Chapter 32: Third Exam — Navigation! (5)
"I did it…" Hunter panted while hovering his weary gaze on Seraphina's unconscious self.
It seemed that his regeneration was heavily focused on mending his burnt skin and flesh as he really wanted to join and lie next to her.
Alas, as the only one with consciousness intact, Hunter could only strain himself to keep them safe from monsters and to keep them in the yearly exam!
'That fire was too much… and I also healed my eyes… so I'm way too tired. I wonder if I would lose consciousness if this continued? I never slept… and I kinda miss that moment of respite. Well, where is her sword?' Hunter threw his eyes around the spot on which he had dropped his foe's sword.
As he found it, it was time to continue the third exam…
…in his way, for he won, meaning Seraphina would soon learn about his hunter way!
"You wanted me dead… taking my life into your hands… and so I wanted you to be mine…" Hunter whispered while extending his hands to the crimson-haired woman's arms, picking her up.
He then slung her over his shoulder and peeked at her sleeping face hanging pretty close to his… "I don't have the privilege of owning you yet… but I have a good plan to keep you by my side."
Grinning from ear to ear, Hunter resumed his seemingly lone voyage, drawing himself closer to the safe zone in his hunter way!
A few minutes later, Seraphina's eyelashes trembled, revealing her dark eyes…
Hunter instantly threw a thought-out leash at her, "Good that you didn't use your Razor Claw at me. I wouldn't be able to fake my attack on you had you used it against me."
"…who the fuck are you?" Seraphina cursed at him, thrashing.
However, as Hunter had coiled his arm around her waist using his abnormal strength, Seraphina appeared like a young and powerless miss from many fantasy novels. She couldn't escape his grasp!
At least not now when most of her strength was depleted.
Laughing, Hunter gazed into her dark eyes, "I told you… you must learn more about it. Work on your relationship with me, and you will know more than you expect! …Oh, wait! I see a few tracks of a monster! We must be careful."
With those words, Hunter threw himself and… the new teammate straight into bushes, drawing a painful moan and disgusted stare from her. But that much was so amusing that he ended up just grinning at her.
'It's easier to kill than a court a woman in this world… but I think I'm doing it good. By revealing the secrets that father-in-law had told me beforehand, I'll keep her by my side! I'll ask about Miss Charlotte after the exam ends, as the crowd is watching us right now. I must be wary, though. If she regains too much strength, she might bite me like a rabid dog… hehe, if she does, I'll fight back and make her my puppy.'
As this allusion to his previous declaration after killing the beast woman unconsciously came out within his heart, Hunter found a new meaning to it and was fine with it.
At this point, it didn't really feel bad to him to turn women into 'kitties or puppies' should they try to bite him back after losing against him.
It felt natural… for everyone had to pay for the consequences of their failures.
'What a self-growth! And so much work related to this beautiful woman is just so exciting! I sense more opportunities!'
While content and satisfaction washed over him, for Hunter once again grew stronger physically and mentally, with a woman by his side no less, Seraphina glared at her, gathering leftovers of her strength in her little hand.
She soon struck Hunter's temple to knock him unconscious and reverse their standings.
However, this much was far from wounding Deathless and his soul. He dropped a side glance at her, which was far from cute in his current state. Those burnt scars on his face turned Hunter into a seemingly experienced hunter.
He dropped another bomb at her as well, "Finally using your hands? That's your main flaw, Seraphina. Instead of using your body only after you lose your weapon, you should use your swordsmanship and body at the same time, drawing out more advantages and power!"
Which was advice her father wanted to tell her for a long time now.
However, as he was a dead man, he obviously couldn't.
But now, Hunter inherited his swordsmanship and experience, ready to use it to improve himself!
…and to keep the leash on this beautiful crimson-haired woman.
"Who-"
"I'm Hunter."
"…"
"Your future husband."
Inwardly spitting at this man's pearly smile, Seraphina turned her face off him and glared ahead.
There was a monster not too far away from them. Its movements indicated that it was hungry.
Since Hunter didn't keep her sword away from her, Seraphina could easily emerge from the shadows and kill the monster, enabling them to go further.
But Hunter didn't appear to want to leave yet.
"You seem to be a man-hater, right? Why?"
"All males are trash."
Hunter inwardly commented, 'How odd. Her father was an awesome man. Even as a dead man, he didn't go to heaven but stayed behind to guide her! He failed at his task, but this wish is so touching and warm! Ah, I wonder what happened… can't ask that yet.'
Because it appeared that this man-hater thing shaped Seraphina more than it should, Hunter decided to not ask her this and instead asked a different question.
"With your strength, you should be already past the safe zone. What were you doing here?"
"Napping."
"Haha! I see, that's so cute and brave! Take more naps, then. I'll be here to wake you up."
"…as if."
The conversation ended as Hunter decided it was time to use his trap, meaning he got to work. On his side, Seraphina was eying the process, which was quick and coherent, intricate even!
But it was so pointless here. Those monsters couldn't be called enemies, and even the descendants of recognized guild members of Hunter First Union wouldn't be able to threaten them both.
If Hunter had enough strength to win against her… he should have casually strolled to the safe zone to finish the third exam in one day.
Why was he doing this?
Worse, Seraphina was in the situation no woman of recent years ever was. She was defeated by a man… and he claimed her to be his.
Which was what women were doing to cute or handsome men over past long eras. If a man appeared stronger than the majority, a woman who took a liking to him would always put him back to his rightful spot, which was behind her, lining up him with her other harem members.
If a man was just about looks, status was enough to claim them… if someone else was courting them, then it was a brawl between women, topped out by a man choosing the wife.
In other words, strength was the language.
The language Seraphina was good at.
Because in other social aspects, she was more than lacking.