CHAPTER EIGHT

Bright and early, I had a meeting at 10 in the morning. That barely gave me five hours of sleep. I didn’t bother with unpacking since I only had time to do the bare essentials like washing up and brushing my teeth before bed. After that, I knocked out. To my surprise, I actually slept, right through my alarm, too. It was Reina’s loud and obnoxious voice piercing through the wall that woke me up, the sound of her talking to one of her girlfriends overseas too pitchy to ignore.

After my very rushed morning routine and a quick call to the family, I went to the kitchen at about 9:50am, noticing a few unfamiliar faces.

“G’morning!” the guy with the curly curtain undercut beamed, waving my way as he held his cup of coffee. “You must be Nero, right?”

I nodded with a smile. “Sure am. Good morning, erm—”

“Felix, Felix Navarro. Nice to meet you!” he said, walking over to me with a handshake. The guy was tall, maybe a half foot shorter than me at about 6’ 1½”. He had tan skin and a bright smile, and the kind of energy that could light up a room. His hazel eyes were full of spark and intrigue, instantly making me feel more awake than the strongest cup of coffee ever could.

“Nice to meet you too, Felix,” I replied, returning his firm and friendly handshake.

“It sucks that they don’t ID the people we’re bunking with, huh? The only reason I knew about you was because your teammate kept complaining about a, Nero the Nerd being in her squad.”

“Ah, yes, Reina. Such a sweetheart,” I sang sarcastically as I released our handshake.

“Heh, yeah! She has a mouth on her.”

“Yeah, one that never seems to shut up.”

“Quite a character for sure. I’m from District 2.”

“District 1 in Xion.”

“Yikes, it’s pretty crazy up there in District 1 compared to the other districts in Xion. Not a lot of local hunters surveying the streets.”

“Yeah, I know. We got it bad there, but it’s home.”

“I hear that. Ashley and Gunther are from District 3.”

“I wouldn’t know how it feels being in a cozy district like that. Wonder what got them into hunting.”

“Cash, like most of us.” He smiled. “And for some others, credibility and honor.”

“Reina is from District 3, comes from a pretty rich family, too. Crazy enough, her wealth is how Naomi and I got here. That being said, District 3 usually keeps their local talent in house. They are well enough to support themselves, financially and defensively.”

“Yeah, but sometimes, they crave change. Besides, Ash and Gun come from middle-class families. I wasn’t so lucky.”

“I hear that.”

“My parents died to monsters, and told my young sister that there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen to her, too. She’s living with our aunt in Syracuse, keeping her head down like I taught her. Sara is smart; she deserves the best.”

“You always want what’s best for your family. I’ve got one back home that I’d love to support, too.”

“That’s what I like to hear!”

“Morning, losers!” the cat girl Ashley giggled. “Nah, I’m kidding, you guys are great!” She strolled into the kitchen on all fours again, the preference making me squint curiously. There was a pep in her jolly happy go lucky step, her tail sashaying left and right before she took a seat at the breakfast nook. “What’s for breakfast? Another hot steaming bowl of air soup?”

“Hey Ash, this is Nero of the Beta1 team,” Felix introduced.

“Oh, we’ve met before. When he first came in this morning! Even gave me a Snickers bar. Solid lad!” She plopped down on the breakfast nook table and eyed me up and down again. “So, are Reina and I the only demi-humans here so far? Or do those scales along your neck make you some type of hybrid snake?”

At the notion of my scales, my hands flew over them to cover them up, Ashley suddenly giggling at me.

“Nothing bad, of course. I think they look sweet on you!”

“Heh, thanks but I’m not a demi-human.”

“No? So, do you have a snake-like meta that egged it on?”

“Not that either. I guess I have them for aesthetics. I got them when I got my meta Saturday morning, and—”

“Wait a minute, you got a talent Saturday morning? As in, last Saturday morning?” someone from the right of me coming into the kitchen said, my assumption being Gunther. He was just as tall as Felix, maybe a little shorter, and just as skinny. I noticed the gauges in his earlobes, and a piercing along the corner of his lip. To be judgmentally fair, he looked like a pretty-boy stage-junky who played guitar and hung out at clubs on the weekends. The dark blue tattoos trailing down his arms of some questionable provocative art certainly got my attention, as well as his blinding confidence. In terms of physique, he was a little bulkier than me before my transformation, had spiky blond hair and heavyset brows that furrowed at my statement. “So you’re telling me you’ve only been a meta for less than a week? And they already got you in Hunter Corp?” He snickered. “Talk about the luck of the draw.”

