The first patrol was uneventful.
Emir sat on the right side of the truck and watched the scenery go by, waiting for something to happen.
When they finally reached a monster-infested area, he got to work.
The monsters were weak and uncoordinated, and he took them down one by one without breaking a sweat.
'It was almost too easy.' He thought.
After an hour of patrolling, the truck returned to the meeting area, and Emir restocked on ammo before getting back in for the second patrol.
The second and third patrols were much the same.
He killed 10 monsters in the second and another 20 in the third, each time dispatching them quickly and efficiently.
Thanks to his new augmented suit, the kickback was minimal, almost nonexistent, and the recoil of his weapons was easy to control.
'It's almost like I'm playing a video game,' he mused as he shot down another monster he spotted.
The monotony was starting to get to him, but he knew that this was just part of the job, nothing more and that he would have to get used to it.
As he returned to the meeting area after the third patrol, Emir saw some of the other younger hunters swapping stories about their kills.
Some were boasting about how many monsters they had taken down, while others were comparing their weapons and equipment.
He didn't feel like joining in with the kids, he just wanted to collect his pay and go back home.
While waiting in line to report, he thought about how this was his life now.
A never-ending cycle of killing monsters, exploring ruins, acquiring relics, killing rouge hunters, and getting paid for it.
It was a dangerous and grueling job, but it paid well.
And it was the only way for him to survive in this new world, but of course, that wasn't the only reason why he was in this cycle.
It was for him and his family's survival.
To seek the truth about his existence and the world itself.
To know what truly happened to his father.
To get back at the Order, no matter the cost.
And maybe, just maybe, become some sort of immortal...
'I mean, sure, it isn't as important as the others and doesn't fit my narrative, but ain't it a fun dream that everyone thought about before?'
'If it's actually possible, then why not go for that as well?'
'As they say, if you dream, then dream big.' He added with a chuckle.
Winding down his nonsensical thoughts, his turn finally came.
Handing the association official his hunter ID, he waited for the beep, and after retrieving it, he headed back home.
…
Upon opening the door, Emir's ears were assaulted by a cacophony of high-pitched screams coming from both Lily and Laura.
Laura cutely ran up to him and pulled on his cheeks.
"My goodness, look at you," she said, her tone quite amused.
Emir stared at her, dumbfounded about how to respond.
Lily joined in and saved him from his mother by pulling Emir away from Laura.
"You finally got a haircut, bro, and you look great!!" She said, smiling at him from ear to ear.
Emir chuckled as they both inspected his hair, feeling a little embarrassed by their attention.
"Yeah, I got it done at a nearby salon. What do you think?" He asked, trying to redirect their focus.
Laura stepped back and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Definitely an improvement, dear. You were starting to look a little shaggy."
Lily nodded in agreement.
"And that scar just adds to your bad boy appeal." She grinned.
Emir rolled his eyes at her comment but couldn't help but feel a little pleased by their compliments.
'It had been a while since I had taken any care of my appearance, and it feels good to have a fresh look.'
'Too bad my handsome looks are useless as I'm too young to land a relationship with someone normal and above the age of eighteen...'
'Or rather fifteen, as that, is when you are considered an adult in this world.'
'I'm no reincarnated pedo, so I ain't going after anyone my physical age.' He mused to himself.
Disregarding those thoughts, he chuckled once again, trying to hide his amusement at their reactions.
"Thanks, it's just a haircut. But I guess it's good to know it's appreciated."
Laura, with her hands still on her hips, looked Emir up and down once more.
"You look more like a model than a hunter now... albeit a scary one."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far. But thanks anyway."
Lily rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, you look amazing. I bet all the girls in the Hunter Association were drooling over you," she said, winking at him.
"If that did happen, at least I know where I got my looks from," he said, winking back.
Their attempts at embarrassing each other caused them all to laugh.
And after a few more minutes of their family banter, Laura made her way over to the kitchen and began to prepare dinner.
"So, how did the mission go? Were you injured?" She asked, her voice now taking on a serious tone.
Emir shook his head.
"No, it was pretty easy. We killed a bunch of D-rank monsters, and that was it. Nothing too exciting."
Lily looked disappointed.
"Aww, I was hoping for some cool stories to tell my friends," she said, pouting.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but that's the life of a hunter. Sometimes it's just mundane, but it pays the bills." He said, shrugging his shoulders.
Now that they had released him, he headed straight to their modest kitchen and pulled out a cold drink from the fridge.
"How about you guys?"
Lily immediately launched into a story about her classes, while Laura went on about the latest drama she watched.
A while later, the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air as Laura brought over the dishes, and they all gathered around the table to eat.
It was a welcome change to be back home, if only for a short while.
…
Post-dinner, while Laura and Lily watched a movie, Emir took care of the dishes.
The evening was peaceful, and he felt grateful for it.
'After spending the day hunting monsters, returning to their energy and enthusiasm feels a little...'
'Surreal.'
'Yet, it's also comforting,' he added.
'They're my family now, and despite our less-than-ideal circumstances, we got each other....'
'Though I might soon be leaving them for a little while.'