It took a suspiciously long time for Daniel and Sabrina to return. Lev had been left alone after a few minutes of conversation when he started to reply with nods or two-word answers.

  He only had so much social energy.

  Many of the participants started to leave despite the planned party. By the time Daniel and Sabrina returned after nearly an hour, only about half the hunters were left waiting.

  "Follow me," Daniel said. Lev acquiesced, wondering why he was called before everyone else.

  "Is something wrong?"

  "Nope, just need you to settle the expenses first to finish the booking."

  Ah yes, of course. Money.

  Their brisk march continued until they reached the main branch of GB. Lev immediately became a little self-conscious about his simple attire but nobody seemed to care. He was clean, and that was all that apparently mattered.

  Entering the grand establishment, Daniel led him straight past the receptionist into one of the offices in the corner.

  "Mr. Daniel," the official woman behind a large, dark brown desk greeted. She seemed to be in her thirties and gazed at them with relaxed eyes and an easygoing expression. "Please, have a seat."

  "Thank you," Lev took the chair on the right and looked around. The office was modest yet richly decorated. To his right, several paintings depicted the previous managers of golden basilisk. Other than the one before the current manager, all of them had lived in the era of the Empyrean Empire.

  "That was an impressive showing, hunter Lev," the woman smiled. "My name's Coco Osaka. I only returned from the arena two days ago."

  Why do none of my titles prepare me for this, Lev lamented and prepared himself.

  "It was quite enjoyable for me as well."

  I think that sounds normal?

  Coco giggled lightly with a hand covering her mouth. "I'd imagine so. Let's get down to business, shall we? What kind of meals and services are you looking for?"

  "I'll have to be blunt for this one," Lev interjected before she could start a sales pitch. "How much would it cost me for your best meals and beverages?"

  "The best?" Coco echoed, looking for confirmation.

  "Nothing kingly, of course."

  "For the best of our normal menu, it depends on how many people are attending."

  Lev looked at Daniel, who was lost in thought. "Over half have left already, so we can safely say 165 of them will attend at most even if some return."

  Coco tapped the table with her fingers and slowly spoke. "For a full course meal and beverages, the expenses can reach up to ten gold coins."

  Huh, that is pretty cheap.

  "How many main dishes will be included in the course?"

  "One, like usual."

  Lev tilted his head a little. "Is it possible to make that two?"

  She narrowed her eyes. "That is not standard."

  "I am willing to pay extra."

  Silence met the casual comment before Coco spoke again. "What would be the second dish?"

  "I'll leave that up to you," Lev grinned. "What will the cost come up to now?"

  "Fifteen gold is the safe estimate, though it will likely cost considerably less. Organization and beverages are the main expenses, you see."

  Lev nodded and summoned fifteen gold coins. They clattered onto the table under Coco's pleased eyes.

  "That makes things easier. Since one of our halls was free today because of the busy upcoming days, the timing will be from sunset to midnight. Is that alright by you?"

  "Yep," Lev replied cheerily, happy that things went so smoothly. "Even if there's still an hour left, is it fine if everyone arrives right now?"

  "It will not be an issue."

  "Then I'll be off now," Lev got up and dipped his head slightly. Coco watched him with a slight smile, perhaps understanding that he was not a fan of the admiration she was holding back.

  "Good luck in the upcoming matches, hunter Lev."

  Lev graced her with a smile before leaving.

  ****

  Nina whistled as she took in the hall Lev had booked. It was huge, much larger than Lev himself was expecting.

  Four long tables had been arranged in the middle, and the staff was already done with decorations. Comfortable dark brown chairs, matching the table's colors, were quickly being filled as the hunters streamed in.

  "Didn't think I'd be attending something this big," Nina commented, impressed. "You sure you can afford this?"

  Lev nodded, distracted by the grandiose hall and the majestic chandelier hanging above them.

  Ten minutes later, everyone was merrily chatting away when the food arrived. More than a few eyes bulged when they noticed the sheer amounts of carts being pulled along by the staff.

  Elias stood up right before they started eating, holding back a shit-eating grin.

  "I don't think there's a need to remind everyone just how unique the monster hunt was," he began, gaze roaming everyone present. "Not only have we scored the most points in any of the tournaments so far, but our top contender has completely blown all previous records out of the park!"

