If there was one thing she hated more than losing a battle...
It was paperwork.
Fighting monsters?
She loved it.
Trading blows until her surrounding collapsed?
Even better.
But sitting behind a desk, filling out reports and explaining every little detail of an incident?
That was torture.
Jonas knew it.
Which was exactly why he had assigned the task to her.
It wasn’t work.
It was punishment.
’You bastard...’
She muttered the words under her breath, believing nobody had heard them.
Unfortunately...
She had forgotten who she was standing in front of.
Jonas slowly turned his head.
His sharp gaze settled on her.
"What did you just say?"
Scarlet Fist immediately straightened her posture.
"Nothing."
She looked away.
"I said nothing."
Her voice came out as nothing more than a quiet grumble.
Jonas stared at her for another second before letting out a cold snort.
Meanwhile, Ferris had become so quiet that he almost disappeared into the background.
He stood perfectly still, not daring to make even the slightest unnecessary movement.
After witnessing Scarlet Fist receive another punishment, he had already reached a conclusion.
Silence was survival.
As long as he kept his mouth shut...
Perhaps the Vice President would forget he even existed.
Thankfully, whether Jonas truly forgot about him or simply couldn’t be bothered anymore, the man didn’t spare him another glance.
Instead, his attention shifted toward Kael.
"Would you mind giving me a little of your time?"
"There are a few things I’d like to discuss with you."
Kael nodded without much thought.
"Sure."
He didn’t have anything particularly urgent to do anyway.
Besides, Jonas had treated him with nothing but respect since the moment they met.
Rejecting him outright would be unnecessarily rude.
More importantly...
Kael couldn’t deny his own curiosity.
Jonas Grieg wasn’t someone who casually visited a Third District branch.
From the moment the Vice President had appeared beneath the Association building, Kael had already realized the man’s true objective hadn’t been Scarlet Fist.
It had been him.
The question was...
Why?
"Good."
Jonas turned around.
"Come with me."
The two began retracing their steps through the devastated underground facility.
As they walked through the corridor, Kael finally had the chance to properly observe the aftermath of the battle.
Earlier, his attention had been completely occupied by Scarlet Fist.
Now...
The destruction unfolded before his eyes in its entirety.
Entire sections of reinforced walls had collapsed.
The metal framework protruding from shattered walls twisted into grotesque shapes as though it had been crushed by some colossal beast.
Even the corridor connecting the training chambers had suffered damage.
Looking at the countless fractures spreading across the floor and walls, Kael finally realized just how excessive their fight had become.
’...We really went overboard.’
Fortunately, despite the extensive damage, the elevator remained operational.
The two entered together.
A few moments later, the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing the spacious lobby above ground.
Compared to the underground, the lobby was in considerably better condition.
Jonas suddenly stopped walking.
With a casual wave of his hand, spatial ripples spread through the air.
The next instant, a black face cap and a pair of dark sunglasses appeared in his hand.
He handed them over to Kael.
"There’s quite a crowd gathered outside."
"I imagine you’d rather avoid unnecessary attention."
Kael accepted them.
"Thanks."
Without hesitation, he pulled the cap low over his forehead before putting on the sunglasses, concealing most of his face.
Only after making sure he was sufficiently disguised did Jonas continue walking.
The moment the lobby doors opened, waves of voices drifted over from outside.
A large crowd had gathered around the Association building.
Many stretched their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.
Some whispered among themselves.
Others pointed toward the entrance.
Fortunately, with the cap and sunglasses covering most of his features, none of them recognized Kael.
Although quite a few curious gazes still landed on him, they quickly moved away after failing to identify his face.
The two walked straight through the crowd without stopping.
Not far away, the B-32 Shadow jet waited quietly upon the landing platform.
Without delay, Jonas boarded.
Kael followed behind him.
The moment he stepped inside, he couldn’t help glancing around.
The interior was far more luxurious than its exterior.
Soft leather seats lined both sides of the cabin.
Polished wooden furnishings blended seamlessly with advanced holographic displays built into the walls.
The lighting was gentle, neither too bright nor too dim, creating an atmosphere more reminiscent of a high-end lounge than an aircraft.
Jonas casually took a seat.
Kael sat opposite him.
Not long afterward, the cabin gave a slight vibration as the engines came alive.
The jet smoothly lifted into the sky.
Kael instinctively looked out the window.
The city rapidly shrank beneath them as buildings became tiny clusters of steel and glass.
Despite the incredible speed they were traveling, the cabin remained astonishingly stable.
There wasn’t the slightest turbulence.
No violent shaking.
Not even the sensation of rapid acceleration.
If not for the changing scenery outside the window, Kael would have struggled to believe the aircraft was even moving.
’The technology is quite impressive.’
Time passed quietly.
Eventually, Kael felt a subtle change in pressure as the aircraft gradually began descending.
Several minutes later, the jet landed with barely any noticeable impact before rolling to a gentle stop.
The cabin door slowly opened.
Jonas stood first.
"We’re here."
The two stepped outside.
Before them stood another Hunters Association building.
At first glance, it resembled every other branch Kael had seen before.
The same architectural style.
Yet after a closer look...
Everything about it felt grander.
Larger.
More imposing.
Even the surrounding security was on an entirely different level.
Kael quickly guessed where they had arrived.
Headquarters.
Or at the very least...
One of the Association’s highest-level facilities.
"Come."
Jonas began walking again.
Instead of heading toward the building, however, he led Kael toward the underground parking area.
Kael frowned slightly.
Noticing his expression, Jonas chuckled.
"You didn’t think we’d use a jet to travel around the city, did you?"
Kael fell silent for a moment.
"...Fair point."
A few moments later, they arrived before an elegant black luxury sedan.
Two men dressed in black suits had already been waiting beside the vehicle.
The moment Jonas approached, both bowed respectfully.
"Vice President."
Jonas acknowledged them with a nod.
One of them immediately stepped forward and opened the rear doors.
Jonas entered first.
Kael followed.
After closing the doors, the two men moved to the front seats, one taking the driver’s position while the other sat beside him.
The driver adjusted the rear-view mirror slightly.
"Where to, sir?"
Jonas answered without hesitation.
"D&W Luxe."
The driver’s eyes showed no reaction.
"Understood."
The vehicle silently pulled away.
Kael, however, couldn’t hide the slight furrow that appeared on his brows.
D&W Luxe.
Of course he recognized the name.
It was arguably the most famous luxury clothing brand in the country.
Its advertisements could be seen almost everywhere.
Top Hunters.
Celebrity Awakeners.
A single outfit from D&W Luxe could easily cost more than an ordinary family earned in several months.
Yet...
That wasn’t what occupied Kael’s thoughts.
His mind had already begun racing in an entirely different direction.
Jonas Grieg.
Vice President of the Hunters Association.
One of the most influential figures in the entire country.
The man had personally flown to a Third District branch just to meet him.
He had remained polite throughout their entire interaction.
And now...
He was taking him shopping.
Kael silently looked at the bald giant sitting beside him.
’...I know I’m ridiculously handsome.’
’But I don’t swing that way.’
---
Hey everyone, your dear author here. Unfortunately, I’m currently sick, so tomorrow’s Chapter might be delayed. I’ve taken my medicine though, so I’m hoping to recover quickly and avoid pushing it back. Just wanted to give you guys a heads-up.
Anyway, what do you guys think of the current events and pacing?
And also for those who haven’t joined yet, come join the Discord server!