No one can catch me.

It was getting late and Nhor town's main road was isolated. Around this time, most people must've gotten back from their jobs and most business would have closed for the day. But the night life was eternal, and as such, some places were still open for the public. From these places there was one building that stood up the most.

The Hunter's Guild. A place where Hunters would get commissions from.

The life of a Hunter was arduous. They were normal people who after going through maniac training, broke through the limits set for simple mortals and acquired superhuman bodies capable of slaying magical beasts. A physical strength that no magi would even dream to achieve. Though, there were some exceptions out there, it was without a doubt that non-magi Hunters were physically stronger than magis.

As such, in order to make it easier for them to get jobs and profit, the Magis Union, along with the three Kingdoms and the Empire, created an organization that was meant to house, control and help Hunters. Before that, Hunters were guild less mercenaries that did not belong to a Kingdome, unlike Knights, who had the same capabilities than hunters but worked under a noble or royalty.

These events transpired many millennia ago.

In the present, every city and town on the continent has at least one guild on their territories. Guilds that are under the patronage of the noble families which reside on said regions.

*Clink* *Clink*

As the doorbell of a huge door rang, everyone's attention was attracted towards the sound. On this spacious room there was a single counter with a stair to the side that would lead to the second of the three floors this building had. Besides the path leading to the counter, there were men and women, majority of which were elves, that gave off an imposing aura, making it clear that messing with them wasn't a good idea.

Before this person entered the building, some of these people were looking for a commission to take for the next day, while some others were sitting on the tables scattered around having something to drink after finishing their day's jobs. But, after hearing the doorbell's distinctive sound, and feeling an oppressing aura that Hunters could only sense when in the presence of a Magi or magical beast, they all turned around, readying to battle.

Feeling so many gazes on him, the short, hooded man extended his arms upwards in sign of peace. Then with his left hand he slowly pulled the hood down, revealing a child wearing a half mask that only covered his lower face. After seeing the beast-like golden eyes of the boy and his white-colourless hair, everyone sighed in unison as they got back to what they were doing.

" Are you guys going to welcome me like this every time?" Ash said with a wry smile that none could see due to his mouth not being visible.

" Duh, you expect us to sense your monstrous aura and welcome you with open arms?"

"Yeah Zefi, you look pretty suspicious too."

" Yo what's with the mask anyways!? You on the run or somethin!"

Ash's lip twitched a little at his "friends'" remarks.

" Carl, shut up, you're too loud." Ash said to a blond youth with a crazy hair style as he fist-pump a huge bald hunter that was carrying a war hammer on his back.

" And you know I can't walk on these streets without letting my presence out. You know how many bandits I've beaten this week already?" Ash said to the massive baldie with a tired expression.

" Well, Nohr is that kind of place after all, can't help it." Said the baldie with a shrug.

" Zefi, if you need any company going back home this big sister will go with you~." Said a beautiful blue-eyed brunet with an hourglass body and a sinful bosom.

" There she goes again. Lina, at least give Zefiro some time to grow before you hit on him for god's sake." The bold man said with a helpless smile.

" Mason stay out of this! If I want to marr- I mean seduce him, it has to be now when he is young and innocent. Once he grows the vixens will come to him like flies!"

[ She fixed it and still managed to say some crazy shit. Try to maintain a safe distance away from her master, she's dangerous...] Eve said coldly while biting her nails.

*Sigh*

" I would love to keep this conversation going but I really don't have the time guys." Ash said as he moved past the group of three on his way to the counter that was a few metres ahead of him.

" Wattcha selling bro!?"

" Some wolves pelt and fangs. Also, shut up Carl, you're loud." Ash said indifferently as he kept walking to the counter.

Far from being offended Carl kept a stupid smile on his face as Ash walked away from him. The fact that Ash was almost half his age didn't matter to him at all.

" He really is something else uh. What was I doing when I was 12?" Mason asked with a defeated look.

" Don't mention it. I'm a Magi myself and can't even begin to gauge his potential." Said Lina as she folded her arms under her soft mountains, making them bounce a little which made some of the male Hunters in the room to gulp loudly. Though, a dead stare from the woman herself was enough for them to look away with cold sweat running down their faces.

" That's Zefiro for ya! HAHAHA."

" Carl."

"Carl."

" Eh?"

" Shut up, you're loud." X2

'I'm the leader of this party you know...' Carl, said to himself as he quietly sat on the corner of the room in defeat. Getting called out by a cute kid was fine, but his two adult teammates?! That was too much for his fragile heart.

...

While everybody ignored Carl's sobbing in the background, Ash reached the front of the counter. The first time he came to the guild he was too short to see properly but after his growth spurt, he could easily lean on it now.

" Hey Zefi, how can I help you today?" A cute-petite, blonde-haired Elve with green eyes that looked to be on her early teens asked with a bright smile when she saw Ash arrive.

" Hey Nanci, you look as gorgeous as always. I'm here to sell some wolf spoil."

Nanci's blush couldn't be hidden as her porcelain skin gave her away.

"S-stop teasing me, Zefi!" Nanci's said with a pout trying to look angry but failed miserably.

' Ah~ Elf girls are the best. Look how flustered she is after a single compliment.'

[Tsk, pervert bastard...]

' Eve, dear, your thoughts are spilling out.' Ash felt offended by her servant, but he let it go since her statement wasn't completely false.

" You don't give me more choices you know. You are so cute I can't help but bully you."

" Wah-,wah-,wah..."

Nanci short-circuited and steam seemed to leave her head as her blush intensified.

" Zefiro, stop teasing my daughter before she faints."