  I don't like where this is going, Lev thought, eyes narrowed.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  "It's only fair to give him a chance to speak his mind," Elias' voice boomed throughout the hall. "Please give Lev a warm round of applause."

  It's okay, Lev took a deep breath. I faced the core guardian and the chaoswalker. How hard can this be?

  Not forgetting to level a scathing glare at Elias, who just shrugged it off with a big grin, Lev faced the present company.

  Over a hundred pairs of eyes tracked his movements as he stood up. Lev's breath was caught in his throat as his knees wobbled for an instant, but he didn't allow himself to falter.

  Stage fright had always been one of Lev's greatest fears. He could go clear platinum dungeons by himself with a big smile on his face, yet facing all these hunters felt far more challenging.

  "Before I say anything," Lev turned to Elias. "We will meet in the arena, and you best bet I'll remember this."

  Chuckles and cheers resounded in the hall as Elias shook his head. He knew perfectly well what he had done, and it wasn't entirely for the sake of fun. Lev's solitary nature was obvious to Elias and his team. Lev wouldn't put it past them to give him opportunities to get more comfortable with crowds.

  With a deep breath, Lev slowly spoke. "I am not sure what I'm even supposed to say here, so bear with me. Young as I am, this is the first time I have needed to give an impromptu speech.

  "Well, speech is perhaps stretching it," Lev grinned, regaining some confidence. "Elias wanted me to speak my mind, so that is what I will do. Just like the Monster Hunt, I plan on winning the Solo Combat, and do my best in Team Combat as a solo hunter as well.

  "That's about it… I guess I should throw out some cocky words too, huh? If the Galvanic Sniper is to be believed, the tournament is as good as won for me. Hopefully, one of you will be able to change that."

  Silence met his proclamation and more importantly, the name drop, before someone giggled. It was Nina, and seeing her laugh like that almost destroyed Lev's self-esteem all over again.

  "… Regardless, there are many things I want to say, but only so many that can be put into words. It wouldn't be wrong to say that some of humanity's finest hunters are present in this hall in front of me. Being here, and celebrating with you all, it is like taking the first crucial step on the long road of my goals and dreams.

  "It is my hope that, as I traverse on this difficult path even further, you guys will be there. Whether to support me, fight side by side with me, or just cheering for me from afar, I would love to have you all with me as we conquer the nightmares of Monarch, one step at a time."

  Lev raised his glass of juice, one specifically ordered to not contain any alcoholic substances.

  "Towards a brighter future."

  For a long, nerve-wracking instant, he expected to be left by himself. That moment passed quickly, and more than a hundred glasses of wine rose into the air.

  "Towards a brighter future!"

  ****

  The 'speech' had taken an odd turn by the end. Lev wasn't the type to look for support or shoulders to lean on. That burst of motivation had come from nowhere, making him say things that he normally never would.

  All in all, it was a good outcome. Lev wouldn't ever let himself become complacent and overly rely on others, but more connections wouldn't hurt. Even if they were fleeting at the moment, he didn't doubt that many of the participants would be interested in working with him after he proved himself in the solos.

  Two days passed in peace. Lev didn't grind out levels or work on his skills. He simply stayed in Kamala's Resort and meditated.

  Much of his worldview was shifting rather rapidly. Time was passing abhorrently quickly, and his extreme strength was starting to become obvious when compared to so many others.

  It took some time to come to terms with those facts. The weight of his ambitions and indirect responsibilities continued to settle firmly on his shoulders. It might have been too much if they had been tossed on his head abruptly, but Lev had been preparing his mental state for a long time now.

  As it stood, these burdens were only on his shoulders because he wanted them to be. Nobody was going to change who he was at the core, and that unwavering personality demanded that monsters be eradicated. Lev was more than happy to comply.

  The arena this time was naturally inside the haven. Lev had already scouted it once and knew the directions.

  Walking through the busy streets, more than a few people recognized him. Nobody stopped him, knowing the next event was drawing closer.

  Bright morning light illuminated the huge mountain on the other side of the city as he casually trotted to the arena. Some other participants nodded his way, which he returned.

  Half an hour later, Lev reached the west side of the colosseum. 'Proving Grounds' was the official name of the arena. He didn't know why that name reminded him of an execution site more than anything, so he ignored it.

