Chapter 10: Gathering Of Experts

The Mercenary Association, despite its immense prestige, was not one of Glorious Ground’s skyscrapers. It was surprisingly a rather unassuming, two storeys, wide grayish building that had across it a vertical tin sign with hollowed letters reading “Mercenary Association”.

“Did you except an extravagant structure?” Mendor poked the stupefied Zax with his elbow.

“Can this even be called a ‘branch’?” Zax gawked.

“The Mercenary Association has better use for its revenue than spending it on exterior design. It’s up for the mayor’s office buildings of every city to decide if they want to invest in their Mercenary Association branches to attract skillful cultivators and increase the popularity of their cities”.

“And Glorious Ground’s mayor doesn’t care about it?”

“How should I know? If it’s bothering you, ask Miss Xinia next time you will see her. Us who were born here and in the profession for several decades don’t have complaints”.

Zax nearly staggered when he first saw the building, but when the full scope of the surrounding scenery entered his field of view, he put his wondering thoughts to rest and raised his vigilance.

There were perhaps over two thousand cultivators around and more kept coming. Most of which were accompanying potential participants or just witness might be future Rankers. Cultivators aside, if counting the regular people that also came, influenced by similar curiosity, then there were over ten thousand people, assembling all in the same place.

“Move! Move!”

“Open up a path!”

“Get lost!”

“Today, those who stand in the way are risking their lives knowingly! Don’t except city’s laws to protect you!”

Some men and women shouted for themselves, as they wished to register of the High Rankers’ trials and were obstructed by the masses. Others who grumbled and shoved people were friends, subordinates and even dimwitted lackeys of cultivators that waited to register for the trials.

“I cannot see Deejena”. Mendor told said as he stretched his head above the countless heads.

“Would have been easier to find her by using Soul Sense”. Zax stated.

“Don’t! Do you want to stir the crowd? Last time an idiot used his Soul Sense around so many edgy cultivators, someone snapped and things ended up with the mayor stepping out of his office. Let’s not do anything to invite the wroth of a Martial Mortal”. Romancing of that time, a faint pleading could be detected in Mendor’s voice.

“I get it. It was just a suggestion; I didn’t really think that you will follow it”. Zax tapped Mendor shoulder, smiling apologetically.

“Enough! It is not a day for jokes, especially if you are going through with participating in the trials!” Mendor berated Zax.

In a sense, although there still was a certain form of distance between them, in the past month and a half the two got to become like an uncle and his grown nephew who meet for the first time.

In Mendor’s perspective, he saw something unique in Zax due to his level of cultivation at such a young age, which in truth aroused his interest since he first saw him blowing to smithereens the Black Chrome Alligator.

And Zax himself was simply unfazed by Mendor’s rough around the edges personality.

“Anyway, you should start paving your way to the Mercenary Association’s building. Luckily, for the duration of the registration to the trials, only those who wished to participate allowed inside”.

“Well, then. If you’ll manage to locate Deejena, don’t say anything about me. If she will know that I plan to participate, she might not let me”.

“That is your fault for not showing your real strength and acting so reserved”.

“Is that so. Then it’s about time to make an impression”. An ominous glint flickered in Zax eyes.

“Your meaning?” Mendor probed.

Zax did not reply, instead, a change has occurred in his easygoing demeanor.

People in a radius of two meters from Zax began to breathe heavily as their limbs uncontrollably shook. Zax’s killing intent indiscriminately permeated into all who stood in its range.

One by one, regular people and weak cultivators fell to the ground, alarming those outside the range of Zax’s killing intent as women shouted in panic, children cried and men froze in their places.

Mendor, too, had tasted a portion of Zax’s killing intent. At that moment, being a Core Master he could hold his bearing, but in the depth of his sea of consciousness his soul and spirit were quivering.

“Oh ... someone could not stay patient”.

“Humph, is that even the killing intent of a human or a predatory Deformed Being?”

“Impressive, human”.

There were also among the crowed those who were too far to be affected by Zax’s killing intent, but were sensitive, no less savage and even strong that commented in unperturbed voices.

Zax ignored the stares and the hubbub. No one took him for a villager anymore; since he purchased the light attire mercenaries like to wear underneath their armor. A long blue pants with sturdiness and texture like jeans that were made from the most durable denim, while still being comfortable to maneuver in and a long black shirt from some Deformed Being’s fur, buckled at the waist by a simple utility belt with little compartment and folded by the sleeves. It was not much, but sufficient for those who are used to burden themselves with metallic weapons and armors, not to mention maintain a constant keep of medicine on their person.

...

The ground floor of the Mercenary Association’s building was quite like a post office. There were eight desks lined next to each other and clerks in neat Mercenary Association’s uniforms sitting on high stools behind them.

On the walls were thin screens that were each connoted by a multitude of cables to those computer typewriters there were popular everywhere in Glorious Ground.

There was a screen for every matter that required the services of a mercenary or a band. However, at this moment, not one soul occupied any of the typewriter and screens.

Zax walked inside, proceeded by a feline humanoid beast, and followed her to stand waiting for the line to the desk to clear.

‘The sorrows of a world that lags behind... ‘ Zax sighed inwardly.

In Kingdom Earth technology provided convenience that was absent in this city of pipes, bricks, cables and gears.

The clerks were rapidly and proficiently identifying and registering the stream of mercenaries.

“ID’s number”. The short haired female clerk asked from Zax.

“8584874”.

“I’m sorry, there is no history in your-” The clerk lost her breath as her eyes landed on a small line on the screen, “Sensensar family’s envoy”.