(Eight hours later)

  The pain persisted, despite being numbed by sorcery techniques. I literally couldn't move an inch.

  After the mission, Gabrielle and I were sent to a medical clinic to receive first aid. We were told that by tomorrow morning, we would be at one hundred percent with no visible marks.

  She received tons of bruises and a broken rib... however when they saw me in my state. A nurse fainted from my condition alone.

  I'm thankful to Ren for putting that resistance onto me and technically having Lezian durability merge into me. Otherwise, I would be dead.

  To my left Gabrielle was eating her pudding like a wild animal, "I see you are already better." I said playful after finishing my pudding.

  She turned to face me, her mouth smeared with chocolate. She said, "Hell yeah, but I was worried about you. For a second I thought you were going to leave us on our first mission. I must admit that you are crazy to jump in front of a beam like that." She licked the chocolate from her lips.

  "I looked at it logically, if it can move at an insane level of speed. What's stopping it from moving forward and killing you both. But I must ask, what do you call your ability? I never imagined a soccer ball being utilized as a weapon." I respond playfully.

  "It's called the Utility Player and that is my Hunter Technique. I can switch between three different soccer positions, each with its unique enhancements. My soccer ball stores the energy I need after fulfilling each requirement. You witnessed what occurred when I kicked the ball, it transformed into a high-speed bullet that can destroy almost anything." she explained.

  So, my understanding is that each hunter has a unique ability only they can use, "Does Ren have his own?" I asked

  "No, not every hunter is born with their own special technique. So, they have to rely on sorcery techniques for survival. That's why I need to protect him." She responded.

  "Why's that?" I respond.

  I noticed a coy smile on her face as she looked down, "Why would you want to know?" She said looking extra bashful.

  The door to our room swung open, and in came Ren carrying a tray with two bowls of oats, "Guys, I'm glad you're both alright, but you need to hear what's happening." he said, as he handed each of us a bowl.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  "From what I have heard, there has been a leak from the Hunter database. This leak includes a list of hunters: names, hunter abilities, ranks, sorcery techniques, and family information. Over one hundred hunters' information has been leaked." he said.

  "But how?" I asked.

  "Rouge hunters." The one who answered me was the real Gun-wo who was sitting opposite me reading a book.

  All three of us were surprised when we noticed him, "HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET HERE?" Shouted Gabrielle.

  Gun-wo stroked his beard, "Trust me, you wouldn't want to know. As for the leaks, I believe we have a snake in our ranks, someone who's been teaching our techniques to rogue hunters, especially those not on our radar. That explains the person with you was able to sneak in with no issue." he said, his expression turning serious.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  "That doesn't excuse the fact that our information was leaked and an imposter was with us. How was that able to happen?" Said Gabrielle.

  "In terms of security, we never took it too seriously because we never had a situation like this. The hunter must have had months of preparation to locate the data room, damage the numbers of the C-rank hunter team, and steal information without drawing any attention. So tomorrow, Lady Kyorin will address the three surviving teams of the C-rank division who were sent out on a mission this morning." He said.

  So a security issue and a snake were responsible for this, "I would like to know what happened to other teams?" I asked.

  Gun-wo took a deep breath before saying, "Fifteen teams were sent out. Each with three teammates and one supervisor. Team White Hawk, Blue Dragon, and Red Lion were the only team that survived. I don't need to explain what happened next."

  Nine out of forty-five is a massive drop. Whoever did this had more than a few people, "Operations like this can only be done with an organization." I responded.

  "Is that even likely?" Asked Ren.

  "Well yeah, put into consideration that this was a massive operation that needed months of planning. A few people wouldn't be able to pull this off, but if it was more than half of the people here in this sanctuary alone. I see it happening." I replied.

  "If that's true, then if you combine the fact that they have rogue hunters outside of the sanctuary. We could be facing a potential war." Replied Gabrielle.

  "I understand, but why? The elders are the most powerful beings in existence, and you have S-rank hunters who are right behind them in terms of power. To go against them, you must be on their level," said Ren.

  Gun-wo sipped on a cup of coffee even though he never left the room, "You not looking at the bigger picture. What if, somebody who was an elder was doing this. What can we as hunters do about that?" He said.

  I was the only one who was confused regarding the elder's strength, "Are they that powerful?" I asked.

  Ren nodded, "Yes, there are four elders, and each possesses powers that can make them gods of their own rights. Kyorin is the fastest hunter, Wyatt is the most powerful hunter in terms of raw strength, Clement is the most powerful sorcerer, and Rene is the most intelligent hunter. From what sir is implying, any one of them could betray us and we wouldn't be able to do anything." he explain.

  Kyorin isn't shy about showing off her speed. I believe she knows that no one will be able to match her. If she were to do something, how would we be able to stop her?

  We all stayed in silence after the news.

  I choose the wrong time to become a hunter.

  "I need to know. What's your motivation for becoming a hunter? I'm aware that Xavier was given the choice between dying or hunting, but I want to know what you all are hoping to achieve." Asked Gun-wo.

  Gabrielle after finishing her oats and placing them beside her, "My parents were hunters and were well respected because of their talents. However, given my abilities, I wasn't the favorite among my sisters. So as a middle finger to them, I'm going become an S-rank with my useless technique." Said Gabrielle which Gun-wo smiled at then shifted his sight to Ren.

  Following up, Ren nervously rubbed his head and said, "I just want to be strong for a girl I like. My goal is to improve myself until I have the confidence to confess to her." Gabrielle quietly giggled when he was done speaking.

  Ren teleported to her side. "What's so funny?" he asked, visibly annoyed.

  "Aww, here I thought you couldn't get more pathetic, but I guess—" Gabrielle attempted to playfully mock him, but stopped talking when she saw tears swelling up in his eyes.

  "You're right, I'm pathetic. I can't fight, and I'm not smart or brave enough. You guys took on the dollboy together, while I just stood by watching. Since the academy, I never broke out of that shell...which made people call me the weakest graduate. I want to prove myself and become useful, not just for her but for myself." he said looking down.

  Gabrielle gently rubbed his back and said, "Sorry." Her voice sounded genuine.

  I cleared my throat to clear the tension, "I want to understand my purpose in this cruel and crazy world. There was a reason life put me on this path, and I want to understand why." I responded.

  Gun-wo clapped his hands with a neat smile, "I see. Well then, after your talk with Kyorin tomorrow, I would like to help you all develop your skills. We need to prepare for whatever is coming, so I trust your support." His voice sounded so excited that it was reassuring.

  The three of us showed a thumbs-up.

  "Excellent, we have a busy day tomorrow so take it easy. You all deserve it." With a flick of his fingers, he vanished.