Rion moved his way through the forest, keeping his eyes peeled and his ears to the ground. Every crack, every chirp, he listened for them all.
Grumble.
A few minutes into walking, his stomach let out a growl, twisting in hunger, and immediately he recalled the chocolate. He pulled it out; it had been compressed and twisted after all the battling, but it was still fine regardless. He ripped it open and immediately took a bite.
The sweet taste washed over his tongue, he felt alive again. In a few seconds, he gobbled it all.
"Wish I had more of it… sigh, can't complain now," he muttered as he kept walking. The forest stretched out longer than he expected. His legs ached after five hours of non-stop walking—he wasn't sure if it was five hours, but it felt like it to him.
No food, no water, nothing. He was alone in this place with no information whatsoever that could help. His best bet was to find a hunter like him before something else found him. Until he found a place to settle down, he wouldn't be able to process anything that had happened so far.
Luckily, it seemed his fortune shined, as only a few minutes later, he saw the end of the forest. The sight alone gave him so much joy that he found himself running toward it. He came out of the forest filled with joy, expecting to finally know where he was headed—but what he saw ahead was an entirely ruined city.
A grand city that had been reduced to rubble—castles destroyed, walls down, mansions reduced to nothing but ash. He scanned the city from a distance; it didn't seem like it had much to offer, but he didn't have any choice in the matter now. It was the first normal thing he had seen so far.
He headed toward the city, using the old path covered in grass. He kept his eyes peeled for anything unexpected. Finally, he arrived at the destroyed gate. The smell of decay and rot filled the air, pungent and heavy, but he ignored it, stepping into the city.
The moment his feet crossed the gates, he felt a faint sense that he was being watched. Instantly, he scanned around, eyes darting in every direction, but found no one. His gut told him to run, but his mind told him, what if there was something useful here? He couldn't keep wandering the domain with nothing. He gripped the spear tighter and walked in.
The old doors that hung on their burnt hinges moved under the slow wind, creating an eerie creaking sound. Some slammed shut with a bang, only to open again.
Rion spent minutes searching the city, but nothing was left. Everything was gone, except for half the castle that stood there. Everything about it had been destroyed, but one wing was left, so he went there.
It had no door, so he walked in, his suit shoes clacking against the marble floor covered in webs of cracks and stubborn grass.
"What could have happened in this city?" he muttered.
"They pissed off a powerful Domain Monster."
A voice cut through the air, sharp and feminine. It instantly sent chills down Rion's spine. He turned around, the spear in his hand pointed outward.
"Who's there?" he yelled, but saw no one.
"Hahaha, you seem scared. Also, from the clothes you're wearing, I can tell you're a new hunter. I'm sure if I kill you, I'll get a soul fragment."
Rion's heart raced. He took deep breaths to calm himself, spinning around slowly. Suddenly, a shadow passed. He turned fast, but there was no one. Then, out of his blind spot, something came flying. He didn't know if it was instinct or reflex, but somehow, he managed to turn and swing the spear. It slammed into what was heading his way and deflected it.
The chain with a blade was deflected and stabbed into the marble floor—deep and heavily wedged. When he looked at the chain and blade, his heart leaped to his throat. That was coming for his head—one hit and it would have been over for him.
The chain was yanked out; it twisted and spun in the air before returning to where it came from.
"You dodged my attack," the voice came again.
"I don't know who you are, but if you're a hunter, why are you trying to kill me?" Rion asked.
"Do you really think hunters always work together here? Hahahaha, I guess you're really new—working with the information given to you by those government dogs." Her voice seethed with rage. "I'll save you the struggle of discovering all the things that will haunt you. You seem to have lived a long life already."
The voice said this before the chain came flying from the darkness again.
Rion saw this one coming and reacted fast. He blocked, but this time she wasn't done. As the chain swung to the side, she flexed it and it instantly changed direction, slashing his shoulder.
"Arghhhh!" he groaned in pain as he stepped back, grabbing his shoulder to stop the bleeding. "What the hell do you mean, long life? I'm only twenty!" Rion said. Due to being extremely studious, he had bolted through school and was done by eighteen. He had been working his office job for two years before this.
"Twenty? That's pretty old in my books," the voice said.
'She isn't up for listening at all… and I don't know how to use my ability. If I don't run, I'll end up dead,' he thought, his eyes locking on the door. He made a move in that direction, but then he heard a giggle.
"Really?" the voice asked before the chain whipped again. It slashed through the ground, ripping open the marble right in front of him, raising dust and massive debris.
Rion was thrown back. He slammed into the ground, rolled, and finally came to a stop. Footsteps echoed as she finally left the darkness, revealing herself.