  There was a long queue of hunters waiting to enter through a small backdoor at his destination. It was a direct path to the waiting rooms, Lev's destination.

  "Name?"

  "Lev," Lev replied and summoned his badge and identification papers given to the participants. The clerk gave them a critical once-over before nodding and returning the papers.

  Lev went inside. The simple hallway was easy enough to navigate due to the signs on the walls. Gold rooms were situated on the second floor. Entering those, Lev paused as the sight in front of him registered.

  Calling the waiting room a viewing booth would be more accurate. Several dozen people were already present, and Lev didn't hesitate to take one of the corners. His back into the huge, padded sofa as he sat down with a content sigh. It really was like a cloud.

  I don't see many familiar faces, Lev mused, not surprised. Unlike the hunt, there were nearly a thousand participants this time around. The first few rounds would be a free-for-all to filter out the best. When only thirty-two would remain, the duels would start.

  "Do you mind if I sit here?" someone behind Lev said. Turning around, Lev beheld a boy sixteen or seventeen years of age.

  [Mage - Level 171]

  Not bad.

  "Go ahead," Lev motioned to the empty space next to him. The sofa he was on could easily seat five people. Currently, he was the only one occupying it.

  "You solo?"

  Lev nodded.

  "Me too," the boy smiled. "The name's Ron."

  "Lev."

  Ron's smile froze. "… Lev, as in the winner of the last event?"

  Lev gave him a smile of his own. "Who knows?"

  Ron visibly shuddered, then ignored the matter with some effort. "Just my luck," he muttered. "Did we come here too early?"

  Looking down at the huge empty arena, Lev was wondering the same. The sand-covered floor was currently being scanned by several earth mages, trying to sniff out any hints of foul play.

  Around the circular arena, seats were slowly being filled. Only about a tenth were currently occupied, yet even that was housing thousands of people. The scale was quite humbling.

  "Two hours remain still," Lev eventually replied.

  Ron nodded then leaned back. "Then we wait."

  Half an hour of silent observations later, a squad of aura mages entered the waiting room along with a Master warrior.

  "LISTEN UP!" the warrior boomed. "If any of you interrupt or interfere in any way, I will personally throw you out," his eyes roamed the hunters, daring anyone to refute him. Satisfied when nobody did, he continued. "Whoever is currently not topped on mana, stand up in your place without a word."

  Seventeen of the eighty or so people in the room got up, including Ron. Lev looked at him with a raised brow, which netted him a sheepish smile.

  Four at a time, the aura mages used their mana regeneration skills on the participants until their pool were above 90%. Lev wasn't aware of the service but it made sense in hindsight. No point in letting people go in with low mana.

  Only ten minutes later, the support squad left just as silently as they had come.

  "Professional," Lev remarked out loud. Ron nodded by his side, awed by the amount of mana that had just been channeled and regenerated. Lev was thankful he didn't need their service, or his regeneration might have been exposed to the world.

  No amount of bonus from the class benefit would've explained his Wisdom boost.

  "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE 25TH TRAILS OF THE EXALTED!"

  Oh it's the same guy.

  Four huge illusion screens appeared high above the arena. Hidden under invisibility before, Lev was pretty surprised by their random materialization.

  They remained black for a few instants before an image was displayed. It showed the highest stand in the colosseum, housing humanity's most influential figures.

  Several nobles, including Duke Fabian, looked at the drones with neutral expressions. Princess Katarina and Princess Lara sat atop the most prominent seats, their bearings regal and relaxed. Drakys and Sherron sat on their sides, making Lev do a double-take, especially because of Sherron's faint smile.

  Lev didn't even know she was in the haven. Had she seen his performance in the hunt too?

  "Let us all pay respects to Her Majesties and her trusty aides," the commentator announced.

  As one, everyone in the arena and the rooms turned towards their princess' booth and bowed at the waist. Lev followed them in a daze, mind reeling from this new revelation.

  What the fuck? Those two princesses let me talk shit to their faces when the rest of the world treats them like this? Something is very wrong with them.

  Lev didn't know what to do with the warm feeling that knowledge evoked. They had treated him, a random orphan they barely knew, casually and with kindness. It only made him like the royal siblings even more.