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墨書 Inktalez
Clinton knew that Hilbert had always been a disheveled character, but he never imagined that after all this time, his temperament had not changed. As he stepped into the house, the subtle aroma wafting from the pot confirmed his suspicions.
Suddenly, a sensory feast reminiscent of a chimney's work filled his nostrils. He quickly set aside the piece of Stinky Tofu he had bitten into, keeping a respectful distance. Although the taste was appealing and would be elevated further with chili sauce, Clinton firmly believed he was a Gentleman, and a Gentleman would never utter a kind word about such an odor that seemed to have been contaminated by radiation.
“How is it? This is a new delicacy I recently discovered. The flavor might be a bit strange, but the deliciousness is locked within this fried tofu. The potential of tofu is truly limitless,” Hilbert exclaimed enthusiastically.
Hilbert praised the fried tofu as if it were his beloved child. He carefully picked up a piece, drizzled it with chili sauce and a touch of soy sauce, making smacking sounds as he savored it.
Clinton watched Hilbert, who had safely returned home, with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. He pretended to cough and said, “I didn’t come here to discuss tofu. It’s about this selection list. I heard that this time there are far more candidates passing the first round than in previous years' Examiner tests. I’m wondering if we should make exceptions to recruit more hunters since the talent pool in the Hunter Association is ultimately quite limited.”
“No.” At this point, Hilbert raised an eyebrow, appearing particularly serious. “I don’t think so. While these individuals may possess the qualifications to become hunters, many of them are not yet ready in their hearts. In my view, becoming a hunter requires several qualities: resilience, commitment, and perseverance. Among these, the most precious quality is not easily giving up one’s life or underestimating the lives of companions. Only then can a Hunter Team go further. However, most of these candidates still fall short.”
In a stalemate, Clinton responded with considerable pride in most of the advancing Examiners from this round. To him, these Examiners were undoubtedly rough stones that would shine even brighter after some polishing and refinement. “Even so, every year the Hunter Association needs to recruit a certain number of newcomers. New hunter recruits are the foundation for the association's future. When seasoned hunters gradually become casualties on missions, these newcomers will inherit their legacy and continue to fight. Humans are inherently fragile beings; otherwise, how could such weak abilities allow them to survive in nature for so long and ultimately become its rulers? The key lies in humanity’s ability to learn, cooperate, and even pass on knowledge like sparks igniting flames—understanding and summarizing experiences from failures leads to triumph.”
Upon hearing this, Hilbert's expression darkened slightly as he revealed an air of authority that contrasted with his earlier demeanor. He set down his utensils and even neglected his beloved Stinky Tofu, his aging eyes reflecting a hint of sorrow.
The founder of the Hunter Association was naturally Hilbert himself; however, he hadn’t executed missions in quite some time. In recent years, he had only undertaken a few high-risk missions alongside old comrades and often lamented how much older he felt.
During many missions, even inexperienced young juniors would vaguely notice that this elder’s basic physical abilities—strength and overall fitness—had begun to decline compared to his youth; the myth was no longer present. At this moment, Hilbert found himself deep in thought.
He realized that what he truly despised was not merely the aging changes brought by time but rather the inability to pass on his spirit so that his ideas could earn respect from younger generations around the world. If they could continue along their desired paths and contribute to the flourishing development of civilization and humanity as a whole, then perhaps the day of destruction would never come.
“To date, as I have observed, Hunter Teams—from soldier rank to the highest royal level—have shown an upward trend over the past four or five years. Particularly among soldier and private teams, casualty numbers have been high in previous years; thus, the data clearly indicates one thing: what we need is not an army but rather unique individuals who can stand out amidst thousands.”
Clinton didn't think he had misheard; the words sounded so familiar. Well, it was something he had often said himself in the past—about training capable and battle-hardened leaders, about personally nurturing a legendary figure who could take on responsibilities and possess strength. However, these ideals felt somewhat distant, as such great individuals were rare in this world.
Though they might encounter them, these remarkable people often concealed themselves foolishly, like a pianist who could play beautifully but was otherwise a failure in the mundane aspects of life. The contrast between waste and talent was stark; sometimes, it was difficult for ordinary people to genuinely uncover those who could truly realize their potential.
That said, Clinton still believed that among his students, there must be someone like that. He would lavish praise, mock, and exclude at times, all just to discover how far a person's ultimate potential could go, as countless talents were held high in his hands.
But at the moment of falling to the ground, one would realize that many talented individuals had fragile hearts. Naive youths often cast aside the gifts bestowed upon them by God; they might even resent those who wished to mold them into saviors. Life was like two doors that offered choices; opening one meant choosing a path while closing off another. This indicated that with each door opened, a part of the past would be severed from their lives.
Clinton paused slightly before chuckling, "How ironic that our initial thoughts align so closely. Although I once thought the same way, I know it's not that simple. When you see someone brimming with talent walk by, their aura makes you feel they are exactly what you're looking for. But who can resist temptation? Our association still needs some humanity."
Hilbert patted his bald head and couldn't help but say, "Who doesn't have someone like that? Among those who have advanced, there's one person who has opened my eyes. When I learned about everything he has done, it felt as if he were a child gifted to me by God."
Upon hearing this, Clinton became solemnly respectful. "Oh? Is there really someone in this world who can dazzle you like that? I truly want to meet him."
"Yes." Hilbert returned to his usual demeanor and lifted his plate. He swallowed a piece of tofu and then smiled lightly. "Just like this tofu, which hides many inspirations within its form. It makes me feel he is the one I'm searching for. However, I don't intend to directly assist him in passing any tests. There are many others out there with less talent but great effort and willingness to contribute; why shouldn't I give them a chance too?"
"And I'm even more curious about what kind of answers he will present during the assessment. Regarding this matter, Clinton, I hope you won't interfere. Rushing things won't help these gifted and ambitious young people; history shows that those with extraordinary aspirations often harbor fragile hearts."
"Oh?" Clinton hummed softly and couldn't help but ask, "What kind of person could inspire such thoughts from the President? Why not share his name with me?"
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," Hilbert chuckled and tapped his not-so-useful head before readily revealing the somewhat tongue-twisting name. "His name is Freyanigos."
"Yes, that does sound familiar; I hope I'm not mistaken."
Upon hearing the name Clinton, he furrowed his brows and let out a chuckle. "Heh, it's him, then this should be interesting."
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