Going Home

***Arthur's POV:***

Power…

What he showed me that day was true power. On where I've fought my share of powerful foes, enemies and contradicting rivals, how is it, that he had the audacity to show something as envious as that. Not once have I meet someone that showed me the instinct to be envious.

For once, a call for wanting something that I could truly be proud of to call my own was made.

That night when I was helpless against the demon that stood before me, I knew that I was never going to win against a monster like that.

But if it was him…in his current state, he must have had a chance.

Because in that last throw of power, I felt the same fear I came upon when I confronted the demon head on.

If it was him…

He could have been a hero…

I'm envious…

So envious in fact that it makes me want to grow…

I wont ask for his help…I wont ask for it.

As I grow with envy…

And in my heart, a flame of what people called a 'goal' was made.

You are my Goal Hamil Crux…and when we will meet again, I will surely catch up to you and more.

****

The time finally came when he was ordered to be brought back to the very place that Hamil Crux was born…

The clan that raises deadly assassins. The Crow Talon Clan.

As he stood by the gate of my apartment early in the morning, Old Lady britches came by with a broom on hand.

"Hmm? Hamil? What are you doing here?" she asked.

The last thing she knew was that Hamil was now completely transferred to the dormitory provided by the academy, but seeing him standing by the front of her apartment complex, she was curious as to what happened in the academy. 

"...I'm just waiting here for someone." he said.

"Aren't you supposed to be at school?" she asked.

"We got a week's off after the event that happened at the academy, you know, the terrorist attack." he said as he looked to the old lady with calm gaze.

"Eh? Ahhh, I did, I read about it just a few minutes ago from the newspaper. Hmm, it really was bad seeing your school being attacked like that, are you alright? Did you get hurt?" she asked worryingly.

"No I'm fine, but the dorm at the academy was one of the places that the attack mainly took place. So the students are being forced to live outside the dorms while its getting reconstructed."

"Eh? So does that mean your moving back into your old room?" she asked.

"No, I was asked to go back to my hometown…" he said.

"Home? Ah…I see, so are you waiting for someone to pick you up?" she asked.

"...Yeah."

As we talked, a minivan drove and stopped by the front of the gate and its window rolled down with a face popping out.

"...Hamil-chan, we came to pick you up~~" said a girl who wore thick sunglasses, had brown skin, blonde hair and a leather black jacket to show her cool appearance. If a person could describe her in one word, it would be that she was a Gal/Gyaru you would find in a typical manga story.

"Where's my Aunt?" asked Hamil.

"She's still out shopping by a mall, we came by to pick you up by her order." she said.

"...I see." although he was hesitant to go in, he had no other choice. He looked back to the old lady and said his goodbyes.

"...Take care now." said the old lady.

As the old lady smiled and waved goodbye, the minivan drove off and the three man-sized owls followed behind in a stealthy manner.

"...Where are we headed?" asked Hamil as he looked rather nervous sitting at the back of the van with the rest of the other trainees of the clan.

"..." as it can be seen inside, four people the same age as Hamil was sitting by while wearing a casual attire. 

They were quiet by their standards and with it, they only ever looked ahead with a frown on their faces.

"How was your time in this place? Was it peaceful?" asked the girl who wore glasses.

"...You could say that. Its more calming than what the clan could offer." said Hamil as he crosses his arm in his own comfort.

"A lot has changed since you've been gone. Do you even still know our names?" asked the boy who had the slick-back hair.

"To be honest with you, no. I don't know anyone of you." he said in a cold strict tone.

""..."" everyone felt this sincere truth behind his words, and with it, they were taken aback and wanted to know why.

"Are you serious? You don't remember our names or even our faces?" asked the brunette.

"...Sorry, I don't have that strong of a memory from a traumatizing childhood."

"Cut him a bit of slack…five years is a long time." said the girl with glasses.

"...in any point, Peace has numbed his mind. He might have even gone soft." said the kid with the slick-back.

"Why don't we just introduce ourselves again, its not that hard. I'll go first." Said the brown skinned gal.

"My name is Tenshin Cross, my friends call me Tenshy-chan. And we once went under the same first grade training course at the clan." she said as she looks back for a quick second at Hamil and smiled cheerfully at his direction.

"I'm Eloise Chow, we also went to the same first grade training course." said the girl with the formal looking attire.

"...I'm Mark, Mark Chow, and if your wondering, yes…she's my twin sister." said the man with the slick-back hair.

"Elven, Elven Dominic. We didn't go to the same training course together, but I do know you from our leader's stories." said the kid with the Brunette hair.

