Now that they were alone, Lev properly took in the three young, aspiring hunters in front of him.

Stretching his Perception to the maximum, the world slowed down considerably to let him be done with it in a moment. Amelia and Kayla were both… lookers. There was no denying that. Jack, too, was going to be quite the handsome figure once his beard grew fully. Already, the stubble was neatly trimmed and fitting.

Regardless, Lev was grateful they weren't too beautiful or something. That was one crossed off his list of irrational worries. They also looked to be the same age as him, though he was quite a bit younger in reality.

Letting his Perception return to normal, he smiled faintly but genuinely, his nerves settling down firmly. Contrary to his expectations, it wasn't him squirming in his seat. The three in front of him looked quite nervous, and he was acutely starting to feel the level gap between them.

Masters were rare. And they were talking to one who was supposed to be their teammate.

"What do you guys have planned for the immediate future?" Lev asked while sipping on some grape juice. The taste was biting for the first sip, turning into a mix of sweet and slightly sour after that.

They shared a look, letting Jack take the lead. "We didn't have any, to be honest. We wanted to see what you would suggest first."

"That's… not acceptable," Lev answered, letting a small frown show on his face. "We're only going to do what we decide as a group. So, what do you guys want to do? I'm assuming the sudden freedom of choice is sort of overwhelming. Monarch knows I was confused."

"It is," Kayla said with a small smile. "Everything felt uncertain, but Orianna's reassurances kept us from worrying too much. She said you would know what to do."

"What did you do?" Amelia asked. Lev suspected that she was quieter than the other two based on initial impressions.

"When I first got my class?" he asked to confirm, getting a nod in return. She was also more confident so far. "I asked to be stationed in the pit. I spent hours daily fighting because of… you know. I would rather not speak of it out loud. Other than that, reading and wandering occupied most of my time. Sleeping daily was also necessary back then."

"You willingly chose the pit?" Jack asked, shoulders slightly less stiff. "Why?"

Lev shrugged. "I had a choice, and my class was quite absurd from the start. Evolving took like three months total."

"That's dangerous," Kayla remarked hesitantly. "Will we also go there?"

"As I said earlier, that depends on what you decide."

"Opinion?"

Lev blinked. Jack asking for his input was a surprise, but definitely a welcome one.

"Windkeep has frequent waves," Lev began, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "Getting titles there will also be easier, especially because of the number of dungeons. I also have some things planned to let you guys push yourselves more if you wish. How does that sound?"

"Windkeep…" Jack muttered, lost in thought. Kayla was similarly pondering, whereas Amelia seemed content to let them plan in her stead.

"Have you been there?" Kayla questioned.

Lev nodded. "I evolved there not long ago."

"Is it as strong as the rumors say? The Master evolution?" Amelia asked, visibly hesitant. "You don't have to answer, of cour-"

"It's fine," Lev cut her off. "If things go well, you guys will be evolving in a few years too. The evolution was… both more and less than I was expecting. In terms of skill evolutions and upgrades, it was certainly more than anticipated, but my class is already unique. Instead of adding more tools to it, the evolution strengthened it all to insane heights. There is barely anything I am doing differently from the Adept class, yet I have already managed to put down a third-threshold monster mostly by myself. The difference is massive."

Perhaps revealing that detail wasn't wise, evident by their dropped jaws, but Lev wasn't used to mulling over words before speaking. Something he had to rectify, it seemed.

"So, ignoring wherever we decide to be stationed, do you guys have any other plans for the day?"

Jack shrugged, which was answer enough. Half an hour later, after they were done with the snacks Lev had brought out to chat leisurely, the team found themselves entering the hunters guild. Many glances were sent their way. Lev was an entirely new face and was of a rank that demanded respect, whereas the other three got encouraging looks. They were obviously coming there for the first time.

Ignoring everyone else, he went straight to the male receptionist.

"I would like to register our team." The clerk looked between him, a Master, and the three Classers nervously shuffling behind him. "Yes, they're my team."

"Do you guys have a team name?" he asked in a clear, ringing voice.

"Not yet," Lev answered, not needing the team's opinion for that one. "I would also like to apply for a Mythril badge."

The man's brows furrowed. "Please wait here, I will call someone with sufficient authority to handle this."

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Lev nodded and waved his team to the seating area at the corner of the hall. Their conversation was heard by many, yet nobody seemed to be interested in talking to them.

"Who's the guildmaster here, if you guys know?"

"Varun from Earthen Wardens," Jack answered. "My mentor."

"Oh. Can't we just go see him, then?"

"Let's not," Jack gave him a shaky smile. "He's a busy man."

Thank Monarch for my stupidity that made me treat Sherron like an older friend, Lev thought and dropped the topic. If I knew just what her status meant, I would've never gotten so close to her. Same for Alec.

A minute passed in silence after that before the clerk returned, a replacement having taken his place already.

"Apologies for the wait, sir. The guildmaster invites you to his office."

With a single nod, Lev stood up and moved up the stairs, his team following with uncertain steps. They were clearly not used to conversing with important people.

Knocking twice on the office's doors, he waited. They swung open after a heartbeat, wordlessly inviting them inside. Remembering not to come off as too obnoxious or arrogant, like he was used to presenting himself, Lev stepped inside and waited.

Varun scanned them for a second before leaning forward, a faint smile tugging on his lips.

"Have a seat," he voiced in a surprisingly normal voice, not matching his bulky stature. "Didn't think you would be setting out so quickly," he finished while looking at Jack.

