The aroma of fresh coffee hung in the air, mixed with the sound of cutlery and the faint crackle of bread being toasted. The table was set with fruit, scrambled eggs, juice and some croissants battered by morning gluttony. Seth was sitting with his elbow resting on the table, twirling his coffee cup between his fingers, still a little sleepy.
"I'll probably have to go to the hospital again," he commented, breaking the silence. "That doctor... Ha-rin, asked me to come back for more tests."
Connie, in front of him, was chewing on a piece of apple. She swallowed and replied in a light but sincere tone: "It's good to take care of yourself, Seth. After what happened yesterday... you can't ignore it."
"I know." He snorted, bringing the cup to his mouth.
Vixen, sitting to Seth's right, put down her fork and leaned back, crossing her arms with a teasing smile. "Changing the subject... I hear that the Association will be opening vacancies for re-evaluation soon."
Seth raised an eyebrow, curious. "Really?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "It seems that the confusion has kept a lot of people away, so the queue has thinned out a lot. It would be a good time for you to get a High Priority Hunter's license right away... Rank A or S would be good."
"Yes, I need to do that. Being Rank-E sucks."
"Yeah, with a higher license you can get access to higher level portals without relying on a group," Vixen explained, grabbing a piece of bacon. "The way you fight, it doesn't make sense to stay a Rank-E. It basically prevents you from getting into the missions that matter."
Connie nodded. "She's right. You do have power, Seth. All that's left is for the bureaucracy to keep up."
"I'll chase that up. Keep me posted, okay?" said Seth with a slight smile, getting up from his chair and stretching his shoulders.
Connie and Vixen stared at him in unison, frowning.
"Wait a minute... where do you think you're going?" Connie asked, already with that suspicious tone.
"To a portal, eh?" Seth replied with a nonchalant smile, picking up his jacket from the chair. "Nothing like a bit of action before lunch."
Vixen crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow. "You just said you were going to the hospital."
"I said I needed to go in a few days," he retorted, winking at them both. "But that can wait a few hours."
Connie let out a sigh. "You're impossible."
"And stubborn," added Vixen, rolling her eyes with a half-smile. "Just don't come back with half your body burnt off, okay?"
Seth was already at the door when he turned around again, pointing his finger at both of them like a gun. "Relax. I'm just going to take a look. If it's too much for a Rank-E, I'll run."
The two stared at him in silence.
"...You won't run," they said at the same time.
Seth gave a short laugh and disappeared through the door.
...
Seth was in the car next to Kaguya. Despite the chaotic events of the last few days, she seemed to have completely recovered - as serene as ever.
As the car continued on its way, Seth slid his finger across the screen of his cell phone, focused on something that totally captured his attention: the Hunters' Auction.
The Hunters' Auction was one of the most important platforms in the hunting world - a kind of marketplace, both online and in person, where hunters of all levels bought, sold or exchanged equipment and materials obtained during Raids.
With tens of thousands of hunters spread across all countries, the Auction had become an indispensable tool. It allowed fast, direct and secure transactions between users, becoming the main bridge between demand and supply in the dangerous world of hunting.
The logic was simple: for a hunter, equipment is as vital as life itself. Better equipment means more strength, more protection... and greater chances of getting out of a dungeon alive.
A wizard, for example, could see his combat ability multiplied if he wore an orb that amplified magic by 80%. But if that same item fell into the hands of a warrior, it would be of little or no use. That's where the Auction came in: so that the right resources found the right owners.
This system also made it clear why Rank E and D hunters generally used weak, low-cost equipment - often practically useless in real-life situations. Without big profits in raids and without access to better resources, they ended up trapped in a cycle of limitations.
Seth ran his finger over a set of reinforced armor and enchanted swords, his eyes attentive to every detail. If he wanted to level up, he was going to have to invest... and well.
Since the equipment used by hunters is imbued with magic, even a simple sword for a D-rank hunter easily exceeds ten thousand dollars.
This is because, for hunters of Rank C or higher - whose income is practically guaranteed - there is no reason to skimp when it comes to equipment. Each piece can mean the difference between life and death, and they know it.
On the other hand, the equipment used by high-ranking hunters, such as Connie or Vixen - both in Ranks B, A or even S - sells for absurd amounts. It's common to see rare pieces going for hundreds of thousands... or even millions of dollars.
Seth slid his finger across the screen and widened his eyes.
"Seven million dollars...? Isn't that a bit much...?" he muttered in disbelief.
[Crown of the Shattered King (Rank-S)]
[Crown of an ancient fallen king, consumed by his love obsession. In life, a wise and just ruler; in death, transformed into a cursed spectre, condemned to eternally pursue the echo of his beloved. His ruin spreads wherever he goes].
[Current Bid: $9,000,000]
[Time remaining: 7 days]
Seth frowned, surprised at the level of detail in the description.
'It's probably that Blacksmith skill - Advanced Identification...' he thought.
But just in case...
"System... Identify," he muttered.
The window changed with a subtle sound, revealing more in-depth data about the item:
[Crown of the Shattered King (Rank-S)]
[Crown of an ancient monarch who, consumed by an unhealthy love for his centuries-old queen, abandoned kingdoms and sanity in search of a ghost. His soul was corrupted by obsession, becoming a spectral entity of pure destruction].
Attribute Bonus:
+900 INT
+2000 STR
[Passive - Blade of the Ruined King (Rank-S)]
[All your attacks are permanently strengthened by the King's Ruin. With each blow, you drag a fragment of his eternal suffering with you].
[Active - Soul Consumption:]
[Allows the bearer to temporarily assume the form of the one they killed. The enemy's soul is devoured, and their traits and abilities can be replicated for a limited time].
Seth almost choked on his own saliva. His eyes widened, sweat trickled down his temple.
"W-what kind of fucking item is that?!" he whispered in shock.
The mere thought of someone using it on the battlefield was terrifying. Monstrous strength, insane magical amplification... and the ability to consume souls?