Chapter 21

"Wrong. Do it again."

"R-right!"

With critical eyes, I watched Riko swing around a wooden battle axe through the air. Her movements were awkward and sloppy; her footwork was a chaotic dance reserved for those inexperienced with using their legs for battle since she shifted her weight way too much, and this caused her to move erratically while she made clumsy attempts to strike at me with her practice weapon.

But it was an improvement over her last try since this time, she was able to maintain a modicum of grace in her movements and not lose her grip on her weapon.

"Better. Even so…"

I spun around a wide, telegraphed swing and tripped Riko with my foot. She squeaked as she tried to regain her balance by swinging her arms around wildly. I reached out and pushed her with a finger, causing her to fall on her knees and hands, her wooden practice weapon tumbling on the grass. I sighed and looked around at the vast, open space located in a nearby park from my apartment. A thick tree line separated us from where people usually hung around.

"I'm sorry, Master. It seems that fighting using this body is harder than I expected." Riko grabbed her wooden battle axe and stood with an embarrassed expression. I nodded and held my chin, observing her quietly.

Despite her weak protests in wanting to wear her maid outfit, my slime companion was currently dressed in a red hoodie, a gray t-shirt that exposed her flat stomach, black tights, and sneakers. An outfit chosen by Komachi right before she left for school.

"Don't apologize. You only just recently got the hang of walking around without tripping. I wasn't expecting you to get it immediately." I gave her a slight reprimanding look, though I made sure my words were not unkind.

"But still…"

"It's okay. Just try again."

Riko nodded and quickly changed her expression. With renewed determination, she ran towards me and swung her battle axe at my head. I watched as she and her weapon moved at a snail's pace while sidestepping the attack. Riko grunted and shifted her weight to try to hit my stomach.

"Good, you're getting the hang of shifting your weight."

Riko smiled at my praise and began to try to attack me with everything she had. As she moved, she occasionally slipped and tripped, but she quickly righted herself. Slowly but surely, Riko began to get the hang of fighting in her human body.

Considering she would be accompanying me in her human form from now on, I had decided that I should begin training her on how to use her new body in combat. This way, she would be able to better fight the magical beasts beside me and defend herself as well.

I'm glad I made the axe the same weight as the Battle Axe of the Undead. This way, you'll have no problem adapting to it.

Deciding it was time to up the difficulty, I reached out and slapped her wooden weapon out of her hands. Her eyes were wide in shock at my sudden move. I then moved and grabbed her outstretched hands to flip her through the air. I watched as Riko fell on her back a few feet away.

"Never stop moving during a fight," I said to Riko as she stood up. Hiratsuka-sensei's lessons and words of advice were deeply ingrained into my mind, body, and soul from the hours of torture–training I endured. Making it easy for me to parrot off her lessons. "Even if you're disarmed, don't stand still. Dash away and make some space between you and your opponent."

I ran forward and stepped into Riko's personal space before she could react. I then swung a very obvious punch towards her face. I was conscious only of using a fragment of my power, just enough to match Riko's so she wouldn't be overwhelmed. As she was, Riko was currently at a high C-Rank in terms of raw power.

Riko quickly moved to the side and narrowly avoided the attack, causing me to smile in pride; she then planted her right leg and threw out her other foot towards my head. I slapped her foot away, causing her to spin on the grass and fall on her butt. I didn't stop there; no, I moved in to try and slam my knee into her nose, but Riko quickly rolled out of the way.

"Excellent. Just like that!"

Riko grunted as we continued our hand-to-hand spar. While I knew I was severely holding back, I was still impressed by how quickly Riko began to get into the flow of the fight. She was a natural and a quick learner. In comparison, Hiratsuka-sensei beat me up for three hours straight before I could even begin to show improvements.

I'm not jealous. Of course not.

After thirty minutes of sparring with nothing but our hands, Riko's face was covered in sweat, and her limbs began to shake in exhaustion. Even so, she never slowed and continued to fight with her all.

"Okay. That's enough." I said as I caught her incoming fist in my palm with ease. A loud crack echoed in the park, causing the grass behind me to flutter and the birds in the shaking trees to fly away in fear.

She's about as strong as the four-armed troll.

Riko gasped and collapsed forward, but before she could fall on the ground. I caught her in my arms. She breathed deeply and quickly as she tried to catch her breath. I slowly guided her down so she could sit on the ground to rest.

"Easy, Riko. In through your nose and out through your mouth."

I sat in front of her, and we stayed like that for several minutes. Her ability to quickly learn wasn't just limited to her mental intelligence, but it also applied to her combat ability and knowledge.

Damn it! I'm jealous!

Well, whatever. It's good to have a strong companion. Her prodigious level of learning makes training her all the easier as well. Having her be able to better cover my back in the Realm of Chaos will only be a boon.

I told myself that as soon as I could, I'd go back to the other world to level up my power to that of an S-Rank. Unfortunately, I still had some business to take care of here in Japan.

"...Tuesday. I should be free then, Yukinoshita."

["Very well. I'll see you after school on Tuesday. Goodnight, Hikigaya-kun."]

I couldn't mentally be prepared for fighting and training if this meeting was still hanging in the back of my mind, so I decided to rip the band-aid off and get it over with. After that, I'll go all out with training in the Realm of Chaos.

But a part of me felt nervous at the thought of facing Yukinoshita again ever since that day. I knew I wanted to put the past behind us so we could go back to how things were between the three of us, but more and more things were piling onto my plate for me to deal with. Sometimes, I can't help but wish for the simple and easy life I had back in high school, where the most stressful stuff I had to worry about the most was passing my midterms.

"Master?" I looked over at Riko, who was pulling random blades of grass, and hummed. "Are you… okay? You seemed, well, not like yourself."

"Oh."

I looked up at the blue sky and leaned back on my hands. Riko shuffled a bit closer to me with a piercing stare, waiting for me to answer. I thought back to the events from the Red Gate. All the deaths and bloodshed we went through still weighed heavily on me. Despite that, the Red Gate also worked as a wake-up call for me as well. I had grown too comfortable in my strength that I forgot that there would always be someone or something stronger than you. That means I can't grow complacent. I had to grow stronger. Much stronger. Strong enough to the point where nothing can threaten me or anyone around me ever again.

A national-level hunter…or something beyond that.

That was my new objective.

"I'm fine," I said slowly. Memories of all those who had died before me flashed at the forefront of my mind. I blinked them away and offered my slime companion a smile. "I just needed some sleep, that's all. Trust me."

I didn't want to talk to Riko about my hang-ups and cause her to worry. These are issues that I prefer to deal with alone.

Besides that, I didn't want Riko to think that I was weak. Our relationship was founded on the premise that I was strong enough to be the one she looked up to, someone whose strength she could trust in times of peril.

I know we've had some close calls before, but the Red Gate incident was different. I wasn't in control, and I wouldn't have been able to fully defeat that monster had it not been for others helping me. I understood that Riko probably saw me as some shining beacon of power, and I would like to live up to that. It's not something I can accomplish by telling her about how I came extremely close to dying due to my weakness.

Still, my answer didn't seem to satisfy Riko, who looked at me sadly but nodded.

"…okay." She muttered listlessly, hugging her modest chest to her knees. Her lips had formed a sad little pout, and her eyes glimmered with unshed tears as she bowed her head dejectedly.

