"False reports of inability to enter the 48th floor, I see."

Her tone was icy. It was a heavy offense that guaranteed their eviction from the building, and what's worse is that there's a chance that their hunter's license could be revoked. The government were not lenient to those who exploit their kindness.

"The maximum time one can spend here is one year. How many months has it been since you guys became hunters?"

"O-one month, Miss."

Rey's voice was soft and nervousness was present in his tone. He was avoiding eye contact with the overseer.

The woman's cold expression quivered for a bit. The party was avoiding her gaze so they didn't notice.

'One month and they are already capable of reaching the 48th floor? Are they kidding me?'

She observed the expressions they were making. Guilt was written all over their faces, it looks like they weren't joking at all. She glanced at Zen who was trembling while looking down at the floor. She could see a faint aura coming off of him.

The other three were also coated in a faint aura, but not as visible as Zen's.

'Beginner hunters and they already have attained this much presence. I have a use for them.'

Her view of them increased. The party had a bright future if they kept growing at this rate.

"When did you reach the 48 floor?"

"Just last week, Miss."

Her eyes widened in surprise. This time Rey was looking at her so he noticed the change in expression.

"...is something wrong?"

"No, Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking that your party is climbing quite fast for a beginner."

'I think I've heard that before'

Rey thought. A memory of another hunting party talking to them resurfaced.

'Whatever.'

The fact that they could climb quickly was a good thing for them, so he didn’t think too deeply about it.

"Your party will be sanctioned punishments for breaking the rule..."

Her cold expression returned. The group accepted their fate and let out a deep sigh simultaneously. They were ready to vacate their rooms.

"...But I'm willing to make an exception."

They all looked up towards the Overseer. Confusion and hope were mixed in their expressions. She felt bad leaving a stain in their records, they were bright prospects.

"You guys just need to do something for me, simple right?"

The party nodded their heads vigorously, they really didn't want to get kicked out of the building.

"Attend the incoming seminar next week. That's it. If you guys could do that I'll turn a blind eye and let you stay here until the 6th month. How 'bout that?"

The cold expression she put on seemed like a lie, a playful smile was currently in front of them.

"Can we talk about this first?"

She nodded her head. The party felt suspicion in her words, the deal mostly benefited the group. They couldn't find any merits in them attending the seminar. They came to a conclusion and answered.

"We just need to attend right?"

"Yep."

"Its a deal then."

The woman let out her hand and Rey shook it. The deal was made.

"You guys can go ahead and leave. I'm waiting for someone here."

The party waved goodbye to each other and went to their own respective rooms. Rey was left in the lobby with the overseer.

"Who are you waiting for?"

The woman asked Rey who was gazing at the entrance of the building.

"I lied."

"Oh? then why did you stay?"

"To talk to you."

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in men younger than me."

"That's not it! also I'm eighteen, why would I want to date a woman in her mid 20's."

The woman's brows flinched, she didn't expect a low blow from Rey.

"What is it that you're plotting?"

Rey's face turned serious, he couldn't shake off the suspicion he had.

"Plotting? Me? I wouldn't do such a thing."

The woman looked as if she was really surprised and exaggerated her emotions like an actor. Rey thought that she was being a bit cheeky.

"Don't be worried. No harm will come to your party..."

She slowly walked away from Rey. His eyes were tracking her movement for any suspicious movement.

"...I think?"

A playful expression was present on her face. She sticked out her tongue and ran away from Rey.

'So the cold expression she always had was a facade, huh?'

Rey didn't bother running after her. Instead, he just went back to his room to past the day away.

---------------------------------

A week quickly passed by. It was an uneventful week.

Tahk. Tahk. Tahk.

Rey's footsteps echoed throughout the empty hall, he was making his way to the auditorium the seminar is being held in.

Creak....

He entered the auditorium and took a seat near the front. The auditorium was quite spacious and the buzzes of hundreds of hunters could be heard echoing throughout the entire room.

There was a man standing on the stage. The man looked aged, if one were to guess he was probably in his 60's. Wrinkles were present on his face along with a diagonal scar that started from his left cheekbone to his upper lip. He had black hair with the majority of it turning white, his body was well built and looked quite handsome for his age.

