Gathering (3)

Chapter 16 – Gathering (3)

Geoffrey Gretzmann, Penelope Mantouz and Cherry Blossomine were the first three of the Hunter Trainees to step forward for their Skill Exhibition and Assessment.

Quite luckily for the three teenagers, they all elicited a response from the Appraisal Tablet, turning it from light brown to grey.

Seeing how tensed up Geoffrey had been, simply from being the first of the recruits to be appraised, caused a chuckle to escape my lips.

Many more had gone after them and a few failed to cause any reactions to the Appraisal Tablet. With that came intense worry that was visible on their faces.

In the few encounters that we'd had with Instructor German, a couple of things about him were already clear to us.

One of those things was that he was easygoing but he never bluffed. If German says something, then he means it and will see it through.

Loud gulps occurred each time a Trainee failed to turn the Tablet to grey and beads of sweat appeared generously on their faces as they struck eyes with German, who kept his intimidating gaze on them as well.

They knew what was coming.

I stood where I was, amid Bright, Casandra and Seraphina, watching each and every recruit that had passed through the Assessment.

After channelling one's Essence into the Appraisal Tablet, the result determined what would happen next. Those who didn't cause any change were asked to return to the line and those that did had to step up a bit more and inform the Instructors of the Skill they had awakened.

…And where possible, a demonstration.

This was where I paid the most attention, watching and keenly observing those whose Skills were demonstrable.

"Terence Kenton," Eric's voice resonated throughout the hall.

"Claudia Emberton."

"Theo Ferron."

The next three stepped forward.

Seeing the blond prodigy of the Kenton Family climb up that stage, I felt a sting in my heart…a malicious one.

It pained me also that I couldn't do anything to address it other than continue staring at him.

As expected, the Appraisal Tablet turned grey with Terence's touch and after that, he moved over to the station.

"Tell us about your skill," the Instructor in charge of this particular station inquired.

Terence looked at him for a few seconds and said nothing.

I watched closely as Terence's gaze shifted from the Instructor to another recruit who had been appraised not long ago.

This same scenario had played out in the past and like then, I still didn't get why he looked at that green-haired boy like that.

Over the period that I worked with Terence in my past existence, I got to learn that he was a diversely skilled Hunter.

He was the most versatile Hunter that I got to tag with.

However, and unfortunately also, I never figured out what his true Skill was.

Back then, I had my speculations of what it could possibly be. I strongly believed that his Skill was similar to mine and perhaps, with different rules guiding it.

'I have to find out his Skill before it's too late,' I thought with grit.

Tracing Terence's gaze, I caught sight of the green-haired boy as well.

Terence's lips instantly changed from a straight-faced lip to a sincere smile.

What a fucking pretender!

What a snake!

He smiled and looked at the Instructor and then back at the green-haired recruit.

"Sorry," he started with an apology. "I've not really mastered the rules that guide it but my Skill is similar to his."

Terence raised his hand and pointed a finger at the boy.

The Instructor turned toward the green-haired boy with the gaze of the official making the boy flustered in an instant.

"Hmm. Like Reid's," he said.

Terence bobbed his head in agreement and smiled again.

'So a Buffing Skill then,' the Instructor thought as he updated Terence's profile on his tablet with this new piece of information.

"Can you demonstrate?"

Terence chuckled nervously.

Seeing how pretentious that little brat was even as young as we are now made me mad.

I was half a hair's breadth too close to bursting an aneurysm.

Terence shook his head in defiance. "Not really. At least not with someone that I have not recognized as a friend or an ally."

The Instructor glanced at the blond boy before him and then at his tablet, inputting more data.

"I see. You can return to the line then."

Fucking bastard!

'How could they not have noticed that he is lying?'

I could smell it from where I was that Terence was lying but they didn't notice.

On the bright side, it meant that I could succeed with my own plans as I had also intended to hoard my true Skill. After all, my rightfulness in the past was what made me a target for the Kenton brat.

Never again!

As Terence climbed down the stairs of the stage, I narrowed my eyes as I watched him take every step until he got back to his previous standing spot.

'What are you planning, you bastard?'

I looked at the green-haired boy as thoroughly as both distance and angle could afford me but I couldn't recall any tangible piece of information about him in my head.

I do remember Terence doing a similar thing today just as he did then but that was where my memories of this recruit ended.

I didn't even know his name.

Was this going to be a problem?

That I didn't know but I was going to play it safe.

Terence locking his eyes on him was like a predator locking in on prey and patiently trailing them.

If Terence had developed even the slightest interest in this kid, then he was in trouble.

Big trouble!

And if Terence has already gone bananas at this point…

Then I'm not taking any chances.

I watched Claudia step forward for her appraisal.

There was no waste of time and her Skill was almost like everyone expected it to be and whether I had prior knowledge of it, it was kind of obvious.

She was an Emberton after all, a family very popular for their fire-based Skills.

"Can we get a demonstration?"

Claudia smiled, her happiness had come from a place of the arrogance of someone born gifted.

She turned toward us and struck a pose.

Claudia then took three deep breaths

'Here it comes,' I thought as I focused keenly on her every movement and mannerisms.

The Emberton clapped her hands loudly and from in-between her palms, a small ball of flames appeared.

She continued to focus on this ball of fire that grew to the size of a tennis ball and suddenly dispersed into thin air.

"Not bad," the Instructor commended her, his praise massaging her ego as she turned to us and winked.

Meanwhile, from where I stood, I was immensely overjoyed.

Overjoyed that the restriction that was placed on me in my past life did not keep me bound this time around.

Terence made certain to limit the usage of my Skill under the guise of protecting our guild members but now, I know better.

Without such a restriction, I am at all liberties to become the very thing that destroys him.

As I basked in my thoughts, a row of golden texts appeared before my eyes.

Bzzt~!!

[You have acquired a new skill]

[Skill: Hot as Hell]

Right there and then, Claudia's skill had also become mine.