Cain went still.
For a moment, he simply stared at the man.
"An SS-Tier Rift?"
The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow.
"You really don’t know anything, do you?"
Cain didn’t answer.
For a moment, he stared at the man, too shocked to respond.
The highest recorded rifts in history had been S-Tier, and even those were considered disasters capable of destroying entire cities if they weren’t contained quickly.
An SS-Tier Rift appearing in the middle of a city wasn’t simply a larger version of the same problem; it was something far worse, a catastrophe on a scale humanity had never encountered before.
"And it’s not just one," the shopkeeper continued. "There are six more around the world. Different countries are in the same situation."
He clicked his tongue.
"On top of that, lower-rank rifts are popping up like crazy. Breaks are happening almost daily now. Hunters can’t keep up."
Cain listened silently.
"The whole system’s falling behind," the man added. "More rifts. Fewer hunters are willing to take the risks. It’s a mess."
Cain took his food.
Wow... to think things had gotten this bad in the time I was gone.
"So what is the Guild Association doing about it?" Cain asked.
The shopkeeper let out a short breath before answering, his expression growing more serious.
"Well, the SS-rank rift obviously takes top priority. The country’s highest-ranking hunters have already formed a party and entered it to clear it."
Cain’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"By highest-ranking hunters, you mean...?"
"Leonard Wright, his son, the head of the Phoenix Guild, and basically every top-tier hunter you can think of," the man replied. "It’s a big deal. Everyone’s watching. Everyone’s hoping they succeed, because if that rift breaks...that’s the end. Not just for the city. For everything."
Cain felt a faint chill run down his spine.
Now it made sense why the old man from earlier had been so dismissive about calling emergency services. Compared to something like this, a random incident wasn’t even worth attention.
"Thank you for the information," Cain said, taking his food.
"Just stay alert. If you see a rift forming nearby, don’t hesitate—run. They can break at any time."
Cain gave a slight nod before turning away.
The Guild Association building wasn’t far.
As he approached, the atmosphere shifted.
People moved with urgency.
Hunters, staff, messengers—everyone seemed to be in motion, voices overlapping, footsteps quick, tension thick in the air. Some were heading out, others were returning, and a few stood gathered around terminals, reviewing new reports.
Even without asking, Cain could tell that more rifts had appeared recently, the urgency in the air making it obvious as he stepped inside and headed straight for the awakening counter.
"Hello..."
He barely got the word out before the receptionist responded.
"Would you like to register as a hunter?"
Cain paused for a fraction of a second, then nodded.
"...Yes."
"Then follow me. We’ll get your rank assessed."
Everything moved quickly after that—too quickly for him to properly take it in—because before he could even process what was happening, he found himself standing in front of an awakening stone.
This awakening stone was smaller and far simpler than the one used in the coliseum, which made sense given its purpose, as the one at the ceremony handled full awakenings and detailed ability scans, while this one existed purely to confirm rank, nothing more.
Cain stepped forward and placed his hand on the stone, and the moment its surface lit up, a faint tension crept into his chest, his heart rate picking up, because a part of him—one he hadn’t quite shaken off—still expected to see E-Rank staring back at him.
Even after everything he had been through on Ember Isle, even after the strength he had gained there, he didn’t pull away or hesitate, choosing instead to remain still and wait.
The glow slowly dimmed, the light fading from the surface until the attendant glanced at the result and then spoke in a calm, measured tone.
"You have awakened as a D-Rank Hunter."
Cain didn’t react immediately as the words settled in.
D-Rank.
The same result the system had already shown him, confirmed here without error or contradiction, and for a brief moment, he simply stood there, letting it sink in before exhaling quietly, the tension in his chest easing as a small, almost imperceptible sense of relief took its place.
A few minutes later, Cain found himself seated across from the receptionist as she processed his registration, her fingers already moving across the terminal with practiced speed as she asked, "What is your name, sir?"
"Ca—" he started, the answer coming out on instinct, but he caught himself mid-word, the thought forming just as quickly as he paused, then shifted slightly in his seat before asking instead, "Can I use an alias?"
"Of course," she replied without hesitation, her tone carrying no suspicion, only a faint sense of urgency that Cain couldn’t miss, though it made sense given the current situation, as the association clearly needed as many hunters as they could get and didn’t have the luxury of being strict about things like identity.
Cain gave a small nod, the decision settling easily now.
"Then... Apex."
She didn’t question it, didn’t even look up as she typed it in.
"Apex it is."
Within a minute, everything was done, far faster than Cain had expected, and before he could fully process it, he was handed two items—a hunter’s license and a phone.
The phone was standard issue, a direct line to the Guild Association, and through it he could access rift data, available missions, party listings, and general updates, making it an invaluable tool for someone in his position.
But his attention lingered elsewhere.
The license.
Cain looked down at the card in his hand, taking in every detail—the small image of his face, the name Apex printed neatly beneath it, his rank marked as D-tier, and the association’s emblem stamped cleanly at the corner, a shield crossed by a sword. It was simple in design, almost plain, yet there was something about it that made it feel official... real.
A faint smile formed on his face before he could stop it.
He had imagined this moment before—back when he was still at the academy, back when things were different, when the future hadn’t felt so uncertain. This wasn’t exactly how he had pictured it, not even close, but it was enough. More than enough.
With that, he pushed the thought aside and rose to his feet, ready to leave.
"Wait."
The receptionist’s voice stopped him mid-step.
Cain turned slightly, his expression neutral. "Yes?"
"Since you’re now registered... how soon would you like to enter a rift?"
There was no pause, no second thought.
"As soon as possible."
Her expression lit up slightly.
"Then I can assign you to a party immediately. There are several ongoing operations you can join, and you’ll be provided with starter equipment."
Cain blinked once, caught off guard by how easily everything was falling into place—the immediate access to a rift, the offer of equipment, the lack of resistance—because it was far smoother than anything he had expected. Still, that ease didn’t sit entirely right with him, and a slight frown formed as he looked at her.
"Can I ask something?"
"Of course."
"This isn’t how it usually works, right?"
She gave a small nod, her expression steady but carrying a hint of resignation. "You’re right. Under normal circumstances, new hunters go through orientation, basic assessments, and supervised assignments first."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"But we’re not in normal circumstances anymore. Rifts are appearing faster than we can manage, and we’re losing manpower. We need every capable hunter we can get."
Cain listened without interrupting, his expression steady as he took in her explanation, because none of it was new to him, thanks to his conversation with the shopkeeper.
Even if it made sense, sending inexperienced hunters into rifts would inevitably get people killed, and that much was obvious, but from the association’s perspective, there simply wasn’t another option left to consider.
He gave a slow nod. "I understand."
From his side, however, this situation worked in his favor, as it removed the usual delays and unnecessary restrictions, leaving him with a direct path into a rift.
Which was exactly what he needed.