'Haaah... That felt good,' Kiril thought as she walked out of her tent. It was morning.
'...!' She narrowed her eyes at Hojin, who stood there casually, leaning against another tent.
"...What do you want, Hojin?" she let out reluctantly, looking away.
"Oh, don't be like that. I thought I'd be here just in case you didn't wake up early enough..." He then straightened himself as he walked toward her.
"...Miss Kiril."
'..!!!' Her eyes widened as her breath hitched. She froze as he walked past her.
"How... Do...!?"
"Never mind that," he chuckled. "But I bet you wouldn't want Haruno to know, huh?"
She swallowed before she chuckled nervously. "Pheh. How do you know he doesn't already know?"
"Hm... I guess you're right," he let out. "...After all, you're butt buddies, ain't ya?"
"...Maybe I should tell it to Misaki, then," he said. "I bet she will realllllllllly be pissed at Haruno. All this time, he was fooling around with a girl. And not just Misaki..."
He smiled widely.
"But everyone. That way, the peace you and Haruno had together... Suddenly, you'll be flocked by guys, wouldn't you?"
Kiril looked down, pursing her lips.
"...! Holy shit, so that's why you didn't tell him, huh?" Hojin looked at her, smiling wickedly as he noticed her hesitation.
"You knew he'd be too much of a bitch to keep anyone off your back, so you kept pretending to be a guy to be close to him without anyone bothering you, huh?" Hojin let out.
'...' Kiril's mind scrambled, trying to find words to say. A way to refute him. But in the end, she knew he was right. Pretending to be a guy made her feel safe even in Japan...
'...Because it let me spend time with Haruno without worrying about a thing... I knew he wouldn't feel pressured if I were a guy...'
"It's a shame that he's such a wimp... Even when he's a hunter," Hojin spat.
'...?!' Kiril looked up at him, her face twisting in confusion.
'A hunter...?'
"Ohhh..." Hojin noticed her reaction. "So he kept that from you, huh?"
"What a bastard, he is. The one person who's close to him, and he keeps something like this to himself."
'A hunter...? Wha... This... There's no way. Not him..!'
'Hojin is just a мудак filled with shit! He's just saying that!'
"Well, I'll let you off... but," Hojin turned to walk away as he saw Kiril standing frozen, confused.
"I would appreciate a little cheering from you when I do the evaluation exam. Might even change my mind regarding telling others about your secret. You know..."
He laughed again.
"So that you can keep your fragile and... forever platonic relationship with that guy as he forever jerks off about Misaki."
Kiril pursed her lips as Hojin laughed once more before walking off.
"Bastard...!!" Kiril swore under her breath.
"BASTARD...!" She clenched her teeth.
'How did he know...? Miss Yama said no one saw me. Then when?!' Her thoughts scrambled as the panic twisted in her gut.
"...Cyka... it doesn't matter." She exhaled through gritted teeth.
"I guess... I just need to cheer for him. That's all it is. Just cheering. If I do that—I can go back to being with Haruno like before."
Then, like an unwanted whisper, Hojin's voice echoed in her memory.
"In a completely forever platonic way."
...She hated that.
Biting her lip, she shut her eyes, then quietly began packing up her tent. With stiff hands and burning cheeks, she headed toward the group.
The time came; the first part of the evaluation test was about to begin.
Three schools assembled around the central arena. From one side arrived Avant-Garde, the most prestigious Hunter School in the region—an academy founded solely to raise professional hunters.
Their contender was rumored to already be A-Rank.
From the opposite end came Dismo-Phabia, another elite institution, fielding their own A-Rank representative.
And then—In the middle of it all—stood LHS Public School.
Ordinary. Underfunded. The only school without any gifted abilities. Their students gathered silently as their sole representative, Hojin, stood inside the arena with the other two, shoulder to shoulder.
Around them, the students from the other schools—each led by certified Rankers—watched with veiled disgust.
LHS didn't belong here, and everyone knew it.
"HEEEEY, LHS!" someone shouted.
"How's it feel being carried by esteemed Ranker Yama?"
"Bet her back hurts!"
Laughter erupted from the bleachers. LHS students shrank beneath it, their heads lowering in silent shame.
