Lev shifted the folder in his arm. His smile was soft, refined, but the gleam in his eyes betrayed a mischief that did not match such gentleness.

“My, what a pity,” he sighed in mock lament. “I must deliver these to my team regardless.”

Uno’s frown carved deeper lines into his face as his gaze fell on the folder.

“Hand it over.”

Lev’s brows lifted, a spark of amusement flickering there. He surrendered the folder without hesitation, but his languid grace carried the weight of provocation like he was entertaining a child’s demand rather than yielding to authority.

Uno flipped through the papers, gave them a sharp flick, and paused when Lev’s name surfaced. His brow quivered, his gaze cutting back at him.

“Intelligence, huh? Doesn’t really suit you. Must be a clerical error.”

Lev’s lips curved, his head tilting just so, eyes glimmering with feigned innocence.

“Are you implying,” his voice smooth, teasing, “that the Hunter Association could be mistaken in its judgment? Mm…Surely you wouldn’t dare suggest such incompetence.”

“I’m saying Matthew probably pulled strings,” Uno replied bluntly. “You’re not fit for ‘Strength’. And ‘Intelligence’ doesn’t suit you either.”

Lev smiled. Instead of offense, there was delight dancing at the corners of his mouth.

“Then I owe my captain my deepest gratitude for his kindness. How generous of him, to place me anywhere at all.”

Uno narrowed his eyes, but Lev only smiled wider, as if feeding on the irritation he drew out of him.

In the end, Uno snapped the folder shut and thrust it back. “That’s why I’m going to train you.”

Lev’s chuckle this time was low, warm, and entirely too pleased. It slipped into the air like a secret meant only for Uno. “I haven’t agreed to your offer though?”

For a fleeting instant, Uno faltered, his breath catching before he hid it beneath a sharp turn of his head.

“You don’t have a choice.” Uno shot back, leaving no room for a rebuttal. Uno was not one to accept denial. “I’m coming with you. You just have to hand out the evaluation papers, right?”

In the days leading up to and following the hunter examination, it was a common sight to see the examinees frequenting the association’s training halls to hone their skills or attending lectures on the rudimentary aspects of weaponry and the dungeons themselves.

With more than a week to spare before the second phase, Uno saw an opportunity to sharpen Lev’s skills, to turn a jagged stone into a polished gem. When he had first witnessed Lev’s combat, he had dismissed him as a novice, a fledgling who had yet to grasp the ways of the world. A quiet disappointment had settled in his heart, for it seemed to only confirm his initial judgment of the man. Yet, in a flash as fleeting as a shooting star, a subtle ripple had occurred in the course of the fight. A ripple so small it could have been missed by any ordinary eye. But Uno, a man who saw the world in motion and strategy, had caught it. In that brief moment, he understood that Lev was not that weak. What remained a mystery was why Lev had gone so far as to trip over his own feet, deliberately casting the fight away.

Lev regarded him, his gaze amused, as if entertained by Uno’s stubbornness. His tone, however, was soft, resigned, almost indulgent. “…Very well.”

The two of them walked side by side down the corridor. The air, once filled with casual chatter and footsteps, seemed to ripple faintly with curiosity. One by one, gazes shifted toward them, specifically the man beside Lev.

It was an open secret that Uno shunned social interaction, reserving his company for only those within his guild or team. Even seasoned hunters found it a difficult task to draw near him. To see him in the company of an examinee was a sight that few had ever witnessed, for in all his years of attending the examinations, he had never once allowed another to draw so close. Uno had always been a man who detested the petty whispers of favoritism, yet this year, it seemed the path he chose was different.

Whispers began to circulate, the wind carrying the two most likely explanations for this strange occurrence. People were wont to believe it was due to Lev’s connection to the city mayor. His resemblance to the mayor’s daughter was so uncanny that only a fool would fail to notice a connection. Given the numerous news reports about Uno’s rumored engagement to the mayor’s daughter, many concluded that he was seeking to earn some political favor by getting close to a family member. However, there were also those among the examinees who believed Uno had simply been enchanted by Lev’s exquisite beauty. It was a notion not entirely out of the realm of possibility. Even some of the Hunter Association staff, who had first been awestruck by Lev, were of the same opinion. The young man could have been a celebrity, a star gracing a stage, but instead, he seemed adamant about becoming a hunter.