Ugh.

She looked so disappointed, and I couldn't help but remember how Komachi used to look at me with the same expression whenever I didn't give her something she wanted.

That expression always caused me to cave. But that was for Komachi! Riko is different… she's— she's…

…what was Riko to me, exactly?

Sure, she always called me her Master and treated herself as my Servant, but honestly, I never actually felt like we were.

I never actually thought of her as a Servant. At least, not after our encounter with the four-armed troll. After that, she was quite a great companion to have. Someone to talk to while we traveled across the lands of the other world. I couldn't envision my current life without her; she's proven herself as dependable and dedicated, and I couldn't help but be glad to have her around.

I know for a fact that she's MUCH older than she looked, but in this form and given how tiny she always looked when she was bouncing around as a slime, I couldn't help but want to protect her just because of how helpless she seemed. But she always tried to repay me tenfold and took to learning how to do things in my world so she could better understand how things worked and how she should treat things around her in this world.

Her stalwart commitment to her role made me feel… fond of her.

…ooooh. Oh no.

I don't think I thought this whole 'taking home a slime' thing through. I didn't realize she bonded to me this way, and now I can't help but imagine how disappointed she'd be in me if I didn't tell her what she wanted. Those sad, clear eyes were begging to be reassured…

Don't give in! Don't you dare give in to those pouty, teary eyes!

I don't know where she learned that from, but I suspect that she got it from Komachi! There's only one person in this world who could use such a formidable technique! She must have taught Riko the forbidden technique of the Sad Sisterly Eyes.

I closed my eyes and turned away for a second.

No, I must stay strong.

Ignoring those eyes is the only way to repel their effects. It also gave me a breather and allowed me to gather my thoughts.

I didn't think Riko would get this sad just because I didn't tell her what happened to me. Our pact, as she so eloquently put it, was that of Master and Servant in accord with the world and the laws binding it. I didn't really put that much thought into that, but did it have something to do with magic? That wasn't something I knew how to deal with…

Beyond that, I felt like Riko was asking me out of some… genuine need to understand.

…I want to understand! I want to know. I want to feel at ease knowing. I want peace of mind. Because not understanding terrifies me…

… that's a feeling I could relate to.

I opened my eyes and turned back to her, still in the same sad position as she was before.

I sighed before offering her my hand.

"Come on," I said gently. Riko looked at my hand for a second before she nodded and accepted it, allowing me to help her up from the ground. She still had a bit of a despondent look on her face, and I thought about how to remedy that.

I wasn't comfortable with telling her about what truly happened. But I did want to assure her that it was not because I didn't trust her to tell her. I couldn't tell her exactly the deeper details right now, or maybe ever. So, with that in mind, I formulated my next words to ensure that she didn't feel hurt by my weakness to express myself.

"Riko," I said her name softly, putting a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at my touch but didn't pull away, looking at me in surprise. "Sometimes… humans just have stuff they want to deal with on their own," I explained, making sure that my voice was steady and firm but not unkind. "It's not that they don't want you to know more about them. It's just that they need to deal with it in their own way. Humans can be pretty complicated, I suppose." I patted her shoulder reassuringly, pulling away.

For a moment, she stared deeply into my eyes searchingly. Then:

"...I understand, Master." She told me with a small smile.

"Good," I smiled back at her, glad that we seemed to have reached a compromise. "Now, I guess we should start heading home." I gestured for her to follow as I started walking out of the park.

Riko suddenly reached out to hold the sleeve of my black tracksuit, stopping me in my tracks.

"Master," Riko said when I turned my attention to her, finding a soft smile on her face. "I want you to know I'll be here to listen whenever you're finally ready to talk to me." Her smile grew wider, reaching her eyes and coloring them with a warm shade of gentleness. "I'll never judge you or betray your secrets. I'll keep them with me to my grave. I promise you that."

Ah.

For a second, I couldn't react, my face set in a look of surprise. Riko saw my expression and nodded to herself, looking satisfied. She let go of my sleeve and started walking away ahead of me.

"I'll always be here for you, okay?" She said, looking back with a tender smile.

I took in her smile for just a second, and I felt a smile form on my face in response, a small, warm chuckle escaping my lips.

"…right."

I might have gotten more than what I'd bargained for when I took in this troublesome but loyal slime.

x x x

Tawata Kanae sighed as she looked out at the legions of reporters and journalists standing a few feet away from the stage she stood on. Beside her was a bored-looking Nagishima Nagi, his head occasionally leaned forward before snapping back up with wide eyes. The young nineteen-year-old Tanker was falling asleep and making a fool of himself in front of several reporters who wouldn't mind taking photos and running with some egregious story about him. Also on the stage were a few Surveillance Team members she wasn't familiar with dressed in their tuxedos and black sunglasses.

So it was only natural she kicked him to wake him up.

"Ow!"

"Stop messing around. You're making yourself and the Guild look like fools."

"Alright, alright. Geez."

Kanae rolled her eyes at his childish attitude and looked over to where a large, grandiose podium stood on the center of the stage. They were currently in one of the Association's many large meeting rooms to hold a press conference regarding the events of the Red Gate. Also on the stage were a few Surveillance Team members she wasn't familiar with dressed in their tuxedos and black sunglasses.

Being that Nagishima and she were on-site during the event, they were called to be present to offer their voices and opinions.

Yuki-Ryoshi Guild should be here instead. Kanae thought, annoyed. They'd love all of these lights on them.

Kanae didn't resent the other Guild per se, but she did recognize how much they seemed to love being under the spotlight. All those famous S-Ranks in one Guild, who were well known for more than just killing monsters, garnered attention like moths to a flame.

So Kanae would rather saddle them with this shit show than be the one to suffer through it since they seem to enjoy getting interviewed.

My time could be better spent training. How annoying.

Lately, Ryuji's been on a streak of giving her the more head-ache-inducing jobs. She already had to look out for the idiot beside her, who once again began to nod off. Now, she got stuck with facing the reporters when all she wanted was to get back to the gym and train. There are A-Rank dungeons to clear, yet she's always the last to get assigned to them. All the jobs are usually going to Kenzo or Minoru's teams.

She was a Hunter, damnit. What the hell was her guild master thinking, placing her on the wayside to take care of these stupid little jobs? She was part of the founding team, not some glorified PR officer and babysitter.

Kanae let out a frustrated air through her nose, adjusting her cap to hide her face. She then looked up as the crowd suddenly rustled up when the Chairman of the Japanese Hunters Association, Matsumoto Shigeo, who was dressed in an expensive three-piece gray suit, walked inside the conference room with two bodyguards beside him. Despite not being an awakened individual himself, the man somehow became the one with the most power over them all. His arrival also prompted all the gathered journalists and reporters to jump to attention and for their onslaught of questions to begin.

"Chairman! Is it true that there was a Red Gate in Japan?!"

"Is it true that over half of the Hunters that went into the Gate are now dead?!"

"There are rumors of Hunters called in by the Association attacking the survivors right after they left the Gate. Are these rumors true?!"

These pricks are well-informed. I wonder who blabbed? Kanae thought as she narrowed her eyes at the sea of reporters. After the Red Gate had closed and everyone was sent home or dismissed, there was a gag order that went into effect by all those who were involved and present. Honestly, it doesn't surprise her that someone decided to share what happened; people's lips get really loose when they see money waved in front of them.

