The members of the church had sent a variety of items, including the crucial letter, along with a set of attire that perfectly embodied the style of a church hunter. A long black coat with white trimming at the edges, the fabric stiff and intricate, each crease seeming to tell the story of a hunter''s resolve. The cuffs of the coat were slightly rolled up, revealing the exquisite stitching inside.


    Matching the coat was a belt made of supple leather, its metal buckle gleaming coldly with intricate engravings that signified the wearer''s identity as a church hunter. A pair of shiny polished leather boots with high shafts that reached up to the calves, their durable leather clearly visible, each step echoing a steady sound on the ground.


    There was also a black triangular hat, its brim slightly turned down, perfectly concealing part of the wearer''s face, adding a mysterious aura to the hunter.


    Accompanying these items was a special emblem for the church hunters. Crafted from metal, it was finely shaped, with a unique pattern engraved on the surface, gleaming with a cold yet solemn light under the sun, as if carrying countless honors and missions.


    Among the items was a standard silver sword, long and straight with a glinting blade. A gentle swing of the sword cut through the air with a sharp whistle, displaying its unparalleled sharpness.


    However, the gun that Buck had been anticipating did not appear. The letter informed him that he would need to go to the church the next day to collect it.


    Of all the items, the most unique was a silver pocket watch. The watch’s case was meticulously carved with intricate patterns, each line smooth and natural, showcasing the craftsmanship. The dial featured two red and blue rings, with a clever design. By pressing his thumb lightly on the top of the watch, the dials below would clearly display his life energy and mana levels.


    For ordinary people, they wouldn’t have a mysterious panel that appeared directly on their retina, like Buck did. If a hunter hadn’t gained the ability to perceive their own state, this pocket watch would be immensely useful in helping them accurately understand their condition. Of course, with long-term training and fierce battles, hunters would gradually improve their control over their own status, and the pocket watch would eventually become more of an auxiliary tool.


    Curious, Buck pressed his finger onto the watch, and immediately the two dials spun rapidly, quickly exceeding the 99999 display limit and no longer being able to show a specific value. He frowned slightly, gently set the watch down, and sat on a nearby chair, deep in thought.


    The "Hunter Trial" mentioned in the letter was an essential assessment for all hunters. As with Veronica and Muken, only by passing this trial could one earn the corresponding privileges as a hunter. Otherwise, they would remain as interns, lingering at the edge of the hunter world.


    Perhaps due to some backdoor dealings, Buck’s trial seemed relatively simple—he only needed to complete a task assigned by the church.


    ...


    The next day, the soft sunlight shone on the church square, causing the stone slabs on the ground to faintly gleam. Buck entered the church through the side door once again, tightly holding a small booklet in his hand. The pages were yellowed, and the route instructions inside were clear and precise.


    Following the directions in the booklet, he walked steadily and smoothly, as if in his element, to the church''s underground location where the church''s inner circle was. Fernandez had been waiting there for a while, standing straight, his face lined with wrinkles, but his gaze was still sharp as an eagle’s.


    "Buck Frank, from today onwards, I’ll be assigning your tasks," Fernandez said, looking Buck up and down as he examined the hunter’s attire. Buck was wearing the new hunter outfit, standing tall, the coat billowing gently in the wind, emanating a unique aura. Fernandez nodded slightly in acknowledgment. He knew of Buck’s bravery when he single-handedly confronted the Undying Montette, so he had no doubts about Buck’s abilities.


    "In fact, before she left, Olivia specifically told me she wanted to be your mentor. This is rare, but since she’s tied up with other matters, it’s unlikely she’ll return soon, so I’ll take care of your affairs for now." As Fernandez spoke, he led Buck further into the underground. "But I’m quite busy as well, so unless it’s urgent, don’t disturb me."


    "I understand." Buck lowered the brim of his hat slightly and responded calmly.


    "Don’t think that just because you can act as a competent defender against the Fallen, you’re something special. There’s still much for you to learn. I’ve found someone with slightly more experience than you to be your partner. If you have any common-sense questions, you can ask her."


    "Her?" Buck raised an eyebrow, confused. Before he could ask further, Fernandez pushed open a heavy metallic door. Immediately, a strong smell of oil wafted through, dissipating the unpleasant mildew scent of the underground passage.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Hello, Mr. Buck Frank, welcome to the church''s firearms workshop," said a bald man who appeared from behind the door, a warm smile on his face as he extended a hand to welcome Buck inside.


    Inside the workshop, there was a busy scene. Numerous technicians were focused on maintaining and assembling firearms. Disassembled hunter pistols and various delicate parts were scattered across the floor, glinting under the light, creating a dazzling sight.


    For Buck, learning the structural principles of hunter pistols was a mandatory course, but at this moment, he knew almost nothing about them. The bald man led Buck into a room filled with all kinds of firearms, an array of them gleaming with variety.


    After scanning the surroundings, Fernandez impatiently threw out a sentence: "Ketch, this guy is all yours. I have urgent matters to attend to."


    "Safe travels, Lord Fernandez," Ketch replied respectfully.


