“How’s that?” Healer Hudgens asked, smiling brightly.

I glanced up from the teal screen in front of me to her bright face. “Ah, do–”

Suddenly, my words cut off, as if someone hit a mute button on me. The rest of my question, ‘do you see that?’ never made it out of my throat, even though my mouth was still moving. Shock – and a little bit of fear – zipped down my back. What on Earth could manipulate my body like that?

Ding. The words on the screen changed again. [Host is prohibited from disclosing the System to outsiders.]

My eyes widened in shock. It did say that I couldn’t talk about it yesterday, but I didn’t think it would go so far to stay hidden. My shock shifted to apprehension. I wasn’t going to lie, when I first encountered this ‘System,’ I didn’t think much of it. I was desperate and a part of me didn’t really think it was real. Now — what did I get myself into?

As if the System knew what I was thinking, new words popped up. [Welcome to the Becoming Stronger Quest. This is a program specially designed for the host. With this program, the host is able to gain Experience Points (EXP) through appointed tasks and eliminating monsters. The EXP will enable the host to grow stronger and even unlock abilities. Further explanations will be given when the host is ready for them.]

EXP? Just like a video game?

“Miss Moore?” Healer Hudgens prompted.

I jumped like I was caught doing something illegal and looked up at her. I paused. Huh? I could see her title bar above her head. It read: [Vicky Hudgens. Level 34.] What did that mean? Where did her rank go? Hang on, I shouldn’t be able to see her information anyway, since I was weaker than her. Hunters could only see the rank of someone equal to or weaker than themselves.

Her expression changed to expectant, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Ah, yes.” What was her question again?

“It takes some getting used to,” she said, leading the conversation. “The labeling function is really convenient when you're out in the wild. Every known monster is recorded there, and knowing what you’re fighting can mean the difference between life and death. But I have to admit, it can be a little frustrating when it labels all the mundane, everyday things.” She sat back on her seat. “The Guide will learn your preferences and needs. Give it a couple weeks and it won't show anymore unnecessary things.” She stopped talking, finally noticing that I was only half-listening to her. “Miss Moore?”

Everyone with a Guide could see the back of another person’s Guide screen, but they couldn’t see the words on it unless it was specifically shared with them. Couldn’t Healer Hudgens see my screen? Couldn’t she tell that it was different?

I bit my lips. If I couldn’t talk about the System… “What color does my screen look like to you?”

She blinked, as if surprised that I asked this question. “Blue, of course.”

I stared at the teal screen. “Oh.”

“I’ve been telling my supervisor for years that we should change the colors of the screens. We changed the color of the Guides, why should we keep the same boring blue for the screens?” When she noticed that I was only half listening again, her brows wrinkled in curiosity. “What are you looking at?”

I didn’t really know what I was looking at. But I couldn’t tell her that. “... The main menu.”

The System screen had changed, revealing a familiar menu list. Well, it should have been familiar, just like the pictures in the Hunters training course. Only, it wasn’t. It listed the normal options: Stats, Communication, Guide Help, and Monster Manual. But there were four options I wasn’t expecting – Tasks, Skills, Abilities, and Magic.

Skills and Abilities were not easy to come by. The theory was one in every million monster had a Skill or Ability Stone in them. The Hunter that found one could either use that Skill/Ability Stone on themselves to learn an ultra cool, life changing move – or sell it and become a millionaire, which was also life changing. Skills and Abilities learned from Stones were ten times stronger than any skill learned with practice, even if they were the same move. Most Hunters spent their whole lives never learning a Skill.

But the System said that I would learn Abilities with EXP. How?

And what about the Magic option? I was a melee Hunter. I didn’t have a drop of magic in me.

“Oh, great. Then let’s look at your stats,” she said, a trace of anticipation in her voice. “Now that you’re registered in the Association, by law, I have to record your stats. It’s for things like medical treatment later, in case there’s a need. There’s an article about it in your Guide Help, if you want to read about it first. Or we can skip that and you can read it later, and we record your stats now.” She folded her hand on the table, obviously okay with whatever I chose.

I frowned at my main menu, trying to figure out what to do. If the menu was weird, did that mean that my stats menu would be weird too? Or would she not be able to tell, just like how Healer Hudgens couldn’t tell that my menu is teal? What was going on?

“Miss Moore?” she prompted.

I blinked out of my thoughts and focused on her. “Oh, um. Yes, let’s go on. I read the explanation when I was in Hunter Prep.” I think I was one of the few in my class that did – it was incredibly dry and long. Popcorn and soda was the only way I stayed awake the whole time.

Healer Hudgens nodded. “Perfect. Now think ‘Stats’ and it will open the window.”

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I followed her directions. Immediately, the screen changed to show a series of numbers, along with an outline of a female body. If I was injured, the damage location would show up on that picture – you know, as if I couldn’t figure out where I was hurt. Okay, it was actually for medical assistance, in case I was unconscious and healing magic wasn’t an option. Human doctors had equipment that could access that image – and only that image – and use it to assist the injured Hunter. A cool feature, and all, but my attention was locked on the numbers next to the image.

My stats.

Ria Moore

E Rank

Level 1

EXP to Next LV 5

HP 12/12

MP 20/20

Strength 9

Magic 12

Constitution 8

Agility 10

Perception 9

Intelligence 11

I knew my rank from the first test, but this was my first time actually seeing my stats because I didn’t have a Guide at the time. My lips parted as I let out a silent breath of disappointment.