Chairman Matsumoto ignored the outpouring of questions as he came to a stop in front of the podium. Seeing this, all the reporters quickly quieted down as Matsumoto placed his hands on the sides of the podium. A cool and relaxed smile rested on his face, and his eyes scanned the crowd.

"I would like to thank everyone here for showing up. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Matsumoto Shigeo. Chairman of the Japanese Hunters Association. Now, I'd like to strike at the main issue at hand by confirming that there was indeed a Red Gate late in Adachi City yesterday." Matsumoto paused his speech as several gasps and clicks echoed in the room. "Unfortunately, Red Gates are still a deadly phenomenon that is impossible to predict or detect. Once a group of hunters enters a Red Gate, they are unable to leave it until they either defeat the boss inside or take a dungeon break. But the reverse is also true for those outside the Gate. They are unable to enter it to offer the trapped hunters any assistance or ways of escape."

The Chairman took another pause to allow that information to be embedded in those who were less acquainted with the intricate details of Red Gates. After a brief scan of the room, he resumed, his voice steady and deliberate.

"When we originally determined the difficulty for the Gate in Adachi City, it was rated to be a C-Rank Gate. And for a raid party composed of C and D-Rank hunters, it was at a suitable level of difficulty. However, after the party entered the Gate, it suddenly, without warning, transformed into a Red Gate. At that point, the once C-Rank level of difficulty had shifted to a high A-Rank." Matsumoto said with an expression of sadness and frustration.

Faker. Kanae thought to herself. She looked away from the man and gripped her fingers tightly behind her.

She really hated this stupid mustache-wearing up-start prick. As much as he seemed to favor their Guild, Kanae resented the way he treated them like attack dogs. It was something of a gripe she'd had since they became more connected to the Association through him, with the way Ryuji didn't seem to mind that Matsumoto ordered them to get rid of his problems. She knew there were things they talked about behind closed doors that she wasn't privy to that Ryuji did to get more favors out of him, but she despised how expendable he treated some of her colleagues.

That stupid smile of his was something she wanted to punch off his face for so long.

One of the reporters raised their hands; it was an attractive woman with black hair dressed in a cream-colored suit. Matsumoto looked at her thoughtfully and nodded at her.

"If the Gate was at a level the raid team had no hopes of surviving, how was it possible that twelve out of the eighteen hunters survived such a disastrous event?" The woman asked, her eyes sharp and hungry.

"Ah, yes, the answer for that is simple," Matsumoto said with an excited expression. "Inside the Gate, one of the hunters had undergone something only a rare ten awakened humans have ever experienced. A second awakening!"

Kanae's eyes grew wide at the Chairman's revelation. Not because she was caught in surprise at the news but because she was well aware of this bit of information already. She was the one who pieced it together after hours of investigating. Her shock was due to the Chairman releasing what Kanae thought to be confidential and not yet confirmed information.

Immediately, every reporter stood to their feet with amazed and shocked expressions as they bombarded the Chairman with questions while snapping dozens of pictures.

"A second awakening?! Here? In Japan?!"

"Does that mean there's another S-Rank hunter in Japan?!"

"Who was the hunter?!"

You asshole! How did you know this?! I only told—Ryuiji! Kanae snarled and tilted her hat down to hide her anger, an action Nagishima caught but didn't comment on. He then looked over at Matsumoto with sharp, interested eyes and an excited smile. She couldn't believe it; this information wasn't even confirmed yet! What happens if it turned out it was just a hunch and not actually what happened? Most of all:

Why would he tell him this?!

It made her livid just knowing how this dolt was using that info as a PR stunt. This man loved attention, and he loved propping up Japan Hunters like they were his property, and he treated their achievements as something he had a hand in, not the fucking Hunters that risked their lives and limbs! This was absolutely the worst person to whom to reveal this information!

"Okay! Okay! Everyone settle down!" Matsumoto waved his arms and smiled at the now calming group of reporters. They all took their seats and quickly raised their hands, their eyes sparkling with curiosity and hunger. This was the story of a lifetime, after all. The intensity of their curiosity was palpable. Matsumoto nodded at one of the journalists, causing him to stand to his feet.

"Are you saying that this Hunter who went through the second awakening is the reason for the survival of the living hunters? What is their identity, and are they Japan's newest S-Rank?" The journalist said quickly that he had used his short and precious time to rattle off several big questions. A few of his fellow journalists and reporters all looked at him in annoyance and anger at robbing them of the chance to ask the very same questions.

"Yes, this Hunter was the reason for everyone's survival. Unfortunately, I am unable to release their name just yet. But! We will be making a formal announcement of their identity soon! After all, this will be the first-ever Hunter to have had a second awakening in Japan!" Matsumoto said, his voice thick with energy and flair. "While it's not confirmed, it's safe to say that this hunter will soon be one of Japan's newest elite hunters!"

Kanae cursed under her breath towards the Chairman. The man was twisting and exaggerating the known truth just for the sake of riling up the press. Even now, he had a look of pride and joy at being at the center of attention. Matsumoto's eyes glittered at the undivided attention he was receiving from everyone in front of him.

God, she wanted to punch his face so badly.

x x x

A soft click from the remote in my Guild Master's hand caused the large widescreen television to turn off. The press conference held by the Hunters Association Chairman, Matsumoto Shigeo, had finally ended.

What a waste of time.

I sighed, irately drumming my finger against the wooden exterior of the enormous table. I scanned the faces of my fellow S-ranks and found that they mirrored the same distaste and irritation I felt at what we just watched.

We were gathered in one of the meeting rooms in the Yuki-Ryoshi Guild Headquarters, which was reserved exclusively for our use. Our Guild Master had called us all in to have an important discussion.

The room was rather grandiose, with a long wooden table that could comfortably seat around twenty people placed right in the middle. On the opposite end to the head of the table was an extremely wide white screen meant for projections, which currently had a widescreen television in a stand with wheels covering it. Off to the head of the table's left side were several snacks and drinks freshly prepared for today's meeting, placed right next to the meeting room door.

There were eight people currently occupying the seats. Our Guild Master presided over us at the head of the table, with the women grouped on her left side and the men on her right. Two seats lay conspicuously vacant amongst the men, reserved for our last two S-Ranks momentarily held up by some business, and our Guild Master assured all of us that the meeting would not commence until their arrival.

In the meantime, we had to sit through what was probably the most pointless press conference I ever had to witness. It was supposed to be about the Red Gate incident, but besides that tidbit about the Hunter who had a second awakening, Chairman Matsumoto focused more on himself and how well he was running the Association than actually telling the press anything important regarding the Red Gate incident.

Like the people who died during the incident! Couldn't he at least talk about that?

"What a dick head." Shimizu Akari said abruptly after a second of silence, which caused Minamoto Minase to give her a disapproving frown.

"Akari."

"What? I'm just saying what we're all thinking!"

"Got that right." I nodded in agreement and turned over to look at Shimizu, two seats to my right, nibbling on a plain bagel. It was my turn to receive a disapproving frown from Minamoto.

Seated next to Minamoto's left, Kitaoka Kei sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He messed around with his black mask while looking down at his second empty coffee mug. "It's no secret that Matsumoto is a rather ego-driven person, but this is honestly disappointing."

