Metello was walking to the House, just after his lunch. He had put on his best hat, wore his leather equipment with his rapier hanging at the belt, and held his wooden buckler. He was satisfied with his morning, with all the information he got. He had managed to get some paper on his trip back from the guardhouse and had written down what he learned about his parents. But now, it was an important moment in his life as a new monster hunter that was coming.

On the 3rd cycle of each month, at the 14th bell, two days after the Nihil's ceremony, the House gathered the newly registered monster hunters to form squads. He had already enviously observed this unfold twice in the last months as he had some free time in the monster hunters' building. This cycle, it would be his turn.

Metello arrived there half an hour early. Nonetheless, he was not the first new aspiring monster hunter to be here. A shield and sword-bearing young girl was dancing from one foot to the other and kicking the wall softly, while a redhead young man was yawning and leaning on the reception desk, wearing a belt full of daggers and full leather armor.

Like the two others, Metello looked for a spot to wait for the others to come. He found a seat on the corner opposite the wooden board and looked at the people coming and going. He felt anxious, adjusting his hat regularly. Metello had no high hopes for the meeting. He knew it would be difficult to find young people accepting a black-haired in their squad, but he promised both his teachers he would be there. And he bad outcome was not assured. One by one, he watched the new class owners coming in.

“And one more hater. Great.”

As he feared, almost every time someone glanced his way, the young person flinched, and nobody came to his side of the room. As the start of the meeting came closer, several incomplete squads formed in the past months arrived too. They had to recruit more people and fill gaps in their groups.

The 14th bell resounded. In the hall, Metello counted three incomplete squads of young hunters with three to four members, six new boys, and four new girls, himself included. He had crossed paths with some of them already. Some came to train in the House, others came to book a mine for hunting. When the bell was stricken for the 14th time, Mr. Morton walked on a small raised platform behind his desk while wearing his usual merchant smile. The mustache-bearing man looked at the tiny crowd of young people.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen. First, I want to congratulate the younger ones on your coming of age and class bestowal. It is one of the turning points of your life, and I hope you have made the right choice. As a member of the city folk, I want to thank you too for your choice to defend us from the monsters and procure cores for those who can't go hunting so that the city stays prosperous.”

Metello nodded. Although he was sensible to the fact he was defending people from monsters, it had not been his primary reason to make this choice. Some others might think the same.

“We are here all together for a specific task: form squads to hunt efficiently and safely. In Ironholes, we think hunters should form groups themselves, so I'm mostly here to advise you and make the meeting more official and organized. I have the list of new hunters here. I will call your names one after the other, and each of you will explain to the others what was your class choice, perhaps your main blessings, and what kind of role you think you should have in a squad. Once that is done, the already formed groups will express their needs. After that, everybody will know what the others need and can offer.”

Mr. Morton waited a bit for eventual questions and launched the presentations.

“We will start with Julian, please.”

The young blond man was full of confidence when he told everyone about his [Warrior] class and his Hammer Handling blessing. He presented his two-handed hammer too. Nobody could have ignored its huge shape. Finally, he explained his willingness to be on the front line of his squad.

After him, it was the kicking-walls girl's turn. With less confidence, she explained she had chosen [Warrior] too, but that she had the Shield Handling and Sword Handling blessings. She was more on the defensive side compared to the first one. Obviously, her role would be in the frontline.

Next, came a [Rogue] girl using daggers and a [Calor acolyte] boy knowing the Prayer to Anima in addition to his main prayer.

Then, it was Metello's turn.

“Hi. I'm Metello. I'm a [Lux acolyte] with mainly the Prayer to Lux, but I know the Prayers of Aqua, Aeris, Calor, Vegeta, and Anima too. I'm willing to be in the back lane.”

The eyes of some wannabe hunters opened wide while the others stayed in disbelief. A boy from the already formed squads asked loudly.

“And what are this rapier and wooden buckler for if you are an [Acolyte] ?”

Metello raised an eyebrow. There were many reasons, but he went for the most practical.

“I have been told that I should have a weapon even as a [Acolyte] to assist when in a pinch and defend myself when I am low on divine energy.”

The boy laughed a bit, even more disbelieving.

“OK, OK. Fine. This black-haired sir knows better than everybody.”

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Metello shook his head in despair and didn't even reply.

Mr Morton spoke again after a few seconds.

“If nobody has any more questions, it will be Patricia's turn.”

Then, after Patricia told everyone she had the [Hunter] class, with Butchery and Bow handling, there came two more [Warrior] boys and two [Rogues] of which one was a girl and the other was the yawning boy.

Ultimately, there were four [Warriors], three [Rogues], two [Acolytes], and one [Hunter].

Mr Morton then reminded everybody. “If you're not aware, you should know that the usual formation for hunting squads includes two strong front liners to contain most of the monster pressure, mostly [Warriors], one quick middle liner to assist where it is needed, usually [Rogues], and one or two back liners to help with damages or support, mainly [Acolytes] or [Hunters].”

The reception officer then gave voice to the three already formed squad leaders to explain their needs: one [Acolyte], one [Rogue], and two [Warriors]. They either had an incomplete squad from the start or had lost a comrade to job change or death. Because yes, death happened in this kind of occupation.

