The Lonely Hunter

Chapter 8: Signing A Contract

The Lincoln family is one of the most powerful families in America, though amongst the unified power of powerful families globally, they fell short. What makes them powerful is that they own dozens of big time corporations spread in south east asian countries and their main branch located in the Philippines, the Sunflower corporations holds 40% of all the market in the south east Asian countries in which is mainly for hunter related businesses. That's not the only thing that makes them powerful, the eldest son of the chairman, Peter Lincoln is the guildmaster of Purple Guild which boasts as the top 10 guild worldwide.

They are the most influential guild in south east Asia and they own and have full control of 50% of all the shelters and sanctums hailed in the countries. Peter Lincoln is an S-rank hunter who is the top 1 Warrior in terms of roles. Amongst all of the S-rank hunters, he boasts in the top 13 place at the unified rankings of hunters worldwide.

Dontrelle Lincoln who's the youngest of the 4 siblings was diligently trained ever since he was very young. He idolized his brother very much that he wishes to become like him so he trained himself in the shield and sword just like a warrior. Dontrelle is also the only sibling that Peter is favorable of, he was very fond and loved Dontrelle so much that he likes to spoil him but Dontrelle was not liked by his other siblings. His siblings where A-rank hunters, they were jealous of how Dontrelle was treated that they were the reasons why he always wore a cold expression in his face.

*****

"I haven't properly introduced myself, my name is Dontrelle Lincoln, but I guess you already know that. Thank you for saving me, I would've probably died if not for your help." Dontrelle said in a light tone,

"Likewise, my name is Kal Nietes, I'm an F-rank hunter and I also thank you for helping me! I'm just trying to pay my debt to you." Kal said with a smile.

"You're an F-rank hunter!?" Dontrelle said in shock..

"Yeah? Oh!" Kal said in confusion but then it hit him. He had fought against the wolves one-sided displaying a strength that an F-ranker shouldn't have. He also showed movements and speed that is from a higher rank and all of this was witnessed by Dontrelle who was in the back of the fight watching the very scene in his eyes.

'Crap! I should've handicapped myself, now he's suspicious of me.' Kal thought to himself.

"Uhmmm....you see, I'm-" Before Kal could try to explain Dontrelle cut off his words.

"Let me see your hunter's license." Dontrelle said in a serious and cold tone. His expressions meant that he was furious so in fear of getting on his bad side, he gave his license to him without second thoughts.

"H-here...." Kal gave his hunter's license to Dontrelle and when he saw that Kal was telling the truth, he was in absolute shock.

"You really are an F-rank hunter! With your skills and power, you should be an elite E-rank hunter." Dontrelle said in utter shock.

"Your not angry at me?" Kal said in confusion.

"Ah no, I was just doubtful about your identity but now that you showed me your ID, I can check that you are not lying to me. With this much power you hold, you should be ready to reawaken and become an E-rank hunter." Dontrelle said to Kal. Hunters can undergo a reawaken once a year. To reawaken, your body must absorb enough mana essence so it can be compatible of mana refinement when entering the mana reawakening pool. Experts have discovered that hunters who has slain a monster can get a fragment of the monster's mana by the flow of nature, this depends on the power of the monster slain and how much absorption a hunter's body can get from the mana of the monster. Some could get as much as 40%, some rare instances, they could get 10% but normally, hunters could only get 0.1-1% of mana and normal instances, they could get none. Also they can't absorb any monster's mana two levels above their rank because their mana core is incompatible of storing the mana of a monster that's stronger than them by a couple of folds.

The mana that they absorb will be stored in their body but this mana will be remained unused since this mana is still unrefined. A year after a hunter had awakened, they are eligible of reawakening and by the process of entering a mana reawakening pool, their body will refine the unrefined mana and store it to their mana core which as result will increase the person's overall stats, he'll gain exponential powers and if his powerful enough after the reawakening, he could obtain abilities and skills that is exclusive for hunters ranked D and above.