"I concur." Fujishima Tatsumi nodded in agreement as his hands sat in front of his face, his finger intertwined with an exasperated look in his dull eyes. He was sitting next to the head of the table, as is his place as the Vice Guild Master.

Yukinoshita Haruno, our Guild Master, smiled in amusement and placed the television remote down in front of her on the wooden top. "Alright, alright. That's enough about our illustrious Chairman. Akabane-kun, you were there at the scene. What are your thoughts about this Hunter he mentioned? Could Matsumoto be right about there being a Hunter with a second awakening?"

"Yes, I think he may be right. We don't have all the information he and the Association have. But I believe I know who the Hunter the Chairman is talking about could be. He stood out quite a bit when they exited the Red Gate." Akabane Akane answered, seated right across from Fujishima, a thoughtful expression on her face as she reached beside her and pulled out a relatively thin folder from a bag.

Ishida Mari, seated to my right next to me, chuckled as she took another bite of one of her favorite snacks. "Especially for Saki…"

"Be quiet!" I hissed, feeling an embarrassed flush rise within me. My ears felt hot as my cheeks tingled at Ishida's teasing grin.

"Hehehe." She giggled unrepentantly.

Raising a brow in amusement, Yukinoshita looked over at me with a small smile. I frowned at the incoming wave of questions heading my way. "Ohh? What's this, then? Does Kawasaki-chan have something she'd like to share?"

"It's nothing. It's just Ishida being stupid!" I growled as I crossed my arms in front of me and glared at the amused gremlin by my right.

"Not from what I heard! Maririn told me SakiSaki made googly eyes at this guy before everyone!" Shimizu said with an excited grin as she somehow teleported behind me and placed her hands on my shoulders. She was wiggling her eyebrows at me with a large, teasing smile. "Go on, SakiSaki. Be honest!"

"Oh, is that true?" Yukinoshita tilted her head with a rare look of surprise.

"It's not! Akabane-san, tell them it isn't!"

"…I don't believe I've ever seen you look at a man that intensely in the eye." Akabane turned to me with a warm yet mischievous smile as she stopped looking through the paperwork in her folder.

Not you, too!

I felt my shoulders drop as my only hope in this situation only added fuel to the fire. My entire body felt hot under the eyes of my Guild mates as they stared at me in amusement and curiosity; even the usually stoic Fujishima had an eyebrow raised in interest.

"Ehem! Ladies, I believe we've gotten a bit off-topic. You can tease Kawasaki-chan later. Akabane-kun, you were about to tell us which one you think it is?" Yukinoshita said as her playful attitude was replaced by a more serious expression.

Akabane nodded and held up one of the documents in front of her. "Ah, yes. I believe it's the one that performed the barrier spell to protect the rest of the survivors from the magic arrows that came from…an unfortunate misunderstanding." Akabane's lips drew into a thin line, and the grip on the documents tightened just a bit. "...before I forget, have we gotten the names of those Rangers?"

"The Association is being rather tight-lipped about them at the moment. They kept giving me the run around when I tried to gather those hunters' information. I'm afraid I will have to go there in person to get those names." Fujishima shook his head and rested his chin on the bridge of his fingers while looking annoyed.

Akabane sucked in a breath through her teeth as her eyes burned with anger at Fujishima's words. "I guess that the Chairman doesn't want the public to know that the Hunters the Association called in to assist almost killed all the survivors to avoid the backlash."

Yukinoshita nodded as Akabane handed the folder over to her. "That sounds to be the case. The Chairman would do anything to make the Association seem as competent as can be. Anything else is unacceptable to him." Our Guild Master pursed her lips in displeasure. "But I digress; Akabane-kun, why do you think this Hunter had a second awakening?"

"Based on my research, this Hunter is supposed to be an E-Rank Fighter type Hunter, but he was somehow able to create a magical barrier that's strong enough to stop the magical arrows from a large team of both B-Rank to A-Rank Ranger class Hunters. He's the most logical answer." Akabane explained with a slight nod.

Yukinoshita nodded as she read through Akabane's research notes and pages of written documentation on the Hunter in question. I watched curiously as she read through the file, interested in how she'd react to the true identity of the Hunter in question. I was aware that Hikigaya was acquainted with her little sister, Yukinoshita Yukino, but I didn't know if our Guild Master actually knew him herself.

But based on the way her eyes widened when she finally landed on Hikigaya's profile page, then she probably did.

"I see… so it's him," Yukinoshita said softly, gaining curious glances from both Kitaoka and Fujishima. "Hikigaya Hachiman. Hah, the world really is small."

"Yukinoshita-san? Do you already know this person?" Minamoto asked with surprise, causing everyone but me to look at Yukinoshita with expectant looks.

Yukinoshita nodded. "Quite, he and my sister were… close, you could say."

"Ooooh!" Ishida gasped out loud, hands dramatically flying to her cheeks like she was scandalized. "Saki has a love rival?" Ishida wore a mischievous grin directed at me, while Shimizu mirrored her shock theatrically, squeezing my shoulders in surprise.

Annoyed, I shrugged off her all too touchy hands. "…I don't think they were that close. They always insulted each other." I briskly said, recalling how they always interacted.

All I remember them doing was arguing. They couldn't have been that close.

…right?

"Oh my god!" My answer seemed to spur Shimizu on, her eyes twinkling as she put her face way too close to mine. "Is that jealousy!?" She scanned my face searchingly, a delighted grin growing on her lips. "Now I definitely have to meet this guy!"

"Back off!" I pull my face away from her, annoyed at her invading my personal space. "And I am not jealous. I'm just pointing out what I saw!" I denied vehemently, my ears starting to burn from all the heat on my face. Shimizu didn't seem to care, her face making an expression that made my skin crawl.

Dammit! I wanna get outta here!

"You didn't deny that she was your love rival, though." Ishida cut in quickly as she took another bite of her Pocky snack; that damnable grin was still fixed on her face.

"Can you shut up about that already!?" I said with a glare at both Ishida, who cackled impishly at my angry expression.

"Hehehe, never!" The orange-haired gremlin had the gall to stick out her tongue at me! This little–!

"This is so great!" Meanwhile, Shimizu finally went back to her seat, but her face was still enveloped in an expression of utter joy. "I'll never stop until I get more outta you, just so you know!" She winked at me, and I grit my teeth in annoyance.

"Ugh!" I clenched my hands into fists and closed my eyes to block their annoying faces out of my sight.

What did I do to deserve this?

My ears picked up the sound of Minamoto whispering something to Kitaoka. "…gotta admit, seeing Kawasaki-san be this flustered is quite refreshing."

"Right?" Kitaoka whispered back, and I could practically hear the grins on their stupid faces.

"…you punks say something?" I said threateningly as I slowly opened my eyes to give both men a scathing glare.

Both Kitaoka and Minamoto quickly raised their hands while shaking their heads in denial. "Nothing!"

Fujishima sighed and let a small, almost amused smile grace his face. "Cowards." He muttered under his breath, which caused both Kitaoka and Minamoto to glare at him.

The distinct creak of the meeting door swinging open drew our collective attention. I saw a man with brown hair poke his head in curiously before opening it fully once he saw that we were inside, revealing how he was dressed in an impressive three-piece blue suit. This man was Takamura Takato, a fellow Ranger and one of the two remaining S-Ranks of our Guild to show up to the meeting. He was also our resident Lawyer and representative in the cabinet.

