Kael leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded as the ceiling fan whirred above him. The thought drifted in without warning.
I wonder what Belle's doing right now...
The question hung in the air, unanswered, and Kael shook his head, sighing. "Focus," he muttered.
He pulled his laptop onto his lap and opened the South Korea Hunter Association website. His fingers danced across the keyboard as he searched for the hunter card registration form.
Come on… come on…
After a few minutes of scrolling, uploading documents, and filling in long identification forms, he finally clicked the last "submit" button.
REGISTRATION CONFIRMED. TEST SCHEDULED – 5:30 AM, SEOUL HUNTER ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS.
Kael exhaled in relief and leaned back again.
"Damn… I'm lucky the minimum age is sixteen and not eighteen. I would've had to wait two whole years to even take the test."
But as night crept over the city and shadows settled in his room, Kael found himself unable to sleep. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. Every time he closed his eyes, he feared he'd see that dream again the one where Vanta devoured him slowly, fangs digging into his flesh, voice echoing like a curse through his soul.
He shuddered.
Eventually, after tossing and turning for an hour, exhaustion won. His breathing slowed. Darkness came.
---
4:00 A.M.
Kael's eyes snapped open. He didn't remember his dream and maybe that was a good thing.
No time to waste.
He rolled out of bed and dropped straight into push-up position.
"One… two… three…"
By the time he finished his circuit 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats his shirt clung to his back with sweat.
Then he jumped onto the treadmill and started running. A full kilometer, lungs burning and heart thudding by the end.
He hopped off, wiped his face, and walked into the washroom. As the water ran hot, he lathered up with a gentle cleanser, then massaged in an exfoliating cream.
Steam fogged the mirror.
Kael stepped out of the shower, drying his body with a soft towel. Then came the skincare:
– Niacinamide serum for hyperpigmentation.
– Vitamin C serum for brightness.
– Salicylic acid to keep the acne in check.
He looked at himself in the mirror, skin glowing under the white lights.
"Yep. Gotta keep that skin glowing at all times…" He sighed. "Or at least that's what this body forces me to do."
Back in his room, he picked out a simple fit: graphic tee, zip-up hoodie, matching sweatpants, and some neutral sneakers. Clean, comfortable, forgettable just the way he liked it.
---
5:09 A.M. – Seoul Hunter Association Headquarters
The building was massive. Steel, glass, and glowing blue light. It looked like a place where titans gathered.
Kael walked through the revolving doors. Inside, even at this early hour, the lobby buzzed a surprising amount of people filled the space, chatting quietly, sipping energy drinks, or typing away at holographic tablets.
He walked toward the front desk.
The woman at the registration table looked up then froze.
Kael pulled back his hoodie.
His face, still slightly dewy from his skincare, looked carved from marble. High cheekbones, glowing skin, crimson eyes that pulled attention like gravity. The soft lighting only amplified it.
The staff woman blinked rapidly, trying not to blush, but her ears were already red.
"Uhm… I'm Kael Vernier," he said calmly. "I'm here for the hunter test."
She fumbled with her tablet. "Y-Yes! Kael V-Vernier… sixth floor!"
Kael nodded. "Thanks."
She nodded too several times, too quickly.
He walked toward the elevator and stepped inside, pressing the sixth-floor button. As the doors closed, he sighed.
Please don't let anyone stare too hard.
Sixth Floor – Waiting Room
The moment he stepped out of the elevator, heads turned. Dozens of applicants sat or stood around, waiting for their name to be called.
A few people whispered loudly.
"Is he from a noble family?"
"He has to be. No way someone that pretty's normal."
"He looks like he walked off a drama set."
One girl whispered, "I'd marry him on the spot."
Her friend hit her lightly. "Anna, he's probably a teenager."
"I'd still marry him."
Kael ignored all of it and quietly sat down, eyes forward.
A minute later, a robotic voice echoed over the intercom:
"Kael Vernier, please step into the mana testing room."
He stood, taking a deep breath.
Time to get my rating.
He walked toward the testing chamber, leaving murmurs in his wake.