“Nero, this is Gunther, the last member of our team,” Felix introduced.

“Nero, nice! Diggin’ the hair! I was thinking about going plat too, once upon a fair time. Say, where’s your team?”

“Egh, I haven’t seen Naomi in a while, but—”

“Heh, let me rephrase that—where is Reina?”

“In her room, the last I heard her,” I said, as he took a seat from across Ashley on the table.

“In her room, huh?” He chuckled. “All right, all right, let’s settle everything out in the open now before it gets in the way. Are you banging her?”

Ashley chuckled, and Felix twisted his face embarrassingly.

“Talk about being blunt!” Ashley sang.

“Hell no!” I retorted.

“Good, because the babe is now off limits! I’m making her mine.” He winked.

“The only thing you’ll be banging Gun is your head against the wall trying to figure out how to control your horny hormones when she rejects you,” Ashley teased.

“There’s no rejecting the machine Gun,” he boasted, right away showing his strong ego stripes. He folded his inked arms across his chest, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief as he warned me playfully. “Don’t you dare make a move on her.”

I snorted. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Felix shook his head and sighed, “Just remember what happened last time you tried to ‘make someone yours’, Gunther.”

Gunther scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Not my fault she couldn’t handle all this,” he said, gesturing to himself.

Ashley struggled to keep her laughter contained, her attention turning to me with a smile. “Don’t worry, Nero, you clearly don’t have anything to worry about.”

I chuckled. “But he might. Reina is more of an acquired taste.”

“What’s your meta ability anyway?” Gun asked as he pulled out a smoke from his pocket, Ash jumping at him on cue.

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“Can you cut that out?! You’re going to get in trouble with Kenji!” she griped, snatching the cigarette away from him before he could light it.

“Egh, he can stick his dumb rules and that cigarette up his ass. There’s nothing else to do around here, anyway,” Gun hissed.

“That’s beside the point, you’re supposed to be kicking the bad habit in the bucket!”

“To answer your question, I have super strength and mental immunity.”

Felix smiled. “Wow, that’s pretty impressive actually. My talent is wind.”

“Mine are power claws and multiply,” Ash said. “And Gun’s got spirit animal construct.”

“Pretty sweet dynamics for a team. Talents tend to share gifts, but I’ve never met someone with animal construct. Reina’s is a weapon forger, and Naomi has telekinesis.”

“Your team isn’t bad either, honestly,” Felix complimented. “I can’t wait to see you guys ace the evaluation!”

“Hold your horses, Felix, we haven’t even had breakfast yet!” Ash chimed.

“We don’t have time for breakfast,” Felix reminded her. “We have to get going now. It’s two minutes to 10.”

“A long orientation without breakfast?!” Ash groaned. “Just shoot me now.”

Felix edged us along toward the garden so we wouldn’t be late. I could already tell that he was the leader of his team with the way he carried himself and took initiative. The dude was pretty down to earth, calm and cool. Whereas Ash was a bit on the eccentric side, reminding me a little of my own zany cookie back home. Except Ash made it clear that despite her overzealous love of food, she couldn’t cook worth a damn. Then there was Gunther, a real charmer. Got a Leo attitude on him that was as loud as a train horn. As the group and I talked on our way to the garden, I realized that the dude didn’t have a humble muscle in his body, and that he might actually be Ash’s type. Of course, I was only speculating. The three of them had been friends from their own school for quite a while.

When we reached the garden, I noticed that Naomi was already there sitting along the stone hedges of the freshly manicured garden. The garden itself was a backyard paradise, a breath-taking oasis just a few yards away from the dojo. It was a landscape of lush greens and dazzling floral colors, my eyes taking the time to appreciate how tranquil it all looked. A variety of flowers were in full bloom, given the season, bursting with deep reds, sunny yellows, pastel pinks, vibrant violets, and cool blues. Their beautiful contrast under the bright morning sun locked my attention, as did the sweet fragrances wafting through the air.