A tall male Elf with features resembling Nanci walked down the stair leading to the upper floor with a tired expression. His hair was tied in a ponytail, and he walked elegantly. If not for the bags under his eyes and his unkept clothes he would easily pass as a nobleman.

" Good evening GuildMaster, I came to sell some wolf spoils." Ash said with a cheeky smile that couldn't be noticed by anyone... or rather, anyone but the elf he was currently talking to.

" You cheeky brat..." The adult elf tried to reprimand him, yet energy abandoned his body as he was about to.

" Anyways, come up to my office for a moment Zef. I need to talk to you about something, I'll do the transfer myself once we are done."

"Oh, alright. See you around Nanci." Ash winked mischievously at Nanci, who was peaking from under the counter as her face was too hot at the moment.

' I'm three years older than you, you know!' Nanci screamed internally as she glared at her hateful bully walk up the stairs.

' I wonder what father wants to talk about with Zefi.'

...

Entering the GuildMaster's office, Ash furrowed his eyebrows.

" Fred, do you like... know how to clean?"

Being the "servant" of a certain red head Ash was pretty used to messy rooms, but this guy was on a different level.

"Are you my mother or something? Sit down, this is important."

Seeing as the last sentence was spoken with some seriousness Ash knew that whatever they were to discuss was important.

Fred was one of the few people that knew his real name and face. His wife is a close acquaintance of Ingrid so when Ash decided to become a Hunter for his training, she approached Fred and "asked him in a friendly manner" to look after Ash.

When he met Ash for the first time and saw his features, he immediately understood why a men hater like her asked for his help.

Ash was a hybrid. Or at least that's how he looked like to those who saw his eyes.

The discrimination towards mixed bloods was very common now days so she wanted to provide some protection to Ash when she wasn't around, and Fred, a former Master Rank Magi and A Rank Hunter would be more than enough to look after him.

No one knew what Ingrid does for work but based on the time she usually leaves for work Ash had some ideas. The blood tainted cloths he washes every morning might have also given it away.

[ I bet my salary that she's an assassin or something]

' I don't pay you a salary though.'

"Ash."

Hearing his real name being called by Fred, Ash looked straight to his eyes in a neutral manner. Any sign of playing around gone from his unmasked face.

" I know your story. I know you have amnesia and that you are planning to leave Malhad to go to Dorian and enter Typhon Academy. I know exactly how important this is for you as the chances of meeting your parents somehow might increase on this journey. But I fear that's not a good idea."

As Fred placed a bounty announcement paper on the table, Ash read curiously and opened his eyes in surprise when he saw the portrait of a younger version of himself.

" I'M INNOCENT, I SWEAR!!" Ash said as he stood up with a frightened expression.

" Brat, sit down before I... *sigh* Whatever just listen to me." Fred said lazily.

" Usually, these bounties have "Dead or Alive" printed at the bottom, yet this one says, " Only Alive". So, you are either a noble and your family is looking for you this way because they ran out of options, or ... you messed with someone you shouldn't have messed with."

Remembering the morning he met Ingrid, the image of the shirt he was wearing at the time flashed on is mind.

'That white shirt was stained with blood... and I wasn't injured... which can only mean one thing...'

[ Oh no...]

" I killed someone !?"

"..." Fred.

[...] Eve.

" I was actually thinking about the first case scenario more than the second. I mean, you were ten and had just awakened at the time, you were harmless." Fred said plainly.

[Pfff-] Eve held her laugh so that her Master wouldn't notice.

Ash didn't miss this and was beginning to formulate a plan to punish her, but Fred interrupted his thoughts.

" This bounty has been out for a while, but it just so happened to reach Nhor this morning. You have played it safe so far by hiding your face, but I fear someone from the guild might have noticed by now after seeing the bounty. That's why I don't recommend you go Dorian, since that's where the bounty came from."

[ If what Fred says is right, then the bounty should be everywhere on the capital. Your eyes might be different, but your hair is not that common.]

'...'

Ash didn't say anything and kept looking at Fred with a neutral expression.

" It is a mystery to me how your eyes changed, but this guy on the portrait is definitely you. Ingrid contacted me a few hours ago after seeing the bounty on some town in Arel when finishing a job and told me to keep you here while she's on her way. So even if I had some doubts, that confirmed it." Fred concluded and gave Ash the chance to speak.

" I have said this to Ingrid many times already, but it seems like she never told you. I'm not a hybrid. My eyes changing this way are due to a Trait I gained when I awakened." Fred was amused by Ash's change of behaviour as well as surprised when he heard Ash had a Trait, since they were rare to come across.

"Regarding the bounty, I won't bother about it." Ash said with no change in expression, he looked like a totally different person in Fred's eyes, who was used to his annoying brat act.

'Look at him.' Fred thought, an imperceptible smile forming on his face.

" Why is that?" Fred asked.

Suddenly, a playful smile appeared on Ash's face as he said.

" Cuz no one can catch me unless I let them myself~"

That arrogant smile caused Fred's veins to bulge and almost burst. No one could piss him off more than this guy.

" Whatever, do what you want. If Ingrid comes for me when they get you, I'll hunt you as a ghost for not listening to me." Fred said as he laid on his desk. Piles of papers fell to the ground, adding more chaos to the already messy floor.

" Please don't."

.

.

.

.

(A/N:

The Ydril Kingdome, land of the elves, is the eastern most country on the Olax continent, one of two continents in Iris. Just like their Beastmen neighbours on the West, it is divided in five territories, namely: Giriel, Linhar, Arel, Malhad and the Kingdome's capital, Sheedra. Ash has been living on the outskirts of Malhad for almost two years with Ingrid. Nhor is a town under Malhad's jurisdiction that is close to the forest where Ash and Ingrid live.)