The next day, Kino was called into the Guidance Counselor's Office after his class regarding his credit exemption as he was hired as an official wraith hunter. With this, he’ll be able to graduate high school without having to attend 2 of his classes starting the next day, allowing him to only come every morning to do his hunter duties by afternoon.

Wraith hunters are taken with high regard in the Republic. Though it depends on every country. It’s what is written in their laws. Because it’s always a high-demand job, society is willing to adjust for the hunters in exchange for their safety.

Kino introduced a woman in her twenties to his brother that same afternoon after bringing him home from school. “Reno, this is Hidee. She’ll look after you while I’m at work from now on.” Since he’s now a full-time hunter, he’ll be out of the house most of the time. Morris helped out and referred his cousin to look after his best friend's brother. Hidee had just graduated from the university and fortunately, lives just a block away from the Rosens’ apartment. While looking for a job she agreed to babysit for the time being.

“I’ll get going now. Take care,” he waved them goodbye. He didn’t tell Reno about his new job yet. He doesn’t want to worry him. For now, it’s only Morris who knows he’s a hunter. It was very surprising for him as Kino never talked about it, until that morning in class.

The atmosphere was different from the previous day, when Kino arrived at the headquarters. He’s finally wearing his trench coat, given after the first day of training. As he stepped through the automatic doors, he was greeted by hunters moving around the corridors in the opposite directions. Calix, the university guy from yesterday, arrived just 2 minutes after him. They shared bewildered looks when they saw the people roaming around. “What’s going on?”

Kino shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. I just got here.”

“Newbies! To the conference room. Come with me!” Shortly, a woman in glasses and corporate attire called for them from one of the corners of the corridors. They followed her directions until they reached a huge room filled with hunters looking at the front. Most of them were holding FN P90s in their arms, which is the assigned hunter firearm, while the others have sabers attached to their backs. Those with no weapons seen on their bodies were surely the heralds. Counting mentally, he thinks there are about 30 hunters in the room.

“What’s going on?” Kino muttered to himself, but then the girl at the front must have heard him. It was the high school girl from yesterday who he believes to be, Jamie.

“They’re announcing a raid mission.”

His eyes grew wide. “A raid mission?” That fast? He gulped audibly. His hands and back immediately broke out in a sweat. Of course, there would be a raid mission, what is he thinking?

“T-Thanks, Jamie.”

“It’s Jasmine.”

“Oh.”

Kino stood on his toes and saw Maxi’s familiar face at the front, together with 3 more people he didn’t recognize.

“Good afternoon, hunters. Today, we are announcing four new raid missions to be successfully done by tonight. As you can see, two Gates were reportedly opened 20 minutes ago in different locations. A C-rank, and a D-rank. We are to respond immediately as these are small-time Gates compared to the ones we had in the past weeks. Please be prepared in the next 10 minutes before our departure. Maxi Team, meet me at the southern gate in 5 minutes.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Kino’s shoulders jumped when Jasmine responded with the other hunters. He didn’t have the time to ask her as she immediately left with her team.

He turned to Calix. “H-How do you know your team–” But Calix was already gone. Kino panicked in his mind. He looked around and saw the hunters approaching their groups in the corners. He noticed he was the only one left in the center of the room.

He was about to approach the nearest group he could find to ask, when someone pulled him by the arm. “Hey! What are you doing? Come with me!” It was Calix.

“But I don’t know what group–”

“You’re with Parker Team! Hurry!”

Calix pulled him into the group by the northern side of the room near the large screens where the map of the four gates was shown. All the members looked at him with curiosity on their faces. They looked young, probably the same age or only a few years older than him like Calix. But the face that stood out the most to him was the face of the man at the front of the group. He can be spotted easily with his tall height and serious gaze. He looked the same age as Calix, but Calix seems to be older. The man’s dirty blonde hair and cold, green eyes looked at him intently, as if trying to recognize him.

Kino recognized him as well.

“Y-You are…”

“Your nose.” The man spoke.

“H-Huh?”

“Your nose. It’s bleeding.”

Kino tasted metallic liquid on his lips and touched his nose. There was blood.