After walking for about half an hour, Reyansh reached the designated address, a three story building complex with an armoured mini truck out on front.
He took a deep breath then exhaled as he stood ahead of the building.
"Am I too early or am I the only one to accept this job?" He wondered aloud.
He took out his smartphone to look at the time.
12:05 AM
'Well, happy birthday to me,' he congratulated himself internally.
"Maybe only I am the desperate enough to accept the job at this time," he commented as he stepped toward the complex.
Just as he entered the building, a burly man with thick beard appeared in front of him.
"Stop, Who are you at this time of hour?" The man asked in a stern voice.
"Hello, I am Reyansh, I accepted the job posted about transferring materials," He answered calmly.
"Oh, I never thought someone would accept the job at this hour. Come with me," the man spoke, signalling to walk forward.
Reyansh walked behind the man, the interior of the building was simple with ceiling lights and mana sensors at equidistant.
The man turned right and stood in front of a door as he pressed his hand on a black panel next to the door.
A sudden hum filled the surrounding as next moment a bluish light appeared around his hands and entered the panel.
Immediately, there was a curious light in the tired eyes of Reyansh.
'So, he is a hunter, only they can use mana,' he concluded. This man here was something that he was aiming for since 3 years.
CLICK!
"Here you go, the gate will remain open until you empty the entire truck. I will be here the whole time," the man explained.
"Are you perhaps the owner?" He couldn't supress his curiosity and asked.
"Nah! I am just one of the guards of the building." The man answered.
"But you are a hunter," Reyansh stated.
"Hah, but I only awakened a common rank talent. That too due to awakening potion provided by the owner of this complex." The man satiated the curiosity of Reyansh.
"Ohh, okay. Am I the only one or is there anyone else coming?" he asked his last question.
"No, it seems only you accepted this job. You can take your time, there's no rush," the man replied.
"Okay," He nodded and made his way to back of the mini truck.
The latch was already open, he pushed open the gate of the truck.
While opening, his thoughts went back to the burly man. His story was precisely the reason he didn't tried to get awakening potion from someone else.
Because no one would sell it but instead bind you in some kind of contract, whether you awaken something extraordinary or mediocre like that man.
He couldn't afford to be bound to someone because of his family conditions and even his dream to be a hunter in true sense.
'Well, I am close to my goal anyway,' he consoled himself as insides of the truck came into his view, almost filled to the brim with metallic ores that shone brilliantly.
"This is going to be a long night," he commented looking at amount of ore.
6 hours later...
"And that's the last of it," Reyansh spoke with laboured breath and sweating body as he placed down an ore of half a meter size.
"It is hard to find diligent boy like you these days," the voice of the burly man came from behind.
"I was only doing my job, thanks anyway," he responded.
"Could I ask what kind of ore is this, they are much heavier than they look?" he finally asked the question in his mind since he started working.
"Oh, this is Mercana ore. They are commonly used ore nowadays to make mana weapons. When mixed with other metals, they make excellent weapons," the burly man answered his curiosity.
"It is almost breakfast time now. You can come and have breakfast with me before leaving, it's on me," the man proposed.
Suddenly his mother and sister image flashed in his mind. He had left the house, saying he will be returning soon.
"Thank you for kindness but my family will be waiting for me. I am already a bit late," he replied hurriedly and he started walking towards the door.
"Okay, as you wish. Let me transfer your payment," the man spoke, understanding the eagerness to leave as he stared in the empty air for a moment.
Reyansh knew he was checking his system screen as he had received most of his payment this way. The next moment, a notification chimed in front of him.
[Credits Received: 2100]
"Thank you," Reyansh spoke happily as he got 100 credits more than expected and walked out of the building without wasting a moment.
He checked the smartphone for time again, 6:27 AM.
He hurried his steps to reach as early as possible to reduce the scolding time of his little sister. The road was full of people walking with few vehicles sometime.
Some had quickness in their steps which matched Reyansh's. While some were walking leisurely, probably on the morning walk.
