Scarlett accepted the hunter’s hand after looking at Luke and the others. The hunter escorted her to the convoy, where the rest welcomed her before she entered one of the vehicles.
After making sure she was safe, the hunter turned back to the remaining students.
"Students, you’ve all done well. Judging by your condition, I’m sure you’ve performed better than most in today’s Trial. However, it’s already past curfew, and if the academy hasn’t changed much since my time, that usually comes with punishment.
Since we’re already here, we’ll take you back as well."
Luke, Raven, Vivian, Derek, Lucy Ayn, and Mizuki looked at one another before looking at the hunters again.
These were real hunters. The best of the best. The kind that handled Sigma-and-above-graded-manifestations, origins, and the red monster zones average hunters never approached.
The man speaking had short yellow hair, while a giant iguana summon was attached to his back. A woman nearby had a Crimson Lynx, and another man had a large bird summon. Luke and the others saw no reason to refuse.
The hunter divided the students into groups. Luke, Raven, and Vivian were directed to one vehicle while Derek, Lucy, and the rest were sent to others.
Even with Luke, Raven, and Vivian still wearing masks, the hunters were somehow aware of their identity. This is because they knew which students were in Scarlett’s party before arriving, which meant they had done their homework before coming here.
As Luke walked to the vehicles, he felt someone watching him and looked at the person. It was Derek. They exchanged a glance before Derek climbed inside his own vehicle.
Meanwhile, Lucy was treated differently. She had a different ride because she was noble, just as the Kingsleys had one vehicle and Scarlett had one to herself.
Luke finally remembered why Derek’s name had sounded familiar.
"So this is Derek Cole, the boy pursuing Scarlett’s hand in marriage."
He wondered whether the guy actually stood a chance.
His attention then shifted to Lucy because she was in Derek’s party.
Could they be together? Luke couldn’t explain why, but he didn’t like that possibility.
"I thought I was going to sit with my sisters," Luke said after a hunter guided him to a different vehicle.
"There isn’t enough space," the hunter replied, and Luke accepted the explanation without thinking much about it. But his sister, Vivian, didn’t.
"Where are you taking my brother?" she demanded before the door could close. Even Scarlett looked over from her own vehicle. "Why is Luke going somewhere else?"
All the questions made the atmosphere uneasy, but the hunters de-escalated, telling them everything was fine and that everyone would reach their destination safely, but neither Vivian nor Scarlett looked convinced.
Meanwhile, Luke had no idea what was coming for him.
He took his seat, and the convoy departed Skeleton Town under the escort of the helicopters. The journey continued quietly, and by the time the convoy reached New Florence, it was already around eleven o’clock.
Luke only realized something was wrong when the vehicles started splitting up.
Scarlett’s followed a route leading to the Trump mansion, while Raven and Vivian’s ride turned onto the streets that would lead to the Kingsley estate.
And Luke’s vehicle didn’t follow either.
"Where are you taking me? You promised to take us safely back to the academy," Luke demanded.
"We’re taking you to the Bureau. We were informed that you’re a wanted criminal, so we’re only assisting by bringing you in," the hunter in front replied after a while.
Wanted criminal?!
Luke clenched his teeth, equally frustrated and flabbergasted by the accusations. He couldn’t believe they could take him away like luggage just because someone had labeled him a criminal.
His banishment from the Kingsley family had truly left him without protection. Something like this would’ve never happened before!
For a moment, Luke considered escaping or fighting back, but doing that would cause him more trouble. It would strengthen the accusations and amplify whatever the Bureau wanted to pin on him.
Soon, they arrived at the Bureau’s Head Station located in the heart of New Florence. The sky was pitch black with no stars, and the gothic buildings reminded Luke of a place called Gotham.
He stepped out of the vehicle, cooperating with the hunters instead of giving them a reason to handcuff him and treat him like a real criminal.
The Head Station was enormous. It wasn’t just a few buildings but like a whole town of its own. Everything looked expensive, upscale, and well-maintained. Even the ground wasn’t concrete but metal, while groups of Soldier Ants patrolled the premises as part of security.
As a child, Luke had always admired the Bureau. Many hunters dreamed of wearing its badge because it represented the most honourable authority in the profession of being a hunter.
The Bureau answered to no noble family, no guild, and no corporation. Its duty was to uphold hunter law, and once it took over a case, even the most powerful families were expected to cooperate.
Luke had imagined entering these grounds one day as a respected hunter.
He never thought his first visit would be as a suspect.
A short while later, they reached the main processing area, where a Head Officer was waiting for them.
"Thank you for bringing him in," the officer said to the hunters. "You have done the Bureau a great service."
The hunters handed Luke over and left while the officer led him deeper into the headquarters.
Luke kept his head up as they walked, but from the side of his eye, he saw officers staring at him.
They recognized him because he was supposed to be the future Duke. When he was a child, his father had taken him to the HQ on regular visits so the officers could see the heir to the city.
Now, he was being escorted through the Bureau like a criminal. It felt like a walk of shame.
After processing, the Head Officer was about to take him to a holding cell when he suddenly stopped because a huge man was walking toward them.
The Head Officer saluted, "Warden!"
Luke’s heart sank as he looked up to see the 7"1 tall man.
Of all people who could have come to meet him, it had to be Silas.
"Take him into an interrogation room," Silas said, looking down at Luke with a neutral expression.
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