"Good afternoon. I hope I'm not too late." Takamura greeted us with an easy smile as he entered the meeting room.

"Welcome, you're right on time," Our guild master was the first to greet him, a gracious smile on her face.

"Takamura-san, working hard as always." Kitaoka chuckled as he patted the empty seat left of him.

"Taka-chan, hello!" Shimizu gave him a jaunty wave, grinning. The rest of us nodded politely.

"About time you got here, Takato." Akabane smirked at him as he took his seat next to Kitaoka.

Takamura just smirked back at her with an amused shake of his head. "I really do hope I didn't delay anything." Takamura gave our Guild Master a polite nod.

Yukinoshita waved off his concern, still smiling. "It's fine, Sensei. We were talking about something interesting." I tried not to roll my eyes as she gave me a teasing glance. "Besides, we're also still waiting on Nijimura-kun. He should be here any moment now as well."

Takamura sighed and rested his arms on the table. "Guild Master, we've been over this. Just call me Takamura." Yukinoshita just gave him a Cheshire grin in response.

"Is Nijimura-san off doing more off-duty hunter work again?" I asked, prompting Fujishima to nod at me.

"Indeed, though he's made an effort to finish his duties earlier for today, given the urgency of this meeting."

Akabane sighed and rested her rose-tinted cheek in her hand, with a small smile on her face. "Haah, that idiot. Always late because he's doing favors for people around him first."

"I don't mind. Nijimura-kun's stellar sense of responsibility is the reason I wanted him for my Guild." Yukinoshita said with a proud smile.

Akabane nodded, but a small look of reluctance filled her green eyes. "Yeah, you're right. I wish he'd stop trying to fix every single thing."

She's not wrong. I knew that Nijimura led a bunch of volunteer hunters to help the local Police officers clean up the streets of crime, especially against the Hunters who abuse their powers. His team of volunteers also helped out a lot in the community, whether it came to putting out fires, helping out in construction projects, rescuing people…just about anything, really. If he wasn't fighting monsters in the dungeon, Nijimura Murata was helping out people outside the dungeon.

That's part of the reason why the adoring public called him Japan's Superman.

"Akane, it's fruitless to change how Murata is. It's simply his nature. We've both known him long enough to be aware of that." Takamura said as he took off his suit jacket and placed it on his lap.

Akabane slapped the table and pointed an accusing finger at the amused Lawyer. "You're not any better! How's our legal side of things, our dear esteemed superlawyer?"

Takamura's amusement vanished as he brushed his hair back, and tiredness shadowed over his expression. "Difficult, as usual. There's still heavy pushback against the bill about better compensation for the families of Hunters who died in the line of duty. They want to revise certain parts of the bill, specifically on how much the family receives in relation to a Hunters rank."

"They still think they're giving them too much then?" Yukinoshita said with narrowed eyes, causing Takamura to nod.

"Yes, the vast majority on the Hunter's Committee still believe that those of a lower rank should not receive equal compensation as those within the upper echelons in rank that died in the Gates. Though they don't flat out say it that way."

"Let me guess: this 'majority' are people that have never stepped foot inside a dungeon, and they're specifically trying to downplay the role of the E-Ranks?" Fujishima pursed his lips as he asked. Takamura nodded at him silently, causing Fujishima to push up his glasses, eyes visibly dimming in annoyance.

Minamoto shook his head in disappointment. "E-ranks are hunters, too. They fight just as hard, if not harder than most, and they deserve to get equal compensation for their work."

"Believe me, I've argued that as hard as I can. And I'll keep doing it until they agree or compromise." Takamura nodded and clenched his right hand into a fist. I noticed the way the scars on his hand swelled as his grip tightened.

Kitaoka closed his eyes and nodded in agreement. "Just don't let the job stress you over too much, Takamura-san. A clear mind is a strong mind, after all."

Takamura released a long sigh and relaxed his grip. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"Oh, Taka-chan." Shimizu piped up, calling for the Lawyer's attention. "Is it true that you're gonna make a run for the cabinet?"

"Seriously?" Ishida sat up, looking at Takamura in shock, an expression mirrored by most of us.

"Well, now, where have you heard that from?" Instead of answering directly, Takamura raised an eyebrow at Shimizu.

"Eh, here and there, everywhere." Shimizu waved off his question dismissively. "So, is it for real?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny." Takamura deflected, smirking at Shimizu enigmatically.

"That's basically a yes!" Shimizu exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement. I rolled my eyes, leaning back. He definitely didn't say yes.

"Not in any court of law." Takamura shot back, maintaining his smirk.

"Well, we're not in court, and I'm saying it is!" She pointed at Takamura smugly, "Don't worry though, I won't spill!"

"Pfft, fat chance." Ishida snorted, leaning back against her seat. In response, Shimizu swats at the top of her head, making the orange-haired girl squawk in surprise. "Hey!" She glared at her while rubbing her head, but Shimizu just blew her tongue at her.

"Hmm, I suppose Sensei wants to keep this alleged campaign a surprise." Yukinoshita interrupted their incoming squabble, wearing an amused smirk. She ignored Takamura's bemused look at what she called him. "So I expect that we'll keep this to ourselves, yes?" She inclined her head towards Shimizu with a pointed and firm look, who huffed in response but nodded understandingly.

To be honest, if my fellow Ranger did decide to run a campaign for a seat in the cabinet, then he'd have my vote.

I wouldn't mind seeing Takamura, who's championed Hunter's rights in Japan since my childhood, get a more effective platform to represent us.

Takamura has always been firm in his belief that all Hunters should be treated as more than just disposable weapons, helping to pass bills into law that allowed us to get better compensations for the hardships we face when we raid those dungeons. He also ensures that we are responsible for our actions, as there are those with our power who try to abuse them. Hence, there are laws to punish them, which he personally authored.

I would hedge my bets on him getting a seat easily since people in Japan, Hunters or otherwise, would love to have someone like him on the cabinet.

"Meh, I was just fishing for deets anyway." Shimizu shrugged nonchalantly before she directed a teasing smirk my way. "It's not as interesting as finding out about Saki's boy toy anyway." At that, Ishida giggled impishly, waggling her eyebrows at me. I growled, my face heating back up.

I swear if they say another word–!

Before I could go on to skewer my tormentors to the meeting room wall with my magic arrows, they were saved by the timely arrival of our final S-Rank.

"Good afternoon!" Our resident Tanker loudly announced his grand entrance by flinging the meeting room door wide and greeting all of us with an infectious smile so broad that it spanned ear to ear.

Nijimura Murata, a towering man standing at the impressive height of six foot five, sauntered into the meeting room wearing a casual white shirt that could barely contain his bulging muscles. Something I always found odd was how his short black hair was lined with a streak of silver by the sides and how his face was covered with a salt-and-pepper beard despite being only thirty-two years old, but people seemed really like that since they say it gave him a rugged yet distinguished look. I just thought it was kinda weird. Wasn't he too young to have white hair?

"Sorry if I'm late, I got sidetracked!" Despite his apology, he laughed without a single note of sheepishness or regret. Everyone in the room just collectively shook their heads, greeting him back in amused exasperation.

"Don't worry, I know what you've been up to." Our Guild Master just wore a knowing smile on her face.

