" Dammit..., how unfortunate I am, "
" Seeing this, makes me want to curse my parents for even giving me the name' Fortuno' despite the reality isn't so fortunate for me. "
" Oh, how misfortunate I am. " Hayden says while hearing the voices outside.
[ Location: Hunter Association HQ Tower ]
[ Hunter Association Leader's Office. ]
" It seems I have to choose wisely this time. " Hunter Association Leader, Hayden Wayne says he needs to think about something.
" Those gods are getting too political these days, their politics had already entered my Hunters' job world. "
" Dammit, I really can't do a thing for the [Abyss Tower Raid] huh? " he sighs, wondering what he would tell the Guilds who had their members inside the Tower.
" What should I tell them? should I...? "
" Dammit, they're too loud! " Hayden says as he looks out the window as sees many people trying to enter the Hunter Association HQ by force despite the army and some high-rank Hunters trying to prevent them.
" Halt right there! move back or I'll wipe you out with my [Arrow Rain]! "
" Oh yeah, go ahead and try high-ranker! "
" Don't think we will stand down until your Boss is responsible for sacrificing our brothers and sisters into that Tower! " said a civilian, who also brought his son who is also a Hunter, a low-rank one.
*Punching the High Ranker*
" Why you...!? "
" I'll be coming to the boss himself," he says as use his Gift Ability to step in the air.
[ Gift Ability: Hermes Step ]
[ Tier: 3 ]
[ A Gift from the Olympian god, Hermes. This ability came from one of his Divine Abilities that could step on anything as he runs. ]
Using the Gift, the Low-rank immediately walks in the skies, coming in through while the high-tankers and the guards try to shoot him down in order for him to not reach the Boss, Hayden Wayne.
" Boss Hayden! "
" You're the one who is responsible for this! "
" You're the one who allowed the Inquisitors to take many Hunters to die in that Tower! "
" My brother, my sister! "
" They must be dead! "
" And that's because of you! " he says as he walks upward, coming near Boss Hayden's place on top of the Hunter HQ's Tower.
" Boss! " said the High-Rankers as Hayden immediately decides that he must use force for there are no other choices left.
" Grrhh.. Dammit, do I have to kill people!? " Hayden murmurs as he came out from his window, using his Gift Ability, attempting to challenge the coming attacker.
" If this happens, what will the media think of me!? " he asks himself.
" What media? " a voice suddenly says and suddenly the situation is getting quieter as the people immediately froze because of something as if time stopped, or...
"( This silence, I've... )" Hayden as someone approached his back from the skies, coming to his place smoothly.
" The people are getting loud lately, huh Hayden? " the voice asks as Hayden immediately sees the voice's owner behind him.
" You're~...! " Hayden was shocked as his instincts go wild, seeing the person without him with full fear as the person is something beyond him.
" Yo..., you're...? " Hayden asks, knowing the being above him that stands before him right now.
" Loki! " he shouts the man's name, not man, the god's name as the Asgardian Allfather Loki stands before him.
" Hey there, Mr. Hayden. "
" Nice greeting you have there, but... " Loki says which made Hayden click for he remembers that he misses something, which is.
" Please accept my apologies, Loki the Asgardian's Allfather! " he shouts as he kneels before him, realizing that he is now kneeling in thin air.
"( I can feel the air below me as solid as ground. )"
"( Is this the god Loki's ability, what is...? )"
" [Divine Step]... "
" That is what you're having now. " Loki says which made Hayden sees his hands and toes that were filled with so much Divine Energy, enabling him to 'kneel' in thin air.
" A Gift for you, Hunter Associaton Leader. " the god says to him.
" Consider it your 'income' in these times of peril. "
" For it seems the Olympians had made you stressed for a while. " Loki says as he surrounds him.
" Income..., my lord... " Hayden asks.
" Yes, Hayden, just like your middle name 'Fortuno', you are very fortunate that 'I', an allfather will help you during your perilous times. "
" During these times, where everyone will see you as a villain, even the peasant ones. " Loki says as he approached the low-rank hunter, still stepping on the wind.
