⌜Olethros's Mutants have been summoned from: The Void.⌟ The screen projected an abandoned city, zooming in on a particular crashed meteor, thrice the size of an ordinary person.
Juno naturally felt disgusted. But what truly caught her attention was the abandoned city. It all seemed too familiar. As if–
⌜Along with unknown entities looming in the vicinity. All Adelcross rankers and hunters are called to participate. The first to acquire the heads of each type of entity will be deemed champion of this hunting competition.⌟
⌜The official hunting competition will begin on the xxth of the xx Calendar. You will be given a week to prepare. The dungeon will be your training ground. May the best win.⌟
A whole week to prepare was quite generous of the hosts. It would mean the entities were no easy deal.
Interesting. Still, Juno didn't want to risk it all. Unless if all it would take is one flick of her finger and their heads roll to her, she wouldn't participate. No way, she wouldn't give in to her competitive side, not even with the system window's messages.
⌜◁System: Participate in the 'Hunting Competition? [Yes] [No] ▷⌟
"Will you join, miss Beatrice?" Miya questioned, immediately tapping 'yes' on her screen.
'No', Juno wanted to say. What only came out, however, was her mouth agape with no sound at all. She then closed her mouth, clenching on her fists.
[Yes]
I'm such a hypocrite, Juno internally cried out to herself.
"Yes, I will."
Worst decision ever.
Miya honestly seemed surprised. Yeah, I'm being realistic. A 12 year old in the battle grounds, Ha ha.
Juno had just received news of being an SSS+ ranker a few days ago and was already getting ahead of herself by joining a grand competition.
Can't I just.. er, unjoin??
"Who's this fella?"
The young man approached them with arms crossed, facing Miya then turning to Juno.
"None of your business, Abel."
⌜Name: Abel Valentino
> Local Rank: #4
> International Rank: #15⌟
Juno simply stared at him in silence. The fourth local ranker, huh?
"Well, yes it is, because I've never seen her and only top rankers can access this area." He revealed a cheeky grin towards the shorter among them, kneeling to Juno's level. "Unless.."
Juno gave him a glare. "You wanna get punched in the face?" She retorted. He chuckled sarcastically, not frightened in the least. His words were cut off by Miya's interruption who muttered, "This is a neutral zone. Besides, don't you have anything better to do?" She flicked Abel's forehead, being slightly taller than him.
It was a rather funny scenario.
"You're 'Star', aren't you?" His tone changed dramatically. "I would have never believed it if it weren't for your profile."
Juno was stunned, although it was to be expected. As long as he didn't know her real name..
"You just look awfully like-"
"Young miss!" The director hastily spoke, climbing down the staircase unknowingly saving the day from another awkward moment.
Abel slightly gritted his teeth, whispering, "Why am I always being cut off?"
Miya sighed as though she went through this everyday. The director also crouched down to Juno's level, eliciting a grumble from her.
I'm not that short, I'm 5'1! You're all just tall! She wanted to cry out.
"You didn't happen to join the hunting competition, right?.." He whispered, anticipating a response. Juno slightly gnawed on her lip, facing the left while speaking, "..I did kind of join."
Silence broke in between the two awkward-looking people whispering to each other.
"What?"
Juno had her mouth zipped, facing anywhere but towards him.
"Miss Ju-!" His voice hitched at the realization. Juno raised her brows with a glare, urging him to continue. The two adults nearby also glanced at the director.
"Miss, just.. why?" He improvised. "You haven't had your training, the organization doesn't know your powers, you haven't met the president ye- Goodness!."
He rubbed his temples, whispering to himself, "Teenagers.."
"Can I unjoin?"
Instead of a logical response, the director gave her a look of 'No! Of course not!' that was well communicated.
What a way to make a new ranker feel welcomed, Juno snickered to herself.
"Look, I apologize for speaking that way to you, but this isn't a video game."
Juno knew that well. Her life could be at stake.
Yet she joined anyway.
"We'll schedule you a training for tomorrow. After, you'll have to discuss the conditions of the contract with the president." He gestured to Juno to distance themselves from the two rankers. "I'll just have some matters to discuss with miss Beatrice. You are free to explore the dungeon."
The two rankers nodded, though Abel did raise a brow by the mention of 'Beatrice'.
[Headquarters member identified.]
Heading to the lift, Juno slowly unveiled her hood.
"Can't I have my training today?"
"Yes, if your father wasn't threatening our headquarters looking for you."
Juno let out a cackle.
"I'm serious, young miss."
She then stopped.
Juno scrambled on her tiny pocket for her phone.
[99+ Notifications]
[A certain girl's dad: I'm going to threaten HQ if you do not respond.]
[A certain girl's dad: You do forget I have supernatural agents, right? And the fact you're 12?]
[A certain girl's dad: Juno Fuschia Delford.]
Juno felt goosebumps by the mention of her full name. She had completely forgotten to inform her father!
"Let's go, quick!" Just as she was about to run and scramble through the buttons on the lift, the director stopped her and said, "Slow down, young miss."
'Ding!'
As Juno stepped out,
the director unleashed a shield to the sudden attack from an entity.
"Woah!" Juno stepped back. "Stay here, young miss. Upper ground seems to be under attack." The director walked through the shield, exhausting his mana towards lunging entities.
'Slash!'
Juno was a witness to the sudden mishap. Many hunters were battling, crimson stains on their uniforms, mana bursts, and consistent hurried chatter.
But, hunters who had a lower rank than her were fighting these entities, and there she was standing still.
It wasn't something to be proud about.
She needed to check her attributes.
⌜◁System:
- Other attributes:
- Time WorldView Lvl. ???
- Watch Blades Lvl. ???
- Aura Lvl. ???
- Warp Lvl. ???
- [See more] ▷⌟
Here goes nothing, she breathed in and out.
'Crash!'
Juno punched through the shield, deactivating as she stepped out before she'd get hit.
"Young miss!?" The director exclaimed. "These are S+ entities, you aren't safe here!"
She didn't give him a response.
⌜◁System: Personal Attribute 'Watch Blades - Lvl. ???' has been activated!▷⌟
'Shiing!'
Arrows appeared in the formation of a clock, shooting towards the nearest entities. Wiped out. She focused her mana on the entities in a farther distance, arrows aiming for the individual fugitive.
She placed her hood back on.
⌜◁System: Personal Attribute 'Aura - Lvl. ???' has been activated!▷⌟
In an abrupt second, all the entities stopped moving. The hunters were baffled, muttering all at the same time.
'Pop!'
The remaining entities exploded before their eyes.
"How could this be?!"
"Is a Decagon here?"
The place was clear. Juno felt too tired to mind the horde's mumbles. "D, director. Can't you teleport me to HQ?"
Sir Aidan stood still for a moment, configuring his watch's settings. He was surprised by Juno's sudden action.
"We will discuss your powers soon, young miss."
"..Mhm." Juno needed rest once more.
'Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir!'