"We're not. Lev just wanted us to register as a team before anything."

Varun's eyes turned to Lev, who returned the stare calmly. "Orianna's prodigy. A Master already? Not surprising, considering how much you kept worrying her."

A pang of regret shot down his spine, but he didn't let it show. "Monsters are rarely predictable. I just barely managed to survive several times."

"Indeed," Varun agreed, their staredown only rising in intensity. The guildmaster's aura suddenly enveloped the room, expertly sparing the three Classers from the worst of it while bearing down on Lev.

He didn't try to push back or try to flare his own. Instead, he raised his hands and looked at them. They were completely stable, not showing any signs of shaking or fear.

"Even Trailblazer's was way scarier," Lev quipped, knowing the man would appreciate it. He also remembered to Identify the guildmaster.

[Warrior - Level 483]

Hot damn, he blinked in surprise. He's so close to Exalted.

"Of course it is," Varun let out a hearty laugh as his aura vanished. "Becoming an Exalted means much more than just becoming stronger. They are… simply superior."

"That they are," Lev grinned, remembering all the times he had been subjected to their auras. Hakim's single move eclipsed them all, still.

"Let's get to the task at hand, then," Varun straightened. "You have been given the right to skip all promotion quests. Why not make use of them?"

"Already have till platinum. It doesn't feel right to do so again."

"A good attitude," he got a curt nod. "Have you decided on the quests?"

"No, I was hoping you could provide me with the most suitable ones."

"That still leaves a lot of options," he raised a brow and summoned three copper badges on the table, pushing them to Lev's team. "I'm assuming you want monster slaying quests?"

"Time is the main constraint," Lev answered while organizing his thoughts. "I don't want to spend too long on the quests, if possible."

Varun nodded in understanding. "Luckily for you, just patrolling the forest's edge counts for one of the three quests. Foraying a bit deeper inside while escorting a herbalist is a good second option, and you can simply deal with the next wave with high contribution for the last. I will count that as a quest for you in the interest of time."

Lev dipped his head gratefully. "When's the next wave?"

"Going by the predictions? Three weeks at the minimum."

Three weeks, which leaves enough time to be done with the initial training and the escort quest. Patrols can be done at night.

"I will take those three," Lev announced. "When does the patrol start?"

"Midnight. There is a strategist two rooms to the right, ask him about the routes before you go."

…

"Can I ask a question?" Lev began hesitantly. His team turned to him, curious and nervous at the sudden change.

"Depends," Varun smirked faintly. "Is it about when I plan to push for the evolution?"

Lev simply nodded.

"I suppose it will become public knowledge in time," Varun mused. "To answer the question, soon. Very soon."

"That's…" Lev frowned, "unfortunate timing."

"You would think so," the guildmaster pointed at him, adopting a more lecturing tone. "But we're the contingency plan. A backup if worse comes to worst."

"Wouldn't we be short on manpower, already?"

"No," Varun answered without missing a beat. "The explosive rise of population in the last two centuries has given birth to a lot of promising hunters. The Runic Warlord will also be leading the charge, and all the Exalted are constantly on the lookout for any monsters too dangerous for Masters. The whole operation has been underway for years already."

Drakys is in charge? That makes things more convenient for me, since he knows me quite well.

"I see. How long do you think it will last, and when does the guild plan to send out the first of us?"

"Maybe in a few months, maybe in a few years. Nothing concrete right now. As for how long it will last, that is even less certain. No one can estimate something so grand."

"One last thing," Lev asked. "Where will you push for Exalted, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The Pit."

****

Lev sent his team to wait in the hall while he procured the patrol routes from the strategist. He also didn't miss the shaken Kayla holding Jack's hand for support. It seemed they were quite 'close.'

Ten minutes later, he joined them at the table they were seated around. Conversation paused when he approached, so they stared at each other silently for a moment.

"We can either rent one of the training halls below," Lev suggested. "Or you guys can just go about your day. I'm fine with both."

Kayla was about to open her mouth quickly when Amelia glanced at her with a small frown. The healer's shoulders slumped slightly with a quiet sigh.

"Let's go to the training halls," she voiced, not nearly as dejected as Lev was expecting after that theatrical display. Jack nodded with a smile, used to their antics, it seemed.

Amelia turned to Lev with eager eyes, which dimmed significantly instantly. Lev was, after all, still a stranger to them. It stung slightly, but he supposed that made sense.

Some time later, a nervous runner was leading them to the most spacious room they could book. She often glanced behind, making sure the Master didn't take offense, or whatever was going on in her mind. Lev just gave her a reassuring smile each time, which visibly soothed her nerves.

Deep in the basement floor, she led them to one of the last rooms in a large corridor, housing numerous training halls. Opening the metal door rather easily, the runner stood to the side as they entered.

"The red rune here," she pointed at the obvious markings near the door on the inside, "is for turning off all the locks, whereas the blue one is for turning them on. They're divided into three sections for door lock, barrier lock, and mana concealment."

"Thank you," Lev said gently. "We will take it from here."

She gave him a deep bow before scurrying off. Lev let out an exasperated breath and turned to his teammates, who quickly masked their amusement. Their auras revealed it clearly, regardless.

"So," Lev walked up to the runes and activated all three of them. The door swung shut behind him as he considered his next steps. "What equipment do you guys prefer?"

"Um," Jack scratched his head. "We don't have any."

Lev was prepared for that, of course.

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