Loki’s Successor System

Chapter 220: Apprentice

The Wizard's assistance, Ava, came walking toward the group of Hunter's. Her steps were brisk. She rocked her hips from left to right as she walked. Then she stopped, roving the group of Hunters. 

To Jin, it seemed like she was looking at everyone from head to toe, or perhaps scanning them like some sort of a robot. 

Ava finally blinked and nodded. "I am Ava, the Wizard's sole secretary and personal asssitant. Please greet me formally."

"Greetings, Ava," said someone from the back.

"You better get this shit over with and fast, bitch," said another.

"Got a lot problem, Ava? Why the hell are you looking at us like that?"

"With those bug eyes, it looks like you want to have the 's' word with one of us men, or women. Hey, if you're that desperate, you can catch me in the back later ..." 

"Everyone loses thirty Hunter points," Ava said, "which drops you all to negative thirty ..."

"Points? What are Hunter points?"

"That bitch crazy ..."

"I oblige you to tell us about these Hunter points!"

"Questioning and disrespecting a superior," Ava said, "another thirty points, dropping you to negative sixty."

Franklin raised his hand. 

Ava turned to him. "Yes, good sir?"

Franklin cleared his throat. "The points, right? What are they?"

"Hunter points," Ava said, "is a new inauguration set up by me and permitted by the Wizard himself. It allows us to keep count of good deeds done by Hunters and reward them for such deeds. Secondly, it allows us to determine the ranks properly; this gives less special Hunters and even novices the opportunity to rise above the more powerful Hunters in rank. Thirdly, it's used in the tournament to determine who battles who, and what placement everyone should be in. Lastly, it's used to promote apprentices to Huntership at their first two hundred points."

Franklin furrowed his brows. "What about the people who haven't disrespected nor questioned you, do they also lose sixty points?"

Ava smirked. "Indeed. Peter pays for Paul and Paul pays for all ..."

"That's not fair! How on earth does that make sense!?" Franklin snapped.

"You lose another thirty points for disrespect toward your superior," Ava said, "Franklin, you now have the least points, sitting at negative ninety."

Franklin gritted his teeth, and reclined in his seat.

Jin raised his hand. The Wizard wasn't the kind of person to set up something without an official effect date.

Ava turned to Jin. "Yes, Jin? Have something to ask?" 

Jin smirked. "Ava, is the point system officially in effect as of now? And if it is, who's keeping track?"

"No," Ava said, "the effect date is precisely after the tournament. And for your information, our technological systems and I will be keeping check of your Hunter points."

Jin lowered his hand. 

Amy furrowed her brows and shot up out of her seat. "But I thought you said we lost points?"

"I never mentioned the date at which the system will take effect," Ava said. 

"And when exactly is the effective date?"

"The official implementation date is the day precisely after the Hunter's Tournament," Amy answered. 

Everyone went quiet after that. Amy smiled upon acknowlegement of the silence of the room. "Let's now move on to the apprenticeship system which begins today."

Ava clapped her hands together twice. A man appeared, walked forward, and bowed to her. She looked up at the group of people. "This is my assistant, Olin."

Amy raised her hand.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Yes ... Amy?"

Amy folded her arms. "Thought you said you're the Wizard's only assistant."

"That I still am," Ava said, "and Olin is my assistant, not the Wizard's. You honestly think two people will be sufficient to run an entire colony?"

"What difference would another one person make though?"

"Ample difference," Ava said, "the Wizard's assistant is Ava who also has an assistant, Olin. And Olin has an assistant. And Olin's assistant has an assistant. You get the gist, yes?"

Amy scoffed. 

Ava looked at Olin. "Usher the apprentices to this room, please."

Olin nodded, and walked away.

Ava roved at the group again. Her silver eyes seemed attracted to particularly the two Successors this time: those eyes were passed from Jin to Kaylie and from Kaylie to Jin. Albeit, these weren't malicious eyes by any means.

