After completing the hunter exam, he was guided into another room. Inside, there was a woman dressed in a white uniform. She approached Theodore, who was wounded and walking with unsteady steps.
"Please have a seat, I'll prepare your card," said the woman, glancing at another woman also dressed in white. "Please heal Hunter Theo's wounds, alright?" she added before leaving Theodore there.
Theodore obeyed and sat on one of the waiting benches. The woman approached him with her hand extended. A green light immediately emanated from her palm, channeling energy that healed Theodore's wounds in an instant.
"Thank you," said Theodore, moving his hands to test them.
"Yes, congratulations on passing the exam. Now please come in to sign the agreement," replied the woman politely as she opened another room for Theodore.
He stood up, nodded, and entered the room. Behind a long table sat the woman who had guided him earlier, with stacks of documents neatly arranged beside two flower vases that filled the air with a pleasant fragrance.
"This is the contract. If Hunter Theodore agrees with all the terms, please sign here," said the woman, showing a holographic screen.
He skimmed through the document, reading about hunter rank levels, job risks, and the clause stating that if a hunter dies while on duty, the family would receive compensation from the Black Hunter Company. After reading everything, Theodore signed it.
"Alright, please provide your fingerprint!" The woman then brought out another device. Theodore complied, and moments later, another machine beeped and printed a small identification card.
"This is your card. For now, you are ranked at level E. If your power level increases, the rank on your card will automatically update to match its owner," explained the woman, handing over a card the size of an ID.
"Thank you," Theodore said again.
"Please wear this holographic watch, Hunter Theodore!" She presented a sleek, black-screen wristwatch. "This watch will alert you when monsters appear, allow the company to contact hunters anywhere, and send out missions," she explained further.
Theodore nodded once more, took the watch, and put it on. He used his fingerprint to activate it, instantly linking all his hunter information to the hologram display.
"Thank you. I'll take my leave now," said Theodore before leaving the room and exiting the Black Hunter Company building. A faint smile appeared on his face at his success.
"Is it night already?" Theodore muttered, gazing up at the starry dark sky. His eyes then shifted to a holographic billboard on a tall building, broadcasting news about famous hunters fighting monsters.
"This is interesting," Theodore said as he walked toward a bus stop and boarded a bus home. He decided to rest his exhausted body—no training tonight. Fortunately, tomorrow was a school holiday, and he planned to take a mission.
By the time he arrived home, night had nearly fallen. He was greeted by Allita's sharp glare, her arms crossed over her chest. Theodore frowned slightly at the sight.
"I'm home," he said as he closed the door.
"Oh my God! Where have you been? You didn't come home all afternoon!" the girl scolded fiercely. Theodore chuckled softly, approached her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Look!" he whispered, showing her his hunter card.
"You passed!!!" Allita shouted before being hushed by Theodore's arm. She looked astonished—becoming a hunter wasn't something ordinary; it was a job that risked one's life.
"Allita? What's going on? Has your brother come home?" came their mother's weak voice from behind her bedroom door. Theodore looked questioningly at Allita.
"Yes, Mom! Theo's home!" Allita replied.
"Earlier this afternoon, Mom was robbed on the way home. She got hurt trying to fight back," Allita whispered to her brother.
Hearing that, Theodore immediately ran to their mother's room and saw her lying down, her arm and ankle bandaged. He approached the bed, and she smiled gently at him.
"Where have you been after school? Why didn't you come home right away?" she asked softly. Theodore smiled faintly, taking her right arm gently in his hands.
"I'm sorry for making you worry, but don't worry, Mom. I won't let anything happen to you again," he promised sincerely. Seeing her injuries made him ache—she would have to take a few days off work, and her employer would surely be upset.
"What's wrong? Why do you look so serious? Have you eaten yet? Allita saved some food for you—go eat," she said with a smile, hiding her pain and weakness from her children.
"Yeah, I'll eat. You just rest and get better soon." After saying that, Theodore left her room and began eating the food Allita had saved, while she sat nearby reading a book.
"Does Mom know you've become a hunter?" Allita asked, looking up from her book as Theodore finished eating. He shook his head slightly. "Don't tell her yet. I don't want her to worry about this job. Tomorrow, stay home and take care of her. I'll be out." Allita nodded obediently—she couldn't stop her brother from fighting for their family.
"But, Theo, don't push yourself too hard, okay? I don't want you coming home hurt," she said softly, concern in her eyes. Theodore smiled, gently ruffling her hair. "Don't worry. Now go rest. I'm going to sleep too."
He stood up, washed his plate, and went to his room. It had been days since he'd had proper sleep, and his body felt heavy with fatigue. He lay down on his bed, covering his face with his right hand.
Memories from his past began to replay—he once had a younger brother, and when it was time for Theodore to become the head of the family, a struggle for power broke out. His brother did everything to bring him down, but ultimately, everything fell into Theodore's hands.
"A life of wealth and power was full of misery… God, I remember it all—the endless family conflicts that always dragged me down," he murmured bitterly, smiling faintly.
"Yes, a poor life with a fierce but kind sister is better than that," he chuckled, remembering how distant his brother had been in the past. They had met when his brother was seven, and Theodore was already twelve. Life back then felt strange compared to now.
As he reminisced about the bloody, war-torn past, sleep gradually took over, leaving the small house silent—only the soft chirping of crickets and the occasional hum of passing vehicles filled the night.
For a while, Theodore forgot who he used to be and accepted the new life he had now, starting over from the beginning.
But deep down, he sensed something strange—something tied to the reappearance of monsters that should have vanished with the Sky Catastrophe.
He also wanted to know the identity of the man from the past who had saved humanity and founded the hunter organization to recruit the gifted.
According to online records, the monsters had first appeared ten years ago, destroying everything and killing anyone they saw. In those dark days, a human with extraordinary power had emerged to protect mankind.
He fought fiercely, defeating the monsters and restoring peace within two short years—allowing humanity to live safely once more.
That night passed quickly as Theodore, with his exhausted body, drifted into a deep sleep. When the sun rose, he awoke—ready to face the day and carry out his plan.