchair, a bookshelf with books, an office desk, a small table on top of a shaggy rug.

Even the smell in the air was clearly mixed with a relaxing fragrance. Making anyone who entered the room more relaxed.

“Sit down and make yourself comfortable, Gregory.” Saying that, Juliette went to the office desk and picked up a small notebook and a pen.

“Thank you. But I wanted to be brief, Julie. Is that okay?” Gregory spoke, after sitting on the couch.

“Soon in what sense?” Julie asked, after sitting on the armchair next to the couch.

“My punishment, of course. Monique disrespected the rules, but the situation is also my responsibility.”

“Ohh, I thought you wanted to solve your problems urgently. It seems I was wrong. Tsk-Tsk-Tsk” With a fake smile on her face, Julie began to write something in her notebook.

“Well… Since I won’t be punished, how about we get to the main topic?” Relaxing on the couch with a smile on his face, Gregory decided to joke around a bit.

“Come to think of it… When was your last Testonitus donation? I don’t remember, maybe 5 months ago??” Juliette spoke with a thoughtful expression, using the tip of the pen to rub her cheek.

“3 months. And I’m on time…” Resuming his serious posture, Gregory quickly retorted the number.

“Ohh 3 months… uhm, that’s good… It’s still within 4 months. Very good…”

While mumbling and nodding happily, Juliette began to write more and more things in her notebook. Each mumble was a whole sentence that she wrote.

Seeing this, combined with Julie’s cheerful expression, Gregory began to sweat and feel uncomfortable.

“Hey, Julie, you’re not thinking what I think you are… Are you?” Wiping the sweat from his hands on his pants, he hesitantly asked a vague question to Julie, who was still writing happily.

“Maybe… If I remember correctly, you’ll be getting your official Hunter’s license next week, right?” She also answered vaguely but returned a rhetorical question to him.

Gregory didn’t need to answer, she already knew the answer to the question. Just as Gregory also already knew the answer to the question he asked. Which made him even more nervous, looking frantically at the clock on the wall and at the pen that kept drawing letters in the notebook. Julie, however, was completely uninterested in his reactions and continued frantically writing with a cheerful expression.

“Julie, don’t do this, Julie… Have mercy on me, Julie, please.” Desperate, Gregory knelt at Juliette’s feet and begged her not to continue.

“It’s done. 3 days of volunteer work at the Control and Rehabilitation Center for Parahumans (CCRP). Period.”

“…!!!!…” Shocked, Gregory sat in silence on the living room carpet.

“Very well… Now we can solve your problem.”

____________________________________________________

Clack-clack Swish

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In the Entrance Hall, the audience was beginning to empty, leaving only a few Parahumans talking and others who entered and went straight to the corridor that led to the main building.

The Hunters' Service had just closed, so apart from the receptionists, there were only Parahumans.

At this moment, two other Hounds entered through the main door, wearing reinforced military attire and carrying a few weapons and knives. The two were relatively small, but they exuded confidence.

One of them had snow-white skin, with two 20cm long pointed horns the same color as her skin, looking as fragile as glass. Peculiar eyes with gray pupils and irises, and red hair made it look like she had a flaming torch on her head.

"A measly 500 Eryons for a Level 2 Hunting mission. These military men are getting meaner by the day." The girl complained...

Next to her, another woman was walking absent-mindedly. This woman had long green hair with brown streaks, which fell down her back in unruly, curly curls. Her skin, with a healthy pink tone, had marks and marks as if they were tattoos. Marks that resembled tree branches with leaves.

But what really caught the eye was her F-cup bust… Despite wearing a military uniform with a jacket and holsters, her breasts stood out splendidly. Her hips were also large, but they were overshadowed by such a marvel.

“Daira… Are you listening to me, Daira?”

“Hmm?”

“For God’s sake, pay attention. We’re here.”

“Ohh, we’re here. That’s great, Vivian, let’s go upstairs because I want to take a shower.”

“We’ll go upstairs later, look, it looks like someone’s been looking for trouble…”

Daira is a Dryad Parahuman, one of the best Magic-type Parahumans specializing in healing magic and magical buffs. Just the fact that she can buff other Magic-type Parahumans would already earn her a good reputation.

But a Dual Specialty makes Diara in the top 10 of the Hounds Ranking. She’s also the only Parahuman without an Attack specialty who’s in the Top 10. All the other Parahumans in the Top 15 have either a Physical or Magical Attack specialization.

Vivian, the woman next to Daira, is one such example. She’s a Magic-type White Oni Parahuman specializing in Air Attack. She’s currently number 7 in the ranking and pairs up with Daira to carry out missions.

“Layla, who’s our guest?” After walking to the last counter, Vivian approached a blonde secretary with a stylish haircut and asked curiously.

“This is Monique Daryan, a Hound from the Academy and current partner of Gregory Gunn, the highest rated Aspirant of the last 5 years…” Awkwardly, the woman stopped typing on the computer and explained what she knew to Vivian.

“Ohhh, so she’s the mutt I was looking for…” Suddenly, Vivian’s attitude became toxic, and she started approaching Monique.

“And here we go… Patricia, dear, can you update my account? My Neutritus stock is low and I need a better outfit.” Knowing what was about to happen, Daira stayed in her place and began to calmly talk to a secretary with red hair and glasses.

“Hey You… Are you the unfortunate one who took my swords? Where are they?” Almost screaming in anger, Vivian stood in front of Monique and crossed her arms.

“??”

Monique had no idea who the woman was, much less what she was talking about. But she found the way the woman was looking down on her irritating. It was as if she was being looked down upon, and this again irritated Monique in a peculiar way…

“The Pair of Wakizashis made of Metallopotamus Vorax Metal… I was the one who ordered that Pair, it took 5 months to be ready and I had to save 1500 Eryons. But guess what? When I went there to pay for them, the Wretched Blacksmith had sold them…”

The remorse and dissatisfaction were clearly heard in Vivian’s voice. But everyone around her who was listening had expressions of boredom. It was only fair since they had heard the same speech dozens of times before.

The only person in the room who had not yet heard this story was Monique, and even so, the expression she has is one of mockery and sarcasm.

“Humph, from what I know, my partner bought a pair of Wakizashis for 3000 Eryons. But I don’t think the blacksmith had reserved them for anyone specific…”

“3000??!!!” Widening her eyes, Vivian began to do some quick calculations with her fingers. Calculating how much she would have earned if she had taken the swords and resold them.

THUD

“DAMN…” Stamping her foot hard on the ground and screaming in regret and anger, Vivian found herself in a small fit of depression…

Taking out the taxes and the costs of outsourcing the sale, she quickly calculated that she could have easily earned 1200 Eryons. 1200 Eryon would be more than enough for her to not worry about equipment and Neutritus for 3 months…

And in 3 months she could save enough money to buy a few doses of Testonitus, which would serve to increase the latent potential of her Estronitus.

In short, she had lost her chance to get closer to her first ascent.

“This isn’t right… I was robbed by you and your scoundrel partner and deceived by that low-class blacksmith. This can’t go on like this…”

“Hehe, and what are you going to do?? Beat the Blacksmith until he makes you another pair for free? Don’t be ridiculous.” Laughing sarcastically, Monique mocked Vivian’s situation, who was almost pulling her hair out in anger.

“That’s a good idea… But first, why don’t you and I make your partner return what belongs to me?” She turned and faced Monique, when suddenly, Vivian’s hair began to flutter and sway slightly and flames appeared on her fists.

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into…” Facing Vivian’s menacing gaze, Monique frowned and clenched her fists.