Last time, after briefly venturing into space.
Perhaps due to the aftereffects, I find myself pondering over this competition as I push through the unusually harsh sunlight.
Arena
A tournament hosted by the Association to reverse the subdued atmosphere, modeled after in-game PvP.
Originally, it was scheduled to be held a bit later.
However, following the recent solar eclipse incident, the appearance of the dragon from the pyramid, and a certain pretty, cute, and refreshing girl from space, people’s anxiety has reached its peak.
To demonstrate the resilience of hunters, the Association decided to hold a festival.
Our World – KR Server
[Hey, have you guys seen the list of participants for this tournament?]
(Image of a meteor being split)
First, there’s Isul, the Sword Maiden who split a meteor.
(Image of a woman with cherry blossoms scattering around her)
The Japanese Dancer.
(Image of a golden-haired knight in shining armor)
And even the American S-rank hero, Jaden, the 4th ranked knight from Another World, is participating.
This is going to be epic, right?
– Wow
– The lineup is insane
– What about the lower-ranked hunters? What are they supposed to do?
– Why are foreigners coming? Isn’t this tournament held in other countries?
– Because of the recent incident, Korea opened up earlier. They probably wanted to participate quickly.
[The number of participants is crazy]
(Image of a packed audience from an aerial view)
Are those people on the side the sponsors?
Rumors about countries trying to recruit talent seem to be true.
I want to transfer too, but I don’t think I can surpass those top hunters.
(Image of a full-body nude shot)
Do you think I’ll get attention if I go out naked?
– Disgusting
– You might not get recruited, but you’ll definitely get arrested
– Please think about our eye health
– Is this the naked emperor meta?
– No, this is just being naked.
“Ugh.”
I quickly put away the spear and adjusted the witch hat on my head.
It felt like I saw something I shouldn’t have.
I wondered if I shouldn’t have opened it.
‘But still.’
At least I don’t have to worry about being kicked out for looking suspicious.
Compared to that, I’m doing fine.
I looked back at my current outfit.
A pitch-black robe covering my entire body.
A dark mask to hide my face.
A witch hat modeled after Helena, slightly larger than my head.
Even if I have a hunter’s license, I need to hide my appearance.
It’s a mysterious witch concept tailored for the tournament.
Additionally.
C-rank Hunter – Lia
“Hehe.”
The hunter’s license I obtained by threatening, no, rightfully requesting from the Association President.
I couldn’t get a higher rank since B and A ranks require achievements, but that’s fine.
I’m not planning to fight S-ranks in this tournament, and my goal is entertainment, not fame.
It’s perfect for quietly enjoying the event.
If I end up fighting S-ranks again, I might seriously consider visiting a fortune teller.
‘If I wanted to live quietly, I should have just stayed home instead of joining the tournament.’
But do I really have to do that?
A realization I had after painting myself with a black brush last time.
Why should I give up my own enjoyment and hide?
Even if I get caught, it’s the hunters who will be in trouble, not me.
Besides, this tournament is a legal opportunity to beat up hunters.
I don’t have any grudges, but I can’t miss this chance.
Definitely not because I’ve been avoiding hunters and pretending to be a little sister, squealing and acting cute.
Just a little payback for all the fatigue I’ve endured.
Moreover, I’m in the best condition now, with all my needs met.
My sweet home is invincible, and the hunter’s license is a godsend.
From now on, I’ll live as I please.
“I’ll pay back all the humiliation I’ve endured.”
No more cowering and hiding from hunters.
Only the confident Eclipse remains.
I smiled brightly as I scanned my hunter’s license on the white machine at the registration booth.
“Hehehe☆”
It’s time to teach the hunters what it feels like to be hunted.
Eclipse, Awakening.
***
Countless hunters gather for the tournament, Arena.
However, with the limited space and time of the Arena, it’s impossible for all hunters to compete.
Thus, selection is essential.
