Brewing Danger

X—X—X—X—X—X—X—X

[Kaplan]

Kaplan went to the Hunter's Hub to cash out. He was dragging two winged tigers behind him with ease while others were looking at him with surprised faces.

"Hey, isn't that..."

"Yes, that is Kaplan."

"Two Winged Tigers? What?"

"I am sure he just found them. Some knights must have killed them."

"Yeah, you are right."

Kaplan sneered at their comments and entered the hub. He went to the man who was dealing for cash out and put the tigers in front of him.

"I want a cash out," Kaplan said curtly.

The dealer looked carefully at the record beasts in the town, then he looked at Kaplan with suspicion. He eyed the beasts again to be sure they were recently killed and exhaled with irritation.

"Did you hunt them?" The dealer asked forcefully with narrowed eyes.

Kaplan narrowed his eyes back. "Yes," he said curtly. He knew the man in front of him was weaker than him, so him trying to intimidate him made Kaplan felt irritated.

That was a new feeling, really. He did not know why he felt frustration over that, he would've not felt that in the past, but maybe his new body's primal instincts made him like that.

After all, no beast bows his head down to anything weaker than it.

The dealer looked at him some more, but the more he looked, the more he felt something was off. Kaplan was not like that, he was anti-social, quiet, and awkward kid who could only hunt boars or sheep, or maybe some weak monsters.

"Stop this nonsense," The dealer said. He furrowed his brows and slammed his hand to the table. "Who hunt them and whose hunt do you steal?!" The man shouted.

Kaplan growled. He knew it was irrational to harm the dealer, but he needed to prove his strength. "Fine," he said and grabbed the man by his collar; he lifted him up and looked at his eyes directly.

"What are you doing, idiot!?" The dealer asked in anger.

Kaplan looked at the dealer's eyes directly and activated [Eye of the Tiger].

The dealer's eyes wide opened in instant, he felt like he was being hunted by an apex predator which could kill him in instant.

The feelings wash over all over him like a waterfall. The dealer did not feel something like that thus far, he knew decent amount of strong and intimidating men, but Kaplan, at that time, was someone far above of them.

Kaplan looked at frightening dealer coolly as he was about to speak again, but his hand grabbed by another man.

Kaplan swiftly turned to see who held his arm and looked at the were-lion who was looking at him smugly.

"Release him child," The were-lion ordered.

Kaplan looked at him coldly. "And what if I not?" He asked coolly with a hint of threat in his tone.

The were-lion was a huge guy, and if Kaplan remembered correctly, he was the one who hunted the winged tiger; so, he was the record holder.

Kaplan could understand how he killed winged tigers. He was a strong guy for that town, broad shoulders, a rather well-cared mane, brown eyes, blonde hair with a tall and bulky body.

The man stronger than Markus, by a lot, but he was weaker than Kaplan. Hence, Kaplan did not flinch at the incoming action that about to happen.

The were-lion smirked, like he had already won, and swung a punch through Kaplan's face in a sudden. Kaplan lifted his other hand to grab were-lion's hand, pushed him to himself, and headbutted him to the face.

The were-lion quickly covered his nose and fell on his ass; his nose did not break, but it made some damage since he was bleeding.

"I am not so patient," Kaplan said coldly as he looked at the dealer again. "My money, now," He growled.

The dealer sweated rapidly.

X—X—X—X—X—X

[Abray]

Abray was walking in her mansion, towards her chambers, but she got interrupted by an old man.

"My Sultan, we found a boy with huge potential in the Thrim Town," an old man, approximately 60 years old spoken formally.

The old man was a demi-hawk, had brown wings on his back that started to gray on the tips, long straight brown beard and hair, and red eyes.

"Mahmut Pasha," Abray greeted the old man. "Isn't that one of the weakest towns in the country?" She asked skeptically. "Also close to the border too?"

"Yes, my sultan," The now named Mahmut Pasha named. "But our diviner clearly saw his potential. If the situation goes normally; he will attend the academy this year," he said.

Mahmut pasha was a janissary which is a strong fighting unit that educated and trained by young age. They did not become advisors normally, but Mahmut Pasha had proved he had enough power and wisdom to be one.

"Hmm..." Abray made a thinking pose. She looked at outside from the window and narrowed her eyes. "I do not want to be suspicious nowadays," she said sadly. "Father is inspecting me along with my brothers, so I cannot send someone to fetch him... for now," she said.

Abray stood still for a little more before looking at Mahmut Pasha. "Are we sure that Diviner saw correct this time?" She asked doubtingly.

"He said he was not this sure in his entire life," The old man said.

