After eating and bidding his family goodbye, Emir went up to the control station.
Reaching there half a minute later, he spotted a hunter, walking up next to him, he asked:
"Hey, I'm called Emir, a hunter trainee, got discharged a few days ago so I'm wondering, do you know who I can go to ask for an energy pack? My augmented suit died in the attack many days back."
Instead of replying, the man in a sudden movement reached out and raised his hand towards Emir's shoulder, causing him to flinch and step back in alarm.
Emir instinctively placed his hand on his knife.
Noticing his reaction, the hunter stepped back, raising his hand up as if surrendering, and he looked at Emir all over, only replying seconds later.
"Easy boy, I only meant to pat your shoulder, so calm down yeah? And sure, I can help you out with that. You can call me Alex, and I am in charge of the supplies in the convoy, so any time you want to request something, come ask me."
"Now follow me, and I'll get you a couple of them," he said with a friendly smile.
Calming down a bit, Emir followed Alex while still a bit vigilant.
They went down a long hallway that was lined with various control rooms.
As they walked, Alex spoke excitedly.
"I saw what you did back there, Emir, great job. With that skill, you would already be considered a rank 15 hunter."
"Thanks for that, and I know I did good, so I'll later ask HQ for some extra reimbursement, after all, I was only here as a passenger, not a hunter trainee."
He laughed out loud while saying, "Good, good, that's how a hunter should be."
Ending their conversation, they soon arrived at a small room that was filled with racks of energy packs.
Alex grabbed a fresh one off the shelf and handed it to Emir.
"Here you go, Emir. This should give your suit plenty of juice to get you through. But remember, these packs are in short supply even after the delivery, so be careful not to get hurt unnecessarily. Also, if you want a few more, HQ will deduct some money from your pay." Alex cautioned.
"Thanks, Alex. I appreciate it," Emir replied, grateful for the reminder.
"Just give me one more, I don't mind the cut, as they say, better safe and under than dead."
Alex chuckled and handed him another energy pack, "You're a smart one, Emir. It's always better to be prepared."
Emir thanked him again and left the room, making his way back to the living compartments.
As he walked, he couldn't help but think about what Alex had said.
'A rank 15 hunter? I am only thirteen, physically at least, and I still haven't truly gone down a ruin before.'
'But he is right about me having skill, although weak compared to higher-ranked hunters, I could easily call myself one of the best, if not the best in my age bracket, though it isn't much to be proud of.'
'All those years of training had to account for something.'
Approaching the living compartments, Emir passed by the area where hunters usually gathered.
He noticed Jake within that group, examining a new weapon that had been unloaded from the supply delivery, seemingly arriving earlier today.
Since HQ's plan was blown, they sent camouflage vehicles, providing them with better gear, supplies, and many more hunters.
The weapon looks to be a sleek, black rifle with the Hyperion Arms logo stamped on the side.
As Emir was staring at the gun, Jake looked up and noticed him, waving him over.
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"Hey there, Emir. Have you seen this beauty yet?" He asked, gesturing to the rifle.
Emir shook his head, curious.
Jake handed him the rifle, and he examined it closely.
It was lightweight and had a comfortable grip, with a holographic sight mounted on top.
"This is the new Hyperion Arms prototype. It's designed for long-range precision shots, and it's got some serious firepower. We've been testing it out, and it's a game-changer." Jake explained further.
Emir was impressed.
Hyperion Arms were known for their advanced technology and cutting-edge weapons, and this rifle was no exception.
But he couldn't help but wonder if he would get the chance to use it.
'My augmented suit is too weak to handle the kickback, and I am far from being able to afford something like this.'
'I can't even earn easy money as I have no idea which company would increase or drop in value, and what money-making event would happen in the future. Damn, like seriously, why reincarnate me into a novel that I remember nothing of?'
'And the organization, with their massive reach, can't spare this poor hunter some coins? Bullshit!'
As if she sensed his thoughts Lyra spoke up, her voice echoing in Emir's mind.
[The organization planned to provide you with better gear, however, due to some large-scale happenings in the north, access to you has become increasingly difficult, so you now have to procure better equipment using the money you gained yourself.]