But if we divide them purely by skill, it would contradict the purpose of allowing hunters of all ranks to freely spar.
To address this, the Association decided to select 16 representatives from each rank.
A-rank: 16, B-rank: 16, and so on.
This process requires preliminary rounds.
And among them, the C-rank preliminaries.
A black-haired man on the sparring ground clicked his tongue as he looked at the witch before him.
‘Tsk, these hunters…’
A pitch-black robe, a witch hat, and a dark mask covering her face.
First, there was a naked man, and now this mysterious witch concept.
They’re all desperate to catch the sponsors’ eyes.
‘A man should aim higher.’
He didn’t like any of it.
The man, with a deeply furrowed brow, checked the purple flame in his hand and recalled memories from just before his plan was completed.
A dark cave.
The blazing flame of life and the head of Gigantes he possessed.
He was just one step away from bringing down the Association and completing his plan.
But.
‘…I should have been more careful.’
A single girl appeared from the darkness.
With a single gesture, everything the man had built crumbled in an instant.
He almost lost his life then.
‘It was sheer luck that I had prepared a makeshift furnace with the flame of life.’
A technique only possible for a top-tier dark mage like himself.
After waking up in the collapsed cave, Choi Geonwoo hastily devised a new plan.
‘There’s no guarantee the same thing won’t happen again.’
Last time, he was helpless, but this time is different.
Choi Geonwoo found a way to prepare for Eclipse and reached a conclusion.
‘Even if I join the Hunter Association, I can’t stop Eclipse. However…’
I can use others as a buffer.
If I use the Hunter Association as an airbag, I can escape danger.
Moreover, as a hunter, I won’t be pursued by the Association.
‘Of course, nurturing the flame of life will slow down.’
But it’s a fair trade for safety.
I can secretly extract life force from criminals and citizens under the pretext of inspections.
And to make the process smoother.
Choi Geonwoo tightly gripped the purple orb in his hand.
A life furnace he modified to appear as a simple artifact.
‘First, I aim to win this tournament and rise in rank.’
Becoming an A-rank hunter. If I reach that trusted position, things will become easier.
For Choi Geonwoo, who has been hiding his true strength, it’s a simple task.
“Witch, I’ll show you mercy. Surrender now, and you can leave unharmed.”
A girl standing innocently at the edge of the sparring ground, looking around.
She tried to hide her appearance with the witch hat and mask, but Choi Geonwoo saw through it.
Clearly a novice, a young girl who’s never been in such a tournament before.
Choi Geonwoo offered her mercy.
The girl stared at him for a moment, then cheerfully shouted.
“No!”
“Is that so?”
“Hmm… Have we met before?”
“A masked witch, unfortunately, I don’t recall.”
Even if I had seen her before, why would I remember a mere C-rank hunter?
Choi Geonwoo looked down at the black-clad girl and lit a cigar.
The purple flame from the life furnace in his right hand emitted a pungent smoke.
Cough, cough-
A familiar-sounding cough from the girl.
No need to pay attention.
Beep-
The sound signaling the start of the match.
Simultaneously, a surge of purple flame erupted from Choi Geonwoo’s hand.
The cruel flame, fueled by life force, spread in all directions, devouring all life in its path.
The greedy purple flame craving life.
And now.
In the sparring ground, apart from Choi Geonwoo, only one person remained standing.
The blazing flame engulfed the girl’s figure in an instant.
But.
“This flame feels familiar too…”
The space around the girl twisted strangely.
The flame disappeared before reaching her.
The man frowned.
“For a C-rank, you have some peculiar skills.”
However.
Whoosh-
As the man clenched the orb, flames burst forth.
Choi Geonwoo’s figure was momentarily engulfed in purple flames, then appeared right in front of the girl.
“Goodbye.”
A fierce gust of wind.
The witch hat flew off, revealing the girl’s eyes behind the mask.
Boom-
An even more intense purple flame struck the girl.