The contrast of people walking was nothing new to Mumbai or Reyansh but there was one new variable in this.
Few people, donned in armours and clothes that look straight out of fantasy novel. Hunters walking with swords, staffs and shields caught the most attention on road with a circular item, hunter's camera, flying beside them.
Generally, Reyansh would have gawked at them but not today. As he left the main road and entered the streets of residential area. The path became narrow and less crowded.
He had traveled about halfway to his house when suddenly 4 people stood in his path. He was lost in thoughts so he didn't notice until they were close.
However, noticing his path forward blocked by youngster wearing hunter attire, he turned slightly to avoid any unnecessary confrontation.
"Hehe, look at the rat changing his way when confronted with a tiger," a boy with wooden staff and crystal on top, spoke.
Reyansh immediately identified the voice and put more pace in his steps. But next moment, something wrapped around his right ankle, prompting him to fall immediately.
"He won't be rat if he do otherwise boss," a lackey of leader of the group supported his boss's words.
"Don't you know it's illegal to use your skills on Non-awakened," Reyansh retorted back as he unsuccessfully tried to pry off the vine wrapped around his ankle.
"Oh, why don't you file a complaint if you know so much," second lackey, holding a golden shield responded with a grin.
As Reyansh tried to stand up, a kick to gut sent him back to road.
HUEK!
"Why don't you start your stream if you are so confident," Reyansh taunted, as he tried to stood up again, successfully this time.
The third lackey was about to kick him again but the leader of the group raised his hands to stop.
"I would have come searching for you today after clearing the dungeon today. But lucky me, you came walking straight to us. Happy Birthday Reyansh," the leader of the group, Aziz Mohammad, spoke.
The group turned and left, leaving Reyansh standing gritting his teeth in pain and one hand on stomach.
He also turned around and resumed his walk toward home with clenched fist.
Aziz Mohammad used to be in his neighbourhood. But after awakening, he and his family moved out but he choose the star of his class Reyansh Kaul, a perfect way to showcase his superiority whenever he got the chance.
"Damn it, I should have taken other road," he cursed himself as he walked ahead, with slow speed this time.
There were many good changes that happened after the initial aftermath of monster's rampage during the merge.
However, as usual many bad things occurred too and this discrimination and bullying of non awakeners by hunters was one of them.
Despite the presence of a law such small misconducts or bullying were not even reported or swiped under the rug.
Reyansh has gotten used to this since past three years and almost become numb to such situations, but he was furious at his own incompetence and weakness.
Because he knew his late appearance would only hurt his sister feelings to at celebrate his birthday with him. So he just pushed more amidst the gritting pain and tired body to reach his house.
A little after 7'o clock, he finally entered his house.
"Vanu, I am home," he called out, half expecting to get a loud reprimand but no response came.
He checked his mother's bed and saw her sleeping with her frail and weak body. He didn't speak loudly any further to not wake up his mother.
After searching and not finding his sister home, he just sat on a chair in the hall.
"Well, it looks like she left for school after all," he concluded after her absence, this was the part of the reason he wanted to hurry home.
Feeling tired, he stood up and walked to his bed to sleep and recover. But as he sat at the edge of the bed, he noticed a paper folded there, he opened the letter and started reading.
– - –
Dear Hardworking Brother,
Happy birthday.
I knew you would be late coming this morning. It's always like this but today's a special day for you so your little sister has decided to be magnanimous and not scold you any further, yet.
I can't give you any precious gift as of yet but I had left a card under your pillow with 10,000 credits. I know you are saving for the awakening potion. So I collected this much, I hope it helps.
I wish you would look after yourself and work towards your dream too. Don't eat the cake until I come back otherwise there would be extra scolding.
Your magnanimous sister,
Vanu.
– - –
Reyansh read through the letter with bittersweet feeling but unconsciously, his eyes had become teary and two lines of overflowing tears formed on his face as he gasped.
He thought he was carrying his family… but all this time, they had been carrying him too.
"My stupid little sister, this is the most precious gift ever."