"If your wondering why we're undergoing missions under you great Aunt, its because its part of our training. Taking in missions and following the orders of our given leader, we take in the experience and learn the field from her." said Elven.

"..."

Truth be told, Hamil knows a bit of the world in the Crow Talon's business. Being a powerful clan, their school is quite mainly focused under the ties of assassination. With a following of a hundred families under this clan, the school is quite tight-bound with the idea of letting in any non-family blooded people join this school.

With the main family being the named the Crow Family, the line of people born under this certain family are known to be geniuses in the fields of assassination. The rest of the other families lie behind in their lack of talent.

They've killed Kings, Important figures of the world, wiped out villages, cities, certain species of living beings. They've hidden knowledge, manipulated cities, kingdoms, they've stopped wars, made wars, made peace, dealt with things not even discovered by the rest of the world. The Crow Talon Clan was quite a group that made the major changes to the story of what was written in the book. Almost everything that Hamil has read in the novel, the Crow Talon Clan, knows about it.

Only the people who are part of this long line of blood has the capacity to join such a dangerous clan. But before they are acknowledge to be a part of such a clan, one has to go to a rigorous amount of training in their school to a point that their strength are on par to be at least of that of an A-ranked hunter. Only by then will one can graduate.

"...Five years, you've been gone for five years. What have you been doing in that time?" asked Tenshin.

"I did what any normal kid would want…go to school, enjoy the peace, make some friends…it's a typical thing that I did with my time." he said.

"...Typical huh, that's not really something we can experience back on the clan."

As they drove through the streets, they finally arrived at a certain gate that lead to a certain pier.

Their by the gate, Aunt Mary stood wearing all black.

As the gate opened, we passed through and made our way to a warehouse that was abandoned for a long time.

"..." Hamil can only ever assume that this was one of the places that allowed the clan to traverse by their will. 

"..." Without saying anything, Aunt Mary pulled something from her purse and drops it down on the ground.

And soon after, that object turned into an artificial gate that lead to the clan's location. Just like how the demons took access of this type of artifact, the Crow Talon clan was just as advance in the forms of artifacts that they own.

"...Are you ready?" she asked as she looked with worry over his face.

"...not yet." as Hamil said this, three man-sized owls dropped from the ceiling of that warehouse and landed by his side.

*Boom!*

It was an unsuspecting entrance indeed to all of them.

"!?" Aunt Mary being aware of their presence since before they even landed, turned to Hamil and asked what they were.

"Are they your pets?" she asked.

"No, companions." he said.

"And your bringing them back with you?"

"I can't leave them here by themselves. They might cause trouble if they did." he said.

"...fine, I don't have a problem with it, but make sure to keep them in line." she said.

"...Did you know that they were following us?" asked Tenshin as she nervously looked at the owls.

"N-no, I never felt their presence even when we were driving in the car. I made sure that we weren't followed by anyone suspicious. Honest to God." said Elven.

"Three owls…what a weird collection." said Eloise as a smirk of interest came upon her smile.

"Don't be fooled by their cute eyes and curious gazes, their pretty dangerous if you approach them recklessly." said Hamil.

"And why is that?" they asked.

"A single owl can easily deal with a C-rank hunter…knowing your current strengths, not a single one of you can handle one of them." he said.

"What, is that a bet?" asked Mark as he was willing to start a fight with the birds.

But as soon as he made the gesture to want to fight, one of the owls turned their gazes on him with the killing intent of that of a pure predator. 

"!!" Mark was instantly frozen by its reaction.

"...Like I said, don't do anything hasty." he said.

"F-fine." having understood his place, Mark backed down.

And so did the other three students.

"...you got yourself a wonderful pair of companions. Where did you get them from?" asked Mary.

"A friend gave them to me." he said as a reminiscing smile was expressed on his face.

"Hmm, so you made friends then." she said as she was happy to her nephew smile then.

"Yeah, good friends…" 

And with it, they all walked in to the gate.

The first four one's to get in was the four students that follow Mary and the fifth one to enter was Hamil himself along with the three owls. 

Looking at the gate, he had the nervous anxiety within him that made himself react quite cautiously. He's breathing started getting heavy and cold sweat was dripping from his face. All of it was a sign that he was still afraid, hesitant even to go through.

"..." but he gripped his hands tight and braced himself to go in while the owls nudged their heads to push Hamil in at a cute manner in their interest of what was behind this gate. 

And lastly was what followed was his Aunt who went in last.

