Queen of the Shadows

5. Living Together

"Number 2407! ....! ....! ...."

They called them inside as groups.

"This way!"

Cale walked towards the testing room.

It was a white room, with machines and computers everywhere. Then there was a white orb on a stand in the middle of it all.

"Place your hand on the orb and wait until told to stop. You're first." They looked towards Cale.

Cale nodded, walking up to the orb, he placed his hand on top of it.

There was a bright shine admitting from it.

Cale shut his eyes hard, unable to look at the light.

Cra... crack!

'Huh?'

The shine stopped.

Everyone opened their eyes to see what happened.

"It- it shattered?!" The instructor shouted out in shock.

Cale sweated nervously. Cale didn't want to admit it, but something was wrong! Terribly wrong!

"P-please come with me!" They begged Cale. "I'll have another instructor take over. Follow me now!" They tried being nice, but they were in a rush.

Cale could smell the trouble coming already, but he was already being dragged away to another room.

"Please wait here! I'll contact the association!" They left the room after locking Cale inside.

Cale stared blankly at the door, processing what had happened. 'This is not good...' he thought to himself.

"Excuse my intrusion." A brownish-blond head walked inside the room and sat down across from Cale. "I am Woo Jinchul, chairman of the Korean Hunters Association." He greeted Cale with a fake smile.

"Hello. I am Cale Henituse." Cale greeted him back.

"You must be wondering why I'm here." Jinchul spoke as if not obvious. "Congratulations, on becoming Korea's 11th s-rank hunter."

"..." Cale's face displayed full disgust rather than amusement. "What?"

Jinchul was calm even in this situation. "You have broken the orb, that can hold up to even an s-class's strength."

Cale's expression darkened. 'Shit shit shit! This shit can't be real!'

Jinchul got up, "this must be a lot to take in for you."

'You think?!'

"The Korean association will take care of everything, from privacy protection and insurance." Jinchul informed him. "However, as an s-rank, there will be a lot of backlash. So, be careful." Jinchul left with his assistant.

Cale sat there, devastated, rethinking his decisions.

'There hasn't been another s-rank in Korea after Sung Jinwoo...' Jinchul thought as he walked down the hallway. 'Other than him.. he's the only other who was able to shatter the orb...' Jinchul frowned, 'what troubles will you bring with you?'

Cale got up from the couch, 'I should head home quickly.' He went out to the elevator.

Ding!

It was his floor, the lobby.

Cale stepped outside the elevator cube. 'Huh? It's empty...?'

Just a moment ago, the place was packed.

"Hello. You're Cale Henituse, right?"

The voice came from behind him.

Cale turned around, met with two tall men. "Yes..?" He answered nervously.