"Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!"
Cheers erupted from a shadowy corner of the smoky bar, the air saturated with the rich, savory aroma of roasting meat. A crowd had gathered around a young man, who grasped a massive slab of meat, its size resembling that of a grown man's thigh. Eager anticipation lit up their faces, all keen to witness the spectacle that was about to unfold.
"Haha! If devouring this much meat is all it takes, then this is far too easy!" the young man exclaimed, a confident grin spreading across his face. Without a moment's hesitation, he plunged his teeth into the enormous chunk, determination glimmering in his eyes.
Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!
He tore into the meat with an insatiable hunger, grease dripping from the succulent flesh and staining his chin as he devoured it. A few onlookers turned away, their appetites extinguished by the unrefined display.
Yet, none dared to interject. The young man's entourage radiated an intimidating aura, instilling a sense of dread in those nearby.
After a brief moment, a nervous bar employee mustered the courage to approach the raucous group. As he drew closer, the young man abruptly halted, his eyes narrowing as he shot an irritated glare at the employee without fully turning around. "What do you want?" he snapped, his voice sharp.
"S-Sir, we apologize, but your group is disturbing the other customers," the employee stammered, his voice trembling. It was evident he was gripped by fear—his complexion pallid, eyes cast downward, too terrified to meet the gaze of the man before him.
Sigh...
With an annoyed exhale, the young man pressed a small button on his wrist. At once, a hologram flickered to life, hovering in the dim light for all patrons in the bar to observe.
"Article one, clause two: 'Civilians who disrupt an official hunter activity can face immediate consequences from the hunter within a 5 to 10-meter radius of the incident,'" he declared, his voice steadfast.
"And it seems you've violated that rule~" he continued smugly, his eyes locked onto the quaking employee. He was fully aware that the rule didn't genuinely pertain to the current situation, for this was not an official hunter activity. But he relished the power of it, confident that no soul within the bar would dare challenge him. Hunters held a revered status within the nation, particularly the high-ranking ones, and most preferred to avoid inciting their ire. Thus, despite his bold bluff, the hunter felt assured that all would comply.
As the gravity of the moment settled in, the customers' expressions shifted, their eyes widening with dread. A suffocating silence enveloped the room as the previously lively atmosphere drained away. The rowdy group had ceased their indulgence, and they now regarded the other patrons coldly, as if viewing insects to be crushed beneath their boots.
"Now you understand, don't you?!"
The hunter, who had presented the hologram, bellowed angrily, asserting his dominance. His voice echoed, intended not only for the trembling employee but for every soul present.
"I-I'm truly sorry!" The bar employee, recognizing the depth of his error, immediately bowed low to the ground, his body convulsing with fear.
The hunter smiled, basking in the employee's submission. But it was not enough—he craved more. Steeling himself, he unleashed a thunderous shout.
Crash! Crash!
The bar's windows shattered suddenly, spraying shards of glass in every direction. Display cases along the walls exploded simultaneously, their contents spilling onto the floor as fragments sparkled amidst the chaos. Beer bottles lining the shelves detonated with a deafening pop, releasing a foamy spray that coated the wooden surface.
"Listen up, all of you! I am an A-Class Hunter from the Lioner Guild, and I command you to kneel on both knees!" His voice reverberated throughout the establishment, an unmistakable decree no one dared to disobey.
After a taut moment, the A-Class Hunter pressed on, his tone growing more menacing. "If even one of you chooses not to kneel, don't expect to live a normal life after this!"
Panic rippled through the crowd. Cold sweat trickled down a man's forehead, while another began to weep, sensing the looming specter of death. One by one, they succumbed to their terror, dropping to the floor, knees colliding first, followed by trembling hands, and finally, their foreheads pressed low in abject submission. They knelt as if worshipping a deity that had descended from the heavens.
"P-Please forgive us, Sir Hunter!" they pleaded in unison, desperation thick in their voices.
The A-Class Hunter surveyed the room with a satisfied smirk, stroking his chin as he reveled in the sight of the quaking patrons.
Yet, soon enough, his amusement dimmed, replaced by annoyance. Amid the chaos, he spotted something unusual—a young man clad in a tattered white t-shirt and disheveled hair, seated casually in a corner of the bar. Unlike the others, this individual appeared entirely unfazed, calmly savoring a caramel-topped pudding as if nothing was amiss. Beside him sat a young woman with white hair, her gentle smile directed at him, equally unaffected by the tension radiating through the room.
Irritated, the A-Class Hunter advanced toward the unkempt young man and his companion, each step causing the wooden floor to creak beneath him.
As he drew nearer, the intense aura emanating from the young man made the hunter's breath catch momentarily. Cold sweat formed on his brow, but he suppressed the rising unease within him. Raising his voice, he attempted to issue yet another warning. His mouth opened wide as he shouted, the veins in his neck distending with exertion.
"Oi, are you not—"
Before he could finish, the A-Class Hunter was sent flying backward, as if struck by an invisible force. He crashed through tables and chairs, splintering them upon impact. His body came to a halt only when it collided with the far wall of the bar, leaving a spiderweb of cracks in its wake.
"Guhaak!"
Moments later, the A-Class Hunter coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips and staining the floor beneath him. He quivered weakly, his vision blurring, consciousness teetering on the brink of oblivion. The patrons, once paralyzed by fear, now froze in sheer shock. The room fell deathly silent, every gaze affixed upon the fallen hunter, paralyzed by disbelief at the scene that had just unraveled before them.
In the midst of this heavy stillness, the young man, who had been untroubledly indulging in his pudding, finally stirred. Setting down his spoon with a soft clink, the sound resounded ominously in the charged atmosphere. With deliberate calm, he pushed his chair back, the legs scraping against the floor, shattering the silence once more. His movements were measured, unhurried, as he rose from his seat, each step reverberating through the bar, a tangible presence that commanded attention.
Step~ Step~ Step~
However, rather than approaching the barely conscious hunter, the young man turned his focus to the bar employee, still kneeling on the floor with tears streaming down his cheeks. He walked over, maintaining his calm demeanor, before crouching down to meet the employee's gaze. Eye-level with the trembling man, he spoke in a steady voice that sliced through the tension.
"Excuse me, I'd like to settle my bill."
Handing over his e-money with a casual air, he didn't wait for a response. Instead, he dashed for the exit, urgency propelling him forward. As he ran, he called out to the young woman who had accompanied him.
"Come on, Nivelia, we need to get out of here!" he shouted in a panic.
"Master, what's happening? Why are we running?" Nivelia replied, straining to keep pace with him.
"I didn't bring enough money!"
"How much was the total?"
"100 credits!"
"And how much did you pay?"
"99 credits!"
And so, the two of them bolted from the bar, their exit anything but graceful. The young man stumbled slightly in his rush, while Nivelia, bewildered, shuffled awkwardly behind him, striving to keep up.