The atmosphere outside the frozen portal was chaotic, thick with pent-up tension.
Ardena scanned her surroundings, observing the frustrated hunters. Some were wrapping makeshift bandages around their wounds, while others attempted to use fire abilities or magical tools to melt the ice blocking the portal.
Their efforts were futile; the ice showed no sign of yielding.
Ardena exhaled sharply, crossing her arms as she tried to suppress the growing irritation in her chest. She was a Class S hunter, respected and renowned across many circles, yet even her expertise couldn’t decipher what was happening here.
Suddenly, a government agent, dressed in an official uniform, approached her with a slightly nervous expression.
"Are you Ardena, the Class S hunter from the Red Hand Guild?" he asked, adjusting his glasses and trying to maintain composure.
"Yes, that’s me," Ardena replied bluntly, raising an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
The agent hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"First, thank you for responding to this emergency. But I must inform you that other government hunters will be arriving shortly to take over. We recommend that you and your group step back and let them handle the situation."
"You’ve got to be kidding me," Ardena shot back, taking a step forward with an incredulous look. She raised an arm, gesturing at the scene around them. "Have you seen what’s happening here? Look at the injured hunters—look at the people who risked their lives to contain those creatures. And now you’re telling us to just back off?"
Ardena’s raised voice caught the attention of nearby hunters, who started murmuring amongst themselves.
A few edged closer to better hear the conversation.
The agent raised both hands in a conciliatory gesture.
"Please, calm down. I understand your frustration, but I’m just following orders. There’s no need to shout."
"Shouting? You think this is shouting?" Ardena let out a sarcastic laugh before continuing. "Not only are you trying to cover up what happened here, but you also want to sweep under the rug whatever’s going on inside that portal. Don’t even get me started on the mysterious hunter who affected several of ours with their skill. Are you going to deny that’s being ignored too?"
"I... I’m not authorized to discuss those details," the agent said, visibly uncomfortable.
"Then call the president if you have to!" Ardena exclaimed, raising her voice again. "Because neither I nor the hunters who helped here are leaving until we find out what’s going on with that portal and who that hunter is."
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At this, several hunters began voicing their agreement.
"She’s right! You can’t leave us out of this."
"If it weren’t for us, those creatures would’ve wiped this place out!"
"We demand answers! Stop playing games with us!"
The agent tried to calm the growing unrest, but each attempt only fueled the collective discontent.
The hunters no longer trusted the authorities to handle the situation fairly and were ready to take matters into their own hands if necessary.
As the chaos grew, Ardena turned her focus to the frozen portal.
Her eyes locked onto the thick layer of ice sealing the entrance, her mind racing with questions about what might be happening inside.
‘What in the world is that strange hunter doing in there?’ she thought, frustration and curiosity intertwining.
◇◆◇
Inside the portal, the howls of wolves echoed beyond the ice wall Eleonora had created, their constant gnashing against the barrier grating on the nerves.
Leonar, however, tried to block out the noise as he leaned closer to Eleonora. His lips met hers, and while the circumstances made him feel slightly awkward, he couldn’t deny that the contact with her was... strange, but oddly comforting.
The cold of her lips and body wasn’t the paralyzing kind of cold but rather a soothing chill. It felt like holding an ice cube on a sweltering day—refreshing yet undeniably peculiar.
As the kiss lingered, Leonar couldn’t help but reflect.
‘Why is her body so cold now? It’s different from the cold of the ground or the air here.’
Eleonora responded to his kiss, her eyes closing softly.
Seconds passed as they remained like that, and Leonar’s thoughts drifted.
‘Let’s see where I stand...’
[Status Window]
Name: Leonar Hart
Level: 19
Class: None
HP: 124/416
MP: 37/135
[Attributes]
Strength: 38
Endurance: 46
Agility: 32
Intelligence: 24
Perception: 28
[Skills]
Soul’s Eyes Lv. 10 (9%)
Regeneration Lv. 1 (39%)
Water Control Lv. 2 (29%)
Soul Link with Eleonora Lv. 5 (3%)
Leonar raised an eyebrow, noticing a slight increase in his MP. However, what really caught his attention was the drastic drop in the percentage of the "Soul Link with Eleonora" skill.
‘What the hell...? Why did it drop so much?’ he thought, hoping for an explanation from the system that seemed to hear his every thought.
Eleonora’s voice echoed in his mind, adopting the system’s neutral tone.
“When Eleonora is separated from your body, the bond level decreases continuously. It’s an unavoidable side effect.”
‘And what happens if this drops too much?’
"If the percentage falls too low, you’ll suffer a significant penalty," the system explained vaguely. "Additionally, Eleonora won’t be able to separate from you in the same way until the skill level increases again."
Leonar clenched his teeth. In a way, this was good news.
At least now he knew a method to reduce the percentage and level of that skill, which had been growing uncontrollably.
Before he could fully process the information, the system added something else:
"I recommend using your time with Eleonora wisely. According to my calculations, the barrier she created will have a breach shortly."
‘What?’
Leonar looked at the ice wall, noticing a spot where the wolves’ jaws had worn it down considerably.
Pulling away from Eleonora and their lengthy, uneventful kiss, he clicked his tongue.
"Well, looks like I don’t have much of a choice..."
Eleonora smiled faintly, tilting her head slightly as she gazed at Leonar with her glowing eyes.
"What are you going to do now?"
Her provocative tone and question made Leonar clench his fists.
There was no room for hesitation anymore.