On the second day of Cassian's training, he failed once again.
He had fought fiercely, driven by desperation, but the outcome hadn't changed. His clones were too strong, too precise, too relentless. No matter how many times he tried, he found himself outmatched—again.
Right now, Cassian was lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind spinning.
"Why won't the system tell me what the reward is? And I don't even know what I'm supposed to do to complete this Quest," he thought bitterly. "Even if I get stronger… so will my clones. How the hell am I supposed to beat something that mirrors me perfectly?"
He clenched his fists, frustrated.
"They can do everything I can. What's worse… they don't hesitate. They act with brutal efficiency. There's no emotion. No fear. Just purpose. That's what's terrifying about them."
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzz of his phone. He sat up, blinking, and checked the screen.
A notification from the Hunter Department.
He tapped it open, and for a second, the words didn't register. But then—he read it again.
"Your application has been approved."
Joy exploded in his chest. Without hesitation, he leapt out of bed and ran into the living room.
Mia was already up, calmly eating her breakfast.
"Hey, Mia!" he beamed, practically shouting. "Look! They finally approved my application! I can finally start earning and saving up faster!"
Mia smiled, amused by his energy. Before she could reply, another voice came from the kitchen.
"Looks like both of us got accepted," Cain said, stepping out with a frying pan in hand. "Breakfast is ready, by the way."
Cassian turned, surprised. "You applied too?"
"Yeah," Cain shrugged. "Why not?"
"This is good," Cain added with a smirk. "You're no longer a freeloader."
Cassian scoffed. "What the hell are you talking about?! I'm not a freeloader!"
"Can you two not start this so early in the morning?" Mia sighed. "Aren't the two of you basically the same person?"
"Hell nah!" Cain snapped. "That weakling will never be me!"
"Weakling?!" Cassian growled, slamming his hands on the table. "You wanna fight right now?!"
---
Later that morning, Cassian and Cain arrived at the Hunter Department.
They were ushered into the reception area, where a woman behind the counter greeted them politely and handed them each their hunter licenses.
"Sir Cassian and Sir Cain," she said, "there's someone who wishes to meet with both of you. Please, follow me."
They exchanged looks—Cassian with confusion, Cain with suspicion.
"What the f*** are you looking at me for?" Cain snapped. "You think I know what this is about?"
"His attitude makes me want to destroy him… if only I could," Cassian thought grimly.
They followed the woman down a clean, quiet hallway to a reception room. Inside stood a man in a long coat, facing a massive window overlooking the city skyline.
He turned as they entered.
"I'm George, Head of the Hunter Department," he said with a warm smile. "Please, have a seat."
They sat. Silence filled the space until George finally spoke again.
"You're probably wondering why I called for you."
Cassian nodded. "A little."
"I've been watching your applications, your data. You two have potential—more than most rookies. Despite just registering, you're already capable, and frankly… interesting."
He paused, measuring their reactions.
"There's a mission I want to offer you," George continued. "It's voluntary. You can refuse if you're not comfortable."
"What's the mission?" Cassian asked.
"It's a scouting job. We've had reports of an unidentified monster in the mountains of Arayat. The creature's nature and rank are unknown. Your goal is to identify it, assess its abilities, and report back. If it's manageable, you're allowed to subjugate it—but that part is optional."
"How much do we earn from this?" Cain asked.
George smiled slightly. "Standard hunting rates. The higher the monster's rank, the higher the pay."
Cassian looked to Cain. They exchanged a glance and nodded.
"We accept," Cassian said.
As they left, the woman remained behind with George.
"Why those two?" she asked.
"To see what they're capable of," George replied simply. "The report didn't mark the monster as immediately dangerous, but since we don't know anything about it makes it a threat."
---
Cassian and Cain boarded a crowded minibus heading toward the outskirts of the city. They sat side by side, staring at the moving landscape.
"So… this is just a scouting mission, right?" Cassian said. "We don't have to engage the monster. Just gather intel."
Cain leaned back, arms folded.
"What are you talking about? Let's just kill the damn thing."
"What? Are you serious? We don't even know what it is yet! What if it's dangerous? We have no information on it."
"That's exactly why we should fight it," Cain smirked.
Cassian blinked. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Think about it," Cain said. "If it turns out to be strong, and we still manage to kill it. The department will notice. We'll rise faster than other."
He looked directly at Cassian. "And then you'll earn more. We'll get better missions, better pay. You'll have a real shot at saving your mother."
Cassian's heart sank.
His mother. She had just four months and three weeks left. Time was slipping through his fingers like sand. He didn't even want to think about it, but now—it weighed heavily on his chest.
Cain knew. He was using that against him.
But… he was also right.
They needed results. They needed money. Fast.
Cassian looked out the window, his expression hardening.
"Alright," he said quietly. "We'll subjugate it."
Cain grinned. "That's more like it."
Cassian didn't reply. His thoughts were no longer on the mission—but on his mother's pale face, lying in that hospital bed.
They weren't just chasing monsters anymore.
They were chasing time.