Upon passing the door of the towering structure, Sonny froze in place, taken aback by the scenery.
'Wow... So, this is the Association...'
He blinked, dumbstruck.
As expected of the institution that governed Hunters and Awakened, the interior of the Guild Association was grander than he had ever imagined. A marble structure rose above like a sacred museum, exuding prestige and authority. Every inch of the intricately crafted interior whispered of wealth and power. It was clear at a glance how much care had been poured into its design; elegant, opulent, and utterly out of place for someone like him.
The sensation crawling through his body was like stepping into a foreign country where he didn't even know the language.
Glancing around, Sonny took in the people moving through the hall. Some dressed plainly, while others wore visible armor and gear that marked them as combatants. Though no matter their appearance, each of them carried a distinct 'pressure' — a unique presence that separated them from ordinary and powerless Dreamless beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Some presences felt light, others heavy, and some unnervingly neutral, each of them unique, but equally overwhelming in their own right.
This was the world of Hunters and Awakened.
A little overwhelmed, the young Sleeper stood frozen, as though an explosion had detonated in his mind, obliterating all sense of reality. It took several minutes for him to blink and regain his composure. Thankful, no one had noticed his confusion. The people around him were too absorbed in their own endeavors to spare a glance at a Level 0 newbie.
Buzz! Buzz!
His smartphone buzzed, and a familiar voice filled his mind.
[Master, this is unacceptable! Why are you just standing there? Don't you know the importance of making a first impression? If you keep this up, people will just look down on you!]
The voice's urgency was clear, shaking Sonny from his stupor. Scratching the back of his neck, he glanced at his phone screen and muttered,
"Sorry about that. I've just never seen a place like this before. I didn't expect the Association to be this… overwhelming."
Warp's frown softened, replaced by a look of understanding.
[Well, I can't say I don't understand where you're coming from. This place is designed to intimidate newcomers. But still...!]
She huffed, crossing her little chibi arms on the screen.
[...Appearances matter, Master. In this world, strength is everything, but how you carry yourself comes in close second. So, chin up and square those shoulders like you mean business!]
Sonny let out a breath and straightened his posture, feeling slightly ridiculous as he followed the advice of an app mascot. But even so, he couldn't deny that standing a little taller made him feel… less like an intruder.
[That's better.]
Warp said, nodding approvingly.
[Remember, even if you're a Level 0, your Soul Power is SSS ranked. Don't let those stats go to waste by acting like prey!]
Sonny's eyes flashed with a hint of resolve at that reminder.
Ah, that's right. No one here knew his attribute stats. As far as they could tell, he could be either weak or strong. How he acted and his demeanor would determine how they looked at him.
In short, he was a 'Sleeping Giant' among sheep and cattle.
Realizing this, the young Sleeper chastised himself for treating the matter too lightly. He drew in a deep breath, steadying his nerves, and then pulled on the best poker face he could manage without shattering under pressure.
"Alright... let's do this. The reception desk should be up ahead."
Warp's voice chimed in with a smug grin.
[Atta boy, Master. Once you're done with registration, remember, you'll need to pick up some Skill Tomes before you go shopping for Gears. Priorities! Skills first, then weapons!]
"Alright, alright, I hear ya. I'll talk to you later when I'm done."
Following that short interaction, Sonny switched off his smartphone then shoved it into his pocket. Then, the young man took his first real step into the world of Hunters and Awakened.
Eventually, he reached the reception desk after a few steps.
"Welcome! How may I help you today?" The female receptionist greeted him with a rehearsed smile, gleaming her pearly teeth.
'If you force that smile any harder, your face might crack,' Sonny thought.
Of course, he kept that to himself. Instead, he returned a faint smile and spoke in a pleasant tone.
"I'm here to register as a Hunter."
"Is that so? Please wait a moment..." The receptionist pulled out a document and a small black orb, placing both on the counter. "Let's check your spirit power to confirm your awakening. After that, please fill out this form."
"So, that's all?"
She nodded. "Yes, that's all there is to it."
'Huh. I expected more. Turns out it's simpler than I imagined.'
Didn't the Monitoring Division Chief mention something about an examination? Was this it? Honestly, it felt a bit underwhelming. But then again, what had he really expected? It's not like they were going to ask him to fight right here and now.
Swallowing his disappointment, Sonny placed his hand on the black orb as the receptionist activated the spirit power measuring device.
Moments later, a foreign energy surged into his body. The sensation was unmistakable and eerily familiar. It reminded him of the Parameter Slider that Monitoring Division Chief Anna Cross had used back when he was in the hospital.
He disliked the idea of letting something foreign invade his body, but if he wanted to become a registered Hunter, he had no choice but to endure it. Reluctantly, he allowed the strange energy to flow through his body.
Fortunately, the entire process finished quickly.
The foreign energy gradually faded, and the black orb flickered with a brief, brilliant light before dimming. The receptionist looked slightly puzzled as she examined the end result.
'Huh?'
She blinked.
'How could an Awakened have such low spirit power?'
Sonny, catching her reaction, frowned and promptly asked, "Sorry, did you just say something?"
