There were very few things capable of reducing an S-Rank Hunter to silence.
An Elder Dragon, perhaps.
A city-destroying Dungeon Break.
Possibly taxes.
Marcus Vale had experienced all three.
Yet somehow, none of them compared to watching an entire group of goblins kneel before an eighteen-year-old with a horn.
“I’ve decided,” Marcus announced after a long silence.
“I’m retiring.” “That’s a little dramatic.” “You made monsters bow to you.” “In my defense, I didn’t ask them to.” The goblins remained on one knee.
Aiden rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Can they stop doing that?” The Primordial Chimera answered immediately.
NO.
“Why?” THEY ARE SHOWING PROPER RESPECT.
“I don’t want proper respect.” THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.
The little girl behind him tugged on his sleeve.
“Mister Hero?” “I’m not a hero.” “Okay, Mister Horn.” “That’s somehow worse.” The child pointed toward the kneeling goblins.
“Can I pet one?” Marcus nearly had a heart attack.
“ABSOLUTELY NOT.” The goblin looked genuinely offended.
«WE ARE NOT PETS.» “Oh, now they can talk.” Marcus stared.
“They can talk?” “They can apparently do a lot of things.” The Dungeon Break was resolved shortly afterward.
Once the goblins realized their “king” had no interest in ruling them, they willingly returned to the Gate.
The last one paused before crossing the threshold and turned toward Aiden.
«WHEN THE TIME COMES, WE WILL ANSWER YOUR CALL.» “I don’t have a call.” «YOU WILL.» Then it disappeared.
Aiden decided not to think about that.
It was becoming an increasingly long list.
By sunset, he found himself back inside the Hunter Association’s headquarters for the second time in two days.
This time, however, the atmosphere was significantly different.
People stopped talking when he walked past.
Researchers stared.
Security guards visibly straightened.
One particularly nervous intern accidentally dropped an entire stack of papers.
“Why is everyone looking at me like that?” Marcus didn’t even glance in his direction.
“Because you are currently one of the most dangerous beings on the planet.” “That feels excessive.” “You made monsters worship you.” “There it is again.” The conference room was already occupied.
Sophia Evernight.
Theodore Ashbourne.
Three government officials.
And, somewhat alarmingly, a man wearing a military uniform covered in medals.
“Oh, good,” Aiden said.
“We’re involving the government now.
That’s always a positive development.” “It isn’t,” Marcus assured him.
The military officer stood.
“General Isaac Thorn.” “Aiden Cross.” “I know.” “Right.
Of course you do.” The meeting began immediately.
Sophia activated a holographic display depicting several images from the previous day.
The black Gate.
The Voidspawn.
His transformation.
The goblins kneeling.
Aiden suddenly understood why everyone looked concerned.
“When you put it together like that, it does seem a little suspicious.” “A little?” Marcus asked.
“Moderately?” General Thorn folded his arms.
“Mr.
Cross, do you consider yourself a threat to humanity?” Aiden thought about it.
“I once burned water trying to make instant noodles.” “That’s not an answer.” “I feel like it should count for something.” “It doesn’t.” The General’s expression remained unreadable.
“You possess abilities beyond our understanding.” “So does my landlord.” “This is serious.” “I’m aware.” For the first time since entering the room, Aiden’s smile faded slightly.
“I know how this looks.” No one responded.
“Yesterday, I found out an ancient monster has apparently claimed me as its vessel.
I grew a horn, fought a nightmare from another dimension, and accidentally started a cult among goblins.” Theodore failed to suppress a laugh.
“My life stopped making sense a while ago.” Silence.
Then, unexpectedly, Sophia spoke.
“He saved people.” Everyone turned toward her.
“He has repeatedly placed himself in danger to protect others.
Saint Aurora.
Sector Four.
Every decision he’s made has been to help someone.” General Thorn remained unconvinced.
“Intentions are irrelevant if he loses control.” Aiden couldn’t argue with that.
