"I couldn’t see the info, what’s the mission about?" Lana asked as the group found themselves in a tier-three town. They were just running around, trying to blend in.
Those who carried weapons made sure to hide them, but their hunter attire was still on display as they weaved through the busy streets, darting from one place to another like a squad on a silent hunt.
"Why can’t we see the info of the mission though? Why do we only get the alert but not the details?" Jasmine questioned as a car zoomed past, forcing them to jump aside at the last second.
The streets were bustling with life, and it was understandable because it was already almost nighttime.
The sun had gone down, leaving a faint orange glow across the horizon, but it wasn’t completely dark yet. Neon lights from shops and bars began flickering to life, painting the area in different shades.
"That’s because the higher-ups made me the leader of the squad when we went to register," Jake replied, his tone calm but focused. "So, only the leader of the squad can see the mission info."
"Oh!" Jasmine muttered, her brows furrowing slightly. "So what’s the mission about then? And why didn’t we just get teleported to the portal break? Why do we have to run there instead?"
"Don’t forget how we took the bus," Lana spat in annoyance. "The people there were staring at us weirdly the whole time."
"That’s because it isn’t a portal break," Jake answered without turning back, keeping his eyes fixed on the path ahead.
"It isn’t? Then what exactly are we heading into?" Daki asked, raising a brow in curiosity.
"We’re to catch someone," Jake replied calmly.
"Catch someone? Meaning what exactly?" Max asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "If it’s just one person, why not send a few members instead of the whole squad? And who’s this person we’re supposed to catch?"
"The leader of a gang in this town," Jake said as he finally slowed down. "Let me brief you all quickly."
They crouched down, and a moment later, they leaped off the ground. The people walking by couldn’t help but glance up in shock as the group landed lightly on a nearby rooftop. From there, they began sprinting from rooftop to rooftop, their movements swift and coordinated.
"The man’s name is Bray," Jake began as they ran. "He’s the leader of a gang here in town. His gang had a fight with another, and they lost badly—so bad that his entire crew fell apart.
Out of anger, he went rogue and started killing both members of the rival gang and innocent people. He became so consumed by rage that he began slaughtering normal townsfolk brutally. Bodies have been found in alleyways, torn apart and disfigured beyond recognition."
"Huh? Then why not just call the cops to arrest him?" Jim asked, genuinely confused.
"That’s because he’s a hybrid," Jake replied firmly. "No human cop can handle that kind of strength, so we were sent to take him in."
"Huh? And I’ll say it again—that’s overkill," Lana muttered. "Sending two hybrids and several strong C and B-ranked hunters against a single hybrid? That’s serious overkill."
"He’s strong. That’s all I know, and that’s why we’re being sent there." Jake said, his expression darkening slightly.
"There? Where exactly is there? How do we even locate one man in a whole town full of people? That’s like looking for a needle in a haystack," Daki remarked, folding her arms.
"According to the info I received, he’s currently in a bar. Nobody could recognize him except the bartender who made the call," Jake explained, his voice low but firm. He suddenly jerked his head upward, staring into the distance. "And we’re there now. Be careful, everyone. He’s strong, rogue, and dangerous."
"We got this," Lana scoffed as she leaped off the roof and landed smoothly on the ground, her eyes locked on a small building in front of her with loud music thundering from inside.
The others landed behind her one after another, boots hitting the pavement in quick succession. Without hesitation, the female hybrid strode forward and pushed the door open, and instantly, a wave of deafening music burst out, vibrating through their bodies. They had braced themselves for the noise, but it was still intense.
As they walked in, countless eyes turned toward them. The patrons stared openly, some pausing mid-drink. Their odd attire made them stand out like sore thumbs, looking more like a group of cosplayers than actual hunters.
But the squad didn’t care. Their eyes swept the entire bar, scanning every corner with precision. Nothing looked suspicious—until someone suddenly ran toward them.
"Ar... are you the hunters?" the man asked in a low, nervous whisper, his eyes darting around as if afraid to be seen talking to them.
"You’re the one who made the call? The bartender?" Jake asked with a raised brow.
"Indeed," the man replied with a quick nod as he dusted his hands on his apron.
"Where is he? We don’t have much time," Lana demanded sharply, her tone leaving no room for lies.
’Huh? Something feels off,’ Max thought, his golden eyes scanning the room. He looked around carefully, studying the behavior of the other men at the tables. ’Why do they keep staring at us like that? They should have gone back to drinking by now. Are we really that weirdly dressed, or...?’
"Where is he?" Jake asked again, snapping Max out of his thoughts.
"He just went out about two minutes ago," the bartender said. "He looked to be in a hurry, or maybe he felt like he was about to be caught."
"Do you know the route he took?" Daki asked, stepping forward when the bartender began moving toward the exit.
"He went through this way," the man replied, pointing toward a narrow hallway at the side. The hunters all turned to look—except Max.
’No... they’re not staring at us,’ Max realized as his eyes widened slightly. ’They’re staring at...’
Without hesitation, Max activated one of his skills.
Immediately, his pupils slitted and glowed a bright yellow as the auras of everyone in the bar flared into view. His expression hardened the moment he saw it.
"You said he passed that way?" Jasmine asked, pointing toward the direction the man had indicated.
"Yes, just right there," the man said again, his voice steady—too steady. Then, before anyone could react, his arm twisted and transformed into a long, monstrous claw that shot toward Jasmine’s back at incredible speed.
But before the claw could reach her, it stopped midair, completely frozen.
"You thought you were slick, huh?" Max’s cold voice broke through the music as he came into view.
His grip on the man’s mutated arm was so tight that veins bulged on the hybrid’s forearm, cracks forming on his skin under the pressure. The rest of the squad spun around instantly, eyes widening as they saw the sharp claws. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel✶fire.net
"Sorry for you," Max said with a low growl, his expression darkening. "You’re dealing with the wrong people and the wrong person."
He swung his fist forward with full force, smashing it straight into the man’s face without holding back even a bit.
The impact was so heavy that the bartender’s body shot backward like a cannonball, crashing through the glass wall of the bar and slamming into the shelves behind it. Bottles shattered, liquid sprayed, and the loud music was drowned out by the sound of destruction.