As he stepped out the door, a group of customers entered, respecting the distance from each other.

With the warm pie in his hand, its aroma filling the air, the only thing the young man could think about was devouring it as soon as possible. Outside the bakery, there were seats and tables, a few already occupied by people having breakfast and chatting.

Raignald placed the pie on an empty table, sat down, and eagerly rested his backpack on another chair along with his sword. The treat was already sliced, so he picked up a piece with his hands and brought it to his mouth.

He burned his mouth a little, but the flavor exploded in his mouth. The sweet grape melted on his tongue, and the pie's crumb was soft and light. But it had a different twist, an acidic note that sent a sparkling sensation through him, pulling out an amused expression. His eyes sparkled, and his cheeks flushed slightly.

He gobbled up another piece, then another, until he finished it in no time. Satisfied, he settled back in the chair, stretching his arms. The effect didn’t take long to show, his energy surged considerably, and he felt like running across the kingdom.

After thinking for a moment, he stood up and prepared for the journey ahead. Upon seeing how alive the streets were once again, he felt even more encouraged. He stepped into the flow and continued on his way.

From a distance, he could see the next wall, and he sighed upon noticing the great distance, but he didn’t let laziness take over when he remembered his goal. With the energy he had gained, the journey didn’t seem so long, as he passed through groups of people, carriages, merchants, and crossed plazas, houses, open streets, and more. He tried to ignore almost everything, not letting himself be distracted by the new sights, focusing on his goal.

Finally, he arrived at the gates of the mid-range wall. They were bigger, with open gates and people coming and going. He noticed a large sign placed above the arch of the wall: “West Wall,” it read. He approached some guards to ask:

“Good morning.” He bowed slightly. “I’m trying to get to a place called ‘Hunter’s Central Zone,’ how do I get there?”

“Good morning. We are in the west zone, so you’ll need to take the circular wall train to reach the north zone.”

“Circular wall train?” The young man’s eyes showed curiosity.

“That’s right.” The knight smiled, finding his reaction amusing. “It’s a special train that runs through the inside of this wall, passing through four points: west, east, north, and south. As you know, this wall is quite large, so this mana-reinforced machine was created to make the journey easier.”

Hearing such a novelty filled Raignald with excitement. Without wasting time, he thanked the guard and joined the crowd. There were many people, but everything was in order, respecting the space. Walking slowly, he descended a staircase on the right side of the wall’s portal.

Upon reaching the bottom of the last staircase, he found a crowded area where people were waiting for the circular train. Some were sitting on benches, while others chatted standing or walked around.

“The train is almost here!” announced a voice that echoed throughout the place. “Prepare to board.”

People began lining up in large rows, and Raignald joined one. The train finally arrived, stopping at the gap. The young man admired its structure—it was quite long, with windows showing the interior: people sitting or standing, but all in order with enough space. It had a golden and white color, creating an attractive appearance.

The doors opened, and people began to disembark. Raignald was impressed with the orderliness: there was a perfect separation between the entrance and exit lines. Before entering, one had to wait to ensure no one else was getting off.

The line began to move, entering slowly. A guard was counting the number of people and sharing it with the others guarding the other doors, keeping track of the total number of people entering, to know if the limit had been reached. The young man managed to enter just in time.

“This train has exceeded the limit, those who couldn’t enter will wait for the next one,” they announced loudly.

The machine started moving, slowly at first, but gradually increasing speed. In an instant, its speed shot up drastically, though it wasn’t felt inside: no one fell or slipped from their seats, thanks to the mana the train used, which created a stable interior.

The interior was white and gold, with seats in different places. Raignald tried to find a seat, but everything was occupied, so he stayed standing, his mind wandering with excitement.

Ten minutes later, the train reached the north stop. Along with the crowd, he exited in an orderly fashion, and at one point, he quickened his pace, climbing the stairs on his right upon noticing the sign “Upstairs – Lower Zone.” At first, he was confused, but then he thought to himself that he was underground, so the wall also connected below. That’s why there were two sets of stairs: one leading to the middle zone and the other to the lower.

Finally, he reached his destination. It was already clear that it was larger than the middle zone, with the streets even more lively. He observed in detail people with armor, bows, staffs, swords, shields, and more. All equipped like warriors. “Are those the hunters?” Raignald murmured to himself.

There were different groups, but without thinking twice, he approached the first one he saw:

A young man in silver armor, carrying a sword at his waist and a shield on his back, with black hair and eyes to match.
A girl, possibly a mage, wore white and black fabric clothes, with leather protection. She was holding a gray staff on the ground. Her hair was yellow, and her eyes were light brown.
Another large figure, his body covered in black armor, was a humanoid beast with the appearance of a white tiger. A large axe rested on his back.

“Good afternoon, how do I get to the Central Hunter Zone?” he asked the group with a smile.

The young man with black hair was the first to speak:

“Good afternoon, bro!” he cheerfully raised his hand, giving a warm welcome. “You’re a new hunter, aren't you? We’re just heading there to catch a couple of targets.”

“Ah, perfect then,” Raignald said, glad to receive such friendly help. “And yes, I’m new. I’m interested in becoming a forest hunter.”

“Then follow us, bro. It’s a bit far, but it’s easy to get to.”

Raignald and the group began to walk. The girl glanced at Raignald curiously.

“Don’t you have armor?” she finally asked. “If you want to move with agility, at least wear something light. Like leather armor, for example.”

“Leave it, Samira. He’s new, I guess he doesn’t know what type he likes yet,” interrupted the boy.

“From the sword he’s carrying,” the beastly man’s deep voice resonated. He was looking at Raignald’s weapon. “I’d say he’s a close-range attacker, like you, Ekin.”

“Could be, he's the only one who knows.”

“If it’s about wielding a sword, that’s what I want,” Raignald responded with pride. “I didn’t think about the armor, but I’ll definitely get one. Thanks for mentioning it.”

“Well, now you have something to do.” Ekin let out a brief laugh. “Get whatever you want, but I recommend something made of silver.” He lightly hit his chestplate with his fist, making the metal ring.

Raignald nodded, and with the group, they continued on their way. They didn’t take long to arrive: little by little, it became evident that there were plenty of hunters walking the streets, some alone and others in groups.

“Here we are: The Central Hunter Zone, or rather, the central guild,” Ekin announced to the group, addressing Raignald.

Raignald looked up, astonished: from the outside, it looked like a huge tavern. Hunters were constantly coming and going, chattering among themselves.

“What are you waiting for? Come with us so we can explain you the basics,” Ekin shouted from the door, raising his hand.

Raignald sighed and followed the group inside.

The real journey had just begun.