Even Hojin couldn't muster a response.
He simply bit his lip, fists clenched at his sides, eyes locked straight ahead—waiting.
Because deep down, they all knew the truth:
The only reason any of them were alive was because of the hunters—the elite warriors—who chose to protect them inside the gate.
The crowd kept laughing.
In the center of it all, two contenders stood silent amidst the noise:
Murasaki, from Avant-Garde.
Aya, from Dismo-Phabia.
Both watched their own schools mock LHS with smug disinterest.
"Laughing at the powerless… seriously? Aren't we past this phase?" Aya muttered, sighing as she rubbed her temple.
"Let them, Aya," Murasaki replied, exhaling through his nose. "It's how weaklings entertain each other. They only feel strong when they're stomping someone beneath them."
"…Whatever. I just wanna get this test over with," she mumbled. "Once I'm registered, that's when the real money starts rolling in."
Murasaki side-eyed her. "Is that really all you care about? Money? When you could be building a legacy… ruling at the top of your food chain?"
Aya smiled dreamily.
"Lobsters. For. Every. Meal…" she whispered, practically drooling.
'Of course. What an airhead…' Murasaki sighed internally, then turned his attention to Hojin.
But something about the boy held his gaze.
'Still… a B-Ranker from a normie school, huh?' His brows furrowed.
'Why is he still there? Is it pride? Loyalty to where he came from?'
His expression darkened.
'Or… is it just to make himself look better?'
Hojin flinched. He could feel it—that look—burning into him.
He locked eyes with Murasaki.
"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?!" The sudden shout snapped the arena into silence.
Gasps broke out among the students.
"Holy shit… Hojin just yelled at an A-Ranker."
"That's Murasaki. From Avant-Garde."
"Our Hojin… He's fearless."
Hojin stormed forward, stomping across the arena toward Murasaki.
The two stood face to face.
"…Got a problem, LHS?" Murasaki's tone was calm, hands still buried in his pockets.
He was several heads shorter, but didn't flinch—just looked up at Hojin with eyes that dared him to make a move.
"I don't care if you're A-Rank," Hojin growled. "Even if I'm B… There've been cases where lower ranks ascended higher ones."
He turned sharply, stomping back to his side of the arena.
"You just wait."
"Hmph," Murasaki muttered, watching him walk.
"You'd be right—if I were a healer."
Suddenly, the air around Murasaki shifted. The pressure grew dense. Static buzzed in the silence.
Lightning sparked around his body, dancing across his arms as his pupils sharpened.
Hojin froze.
Murasaki's voice dropped to a low, cold threat.
"But I'm not. I'm an offensive type. And you?" His lip curled slightly.
"You're a tank."
He took a step forward, lightning crackling louder now.
"Do you really think a B-Rank tank can defend against an A-Rank assault?"
Hojin instinctively braced himself.
But before anything could escalate, Aya stepped in.
She calmly placed a hand on Murasaki's arm and sighed.
"Dude. Chill."
Her voice was flat—like a teacher fed up with a loud kid in class.
"I just wanna get through this test and go home," she muttered. "Show off during the exam, alright?"
Murasaki didn't respond.
Aya tilted her head slightly. "Oh, and what was it you said earlier?" she continued.
"Weaklings entertain each other by stomping those beneath them, was it?"
She gave him a look.
"So… are you a weakling, then?"
"…Tsche. Fuck off…" Murasaki muttered, looking away awkwardly.
Hojin narrowed his eyes.
'I… I didn't even see her move.'
She'd appeared beside Murasaki like a ghost.
'That's her ability, right? The rumored teleportation…'
Lightning slowly faded from around Murasaki as he let out a long, frustrated sigh.
"Just… don't get cocky too."
Aya didn't even glance back.
"What, and risk hurting your fragile ego?" she replied, dry as ever. "I wouldn't dare."
She strolled off.
"Hmph."
Suddenly, a booming voice cut through the air.
"ALRIGHT, KNOCK IT OFF!" a Ranker called as he stepped into the arena.
"Now's the time for your test."
He raised a hand, signaling behind him.
