Chapter Two: Secured! The Hunter's License

Rising like a towering colossus, the psychic energy tower stood at the heart of the city, its barrier effectively isolating external magical forces to protect the city from the influence of the mystic realms and monster invasions.

This was Junyang City, one of the three most prosperous metropolises in the Eastern Huang Kingdom.

Inside the headquarters of the Mystic Realm Management Bureau, people hurried about their business.

Michen walked straight to the magic certification window.

“Hello, I would like to apply for a Hunter’s license.”

The female clerk processing his request glanced at Michen’s ID card and paused momentarily.

It showed he was 23 years old.

Usually, magical awakening occurs between ages 14 and 18; awakening after 20 is truly rare.

“To apply, you must undergo magical ability certification,” she said.

“The certification hall is on the tenth basement level. Take the passage beside here and turn left.”

Taking the elevator down, Michen arrived at the ability certification hall.

Perhaps because the day was almost over, the place was unexpectedly quiet.

The doors opened.

The pure white hall was empty.

An orange-and-white robot moved toward Michen.

It circled around him once.

A cold electronic voice came from its speaker.

“Facial data acquired.”

“ID number N0.53214, Michen.”

“Magic sensing initiated. Scanning in progress.”

The hall’s lights went out.

Blue lasers shone across Michen’s body.

Soon the lights returned.

The screen on the robot displayed numbers.

“Magic power: 104. Standard met.”

“Magic circuit type: Enhancement.”

Every hunter’s magic circuit was unique, shaped by personality, preferences, habits, and talents, showing distinct tendencies.

Generally, magic circuits fall into four categories: Enhancement, Sorcery, Manipulation, and Sensory.

Hunters with enhancement circuits excel at concentrating magic into their bodies or weapons, with abilities that tend to be straightforward and powerful.

Sorcery-type hunters specialize in range and destructive power but consume large amounts of magic, making sustained combat difficult.

Manipulation circuits are adept at precise magic control, balancing range and endurance.

These three types comprise the vast majority of hunters.

Sensory circuits are the rarest and most mysterious, their abilities difficult to categorize.

Michen passed the magic certification smoothly.

Having already passed the hunter theory exam years ago and with five years of experience working in the mystic realms, his hunter’s license was soon issued.

Holding the orange-and-white card in his hand, he knew that with this license, he could finally enter the mystic realms freely, accept commissions, and earn rewards.

The dangers of the mystic realms were well known.

Yet, despite this, many still flocked to them.

The simplest reason was that hunters earned substantial incomes.

Of course, there were also those few madmen obsessed with the unknown, adventurers and pioneers of the new frontier, who constantly challenged the mysteries beyond.

This era survived largely thanks to the resources and knowledge hunters brought back from the mystic realms.

Thus, in the eyes of ordinary people, hunters were a respected and enigmatic group.

“Mr. Hunter, your information has been logged on the Hunter website. Your account details are on the back of the card. The default password is 123; it’s recommended you change it immediately after logging in.”

“You can accept commissions, sell materials, order supplies, and more on the website.”

Michen nodded. Since the Hunter Association was disbanded and replaced by the Management Bureau five years ago, related matters had become increasingly convenient.

Just as Michen was about to leave, three men in suits approached.

Wearing sunglasses and serious expressions, they gave off an unmistakable aura of battle experience—perhaps even former hunters—despite not actively releasing magic.

“Hello, Mr. Michen. We are from the Hunter Security Division. Please cooperate with our investigation.”

...

Inside the Security Division’s interrogation room.

A desk lamp cast a cold white glow, the one-way glass like a black wall, making the setting feel like a criminal interrogation.

Michen sat calmly in the chair, legs crossed, hands free of shackles, appearing relaxed.

The men were cautious too. A middle-aged man with graying beard asked,

“The three hunters traveling with you died in the Lich Dungeon. Could you please describe what happened?”

No wonder they were investigating. Hunters dying was common in the mystic realms, but the fact that a non-magic laborer survived—and suddenly awakened magic—was suspicious.

Though death was a frequent occurrence in these realms, such coincidences inevitably attracted attention.

Still, sending three security officers for this was a bit excessive.

Though the suspicion annoyed Michen, he cooperated fully, recounting how the hunter team had triggered a trap and been wiped out.

The magic lie detector in the room confirmed no falsehoods.

Triggering the trap was fact.

But what happened afterward was beyond the scope of questioning, so Michen naturally said nothing.

Seeing the detector show no deception, the middle-aged man glanced outside the one-way glass, as if receiving a message.

Though Michen couldn’t hear, it seemed he had been cleared of suspicion.

The man closed his pen.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Sorry for the trouble today, Mr. Michen. If anything else comes up, we will contact you.”

He looked to his colleague.

“Xiao Meng, please escort this gentleman out.”

“Understood.”

A slightly chubby young man stood up.

He wore sunglasses, and with the dim lighting, Michen couldn’t make out his features, though his voice sounded familiar.

