Chapter 14: The Hunters Test 2

  A soft rustle came from the bushes.

  Ryl froze, standing up like a scared meerkat.

  Then—

  A tiny squirrel hopped out.

  Ryl exhaled dramatically, relieved.

  “Haha! I thought it would be a dragon!!”

  Then he glanced at the pouch hanging at his hip.

  “Fine, fine… I agree. I’m terrible at counting.”

  He pulled out his dagger with sparkly determination.

  “Now—I’ll kill as much as I want. Maybe more than fifty!”

  Spoiler: he will not.

  “Hah! I collected a LOT!” he announced proudly, pouring his stones onto the ground.

  “Aspen will faint when he sees this giant hill of minerals!!”

  He plopped down, crossed his arms, and let his imagination go wild—

  _

  Ryl grinned to himself. “Hehehe… right… that would be amazing…”

  The squirrel from earlier stared at him like he had grown a second head… then bolted.

  “Yes!!” Ryl jumped up.

  “I’ll kill even more and make the hill bigger and shinier!!”

  And off he went deeper into the forest, humming his silly tune.

  _ _ _

  Aspen and Ellie walked side by side.

  Inside Ellie’s head, fireworks exploded.

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  Her imagination spiraled at full speed.

  She smiled. Slowly. Dangerously.

  She squealed internally—face calm, soul screaming.

  Her gaze drifted to his hand.

  Carefully, she reached out.

  But—

  Aspen suddenly raised the same hand and pointed ahead.

  “You go left. I’ll take the right.”

  Ellie froze. “…Eh?”

  “Oh, don’t worry.” Aspen smiled lightly.

  “I checked with my orb. No dangerous beasts.”

  “But I want—”

  “See you,” he said, already turning away.

  He walked off. Casually. Peacefully. Heartlessly.

  Ellie stared at his retreating back.

  “…He just left.”

  A dangerous silence followed.

  Then she literally burst into flames.

  “I WILL MAKE HIM MINE.”

  Wham!

  Fwip!

  Smack!

  “AAAAARGHHH!!!”

  She poured every ounce of her shattered heart into her blows, striking down every beast that dared come near.

  “MY PRINCE!!” she howled.

  “NEXT TIME—I WILL NOT LET YOU GO!!”

  The beasts fled in all directions, scattering like terrified sheep.

  She swung again, eyes blazing.

  “WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?!”

  “I’M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!!”

  _ _ _

  Time was up.

  All participants gathered again.

  There were way fewer people than the morning.

  “Where did half of them go?” Aspen mumbled to himself, wondering.

  “Some got eliminated. Some just gave up,” a boy beside him replied, hearing him.

  “Eliminated…? But why?”

  “They took the wrong approach. Like stealing stones.”

  “Ohhh.”

  “Hunters disguised themselves as spies,” the boy continued.

  “They locate cheaters and eliminate them.”

  “And how do you know that?”

  The boy winked. “Because I’m one of them.”

  Aspen stared in admiration.

  The instructor stepped forward. “Submit your stones one by one.”

  People went up.

  When it was Ryl's turn, he walked confidently, dumped his stones, and waited for the gasps.

  Everyone actually gasped.

  Ryl smirked, tilting his head up with pride.

  “There are twenty-five. Honestly? Too easy.”

  The instructor nodded, impressed.

  “Next, Miss Ellie Audrey.”

  Ellie placed her stones, hesitantly.

  “There are… forty, I think.”

  Brows raised. “Good.”

  Ryl scoffed, looking away. “Must be an accident.”

  “Next, Mister Aren.”

  Ellie’s eyes sparkled, solely by hearing his name.

  Aspen poured his stones. “Sixteen.”

  The instructor scribbled, unimpressed. “Passed.”

  Ellie wilted as her thoughts shattered.

  Ryl smirked at Aspen’s score.

  “Next, Mister Dior Valen.”

  The room buzzed instantly.