There was nothing left after that, the gate closed and what remained was the silent noise of the empty warehouse and the crashing sound of the waves by the pier.

Hamil Crux was no longer in the territory of the Kastelyst Kingdom, but far away in a disclosed location out of anyone's knowledge. 

****

Inside an E ranked gate that was filled with Hog-like monsters, out by a safezone, a gathering of friends fro ma certain class was sitting by and watching a video that was secretly recorded by a phone.

"...Is what I'm looking at real? Did this actually happen?" asked a delinquent looking red haired gal with a sword on her hilt. Namely Sarah Kenley.

"Yes, what happened there was true to the end." said a girl who had ringlets for her hair. Namely Rebertha Don Dumis.

"I can't believe that he's already that far ahead out of all of us." said Remmy as he looked the most devastated by this.

"We shouldn't feel discouraged at all. That's not why I called you guys here in the first place. Knowing Hamil, we knew that he was strong from the beginning. He didn't hide the fact that he was way beyond our own level. We saw him fight with our own eyes, and even felt his skills with our own bodies when we sparred with him." said Sofia as she wanted to encourage her friends.

"Yes, but seeing this…He's way stronger than we could have thought." said Remmy as he was rather perplexed by this show of power. As by the time he was there, he had seen just how powerful Hamil was to being able to take on the two strongest students at the second year. And he's show of power was more than that of your average hunter who was registered as a D-ranker. It was more believable to say that Hamil was around an A-rank's level. Something unheard of before from the records of hunters.

And seeing such power, he was discouraged to think that he could have hoped to caught up to such a monster. But now, it feels like a hazy dream.

It was clear to the other girls when they saw how discouraged he was, but Sarah stood up from her place and looked ahead with a fury that burned on her heart.

"...tell me, why did you call us here, Sofia?" asked Sarah. As she looked to the forest in front of her.

"A senior told me that Hamil is going away for a while…and said he'll come back before the semester ends." 

"...Going away? What does that mean?" asked Remmy.

"I'm not sure, but he said that once he comes back, a rematch will most likely occur and this time, it isn't just the two second years that he'll be fighting. He might also go after us as well." she said.

"Go after us? What are we, prey?" asked Remmy.

"No, Hamil is going away out for personal reasons, but once he returns, he might be more stronger than he could be now. I don't want to stand in the sidelines while he goes off and stand in the front by himself." she said.

"I get that, but…Hamil is a complete beast. How can we even compare ourselves to him." asked Remmy as his inferiority complex was showing.

"We wont know until we try." said Sofia.

"We wont know until we try? Have you seen what I've seen!? He is way beyond our level and you want to reach out to him? I don't think its possible at all!" said Remmy.

"...What are you saying Remmy?" asked Rebertha in the curiosity of that statement.

"We're not prodigies like they are! We're simple and just that! We're never going to make it to where he is no matter how hard we try to catch up to him!" 

"Why are you like this Remmy? Why are you giving up?" asked Sofia.

"Because! It just seems so impossible..." 

"..."

"..."

"..."

"We all saw what he can do! And it seemed like he wasn't just aiming to being the strongest, or the fastest or the greatest! What I saw that day…it was like he wasn't even recognized as just being a simple hunter…"

"What did you saw Remmy?" asked 

"It seemed like he dominated that fight…in the way he stood, its nothing like anyone that I've seen." he said as his voice shakes

And as he braced the complete comparison of their levels, all of a sudden, a complete stranger walks in to their conversation.

"...He is Grand, I can tell you that much." said a girl who had diamond eyes as she carries a bow of great performance that was given by her own majesty.

"...Y-you are-" and to Rebertha's familiarity, she knew who this person was.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Iris, from class-A." 

"W-what are you doing here?" asked Sofia.

"And I came here under the order of Hamil."

"Hamil?"

"He told me that he's sorry that he got you involved with what happened yesterday. And to prove his sincere, he brought you gifts."

"Hamil did? Wait how do you know Hamil? I've never seen you two talk before?" asked Rebertha.

"Well, we met on a job. Anyway, I'm just here to deliver the things that Hamil wanted to give you all." she said as she pulled out her storage ring and brought out a few items inside.

"These are…for us?" asked Sarah as she was quite surprised by what was shown to her.

"He said that he hopes for you all to grow while he's away and when he comes back, he wants to test each one of you all one by one. Especially a person named Remmy."

"...!?" and to hear his name, he was shocked.

"...me?"

