The bar counter was bathed under a dim yellow light hung up above it. The night was quite busy than usual, yet the bartender and the waiters managed to retain their composure and get everything under control.
"Quite busy, huh."
"Yes, but luckily it isn't my first day, so yeah, everything is alright."
The bartender poured the plain water into my glass. I believed it was the third time he did that.
"I wonder why wouldn't you like to try our most favourite cocktail here." the bartender stared at me.
"Well, I would rather not to drink alcohol."
"Heh, a strange one indeed you are, Mr. Hanta." he chuckled a little.
Yeah, of course, only a strange human would choose to hang out on a bar, especially a bar in the alien city.
It was the place where aliens and bounty hunters alike gathered, killing their time by drinking space alcohol, as a way to deal with stress, or maybe couldn't resist the addiction.
A group of aliens were playing pool at the back of the bar, while the whole seats were filled many faces of extraterrestrials who were drunk after a few bottles of space alcohol.
Surely they got a lot of credits to spend.
Then, came a human woman dressed in black shirt under her grey apron. Her hair flowed at the back, with a mix of blonde and black. Her face was neutral the moment she walked out to the counter.
When our eyes met, her lips curved into a smile.
"If it isn't Mr. Hanta. Drinking plain water again, are we?"
She was Leyn. At first glance, she might looked like a human, but she wasn't.
"Well, it seems like everybody here is frustrated tonight. Something happened here?"
I took a sip from the glass.
"Actually, right now someone has put a bounty on somebody, but this somebody is an Armorer, which means the bounty on her head must be worth her title. Yet, not even the greatest among them could find her, as if she was no more." Leyn whispered, though her voice was still audible.
I stopped drinking for a moment.
An Armorer?
I wondered who was that wanted person.
"Disappeared, huh. Then, the one who put that bounty on her head must be someone who is powerful. Any idea on who that person is?"
"I believe the person is a crimelord of the Horizon Dusk gang. A female alien they called Lady Kyara." said the bartender while cleaning the glasses.
An Armorer being hunted by a gang, huh.
There must be some kind of vendetta going on.
"Horizon Dusk. Never heard of it."
"Of course you wouldn't. They were operating somewhere else." Leyn poured another glass of plain water.
"Give me ramune."
"Ramune? Drink something more challenging, dear~." Leyn rested her chin on her hand while glancing at me.
"Just give me or else I wouldn't pay."
"Alright, dear~."
She pulled the bottle from the rack before handing it to me.
"Stop calling me dear."
I stared at her dead in the eyes, hoping she would understand it without saying any words.
I hated it when she said that.
"Urghhhhh... Alright then." she rolled her eyes.
Then, my attention shifted to the bartender.
"Any idea on where they are operating?"
"They operated at the west side of the alien city on Selton district." he said with monotone voice.
"Selton, huh... I believe there must be something else, am I right?"
"In order for you to get inside the lair, you have to get the ticket first."
"Ticket?"
"Only if you are able to defeat the guardian at the front gate. It is said that only the strongest could defeat the guardian and earn the ticket to meet Lady Kyara."
Our eyes met.
"Heh. I expected something worse."
"Then, good luck."
Once I finished the ramune, I decided to walk away.
"Keep the change."
I put the credits on the table.
"Going home already? I was thinking of serving you our new alcohol-free beverage." said Leyn, mildly disappointed while I was walking away.
"Save it for another day." I weaved two fingers at them.
"Come again, dear~."
That soft voice, was quite irritating.
"Do you really have to say that?" the bartender confused.
"I like him. What's wrong?" she casually said.
*Sigh
I didn't have any likeable traits to be honest.
***
Selton district, alien city.
Cold wind almost blowed my hood off my face the moment I walked through the lawless, filthy zone where alien criminals became kings. Beggars were on every corner of the city, doing everything they can to survive. On the other hand, this was the spot for the rich aliens to hang out, spending their credits on space equivalent of vodka and girls, just to satisfy their uncontrollable lust.
It was a place no human could survive.
Minutes later, I was standing before the 7 feet metal gate of the lair itself, the lair of the Lady Kyara. Surprisingly there was no one at the gate, yet I knew it wasn't abandoned.
At that moment, I could feel it.
The eyes that were watching from afar.
The murderous presence unseen by naked eyes.
The presence that was lurking in the shadows.
So, I turned to my back
And he was there.
The guardian the bartender told me.
Standing somewhere around 1.9 meters tall, the figure clad in horned helmet and black armor stood before me with a giant sword rested on his shoulder.
"What do you want?"
His voice was so deep and husky.
"Let me see Lady Kyara."
Then, it was silence.
Until it wasn't.
Without any warning, the giant sword was swung at me.
*BAMMMMMM!!!
The ground trembled.
"Seems like I shouldn't hold back for now."
