Ren sat in a cold metal chair, handcuffed, staring at the one-way mirror like it was waiting to accuse him of something. The interrogation room was textbook: white walls, gray floor, single light overhead, and just enough paranoia baked into the layout to make his skin itch.
He'd seen rooms like this in murder mystery dramas. Usually right before someone flipped a table or confessed to dismembering their neighbor.
"So this is my first welcome gift in Qintara," he muttered, slumping back. "Great start."
Two minutes passed.
The door clicked open.
A man in a crisp black uniform stepped in, carrying a sleek tablet. He had neatly combed black hair, a black eye, and a friendly, practiced smile that immediately screamed bureaucrat.
"Hello, sir," the man said pleasantly. "My name is Joseph Baker, but you can call me Josh."
He offered a polite nod before sliding into the chair across from Ren.
Ren sighed. "Ren Hector. I guess this is the part where you interrogate me."
Joseph's smile turned apologetic, but his eyes didn't lose their sharpness. "I'm afraid so. I apologize in advance, but your circumstances are... well. Unique."
Ren cocked an eyebrow. "How unique are we talking?"
Joseph folded his hands on the table. "I've worked at the Qintara Hunter Bureau for ten years. In all that time, I've only seen two cases remotely similar to yours."
"That doesn't sound encouraging."
"Well, when someone drops out of the sky, wrapped in tentacles, naked, and lands in front of a government building…" He chuckled. "We tend to take notice."
Ren didn't respond.
Joseph continued, tapping the tablet. "We ran your fingerprints through the global system. Our network spans all five major nations. And we found… nothing. No records. No digital trail. No immigration logs. No birth certificate. No hunter license, ID, or soul imprint. In every database, you don't exist."
Ren kept a straight face, but his mind buzzed. Of course you didn't find anything. I'm not from this world. I shouldn't be in your system at all.
I'm screwed aren't I?
He glanced at Joseph's hand, resting casually near a rune etched baton holstered at his side. A trap? Probably not worth testing. He scanned the room quickly too clean. No obvious cameras. Walls enchanted, probably soundproof.
If I attacked now… could I escape?
Unknown. The agents outside this room are likely mid to high tier Hunters. They are government officials after all. Too risky.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
Ren let out a slow breath. "So what exactly happens next?"
Joseph's smile sharpened. Just a bit.
[You resisted Killing Intent.]
Ren's eyes narrowed. Oh? Look at this guy.
He stared at Joseph. Calm. Cold. The pressure in the room was rising, subtle but present. A mental pressure, like a predator slowly circling prey.
Trying to intimidate me, huh? Bad news, man. I've seen worse than you crawling out of a ribcage. and I possessed EX-Rank Mental Resistance.
Ren didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled back. Slow. Measured.
"I've had a long week," he said flatly. "If you're trying to scare me, you're gonna have to do better than the Bureau's polite death stare."
Joseph's brow twitched.
Ren leaned forward slightly. "By the way, if I really were a threat, do you think I'd still be cuffed right now?"
Silence.
The air cooled just enough to feel real.
Joseph's smile returned, this time more genuine. "So you're not denying that you could be dangerous?"
Ren grinned. "I'm not denying anything. But I'm cooperating, aren't I?"
Joseph chuckled. "Fair enough."
Ren sat back, relaxing just enough to fake confidence. Strange. I used to panic around blood. But now… I feel fine. Bold, even. Is this me changing?
[Affirmative. Host's mental structure has stabilized post Awakening. The unique ability of the Doctor of gospel class. Resistance to fear stimuli and authority pressure has increased.]
So the guy who used to throw up after every surgery now stares down armed agents in a locked room. Lovely character growth.
He looked at Joseph again, smile never fading. "So, Agent Josh, what do you want from me?"
Joseph mirrored the smile, tapping once on his tablet. "Simple. The truth."
Ren's fingers twitched behind the cuffs.
"Define 'truth.'"