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Original

2: Original

Jason strolled down a long hallway. He was strangely amazed. This hallway might have even existed in his time. It was luxuriously lit with high opaque sconces, a thick crimson carpet was underfoot, and every so often there were pairs of thick oaken doors.

He understood, everything about the decor was designed to speak opulence and security and he admired the designer. In a world of plastic, the mere materials gave a sense of purpose and stability.

There was a small and ornate nameplate beside each frame. D-35, this was it. There was no reason to delay and he opened the right hand.

He stepped into a similarly appointed waiting room. There were eight leather and oak chairs facing each other and all but two of them were occupied by attractive young people.

They all had the same matte steel armor he did but he thought nothing of it. This was the basic armor awarded to any hunter who wanted it. The city would not just give them one suit but they could receive three a year so long as they entered dungeons regularly. Kyrios had copied it simply as the attire of most newly minted hunters.

The navy blue under padding was actually made with synthetic fibers tougher than steel yet softer than cotton and the exterior plate was made with something called polysteel, both flexible and lightweight, yet strong enough to stop a high caliber bullet. Despite all of this, it was only the last line of defense within a dungeon.

There was a large mural on the wall, framed in mahogany, and Jason admired it. Painted in a realistic style, it portrayed a man with a huge greatsword standing over a slain dragon. He turned his face to heaven as sweat and blood poured down his body, his sword unshaken.

Despite his grime streaked appearance, he was a handsome man with masculine features and a well trimmed gray goatee. He wore bright silver armor undergirded in red with a radiant silver tower on its breast plate, so brightly painted that it almost seemed to shine. This was the symbol of Fortress and of its legendary founder Charles Renault. He was one of less than 400 level 60 hunters in the entire world and the great support of France.

Staring at his face, his eyes turned sober. No matter how powerful Renault or Fortress might be they couldn’t possibly stand against the megalith that was the Eastern Confederation, one guild ruling all of China, Russia, India, and Japan. This titanic horror was founded upon one ludicrous ideal, that if they could rule the entire world, they could finally be able to break past floor 60, and by extension level 60.

The Confederation was ruled by six men with an iron first, and yet, this was not truly their conception. Apolleon of the Abyss, every one of them had sworn their allegiance to him, and their triumph would be his own. In this he urged them on, offering power and all the cunning of the ages, and they venerated him to the sky.

His eyes chilled. He had become their God and they worshipped him, yet he cared nothing about human nations. His true goal was not to rule the world of men but set men one against another, to send forth the consuming fires of war onto every continent. He was the destroyer and that was his only joy, to see Kyrios thwarted, and countless souls cast into outer darkness.

He stepped back. Death was not the end, but for lack of knowledge many would fall, never to return. He took a breath, neither Kyrios nor he would let that happen. There was still some time. Kyrios had revived him at the proper hour, he just couldn’t hesitate.

He lifted his head. All he had to do was go forth, and show humanity a better way. He felt the burning power in his chest and smiled. It wouldn’t be so difficult, all he had to do was scale the dungeon and everything else would follow.

He turned aside. The first step was right here. He had to connect with Fortress. Smashing Apollyon and his Confederation would have to come later.

He looked to the opposite end where there was another set of double doors and right beside it a beautiful cherrywood desk. A pretty girl with long blond hair in a low tail sat behind it, wearing a trim white blouse. Sarah was her name, written on a nameplate, and she was the personal assistant to Amelie Renault, the only granddaughter of Charles Renault.

He walked over. He considered her face. Mana would edify whatever it touched, like a refining fire, and she was well approved. Her golden hair practically glowed, resting over one shoulder, and her blue eyes were the brightest he’d ever seen in a mortal, even with one eyebrow quirked over them.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“Just one thing, will Miss Renault be interviewing candidates personally?”

She smiled thinly, “Of course Miss Renault will question each candidate.”

Good. “Tell me, is she as strong as people say?”

“As people say? Have you not studied her record? She’s already stepped into the 13th floor despite only being level 10 herself? Do you not even comprehend how incredible that is?”

He laughed. He did indeed know her record, at least the cliff notes. “I know perfectly well that she has even soloed bosses. I wanted to know your opinion of her as a captain. You must have heard a thing or two.”

Her expression warmed slightly, “Her ability as a captain is for you to judge, if you’re ever lucky enough to run with her, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

“Hmm, well I expect to run with her very often, in fact I may even marry her, if she’s as skilled and valiant as reports make her out to be.”

It was a large room but not huge and everyone turned to look at him. One young man snorted loudly.

Jason couldn’t help but chuckle. Hunters could die at any time so they wasted no time. That being said, he wasted even less.

She flicked a pen between her fingers, her gaze narrow, “What gives you such boldness?” she asked.

He lifted his shoulders, “Would she prefer a liar? I already know she’s beautiful. If she turns out to be valiant and true, I’ll need nothing else.”

Stolen story; please report.

She flicked her pen again, “But what makes you think she’ll have any interest in you?”

“Because I’m a hunter like no other and Fortress needs me. You are far too competent to send me away just because of a little presumption.”

“Psshh!” One person, different from before, could not hold back and she cocked her head, “You’re already twenty two and still level 1. What gives you such confidence?”

She had him there. By all rights he should have entered the dungeon at 16 if he wanted to accomplish great things. This was the minimum age agreed upon by the Alliance. As for how she knew his age and level, of course Fortress knew all about him. They wouldn’t schedule any interview without acquiring every piece of publicly and privately available information possible.

“My current level is irrelevant, what matters is that I am the only hunter who can conquer the dungeon, and I will be the first to reach level 100. If you do not let me speak with Ms. Renault I have to catch her attention some other way, in time, but you would be doing her a great disservice.”