"By sidetracked, do you mean that some people asked for your help while you were on the way here?" Despite everyone's acceptance of his tardiness, Akabane interrogated him by standing up to look over the burly man with squinted eyes. Nijimura grinned widely before he walked over to the refreshment area to get a bottle of water, screwing it open and gulping it up in one go.

Takamura shook his head and grinned over at her. "By this point, do you even have to ask?"

"Ahaha! I couldn't resist!" Nijimura's face was entirely unrepentant, giving Akabane a big hearty grin as he occupied the empty seat between Takamura and Fujishima.

Akabane sighed at Nijimura's response and smiled warmly at him as she sat back down. "Of course you couldn't, you big oaf."

I couldn't help the tugging of a smile on my cheeks as I watched them interact. People all around Japan owe these three so much for what they've accomplished; they were legends.

Nijimura Murata, Takamura Takato, and Akabane Akane. Japan's Big Three. It was the name the people of Japan once called them a few years back. At least before Ryuji Goto and his Draw Sword guild entered the world of Hunters. Before those pricks, these three were Japan's most famous Hunters.

When that devastating tragedy struck Kyoto all those years ago, they were the only S-Ranks that Japan could call on at the time, and they valiantly came to its aid. They were the ones at the forefront who fought the horde of magical beasts unleashed by the S-Rank level Gate that had appeared at the heart of the city. They led Japan's hunters and boosted their morale with their perseverance and ability.

I'm lucky to be in the same Guild as them.

My thoughts were interrupted when our Guild Master clapped her hands loudly, turning everyone's attention to her.

"Okay, let's all settle down so we can get to why I gathered you all here." Yukinoshita rose from her seat to walk over to the other side of the table, followed by Fujishima.

Once there, Fujishima slid the television out of the projector screen's way. Yukinoshita gave him a thankful nod, then clapped her hands twice, dimming the lights in the room, and the projector shining a light on the wide white screen became the only source of illumination.

"As you know, Fujishima-kun and I recently visited Fukuoka due to the sudden request from the Chief of the Surveillance Team." She gestured at her Vice Guild Master, who nodded in confirmation. She then continued with a grim tone. "What we saw there has the potential to drastically change the way of life for Japan and our neighboring countries."

Our guild master snapped her fingers, and images were immediately projected on the white screen. Her eyes hardened as she turned to look at them. "We can no longer stand back and avoid this issue: the open S-Rank Gate on Jeju Island."

We all sat up straight and directed our full attention to our Guild Master as she presented us with a map of the infamous Jeju island on the screens's full display. Several blurry images of large, man-sized red ants on the island began to fill the screen. However, one specific image filled us all with dread:

It was the two large pairs of wings that could be seen on several of the ants' backs.

No way. Are they… evolving?

x x x

"Well, the secrets out."

I said as I watched the press conference held by the sketchy-looking Chairman of the Hunters Association from one of the many televisions on the back wall in the waiting room I was in. One could never truly trust a man with such a ridiculous-looking mustache. The Chairman at least had the decency not to release my name to the public, at least not yet.

"What will you do, Master?" Asked Riko from beside me. She was dressed in a casual outfit instead of her maid uniform, something that took a lot of convincing on my part for her to do.

While I could appreciate her dedication to the role, I could not live through the judging stares from those around me as we walked through the streets of Tokyo on our way to the Association building. Riko's unnatural beauty has already attracted a lot of attention from everyone, both men and women. So, if I had her following me around in an eye-catching maid outfit, people would quickly think I had either forced her to wear it or that she was a paid escort. Deciding that I didn't want to obliterate the last remaining embers of my reputation, Riko would wear normal clothes instead of her beloved uniform.

"There's not much I can do. I knew I ran the risk of exposing myself when I chose to use my powers to save Osaki's team, but I did what I had to do. Despite the consequences." I said as I looked around the large waiting room for new Hunters.

The reason for our trip to the Association building was to get Riko an official hunter's license. This way, she would be able to join me better the next time I entered a gate, besides sneaking her in using her backpack mode.

But how exactly is Riko, a slime from another world, supposed to get a Hunters license with any identification you may be asking? The answer is simple. Too simple, if I'm being honest.

The answer is paying someone on the internet for fake documents.

Normally, these documents wouldn't fool the government or any official agency, but they didn't have to. It just had to get Riko a hunter's license.

Considering how extremely dangerous the job was and the slowly decreasing numbers of hunters, the Association is going to look less deeply into a potentially powerful hunter to join their forces.

Sadly, my savings took a major hit after paying for the fake documents to be made. But it was a necessary expense. I had to find a way to sell all the gold and gems I collected over my time in the Realm of Chaos. Otherwise, I'd have to go back into the Gates to collect more essence stones or mana crystals to sell. Considering my current rank, that in itself would be a waste of time when I could be grinding away.

C-Rank. I looked over to Riko and saw her looking around at the various hunters and employees walking back and forth in the room. To think she was once a weak and helpless slime.

When Riko was evaluated by the Association's mana reader, she was given the rank of C-Rank Hunter. Truly, her ability to grow stronger by consuming any defeated magical beast was amazing. Given enough time, she could even eclipse the strongest S-Ranks in Japan.

And then there's that particular skill of hers.

Earlier last week, she had shown me a new facet of her abilities. Riko had covered her arm in a gauntlet of armor that resembled Gloomloo's exoskeleton. Not only that, but she also showed me that she could stick to the walls of my apartment. She could even cast weak fire, wind, and electric magic due to the Elemental Dire Wolves.

If my theory was correct, every monster that Riko absorbed would not only grant her its mana to boost her power, but it would also give her access to a portion of their abilities. This meant that her potential was astronomical, and given enough time, she could be a very powerful force in nature.

"I see. My Master is truly a benevolent man." Riko said with a small smile, her head nodding proudly.

"Right…"

"Rikimaru-san." One of the receptionists behind the desk called out with a smile. Riko perked up and walked over towards the woman.

Rikimaru was the family name I gave her for her fake documents. I debated giving her my family name, but her features were extremely different from my own, so her passing off as family would be a hard sell. So, as far as anyone in this world knew, Rikimaru Riko was my slime companion's full name.

I stood up and followed behind as the receptionist gave Riko her official Hunter's license. "Here is your Hunter's license, Rikimaru-san. Thank you for joining the fight to help humanity fight back against the magical beats and in closing the Gates."

"Ah, yes. Thank you!" Riko said with an awkward smile.

With her new license in hand, the two of us began to make our way out of the building. After walking through the halls, we stepped onto the escalator and reached the main entrance of the building. Despite how many times I've been here, the sheer size of the building was still impressive.

"Dude, look at her. She's drop-dead gorgeous!"

"I'm going to ask for her number."

"Is that her boyfriend? Nah, can't be."

I sighed as the chattering of those around us filled my ears. This has been happening ever since Riko took in her new appearance. It was something I'd have to get used to. It wasn't that surprising, honestly. To those around her, she was practically a walking Angel with an otherworldly beauty. It drew people to her like a magnet.

Unfortunately for everyone, she had no interest in their compliments or desire for her attention.

"Hey there, beautiful. What do you say you drop this dimwit and go out with me instead?" An extremely handsome and well-built guy around my age said to Riko. He was dressed in an impressive set of golden armor. From his mana, I guessed he was a B-Rank hunter.

What Riko did next still made me chuckle whenever I thought back to it.

