Loki’s Successor System

The Wizard had paid Jin another visit the next day. Today, he had found Jin atop the wall, looking down at the village below him, perching on the edge quiescently. 

[Strength: 85]

[Health: 110]

[Speed: 68]

[Skill: 81]

[UP: 0]

[Exp: 46/100| Level 14]

The Wizard hovered in front of Jin in the air. 

He folded his arms. "You're late for the Hunter's meeting. Six minutes late. We've been waiting patiently for you, until wait we can no longer. What have you been doing up here?"

Jin looked at the Wizard in the eyes. "I'm just relaxing ... enjoying the view of the world below. It's becoming something like a part of my mundane to be frank."

The Wizard narrowed his eyes at Jin. "You're missing the meeting, Jin!" He snapped but his incredulous tone had a note of discretion. He didn't want to get on Jin's nerves.

Jin's gaze augmented its apathy. "Why don't you just fill me in on what happened? I don't like chit-chat, so cut that, and summarize for me now, would ya?" 

"The meeting is yet to come to an end," The Wizard said, "it's ongoing!" He didn't like having to go looking for Jin in front of the other Hunters. It made him look smaller. Perhaps they might even try being as obnoxious as Jin since he got away with it so easily. "You made me come look for you ..."

"You always come looking for me," Jin said. 

The Wizard averted his eyes. He really had started doing things for Jin that he hadn't done for others, being the superior man he was. This breaking of his code was new to him. In fact, he had only just realized that he started doing it. "Y-you're ... right ... but I do have a problem ..."

"What might that be?"

The Wizard peered into Jin's soul. "I uphold certain standards here at this colony that aren't to be broken by anyone even of high caliber. You see, I've set up these rules and restrictions—I've set up order here in this village for a reason. I can't have you put that order on its arse, Jin."

Jin peered at him, apathy still in his eyes. "Mhm ..."

"The other Hunters are beginning to questions the way of the Wizard," the Wizard said, "because of you. I can't have that at all. Not when I am the one calling the shots and doing everything myself to keep this place running and alive."

Jin raised a brow. "So?"

"So, again," the Wizard said, "I can't have you screw the orders here. I can't just allow you alone to break the rules when even I, the head, don't. That's quite biased in the eyes of the others, especially my Hunters. My governing of this colony is supposed to be impartial, Jin."

Jin raised his brow again. "So ... ?"

"So I'm asking you," The Wizard said, "as a matter of fact, begging you ... to just stop ... stop this insolent behavior. Not for me but for the order of this village. And you're delusional and thinking you're the head of this colony, I beg your magnanimous sympathy here and your magnanimous cooperation." 

"Fine," Jin said, "maybe I'll try ..."

The Wizard narrowed his eyes. "You will?"

"Yeah," Jin said, "why not? That meeting just better be important though."

The Wizard smiled. "Thank you very much for your very kind cooperation. And I do hope you understand why I'm asking this if you. It is important that there are rules set up and punishment associated with the breaking of them. As for you, there needn't be punishment. Thank you again."

The Wizard frowned upon seeing Jimmy's careless face. What was he doing thanking someone like Jin anyway? When did he fall so low? Isn't he the head of the colony? The autocratic man in charge of it all? There couldn't be too of one such man at all. There just couldn't. Where were two Presidents ever seen governing simultaneously? 

"Jin," the Wizard said, "we must leave right now. The others are sitting, at the verge of their patience as we speak."

"So you're not going to summarize the meeting for me," Jin said, "when it's over?"

"I'm afraid not," the Wizard said. "

"Why though?"

"I'm surprised you even asked this question. Don't you know? You must be present for this meeting, Jin. It's quite important as I have mentioned before."

"About the tournament," Jin said, "when is it again?"

"Three days have now officially passed, so that leaves us with four more to go."

"I see," Jin smirked.

*** 

Jin and the Wizard appeared amidst a room in the Wizard's building. This was the Wizard's new Governemnt House. It was called the House of Supremacy. Albeit, the Wizard was growing quite incredulous everytime he thought about this title. His supremacy was being challenged by a man who'd spent less than a month in his headquarters.

The building interior was white, contrary to the deep black on the walls outside. The Wizard had painted this house dark to blending into the pervading darkness of dusk as opposed to sticking out like a sore thumb by potential intrusive or in-headquarters threats.

The room was packed with a slew of people. There were all sitting on chairs about three arms apart in four rows of neatly lined seats. Jin recognized the older Hunters who had only returned recently as well as Kai and Kaylie. There were definetly some new faces: the new hunters people were talking about. 

Jin sat down next to Franklin. After all, it was the only empty seat in the front row. Franklin looked at Jin and grinned widely, to which Jin sneered, and then looked away once the Wizard had cleared his throat.

The Wizard roved at the gathered Hunters in the room, satisfied at last. He clasped his hands behind his back. "We will now commence today's brief meeting."

"Thank God—if he exists—it's a god damn brief meeting," Amy said.

"Upon the commencement of the meeting," the Wizard said curtly, "there will be no intervention—no meddling whatsoever, and that means if I hear as much as a cough, I'll punish the man responsible for his failure of cooperation on the spot."

Amy smirked. 

The Wizard stared in silence for a bit and then started again. "As I said before," he narrowed his eyes, "and as Amy emphasized, this is but a brief meeting alone. Our very first meeting in the new Government house. 

"I'm here to inform you of the Hunter's Tournament—if you some how didn't know yet because you either live under a rock or just chose to be an area hole—and I'm here to give you an update on the tournaments status, and rules thus far.

"Everything is going great. Firstly, I'll like to renounce the employment of our brand new Scouts. These scouts are pure scouts. Their sole purpose is scouting. I know this has been the Hunters' job for quite a bit now, but having lesser people do it is much more closer to risk-free.

"I can't afford to lose any of you anytime soon. So, introducing the new scouts. At least one Hunter is to accompany each scout team. That said, a Hunter is basically a Scout as well in all but name now, of course.

"I'll now move on to the second thing I'll like to mention: the establishment of the Tournament Grounds. This building will be fully constructed by tomorrow or so. There will be a short ceremony to celebrate this monumental establishment. Though, your participation as Hunters is optional.

"Thirdly, I'd like to mention the reinforcement of a currency here at the village. From the day of the tournament, there is not only trading, but a currency as well. I've decided to simply accept the old world's currency. The American dollar. Except, it's worth more. Gold is also accepted but I'm still working on the exchange. Since dollars have lost their value over the years and have become near obsolete—People are free to visit the bank that's being built right now to exchange their dollars for basic nescessities such as food."

Everyone had started looking around on that last point. Then, a numbering had started. Words smashed into each other, and slurred, growing louder as time went by. Jin and two others hadn't spoken a word.

"Second to last on this list, is the apprenticeship system that's starting abruptly after this meeting. Each Hunter will be assigned an apprentice, who he must protect and train. The apprentices will allow for the advancement of our people's skills here at the colony while also ensuring there are always new skillful Hunters in the making. The Apprenticeship system begins today. And you have four days to train them for their first obstacle: the Hunter's apprentice part of the tournament."

"Lastly, I'd like to mention my new assistant. She's not here right now, but she will be shortly. She'll assign you to your randomized apprentices, and have you escorted out of the Government House. Oh, and I'll also like to announce my upcoming retirement."

The last point had shocked every last man, even Jin a bit.