Yet, of the two rumors, the first carried greater weight. Between influence and appearances, people trusted the practical more than the fanciful. In hushed tones, most leaned toward the explanation of politics rather than infatuation.

Lev, for his part, walked with a serene smile, utterly unbothered by the whispers that prickled at their backs. Uno, silent as ever, betrayed not the faintest reaction. Their quietude only magnified the tension in the corridor.

The hushed stillness of their journey continued even as they arrived at the room where Team Emerald was located. A sudden hush fell over the room, and all idle chatter ceased as the two came.

Lev, with the folder in hand, stepped into the room and began distributing the evaluation papers. Uno, however, remained by the door frame, his form a silent, imposing shadow. His expression was a study in cold concentration, completely oblivious to the sudden, palpable tension he had cast over the room.

Aris and Juho, unable to bear the tension, hurried toward Lev the moment they received their sheets.

“Why is Uno here?” they asked in low voices, as if afraid he might hear. “Did the Association replace our captain overnight?”

Lev smiled faintly, his tone light, almost teasing. “No, nothing of the sort. He simply insisted on accompanying me.”

At this, their jaws slackened in disbelief. Their eyes darted to Uno, who stood at ease but seemed to cast a shadow large enough to swallow the room whole. Lev only shrugged, as though it were of no consequence.

While Lev busied himself with explanations and quiet words to his teammates, several bolder examinees seized the chance to approach Uno.

Sandro was the first. Chin tilted upward, steps deliberately steady, he walked with the air of one who believed himself already among the chosen few.

“Captain,” he greeted, feigning familiarity. “It’s surprising to see you here.”

Uno gave him no reply. His eyes never moved, still following Lev’s figure as though no one else existed.

Sandro, however, was not one to be deterred. He had long understood that in the hunter world, Uno’s recognition was the ultimate proof of one’s potential. He was, after all, the world’s number one hunter. Such a rare opportunity to speak with him could not be wasted. Though he came from an affluent family, even he found it nearly impossible to arrange a meeting with the legendary hunter.

“I hope to have a chance to spar with you one of these days,” Sandro said, his tone overly familiar.

Uno’s eyes shifted, cutting to Sandro with a chilling incredulity. “You can ask your designated captain about that.” He then returned his focus to Lev, who was now engaged in conversation with two other examinees.

Sandro’s jaw clenched, a subtle clenching of defeat. He had never been a fan of Uno, and his pride, now wounded, only fueled his ambition. He swore that the day he passed the examination, he would do whatever it took to surpass Uno and wipe that arrogant look from his face.

“It’s still different if it’s you, Captain,” Sandro persisted, a forced smile on his face. “How about after the second phase?”

Uno’s voice was as cold as a winter wind. “I do not believe you are at the level to casually make such a request. The second phase has yet to come. Many things could happen. Do not overestimate yourself.” With that, Uno’s silence became an impenetrable wall, shutting out all others who dared to approach him.

Humiliated, Sandro clenched his fist and returned to his seat. His pride had been instantly shattered. When his eyes fell on Lev, resentment flared anew. Especially when Lev, crossing the room, brushed him with a glance that seemed almost amused before moving on toward Uno.

Sandro’s fists curled at his sides. His hatred found new fuel. Lev was an obstacle, and one day, he promised himself, he would remove him.

Seething, he leaned toward Geon-u, who sat quietly with his evaluation paper in hand.

“Come to my house later,” Sandro ordered through clenched teeth, not even sparing him a look.

Geon-u’s lips trembled as he bit down hard to keep silent. He dreaded the invitation. Even before they had applied for the hunter examination, Geon-u had been Sandro’s personal punching bag whenever the other man was in a foul mood.

