This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

Chapter 351 The Subdivisions (2)

Kain continued reading the other descriptions.

As a pair with the Lunar Veil, are the "Dawnbringers." While the Veil delves into the shadows to obtain information, the Dawnbringers are the ones that shed light on those similarly lurking in the shadows of the Empire.

The Dawnbringers are the Empire's counter-intelligence and internal security subdivision. They root out spies and infiltrators, ensuring that the nation remains impenetrable. They also monitor other members, ensuring loyalty and discipline within the ranks.

"They must be those paranoid guys I heard about…" Kain heard an unfamiliar man next to him mutter. However, the members of this subdivision exhibiting excess paranoia is to be expected—their job is to literally look at any and everyone they come across as a potential spy and then root them out.

Similar, to the Veil, they may also go long periods before a task is completed. Therefore, each spy or vulnerability in the Empire's defense that they identify also usually comes with hefty rewards.

In summary, the first two divisions can be summarized as being for those better at intelligence gathering than raw combat strength and the payoff for rewards is very slow, however the rewards in both departments are extremely lucrative.

The third subdivision is the "Night Hunt." The Hunt's members are the elite combatants of the Eclipse, that specialize in assassinations and hunting down enemies or traitors.

If someone were to betray the Eclipse Order, a member of the Hunt would be tasked with tracking them down and disposing of them.

Thankfully, instances of betrayal are rare and most of their targets range from rogue beast-tamers and traitorous officials to high-profile enemies of the Empire. The Hunt often operates solo or in small units, which is why the personal combat strength of the members of the hunt tends to be the highest.

This is also one of the subdivisions that were apparently the most difficult to gain access to. The Night Hunt is feared even among other members of the Eclipse, their name synonymous with death. Therefore, only the best of the best could join their ranks.

In contrast to the Hunt, the fourth subdivision, the "Celestial Vanguard", usually consists of people that shine greatly in team-combat or group war-fare.

They often act in concert with the Empire's general army as an elite combat division of the military, leading large-scale field operations during times of war or crisis.

The Vanguard is deployed when brute force and overwhelming strength are required to secure the Empire's interests and their presence alone is said to turn the tide of battles. Every member is a seasoned warrior with extensive field experience.

However, large-scale conflicts have been more infrequent in recent years, therefore the turnover of receiving contribution points in this division is likely the lowest during times of peace like now—although it could go up exponentially during times of war.

The final two subdivisions are also somewhat intertwined. The fifth subdivision is the "Pathfinders" which are responsible for the exploration and recovery of ancient relics and unknown territories.

These individuals are tasked with uncovering and traversing new or forgotten regions, often where the remains of ancient civilizations are or recently found relics filled with unknown danger. They are often the most resourceful, trained to navigate dangerous ruins, decipher ancient texts, disarm traps and combat unknown spiritual creatures that may have not been seen in millennia.

In summary, like their name they are the pathfinders of the Eclipse, often returning with knowledge, artifacts, subdued relics that can greatly boost the collective power of the Empire.

The final, and sixth subdivision, is the "Starchaser." Similar to Pathfinders, they also explore unexplored territories, but rather than unexplored territories left by ancient humans that often requires historical knowledge and the ability to decipher ancient text, the specialize in deep- wilderness expeditions to acquire rare spiritual creatures and materials. Unlike the Pathfinders that often bring back important historical knowledge and discoveries, Starchasers tend to travel places not left by man and are specialists in traversing the uncharted wilderness.

Starchasers are responsible for capturing rare spiritual creatures and recovering valuable natural resources that are often then supplied to the Order as rewards exchangeable using contribution points. Their missions often place them in environments dominated by powerful spiritual creatures, requiring extensive knowledge of ecology and survival skills.

Due to the Pathfinders and Starchasers often being the ones at the forefront of discovering rare materials, their missions usually have much lower contribution points given as a reward, due to them having first access to the valuables and knowledge that they bring back as compensation.

Kain mediated on the 6 subdivisions he'd learned about, wondering about the process for joining them.

Thankfully, the wait to find out wouldn't be much longer.

The room buzzed with faint conversations and murmurs as more participants trickled in, the fluorescently lit number on the countdown screen decreasing steadily. The timer quickly approached 00:00, and with the exception of 2 more participants that didn't arrive in time, 36 individuals, including Ravi and Isolde, arrived at the facility just in the nick of time.

However, before he could properly greet Ravi since he hadn't wanted to disturb him while he was watching the presentation, the screens around the room flickered simultaneously.

One by one, each screen went dark, only to be replaced by a single massive display that spanned the wall opposite the entrance. A hush fell over the room as an imposing figure appeared on the screen.

The man radiated authority, his aura so overwhelming that even through the display, Kain felt the weight of his presence settle like a heavy stone on his chest. Kain knew instinctively that he must be one of the few 9-star beast-tamers of the empire.

The man was dressed in a sleek, black uniform. His face was sharp, with eyes that gleamed like polished obsidian, and his graying hair was tied neatly at the nape of his neck. He stood with an air of absolute confidence, his gaze sweeping over them all. Despite them being separated by the screen, Kain felt the physical weight of his gaze as though he were in the room with them.

"Welcome," the man began, his deep voice reverberating through the room like a drumbeat. "To the Eclipse Order."