I’d learned to appreciate nature a little more when my mom took that job as a landscaper. She was pretty good at it too, but this work of art right here would have easily put her talents to shame. As we approached Naomi, she closed the book she was reading and looked over at us unamused. I took no offense, seeing as her face always looked incredibly stoic.

“Morning, Naomi,” Felix greeted. “Any sign of Mr. Hayashi, yet?”

“I’m right here,” he said, and then a tear in space opened up right before our eyes. The form of Mr. Hayashi materialized from between the folds of another dimension, his entrance nearly missing a step as he staggered in front of us. First impressions were everything, and Mr. Hayashi was certainly making one to remember. As his eyes settled on his students, I noticed how sunken they were. The guy wasn’t any older than 40, with long black hair in a thin ponytail, rectangular glasses, and a black kimono robe. And yet he had aged bags under his eyes like he was pushing 60. The edge of his lips curled into a dreary frown, and as he walked toward us, I realized that he might actually be drunk.

There was some dramatic flair to this man that I couldn’t ignore. But if there’s one thing I gauged, it was that he wasn’t the easy going type.

Felix confirmed this when he bowed down urgently at his entrance, as did his teammates. “Apologies for keeping you waiting,” he said, making me bow down as well. Hayashi’s gaze swept across the garden as Naomi took to my side on the line up, before he finally locked on me.

“You were late last night,” he hissed in a cold and impatient drab voice. “What’s your excuse?”

“Terminal delay, Sensei Hayashi. The airport had everyone bac—”

“Noise, is what I’m hearing,” he said, cutting me off. “I heard your story. Now what about the red head?”

“Erm, you mean Reina?” Ashley prodded. “Her hair is actually auburn, in the middle of brown and r—”

“What’s your name again?” he interjected.

“Ashley!” she tweeted.

“Ashley, you didn’t answer my question.”

“O-ugh, um, she is at the dojo, Mr. Hayash—”

“Disqualified.”

My stomach tanked.

“Anyone who fails to take this career seriously will be disqualified. I don’t have time to babysit children who do not respect the practice.” Hayashi’s voice slipped into a growl, causing a sudden chill to spread across our group. “You’re on my time, and I’ll have you all know that I don’t like my time being wasted. You’re here to develop, learn, and excel. Being a hunter isn’t about building fame points and cash prizes, it’s about protecting lives. There’s no room here for slackers.” His voice echoed around the garden, the severity of his words etched in my brain. “You will respect this dojo and the rules that govern it. Arriving late is not an option. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Sensei Hayashi,” we nodded and murmured together.

“Good,” he replied curtly, adjusting his glasses. He peered at us through his rectangular lenses, scrutinizing each of our faces one by one. When he reached me again, he lingered for a moment. “Let’s hope you learn to value punctuality.”

Why was he looking at me funny? Unlike Reina, I had a decent excuse.

Speaking of the devil, we all heard shuffling noises coming from behind us, in came the princess rushing toward the garden out of breath.

“I apologize, I lost track of time,” she pleaded, sensei looking at her flatly.

He paused for a moment and said, “You’re an abusive little one. I can tell that you’re used to being spoiled rotten.”

Reina gasped, offended. “I beg your pardon?”

“You mistook my kindness for leniency. I was just telling your comrades here that you’re disqualified for your lack of punctuality.”

“What?!”

“I allowed you to have that bedroom because it’s not being used. Please, don’t get accustomed to getting special treatment from me. Here you are the same as everyone else. You’re here to learn, not to be coddled.”

Reina’s face flushed with humiliation and anger. Her lips trembled, but she said nothing, and merely hung her head in shame. I’d never seen anyone shut her up like that! No whippy comeback, no sass? Was this the same stuck up brat of Acadia?

She bowed respectfully and gave another apology that even had Naomi looking at her funny. After sensei was done grilling her, he gave her one more chance, and then, he introduced himself, “Now that you’re all here, allow me to welcome you to Hunter Corp evaluations. This preliminary step into your career is vital, and I, Kenji Hayashi, am here to make sure you all have potential to be true monster hunters. You’ll be tested on trainability, accountability, resourcefulness, and teamwork. I’ve been in the business for over a decade, and I can assure you, this is not a profession for the faint-hearted. You’re here because we believe you have what it takes. Show me you’re worthy to be here.”