"I'd rather you not talk to me so casually, you troglodyte. Please step away from me and my Ma-Friend. I don't wish to breathe the same air as you." Riko said with a cold smile while her now dead eyes stared at the shocked Hunter with deadly fury.

Poor guy. Not!

It was hilarious to see such a handsome-looking guy get shot down so hard. That totally made my day. The only other time I saw that happen was when we asked Hayama to use his good looks to charm Kawasaki so we could figure out what was happening to her, only for Kawasaki to tell him to back off since his nice face had no effect on her. Our method failed, but man, I loved seeing Hayama rejected. Good times.

We stopped by one of the building's drinking vending machines to grab a Max coffee. After paying for the drink, I grabbed the cool can and began to drink the nectar of the coffee gods.

"Master?" Riko said while gently tugging my jacket.

"Hm?"

"Um, who's that suspicious-looking fellow?"

I glanced over to the left side of the room and spotted a guy who gave off a really unsettling vibe, bordering on outright creepy. He darted his eyes nervously around back and forth, with his expression continuously shifting into a mask of determination to refusal. I stared at him with suspicion, eyes squinted for a few seconds before slowly, my coffee-starved mind began to pick up the telltale and familiar details of this shifty person.

The silver hair. The square glasses. The large trench coat over his pudgy body.

Hold up. Is that…

It was at that moment that the silver-haired, jittery mess turned to me as if sensing my stare. His nervous expression shifted into relief, and his hunched-over posture changed into one of confidence.

It was the Blade Master General himself.

"My comrade in arms! Hachiman! Is that you, my sworn brother!?"

Yoshiteru Zaimokuza.

x x x

During my visits to the Hunters Association building in Tokyo, I often heard scattered rumors about some weird guy hanging around outside in the courtyard. Said weird guy would hang around for hours on random days, slowly inching his way towards the entrance of the building.

On some occasions, a few Surveillance Team members had to escort the guy out of the premises for loitering. After all, normal civilians didn't have any business on the premises unless they had permission.

Despite being removed from the premises, the odd guy would always come back and try to make his way inside, which was just plain weird, considering that nothing was really stopping him. At some point, some hunters had given the weirdo a nickname—the Silver Ostrich. Silver is due to the guy's hair, and Ostrich is due to his skittish and nervous nature. There were even some bets going around if the guy would ever make it inside the building.

I never cared too much about finding out more about the Silver Ostrich and continued with what I had to do at the Association. So when I did see the guy a few months back, I barely paid him enough attention to notice any of his noteworthy features. So you can imagine my shock when I discovered that the Silver Ostrich was actually one of my old schoolmates, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza.

"I knew I sensed the power of my old comrade! Tell me, my loyal Servant, are you too here to become an official slayer of beasts?! Hero of Earthrealm?! A protector of the weak?! Guardian of-"

"Okay, shut up," I said quickly while crushing my now empty can of Max coffee in my hand. "What are you doing here, Zaimokuza?"

Zaimokuza, Riko, and I were all in a park not too far away from the Association building. I had tried to sneak away with Riko, but the trenchcoat-wearing Ostrich had other plans. He had quickly reached us both before we could make our timely retreat and began talking in that grandiose and embarrassing way he used to back when I was still in high school.

Zaimokuza's ridiculous way of talking was beginning to attract the attention of the hunters around us at the main entrance of the building. So, to save face, I grabbed him by the scruff of his trench coat and dragged him outside towards the park we stood in now. Thankfully, it was less crowded, so I hoped that whatever antics Zaimokuza continued to pull, there wouldn't be as many witnesses, saving me from further embarrassment.

"Eh? Oh, uh, for you see. I'm here to-wait! Hold on!" Zaimokuza stopped his stuttering by pulling me back with him. We came to a stop next to a large tree, and he began to whisper. "Um, Hachiman. Who's uh, who's that very attractive girl with you? Wait, don't tell me!"

Zaimokuza stepped back and looked at me with a look of such betrayal you'd think I killed his parents and kicked his puppy. "She's your g-g-girlfriend?!"

"Wrong," I said and slid my hands into my pockets. "She's my, uh, my cousin. Yeah. She's staying with me because her family is working overseas."

Such a bullshit excuse!

I looked over at Riko with a pleading look, and immediately, she nodded and smiled at us both. A look of understanding flashed in her eyes as she walked towards us.

"That's correct. Mast-eh, I mean Ha-Hachiman, is my dear cousin. I'm not his girlfriend." Riko said with a smile that rendered Zaimokuza's knees into jelly. His face quickly became redder than a tomato, and he looked away from Riko's face.

"A-ah, I see! Well, I'm the great Blade master General! Zaimokuza Yoshiteru! A powerful ally to my comrade, Hachiman!" Zaimokuza said as his trench coat fluttered behind him as he struck a cool, lame pose.

"Oh, is that so?" Riko said as she turned to me to confirm his words. I felt my eyebrows twitch in annoyance and shook my head. I sighed and turned to the still-posing Chunni.

"So, why have you been stalking around the Association building?" I said, hoping to get Zaimokuza out of his delusions. He blinked and suddenly became his old, nervous self.

"Oh, you know about that?"

"Dude, everyone calls you the Silver Ostrich. There isn't a hunter in Tokyo who doesn't know you."

"Geh!" Zaimokuza hunched over as if struck in the stomach by a lethal blow. "That wretched name!"

"So?"

"Hmph! The reason for that is simple, my comrade! For you see, I, too, am an awakened human! My still unknown overflowing powers compel me to defeat those beyond the Gates. For I am the destined hero who will save-"

"Okay, okay." I waved my hand in front of him to stop his newest tirade. "When did you awaken?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Not only had Kawasaki Saki awakened into a hunter, but now Zaimokuza. Who else was next? My dear Totsuka?

Wait a minute. That would be amazing!

I'd join whatever Guild he was in a second—no second thoughts.

"I awakened to my locked-away powers a few months ago! Around the start of the new year!" Zaimokuza said as he placed his foot on one of the buried tires on the ground. A serious and faraway expression on his face. "I've been on this journey to join the forces of Justice for many moons. Unfortunately, I have come across roadblock after roadblock. Not to mention the agents of the order of Surveillance fear my strength."

Hmm, I see. What utter bull crap.

"I don't understand, Zaimokuza-san," Riko said with a confused look. "It was extremely easy to walk into the Association building and to register to be a hunter. I did it in an hour."

"Ack!" Zaimokuza flinched and turned to Riko with wide eyes. "Wait. You're a hunter?!" He then turned to me with his eyes somehow growing wider. "Hachiman! My comrade! Are you a hunter as well?!"

"Yes."

"Yup."

Riko and I answered nonchalantly and watched as Zaimokuza fell to the ground. I sighed for what felt like the dozenth time and walked over to Zaimokuza.

"Why are you so scared about getting evaluated? It's easy, and the process is pretty fast." I said as I patted his shoulder. He looked up at me with reluctant, tear-filled eyes.

"Hachiman, I see now that the life of a hunter has changed you. If it weren't for your eyes and personality, I wouldn't have been able to recognize you."

Zaimokuza got off the floor and sat on the tire from earlier. "I almost thought your soul had possessed the body of a bishonen bastard with eyes as sharp as my katana."

This bastard.

"You wanna fight?"

"Ah, no, thank you."

"Pff."

