Hunter Festival Arc: Part 1
"Shukoto Village," Akira said, reading the directions on a wooden signboard."This way," Mel noted, pointing straight ahead.
"It says it's nearby," Akira added. "Let's go."
The two started walking, with Mon floating lazily beside them.
"Shukoto... I think I know this place," Mon mused, his translucent form glowing faintly.
"Yeah, I heard it's a famous place," Mel replied, her tone tinged with excitement.
"Famous for what?" Akira asked, curiosity sparking on his face.
"It's the village that produces the most Hunters in all of Nexus," Mel said with a grin.
"Hunters? What do they do?" Akira asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Hunters specialize in all sorts of jobs: bounty hunting, monster slaying, even carrying out assassination missions for royalty. There are many types of Hunters," Mel explained.
"Yeah, I remember... one of my friends was a Hunter too," Mon added, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
"Looks like your memory is coming back," Raz's voice echoed dryly in Akira's head.
"Wasn't he the one responsible for your current state?" Mel asked, looking at Mon.
"No, he was a good friend of mine. He used some weird magic that could destroy anything," Mon replied.
"Yeah, Hunters are all cool. Some even have rare magical abilities," Mel said enthusiastically. She suddenly sprinted toward a tree and looked up.
"Some Hunters can even control gravity, just like me!" she declared, placing her hands on the tree trunk.
She focused, trying to lift the tree with her levitation magic, but nothing happened. Akira let out a scoff.
"Green-haired brat, yours isn't gravity magic. It's just levitation, and you can only use it on one thing at a time," Mon said, floating lower to the ground.
Mel looked down and saw him lying flat. "Oops, sorry, Mon!" she said, rolling her tongue out playfully.
Akira picked Mon up with a sigh. "Don't forget he's your responsibility," he scolded Mel.
Suddenly, a rustling noise came from the bushes behind them. Mel turned to investigate, but before she could react, a wild boar burst out, charging at her and sending her flying.
"Mel!" Akira shouted.
The boar pawed the ground, preparing for another charge, but as it lunged forward, it stopped abruptly, sliced cleanly in half.
Akira rushed to Mel's side, cradling Mon in his other hand. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Mel replied, groaning as she sat up. "But what happened to the boar?"
"It got cut in two pieces," Akira replied, his brows furrowing.
"You couldn't have done that," Raz's voice chimed in.
"Hey, look over there," Mon said.
A figure emerged from the bushes. He wore a black ninja-like outfit with a visible white t-shirt underneath. His white hair was streaked with patches of black, and a short beard framed his sharp jawline, making him look around 24 or 25 years old.
He walked over to the dead boar, hoisted it up effortlessly, and locked eyes with Akira.
"Was it you?" Mel asked, still recovering. "Thank you so much!"
The man ignored her and started walking away.
"Hey, we're talking to you! Are you listening?" Akira called out, stepping forward.
The man stopped and turned slightly. "Be grateful I haven't killed you yet," he said coldly.
"Huh?" Akira's expression turned to one of confusion.
"The murder you committed... you'll have a bounty on your head soon. Then I'll hunt you. Until then, enjoy your freedom," the man added, his gaze lingering on Mon.
"We didn't kill anyone! He's still alive!" Mel protested, pointing at Mon.
The man ignored her, vanishing into the forest without another word.
"What kind of guy is he?" Raz muttered.
"Looks like he's a Hunter, and he thinks you two killed me," Mon said, chuckling softly.
"Forget about that. Are you okay, Mel?" Akira asked again, helping her to her feet.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Mel replied.
"Shukoto! We're here!" Mel announced with excitement as they entered the bustling village.
The streets were alive with activity. Stalls lined the cobblestone paths, selling magical items, gleaming weapons, and scrolls etched with intricate spells. The scent of roasted meat and spices wafted through the air, mingling with the chatter of villagers and the occasional clang of metal.
"It's the village that produces the most Hunters, all right," Akira said, taking it all in.
Mel pointed toward the houses made entirely of wooden planks. "Every single house here is built by its owner. Isn't that amazing?"
"It's impressive. Gives me a wild west vibe," Akira said.
"A what?" Mel asked, tilting her head.
"Nothing," Akira replied with a smirk.
As they wandered through the village, Mon suddenly whispered to Akira. "Hey, Akira, look over there." He showed a small bar to their left.
"No way. And besides, you said you didn't need anything, including rum," Akira said firmly.
"Please, Akira! My taste buds are still alive. I can live without food, but not rum!" Mon pleaded.
Their argument was interrupted by a man rolling out of the bar and landing at their feet. He was unconscious.
"Hey, are you okay?" Akira asked, leaning over him.
Peering into the bar through the broken door, Akira saw chaos. A one-sided fight was in full swing: four men attacking a single opponent. Akira's eyes widened as he recognized the white-haired man from earlier. He then rushed into the Bar.
The four attackers wielded wind magic, sending sharp slashes toward their enemy. But the white-haired man dodged every attack with precision. He raised a hand, summoning a small black orb that hovered mid-air, a miniature black hole. Everything around it began to gravitate toward its pull. The wind users stumbled, losing their balance.
In a flash, the man's katana cut through all four of them. The black hole vanished, leaving the bar in ruins.
The manager, buried under debris, shouted at the white-haired man. "Why do you always use my bar as your execution spot, Yuzen?!"
Yuzen ignored him, stepping over the rubble. As he passed Akira, he muttered with a smirk, "Still no bounty on you? Lucky." Their shoulders brushed as he walked out.
"Who the heck is that guy?" Mon asked, breaking the silence.
"Yuzen," the manager answered with a sigh. "He's the strongest Hunter in this village. He's a bounty hunter, specializing in hunting dangerous criminals."
Akira glanced at the unconscious wind users. "So these guys..."
"Had huge bounties on their heads," the manager confirmed. "Yuzen's magic is rare—he uses Darkness Magic. People call him 'The Hunter from Abyss' because of his unique abilities and cold demeanor."
The manager sighed, looking at the ruined bar. "How am I supposed to rebuild this before the festival?"
"Which festival?" Mel asked.
"The Hunters Festival. It's the biggest event in Nexus. People from all over come to celebrate."
Akira sat beside the manager. "Don't worry. We'll help you rebuild it."
The manager's eyes widened. "What can kids like you do?"
Akira smiled. "Just trust us. We'll handle it."