* * * *

The wolves were surrounding me, trying to get me off guard.

Even though they were just starving monsters, they had a bit of intelligence.

Making my way through every one of those monsters' bodies by cutting them in half, I kept going forward without stopping.

I have many goals, but right now my only goal is to get stronger!

Getting teleported away from "U.G.C" might have been the best option since I was wasting so much time!

I regret it!

I shouldn't forget my main goal!

The anger inside me!

Those people who hated me!

Making fun of my weakness!

That's why, when I come back I need to be fully prepared!

I won't ever allow anyone to treat me the same way as before!

I won't stop now!

I will keep moving forward, getting stronger!

And destroy every last pride they have!

As I am now, Tatsuya might probably finish me off in one blow!

I won't allow such a thing to happen!

I need to get stronger than him!

I grabbed one of the wolves which charged towards me and started draining its life essence while slashing the other wolves.

I need to get faster!!

One after another, the number of wolves was going down.

But I wasn't satisfied yet!

I need to find a powerful monster and drain all of its skills and status points!

But where can I find one?

Maybe I should find an Angel or a Demon?!

But do I have a chance against them?

The last time I encountered an Angel, I couldn't even look at its status!

It was way powerful! Its aura was on a whole different level!

My power was nowhere near those angels!

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...

After continuing to slaughter the wolves, I noticed the last one which was standing some meters away from me.

I wonder what that monster would say to me if it could talk after I killed its friends.

Will it be angry with me?

But right now, none of us were moving from our positions!

The monster had an angered look on its face while leaking a killing intent directed at me.

[ Grrrrrrrr!!! ]

So it is angry at me?

As we both were staring at each other, one of my katanas slid through its body from the back of that monster without letting that monster notice it.

Its eyes lost their color as that monster fell on the ground.

That was the last of them.

Now what is left is...

I turned my sight towards one of the trees in the distance.

Whatever was watching me from its hidden perch on a tree branch, immediately realized that I noticed it's presence and charged towards me.

( Authors note: Rip my English. )

I got my katana ready and blocked its attack without thinking too much about it.

It was a girl with long brown hair and ragged clothes. She was trying to attack me using rusty daggers on her hands.

[ Oh, you sure are strong! ]

She said with a smile on her face as both of her slim arms were trembling.

I stared at that girl as she backed away from me.

She didn't change her expression even after taking some distance away from me.

Who is this girl?

And why did she attack me?

If there is a person here, then that means there is another city nearby here just like U.G.C!

[ Who are you? ] ( Hatsuko )

I asked her without taking my eyes off her.

She was still smiling even after hearing my question. It was as if she couldn't hear me.

I lost so much time because of people like her!

I won't make the same mistake once again!

I clenched my whole body and charged towards her with most of my power.

[ Eh?! ]

She widened her eyes as she noticed that I was in front of her in an instant.

Without letting her understand what I just did, I grabbed her by her clothes and lifted her up.

[ I asked you a question! ] ( Hatsuko )

But what I got in return was nothing...

That girl fainted a few seconds later after I threatened her.

I didn't use my killing intent so why did she collapse?

I laid her down on the grass and took another look at her.

Her hair was a bit messy and her hands were full of bruises.

Were these bruises caused by constantly using those old daggers?

Now that I look closer to her, she is really skinny! Hasn't she been eating properly?!

Is the economy of the city where she lives that bad?

Or is this girl just poor?!

From her strength, she could become a hunter so I don't think she could be poor.

...

Wait that doesn't matter right now!

I need her to wake up and tell me where the closest city is.

I got near her and started slapping her cheeks lightly.

*slap* *slap*

[ Wake up. ] ( Hatsuko )

[ ehm... ]

She immediately reacted and opened her eyes with a bit of difficulty.

[ I'm sorry about before... ]

She said while struggling to get up.

After fixing her posture, she looked at me in the eyes with the same smile as before.

[ My name is Chloe! I live nearby here with some other people! ]

Hm...

From what I could understand, she was saying that there is no city nearby but someplace smaller like a village maybe?

She was staring at me as if expecting me to say something.

[ And what is your name? ] ( Chloe )

She asked me, with the same smile on her face.

What's with her?

Didn't she just faint a few seconds ago? How can she smile like that as if nothing happened?

[ Why do you need my name? ] ( Hatsuko )

[ Then would you like me to call you by a nickname?

Green Guy!? Hehe, Since your eyes were green when you were killing those wolves!! ] ( Chloe )

She giggled a little as she was saying that.

[ ... ] ( Hatsuko )

Is she making fun of me?

I clenched my fist as I was staring at her.

I wanted to threaten her, but I didn't want her to faint on me once again.

[ You don't need to stare at me like that! I was just joking! Em... ] ( Chloe )

She ended her sentence and started thinking of something to call me.

I don't want her to call me weird names.

[ It's Hatsuko! ] ( Hatsuko )

[ Then Hatsuko! You were looking for the nearest place, where I live right? ] ( Chloe )