Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The current situation remained unclear; whether it was an enemy attack or an emergency assembly order was uncertain.
However, the significant changes at the Flame Tower indicated that something important had occurred. Soon, people began to flood in from all directions, dressed in stylish leather garments made from horsehide. The quality of these outfits was impressive, crafted from special materials capable of providing some resistance against bullets.
In addition to those in leather, some individuals wore somewhat clumsy External Metal Skeletons. These exoskeletons, made from super metal, could potentially injure allies in close quarters. They enhanced the wearer's explosive power and damage during melee combat. Although they appeared cumbersome, once donned, the exoskeletons allowed for movement that felt weightless, as if one were in the vacuum of Outer Space, unaffected by any resistance.
Freyr observed this peculiar gathering of individuals clad in unusual attire. The crowd seemed chaotic, yet each person's mind was focused on a single command, an order imprinted in their consciousness that could not be disobeyed.
The Flame Tower was crucial for the Hunter Association; it served not only as an urgent command center but also as a tactical operations hub during significant events.
Freyr understood that when issues arose at the Flame Tower, Hunters had to drop everything they were doing. Even if one were held at knife point, the instinct would not be to kill the prey but to escape and return to the controlled vicinity of the Flame Tower.
Within the confines of the Flame Tower lay the origin of the Hunters. Here, they would swear oaths, cut their fingers, and drink blood wine before symbolically smashing their bowls—a display of masculinity unmatched.
At that moment, the tower's master emerged. He was over seventy years old and stood alongside more than ten younger colleagues who appeared to be in their forties. Upon seeing them, even the most esteemed and experienced Hunters dared not boast about their prowess.
No one could afford to underestimate this seventy-year-old Two-Star Hunter. At this stage, even those who had reached the two-star level lacked sufficient age and prestige. Thus, this elder became a model among Hunters, his qualifications and reputation nearly on par with the President and Vice President.
Menechdar issued commands that no Hunter dared to defy. "It has been many years since such a situation has arisen. Today is a particularly special day; we are going outside the city to seize a stronghold. Noah's Sanctuary may be a fortified city, but its stored food, supplies, and resources are far from sufficient for the remaining human population's needs. Hunters, this is a pivotal mission; our target is Giant Gorge City. It is rich in resources and fertile land suitable for cultivating ecological plants. Within three years, we will send some people there to settle."
"However, conditions there are not optimistic. Conservative estimates suggest there are three thousand insects present; deploying troops for suppression would be resource-intensive. All Hunter Teams registered with the association are being mobilized urgently. You are honorable warriors fighting for humanity's future; you must strive hard because this could be a turning point for mankind—whether we can accomplish this mission remains uncertain."
It is important to note that regular missions have capped levels for each team; even the lowest Soldier-Level Hunter Teams face tasks that do not threaten their lives directly. Generally speaking, these missions serve as training to strengthen Willpower after passing assessments as Hunters. Most tasks involve acting as bodyguards for powerful landowners or mediating disputes among rogue factions; Hunters are not there to quell all conflicts.
The association accepts applicants as long as they are not completely devoid of integrity, and newcomers can often succeed in their applications. To help new teams start with the simplest tasks, they might even take on a mission from a senior member, which in reality is aimed at ensuring the safety of the senior's child during school commutes. Such missions often come with dramatic twists.
Each basic task has a maximum safety coefficient; if the danger exceeds a certain threshold, the Hunter Team can either continue the mission or abandon it midway, even demanding rewards beyond the scope of the task.
The upcoming command involves the entire association's hunters mobilizing for action, with no upper limit on mission coefficients. Historically, there has only been one instance of an SSS Level mission with extremely high danger, which was a mandatory order that no hunter could refuse without facing disapproval from their peers.
Although missions above B-Class carry inherent risks, an SSS Level task essentially means facing life-threatening situations. However, this does not diminish the sense of purpose among many hunters regarding this mission. The primary concern is not the danger itself; with proper planning and coordinated action, they believe they can concentrate their firepower at the moment an enemy appears, thus minimizing the risk of death. The Hunter Team would never issue a mission that was guaranteed to be fatal or one so simple that an ordinary person could undertake it.
This mindset has spread throughout the hunting community, with only the Newbie Hunter Team feeling apprehensive. They have yet to fully leave their novice village but are armed with top-tier weapons and tasked with confronting formidable foes. This approach seems akin to self-sabotage. To expose these newcomers to real challenges, several rarely seen One-Star Hunters have been dispatched.
As rated hunters, One-Star Hunters are among the elite within the Hunter Association. Their teams are foundational members of high-caliber royal Hunter Teams. Each Star Hunter belongs to a team with its own title, and sending out over a dozen One-Star Hunters for this occasion indicates how seriously the association's higher-ups regard this mission.
After hearing the earnest explanation from a Two-Star Hunter, some passionate and hot-blooded individuals in the audience roared in response, igniting the atmosphere. Observing this reaction, several One-Star Hunters exchanged glances and stepped forward.
The team leader began to divide the crowd into eleven groups, and those assigned to Freyr included a seemingly ordinary yet strikingly beautiful young woman with sharp canine teeth. Some hunters of higher status speculated that becoming a One-Star Hunter is rare; it requires both opportunity and skill.
What does it mean to have skill? It means being able to kill a leader from an Zerg branch of nobility—that is paramount. The challenge lies not just in their appearance being similar to ordinary insects but also in their formidable formations that are nearly impossible to breach when they mobilize. Locking onto and eliminating such leaders seems like an impossible task.
Luck and skill must go hand in hand for someone to earn a star-rated title; those who hold such titles enjoy many undisclosed privileges in future missions.
"It really sounds like quite a challenge," laughed a hunter with prominent teeth.
The young and beautiful Female Star Hunter stepped forward gracefully and said sweetly, "Alright, we are one unit. During this mission, we must avoid excessive separation; everyone needs to focus on our objectives. I will do my best to ensure your safety—this is my promise. But before we proceed, I need to clarify one thing."
()
Comment 0 Comment Count