"Is he now?" Abray murmured. A diviner would not say something certainly if he or she would not be certainly sure. The divinity, after all, supposed to be had no certainty. Hence, the diviner must've some solid assurance the person had real potential.

The logic makes no sense, so they better hoped they were right.

Abray sighed and decided to play it risky, even it was against the odds. "What it his name?"

"Kaplan."

"Kaplan... Isn't that means Tiger?" Abray murmured. She was sure she read that somewhere, but she did not remember where. "Was he good?"

"He fought winged tigers alone," Mahmut Pasha said. "Two of them."

"Which is not a big feat," Abray raised her eyebrow. "Well, it is kind of but not someone I'd accept immediately."

"With the raw power alone," Mahmut Pasha continued.

"Impressive, I guess..." Abray said and opened her eyes in excitement. "Can he use magic?" She asked.

"He has fire affinity according to diviners," Mahmut Pasha said.

"Diviners seems to believe their accuracy these days," Abray questioned. "I have still doubts, but so be it," she hummed.

Abray thought the recent events and clicked her tongue, she looked at Mahmud Pasha and said. "It is not time to take risk but..." she sighed and looked at the old man.

"Send someone to fetch him please, someone weak enough to not get suspicious. We can test him when he got here."

"May I ask why this is not time to risk?" The old man asked.

"Big things about to happen," Abray said simply. "We will talk about this in tomorrow meeting. Difficult times are ahead."

Mahmud Pasha raised his eyebrow.

Abray sighed. "Well, basically my father is out, and my dear step-mother is ruling the country. I need to be sneaky with these things now."

Mahmut Pasha did not understand why the Sultan Arslan left in a sudden without any info to the realm, but he must've an important reason to do so.

After all, Sultan Arslan was many things, but being a stupid was not one of them.

X—X—X—X—X

[KAPLAN]

Kaplan was sure he was being watch. He might act a little paranoid, but he could not feel to be restless.

"What is it now," Kaplan murmured as he looked at the pouch on his hand. He just got 35.000 altın, which was enough to travel to Koylucity and take the exam.

Thrim Town was a poor town, but sometimes had strong people lurks around.

'Possibly slavers,' Kaplan thought as he turned left, completely irrelevant direction to his home, and hide himself behind a tree.

Slave Missions were a lot in Scandia. They gave a little money usually, and people were weak, but Kaplan now in reality of the game.

He did not know if his presence changed things.

Kaplan did not wait in his thoughts however, since two demi-bears appeared in the beginning of the road. They sniffed the air and looked at the direction Kaplan was hiding directly.

One was a little taller than other.

"We knew ya righ' there!" Taller one of them yelled.

"Whatcha doing idiot!?" The other hit him on his head. "Now we can't sneak!" And continued.

'They are certainly not the sharpest bears out there,' Kaplan thought as he emerged behind the tree. 'You just look straight at me, really...'

"What do you want?" Kaplan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ye asked what we doin'?" One of them, possibly the more foolish one, said. The other laughed merrily as it was one of the funniest jokes he ever heard.

Kaplan observed his opponents. The two were-bear; they were the strong for that town, he could feel it, but still Kaplan did not feel any danger.

'Weaker than the lion guy...'

"Ya know, let make it simple," The taller one said. "Bordi wants yer hide."

'They are really talkative,' Kaplan thought before readied himself to attack. 'Which is advantageous for me, kind of.'

Kaplan looked at talking bears and waited for an opening. He inhaled a deep breath and extended out his claws.

The taller one saw that and laughed. "Looked at that, try to be scary," he said with a laugh. The smaller one grinned evilly and prepared to attack.

Kaplan growled and said nothing. He wanted to activate his [Eye of the Tiger], but he just had an idea on the road.

An idea that it would be beneficial if he uses that skill on the most unexpected time. That will surprise his opponents and made an opening.

He was not delusional enough to think someone weaker than him could not kill him. This is a reality now, so he wanted to take it safe. Also, he felt something else too.

'I feel like I am constantly angry nowadays,' he thought and looked at two bears directly. He exhaled again and his demeanor changed completely.

Kaplan smirked. The bears thought they were stronger than Kaplan, which was a pity, and rushed at him without a thought. Considering they were huger than Kaplan, and thinking they were stronger than him by raw strength, they attacked him recklessly.

In Scandia, not many have magic power, so it was easy to assume the opponent had no magic. The magicians usually had pricey dresses; considering they earn a lot.

Kaplan clenched his fist and punched the taller bear on the face; send him flying to the wall next to road, then catch the other's first and break it by twisting it, then brandished him on the air and slammed him to the ground.

"Well," Kaplan grinned. "What does that sucker want this time?" He asked as he looked at two bears on the ground.

Kaplan did not wait much to get information...