As the wooden door creaked open, Ryu became stunned.
Standing before him was a girl who looked same age as him, her presence immediately arresting. Ahem, physically at least.
Her long black hair fell like a cascade of silk, flowing gently over her shoulders. The moonlight caught in the strands, making them gleam faintly. Her eyes, a deep and mysterious violet, watched him with quiet intensity. Framed by elegant brows and long lashes, those eyes held a sense of confidence and subtle defiance.
Her skin was fair, smooth, and unblemished. A soft blush touched her cheeks, though whether from the evening chill or natural color, it was impossible to say. She wore a simple cream-colored dress, clean and neatly pressed, that hugged her waist just enough to reveal the grace of her figure without calling attention to it.
She carried a bowl carefully wrapped in cloth.
"You must be the new tenant," she said in a clear, polite voice. "My name is Venus. I’m the landlord’s daughter."
’Venus? That’s an odd name..’
Before Ryu could respond, she coldy extended the bowl to him. A pleasant aroma, thick with herbs and simmered broth, floated up from it.
"Mother told me to bring you this. It is stew. Still warm."
Ryu blinked, then quickly accepted the bowl with both hands.
"Ah, thank you. I really appreciate it."
Venus gave a slight nod. Her expression remained unreadable, her eyes studying him quietly. Then, without another word, she turned to leave.
Just before she stepped away, she paused and glanced back at him. There was a flicker of something in her gaze. It was not quite distrust, nor was it contempt. It was the look someone might give a stranger they were not sure they could trust.
Ryu watched her disappear down the hallway.
He closed the door gently, the bowl still in his hands. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked down at the stew and exhaled with a tired smile.
"She’s beautiful," he murmured, then shrugged. "But definitely not more than my Maya"
He lifted the spoon to his mouth and tasted the stew. It was warm, seasoned just right, and somehow comforting. A quiet moment of peace in an unfamiliar world.
After finishing the bowl, Ryu looked out the window. The sun was dipping low in the western sky, casting golden-orange hues across the rooftops.
So, for today, he decided not to explore the Fortress City any further.
Instead, he disappeared into the Fusion Lab and began the process of fusion using the four bloodlines he currently possessed.
The result, once again, was another Nightmare Hydra bloodline.
Though a bit disappointed, he chose to proceed with the fusion anyway, curious to see if it would grant him any further upgrades.
Fortunately, it did, though the improvements were noticeably diminished.
[ Strength +2, Agility +2, Vitality +1 ]
It wasn’t as impressive as the time he had fused with Chester’s body, but it was still something. A step forward.
And for Ryu, that was enough reason to keep going.
However, after just two more fusions, the effects of the Nightmare Hydra bloodline had reached their limit. There was nothing more to gain from it.
[ Name: Ryuzen De Manus ]
[ Bloodlines: Variant Frost Dragon (Hybrid) ]
[ Lifespan: 45 years ]
[ Skills: Hydra Human(E), Night Berserker (E), Phantom Claw (E), Windleap Dash (E), Shell Sense (F), Frost Breath (F), Water Resistance (F) ]
He was now almost comparable to an average baby dragon, and nearly three times stronger than a regular adult human.
Still, it was not enough.
He would need to hunt again. To find stronger magical creatures. To extract rarer, purer bloodlines.
Only through this could he continue to evolve.
Only then could he grow strong enough to survive what lay ahead.
The next day, at approximately 10 AM, Ryu made his way toward the designated Hunter Association branch to take the qualification test.
As he stepped out, the landlord’s family watched the lone boy disappear down the path.
"Is he really an orphan, dear?" the woman asked softly.
The landlord simply shrugged. "I don’t know. But if he’s one of the Awakened, he’ll manage just fine."
Beside them, Venus Versalon stared quietly at Ryu’s retreating back, her expression unreadable. She hadn’t known he was one of the Awakened. If she had known, perhaps her attitude yesterday might have been a little different.
Meanwhile, Ryu moved at a steady pace through the winding streets, observing everything around him with a calm, curious eye.
The buildings were a mix of rough stone and polished enchantment, many lined with glowing treasures and magical weapons. He saw people carrying enchanted weapons, craftsmen forging items imbued with strange runes, and large carriages pulled by mutated beasts of burden transporting meat, ore, and harvested mana crystals.
Some people moved with goals. Others wandered curiously.
It was a blend of medieval life and supernatural energy.
And for Ryu, it was a strange yet fascinating world that he was still learning to call home.
Ryu did not know the direction, so all he could do was ask around for the Hunter Association. Unfortunately, many people mistook his destination for the Hunter Academy, which apparently existed somewhere in the city.
Hunter Academy prepares fresh students for hunter path every year. Hunter was the profession for majority, but there also exist other professions with rare System Users.
But he had no time to waste on that right now.
After nearly thirty minutes of walking and asking around, he finally found the right building.
It was a modest, two-storey structure, old but still standing firm. A burly girl stood at the entrance, acting as the guard. She eyed him curiously but let him pass after noticing the temporary ID in his hand.
Inside, after Ryu explained that he was there to take the Hunter qualification test, one of the men behind the desk nodded and motioned for him to follow.
He was led down a hallway and into a training room.
The space was simple but efficient. Wooden dummies lined the floor, each showing signs of usage from many training sessions. It was clearly designed for beginner evaluations.
"Wait here. Your examiner will arrive shortly," said the staff member.
Ryu took a deep breath and looked around.
This was the first real step toward becoming an official Hunter.