34 Back To Business

Earlier today, Emir accompanied Laura on a visit to see Lily off before her day of starting classes.

Afterward, he left the two of them alone and proceeded to make his way towards the Hunter Association, finally returning to his plan.

Entering the building, he went up to the receptionist and handed him his hunter's ID.

"Hey, I'm Emir, and I came by here a few days ago. I gave the receptionist someone's head, asking her to get its memories checked."

The receptionist quickly verified his identity and then instructed Emir to follow him down a hallway and into a spacious office, where he met with the same manager he had dealt with previously.

The manager gave Emir a nod of recognition.

"Emir. I've heard about your remarkable work, and while I anticipated hearing from you, I didn't expect it to be the next day."

Emir smirked and said, "Yeah, I'm pretty good at what I do. And sorry for being late, I had some business to take care of."

"No worries Emir, and please call me Nathan." He said, shooing off his apology.

Watching Emir nod, the manager's expression turned serious, and he leaned forward saying:

"I need to inform you that the target you took down was from a hunter group known as the Rattlers. They've been trying to control new hunters and make them work under them for life, they probably went after you thinking that you're easy prey."

Emir raised an eyebrow, as a thought echoed in his mind, 'He must be hiding the truth, something bigger has to be at play here.'

"The Rattlers? I've never heard of them before." He said, his voice betraying what he felt about the matter.

The manager let out a sigh, saying, "They're just a bunch of thugs trying to make a name for themselves. Even if we get rid of them, some other group will pop up in their stead, so it's not worth the trouble, and I don't care much about what happens to those new hunters either. They'll die sooner or later."

Emir shrugged, thinking the same.

"I guess they knew what they were getting into when they signed up."

The manager gave him a dismissive wave, saying, "Just do your thing and let me handle the bigger picture, and if you're going to go after them, finish them all off, don't leave stragglers behind, alright?"

'He doesn't mind if I kill them huh... So is he not involved then?' He thought while nodding once again.

Letting go of his suspicion, he said goodbye to Nathan and then left the office, heading towards the poster screen on the main floor.

Reaching there in a few moments, he passed by a few hunters and stood next to the screen.

He began searching for a job that he could take to practice using the guns he would be buying later.

After scanning through the available requests on the poster screen, he found one for patrolling an area near a ruin.

'Those patrol missions are the best for new hunters, and they suit my current needs the most, so let's go with it,' he thought, memorizing the request's name and location.

Emir then headed back to the receptionist and asked about the request.

The receptionist checked his ID and confirmed that he was registered as a hunter, he then handed Emir a device that looked like a futuristic mobile phone, the same as the one he had previously but with the Hunter's Association insignia on it.

"This information terminal is essential for all hunters," the receptionist said seriously.

"This device is a tracking and communication device."

"You'll need to keep it on you at all times. It will connect to your information gathering device to keep track of the monsters you kill and the distance you cover. It can also be used to communicate with HQ in case of emergencies, and you can also use it to accept jobs without needing to come here, there are many other uses but you will learn those on your own."

Emir listened intently, nodding his head.

"I understand. Thank you."

The receptionist continued, "If you accept the job, you'll need to report to the hunter meeting spot specified on the device at the designated time. Do you accept the job?"

"Yes, I do," he replied confidently.

"Good. Connect the terminal to your information gathering device before you go. And remember, always stay alert and stay safe out there," he said with a serious tone.

Emir nodded again, feeling excited, wanting nothing more than to kill a few monsters to relieve the stress he built up in the last few days.

"Thank you," he said before heading out.

Going back to their flat, he wanted to inform Laura about the job before leaving.

…

As Emir walked in, he saw Laura in the living room watching a show on the holoscreen.

"Hey Mom," he said.

"I just got my first job. I'm going to be patrolling an area near a ruin."

She smiled at him.

"That's great, Emir. I know you'll do just fine. Just be safe, okay?"

He nodded and said, "Of course, Mom. I'll be careful."

With that, he went to his room to change into something more suitable for the job.

Wearing his augmented suit, he packed an extra energy pack in his rucksack and walked out of his room.

After ensuring he had everything he needed, he asked Lyra, [So, where is the best weapon shop you know of around here?]

['Hunters Den', they are highly rated by hunters for their quality and fast delivery.]

[Head towards the lower district, the shop isn't popular due to its location, but I can guarantee their product quality.]

[Alright]

'Now then... I wonder why she chose that shop, what does the Order have in mind?' He thought as he headed out to the sector's lower district.

…

It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly and a gentle breeze blowing.

As Emir made his way through the bustling walkway, he noticed that the closer he walked towards Hunter's Den, the more hunters he saw around him.

Some were in groups, talking and laughing, while others were on their own, lost in thought.

He soon reached his destination and began looking around for the shop.

Finding it, he saw that it was tucked away in a corner, but before going in, he examined the shop outside, thinking of the Order.

His eyes scanned the sign above the door, that read 'Hunter's Den' in bold letters.

Then he turned his attention to the exterior of the shop, which was adorned with various weapons and gear, making it clear that this was the go-to place for hunters in the area.

Seeing that nothing was wrong, Emir walked inside and was greeted by a woman.

She looked up from her terminal and approached him with a welcoming smile.

She was a gentle-looking woman with short brown hair, framing her face in soft waves.

Her brown eyes sparkled with warmth and kindness, and her skin has a creamy, smooth texture.

Her well-endowed figure is accentuated by the perfectly tailored business suit that she wore, which hugged her curves in all the right places.

Despite her soft and feminine features, there was an air of confidence about her that made it evident that she was in charge of the place.

"Welcome to Hunter's Den," she said, her voice firm but friendly.

"My name is Mariana. I am this shop's manager, how can I assist you today?"

"I'm in search of two weapons that are reliable and effective for monsters ranked B and below."

Mariana nodded, "We have a wide selection of weapons here. What type of weapon are you looking for?"

Emir thought for a moment before responding.

"I want a rifle and a rail gun. I need a rifle that can shoot from a distance while also having a quick reload time, and as for the rail gun, I need it to be usable for someone with a low to medium-level augmented suit."

Mariana led him over to a section of the shop filled with various guns.

"Here are some of our top-rated rifle models," she said, pointing to a row of guns on the wall.

"Take your time and feel free to ask any questions."