Hunt In Reverse

Max Vierkant blinked, frozen in place. "..."

Outside the door, led by Colonel Banerjee, was a magnificent bloodsteed. Inside, flanking the young man were twenty or so golden eagle agents, their faces grim, recently returned from Crown Mountain.

Two women from the Containment Division were in charge of the counter that day.

With care, they presented each item to their colleagues. The first piece was a finely crafted coat. Its deep black fabric caught the light like polished obsidian, hinting at a luxurious texture. Embroidered across the chest and on each cuff were five golden stars, arranged in a straight line.

Next came tailored black trousers, their crisp lines enhanced by the fabric's subtle sheen.

Then a wide-brimmed hat adorned with five stars embroidered across the H.A.R.M. sigil at its center—symbols of rank and authority.

Finally, a black cloak, dark as night. Embroidered upon it was a fierce wolf, jaws agape, swallowing the moon, adding a touch of menace.

"'Whoa! He's been promoted to colonel!'" A crowd of agents had gathered to see what was going on. Why had someone ridden a bloodsteed into H.A.R.M.? Was there an emergency?

But instead of some urgent news, they witnessed the unthinkable: the promotion of one of their own. Jealousy burned in their hearts. Crown Mountain... it was a terrifying place, no doubt.

Ordinary agents lay awake at night, dreading the summons. But for those with true skill, those who craved a challenge, it was an opportunity. A chance to prove themselves, to rise through the ranks.

And this one... he'd certainly risen fast!

The second woman from the Containment Division presented another set of brand-new black uniform.

The agents glanced at it, about to dismiss it, when suddenly they froze.

Their eyes widened in disbelief as they took a second look. The uniform bore no stars on the sleeve. Instead, at the collar was an exquisitely embroidered full moon—the personal symbol of General Skyler Grant, one of the twelve H.A.R.M. generals!

"..."

A hush fell over the crowd. Throats went dry. The excitement of the moment evaporated, replaced by a tense silence. Eyes met, and the air crackled with a sudden, unspoken rivalry.

Being named a personal attendant... it meant just one thing: he'd made it. Reached the top.

His achievements were undeniable, his strength unquestionable. He no longer needed to prove himself to anyone. No more perilous missions, no more risking his neck on the front lines. He could settle down, follow the H.A.R.M. general, establish a comfortable post, and keep a watchful eye on the vampires beyond Cascadia's borders. A life of relative peace and security.

And serving under him? It's an agent's dream! Standing guard, a life of leisure—years might pass without a single fight. Yet each passing day would still count toward merits.

If only this newly minted colonel would take a few of them along...

A wave of eager agents surged forward, jostling for position.

Alex Bai raised an eyebrow, surprise flickering in his eyes.

Max Vierkant, however, paled. His initial delight at the sight of the cloak vanished when he noticed the full moon.

Disappointment, and perhaps a touch of bitter regret, clouded his features.

"Colonel Kane!" they shouted, their voices overlapping in a wave of excited congratulations. "Welcome back! Triple promotion—that's insane!"

The golden eagle agents, except for those still holding the uniform pieces, snapped to attention and saluted sharply. The sound of their boots hitting the polished floor echoed through the hall.

Following the golden eagle agents' lead, more than a hundred agents from both the Containment and Purge Divisions saluted in unison.

Even Chandra Banerjee, standing out of the door, shed his usual playful demeanor. He released the bloodsteed's reins and saluted. "Congratulations, Colonel Kane!"

"What are you staring at me for?" Alex Bai asked, shooting Max Vierkant a pointed glance. "Don't you have hands?"

"..." Max Vierkant hung his head, weakly wiggling his helpless arms.

Alex Bai threw up his hands in exasperation. "Perhaps I should have stayed in bed today," he muttered.

Disciples of the Admiral could rise all the way to the rank of general—but serving as a personal attendant for someone else? Unheard of. Especially before being formally accepted as a disciple.

Even Senior Sister Patani had only achieved the rank of general after her predecessor's death.

She had earned this position through her brutal suppression of Sacramento—a display of raw power.

