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Chapter 24: Next step

"Are you alright young bookworm?" The librarian asked with a concerned gaze.

"Yes, I just need to figure out a way to make more money." He sighed as he was getting ready to pick up the cleaning supplies But Mr. Scofield stopped him.

"I think you should go to the Cryptid hunter agency. There you could find more about your trait... and maybe participating on a few incursions could help you get some money. You\'re an evolved now and, while I enjoy your company, I don\'t think working as a janitor really suits you."

Although Uriel was really eager to follow the librarian\'s advice, It took no less than two weeks for him to find the time to head over to the Cryptid hunting agency. It was the place where civilian incursions were organized and the favorite gathering spot for everyone who made a living thanks to their traits.

"Good day sir, how may I help you?" The receptionist in the counter asked Uriel with a professional tone of voice. She was used to see young, shy students like him every year, but never one so out of place.

Uriel looked flimsy even for a college student, he was like a fish out of the water. Everyone inside looked tough and intimidating, it was nothing like the orderly behavior of the army men, everyone exuded a wild aura of fierceness instead of the discipline and cold calm of soldiers.

"I- Uh- I was just looking..." He meekly replied to the receptionist.

"You are new to this, correct?" Her tone indicated that more than asking, she was making a statement and Uriel simply nodded in reply.

"You can take a look at our prices listed on the sign hanged on the wall right there." She pointed towards a white sign with black letters. For a brief second Uriel was impressed, but not by it\'s size or the huge amount of information on the sigh, but because he was able to read it properly even at that distance.

His eyesight had recovered a bit as a side effect of acquiring a trait and now he could see almost as well as any regular person.

"Wait, why do you charge people for going to incursions? I thought only the army charged for it. It\'s only going out of the city, shouldn\'t it be free?"

"While going out is not forbidden, you know tickets to go outside the city are expensive. We also need to prevent any citizen without preparation or enough money to gear up, participate on dangerous incursions. There\'s also the cost for life insurance, vehicle and gear rental, you can even hire personnel from our agency to take you to hunting spots or guide you across the wilderness. A single evolved won\'t be able to hunt by himself, no matter how strong he thinks he is." The receptionist explained a bit annoyed. It was her job and she dutifully performed it, but after repeating the same thing over and over, day after day for almost three years, she couldn\'t help but feel frustrated.

Uriel thanked the receptionist and then read the sign carefully.

[Incursion ticket fee: Evolved 1k credits, Ascended 5k credits, Heavenly 25k

The ticket includes life insurance, basic means of transportation and a tier 1 battery]

[Gear: Tier 2 battery 300 credits, tier 3 battery 1k credits.]

[Armor: light armor 100 credits, medium armor 250credits, heavy armor 500 credits.]

[Weapons: basic 750, intermediate 12,5k, advanced, 50k.]

[All armors and weapons are custom made.]

[Disclaimer: there\'s no return policy.]

\'Those fees are insufferable, why would mister Scofield send me here if he knew I don\'t have enough money to even participate in an incursion?\'

He kept reading the sign and found out that the cost that seemed to be extremely high was, indeed, a bargain. They provided a vehicle, life insurance, medical care and, most importantly, the possibility of being rescued in case things went wrong. That last part was most likely the heaviest expense for the agency but, just like transportation and medical treatment, it was indispensable.

\'Who would venture out of the city knowing they wouldn\'t be rescued if they get injured or lost?\'

"Ehem..." The receptionist who had been professional up until that point cleared her throat, then proceeded to speak. "Are you interested in participating in an incursion?"

"Not really miss, I mean yes, but I can\'t afford it at this moment."

Now that she was certain that he didn\'t possess a strong trait or came from a wealthy family she thought that the student in front of her was not worth her time she grew even more impatient.

"Then make way for other people, why are you wasting everyone\'s time like that? you\'re clogging the line already." She said in a scoff.

Usually she wouldn\'t say something as disrespectful as that, but since many college students had just received their traits it was high season in business and she was already stressed. Besides, it\'s not like there would be any consequences for her if she spoke like that to an evolved. She was an ascended and outranked Uriel, even if he wanted to make a complaint no one would listen to him. Besides the place was filling up and many people people started to build a line behind Uriel.

Everyone stared at the insignificant student that was wasting everyone\'s time. Embarrassed Uriel quickly apologized as he left the line, only to be grabbed by the arm by the person right behind him.

"Sage!? What took you so long? how come you\'re always late for everything!?" Said the woman who was grasping his arm.