"He said that one of these tools given to you will be of help in making you grow stronger…but only so much. And this is by my own words, but if any one of you actually wants to stand by his side, I suggest you work hard." she said a she turns her back and starts walking away.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

All four of them were left standing in question as to what was left to them. And to their curiosity, they picked what was left for them.

For Sarah, she was given a Mace like Item that was imbued with the element that suited her personality, which was fire. It was a weapon that reacts entirely on her wild nature.

For Sofia, a rapier that was able to manipulate the very aspect of her ice attribute. And more so to this, it was a rapier that had the ability to store her very mana into the weapon and converge that mana into a source of power that strengthens the sword even more.

For Rebertha, it was a potion that was listed as something to increase her very own mana tenfold. And with it, that potion was entirely focused on also strengthening her elements on the aspect of lightning.

And lastly for Remmy, it was a sword that had the aspect for water. The very nature of his own element. With it, it was similar to that of Sarah's own mace as well.

Along with these weapons, a note was given.

"...What is this?" asked Sarah.

"A note, and inside it are addresses leading to some specific location on a specific date. And with it, are a list of items. Four items that goes with our own elements. A necklace made for fire…a bracelet made for ice, a ring made for lightning and an earring made for the elements of water. Each of these items have a list of instructions leading to where to find them." said Rebertha as she was the one to pick the note.

"There's something written in the back." said Sofia.

[Its up to you guys if you want to get these things. If you do choose to pick these items, might as well get them before anyone else does. These items are more special than that of your typical artifact found from the chest. You'll be surprised if you do get to claim these items.  P.S. Do this together or else you won't survive if you go alone.] 

[Also P.S. only go to these places if you guys are able to reach at least D-rank.]

"...Is he serious?" asked Sarah with a nervous smile on her face.

"...it doesn't seem like it." said Sofia.

"Yeah, it doesn't." said Rebertha.

"..." as Remmy stares at the note, he turned to his sword and looked rather bothered.

"Remmy, what do you think you should do?" asked Rebertha.

"..."

"Hamil doesn't mean harm by giving these items to us. In fact, he's giving us an opportunity. We should be grateful." said Sofia.

"Yeah…I guess."

"How did Hamil even know that these kind of items exist in the first place. I mean the dates are listed way far ahead than in today's date. The first gate is listed two months from now." said Rebertha.

"...I don't know. But if this note does mean anything, we should take the chance." said Sarah as she looked excited by this.

"Remmy, we can't do this without you." said Sofia as she looked to Remmy with a worried expression.

"Why is he doing this to us?" asked Remmy.

"...Why are you asking that?" asked Rebertha.

"Don't you think that it seems rather suspicious?" he asked worryingly.

"...It does, I mean it didn't come from Hamil's hands himself. It came from that girl who I'm very suspicious of." said Rebertha.

"but look, its his handwriting." said Rebertha as she wanted to assure Remmy on this note.

"...Well, it doesn't really bother me if its real or not. I'm going either way since I believe that this really comes from Hamil himself. Its up to you if you want to come with us on this specific date." said Sarah as she had this uncaring look on her. 

It was clear to Remmy that Sarah was fed up with his insecurities towards what he had witnessed. And she really meant to go to this location with or without him. 

"I'm going as well." said Rebertha. Assuring her decision to be clear to the rest of the group.

"I'm also going, but we still can't go though. We have to get stronger before we could move forward with this treasure hunt. Two months from now, we need to be at least D-ranks by then." said Sofia as she was also going to this hunt.

"Aren't you guys bothered by this?" asked Remmy.

"We are. But with everything that Hamil did with us, I don't think he wanted us to hate him by doing this. Its just who he is…he's strong, he's great, he's kind…and most of all, he's our friend." said Rebertha as she wanted to convince Remmy to change his views on Hamil.

"..." but to this, Remmy was still silent.

"...What are you going to then?"

"I don't know."

"He's your friend!!" 

"..."

"Trust him as a friend!" 

"You have a week to decide by then. That's when the classes start back up again and if you can decide, we'll train together and we'll try to get all of these items by the date." said Sarah as she was the one to walk out of the gate first.

And soon after, the rest followed. 

They were supposed to hunt together in this meeting today but since it felt like it was the wrong time to do anything, they canceled the hunt altogether.

A sense of disconnection was made with Remmy to the others as he felt insecure with how Hamil presented himself to them yesterday. To think that it would affect him to this point was a clear sign of his struggles for his growth. One could say that he was immature, indecisive and most likely the same person as the reader >:}

AN: hehehehehe >:}