The contenders turned—And saw Ranker Yama approaching, holding three B-Rank monsters on reinforced leashes:
Two medium-sized bears and one massive, hulking variant—docile but visibly dangerous.
"You'll be facing these for your first trial," the Ranker announced.
"These are all B-Rank. Your goal is to subdue them. Don't get too excited—this is just a qualifier. We'll be measuring your time and efficiency."
He scanned the trio.
"Who wants to go first?"
Hojin's eyes lit up. 'Right up my alley…! I can do this.'
"I'll—" Murasaki began, raising a hand—
But Hojin's voice boomed before he could finish:
"I'LL GO FIRST, PLEASE!!"
The Ranker raised an eyebrow. "Hmm…"
"Pheh…" Murasaki chuckled under his breath.
But Hojin had already stepped forward, eyes locked on the monsters—eager, focused, burning to prove something.
Behind him, LHS roared.
"DO IT, HOJIN!!"
"YOU'VE GOT THIS!!"
"KICK THEIR ASS!!"
'...I bet…' Kiril thought as she watched from the sidelines.
'Haruno could be here too, right…?'
She looked down.
'No… he's just… too soft for that. Right?'
Her eyes softened as her thoughts tangled.
'There has to be a reason you keep it a secret, Haruno. Just like why I keep mine. There has to be. You're not just anybody.'
Her hand tightened into a fist. Her brows drew in.
'No. I'll believe in you. Fuck that Мудак Hojin.'
And then, his voice came back to her—clear, cutting.
[Flashback]
"If you cheer for me... I might reconsider telling anyone about your secret," Hojin had sneered.
"After all, we both know Haruno would be too much of a bitch to defend you from anyone."
-------------------------------
Kiril bit her lip and shook her head hard, trying to shake him loose.
But she couldn't.
His words clung to her.
'Just… I'll cheer him... But... I'll do it for you, Haruno.'
Then, just as Sakuya stepped forward to unleash the bear monsters, Hojin turned to glance behind him—and caught Kiril's eyes.
He smirked.
[Flashback]
"That way, you can keep your forever platonic relationship..."
-------------------------------
'Cyka…' Kiril clenched her teeth. 'Bastard…!'
The students burst into cheers.
Kiril pressed her lips together.
"G... Go... Hojin..." she called out, a flush of embarrassment on her face. Her voice drowned beneath the roar of the crowd.
But Hojin heard.
He saw her submission.
'Heh...' Hojin grinned to himself. 'So obedient—'
WHAM!
A bear monster slammed into him, knocking the breath from his lungs.
"WHAT THE—!?"
Hojin staggered back, his boots dragging through the snow as the beast forced him across the ground.
"Don't get distracted," Sakuya sighed.
'Fool,' Murasaki thought, just as another bear collided into Hojin's side.
"GAAAHCK!!"
Hojin coughed, blood spattering.
"These bears work in packs," Sakuya continued.
Hojin twisted his body mid-blow, slamming his fist into the bear's snout. Blood burst from its nose as it pushed him back.
But he wasn't done.
"SUMMON! IRON-MAIDEN SHIELD!"
A glowing, spiked energy shield materialized in Hojin's hand. He lowered it against the oncoming bear—its body slammed into the spikes, blood erupting violently.
"...So pay attention to all of them," Sakuya finished.
Suddenly, the boss monster charged from behind—
CRASH!
"GHHHHAAAA!!!"
Hojin screamed as he was launched off his feet.
'FUCK—!!'
He hit the ground hard.
Only two monsters left.
'NO. It's just two... And if it gets bad—she'll intervene.' He glanced toward Sakuya.
'I can do this...!!!'
Hojin roared as he stood and sprinted toward them.
Two minutes later.
The battlefield was silent.
The two remaining bears were down.
"H... Hojin did it...!"
"Even as a tank… he soloed three B-Rank monsters!"
The LHS crowd exploded into cheers.
Hojin stood still, chest heaving.
'Damn it... just three and I'm... this tired...?'
"Don't worry," Sakuya said calmly. "We expected this much. Most B-Rankers handle these with medium-tier items and armor."
"Hmph. What a polite way of saying he didn't impress you, Miss Yama," Murasaki said, walking past Hojin—who flinched.