" Ah, one of those that Hermes Gifted with his powers. " Loki says as he puts his hand on the hunter's shoulder and immediately puts him back to the ground, at full speed.
" There, the ground is better for a mortal like you. " he puts the Hunter back to the ground and immediately flies up into Hayden again.
"( Is this the power of an 'allfather'? to be so powerful even time stops before him? )" Hayden asks in his mind for the god immediately returns to his side.
" So, where are we? Oh yes... "
" I'm going to give you some fortune at the moment, the fortune you're probably missed among this chaos the [Abyss Tower] has made. "
" You're credibility, your company, and the society you built after resigning from the Inquisitorious. " Loki tells them that, as he just bluntly whispers to Hayden's ear that he knows about Hayden and how much effort he spent to build the Hunter Association, the association where people will find a great opportunity and financial freedom after defeating the monsters unlike the ways of the Divine Inquisitors.
"( That's... )" Hayden says while Loki continues to whisper, what he knows about him, Hayden takes a great sigh for he understands how much the god has known him.
" You've been watching me, aren't you, great lord? " Hayden asks as sweat comes down to him.
" Did you know, why I'm so nervous right now after you said all of it? " Hayden asks Loki just replies.
" Of course Hayden, you're afraid for Artemis, didn't you? "
" The god responsible for your Gifts? " Loki says as he tells how Hayden really put many of her concepts in the big profession he's making, the Hunters.
" After all, she is the one who allows you to make this new kind of job of yours, giving the hope of fortunes for those who failed to find the 'real' and 'divine' jobs. "
" She is the one who made you and your Hunters get a 'stable state', both your lives and incomes of fortunes she allowed you guys to take for a bit. " Loki says as he concludes that based on this concept, the Hunters are basically the servants of Arthemis, the goddess of the Hunt, without knowing it.
" Don't worry, Hayden... "
" I already talked this to Artemis first, before coming here. " Loki assures Hayden.
" So please trust me that I will deal with everything here, you just need to continue your job. " Loki assures.
" Can I~? " Hayden shivers.
" Of course Hayden... "
" For this once 'Trickster' had become your most 'trusted ally'... "
" You could ever hope to gain? " Loki says as he snaps his finger, returning the condition back to normal as everything now moves again.
" And it's time to end my tricks and continue doing what I came here, right...? " Loki says as another came behind him, shocking both Hayden and the others below.
" Artemis... " Loki says as the goddess descends.
......
( Meanwhile. )
[ Location: Abyss Tower ]
" So he's making his moves, huh...? "
" [Twelve Eye of Time] " Ragna says as he returns from the System Space and sees that Battle Maiden, Inquisitor Kara, Raiden, and Galen are also asleep while around them was a Divine Barrier made by.
" Goddess? " Ragna asks Aphrodite who focuses on maintaining her Divine Barrier.
" How's rest, young one? " Aphrodite asks Ragna who sees her with a stare.
" What? Do you still have doubts about me? " Aphrodite says while lightning came out from her body.
" Look, I know you had problems with Divine Thunder but please don't put too much hate upon it. "
" Besides... "
" That's also one of the potentials you have, right young prodigy? "
" Hmmm...? "
" What? Twelve already told me about you... "
" I'm sorry if I'm too curious to know but I can't help it to wonder about your secrets. "
" Secrets, what secrets? "
" Shouldn't a god like you know everything about me? " Ragna asks and then backs her up.
Seeing his reaction, Aphrodite just sighs for she knows about Ragna's past after Ragna Twelve told her about it.
" Ragna..., "
" I know what happened to you in the year 2015. " Aphrodite says which made Ragna stops his steps.
" What's that? " Ragna stares at her with full anger, as he knows what Aphrodite seems to know, something sensitive that he just remember thanks to the [Twelve Eye of Time], something he should've just forgotten.
< Flashback activated. >
< Giving the Player the event's memories. >
___________________________
Extra:
Boss Hayden first appeared in Chapter 66: Past Misfortune