There was an unmistakable weight behind his words, bearing heavy on my shoulders. This big bright ball of sunshine really knew how to lay it on you, huh? He got my blood rushing, and not in a good way. He was inspiring fear in the trade, trying to get us to pussy out. I could feel the atmosphere around us turn darker and more serious the more he talked, our playful banter and small talk earlier now a distant memory as we collectively comprehended the reality of what lay ahead.

“Many of you will not make it past this stage,” he admitted. “This is not a place for fame seekers or glory hunters. This is a place for those who want to serve humanity, and protect it from the demons of this world. I doubt any of you here have had the pleasure of fighting a monster before. What you see on television is absolute bullshit. There will be blood, guts, tears, sweat, and more blood. It’s not that family friendly rock, paper, scissor showdown you see on the big screen. Now, I want you all to do me a favor and abandon everything you think you know about Hunter Corp. Put that shit in the garbage, and start seeing yourselves as actual soldiers in an army. Your meta is your weapon, your squadron is an extension of your weapon. You will rely on each other for survival, not just in the field, but also in the training grounds. If you can’t work together, then none of you will survive.” His eyes went sharp, cutting through each one of us as he continued.

Reina seemed to shrink under his gaze while Naomi looked determined, like she was digesting every word he said. As for me, I felt a mix of the two. While I was excited to finally show what I had to be a hunter, I was also nervous about being in a squad. It hadn’t sunk in until Kenji said it—my team…. Their lives were my responsibility also. If I fucked up out there, or if they fucked up out there, it was on me….

I was reconsidering the word fun when I realized back then that Naomi and Reina were my teammates. They were going to be a challenge to work with. At least for Felix, he had the pleasure of working with his friends. I hardly ever talked to Reina, even less for Naomi. One girl taunted me at school, while the other ignored me like the plague.

“From now on, your trial is an all-day affair,” Kenji continued. “There are no breaks. You’re on call from sun up until sun down. I will be shadowing you during these contract missions. You will be rewarded as you would a true hunter during evaluations, so expect fame points. Not that you should use them as motivation. Remember that this trial period is a test. A test of your capacity to endure hardship, to show resilience in the face of adversity, and demonstrate your ability to strategize under extreme stress. Forget about glory; focus on survival. That is your assignment. If you survive the week, we’ll talk about official membership. Use your time wisely.”

Immediately Ashley raised her hand, that petrified look on her face already asking him the question we’re all wondering. Kenji jerked his head, prompting her to ask, “Excuse me, but we weren’t informed that the evaluation involved us actually going out there to fight monsters.”

“Like I said, I will be shadowing you. The possibility of a fatality is borderline 0%.”

Ashley squinted doubtfully. “Borderline?”

His eyes went flat. “Don’t you trust me?”

“No offense, but—”

“If you don’t have confidence in my abilities to keep you alive during your evaluation, then you won’t have trust in me as your mentor. I get it—trust is something that needs to be earned, so, let me earn it. You are students, trainees under me. You may not understand or appreciate it now, but this experience at my dojo will shape and mold you into warriors. I am not like the other mentors out there who take this as one big celebrity game show. I take pride in my students being the top hunters out there, and you six will be no different. Listen to me, and I promise you, we’ll give those flesh eaters something to talk about.”

All right, this guy meant business! He was talking my language. When he mentioned his students being top hunters, it all started to click. Usually, people don’t bother looking at hunter stats when they advertise it. All they really cared about were the fame points and a hunter’s popularity. Outside of that, people wanted to know how much money they made and how many sponsors they had. But his name, often labeled KH, popped up on a few high ranked hunters from over the years. He wasn’t lying when he said his students were among the very best, and that was where I wanted to be.

“During your evaluations, your enrollment into Nishimaru International will be pending. Like I said, use this time wisely. And remember to have your units on at all times when hunting.” Suddenly, he brought his hand over his right ear and tapped his own H-Tec. A glare in his eyes flickered before he looked over to Naomi, Reina, and I. “Speaking of hunting, there’s a contract in our area. Beta1 team, I want you to handle it.”