When the Hunter Association headquarters' airship slowly landed on the private helipad, it was already evening.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the skyscraper in dark gold, with the glass curtain walls reflecting the last light of day.
Leo followed Bucidola out of the cabin and stepped onto the solid ground.
People at the Association headquarters were walking in a hurry, mostly wearing easy-to-move uniforms or casual clothes.
Bucidola led Leo to the reception hall on one side of the headquarters, and after a brief handover with a staff member, he left.
Before leaving, he patted Leo on the shoulder and said, "Do a good job," with a look of approval in his eyes.
The staff member led Leo through several corridors to a small meeting room.
The room was simple, with a long table in the center and the Hunter Association logo hanging on the wall.
"Please wait here; the license issuance briefing is about to begin."
After the staff member left, Leo sat down in a chair and closed his eyes to rest.
About ten minutes later, the door was pushed open.
Satotz walked in.
He was still in his signature attire—a sharp suit, with his bean-faced expression always gentle.
He held a dark folder in his hand.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Leo."
Satotz stood before the long table and placed the folder on it.
"First of all, congratulations on passing the 285th Hunter Exam. Although the process was... a bit unusual, the result is certain."
He opened the folder and took out a card.
The lights in the meeting room brightened slightly.
Satotz walked to Leo's side of the table and gently placed the card down.
It was a palm-sized card.
The material was special, shimmering with a metallic luster under the light yet not quite like metal, with fine dark patterns on the edges. In the center of the card, a striking "XX" pattern took up most of the space.
Satotz's voice echoed in the quiet room, carrying a sense of formal solemnity.
"This card is your hunter license."
He paused, observing Leo's reaction.
Leo just looked at the card calmly, without much expression on his face.
"You must think it looks quite ordinary."
Satotz continued, his tone level.
"Indeed, besides employing the most advanced, nearly impossible-to-forge high-tech anti-counterfeiting measures and special manufacturing processes, it doesn't look much different from an ordinary card."
His tone shifted, suddenly becoming serious.
"But! Its functions are powerful beyond your imagination!"
Satotz began to list them one by one, tapping his finger lightly on the table with each point as if emphasizing them.
"First, with this card, you can freely enter about 90% of the world's restricted countries and 75% of officially designated forbidden zones!"
"Second, you can use 95% of the world's public facilities for free!"
"Third, with this card, you can apply for financing from the Hunter Association or partner banks, with a credit limit equal to that of a world-class enterprise! It's enough to support any massive plan you might have."
He took a deep breath and stated the final point.
"Finally."
Satotz's gaze fell on Leo's face, as if confirming whether he understood the weight of these words.
"Even if you sell it... you would immediately possess a vast fortune that couldn't be spent in seven lifetimes!"
"One could say that as long as you have it, you'll never have to worry about making a living for the rest of your life!"
The room fell into a brief silence. Satotz waited a few seconds for the information to sink in, and then—
His tone suddenly grew heavier, carrying a strong, almost warning-like quality.
"So! Please be absolutely sure to prevent it from being lost or stolen!"
"Once the license is lost, it will not be reissued under any circumstances!"
"According to our statistics, one-fifth of those who pass the exam lose their license within a year!"
"Therefore, the first trial after becoming a professional Hunter is—guarding your license well!"
For the next half hour, Satotz detailed the Hunter Association's rules, regulations, duties, and rights.
His explanation was well-organized and highlighted the key points, clearly having performed this briefing countless times.
Satotz closed the folder, and the expression on his face seemed to soften slightly.
"That concludes the briefing."
He walked up to Leo and handed over the hunter license with both hands.
"The path ahead depends on you."
There was a hint of sincere encouragement in Satotz's voice.
"Please believe in yourself, stay firm in your convictions, overcome all difficulties, and move toward the dream in your heart—"
He paused and said solemnly:
"Forge ahead bravely!"
"I hereby declare—Leo, you are officially a new Hunter!"
Leo stood up and accepted the license with both hands.
The card felt slightly cool to the touch, with a unique texture, and it was lighter than it looked.
He looked down at the "Hunter" character pattern and then looked up at Satotz.
"Thank you."
It wasn't just a polite gesture; it was a sincere thanks.
Satotz nodded slightly and stepped back, signaling that he could leave.
Leo carefully tucked the license into his inner pocket and turned to walk out of the meeting room.
The corridor was spacious and bright, with a smooth marble floor, and the walls were lined with photos and brief introductions of Hunter achievements.
Leo walked toward the exit following the signs, his pace steady and unhurried.
Just as he turned a corner—
"Long time no see, Leo."
A steady voice came from the right corridor.
Leo turned his head.
Machi Komacine stood there, still in that same dark suit, his eyes as calm as water.
"It's been a while, Mr. Machi Komacine."
Leo A smile appeared.
"I didn't expect to run into you here."
"It's no coincidence."
Machi Komacine walked over with a steady gait.
"I've been waiting here specifically for you."
He stopped in front of Leo.
"You made quite a mess of the Hunter Exam. Out of 754 Examinees, 753 lost consciousness. The medical team was busy all day."
Leo gave an embarrassed smile and didn't offer an excuse.
"However."
Machi Komacine shifted the topic.
"With your skills, passing the exam was a foregone conclusion. But that method... was a bit extreme."
His expression became serious.
"Anyway, back to business."
Machi Komacine looked Leo straight in the eye.
"I want to ask you a question first: what kind of Hunter do you want to be?"
The question came suddenly, but Leo didn't hesitate.
He stopped smiling, and his expression became solemn.
"Before I encountered the Purifier Organization, I hadn't thought carefully about what kind of Hunter I wanted to be. Maybe just getting the license would have been enough, using it to conveniently explore the world and improve my strength."
He paused for a second, his tone becoming firm.
"But now, my goal is to be a Crime Hunter."
Leo's gaze did not waver.
"I want to do what I can."
He didn't voice his deeper thoughts—if those heinous criminals resisted, he wouldn't hold back.
Since "Proof of Humanity" required life energy to increase its Rank, he would treat it as the only useful contribution those people could finally make.
But Machi Komacine seemed to read something in Leo's eyes.
He was silent for a few seconds, then nodded slowly.
"I see."
He turned and signaled for Leo to follow.
"I'd like to invite you to help capture a criminal gang. They are active on the southwestern border of the Urubian Continent, stealing and selling cultural relics, and killing civilians at will. There are over thirty confirmed victims, twelve of whom died."
Machi Komacine spoke as he walked, his tone as calm as if he were recounting daily affairs.
"I've been tracking them for three months, but they are very cunning and move quickly after every operation. Now that I've received intelligence on their next move, we need a fast and precise raid."
Leo hardly had to think.
"No problem. Since it's an invitation from the Zodiacs, I'm happy to assist."
Machi Komacine gave him a slight side-eye.
"I'll explain the details of this criminal gang in another meeting room. Their base, personnel composition, ability characteristics, patterns of action... everything needs careful analysis."
He pushed open a heavy oak door, revealing another corridor.
"By the way, there's another member coming with us this time."
Machi Komacine paused.
"Kansai."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Is it Kansai, the 'Tiger' of the Zodiacs?"
"That's right."
Machi Komacine nodded.
"He's already waiting in the meeting room. Kansai is an expert at tracking; I specifically persuaded him to participate in this operation."
Leo Smile.
"Then let's go. Don't keep him waiting."
The two walked one after the other through the long corridor.
Their footsteps echoed in the empty passage, and the lights on the walls stretched and shortened their shadows.