Exiting the Security Division building, dusk had already fallen.

Just as Michen was about to leave, the man called Xiao Meng spoke.

“Michen, don’t you recognize me?”

He removed his sunglasses.

Michen immediately recalled.

“You’re Meng Shi?”

Meng Shi smiled.

“So you remember. Long time no see.”

“How could I forget? You were the star of our high school.”

Meng Shi shook his head, smiling wryly.

“Don’t mock me.”

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

“Want one?”

Michen waved his hand.

“I remember you didn’t smoke before.”

“People change...” Meng Shi took a long drag, expertly blowing smoke rings.

“Time flies. Didn’t expect it’s been so many years.”

He sighed.

“You’re still the same—still obsessed with the mystic realms...”

There was a hint of envy in Meng Shi’s tone.

The most admirable quality in a person was to keep their original passion, to carry on dreams despite life’s wear.

In high school, Meng Shi was a recognized genius.

Michen still remembered when they sat together; Meng Shi’s desk drawer was always stuffed with love letters and challenge notes.

Awakened magic at 14, became a hunter within a year, then joined a top 100 hunter guild for internship after graduation—his future seemed limitless.

Almost everyone, including himself, believed he would become a legendary hunter.

But nearly ten years had passed.

The once dazzling prodigy was worn down by life. Though his eyes still held pride, the slight belly beneath his shirt spoke of compromise and resignation.

Meng Shi took another drag, sighing again.

Perhaps explaining, or simply speaking his heart, he said, “I gave up the professional hunter path just a few years after graduating. Honestly, it wasn’t for me.”

“Terrifying monsters, deadly traps, endless battles and adventures...”

“I got scared.”

Michen noticed a ring on Meng Shi’s left ring finger.

“You got married?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Meng Shi raised his hand, his gaze softening.

“A couple of years ago. That’s when I truly decided to quit hunting.”

“Security Division work doesn’t pay as well as being a hunter, but at least I don’t have to go into those mystic realms.”

“I get fixed rest days every month, and more time with my family.”

Life was full of choices, and it was hard to say which was right or wrong.

For Meng Shi, perhaps this peaceful life was what he sought, even with his enviable talent.

Michen couldn’t help but reflect on himself.

Though lacking the talent to be a hunter, he devoted all his energy to the mystic realms.

Though dangerous, the hunter’s path was fulfilling, even if he was just a lowly laborer.

The cigarette in Meng Shi’s hand burned down; night had fallen.

Meng Shi stubbed it out.

“If I get home late, my wife will scold me.”

He gave Michen a number.

“Next time you’re free, come over. I’ll treat you to coffee. My wife used to work at a café—she’s great at it.”

He smiled.

“Definitely,” Michen nodded.

“Oh, almost forgot. Something important.”

“What is it?”

Meng Shi lowered his voice.

“Recently, there have been several hunters attacked and killed in mystic realms. When you team up with others, be careful. If anything feels off, contact me immediately.”

No wonder the Security Division sent three people to investigate him—it was related to this.

Normally, such cases were confidential.

Michen was grateful for the vital information.

“I’ll be careful. Thanks.”

“Old classmates, no problem.”

Just as they were about to part ways, a giant screen on a tall building ahead suddenly began broadcasting striking news.

Their attention was involuntarily drawn.

“Breaking news! Breaking news!”

“The level 7 hunter guild ‘Chosen Sword’ has successfully conquered the S-rank mystic realm ‘Floating City Eisen Grant.’”

“Who would have thought they just formed three years ago? Now ranked 31st among hunter guilds—their progress is unprecedented.”

“And leading this mystic realm conquest was Vice President Qian Li, originally from Eastern Huang.”

“At only twenty-one, she’s already a seven-star hunter. Her exceptional skill and stunning beauty have earned her immense popularity among top hunters.”

The screen displayed a woman with champagne-colored long hair.

Her gaze was cold and exquisite, her features porcelain doll-like, her skin fair as snow and jade.

Even in profile, she was breathtaking; in person, her beauty defied description.

Meng Shi marveled and joked self-deprecatingly.

“Impressive. Compared to her, it’s a joke that I was once called a genius.”

Beside him, Michen stared at the screen, momentarily lost in thought.

Qian Li...

A familiar yet distant name.

The little girl once known was now among the world’s top hunters.

Meanwhile, a few hours earlier, Michen had been struggling to survive in the lowest-level mystic realm.

A memory stirred deep within his mind.

“I want to become the greatest hunter in history!” the boy had said.

The girl’s eyes had lit up instantly with excitement.

“Me too.”

“Then it’s settled—we’ll become the greatest hunters in history together!”

The distant voices faded.

Michen shook his head, quickly calming the emotions swirling within.

He was never one to dwell on sentimentality.

Instead, a fierce fighting spirit surged.

“Hah, looks like I’ll have to work even harder.”