'Bastard...!!'
Hojin's teeth clenched.
"Miss Yama," Murasaki called with a light smile. "Please... I'd like six bears for my test."
The crowd murmured.
"Six…!?"
"Is he crazy!?"
"He may be A-Rank, but still...!"
"Fine," Sakuya said. "But this will be treated as a standard test. If you fail, you're disqualified."
"Fine by me," Murasaki replied as he turned back toward his position in the arena
"Thanks for warming them up for me..." he added with a smirk; giving Hojin a sideways glance.
"Small fry."
"....!"
Hojin charged forward.
"DON'T GET COCKY!!"
The instructor beside Sakuya tensed, ready to step in.
"These damn kids...!" he muttered, preparing to separate them.
Sakuya stopped him with a tired glance.
"Let them," she said. "It's good for them to learn early on—the natural hierarchy."
Murasaki turned.
"HOJIN, KICK HIS ASS!!" LHS students roared.
Hojin summoned his Iron-Maiden Shield.
Murasaki surged forward, lightning crackling around him as he leapt into the air.
"I'll admit, that shield of yours is impressive. I might not be able to break through it, but you're just..."
He spun in midair and kicked Hojin directly in the head.
"...as predictable as a glory hole." He chuckled.
Hojin collapsed.
Silence.
LHS stared.
Hojin—a B-Rank tank—was out cold.
"Just... One hit!? But... He's only one rank ahead of him..." They muttered, unable to believe what they saw.
"Me asking for six is actually nerfing myself," Murasaki declared.
"Back home, I trained with up to eight B-Rank monsters. Alone—"
"HOLY SHIT, NO ONE CARES! JUST START THE FUCKING TEST ALREADY AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SCENE!!" Aya screamed from her spot in the arena.
"Tsche, fucking brat..." Murasaki clicked his tongue.
----------------------
'Alright...' Yuuto stretched as he walked out of the cave. 'The blizzard's over. Now... to find the schools.'
He stepped into the cold snow outside.
'I'm not a particularly good tracker, even with stats like these,' he thought, eyeing his status window and then the forest ahead.
'So I've no clue where they went. Oh, Uncle Wren, where art thou, Uncle Wren—please, preach thy ways so that I could thine could fine thine way to thine's clathroomth.'
'Haaah... Badmouthing that narcissistic prick never ceases to raise my spirits.'
'Anyway, before I leave this forest and go where I think they've gone... I need to check something.'
Yuuto took a deep breath.
"HHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the forest.
"BORRRRRRRRISSSSSSSSSSSS THE ANIMAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
He looked to the side—hundreds of bears were closing in on his position.
Their footsteps rumbled. Growls filled the forest.
And at their front... was their leader. Roughly twice the size of the boss monster Hojin faced.
'Alright...' He stood, fighting the urge to summon his knives or use any skill.
"GURAAAHH!!" the leader roared before sinking its teeth into Yuuto's shoulder while tackling him. He flinched slightly, letting it bite; but his feet didn't drag across the snow. He wasn't pushed back in the slightest.
HP: 20,000 / 20,000
MANA: 5,000 / 5,000
HP LOST!
– 5 HP.
REGENERATION [LV.4] – Heals 100 HP per second.
"GURR..?" The bear monster growled in confusion.
"Oh, hahaha... man." Yuuto chuckled, feeling his body loosen up.
"If that attack had been any weaker, you'd be healing me, pup."
He smirked, locking eyes with the bear. His own eyes began to glow.
The bear froze.
"I had a theory, you see..." Yuuto said. "Even though the defense stat only climbed to 3... I figured 3 must be pretty high, after all..."
Then, he summoned a knife and stabbed it through the throat.
"AN S-RANK REPEATEDLY STABBED ME FOR FIVE HOURS TO RAISE IT THAT MUCH WITH A MAXED-OUT KNIFE SKILL..."
'My god... this is... SO... fun...!' Yuuto thought, watching the light leave the bear's eyes as it slumped to the ground beneath him.
"I'MMA BASEBALL YOUR—Erhm, I mean, knife you out! …Yeah. That sounds neat."
He grinned, stepping forward as the entire pack began charging.