The man smiled deeply as he looked into the girl’s eyes.
Her amber eyes met his.
But at that moment.
All of the man’s movements stopped.
A strange sense of dissonance.
She should be closing her eyes in panic.
But as if this were all a joke, the girl’s eyes curved into a smile, staring straight at him.
A sense of déjà vu.
Those shining amber eyes.
Though he was sure he had never seen them before, they felt strangely familiar.
The dark aura surrounding the girl.
Though he was sure he had never seen it before, it felt recorded somewhere in his memory.
No, it wasn’t just a fleeting glance.
Instincts rang alarm bells.
In Choi Geonwoo’s mind, the witch before him began to overlap with the black-clad girl from that day when everything fell apart.
The amber eyes that pierced through him, a trauma he could never forget.
The man’s eyes widened, and his lips turned pale.
“Eclipse…? Why are you…”
Stammering words.
In response, the girl tilted her head, then clapped her hands.
“Ah, I remember now. You’re the cave guy.”
The girl’s amber eyes widened.
“You didn’t die back then?”
Chills ran down his spine.
Choi Geonwoo quickly turned around, clutching the purple orb.
And at that moment.
The girl muttered softly.
“But you’re not supposed to recognize me…”
Snap-
The sound of a finger snap.
Simultaneously.
Crash-
The purple life orb in his hand shattered into pieces.
The man’s complexion turned ashen.
When he turned back.
Just like that day.
A girl smiling innocently, speaking playfully.
“This is a secret, okay?”
Her hand, then her arm, and finally her entire body began to twist and distort.
A pale hand slowly reached towards the man.
The man’s trembling eyes slowly closed.
And then.
Beep-
The sound of the whistle signaling the end of the match.
With a relieved expression, the man collapsed, and the girl, looking somewhat annoyed, turned to the referee.
“I barely got started…”
The opening act of the Arena preliminaries, and the debut of the tournament’s monster rookie.
The calamitous witch, known among hunters as the nightmare, the disaster.
Meanwhile, in the southern United States.
The front lines against the Wood Attribute 7th Boss, the Corrupted World Tree, Yggdrasil.
In a luxurious room, a girl anxiously stared at the window.
[Oppa]+99
“Oppa, oppa, why aren’t you answering?”
It’s been almost three weeks since the cataclysm.
I’ve sent dozens of messages, but no response from oppa.
The girl stomped her feet as she looked at a photo on the desk.
A photo of her and oppa hugging each other while sleeping.
Surely, oppa wouldn’t ignore my messages.
Click.
The sound of her biting her nails in anxiety.
Could something have happened?
No, the American Hero Association said they’d bring news soon.
For now, focus on stopping Yggdrasil.
No, maybe it’s faster if I just go.
A black-haired girl with blue eyes, her gaze unfocused, wandering around.
Then.
Creak-
A suited agent cautiously opened the door and entered.
“Yes? Did you bring it?”
“Yes, we’ve investigated the information about the man you mentioned. However…”
The agent bowed apologetically and continued respectfully.
“I’m sorry. The man you’re looking for is currently missing, and even the American surveillance network couldn’t find him.”
As he spoke, the agent felt the room’s temperature drop.
He quickly added.
“He’s presumed to have been lost in a dungeon collapse. The last person to see him at his residence was a girl claiming to be his younger sister.”
“A black-haired girl.”
“What… did you just say?”
“Huh? Ah, the last, if we investigate the girl claiming to be his younger sister, we might find his whereabouts… gulp”
The agent, feeling the chilling, lifeless blue eyes, hurriedly closed his mouth and rolled his eyes.
“T-then, I’ll take my leave.”
He hastily placed the documents down and left.
And inside.
In the chillingly cold room.
“Who is she?”
A voice as cold as ice echoed.
To tear apart the imposter who dared to impersonate her.
And to find her beloved oppa.
The blue-eyed girl had come to Korea.