Zaimokuza and I turned to Riko as she tried to hold in her chuckle. Noticing my look, she quickly stood up straight and looked away like a child with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Sorry, Master. I didn't mean to laugh. But…" Riko's expression softened, and a warm smile bloomed on her face. "I'm happy to see you so relaxed. Zaimokuza-san must be a good friend of yours."

"Huh?"

"Master?"

"No, no," I said with a wave of my hand. "This guy and I aren't friends. He was only my gym partner during school."

"That's correct. Hachiman and I are comrades in the battlefield called gym class. Battle brothers would be a better term!" Zaimokuza said with a nod of his head as his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, no."

"Have you already forgotten our grand battle during the athletic festival? You have forgotten all of the lives that fell at the hands of our blades?!"

"Last I remember, we were disqualified."

"Perhaps in the laws of mortals, but to us, the reincarnations of the great thirteenth shogun Yoshiteru and the god of war Hachiman, we don't operate on the same terms as them! As far as I'm concerned, we are the rightful victors! Ah-hahah!"

Maybe it's best that this guy doesn't become a hunter. His delusions would crank up to eleven.

"Hah… it's getting late. Let's head home, Riko." I said and began walking out of the park. Riko nodded and followed behind me. "Later, Zaimokuza."

"Ah! W-wait!" Zaimokuza slid to a stop in front of me, causing me to freeze.

What was that? That speed of his…

"Hachiman, my comrade, I have a request to make! You still take those, right?" Zaimokuza said with a scared but desperate look. "Could I ask for your assistance? You see, I have yet to awaken my memories from my time as the thirteenth shogun, so I lack my old combat skills. You've been a hunter for a while, right? Could you show me how to fight properly and how to survive in the dungeons? Please!"

I watched as he bowed deeply in front of me, his shoulders trembling occasionally. I stood still, unsure how to answer his request.

I don't have time for this. I have to go back to the other world and grow stronger. I can't let what happened in the Red Gate ever happen again. For that, I need more strength. Sorry, Zaimokuza. But I can't waste time on you.

"Zaimokuza, I.." I began to say and noticed how he tensed, immediately feeling a pang of guilt pierce me for what I was about to say. "I… I'm really sorry, but–"

"PLEASE!" Suddenly, Zaimokuza fell to his knees and pressed his hands together in distress. "You're the only person I can turn to for this!" He cried out pleadingly, bowing his head once again.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing!?" I swiveled my head around frantically and thankfully saw that there weren't too many people around, but the few that were had started to give us weirded-out stares, so I quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to push him up so I could stop him from embarrassing us any further. "You're making a scene!"

Hold on, this guy won't budge! Just how heavy could he be?!

"I don't know who else to turn to!" Unaware of my surprise, Zaimokuza kept begging while still on his knees. "I want to be a Hunter, but I know I'll do terribly as I am now! I can tell by looking at you that you're strong! Please just show me how to fight! There's no one else I can turn to!" He looked up at me, desperation shining through his tear-filled eyes.

…I can't lie. It's getting really hard to say no despite how annoyed I was getting because of his antics.

Because his desperation reflected my own not so long ago.

"Please, Sensei! Teach me to survive as a hunter!" I cried out with my body in a deep bow.

Hiratsuka-Sensei hummed and made a show of thinking while she stroked her non-existent beard. I began to grow scared that she would refuse my selfish request. I knew she was a busy hunter who was almost always busy, so what I was asking her was no small request. But I had no choice. I was an E-Rank hunter. One with a pathetic mana reading of fifty. If I was to survive in the dungeons, I needed all the help I could get. I knew that if I didn't prepare myself completely, my chances of survival were almost zero. So I wanted, no, needed my old teachers to help in order to survive. But if she refused, then…

"Okay! I'll take you on as my protégé!" Hiratsuka-Sensei said with a wide grin. Her white lab coat flapped over her shoulders as her arms crossed under her large chest. "Just believe in the me that believes in you! I'll make you into a fine hunter in no time!"

I felt my hands clench tightly while I watched as Zaimokuza continued to kneel, staring intensely into my eyes. His shoulders were slowly sinking as disappointment began to take him over the longer my silence went on. I breathed in deeply before I focused my senses and felt Zaimokuza mana ripple and swirl within him violently. I could tell that Zaimokuza was, at most, a high B-Rank or a mid A-Rank. He definitely had the potential to become a great hunter.

All he needed was some guidance.

…Sensei took me on even when I was just an E-Rank. It shouldn't be that much harder to get this guy to fighting form, given what I'm seeing from his mana pool.

I gave him one last look before coming to a firm decision.

Fine, I'm probably not gonna be as good as Sensei, but I can give it a try at least.

"Hah. Very well, I guess I can teach you the ropes. Just don't come crying to me when you're lying bleeding and bruised on the ground." I said with a sigh as I rubbed the back of my head. Zaimokuza gasped and stood up immediately, face lit up in excitement.

"Really! I won't let you-wait. Bleeding and bruised? Is that a joke?"

"I'll text you where we'll meet tomorrow. That means you'll have to find an excuse to ditch school." I said as Riko, and I walked away from a happy yet confused Zaimokuza. "Get some rest, you'll need it."

"… you're joking, right?"

A small grin grew on my face as I turned the corner. Riko's soft chuckle filled my ears as we walked through the slightly busy sidewalk.

You're going to regret asking me to train you, Silver Ostrich.

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[Bonus Content | Character Sheet]

Name: Akabane Akane

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 28

Eye Color: Green

Hair Color: Red

(ooo)

Likes: Sports, Pole Vaulting, Working out, Honest people, Eating Healthy, Fashion.

Dislikes: Junk Food, Soda, People who insult her Guild.

Dreams: A world where hunters can pursue their passion.

Hobbies: Working out, Cycling, Boxing, Body Building, Cooking, Yoga, and watching romantic comedies.

Personality: Bright, earnest, and kind, Akane is respected throughout Japan as both a former Olympic Athlete and a powerful Hunter, for her feats of gaining Japan honor by winning an Olympic Gold Medal at the age of 16, and being part of the team that closed the Gate in the Kyoto Tragedy. Famous for her fiery spirit and charismatic personality, Akane is compassionate to a fault. Even though her methods of training her fellow hunters can be seen as torturous, she makes sure to go through the same training to show the rest that they can do it as well, making them see her as a teacher and a leader, as well as adoring her for her nurturing personality. In Yuki-Ryoshi, Akane prefers to participate on the on-field leadership side rather than the office managerial side and is in charge of training every Hunter to be in tip-top physical shape. Akane is most known for her perseverance and her fiery will, which bolsters her peers during combat.

(ooo)

Status: Hunter

Rank: S-Rank

Affiliation: Yuki-Ryoshi Guild

Class: Fighter

(ooo)

Weapons: Collapsible Staff with spear tip made from Giant bones and Direwolf fangs.

Skills: Expert Hand-to-hand combat, Expert Close Quarters combat, Expert Weapon combat, Peak human physique, fine muscle control.

Talents: Refined Mana control, Can control mana like muscle, Olympic Level Athlete.

(ooo)

Image Link: imgur.com/KKZgsWW

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A/N:

Thank you for reading today's chapter,

Please leave a review or comment. It helps me gauge your interest in the story and because I enjoy reading what you all have to say.

Until next time!