Thus, my sword emerged, and I lunged towards the guardian.
*CLING!
*CLING!
*CLING!
I struck, and he blocked.
Yet, there were still some tricks up my sleeve.
So, he swung again.
And I blocked, only for me to be sent crushing on the wall of a building.
*BAMMMMMM!!!!!!
"Urghhhhh...."
Never mind, it was part of the plan.
Another swing came to me again.
I believed he wanted to crush me to pieces.
Little did he know, he was falling to my trap.
The sword were inches away from me when I evaded to the left.
And in mere seconds, my sword flew towards his head and...
*DOKKKANNNN!!!!!
He didn't know that I already charged the sword before he made his move.
And the fight was already ended before his final strike.
Just like that, the guardian fell to his knees.
"Phew... I did it."
Then, the metal gate was opened, and a man dressed in tuxedo stood at the entrance.
"You may come in." the man spoke in monotone voice.
I believed he was one of her henchmen, and I had earned the ticket.
So, I made my way inside the lair.
I would say, it was quite fancy than I expected.
Rome-style pillars lined at the hallway where I was walking through with the henchmen, while the hallway was bathed in yellow lights, radiating the luxurious vibe of the lair.
Eventually, I was standing before another door, which might be the place of Lady Kyara, I supposed, and the henchmen pushed the door.
"She might be some old hag who refused to be called grandma, isn't she?" I thought to myself.
Nevertheless, it was the deal that mattered the most, and the reason why did she want the princess.
Thus, I let out a deep breath, and my right foot stepped inside the room.
And before me, a young woman, dressed in v-neck dress covered in fur coat, with the appearance of a human in her 20s, I assumed, was sitting on a fancy chair with a glass of space vodka, I believed.
She didn't even bother to see me in the eyes as she was having a sip of that space vodka.
"You must be another bounty hunter who wants to try your luck, right?"
Her tone was calm, yet sharp.
What an introduction.
Until suddenly, a blaster bolt came right at me,
*CLING
It hit my sword.
It was her, shooting at me.
"What was that for?"
"Just testing your skill. No one can easily defeat my guardian like that and earn the ticket. Everyone before you died trying to earn it, and you did that with little effort. Who are you?"
"My name is Headhunter."
Suddenly, her eyes widened in disbelief before she washed it away in seconds.
"I see. The legendary Headhunter. It's an honor to meet you in person. Your reputation is known all over the galaxy. Glad to have you here. Right timing, I would say. I believe I could use your help to find somebody."
Suddenly, praises fell upon me like a rainfall, despite being covered by calm voice of her.
And I didn't recall myself being called a legend.
Never mind, back to the deal.
"I heard it was an Armorer that you are looking for."
She took another sip of space vodka again.
"Yes, and I need her alive, with every limb still intact."
"The reward?"
"10 million credits, only if you bring her alive." that tone of her was quite serious at that moment.
10 million, huh. Guessed I could open my own grocery store with that credits.
"Then, that is a deal, and is there anything else I should know about her?"
Lady Kyara pulled out a picture from her smartphone, and turned the screen towards me.
And there she was.
A female Armorer clad in silver armor with some kind of royal pattern on her chestplate with blue skin. Her head crest formed a natural shape of crown.
That pattern, felt familiar somehow.
Where did I see it?
Nevertheless, there was another question.
"Any idea where the last she was seen?"
She paused for a moment, before she continued to speak.
"Only a rumor saying that she is hiding among the Earthlings somewhere on northen Beneo state."
What a clue.
I guessed there was nothing more to discuss.
Thus, I made my step out of the room, until Kyara's words stopped me midway.
"It will be better if you find her ASAP."
So, I turned to her.
"Say no more."
And I left.
However, right at the gate, something genuinely caught me off guard.
The guardian, who was beaten to death by me, was standing at the gate while I was walking away, pose straight, holding his giant sword like he never met me before,
His head was supposed to be destroyed, yet there was no scratch on it.
"Man, this place is quite mysterious."
***
It was 3.00 am in the morning.
*CREEKKK
I opened the secret door slowly, before making my way into the hideout.
"Where have you been, Iru?" said a hooded figure sat cross-legged in one corner of the room, leaning against the wall.
It was Rious.
"Alien city. Getting a new bounty by the way."
"Hmmm... How is your girlfriend?"
That voice of his, seemed relaxed, but the meaning was crystal clear.
He must thought that I was having a date with Leyn.
*Sigh
"She is not my girlfriend, brother."
He chuckled a little.
"Heh, she likes you, am I right?"
Urghhhhh....
"It doesn't matter. I want to sleep. Need to go to school tomorrow."
Thus, I rested my body on the old mattress of mine before slowly pulling the soft wool blanket to drape myself.
There were still many mysteries left unsolved.
Nevertheless, I needed to get enough rest, for tomorrow the class will be challenging.