The Hunters Center looked like a hospital…
if the hospital expected explosions.
Reinforced walls. Bulletproof glass. Armed agents everywhere.
And in the middle of the hall:
Kael.
Sitting on a plastic chair.
Handcuffed.
— Am I really that dangerous? he asked.
Valen answered without looking at him.
— Yes.
— I tripped three times.
— You crashed reality.
— Technical detail.
Riven stood behind a glass barrier with the evacuated civilians, waving frantically.
Kael gave a small wave back.
— Tell my mom I became a government weapon!
Valen sighed.
— Bring him to the testing room.
Two agents instinctively stepped back before approaching.
— Can we remove the handcuffs? Kael asked.
— No.
— I can't walk properly.
— That's safer for everyone.
They entered a circular chamber.
At the center floated an analysis sphere.
An ancient artifact.
Capable of measuring a hunter's true rank.
Valen spoke into his communicator.
— Beginning test.
Silence filled the entire facility.
Even the agents stopped breathing.
Kael placed his hand on the sphere.
Nothing.
Then—
it screamed.
A metallic shriek tore through the room.
Cracks spread across the artifact.
— Back away! someone shouted.
Too late.
> Critical failure detected
Divine Misfortune activated
Kael closed his eyes.
— Sorry in advance.
> SSS — Unacceptable Result
The giant screen displayed:
> Rank: Error
Pause.
Then:
> Correcting…
Correction impossible
Classification: Administrative Threat
Absolute silence.
Valen whispered:
— We just invented a rank…
Kael raised a hand.
— I want a medal.
The artifact exploded.
No fire.
No sound.
It simply… ceased to exist.
As if it had never been there.
An agent dropped to his knees.
— That was a national relic…
Kael:
— Oops.
A message appeared in front of him.
> Title upgraded:
"Living Error" → "Permanent Incident"
— I hate the names you give me.
The door burst open.
A woman entered.
White suit. Freezing gaze.
The entire room froze.
Valen snapped to attention.
— Director Seraphine.
She studied Kael.
For a long moment.
— So this is him.
Kael smiled.
— I prefer "it."
She stepped closer.
— You understand you're a global threat?
— I figured that out when the sky broke.
— Good.
She extended her hand.
— Starting today, you work for us.
Kael looked at her hand.
— Is that a threat?
— An offer.
— And if I refuse?
A message appeared.
> Refusal detected
Catastrophe probability: 97%
Kael shook her hand.
— Happy to cooperate.
Seraphine smiled faintly.
— Wise decision.
An alarm blared.
Everyone turned.
An agent shouted into his communicator:
— Red portal in the city center! Unknown rank!
Valen paled.
— Already?
Seraphine looked at Kael.
— Congratulations. First mission.
Kael:
— I was hired twelve seconds ago.
A portal opened…
inside the room.
Everyone screamed.
Kael sighed.
— Of course.
A hand emerged from the portal.
Huge.
Black.
Alive.
It grabbed Kael.
And dragged him inside.
Silence.
Valen stared at the empty space.
— …we were supposed to protect him.
Seraphine whispered:
— Too late.
A message echoed through the entire facility.
Not just for Kael.
For everyone.
> The anomaly has been claimed.