"Eh?" Her confusion deepened. "What do you mean? I didn't say anything."
"...Eh? What...?"
Now it was Sonny's turn to look bewildered. But the strange moment didn't end there.
'What is he even talking about?'
'He thinks I said something, but he must have imagined it.'
'Could he… read minds?'
'No way. That's ridiculous. Someone with spirit power this low couldn't have any special abilities.'
Before Sonny could press further, the receptionist quickly masked her thoughts behind a practiced smile then spoke out, "Your soul power has been analyzed and it's above the cut-off mark. Please sign here to complete your registration as a Hunter."
"Ah, alright," Sonny replied, still a little dazed.
Sonny signed the document with a steady hand, though his thoughts were still swirling. The brief, silent exchange unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.
'Did I… really hear her thoughts? No, that's impossible… right?'
The pen left the paper with a soft scratch, and the receptionist promptly took the form back, her smile now back to the polished, professional mask.
"Thank you. Your registration is now complete. Here is your temporary Hunter ID. Your official card will be issued within three business days."
She handed him a slim card with his name printed in bold letters, along with the words: Provisional Hunter - Level 0.
Level 0.
It felt like a slap, despite knowing it was standard for all new registrants.
"Next, please proceed to the Skill Archive if you wish to browse beginner tomes. It's located through the left corridor."
"Understood. Thanks," Sonny said curtly, pocketing the card.
Turning away from the desk, he let out a long breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His pulse was still a little too fast.
Buzz! Buzz!
His phone vibrated again. Warp's face popped up on the screen, her chibi form sporting a sly grin.
[Master… you heard her thoughts, didn't you?]
Sonny's steps paused.
"...You noticed too?"
[Of course! Did you think I was just a cute mascot? Your Soul Power reacted when she tried to measure it with that strange device. The ripple you unconsciously released caught her stray thoughts, that's why she looked so confused.]
"...So I wasn't imagining it."
[Nope! Really, Master, it's kind of sad you don't realize how special you are. You're the only human with SSS-ranked Soul Power. SSS rank! Do you have any idea how absurd that is?! And yours even surpasses the normal SSS limit!]
Sonny just blinked, still not fully grasping it.
"Why is it so absurd for me to have SSS Soul Power? I get that it's strange since I'm only Level 0… but I don't really know how big of a deal SSS Soul Power is, if that makes sense."
Warp let out a long sigh at his cluelessness.
[Well, I guess it can't be helped. You were just a normal Dreamless until a few days ago, before your awakening.]
She then explained:
[To put it simply, your Soul Power is your Spirituality, the strength of your soul and your spiritual awareness. The density of a soul varies from person to person. But it's rare for the 'Fire Dew,' which represents one's Soul Density, to go beyond Tier 5. From what I've gathered from this planet's database, the individuals you humans call 'Saints' have Soul Power ranked at SS. Do you get it now? Your Spiritual Power isn't just high, it completely surpasses even the Saints!]
Sonny's eyes widened, understanding the situation.
'No way... My spirit power surpasses the Saints?!'
He himself couldn't believe it, even though it was true.
It was too absurd to even think about. Didn't this mean he was stronger than the Saints? Well… yes. Considering his [Spellbound] ability could affect reality on a grand scale, it was fair to say he completely outclassed them.
If anyone heard that a useless Level 0 had done this, they'd laugh and call it a joke.
But this joke was real and not funny in the slightest.
It was pure irony. Sonny, who had always dreamed of joining the world of Hunters and Awakened, had ended up surpassing his so-called idols and stepping into a higher territory while being stuck at the lowest rank: Level 0.
Without a doubt, it was unreasonable and unfair. But then again, so was life.
Shaking off those thoughts, Sonny asked curiously, "I see. I think I get most of it now. But how does that explain why I can hear people's thoughts?"
Warp answered promptly.
[As I mentioned before, your Soul Power reflects the strength of your soul and your spiritual awareness. The higher your Soul Power, the more in tune you are with the spiritual aspect of the World (宇宙). And as you already know, the value of your spirituality directly affects the overall output of your skills, regardless of the skill's rank. For example, a Level 5 with Tier C Soul Power would produce a certain output using a Rank G Fireball. But a Level 1 with Tier A Soul Power would generate far greater output with the same skill. The difference lies in the density of their 'Fire Dew.' A low Fire Dew means low output, while a high-density Fire Dew would result in much higher power.]
After a brief pause, she added:
[And then… there's the matter of Uniqueness. It's nothing too complicated. Remember when I said that the Fire Dew of a soul differs from person to person? Naturally, no two souls are exactly the same, just like how no two animals are identical, whether in appearance, behavior, or other traits. That's where the concept of 'Uniqueness' comes in. Every soul possesses a distinct quality, and if your Fire Dew is high enough, that unique characteristics becomes more noticeable over time.]
[A good example is someone who can catch glimpses of 'fragments' from the distant future. In your case, it seems you're able to read people's thoughts. However,] she smiled as she reached this point. [... considering how ridiculously high your Fire Dew is, I'm certain the full extent of your Uniqueness hasn't even shown itself yet. And when it does… it might be something really special.]
[Hehe.]