I didn’t know how the numbers were generated – Guides were created over fifty years ago – but it was a scale that all Hunters used. Humans pretty much had a base scale of eight on everything. Athletes might be able to push their stats into the nine range, while older and young humans had lower stats depending on their health. It was the higher stats that made a Hunter into a Hunter.

And my stats were … pathetically low. I was basically on the bottom end of E Hunters. Not the lowest – I hoped – but I studied enough in Hunter Prep to know they were pretty bad.

I couldn’t help but stare at the strength and constitution numbers. I was a melee Hunter. I fought with my hands in close proximity with monsters. Those two stats were the most important stats out of all of them. And they were my lowest. A pit opened up in my stomach as disappointment sank in. Maybe, I didn’t actually have what it took to be a successful Hunter. A real Hunter.

No! I ordered myself and shoved away the self-doubt. Stop thinking like that. With the Becoming Stronger Quest, I didn’t have to stay weak. I didn’t know what it all entailed right now, but I wasn’t going to throw in the towel just yet. If I did, I’d never get another chance.

To distract myself, I focused on something else. My gaze landed on the stat between my strength and constitution. Magic. It was my highest stat … and the one, that as a melee Hunter, I shouldn’t have. I didn’t have any magic. So why did I have a magic stat and MP?

Healer Hudgens sat down in the chair next to me. “Let’s take a look-see at your stats now,” she said and rested her magically glowing finger on my Guide. “Again, I have legal permission right now to look because they have to be recorded in the system. But in the future, you shouldn’t let anyone know your stats unless you trust that person or are obligated to share – like with your signed guild leader. It might seem like a simple thing, but it’s actually a matter of protecting yourself.”

I hummed in understanding and sat still.

“Oh, those stats are … ah. Hmm.” She gave up trying to find a positive spin on the situation and walked back to the laptop. “Give me just a moment to put these numbers in.”

I watched her tap on the keyboard then leaned my head to the side, thinking. “Healer Hudgens, what’s my magic stat?”

She paused then shook her head with a smile as if I made a joke. “Melee Hunters don’t have a magic stat, remember? Goodness, maybe you should review your Hunter Prep notes.”

I smiled, playing along with her joke. “Ah, yeah. I just had a brain fart.” Then I looked at my stat window. It was still there – Magic 12.

So, she didn’t see my magic stat? Did that mean she couldn’t see my MP bar, either? What was going on? I was dying to look at all the extra boxes in my menu, but I wasn’t comfortable doing it with an audience. Especially if I was going to be put on mute every time I tried to say something.

The healer started chatting away about local gossip, but I was too lost in thought to hear her. It wasn’t until she pulled out a small red velvet bag that I returned to the present.

“This is your starter Items Bag,” she shook it in the air. “It holds ten items, so choose wisely what you carry with you into the wilds.” She reached out of my Guide pearl to sync the two.

I smiled and shook my head. “Thank you, but I already have one.” I pointed to my left ear.

On my right ear, I only had one piercing – a stainless steel stud. But on my left, I had two. The first being a matching steel stud. The second piercing – brand new from this morning – was a small diamond stud Items Bag. It had two hundred items slots, including ten industrial sized slots.

It was also the reason why my bank account, which I had been saving up since I started working at my family's shop, was down to double digits. Items Bags – especially ones that weren’t shaped like bags – were hella expensive. The fact that I wanted one with industrial capacity automatically added an extra ‘0’ on the end of the price tag. I could have bought a nice car for less money.

But it was still a good purchase. I planned on being a mark Hunter, so I would be collecting specific pieces from a monster. Each one of those pieces – be it a head, hoof, or bladder – took up one item slot. It added up very quickly. With an industrial slot, I could put an entire monster, up to three hundred pounds, directly into an item slot without taking the monster apart. It also meant that I wouldn’t be vulnerable while I was dissecting a monster in the wilds. I could do it safely in Uncle’s shop.

Healer Hudgens lifted her eyebrow and let out a low whistle. “Well, that’s a fancy one for an E.” She put the starter Items Bag away. “Alrighty then, let’s get this hooked up to your Guide.” She reached out and touched one hand to my earring and the other to my pearl. Warm magic pulsed from her fingers.

Ding! [An Items Bag was synced to your System.]

“Now that that’s done, time from the next item of operation.” She pulled out a plain short sword and basic set of leather armor. “And here you are, Miss Moore. The Association gives all new Hunters a weapon and armor to start out with. Any additional gear or upgrades are on your dime.”

A lot of young people just out of high school didn’t have the money to buy their own gear yet, and this act of charity – no matter how low quality the pieces were – was a lifesaver. There were some people took the starter gear and resold them to buy better ones. Other new Hunters came from families with gear they could use. I fell into that class.

“Oh, no thank you. I’ve got some.” I waved a hand in rejection. Micah would laugh his guts out if I walked into the house with such low grade items. Even though my gear at home wasn’t top quality – since it was originally for training purposes – it was still several cuts above what Healer Hudgens held. It was better to leave these for the Hunters that couldn’t afford gear yet.

She paused then glanced at my Items Bag earring. She must be putting two and two together. I might be an E, but I had backing. “That’s great. Really, it is for you,” she said sincerely. Maybe that’s why Healer Hudgens was stationed in the Association Building – she was too soft to handle it in the wilds.

I just hoped that I was strong enough to handle the cut throat Hunter society.

*****