Code Collector

"You're right," Kenneth said. "But that's until you should realize that my Code is exclusively for me. My Primordial Bunny Code is a Code that only I own. My other Codes only support my original one, but there's no other effect like mine. How could your hypothesis be true if this was the case?"

"So, only the Bunny can slow down or speed up movement?" Allen asked to which Kenneth answered with a shaking of his head.

"Anyone can speed up or slow down or even completely halt their movement," Kenneth explained. "But nobody else can restrict their enemy's movements. Only I can do that from what I know and what the collection of Codes in different databases said."

"Oh," Allen paused. There was silence that wrapped among them as the crows fled the scene. The series of cawing are the only sound you could hear for a couple of seconds.

"By the way, Mr. Bunny," Gwen suddenly said. "Why are you here?"

"Sebastian asked me to help you out," Kenneth grinned. "And yep, he was right. You did need my help."

"We're not too familiar with the paths and the beasts here," Jeremy said. "We have limits on what we know based on the available data. The people here are too lazy to add information."

"Welcome to higher worlds," Kenneth laughed lightly. "There are things you don't know about Paradise and why it's called the Red World by some."

"Red World?" Allen asked. "Why?"

The Second World, Paradise is oftentimes referred to as the Red World because of the bloodshed that it has. The world has more fatalities than any other worlds, even in Haven where Hunters basically are only an edge more powerful than ordinary humans.

In Paradise, even when the Hunters are capable, the competition is hot. It was the middle of the lowest world and the highest a non-Primordial Beast Code Bearer could achieve, so everyone wants to get ahead.

People are selfish in Paradise, that was an obvious fact. The ten percent who are not selfish would either go back to Haven or die in the world without receiving any help from anyone. That was another fact. In this world, the strong rules.

This may be because of the obvious favoritism among strong Hunters. They are classified into ranks instead of having the same rank. The ones on top are more privileged while the ones at the bottom are obviously discriminated upon.

The ones in the middle could not even do anything, fearing that they too would suffer the same fate as the ones being discriminated. That was why there's a rift in between the strong and the weak in Paradise.

The first Hunters did not even bother adding any information to the WDS, or World Database System, in which the information regarding areas and beasts were peer added so everyone can know what to expect when Hunting.

The WDS in Haven is completed in every single area. The nooks and crannies of the expkored world have been added to the system, so the Hunters could easily hunt in the forests. 

In Paradise, however, groups created their own WDS. Only they have access to it or if anyone wanted to have the information, they would have to pay large sums of money. 

The last and obviously the root of the problem was the treatment of the organization with their Hunters. A rankers are treated as kings while D rankers were treated as trash. They were bluntly stating that they do not need the weaker Hunters in the Otherworlds.

"Hmm," Allen hummed after listening to Kenneth. His mind was thinking a lot of ways to topple the monopolization of power in Paradise, but he was having a hard time to do so.

"I want to do something that would shame the A rankers," Allen said. "But if the to see me, they would do something about it."

"What's your plan?" Kenneth asked. "Maybe I could help you out. Actually, I will still help you out. I think it's the time for Paradise to change too. Plus, I really don't have anything to do."

"But Sebastian told me that you guys are scared," Allen said. "That the ones in Eternity would catch up to you."

Kenneth laughed lightly, "I don't need to be scared. Those guys still need four milion EXP to catch up. That's a lot of EXP."

"F-Four million?" Gwen gasped. "That's how much it costs to ascend in Star Nest?"

"What? No," Kenneth laughed. "You need ten million EXP to ascend. Those guys already have six million. But back to Dante, what's it with your plan?"

"Barandilla put us in D rank," Allen started. "What if we show them that we're more capable than A rankers while displaying our ranks?"

"Ohh," Kenneth giggled. "That's so smart. But what seems to be the problem?"

"What if they decide to promote us?" Allen asked. "If they will put us into A rank, or at least B rank, we will lose our brand."

Kenneth shook his head, "A Hunter can only be promoted when applies for promotion."

"What?" Allen asked. "Promotion? How come we didn't know any of that?"

"They intentionally didn't tell you because they don't want you to promote yourself, with your current power, you can be in A rank already," Kenneth said. "But essentially, promotion basically means that you have to get tested again. Then after the result comes out, you'll have your new rank or retain your old one."

"So, if we don't take that–"

"You'll stay in D rank, obviously," Kenneth said. "If Barandilla would pull a stunt to force you into take the promotional test, that's when we'll interrupt."

"You'll make us fail the test, right?" Allen asked. "Just like what Barandilla did to us."

Kenneth wiggled his eyebrows. "You'll stay in D rank and spread the word into the streets. A couple of D rank Hunters able to feed in the WDS? That's going to give you part of the spotlight since the Soul Burners still have the top spot, but at least."

The man then sighed "Aw, thank heavens Sebastian is so smart. If I hadn't tell you, you would've just proceeded with another plan. This one is already good. And you have to make sure you do things that nobody else does but is essential to the growth of Hunters."

"Growth of Hunters?" Allen asked. "Like what?"

This is where Kenneth grinned and waved his hand in the air. He was looking at someone behind the four, which made the four look behind and see a familiar man walking towards them.

"Why are you here?" Allen asked.

"An old friend asked for my help," -- repied. "I can't decline his offer or else he'll stop giving me entertainment."

"Y-You," Kenneth punched -- in the guts, making him cough out loudly. "Shut up and just help them. You have all the information in all worlds."

"Of course, I do," -- said. "Now, Dante. Every Wednesday, I will send a man in your room and he will give you a thumb drive. This will contain all the necessary information that you'll put into WDS."

"What?" Allen tilted his head to the side. "Why would I put information– ohh, I get it. To show them that mere D rankers can do something that they couldn't do!"

"But how will we put the information when we are not in the area?" Gary asked. "I think they will know."

"They won't," -- said. "That's because you are going on," he quoted the air, "hunt, in the forests. You go every Friday morning and come back every Wednesday afternoon. Then when you return, you put the information in WDS by Thursday at noon where the Skill Altar is the busiest."

Allen smirked and looked at Kenneth, "How long have you been planning this? This seems to perfect to be planned in a rush."

"Three years," Dennis said. "But in those three years, we don't have the avatars to do these for us. Not a lot of people have the same vision as us."

"Drop the BS," Allen smirked. "You can call us what we really are to you, pawns. You're using us, we're using you. It's a mutual agreement, so we don't have to fake anything."

This made Dennis laugh. Kenneth smiled beside him and shook his head, both men incredibly impressed by Allen. "This is why Sebastian is so fond of you. Well, Jack too and basically everyone else."

"Wait," Gwen suddenly interrupted. "If we go out to pretend hunt, what if someone follows us. Then they would spread information regarding the faked hunt and this would be ultimately the cause of our demise."

"That's why I'm here and Dennis is here, so is Kevin and Jack's gang," Kenneth said. "We will be at the spot where the area is, hiding while letting you guys come and stay for a moment. You basically would just have to be there and we'll do the rest."

"So," Dennis clapped his hands once. "Are you ready for this or what?"

"We are," Allen replied. "We're ready for this."