As the words echo through the Ruined buildings Riven stood there With his Sharp and bloody sword on my throat barely an inched
"Leave if you want to live"
"..What if I don't?"
As I say it with arrogance and confident face
Riven didn't change his expression he remains calm and composed his gaze were dead serious As he moved his sword and pressed the sharp sword to my throat
"Then I'll kill you"
The bite of the cold steel against my throat was instant, a searing line that blossomed into a warm, sticky rush. I didn't even have time to gasp, only to feel the life draining out of me in a crimson stream. He had done it without a flicker of hesitation, his eyes still burning with an unyielding fire.
But then, a subtle shift. The pressure eased, and I saw his sword, Peircer, being sheathed with a soft click. Riven. Even in my fading moments, I recognized him. His glare, however, remained, as potent and chilling as the blade itself. It wasn't the kind of look that promised mercy, but rather a silent, brutal warning. A promise of what would come if I ever dared to cross his path again.Time, a relentless river, flowed onward. The city, scarred but resilient, gradually stitched itself back together. Life, in its stubborn refusal to halt, resumed its familiar rhythm. And I, against all odds, was still a part of it.
Now, I stood before a monolithic structure of glass and steel, its imposing height challenging the clouds. Is this the Hunter HQ? The thought echoed in the cavernous space of my mind, a mix of awe and trepidation. I'd been summoned, a cryptic message hinting at something important, something that demanded my presence within these hallowed, formidable walls.
Inside, the grand hall hummed with a subdued energy, a silent testament to the power it contained. As I walked further, my gaze snagged on a familiar figure. Riven. He stood with an unsettling gravitas, flanked by two others who radiated an aura of immense power. The top two and three hunters in the world. A flicker of curiosity, an unbidden spark, ignited within me.
My mind, an archive of past lives, stirred. I remembered them, these two titans of the hunting world. In another existence, they had been inseparable, a duo whose combined strength was legendary. The woman with the short, dark hair, a striking contrast to her fierce demeanor, was Yeddah. They called her "the Beauty of the Beast," a fitting moniker for one whose brunette locks framed eyes the color of rubies, a captivating blend of allure and danger.
"Woah.."
Beside her, radiating a different kind of intensity, was Yuseol Kim, the world's second-ranked hunter. His hair, a cascade of golden blond, seemed to capture and reflect the light, while his eyes, a molten gold, held an unnerving depth. It was rare, even in my long existence, to witness such a gathering of power, such a confluence of legends. The air around them thrummed with an unspoken tension, a silent promise of momentous events to come.
"Damn handsome man's are so unique"
Suddenly someone approached me she was wearing a glasses and a messy hair she was Yeddah's Assistant Her name was Jocy
"I know right?"
"..."
Jocy Said it she stand besides me and noticed yeddah was about to leave.
The scent of old leather and something faintly metallic, like ozone after a storm, hung heavy in the air.
"It's nice meeting you, Mr. Park. Let's meet again!"
The words, clipped and precise, carried a hint of a charming accent as Jocy, a woman with eyes the color of a winter sky, walked towards Yeddah. Her movements were fluid, like a dancer's, as she effortlessly navigated the crowded corridor, her dark hair swaying around her shoulders. She reached Yeddah, a quiet presence with an intensity that belied her calm demeanor, and together they moved towards a meeting room, their conversation a low murmur I couldn't quite catch. Russians, I'd heard. Their names, Yeddah and Jocy, certainly felt unique, infused with an almost poetic strength.
As they disappeared, I turned, the hum of anticipation pulling me towards the Hunters' training hall. The double doors, carved with intricate symbols of beasts and ancient magic, swung open to reveal a scene that sent a shiver of apprehension down my spine. Hordes of hunters filled the vast hall, their conversations a low rumble, their forms varied—some bulky with muscle, others lithe and quick. My gaze darted around, identifying their ranks. C, B, D... The higher echelons of power. Not a single F-rank in sight. My heart hammered a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Was I truly the only one?
Whispers followed me as I moved through the throng, like a ripple in a still pond. Faces turned, eyes narrowed, and a sudden, bright panel materialized in front of me, obscuring my view.
[Someone identified your Profile]
An annoyed sigh escaped my lips. The system, with its incessant pop-ups, always had a knack for appearing at the most inopportune moments. Time, however, waited for no one. Slowly, the murmuring crowd settled into their seats, a collective hush falling over the hall. Then, a figure ascended the stage—the Professor. His presence commanded immediate attention, his voice resonating with an authority that silenced any lingering whispers.
"This is the exam to test our skills, to become a successful Hunter."
I slumped in my seat, a faint groan escaping me. "This is gonna take long."
The Professor continued, his words clear and precise, "To test your abilities, you must relax to feel the Mana on your body."
Relax? In a room full of hunters, all of them undoubtedly far more powerful than me, with a system that kept announcing my presence, and an exam that would determine my entire future? Relaxation felt like a distant, impossible dream.
The tension in the room was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife – a knife Riven seemed more than willing to wield. The top hunters, their faces etched with a mixture of experience and ruthlessness, sat around a polished mahogany table that now bore a fresh, jagged scar.