He was wearing a formal white suit and a serious expression was plastered on his face, he was scanning the hunters seated in the auditorium. He would occasionally stop surveying the seats to stare at certain hunters, and Rey was one of them.

'Lets start off with a test.'

The man thought to himself. An invisible aura spread around the entire room and wrapped around each hunter. Some of the hunters flinched in response including Rey.

"GREETINGS!"

The buzzing hunters suddenly became silent and turned their heads towards the man standing on the stage. His voice was akin to a roar of a lion.

"My name is Alex Ozul, and I'm your instructor for this seminar."

The quiet hunters seated around the auditorium slowly started buzzing once more. Most of the hunters were talking about, how the man in front of them was a legendary figure among high rank hunters. Rey didn't know who he was, so he sat there listening to the countless murmurs.

"Do you feel the magical presence surrounding you hunters?"

The buzzing intensified once more. Most of the hunters were clueless. They couldn't feel the magical presence he was talking about. Some concentrated to feel the presence around them.

"THOSE WHO CAN'T FEEL IT. LEAVE THIS ROOM IMMEDIATELY."

Silence dawned on the auditorium. No one stood up from their seats to leave the room.

"Tch. LEAVE NOW."

Those who weren't able to feel his aura around them suddenly stood up, their body moved involuntarily. It looked like he knows when his aura has been felt by the person it was wrapped around on.

More than half of the hunters stood up. Alex gestured them to leave, and if they didn't, he would simply make them.

The auditorium became a lot more spacious as the hunters left. Rey was one of the few left sitting in the front row, he was looking at Alex intently.

"You lot, might be wondering. Why I kicked them out of the seminar."

Alex's voice lowered in volume. The hunters looking at him nodded their heads.

"It's because, they're not ready. To those who felt my aura earlier, Congratulations. It means that you've already broken pass through Vagrant Class with or without noticing it."

He scanned the auditorium once more before speaking again.

"I am sure that all of you already know about the Power Hierarchy and their respective names, If not then I'll state the hierarchy."

"The hierarchy is divided into nine classes. Ascendant, Titan, Exalted, Alpha, Prime Ardent, Rife, Minor and Vagrant. Ascendant is the highest class with vagrant being the lowest. Each class is divided into four growth stages. Early, Middle, Late and Quasi."

"Right now, most of you are in the Early Minor Class, that's why you hunters could sense the aura I spread a while ago. I didn't come here to teach about the hierarchy. I am here to teach you hunters about proper combat."

A smile appeared in Alex's face. Those who were looking at him felt chills running down their spine, and some looked excited. Rey was the latter.

"The overseer here is my daughter, Isabelle Ozul. She recommended that I spar with some of you hunters. Since your combat abilities are adapted to fighting beasts, a fight with another hunter is a different case."

"I'll be calling names, so if your name is called come up on stage. A party of four would be simultaneously attacking me. Your goal would be to hit me once, which is near impossible. My goal will also be to hit each one of you once, try your best to dodge."

A chill was sent down Rey's spine, the excitement he felt ago disappeared.

'That damned witch, she set us up.'

He clearly remembered the face of a woman sticking her tongue out taunting and teasing him.

"First group. Genesis Shul, Ken Smith, Leanne Frey and Annie Macker. Come up on stage."

Four hunters stood up and approached the stage. Rey wondered how they could spar up on stage. The stage was made out of wood and it would easily break under their strength. His questions were soon answered as Alex uttered a chant.

"Materialize Domain."

The room around them started to melt all of a sudden, as if reality itself was withering away. The U shaped auditorium was nowhere in sight, a different scene greeted them instead. A clearing filled with vibrant flowers surrounded their view. Rey who was seated on a chair was now sitting on the ground amongst the flowers. The other hunters who were also seated found themselves on the ground.

In the middle of the field Alex was standing there facing the four hunters he called upon.

Pop! Crack!

The sound of joints popping could be heard as he stretched his whole body. The four hunters went on a fighting stance with their fists poised to strike. Alex looked at them with confused eyes.

"You're not going to use your weapons?"

The party was also confused. Alex was fighting with only his fists, so it was only right to fight with their fists also.

"Don't look down on an old man, I insist you use your weapons."

The party heeded his advice and equipped their weapons. Their bracelets crumbled one by one forming different weapons. Alex smiled and went on a relaxed fighting stance.

"Shall we start?"