But reawakening does not truly meant you'll go a level above, those who have absorb insufficient unrefined mana can only increase their stats by a miniscule amount since the body could only refine 50% of the actual unrefined mana that is why hunters tend to kill monsters as much as they could and postpone it for a year or more to be sure that they'll increase their rank by one level.

The purpose of reawakening is not only to increase a hunter's overall power but having higher rank meant that you'll be considered of a high status in society and when you have higher status, you will be considered a royal and be given benefits and authorities that normal people can never hope in achieving.

"I do want to reawaken but I don't have the money to pay for a reawakening." Kal chuckled in pity as he scratched his head. Kal had wanted to reawaken already so that people will not look down on him anymore and he sick and tired of being teased as Kal-ibangon and having the title of "Weakest Hunter in the world". A year already had passed since he awakened as a hunter, in this year, he had killed a painstaking amount of monsters and majority of it were Skunksloths. With the help of the system, his power right now was comparable to an elite E-rank hunter and he wondered how much stronger he could get after reawakening.

'If I reawaken, I might skip a level and become a D-ranker and I could obtain an ability, hehehe...' Kal said to himself with a wry chuckle.

"Your having problem with money? I can help you with that,  I'll even help you in your reawakening and give you the best reawakening pool I have." Dontrelle said confidently. Kal had almost forgot that Dontrelle was a walking bank so seeing that Dontrelle would light heartedly help him made him gleam in joy.

"Really! You'll do it for me!?" Kal said in joy.

"Yes, but we'll have to make a contract before I can do it." Dontrelle said to Kal. But when Kal heard this, he felt glum, when he thought of contracts, he always imagined being chained up and be away from freedom since you'll have to abide to every order to your contractor, he imagined that he might be used as a slave or such. He had been to many harsh contracts that it gave him PTSD just by hearing the word  so he almost wanted to hesitate quickly but he wanted to hear what Dontrelle would want to say before he would take down the offer.

"From the look of your face, it seems like your fishy and doubtful about the contract I'll make, don't worry, this contract will only be exclusive to you and no one else. In fact this contract is will be so good that you won't be able to refuse." Dontrelle said to Kal showing a sly grin. Kal was still doubtful to what may the contract be but hearing the exaggerated offer, Kal ended up following him to see for himself what the offer really is.

They exited the sanctum without making any fuss because there was already guards in standby waiting for Dontrelle. Dontrelle made sure to treat Kal kindly and act normally so that Kal wouldn't be comfortable but because of how smooth the following events were, it felt so uncomfortable that Kal couldn't help but shudder in suspicion.

"This is the contract, read it and you'll see what I mean." Dontrelle said showing a smug while drinking a cola that was given by one of his assistants.

"Hmm... let's see." Kal read the contract in full concentration. With the use of [ANALYSIS] he was able to easily discern the benefits and faults of the contract and to his surprise, the contract was all to his favor.

"This is too good to be true." Kal muttered in shock. Dontrelle chuckled at the sight of Kal's dumbstruck look.

"Its a 3 year contract which you will be given full support by the Lincoln Family and anything you wish will be granted as long as it is within our power. That means you can buy items, get your own house, your own shuttle, and many more things you want that includes reawakening so you won't have any more problems in the future. All you have to do is to be in my side whenever I want you when I wish to enter the sanctums and profits will be divided depending on the contributions we give, So is it a deal?" Dontrelle said. He opened his hand to Kal who seems very doubtful.

'With this contract, I can finally live a life of grandiose, I can leave this current one filled with hardship and disgust and start for a better.' Kal said to himself in joy.

"It's a deal!" Kal then shook Dontrelle's hands in delight and both the two celebrated with a toast of their can of cola.

"To this day, I do not want you to call me by my name, or boss, or young master or whatever honorifics, call me brother as I will treat as my equal. This will be the least I could do for saving my life even if a saved yours, as I see great potential from you, I hope to grow side by side with you brother and let's suffer all hardships together!" Dontrelle said as he oath for the best with sincere gratitude.

"Yes, brother Dontrelle! I'll be working hard to live in your expectations!" Kal said in full confidence as he pump his chest up.

"That's right, let's do our best!"