"As I identify, it's an A-rank dungeon," Riven stated, his voice a chilling monotone that seemed to lower the temperature in the room.
Yeddah, ranked among the top three, responded with a smile that was all saccharine sweetness, yet her eyes held a predatory glint that contradicted her pleasant demeanor. "Oh~ an A-rank dungeon? Riven must be having fun killing those monsters." Her words, though outwardly amiable, carried an undercurrent of something terrifying, a subtle threat veiled in silk.
Yuseol, observing the exchange, allowed a smirk to play on his lips. "There's this F-rank guy who keeps wandering around," he drawled, his gaze shifting to Riven.Yuseol's interest was piqued.
"Who is it? It might be interesting."
Yuseol's eyes, like chips of obsidian, locked onto Riven's, an intense and unsettling stare. But Riven, a hunter forged in countless battles, didn't flinch. A cold, bitter chuckle escaped his lips, and with a swift, brutal motion, he cleaved the sturdy table in half, the wood groaning in protest. The splintered edge of his blade, now a menacing extension of his arm, pointed directly at Yuseol.
"Don't ever approach him,"
Riven's voice was a low growl, laced with raw anger. His jaw clenched, tight and rigid, transforming his features into a mask of barely contained fury. He was a panther, coiled and ready to strike, and Yuseol, a tiger, equally dangerous, seemed to be circling him, both predators fighting for the same prey.
"Chillax, Riven, Yuseol would never do that,"
A calmer voice interjected, attempting to diffuse the volatile atmosphere.
Riven remained skeptical, his gaze still sharp, but the intense rage slowly receded, replaced by a cold, calculating calm. He settled back into his chair, one leg casually crossed over the other, a hand tucked into his pocket. His eyes, though no longer blazing with anger, were now as cold and unyielding as ice.
The scene shifted abruptly, the oppressive tension of the meeting replaced by the gentle caress of a sunny breeze. My black hair danced in the wind, a stark contrast to my warm, brown eyes as I stood on the beach, the vast expanse of the sea stretching out before me. The rhythmic lull of the waves mirrored the resolve building within me.
"It was time to prepare to get stronger,"
My thoughts echoed, and I clenched my fist, ready to embrace the suffering that lay ahead.
A wry smile touched my lips. I had been jokingly telling myself that, all the while slacking off, tired of the relentless pursuit of strength, yearning for a normal life. I was moments away from giving it all up. But then, my phone vibrated, pulling me back from the brink. The screen glowed with a single, potent message:
[The Hunter Exam will be tomorrow morning. Good luck.]
My hand, heavy with exhaustion, hovered over my phone, threatening to swat it away. But the sheer effort was too much. I simply let it fall, my body sinking back into the welcoming embrace of the mattress. "Maybe tomorrow morning will be a tough day," I mumbled to the empty air, already halfway to dreamland.
Sleep came swiftly, but not entirely peacefully. A peculiar sensation startled me, a touch on my cheek. A hand—cold, yet surprisingly soft—grazed my skin. I tried to move, to wake, but my limbs felt weighted, my eyelids glued shut. I was trapped between wakefulness and slumber, aware only of the chilling touch, followed by the gentle drape of a blanket over me. Then, blissful oblivion.
The morning sun, brazen and unapologetic, streamed through my window, an insistent spotlight on my face. It dragged me from the depths of sleep, and my eyes fluttered open, blinking against the harsh light. A quick glance at the clock sent a jolt of panic through me. Late! I was unequivocally, disastrously late.
I sprang from bed, a flurry of hurried movements. My clothes, hastily thrown on, were a testament to my rushed awakening: shorts to combat the relentless heat, and a sleeveless shirt.
"God, I'm gonna be late!"
I exclaimed, the words barely out before I was practically flying out the door.
A taxi was hailed, a blur of motion, and soon I found myself standing before the imposing building. Inside, the main hall buzzed with an unfamiliar energy, filled to the brim with other hunters. I'm never going to get used to this, I thought, the familiar feeling of being an outsider settling in.
Lost in my own thoughts, I almost didn't notice the teenage boy who approached me, his voice a soft, hesitant murmur.
"Um... Mister... Can we be friends?"
My immediate, internal response was a resounding over my dead body. I had no intention of coddling some kid. But then I looked at him properly. Brown hair, green eyes—a sudden flash of recognition. Seo Hajin. The arrogant kid who always got what he wanted, a spoiled brat of the highest order. But this kid... this version of him was different. Shy, almost timid, and unexpectedly friendly.
"Of course, ki—"
My words were abruptly cut off.A booming voice, amplified by hidden speakers, resonated through the hall.
"Attention, hunters! The Hunter Exam will now commence. The top three hunters will observe you, assessing your talents."
I cursed the professor in my mind, a string of colorful expletives for interrupting my rare moment of kindness. I had been about to say yes, to perhaps even entertain the idea of not pummeling anyone who dared to bump into me. As my gaze drifted towards the stage, it landed on a familiar figure: Riven. For a brief, charged moment, our eyes met.
"Did he see me!? Or was he just glancing?"
My thoughts spiraled into a chaotic panic. Is this really the best way to think right now? I need to focus...
To be continued..