Awakening

"Ughhh…"

Ash jolted awake, his head throbbing with pain.

It barely took him a moment to realize he lay in a bed, something he hadn't experienced in a long time.

He immediately went into fight or flight mode, scanning his surroundings for any sign of danger. His eyes scavenged the room, taking in the sparse furnishings and the sterile, clinical atmosphere.

'Am I in a hospital?'

Ash slowly sat up, unraveling the tangled sheets that clung to his body. He was slightly startled when he noticed bandages wrapped around the wounds he had acquired when he fought the Phantom.

'Oh, I remember seeing people… Did they bring me here?'

He tentatively touched the bandages, wincing slightly at the tenderness. It seems that someone had taken care of his injuries while he was unconscious.

A grimace of unease crossed his face.

He didn't like the fact that someone had gotten so close to him while he was vulnerable.

However, he didn't give it much thought as he slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, testing his weight on shaky legs.

Warily looking around, he noticed a small table nearby with a sword he had obtained from the 'Weapon Graveyard' resting on it. Grasping it tightly in his hand, he felt a little more secure and… terrified at the same time.

Ash had more or less understood that, currently, he was probably already in the Hunter Academy or at least one of its medical facilities.

To leave him a weapon within reach meant that they either were stupidly arrogant or simply didn't consider him a… threat. Of course, it was probably the latter.

A shiver ran down Ash's spine.

The thought of a being able to stop him before he could even do something with his weapon made him scowl.

Tap… Tap…

His frown even deepened as he heard the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Instinctively, he immediately hid behind the door, gripping the sword tighter in his hand.

Click…

After a few moments of tense silence , the door swung open slowly revealing a young woman dressed in a white lab coat, holding a clipboard in her hand.

As soon as she stepped into the room and glanced upon the empty bed, Ash began to move.

He lunged toward her, placing his hand firmly over her mouth to stifle any screams, while brandishing the sword threateningly in his other hand… At least that is what he had planned to do.

Before he could even take a step towards the woman, he found himself on the floor, pinned down by a sudden and overwhelming force.

He didn't even have time to react or defend himself.

His body trembled as he shifted his head to get a better view of the woman who had overpowered him so effortlessly. Two striking grey eyes stared back at him, laced with a speck of amusement and annoyance.

"I see that you're awake."

She blankly stated before releasing Ash from her hold and writing something down on her clipboard.

For a few very uncomfortable minutes, she kept glancing at Ash who was still trying to process what had just happened and scribbling something in her notes.

Then, she released a tired sigh and threw something akin to a round metal object towards him. Ash tried to catch it, but as soon as the object made contact with his hand, it became a liquid metal substance that wrapped around his wrist and solidified into something that seemed like a high-tech wristband.

Suddenly, a wave of information flooded Ash's mind, as if the wristband was directly interfacing with his thoughts.

It seems that it was another Guide.

"Aghh…"

Ash clenched his head in pain. It took everything in him to not let out a scream.

Gritting his teeth, he threw the woman a hateful glare that read 'warn me next time', however, she simply sighed in response, unfazed by his silent protest.

"Now that you have the Hunter Band, I will take my leave, welcome to the Hunter Academy, Ash. Oh, also vacate this room in the next few hours, you have your own, just follow the instructions in the watch to reach it."

She spoke plainly before leaving the room.

As the door closed behind her, Ash took a seat on the bed and let out a deep breath, trying to process the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded.

The first thing he did was sort out the information he received from the wristband.

Apparently, it was a device with an artificial intelligence that would assist him in his journey as a hunter. It could answer his questions, collect and display information and even measure his strength and quantify it for him to track his progress.

"So if I…"

Raising his hand, Ash pressed a button on the Hunter Band, activating its interface.

Whoosh…

A strange warm current passed through his body, making him flinch. Then a golden holographic display appeared in front of him.

⌜Hunter Band Menu⌝

» Status Interface: Access your current status and vital statistics.

» Phantom Arts: Access a list of your combat techniques.

» Academy Database: Access a vast collection of knowledge and information collected by the Hunter Academy. [ Limited ]

» Quest Log: Track and manage your assigned missions and tasks.

» Academy Shop: Purchase equipment, supplies, and upgrades using earned credits. [ Locked ]

» AI Assistance: Activate the artificial intelligence to assist with navigation, decision-making, and providing valuable information and advice.

⌞The End⌟