The receptionist called in an equipment staff member, who then led Cain into a wide storage room lined with metal racks and reinforced shelves, each one carefully arranged with weapons, armor pieces, and utility items.
The moment Cain stepped inside, he could already tell none of what was inside was high-grade.
Nothing in the room stood out as special.
Everything looked mass-produced, practical, and worn from repeated use.
The kind of gear designed to keep a hunter alive, not to make them stand out.
Of course, that made sense.
The Guild Association wasn’t going to hand out high-level equipment to low-tier hunters.
Most high-ranking weapons were either owned by top guilds, assigned to elite hunters, or tightly controlled by the association itself.
Giving something like that to a low-tier hunter wasn’t just wasteful—it was risky.
If the hunter died, which was common at that level, the equipment would be lost, stolen, or end up in the wrong hands.
There was also the issue of compatibility.
Stronger weapons required control, experience, and a sufficient level of mana to handle properly. In the hands of someone inexperienced, they were inefficient at best and dangerous at worst.
High-level gear wasn’t easy to come by either.
Even the association had to spend heavily to acquire it, and guilds often paid enormous sums when they wanted exclusive access.
So there was no reason for them to hand it out freely.
Cain understood that.
He couldn’t complain, especially when even low-rank equipment came at the cost of someone else risking their life to retrieve it.
Being allowed to choose from it at all was already generous.
"You can pick any three items or weapons you want," the equipment staff member said from the side.
He was dressed in a fitted suit, his posture straight and composed, his gaze steady on Cain—not openly suspicious, but attentive enough to make it clear he was watching.
Cain felt the weight of that gaze but ignored it, turning his attention to the racks instead.
First, he needed a weapon.
When he had returned, the only thing that came back with him was his outfit. The basic armament the system had provided during the trial hadn’t followed him.
Maybe it would return once Phase Two began.
Or maybe not.
Either way, he needed something now, preferably a blade similar to what he had used before.
He reached for a sword, and the moment his fingers closed around the hilt, a system screen flickered into view.
Reinforced Iron Sword (Basic)
A simple, straight-edged sword forged from treated iron, offering improved sharpness and structural integrity, capable of cutting through the hide of low-tier creatures with moderate efficiency.
Cain paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.
So the system descriptions worked on external items too.
That alone was significant.
In the hunter world, item information was rarely precise.
Most knowledge came from trial and error, secondhand reports, or incomplete records stored in guild databases.
Even then, the details were often inconsistent.
Two hunters could use the same weapon and come away with completely different conclusions.
But this...
This removed that uncertainty.
With exact descriptions available instantly, he could understand what a piece of equipment did without testing it blindly, avoid wasting time on unreliable gear, and make faster, more accurate decisions in both preparation and combat.
More importantly, he wouldn’t have to risk his life figuring things out the hard way.
Cain turned the sword in his hand, testing its weight before giving it a slow, controlled swing.
Then he pushed a small amount of power into it.
Not much, just enough to feel how it reacted.
The blade vibrated faintly, a subtle strain running along its edge.
Cain stopped immediately.
Any more, and it would start to crack.
He exhaled and lowered the weapon, his gaze sharpening as he assessed it.
It wasn’t bad.
But it wasn’t as durable as the one he had used in the trial.
And judging by the rest of the rack... most of them wouldn’t be any different.
Still, he continued searching.
After going through the stock carefully, six pieces stood out.
A helmet designed for durability.
Reinforced Combat Helmet (Basic)
A standard-issue helmet forged from layered alloy plating, designed to distribute impact across its surface rather than absorb it at a single point. It doesn’t make the wearer invulnerable, but it significantly reduces blunt force damage and prevents fatal injuries from low-tier strikes that would otherwise crack bone.
An amulet that increased mana, though it was damaged.
Cracked Mana Amulet (Standard, Damaged)
A small, worn amulet embedded with a fractured mana core, faintly glowing beneath its cracked surface. Despite the damage, it passively increases the wearer’s mana capacity, though the output is unstable and may fluctuate under strain. It remains usable, but prolonged use may worsen the damage.
An axe that reinforces physical strength.
Strength-Bound Axe (Basic)
A heavy, single-edged axe with a dense core that subtly enhances the wielder’s physical strength while held. The effect is moderate but noticeable, allowing each swing to carry more weight and break through resistance more effectively.
A staff designed for mana control and amplification.
Mana Channeling Staff (Basic)
A long staff fitted with a mana-conductive core that stabilizes energy flow during casting. It allows even inexperienced users to channel mana more efficiently, reducing waste while improving control and output.
A pair of boots built for short bursts of speed.
Burst-Step Boots (Basic)
Lightweight boots reinforced with reactive enchantments that activate under sudden movement. For a brief moment, they enhance the wearer’s speed, allowing rapid repositioning or short bursts of acceleration. The effect is limited and requires a brief recovery period before activating again.
And finally...
A storage ring.
Cain’s gaze lingered on it for a moment.
Storage rings, even the lowest-grade ones, weren’t standard issue.
They were classified as support-type equipment. Practical, valuable, and usually reserved for established hunters or those who had already proven their worth. Most beginners carried their gear manually, either in packs or strapped to their bodies.
Which made this...
Strange.
To find one sitting here, available for selection, without restriction.
Cain narrowed his eyes slightly as he picked it up
Were they giving something like this out for free?