Code Collector

"Physical aptitude test," Jax said as he raised a clipboard. "Today, we're going to examine Hunter Dante Reed, unraked and has no roles."

"Yes," Allen nodded. "What should I do?"

Jax smiled and hid his clipboard behind him. He lowered himself to the ground and placed his palm on the cold marble floor. "Terrane change."

Suddenly, the room shook and the marble walls and building collapsed. Allen was shocked after seeing this, the boy clenching his fists after this. "What's happening?"

"Don't worry, Mr. Reed," Jax said as he slowly stood up and smiled. "Nothing is happening."

As if everything has shifted, they were now in the middle of a vast plain field. The green grass, the blue skies, and the cold gentle breeze all seemed so surreal that Allen was questioning everything.

"W-What…"

"Let's start," Jax said. The man looked at his clipboard. "First test, tank."

Allen felt something from under the soil. He took a look at Jax and the boy vanished from his sight. Allen didn't move and just let the ground bulge and erupt, throwing him off as a collosal sword pierce through it.

"What the–"

The sword erupted further from the ground, showing the giant arm that was wielding it. The arm stopped when it reached the shoulder joint, unmoving for a couple of seconds before it suddenly slammed the sword on the ground.

Allen barely dodged the attack. If he was even a single second too late, his life would've ended. He was about to conjure his glaive, but cancelled it when he remembered what Sebastian told him the night before.

Physical aptitude tests are designed to test he capabilities of a Hunter in their specific roles. How durable a tank was, how high the damage a mage has, or how a support can carry their team. Allen realized this after remembering that this was the tank aptitude test.

"Durability," the boy whispered to himself.

He stepped back and conjured a craft he made not too long ago. A greatsword and a shield that were made from different materials, meaning they were two different weapons. "Okay. I once wielded two weapons. I'm sure I can do it again."

The boy ran towards the giant arm and sword, full speeding towards it as it also was about to swing its weapon against the boy.

"Let's do it!"

While Allen was taking the test, a group of people has been watching him through an invisible wall. High above where he was, seven people sat on a dimly lit room, Jax standing behind them.

In the group, one of them was most prominent. A man that sat in a chair with a backrest that was taller than the others, made of gold while the others were made of silver. He was wearing a mask over his eyes while his blue hair was slicked back.

His skin was pale and smooth, much like a doll. It was a complete opposite aura to his large and muscled build, his body bulging on his tight white suit. This man was the leader of the group.

"This boy…" the man said. "He's holding two different weapons, correct? How is that possible?"

From behind, Jax walked up to the man. He wasn't looking at the others who were wearing different masks over their eyes, but they were wearing black suits.

"Sir," Jax handed him an envelope. The man with the white suit opened the envelope and his eyes widened after he saw what was inside. "This was when the Fire Dragon was reborn. He was there too?"

The woman beside the man hummed in response, "He was the one who killed the beast. That must be how he got to Paradise so fast. A Hunter from Haven last hitting a beast that is the same level as the average beasts in Eternity."

This woman had a red hair that she tied as a bun. She wore a crystal lotus pin on the side of her head while a mole was located on her right upper lip. Her skin was also light, but she wasn't as light skinned as the man.

"But weilding two weapons?" Another man said. This man had a darker skin and a buzz cut black hair. "Let's just go back to this quality real quick. How many Hunters can do that?"

"Seven," another man replied, a man with a curly blonde hair. "Six, now that Drake Nelson is gone. Some could, but they don't master it like they do."

"And do you think this boy can master it?" The woman asked. "Is he one of the six remaining dual wielding?"

"Yeah," the first man sighed. "Now this is why Barandilla has their eyes on him. Jax, take care of him properly, okay?"

Jax bowed, "Of course, sir."

The first man raised a glass of wine, as the others followed him. His sleeve was slightly pulled back, showing off a familiar black tattoo.

A tattoo of a snake.

–

"Good," Jax checked something on his clipboard and let a healer heal Allen. The boy tanked the damage of the arm, making sure to become as durable as he can while he was doing it. "You're very good, Mr. Reed. And those weapons don't belong with each other don't they?"

"No," Allen said with a deep sigh. "I know how these tanks and assassins, some even rangers, could have dual weapons because the weapons are part of a set, but not this one. I'm just using this because it's convenient."

"For convenience," Jax narrowed his eyes. "Interesting."

<Wind Shield>

Grade: Rare

Defense: 100

Effect/s: (1) Active - 10s taking damage, a shield equal to 20% of the damage taken. This stacks up to 120%.

(2) Passive - Gains 40% of max defense as shield.

<Broadsword of Helda>

Grade: Grand

Damage: 200

Effect/s: (1) Dual Blade - Active - Can switch the affinity to Defense or Damage.

(2) Passive - Gains 20% stats every 20 seconds of taking damage. Stacks up to 200%.

(3) ???

The shield was a good defense item for Allen. It was a standard shield, but it also gives high scaling the longer the fight gets. The sword on the other hand was the true glory that Allen used.

It had a high stats from the start and what's makes it more interesting is because the active skill can change the stats from offense to defense. When in warrior mode, Allen could use the offense while in tank mode or when he needs to take huge amounts of damage, he can switch to defense mode.

What's more is the scaling of the sword. The passive skill will scale up to 200%, making it a huge shield for him. Then the passive skill of his shield will compliment the huge stats of the sword by 40%, making Al practically impregnable.

During his tank aptitude test, the first few seconds were the hardest. He was just gaining shield and his defense stats were low to begin with. He could barely keep up with the beast.

In three minutes of taking damage, Allen felt almsot nothing anymore. His shield had reached 400%, and it was still scaling because the two effects of his weapons would still increase each other. He continued taking damage while he continued to get stronger and stronger.

It was also a good thing that his hyperregeneration would require a heavy amount of damage before it would activate. He didn't have to explain himself to the healers why he has been tanking the damage and he was uninjured.

"Are you ready for your next test?" Jax asked Allen after the healer had fixed him up. The boy nodded and Jax smirked with the determination he got from him. "Okay, the next one will be mage test. Good luck."

"Mage," Allen sighed. Jax vanished again and he was left in the fields once more. The arm and the sword were also gone, along with the hole it came out with it, as if it wasn't there in the first place. "Mage, mage, mage."

When the ground shook again, Allen knew that it was coming. This time, before the thing could even reach the surface, he had dodged the bulge on the ground where something would come out of.

This time, a staff came out. It was being carried by a stone old man with a robe and a very long beard. The old man was wearing a pointed hat while it was pointing its weapon at Allen.

"Aw, sh*t–"

Allen couldn't even finish cursing when the stone wizard fired a flame ball at him. Allen groaned at how this was going to be a hassle for him since he expected this, but wasn't too fond of the idea. He was going to have a mage battle with the stone man.

The boy sighed and took out something that he borrowed from Remy. It was her offensive weapon Code that had easy mechanics that Allen didn't have a hard time understanding.

He took out a staff with a glowing pointed tip. "Shoot for shoot. Let's go, wizard fool!"