Shortly after, the apprentices came walking into the room in a train after Olin. They lined up neatly, and looked ahead at the Hunters with solemn statures. Each of them were assigned to a number, ranging from one to thirty. Such number was then attached to their garments for the Hunters to see them.

The Hunters took roves at the attendants, scrutinizing them carefully. Most had recognized some of the apprentices, and remembered their formerly grubby and shabby conditions. This time around, however, they were clean in clothes or mediocre quality, and clean shining skin. 

Most of the apprentices were young, with the youngest being two twins who were both menaces to society. Though, about a third of them were grown adults, some at least middle aged. All of these apprentices were present to better themselves and achieve more. They all knew that when being of the lowest social class, you could achieve so much. For Hunters, the possibilities were almost endless, at least in their opinions which were a consensus.

"Now the selection will commence," Ava said, her hands clasped behind her back. She turned to Olin, and nodded.

Olin nodded back. Then, he jammed a hand into his pocket, and pulled out a ruffled piece of paper. Then, he began to read it. He skimmed through, his pupils darting left and right. 

"Apprentice number thirty," Olin said, "you are assigned to the Hunter, Marlon. Marlon," Olin looked at the group of sitting Hunters, "could you please raise a hand for identification purposes?"

Marlon raised a hand. 

"Number thirty," Olin said, "please step away from the group of apprentices. And Marlon, please stand and step away from the group of Hunters. You two may now withdraw from the building together."

Ava quickly took note.

Jin watched a few apprentices get randomly assigned to a Hunter. This process was called 'The Selection'. Though, it was a trifle absurd for him, as the Hunters nor the apprentices got to choose who they wanted to work with. 

Jerald was quite content with his random apprentice despite it being a child no more than ten years old. This child was a twin. A bit later, Jin, the last person to get an apprentice assigned to him got the other twin. 

That meant that the two strongest of the Hunters received the youngest and hence, more frail apprentices. Did these supposedly unfortunate Hunters care? Not even one bit. Jerald was glad to have one more reason to flex should his apprentice emerge victoriously. And Jin ... well, he didn't care about his apprentice nor taking home the apprentice trophy at all. The only thing on his mind was he, himself, and Jin. 

*** 

Jin had started walking away from the Wizard's building. The Government Building was quite sizable for one built in less than a week. It would have easily taken normal, human contractors three months at least to construct such a building even with a fair number of men undertaking the job.

As Jin withdrewhis hands jammed in his pockets, and a note of apathy in his gazehis apprentice scuttled toward him. The boy was no more than ten years old. His buzz-cut blonde hair was of exemplary pulchritude. He seemed quite slender for one with a super-strength ability: he and his twin were the only people in the colony with such an exceptional ability at their disposal, regardless of the costs for its usage being quite adverse.

"Hey! Wait up, would you!" The boy hurried toward Jin.

Jin scoffed and continued walking.

He fell in beside Jin, walking abreast. "I lost you on the way out of the building," he said, "when you suddenly just walked right through the wall. I'm incapable of that madness. and such as, I had to take the door."

"Did I ask you to explain anything?" Jin eyed him.

The boy furrowed his brows. "You're my mentor, aren't you?"

"Yes," Jin said brusquely, "but not your audience. I don't need to hear from you. Spoke when you're spoken to."

"Don't get fooled by my kindness," the boy glared, "and don't take it for granted either ... 'cause my brother and I are pains in the arse when we don't get what we want."

Jin leered at him, smirking. His eyes suddenly started to glow green. "And you honestly think I can't handle pains in my arse?"

The boy's face softened. His lips parted as he peered at Jin before him. The look on Jin's face was anomalous. The look in his eyes was frightening.  Who was this man who was now his mentor?

Somehow, the boy had managed to form a quivering grin as he peered into Jin's aglow eyes. His twin brother would be so jealous he didn't get Jin as his mentor.