The possibility had crossed his mind more than once.
What if they were right?
What if one day he stopped being Aiden Cross?
The Primordial Chimera was silent for several moments.
Then— YOU WILL NOT.
That caught him off guard.
“What?” YOU ARE TOO STUBBORN.
“…Thank you?” IT WAS NOT A COMPLIMENT.
The discussion continued for another hour.
Containment protocols.
Risk assessments.
Psychological evaluations.
Apparently, there was an official procedure for dealing with potentially apocalyptic individuals.
Who knew?
Eventually, Theodore stood.
“I believe we’re asking the wrong question.” The room fell silent.
“The question isn’t whether the boy is dangerous.” He looked directly at Aiden.
“It’s whether he’ll face what’s coming alone.” Nobody spoke.
The old Hunter slowly approached the window overlooking New Haven.
“For forty years, humanity believed the Gates were random.” He paused.
“What if they weren’t?” Sophia’s expression changed immediately.
“Theodore…” “What if the Gates have always been searching for something?” The room suddenly felt much colder.
“And what if they finally found it?” Every eye in the room turned toward Aiden.
“Oh, I don’t like where this conversation is going.” Theodore smiled.
“Neither do I.” General Thorn broke the silence.
“If that’s true…” “Then this is only the beginning,” Sophia finished quietly.
An uncomfortable thought occurred to Aiden.
“So, hypothetically speaking—” “I dislike hypotheticals involving you.” “—if ancient monsters are looking for me, how bad is that?” Nobody answered.
That was somehow worse.
Later that evening, after several dozen forms and a surprisingly pleasant psychological evaluation, Aiden finally left the Association.
The city was quiet.
Normal.
Or at least pretending to be.
He stopped at a convenience store and bought instant noodles.
Some things, he had decided, should remain constant.
“You know,” he said while walking home, “I thought becoming classless was the worst thing that could happen.” YOU WERE WRONG.
“Very wrong.” A pause.
YOU ARE TAKING THIS SURPRISINGLY WELL.
He considered the question.
“No point worrying about things I can’t change.” A wise answer.
“Really?” NO.
“Oh.” YOU SHOULD BE PANICKING.
“That’s less helpful.” They walked in silence for several minutes.
Eventually, Aiden spoke again.
“Why me?” The question had been bothering him since the beginning.
Out of billions of people.
Why him?
The Primordial Chimera was quiet for so long that he thought it might not answer.
Then— WHEN I FIRST FOUND YOUR SOUL…
The ancient being’s voice was softer than usual.
…IT WAS BRIGHTER THAN THE STARS.
Aiden nearly tripped.
“What?” YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN STRANGE.
“I feel like we’re avoiding the important part.” YOU WOULD HAVE DIED FOR THOSE CHILDREN.
“Most people would.” NO.
The answer came immediately.
MOST WOULD HAVE HESITATED.
The creature fell silent again.
I HAVE WATCHED CIVILIZATIONS RISE AND FALL.
Kingdoms.
Empires.
Entire species.
Yet somehow, its next words carried more weight than anything it had said before.
AND IN ALL MY YEARS…
Aiden stopped walking.
…I HAVE NEVER MET SOMEONE WHO REMAINED KIND AFTER THE WORLD GAVE THEM NOTHING.
For once, he didn’t have a response.
The city lights reflected across the wet streets as he continued home in silence.
By the time he reached his apartment building, the Primordial Chimera had said nothing else.
Aiden stood outside for several moments before finally speaking.
“You know…” YES?
“You’re not what I expected.” The ancient being seemed amused.
NOR ARE YOU.
High above the world, beyond the stars and beyond the Gates, countless eyes slowly opened in the darkness.
They had all felt it.
The awakening.
The vessel.
The King.
And one by one, ancient entities began moving toward Earth.
For the first time in thousands of years, the game had changed.
Because the Chimera King had finally appeared.
He just didn’t know it yet.