Nonetheless, it was a boon for new hunters to integrate into established squads. They were more experienced and had already some manner of team cohesion. Thus, the squads were the ones to decide who they took in for their group.

Metello walked to the group in need of an [Acolyte] to complete their roster. The [Calor Acolyte] did the same. Their leader had said they had one before, but that he had perished in the mines near the beginning of the last month and that they haven't hunted yet since then. As Metello approached, he once again suffered disdainful and hateful looks at him. He had not arrived yet when he was told.

“Don't come here, liar. We made our choice. Go back to the desk.”

Metello turned his head toward the [Calor Acolyte] who seemed pleased by the decision, and he took a heavy breath before turning back as said. He may have expected it to go this way, but it was hurtful nonetheless. He went back to Mr. Morton. Something bothered him for several minutes now.

“Why is the other [Acolyte] weaponless? The answer I gave explains well why it is necessary to have one, and if he wants to upgrade his class, it would be better. And why didn't he learn more prayers to gods? There are many useful prayers to learn and they are not this hard to get.”

Mr Morton ever-smiling face looked at him comprehensively. It was a rare sight, changing from his usual more than formal behavior.

“I suspected you would ask about that.” He paused a few seconds before talking again. “You know, not everybody got to be trained by two former monster hunters, one of which holding the class you chose. Just think that you are much better prepared than the other kids.”

He thanked the [Civil servant] and went back into his corner. Metello hadn't thought he had such a good training, but what he had said made sense as monster hunters can come from any background, most of which had no former monster hunter to help.

Twenty minutes later, they were left with two [Warriors], two [Rogues], one [acolyte], and one [hunter] left. There was a perfect roster plus one rogue. Metello's smile rose a bit as there was no competition for his role.

Mr Morton came to the group while the already formed squads learned to know each other better.

“So, I see that we have a balanced group of people without a squad for this month. As I told you, the standard formation is perhaps the most optimal, but one more member could never hurt. So, if nobody has an objection, I would suggest you form a 6-people squad.”

Metello's smile grew at hearing that, but it left him immediately as two of the young adults spoke.

“We don't need a lying [Acolyte]. We will be strong enough.”

“Yes, I don't like his black hair too, it makes me shiver.”

The apologetic glances he received from the shield girl and the [Rogue] boy were nice, but they meant nothing. He could never fit in a squad with two or three people hating him.

Metello didn't wait for more before leaving the House with a bang while Mr. Morton was trying to negotiate with the two monster hunters who spoke. The black-haired orphan knew it would be like this, from start to end.

Nonetheless, the thought of what he had learned in the morning let him stay motivated.

He would have to hunt slowly and alone. It was no big deal.

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The next cycle, Metello went to the House early. He was grateful not to see anyone from the meeting. If he wanted things to stay that way he had no time to waste. He went to Mr. Morton. For once, the man wasn't wearing his usual smile. It was weird to Metello.

“Hello, Metello. I'm sorry for the meeting. I tried to put some sense into them, but gods know young people can be foolish.”

“Thank you, Mr Morton. I'm here to see if I can have access to a mine to hunt with mostly undead monsters. ”

“Are you going there alone? “

He replied simply.

“Yes.”

“As you wish. I need to go fetch some things first. I'll be quick.”

The thing he came back with had a name. It was an annoyed-looking Brorne.

“Hi, Metello. Mr. Morton explained your situation to me. I can't encourage you to hunt alone for the first time. Just wait for the next month and hopefully you'll be able to form a squad. Okay? You'll have more time for weapon practice too. It could be good for you.”

The young man had a complicated face. He had already thought about this.

"What if the next month goes the same way as this one? What if the next too? I can't wait for years the same way I couldn't wait for Mr Moore to forget about me before starting training. I need to become stronger as fast as I can. I planned to come to the next new hunters meeting next month, but I will hunt in the meantime.”

Brorne sighed.

“You're not wrong. If you're so eager to go, let me give you some tips for solo hunting.”

Metello accepted. The tips he was given could be resumed: be slow, be careful, and be sure to be slow and careful. He got some monster bait to be able to lure as few monsters at a time as possible, and he was advised to use the defensive rapier stance.

At the end of the fifteen minutes of counseling with his weapon instructor, Metello went to Mr. Morton. He had a copper tag, a key, and a number for the young [Lux Acolyte].

“Here is your identification as a copper rank monster hunter you should have taken the last cycle. You need to show it to the city gates to go through without a hitch.”

“Concerning the mine, there was no recently cleaned undead mine, so I chose another one most suited to your situation. There is its gate key. It has been cleared only eight cycles ago, so there shall be fewer monsters than usual and only at level one or two.”

Then, the mustache-bearing man showed the large map on the wall representing the city and the mountains around.

“You got the number 10.3 which is the 3rd mine in the 10h section north of the city. The numbers are written on the top of the iron gate closing the mines. The key will let you open it. You don't have to clear it in a cycle but you have to return the key in four cycles even if you haven't cleared it all yet. Did you get it all ?”

Being answered with a nod, he added briefly.

“Good. I have nothing left to give you except some advice Mr. Walsh has certainly already given to you, but be careful Mr Blackhaired.”

Metello nodded. He noticed their worried look, but he had some work to do. He thanked them and got out.