He spoke with absolute confidence and she stared at him then he shrugged. “And besides, what harm could letting me speak to her do? You’ve searched every one of us and made us empty our inventories, how much harm could a single level one possibly do?”

This was certainly true, especially considering that Amelie always had a level 50+ guard outside of the dungeon.

She was still staring at him when the door beside them opened. A girl stood in the frame, staring at him with large and luminous blue-green eyes. His heart instantly skipped, and stopped, and started again, much faster than before.

She stepped into the room and her light peridot cotton dress swished about her slender figure. With her came the scent of rain, and of earth about to receive it, and he breathed deeply, unconsciously.

He stared at her face. He swallowed. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, but he was certain, there was no more beautiful girl than the one standing before him.

Her countenance was pale yet with a bloom in her cheek and dusted all over with lovely freckles. Her nose was ever so slightly upturned above soft lips, and these did not have a dramatic bow but were painted gentle shades of pink and red, like a fair apple just picked, while behind all of these fell long twisting locks, braided back from her face and cascading halfway down her back, shining every hue or red and crimson.

He shook himself hard. So this was Amelie Renault! Kyrios had delivered many facts about her, including her beauty, but he had never actually shown her image. A serious oversight!

He set his jaw. One more guy going googly eyed wouldn’t offend her but it certainly annoyed him. Kyrios might have remade him over six feet tall but he still ended up looking like a lovesick fanboy.

She gave him a polite but distant look and he felt even more foolish. He stepped aside.

She focused on Sarah. “Is everything ready?” she asked.

Her voice was surprisingly gentle and he swallowed again, louder than before. This got a snicker from the gallery but Amelie ignored him.

Sarah was uncertain, “There have been some issues with this candidate and I’m not quite sure how to deal with them.”

The other applicants watched with interest and Amelie frowned.

She looked Jason over, “Then come in with him and explain it,” she ordered and she disappeared into the office.

Sarah got up hesitantly. They went through.

It was just as Kyrios described. The carpet was still red while a huge silver shield, embossed with the guild emblem hung on the back wall and beneath it was a desk of solid ebony with dark oak bookshelves on either side.

“Take a seat,” Amelie ordered as she sat down in her large leather office chair. She looked very small within it and he smiled again. She might not be an inch over 5’7” but she had put many towering monsters on the ground.

On the desk was a glass thin computer and two twisted glass sculptures in crimson. Two red upholstered chairs stood in front of it and Jason took the right while Sarah took the left.

“So, tell me what the issue is.”

Jason kept his mouth shut and Sarah took on a businesslike tone. She relayed everything Jason had said and he watched Amelie. He was impressed. She was only nineteen but she already had the air of a seasoned executive, listening with calm attention.

Sarah finished speaking and Amelie glanced at him. She tapped the desk with cynical eyes, “So you intend to marry me, quite the bold proposition for someone who’s never met me.”

“Oh, I absolutely agree, however I only said if. I haven’t decided yet if you’re worthy or not.”

She tapped faster and the smallest smile touched her lips, “You’re quite right, though very brave to say so.”

He gave her his best grin, “Would you prefer a coward?”

Her lips curled a little more, “No, though most of my suitors at least write me a poem.”

He was surprised. He thought about it, “Would you settle for recitation?”

She glanced to Sarah then nodded.

He took a breath then spoke seriously, “Your neck is as a tower of ivory, your eyes as the pools of Heshbon.”

Her eyes did indeed glint, with a dangerous light, “That’s a very bold selection. If I recall, its written as the words of a man to his wife.”

He actually blushed a bit, “It is indeed a celebration of that union, but its true subject is eternity, of the wonders therein. What poem or story could be more appropriate?”

She folded her hands, tilting her head, “What do you mean?”

“Do you not dream of scaling the dungeon? Of seeing floor 100?”

She frowned, “What do you know?”

“I know that you understand, that there’s no point in hunting if we cannot surpass this mortal world. It is only in the immortal that true purpose can be found.”

She breathed deeply then set her jaw, “You’re right, there’s no purpose in hunting if level 100 cannot be reached.”

He sat forward, “Yes, but even more purpose if that level is pursued, side by side, with your beloved. I believe that is the purpose of love, and of marriage, and that is what I seek,” he paused, “though I don’t yet know, if you’re the one for me.”

Her eyes searched his and flickered with inner fires and he stared into them. They really were beautiful, like endless pools of blue-green starlight. He felt as if he could look into them forever.

For a long time she looked back. She glanced down then back up again. Again, a smile touched her lips, warmer than before, and Sarah coughed.

Amelie glanced to her. She sat up straighter, “Still, words are just that… and you should understand that I am a captain.”

That was true. Such things were explicitly prohibited by guild rules. It wouldn’t take long for him to become her equal but for the moment he was just another applicant, hoping to join a powerful guild. “Very well, I’ll set aside my ambitions for now.”

“Ambitions…” Sarah echoed but Amelie smiled.

“Then what of your other claim, that you can clear the dungeon. Do you have more than words to back that up?”

This was what he had been waiting for, “Truth be told, it’s not so much that I’m talented or have some secret knowledge,” he smiled mischievously, “but rather that I am supremely gifted.”

No one spoke.

“What’s the difference?” Sarah asked.

“Just this.” He gathered immense power within himself. The air crackled, and their eyes went wide. A dazzling cloak of pure white light burst out around him and billowed about him and the walls shuddered. Like fire and like cloud, it wrapped him completely and curled across the floor, the room filling with the smell of incense.

He did not move and Amelie stared hard, “Is this Original Magic?”

He laughed, “You got it.”