  “Isn't he the pebbles guy?” Ryl muttered.

  Dior poured his stones as silence dropped like a hammer.

  The instructor’s eyes bulged. “Im—impossible…”

  Ryl’s jaw hit the floor. “Is this guy for real?!”

  Dior glanced around and sighed.

  “One hundred and fifty,” he said flatly.

  The instructor nearly dropped his quill.

  “Sir?”

  “O–oh yes!” He scribbled frantically.

  Whispers exploded everywhere.

  “Alright! Calm down!” the instructor shouted.

  “The next round is a group test. Tomorrow. You’re dismissed.”

  As the instructor left, the participants—especially the girls—swarmed Dior.

  But he just tugged his hood over his face and slipped through the crowd like smoke, vanishing before anyone could grab him.

  Ryl folded his arms, tapping his foot irritably.

  “Tch. What’s so great about him anyway? I could totally do that too.

  If I had more time. And motivation. And the mood.”

  He continued to mutter to himself until—

  “Ryl!” Aspen waved.

  “You did great!” reaching out, he clapped his shoulder.

  “It was easy,” Ryl said, fingers running in his hair.

  “But why did you only collect sixteen?”

  “Ahh… my wrist started acting up, so I stopped.”

  Ryl shook his head and placed his hands on Aspen's shoulder.

  “You should have just followed me. Don't be sad, it's not your fault for being weak.”

  “I’m not sad.” Aspen replied flatly.

  “Then you should’ve let me come with you!” Ellie said, suddenly popping in.

  “I’m better than anyone.”

  “Who even are you?! And why would he go with you?!” Ryl shot back.

  Ellie glared at him.

  “She’s Ellie Audrey,” Aspen said, introducing her to Ryl.

  “I helped her out earlier.”

  Then he turned to her.

  “And Ellie, this is Rylan Morphis, my childhood friend.”

  “That’s enough, Asp—!”

  Aspen immediately stomped on his foot, cutting him off mid-sentence.

  Ryl yelped.

  Ellie blinked.

  “Ah—! I mean—Aren!” Ryl winced, forcing a laugh as he looked at her.

  “And you, what do you want?”

  She turned away. “Why should I tell you?”

  “Why? Because I have the right to know!”

  “Right? But I have zero interest in telling you.”

  “You demon—!”

  “Enough!” Before the argument exploded, Aspen stepped between them.

  “Both of you, stop already.”

  He looked at her. “So Ellie, tell me why you were looking for me?”

  Her face flipped moods instantly.

  “I just… wanted to thank you. I didn’t get to earlier. So… thank you for saving me.”

  She bowed.

  “It’s fine. Anyone would’ve.”

  “But—”

  A thought struck Aspen's mind suddenly.

  “Oh! We have work. Sorry, please excuse us.”

  He dragged Ryl along.

  Ellie stood there trembling, clenching her fists.

  “Not again…”

  _ _ _

  “Why drag me?! I was about to win that argument!”

  “I know exactly how you ‘win’ conversations.” Aspen sighed.

  “Anyway, I need your help with a quest…”

  “Nope. Not doing it.”

  “80–20 profit split.”

  “60–40.”

  “…Fine.”

  At the guild board, Aspen scanned the sheets.

  “I’m tired of collecting herbs…”

  Then he spotted a delivery quest.

  “This is easy. Let’s do it.”

  They grabbed it, got stamped and picked up the boxes.

  “So where are we going?” Ryl yawned, dragging his feet beside him.

  “To the Valen estate.”

  “Valen? I think I heard this somewhere…”

  “Yes. It's a participant of the hunters test.”

  “Oh! The pebbles guy!”

  “Pebbles…?”

  “Nothing! Forget it.”

  After some walking, they reached the mansion… and froze, staring without a blink.

  “WHOA!! THIS PLACE IS HUGE!!” Ryl shouted.

  *****

  Chapter 15: The Hunters Test 3