Taking some time to process what she said, Emir asked, [Why can't they just pay for it to be sent directly to me?]
[We are soon reaching the UEF Academy, that sector and the area around it is under strict monitoring from the government, we previously planned for one of us to personally come and provide you with the gear undetected, but as I said, an escalation of events occurred in the northern war, rendering our plan obsolete.]
[I understand, it seems that even something as smart as AI can fail. Huh. Anyway, I've been quiet for too long, so let's talk more about this later.]
[Let's do that.]
"It seems perfect for someone like me, but I can't really use it, my body would break in one shot," Emir said with a chuckle.
Jake laughed in agreement.
"Yeah, it takes some serious gear to handle this thing. But don't worry, Emir. You'll get there one day. Just boot lick up to somebody in the academy."
Emir laughed out loud, saying, "True that, eh? Oh, and thanks for showing me the rifle, Jake."
"By the way, how is the princess? You and Emma still watching over her?" Emir asked, handing him the rifle back.
"Yes, and regarding Ava, well, she's as bratty as you would imagine. Surprisingly, she's the same age as you, but your personalities are like night and day, so comparing the two of you, even by age alone, doesn't feel right." He replied with a chuckle.
'Of course, we would be different, she is a spoilt brat and I'm a 24-year-old man, but let's not tell him that.' He thought with a snicker.
Ignoring his remarks, Emir asked, "So when are we expected to reach the academy?"
"A day at most." He replied a second later.
….
Minutes passed, and Emir ended his conversation with Jake. He thanked him again and left.
Emir continued walking towards his living quarters, lost in his thoughts. With the recent turn of events, it seemed like he was on his own.
As he turned a corner, he bumped into Emma, his hunter teammate.
She was carrying a few boxes, probably filled with supplies, and looked exhausted.
"Hey, Em. Need a hand with those?" Emir asked, gesturing to the boxes.
"Thanks, Emir. I would really appreciate it," she replied with a smile.
Together, they carried the boxes towards her quarters, chatting about the recent supply delivery and the new weapon that Jake had shown him.
After helping Emma, Emir finally made it to his living compartment.
It was a small room with a bed, a desk, and a few shelves for storing his belongings.
Emir had been living here for the past two weeks, and he would say goodbye soon.
He had a few hours until the evening and wanted to use that time to train.
He powered up his augmented suit after replacing the dead energy pack and asked Lyra to begin the simulation.
With the help of the system, he knew what to focus on, and equipped with various programs designed by Lyra to improve his physical strength, agility, and combat skills, he began training.
Time flew by, and before he knew it, it was already evening.
Emir powered down the simulation and took a quick shower before changing into fresh clothes.
Going out of the room, he went to eat dinner with his family.
Sitting down, he informed them that they were close to reaching the academy.
Lily, ecstatic, almost screamed out, she was looking forward to starting her training at the academy, and he could see the excitement in her eyes.
Laura shared the same sentiment and was happy to hear the news.
He told Lily about what to expect at the academy and gave some advice on what to do and what to avoid.
After eating, he excused himself and went to the upper deck to take a look at the approaching sector.
It was a breathtaking view, and he couldn't help but marvel at the towering buildings, reaching the sky.
He almost missed Emma's voice behind him.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is," Emir replied, still mesmerized.
They stood there for a few minutes, not saying anything, just enjoying the view.
Breaking the silence, Emma turned to him and asked.
"Listen, Emir. Since you are below the age of fifteen, the academy won't accept you yet, so you have two free years before that. What will you do till then?"
"I will be setting off as a hunter, although I have the skills, I am still inexperienced, and I need money, so to kill two monsters with one stone, I would start exploring old-world ruins, selling relics, and doing jobs."
Letting out a sigh of relief, Emma continued, nervous as if confessing.
"Although other hunters might look at me weirdly when I say this, considering that you are only thirteen, but I know that you have great skill, and based on how you interacted with us and your family, I know that I could trust you, something that most hunters would deem impossible, so there is no problem there..."
"Anyways, what I am trying to ask is, can we stay as a team even after reaching the academy?"