Chapter 528

"We're immediately greeted on the first floor by Bri, both surprised and impressed.

She takes us up to her workshop, and once I put up a hush barrier she finally speaks.

"I didn't recognize your mana control signatures at all... You're the only other person with these transport crystals, so I knew it was you... but still..."

She stares us up and down.

"These disguises are far more convincing than I even thought was possible..."

We step forward and she takes out a silver box from beneath her desk.

We both sit down in the seating while she opens the casing and we have a short exchange of words about this month's orders that my double brought over two days ago.

Bri is planning on expanding her workshop, making another building here in the black market of Vice City, and my double is going to show her around the Crimson City in sector 2, giving her an office space there for future expansion as well.

We even briefly discuss the events that occurred in the Talton region, and she's happy to do the business meetings there moving forward. In our next meeting, I plan to have Bri introduce me so I can make a more genuine connection with their leader in my Flame Emperor identity.

While I didn't spend much time in that jungle, their strength impressed me, and the dismissal of the association, even though their leader is a regional director, also catches my interest.

Bri makes a final comment on it as she pulls out two transport crystals from the silver containment case.

"I've never been to the Talton Region, so I look forward to checking it out for myself. I've always heard stories of it being an isolated region that doesn't easily accept outsiders, especially Association-affiliated hunters."

She shrugs and hands each of us a crystal.

"The Bedrock region is a lot different. As you probably saw when you visited before, they're hard workers. Mostly a mining district, a lot of raw materials like metals and special ores come out of that region. The influx of workers over the years has brought more dungeons too. They may be smaller than the Vice Region in population and hunter strength now, but they're on the rise. I heard a very high-level Regional Director was appointed there a few years back, and he spends a lot of time with the citizens. Straight-laced, follows association orders, but has good intent for his people."

I nod as we accept the gems.

"Yeah, we met him. Over level 900, he's the strongest Director I've seen- well-"

I think back to the green-eyed Talton Region's Director's mana control, and it was definitely higher than his.

"Highest level I've seen at least."

Bri smiles, then looks at a clock on the wall.

"Anyway, it's about time you head off. Your entry to the B-Class exams awaits. Careful out there. I'll stay in touch with your doubles while you're gone and keep orders moving as usual."

I look to Ember, and then back to Bri as we share a few more words of goodbye, then crush the white gems.

Once the light fades, we're both stood back in the same dark stone dome that we teleported into last time for the trade deal.

The only difference is the rectangular door at the back that leads outside to the mining view and cities all over the mountains is wide open. It's a foggy morning, but I can still sense the environment that I saw last time I was here.

When I look around, the Director isn't present, but two guards at about level 700 are. They look down at clipboards, then up at us, and one speaks up.

"Ray and Emrie. Survivors of the catastrophe. I was there on duty the day it happened, no joke huh?"

I nod and make eye contact for a moment. He continues.

"No need to talk about it if it's a sore spot. The name's Jamie. Nice to meet you."

I recognize this tall bearded man as one of the guards that was by the director's side when I initially met him for trade deals the other day.

He continues to speak.

"In your file here it's like you're ghosts. Not a single Association check-in or sighting of you in any official dungeons. The Director was quite surprised when an A-Ranker submitted the form that he found you two training in Black Market dungeons in the Vice Region, though he was happy to have a few more people to stack our applicant roster."

He leans in.

"I am curious though, how'd you end up out there?"

I tighten my gaze, but reply quickly not to add any extra suspicion.

The lady's eyes widen even more as she scribbles down what she sees and verifies that the names, skills, and appearances all match what is in their records.

Then, she hurries back to the director to show him the clipboard.

His eyes widen as well while Ember and I just stand in confident stances behind the 6 other applicants.

He reads the file for abnormally long, then looks up straight at us, then speaks to the 8 of us again.

"Well, you've all been verified as the applicants submitted to the exams this year. We still have 4 empty slots available, but this will be one of our biggest showings in a while regardless."

He smiles and can't help glancing over to Ember and me.

"As you all know, the total applicants per region per year is limited to 12. We're not a strength-focused region, but over the years we have grown some strong warriors despite that. Just know, even if you fail, there is always next year."

He points behind us and we turn our head to see the tall bearded guard that brought us in.

"Jamie took three tries to pass, I've known some applicants that took even longer."

He nods as we all turn our heads back to him.

"Just know, if you manage to pass the exams, it's not only a great personal achievement for you, but a great boost in reputation for our region. Any members that pass will be greatly rewarded. You can have a position as my personal guard with salary, a pension from the Association, even any B-Grade gear of your liking. The region gets an increase in spending from the central Association government, so it will help the whole region and you will reap those rewards directly as a thanks. Only a handful of applicants make it through, and most of the slots are taken by the Apex Region private trained recruits each year, but maybe we have a shot at taking one or two slots, you never know."

His eyes rest back on Ember and me before he continues his speech, and the assistant that was doing the appraisal before hands out new transport crystals with [APEX] and our names labeled on each of them.

"These transport crystals will bring you all directly to the exam site. There will most likely be an introduction there as well, but the rules, layout, and exact location of the exams change every year. I would give you pointers if I could, but there is no advice to give. All I know is that I'll be attending the exams in a few days to be part of one of the assessments, so will all of the regional directors. The only hints I have is that it will be a multi-stage exam. Your hard work this year will be shown off, and I wish each of you luck in your individual testing process."

The assistant makes us all line up in a single file line as the Director goes on about some of the other guards, and how his own B-class exam played out over a decade ago, but I don't listen to much of it.

Like he repeatedly says, they change the event every year, so I'll just have to go in prepared, on guard, and with an open mind.

Although my competitive nature urges me to show off and try to win whatever challenges are thrown in front of me, my real goal with this entire event will be to gather information on the Association's higher ranks. I want to know who this leader of the Apex region really is, why he won't show his face, and what correlation to the Sun God he has.

One by one, the line moves forward.

The Director has a quick one-on-one conversation with each of the applicants, then sends them off with a flash of light from their transport crystal.

The line reaches Ember, and I hear his tone completely change.

He motions for me to step forward next to him too and I do as he says.

"You two, you're not ordinary hunters... I can feel your mana control, it rivals that of some of my guards that have passed the B-Class exams years ago... Your file says you disappeared in the catastrophe- and now you're back out of nowhere with strength like this..."

Ember shrugs and I nod.

As I'm about to speak up, the tall guard that escorted us here speaks from the back of the room.

"They're good boss, the story checks out, they're real loyal Bedrock citizens. Just a tough past. Trust me, I was there when the catastrophe happened too. They're survivors, it makes sense that they'd be driven to be strong."

Director Maylack nods.

"Oh I know. I meant it as a good thing. I haven't seen hunters like you apply in the Bedrock region... Maybe ever. Usually stronger hunter's like yourself move out to the Vice Region or even the Veridian Region if not directly to the Apex Headquarters. This is the mana control of Apex soldiers if I've ever felt it. Maybe we have a chance at winning some actual impactful Region Points this year."

He smirks.

"I know you're doing this for yourselves, but if either of you pass, just know I have an extra reward waiting for you. Even better if you make it to the final selection. Do that, and you can have anything you want, even his job."

He points to Jamie and they both start laughing, and make rude but joking remarks toward each other acting like they're old friends.

He looks back down at us and puts out a hand to shake, I do out of respect, then Ember does next.

"Pleasure to meet both of you. I may not have had the chance to train you myself, but Ray, Emrie, best of luck out there. Make your home region proud."

We both shake his hand one more time, then crush our transport crystals supplied by the Apex Region. A flash of bright white magic covers our vision.