The tension in the air was so thick that the flame flickering in Rina's palm abruptly went out, plunging the tent into complete darkness. Larry could still perceive the remnants of the soup splattered on Rina's body, and his heart raced with anxiety.
'What should I do now? How will I explain myself? Is she going to slap me or beat me up? Am I strong enough to defend myself?'
These thoughts raced through Larry's mind when he suddenly heard a soft chuckle. At first, he thought it was the system's voice, but then he realized it was Rina.
"I guess it's pretty much my fault," Rina said, still chuckling. "I forgot to tell you the soup was hot."
Larry didn't know how to react. He knew for certain that the temperature of the soup wasn't the real cause of what had happened. The fault was his, but how could he explain that to Rina? How could he tell her he wasn't human, but a Dhampir?
"I'm sorry, Rina. I was just in a bit of a rush…"
"It's okay, no real damage done. I'll just fetch you another bowl of soup," Rina replied, turning to leave the tent.
Larry quickly grabbed her hand, stopping her. He knew that if he consumed the soup again, the same thing would happen. He couldn't risk that.
"What's wrong?" Rina asked, her voice trembling slightly as she felt Larry's firm grip.
"You don't have to worry. I don't have an appetite anymore," Larry said quickly, trying to hide the unease in his voice. He released her hand, feeling slightly embarrassed at his impulsiveness.
"You sure? I could get you something else if you'd prefer." Rina's tone softened. She could sense there was more to Larry's refusal, but she didn't press him.
"No, really. I'm fine." Larry forced a smile, though he knew she probably couldn't see it in the dark. The tension still hung between them as they stood there, inches apart.
Rina studied Larry, her instincts telling her something wasn't right. She had already been suspicious about his strange behavior since they had rescued him. She decided it was time to bring up the real reason she had come.
She raised her left hand, conjuring a ball of flame that cast a dim glow across the room, making Larry visible. The flickering light revealed Larry's tense face, his blank eyes staring ahead as though they were seeing through the walls.
"Rina…" Larry called softly, sensing her intention to light up the space.
"You know, it's not fair that you know my name and I don't know yours," Rina said, giving him a gentle smile as she stepped closer with the small flame still hovering in her palm.
"Larry. My name's Larry Quinn."
"Nice to meet you, Larry," she replied warmly. "I'm Rina Otto. Garrett's my brother."
"Garrett's your brother?" Larry's face lit up, his expression briefly breaking into curiosity.
"Yes, it's kind of obvious, isn't it? We do look alike," Rina replied, chuckling. The joke was lost on Larry, and Rina immediately realized her mistake. She had forgotten Larry's disability for a moment.
"I didn't mean it that way, Larry. I'm so sorry," Rina said quickly, her voice filled with regret.
"It's alright, Rina. I'm used to it," Larry replied, his smile faltering for a moment. He could hear the apology in her voice, but he had grown accustomed to people's casual slips.
Rina wanted to change the subject. She needed to talk to him about the hunt. She sat down on the bed beside him, the small fireball hovering between them, casting flickering shadows against the tent walls.
"You know, I don't know much about you, Larry. And honestly, neither do my fellow hunters. Would you mind telling me more about yourself?" Rina asked gently. She could see his hands were still slightly trembling, and she wondered what kind of past he had lived that made him so wary.
Larry hesitated, trying to determine what to tell her. There was a lot he couldn't say, especially the truth about his abilities. He wasn't sure he could trust these bounty hunters just yet. Finally, he spoke.
"I've already told you my name. I'm Larry Quinn, a military student. I attended the Military Academy that was set up by the Originals. I've been there for the past four months. Unfortunately, despite all my training, I wasn't able to awaken my energy core." Larry paused, his voice tinged with bitterness. "We were on an expedition, and we got attacked by higher-level beasts. That's how I got separated from my team. Fortunately, you and the others found me before anything worse happened. I really am grateful."
Rina listened intently, nodding as he spoke. There was a lot Larry wasn't saying—she could feel it—but she chose not to push him. His words were laced with vulnerability, a genuine sadness. She couldn't imagine the pain of being abandoned by his own people, especially in a world like this.
"So, the military… have they sent a search party for you?" Rina asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Larry shook his head. He hadn't seen any sign of a search party, and he doubted anyone was looking for him. They probably assumed he was dead. After all, to them, he was nothing but a blind loser—a liability.
Rina frowned at his response. "So you're on your own, then. I'm guessing the military probably thinks you're dead. No one's coming for you." She hesitated, not wanting to sound harsh. "So… what do you plan to do now?"
Larry took a deep breath. "I don't know. I really don't. There's no civilization here, and I don't have a unit. I don't even know what kind of job I could do. I mean, who'd hire a blind person like me?"
Rina could hear the sadness in his voice. She knew she had to make her move now, while he was feeling hopeless. It was their best shot at convincing him.
"What if I offer you a job?" she asked softly. "A job where you can earn a living every day."
Larry looked up, his expression confused but intrigued. "A job?"
Rina nodded, a hopeful smile on her face. "Why not join us and become a bounty hunter?"
Larry blinked, her words hanging in the air. A bounty hunter? He had heard Garrett and the others talk about being bounty hunters, but he didn't really know what it meant.
"What… what exactly does that mean?" Larry asked.
Rina smiled. She had expected this question. Before she could start explaining, though, Larry's mind was suddenly filled with a chiming notification from his system.
Ding!
[A Bounty Hunter is a person who hunts and kills Meteor Beasts for a reward.]
[The reward varies depending on the hunt and is mostly in units.]
[Missions differ. Sometimes, a bounty hunter is tasked to track down and capture a beast alive, while other times, it's the core that is needed.]
[A bounty hunter hunts not just Meteor Beasts but also criminals and fugitives in society.]
[There is high competition among bounty hunters. They all work for a guild known as the Hunter's Guild.]
[Subject Rina Otto is offering you the opportunity to become a bounty hunter. Would you like to accept?]
While the system's voice echoed in his mind, Larry's face remained impassive. Rina began explaining everything being a bounty hunter entailed—how they hunted Meteor Beasts for energy cores, the dangerous missions, and the reward that came with them. Her words mirrored the information he was receiving from the system, confirming what he already knew.
He listened, his thoughts torn. Deep down, he knew he didn't have much of a choice. These bounty hunters were the only people he had left in this desolate place. If he refused, he'd have nowhere to go. He had to accept.
"Yes, I accept," Larry said, his voice steady.
Rina's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected him to agree so quickly. A smile broke across her face, and she leaped up from the bed.
"That's great! I'll go inform the others. Make sure you get some rest, Larry. Tomorrow's going to be a long day," she said before heading out of the tent. The fireball flickered out as she left, plunging the space into darkness once more.
Larry sat there for a moment, feeling the emptiness of the tent around him. He wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but he had taken the first step. The thought of becoming a bounty hunter both excited and terrified him. He knew it would be dangerous, but he had to get stronger if he wanted to survive—and perhaps one day, get revenge on those who had abandoned him.
Ding!
[Host has chosen to become a bounty hunter.]
[According to Hunter's rankings, Host is now a Lower Tier 5 Bounty Hunter.]
[Quest Update]
[Advance to a Tier 4 Bounty Hunter.]
[Quest Reward: Unknown]
"A quest?" Larry whispered, his voice almost drowned by the darkness. He lay down, exhaustion finally catching up with him. Slowly, he closed his eyes, letting sleep overtake him as thoughts of tomorrow's unknowns faded into the shadows.