"What are you doing?" the man asked, standing beside the taxi with a look of concern.
Riven blinked and realized he was kneeling on the ground.
"Oh… sorry," he mumbled, getting to his feet. He picked up his luggage with some effort and loaded it into the back of the vehicle before climbing in.
The man followed him into the driver's seat and started the engine. With a soft hum, the taxi's tires rotated, shifting into booster mode. In moments, the vehicle lifted off the ground and soared into the sky.
As they flew, Riven felt energy slowly returning to his body. The dizziness faded, his vision cleared, and the sweat on his brow began to dry. They passed through the invisible barrier that surrounded Centropolis City—a forcefield designed to protect it from the dangers beyond.
Outside the barrier, the landscape changed drastically: barren, hostile terrain stretched out below, dotted with ruins of a forgotten civilization. Corpses of old machines and withered bones lay scattered among collapsed buildings. In the distance, mutated beasts roamed the wilderness.
Riven stared out the window, unease settling in his chest. He glanced down at the cards he carried and remembered the feeling—the weakness.
Could this really be my weakness?He didn't know what to expect from the Hunter's Program, but one thing was clear: being completely vulnerable in daylight was a severe disadvantage.What scared him most was the thought that the sun itself was killing him.
He swallowed hard.
The taxi began descending toward a base compound in the middle of the wasteland. As it landed among several other taxis in a designated parking lot, the man reclined in his seat with a sigh.
"You can go now," he said, glancing at Riven.
Riven hesitated, but finally opened the door and stepped out. The sunlight hit him fully, and that same familiar weakness returned.
[System Notification: You are being affected by sunlight.]
His head throbbed. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead again.
The driver exited as well and gestured toward a group of people standing in the distance. "Go and join the others," he said flatly.
Riven gave a small nod and made his way toward the group. He moved slowly, his body fighting against the invisible weight the sun placed on him.
The base itself was bustling. Advanced buildings and warehouses dotted the landscape. Robotic mechs lumbered by, hauling heavy equipment. Hunters and soldiers in uniform moved with purpose. The entire place radiated military precision and futuristic design.
A woman in office attire approached the group, holding a digital notepad.
"The recruited group, follow me," she announced, and without waiting, turned on her heel.
The group followed her, with Riven lagging at the back. They entered a large auditorium and took their seats. The air-conditioning cooled Riven down, and the weakness began to subside.
Scanning the room, Riven noticed figures dressed in black stationed at various strategic points. Security, clearly.
As the recruits murmured among themselves, a man ascended the podium at the front.
"May I have your attention, please," he said through a headset mic. The chatter stopped immediately.
"I'm Chief Kade," he continued, standing tall and imposing. He was muscular, with short blonde hair, a beard, and a massive sword strapped across his back. "I'm the Chief Hunter of this base."
Riven was only half-listening. His thoughts kept circling back to the system.
What is the meaning of this? he asked silently. No response.Why does my weakness have to be sunlight? He gritted his teeth.
"All of you are young hunters," Kade went on. "You'll be stationed here for a while. And today, I'm proud to introduce the person who made this project possible—the man who sponsored it."
He turned and gestured toward the curtain behind him.
"Please welcome Hugo Dwayne."
Riven's eyes widened.
Hugo Dwayne?!Whispers rippled through the crowd. Everyone knew the name. Hugo wasn't just a public figure—he was one of the wealthiest men on the planet. Owner of New Singapore City. Leader of one of the most powerful factions in the world. A man with real influence.
Hugo stepped out from behind the curtain, his signature smile on display. He was in his late thirties, dressed in an expensive suit accented with gold jewelry. His hazel eyes sparkled, and his wavy hair was perfectly styled.
One of his guards clapped, and the rest of the hall followed in a wave of applause.
He raised a hand to quiet them.
"Good day to you all," he said warmly.
The room fell silent, waiting.
"I'm sure most of you know who I am," Hugo continued. "So I'll keep this brief. You've heard the drill from the Chief—but I want to clarify something: this isn't just a hunting program. It's also a contest."
He pressed a button on a remote, and a massive screen lowered from the ceiling. A digital counter lit up and quickly climbed from 0 to 100,000 credits.
The room erupted in murmurs.
Riven stared at the number. That's more money than I've ever seen in my life.
"Yeah," Hugo said, grinning at the stunned faces. "That's the prize. And it's only fitting for the winner of my contest."
At his signal, guards entered the room, carrying boxes filled with high-tech watches. Each recruit received one.
Riven examined his. The screen displayed a single word: Nil.
Everyone else's showed the same.
"These are your team watches," Hugo explained. "You'll use them to form squads. Wear them at all times. Do not break or lose them."
He cleared his throat, then turned serious.
"Let me be clear—being a hunter is not easy. Every year, we lose good people. The world isn't the same anymore. Not since the rise of the Hollowborn."
At the mention of the name, the room fell quiet.
"If anyone wants to quit now, raise your hand," Hugo said, raising his own.
No one moved. Some glanced around nervously, but not a single hand went up.
Hugo smiled and lowered his hand. "Good."
He checked his watch. "You're all going to take a test. You'll be fighting a beast. Chief Kade—get them ready within the hour."
The room buzzed with chatter again. Some recruits looked excited. Others, afraid.
Riven just sat there, pale.
If this test happens outside, he thought grimly, I'm finished.