    After seeing Fernandez off, Ketch smiled and waved his hand at Buck, saying, "Lord Frank, you can choose any firearm you like. Once you complete the hunter trial, it will stay with you from now on."


    Buck, with sharp eyes, quickly scanned the shelves and soon noticed the longest and most substantial gun. To be precise, it looked more like a small cannon, almost as long as an arm.


    "I want that one," Buck said with an expressionless face, but his tone was firm.


    Ketch''s smile immediately became somewhat awkward as he realized he had forgotten to put away the experimental item he had carelessly created while bored. Originally, it was just a strange product made to show off how "tough and gigantic" the workshop''s products were in a bet.


    "Are you sure? This gun imposes a huge burden on the user."


    "No problem, I’ll take it," Buck insisted decisively.


    Ketch, unable to persuade Buck otherwise, reluctantly handed over the gun with a 0.85 caliber. He thought to himself that once the boy experienced how it drained energy like a pump, he’d surely return it.


    However, Ketch quickly realized how wrong he was. In the underground shooting range, he witnessed Buck shooting continuously without changing his expression. The gun in Buck''s hands spat fire with every shot, accompanied by deafening noises.


    The targets on the opposite side were instantly turned to dust by the barrage of gunfire. Ketch stood stunned, his mouth hanging open, as if he could fit another bald head in. It turned out that after the transformation with the hunter potion, Buck’s blood could perfectly activate this specialized hunter weapon.


    The short gun, named "Hammer," consumed 200 mana points with each shot. If the mana was exhausted, it would start drawing life energy. This was a lethal drain for ordinary hunters, who couldn’t withstand it. But for Buck, who had immense reserves of both life and mana energy, it was no trouble at all.


    He didn’t even need to reload, as his own blood could form the bullets effortlessly. The massive energy consumption of "Hammer" resulted in even more destructive power than regular pistols. When dealing with ordinary flesh, a single bullet could cause a grenade-like effect.


    Buck was extremely satisfied with this gun. To him, it was undoubtedly the perfect weapon for himself. He casually holstered the gun with a flourish, leaving the workshop with confident strides, all while Ketch stared in astonishment.


    ...


    In the underground passage, Buck saw his partner, who had been assigned to work with him on the task. As he drew nearer, he realized it was an old acquaintance—Veronica. The female hunter had her fiery red hair tied up high, held in place by a hunter''s hat. She wore a fitted long coat that perfectly outlined her figure, giving her a bold and heroic appearance.


    It had been a while since they last met, and Veronica seemed to have regained her confidence. Upon seeing Buck dressed in the church hunter attire, she flashed him a bright smile, like a flower blooming in spring.


    "Hello, Lord Buck. From today, I’ll be your new partner, Veronica," she greeted politely.


    Buck lowered his hat slightly, and in a soft voice, said, "You really didn’t give up."


    Veronica nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "His Highness gave me a second chance."


    "So now you’re serving Lord Roland?" Buck asked.


    "Not just me, but us," Veronica smiled meaningfully. Then, she turned and began to lead the way. "Lord Buck, your hunter trial is also my trial task. We need to act quickly. At the same time, we have another important task to complete for His Highness."


    Buck raised an eyebrow, inwardly speculating: The main event is coming. It seems Roland''s placing him in the church has deeper meaning. "What’s the task?" he asked.


    "We need to secretly assist His Highness in retrieving a missing fourth-tier forbidden item—the Twin Soul Mirror," Veronica said as she handed Buck a simple document. The paper was rough, listing basic information about the Twin Soul Mirror, with a sketch of its appearance.


    The outline of the magic mirror was sleek, and the reflective surface seemed to contain endless mysterious power. Just looking at the sketch, one could feel its extraordinary nature.


    "Is our task related to this forbidden item?" Buck quickly scanned the document, his thoughts stirring, but his face remained calm.


    "Let’s just say there’s a bit of a connection, but it’s not the core task. The search for the forbidden item is being handled by other high-level hunters. We’re only tasked with dealing with a peripheral issue."


    "So, His Highness wants us to get ahead of those high-level hunters and retrieve the mirror before they do?" Buck’s lips curled up slightly in a smile. "And we need to do it quietly, avoiding the other group, while secretly searching for clues and breakthroughs?"


    "Smart," Veronica nodded approvingly. "Lord Fernandez told me that my last partner was a fool with nothing but passion, which is why I failed my trial. It seems this time, he found me a capable partner."


    Buck remained noncommittal, once again lowering his hat to shield his occasionally wandering gaze. "Well, let’s hear about our specific task."


    "Our task is to help Master Julius the Alchemist retrieve a potion stolen by his apprentice. The employer of that alchemist is the original owner of the Twin Soul Mirror, Count Kingsley."


    "A theft, recovering stolen property? Isn’t that the work of police and detectives?" Buck asked, puzzled.


    "Normally, yes," Veronica winked playfully, adding, "But this isn’t just any potion. Master Julius said his apprentice has likely turned into a monster under the influence of the potion."