Now, Kane's rank is already higher than three of Admiral's five disciples, including Alex Bai.

He sighed.

Promoted straight from captain to personal attendant colonel? Even if there truly is a Crystal Realm Leviasaur on Crown Mountain, he would need to have killed it himself to deserve such a promotion. Was the H.A.R.M. General merely window-shopping on Crown Mountain? Had the general contributed nothing at all?

"Has General Grant lost his mind?" he grumbled. "This kid hasn't even been with H.A.R.M. for a month, and the general's tossing promotions at him like candies?"

Chandra's ears pricked up at the mention of General Grant. He turned, ready to unleash a torrent of words, but then he heard the rest of the sentence.

His jaw dropped. "Ah?"

A month?

His blood ran cold. A month? Which incompetent colonel or major was responsible for this? Were they on their deathbed, too lazy to even lift a finger?

To recruit a talent like this without a notice... unbelievable! He wasn't sure if the old man knew, but none of the other colonels had even considered this possibility.

And there was a very good reason for that.

Someone who hadn't even been in H.A.R.M. for a month, who hadn't even collected their first paycheck... why would they risk their lives?

… …

I glanced around, a flicker of unease in my eyes.

After a moment's hesitation, I spoke. "What about the martial arts techniques and elixirs?"

The agents exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions shifting from surprise to amusement.

One of the woman on duty stifled a giggle and, after gently shoving a few of her colleagues aside, ushered me into the room behind the counter.

She disappeared behind a large cabinet and emerged with a sheet of paper. "Colonel Kane," she said with a warm smile, "tell me what you need. Once everyone returns and we've calculated the merits, we'll deliver everything to you right away."

"Anything?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, keeping my expectations in check.

Chandra had initially promised us a low-grade Wave Realm martial art. But I'd captured Mendy Snow and the instructor, slain the peak Wave Realm Leviasaur, and even delivered the Crystal Realm Leviasaur's head to General Grant.

Surely that was worth at least three to five techniques?

"Ah?" The girl blinked, momentarily flustered. "Crystal Realm techniques are beyond our authorities. Anything in the Wave Realm, maybe..."

"I haven't quite decided yet," I said with a casual wave of my hand. "Perhaps you could bring them all out for me to examine. I prefer to be thorough."

The two captains on duty exchanged uneasy glances. "Colonel Kane," one began, choosing her words carefully, "we once had an incident. An outsider with a photographic memory infiltrated H.A.R.M. to steal our martial arts techniques. After that... well, we had to implement some rules. Not that we suspect you of any such intentions, Colonel Kane, but rules are rules."

I sighed inwardly.

H.A.R.M. was wealthy, yes, but those riches had limits. Their martial arts and treasures were primarily obtained through... acquisition.

They might have dozens, even hundreds, of techniques that existed within sects and families, but if those factions didn't possess something, H.A.R.M. couldn't simply conjure it out of thin air.

The Wave Realm techniques they have most likely couldn't compare to what I already had—like the Admiral's five ultimate skills.

The finest Wave Realm techniques in H.A.R.M.'s possession originated from wealthy sects and influential families. These groups saw untapped potential in common martial arts and, leveraging their vast resources and long lifespans, refined these techniques to extraordinary levels that far exceeded their original forms. Yet, they probably paled in comparison to truly transcendent techniques like the Harmonious Quartet.

Techniques like Harmonious Quartet offered a vast array of ways to utilize essence, were often complex and demanding. Few martial artists could truly master them, let alone afforded to use them.

The combined might of the entire H.A.R.M. Cascadia had been focused on developing the most essential internal techniques. The culmination of their efforts? The Melting Sun Furnace, a technique that had sent shockwaves through the twelve cities.

"Very well," I conceded, masking my disappointment. "Body tempering techniques. Movement techniques."

The two Containment Division girls froze at my words.

Could it be a coincidence? Or was he after that top-grade technique...?

"Colonel Kane," one ventured, "have you heard of Kongo Shintai Securities?"

"A minor sect," she explained. "Barely second-rate."