Geon-u had hoped that by applying for the examination, he would grow stronger and finally be free. But as soon as he learned Sandro was joining, his hope turned to dust. When he tried to withdraw his application, Sandro stopped him, claiming he needed a ‘chaperone’. The second time he tried to withdraw, it was Lev who encouraged him to persevere.

He lowered his head, bitterness churning in his chest. If only he had been born stronger or richer. Anything but what he was. In this world, the wealthy consumed the poor. And he was the living proof of it. He had long wished to be free.

Meanwhile, Lev looked at Uno, meeting his gaze as he finally approached him. Uno straightened from the doorframe and turned, striding toward the warehouse.

“Let’s go.” Uno turned on his heel and walked toward the warehouse, his form rigid.

Silence fell between them once again, taut and unbroken. Neither sought to disturb it, as though the first to speak would surrender something unspoken. Their steps echoed side by side, the quiet stretched so fine it was almost a contest in itself.

Upon reaching their destination, a familiar woman, whom Lev had once seen on his first day, greeted them with a polite nod. They walked past the towering rows of storage cabinets, a vast labyrinth of metal and shadow that Lev had seen before but never truly explored. When they reached the end of the aisle, they were met by a plain door marked ‘Staff Only’, the very same door Lev had noticed before.

Lev finally spoke. “This seems like forbidden ground.”

“I’m with you, so it’s fine.” Uno’s answer was blunt, pared down to its simplest truth.

Lev arched a brow, a smile flickering across his lips, yet he did not press further.

Uno drew out his ID card and pressed it to the biometric scanner. A blue light slid over it, followed by a crisp chime.

Person identified. Hunter Uno. ID number HNTR00001113. You may enter.

The door slid open with a hiss. It did not reveal a large room as Lev expected, but a narrow, secret corridor stretched out before them. Its teal walls seemed to swallow both sound and space, and overhead, pulsing neon arches cast a strange, ethereal light in shades of green and blue. The light clung to the walls, shimmering faintly on the tiled floor, creating an otherworldly glow.

Uno entered first, his silhouette a dark, familiar shape against the vibrant luminescence, and Lev followed him in silence. Each step forward drew the eye deeper, as if the lights themselves were pulling them into a hidden world. The air thrummed with a quiet hum of electricity, sharp yet strangely inviting.

Uno turned right, and Lev followed suit. An elevator stood there, its surface sleek and unadorned. Uno faced a scanner, and a green line of light swept over him before he placed his thumb on the biometric sensor. The elevator doors parted on their own as his identity was confirmed. Inside, the ride was fast, the digital floor indicator a blur as it ascended. The warehouse was far larger than Lev had ever imagined.

They finally entered a vast, silent chamber. A wave of amusement washed over Lev. He was standing on the brink of discovering one of the hunter world’s greatest secrets, and it was Uno of all people who was showing him the way. He swallowed a grin.

The air inside the chamber was cold, sharp with the metallic tang of machines in constant motion. Silence pressed against the walls, broken only by the steady hum of energy flowing through the conduits above. On either side of the aisle, tall glass pods glowed with an eerie blue light, their interiors holding figures suspended in a ghostly stasis. Their bodies seemed half-formed, flickering with faint pulses of light, as though caught between flesh and code.

They moved on, entering yet another room.

“Wear this.” Uno handed him a gray bunny suit and faceshield

Lev held the strange suit, a playful note in his voice. “Would it not be more fitting for you to bring a trusted subordinate, perchance your vice captain, into such a place?”

“He’s not allowed in here. Not a chance.” Uno said, his tone serious and his gaze fixed on some point in the distance.

“And yet, you would lead me here?” Lev asked, his tone still light and teasing.

A long pause hung in the air before Uno finally replied. “Part of your training.” The words were dismissive, yet the pause before them betrayed a faint shift, as if he had been caught.

A smirk played on Lev’s lips. He said nothing more and simply donned the suit Uno had given him. Uno, who had already put on his own lab gear, walked toward Lev and scanned him from head to toe. Seeing that Lev’s face shield was slightly crooked, he reached out and gently adjusted it.

“Follow me.”