Arlo's heart sank as he scrolled down the page, his gaze falling upon the number of views the video had garnered.

"A-Argus... It says here that there are forty thousand views... Tell me this is some kind of bug," Arlo said, his voice trembling with disbelief.

"Nope, that's real," Argus confirmed. "How comes you never told us that you were acquainted with such a powerful hunter? Who is that girl? For her to beat B-Rank Hunter Michael that easily, she has to be A-Rank at the very least."

Arlo's heart raced as he processed the implications of the video's popularity. He knew that Vielle's display of strength would draw attention, but he never expected it to spread so quickly.

"Argus, I... I can't really explain right now," Arlo said. "But please, don't tell anyone about me if they ask. I need to figure out what to do."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Argus spoke. "Alright, Arlo. I won't say a word. But I’ve heard some of the major guilds have already begun digging up information on you since they weren’t able to find any on her. They might try to recruit her, so just stay alert when that happens."

“...Understood. Thank you. I'll be in touch soon."

Arlo ended the call, turning to face Vielle with an annoyed expression etched upon his features.

"Let’s quickly finish shopping, we have to head home. The video-"

"I heard," Vielle said, pointing to her pointed ears peeking out from beneath the rim of her hat. "It seems that a video of my fight with that hunter spread somehow, right? It was self-defense. You don't have to look so annoyed about whether we were in the wrong or not."

Arlo shook his head, his brow furrowed. "No, that's not why I'm annoyed. Remember how I told you that what matters in this society is power?"

Vielle nodded, her crimson eyes fixed on his.

"Well, guilds are constantly trying to strengthen their ranks to gain more power, you see..." Arlo muttered, a sigh escaping his lips. "So, when a promising candidate appears, they often try to recruit them. I've heard cases of them being a little persistent. I'm worried about them troubling my family at home."

Vielle seemed to grasp his meaning easily, nodding as she glanced at their shopping trolley, filled to the brim with products to trade. They had gathered quite a lot, so there was nothing to worry about on that front.

"Let's head home then," she said, a smile spreading across her face.

The pair quickly made their way to the shopping counter, and after paying for everything, they headed to the front of the store, where they called a cab.

As they waited for the cab to arrive, Arlo's phone began to ring once more. Juggling the shopping bags, he slowly reached into his pocket to check the caller.

It was his sister, Serena.

Arlo's heart raced as he stared at the screen, a sense of unease washing over him. He knew that Serena wouldn't call unless it was important, and given the recent developments with the viral video, he couldn't help but fear the worst.

"Vielle," he said, his voice low and urgent, "it's my sister. I need to take this call."

Vielle nodded, her expression filled with understanding. "Go ahead, Arlo. I'll keep an eye out for the cab."

Arlo accepted the call, bringing the phone to his ear. "Serena? Is everything alright?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before Serena's voice came through, her tone filled with a mix of concern and excitement.

"Arlo, you won't believe what's happening," she said, her words tumbling out in a rush. "There are people here, at the house. They say they're from some kind of guild, and they're looking for you and some sort of silver haired girl?"

Arlo's blood ran cold, his grip on the phone tightening. "Serena, listen to me. Don't tell them anything. I'm on my way home right now."

As he ended the call, Arlo turned to Vielle.

"Change of plans," he said, his voice steady despite the fear that gripped his heart. "The guilds... they're already there."

The reason Arlo was concerned didn’t lie solely on the fact that they would trouble Arlo’s family. Arlo didn’t want Vielle’s identity to be revealed. If people found out that she was a Vampire from another world, there was no telling what would happen.

One might assume that all Arlo needed to do was keep quiet and act like Vielle was a regular citizen, but that was easier said than done. Because she was from another world, there was no chance that her existence would be registered in the country.

While most children under the age of ten didn't have IDs due to the emergence of Gates, people above that age typically possessed one. Even if they lacked IDs, they were still registered in the system.

In Vielle's case, they might assume she was an illegal immigrant of some sort, and if they examined her, they would easily notice her fangs, crimson eyes, and pointed ears. Despite resembling a human, she was clearly different in certain aspects.

Arlo needed to at least act like he didn't know her. However, he couldn't just leave her strolling around in his world unsupervised, nor could he send her back to her world.

"Vielle," Arlo asked. "Is there any spell that allows you to go invisible or prevent other people from seeing or detecting your presence?"

Vielle turned to Arlo, a thoughtful expression on her face. "A spell like that..." she said, her lips curving into a smile, "I have one."

-

Serena stared at the two men sitting comfortably on the living room couch, her mind racing with uncertainty.

'Um… my brother told me not to tell them anything, but what am I supposed to do in this situation? They entered the house without my permission…' she thought to herself.

The men were dressed in crisp black suits, their polished black shoes gleaming in the light. Dark sunglasses concealed their eyes, adding to their intimidating presence.

One of the men had a sword strapped to his back, the hilt peeking out from behind his shoulder. His short, spiky black hair and a scar running down his left eye gave him a rugged appearance. Despite the suit, his shredded physique was evident, the fabric clinging closely to his frame.

The other man was tall and muscular, with messy black hair that contrasted with his companion's neater style. Although he carried no visible weapon, his massive build made him just as imposing as the sword-wielding man.

The man with the sword smirked, his voice dripping with disdain. "I thought I smelled something shitty. Of all the people your zoo guild could have sent, it had to be you, Gilga, the gorilla."

Gilga, the muscular man, retorted with a growl, "Watch your tongue, Rek. Even a gorilla gets upset when a bitch constantly whines."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Rek's eyes narrowed. "Don't get cocky just because I'm off-duty today."

"I was about to say the same to you," Gilga shot back.

Serena watched the exchange, the sparks of animosity between the two men impossible to ignore. It was clear they were enemies, not friends. In an attempt to diffuse the tension, she offered, "U-Um... would you like some tea?"

Gilga let out a sigh at her words, while Rek glanced at her, his charm suddenly evident as he smiled. "No, that's fine, thank you."

"I-I see…" Serena stammered, unsure of how to proceed.

Rek turned his attention back to her, his tone more serious. "More importantly, this brother of yours should be coming home soon, right?"

Remembering Arlo's instructions, Serena kept her response minimal. "I'm not sure. Rather, how long will the two of you be waiting here?" she asked, her voice polite despite the unease she felt.

Rek turned on the TV and began watching the news, his posture relaxed. "We'll be here until he's home, although hopefully that's not long."

Serena struggled to maintain her composure as Rek's nonchalant attitude and the way he made himself at home grated on her nerves. However, she knew better than to anger a hunter and kept her irritation to herself.

After a few more minutes of sitting in silence, the sound of a knock at the door cut through the tension. Serena quickly rushed to answer it, her heart leaping with relief when she saw Arlo standing alone on the other side.

She pulled him into the house and hastily closed the door behind them, leaning in to whisper urgently, "Who's this silver-haired girl they're looking for? Is she someone dangerous? Is-"

Arlo's hand suddenly covered her mouth, silencing her questions. He glanced down the hall, sensing the presence of the two men lingering by the doorway to the living room, their ears undoubtedly trained on the siblings' conversation.

With a confused tilt of his head, Arlo asked innocently, "Silver-haired girl? What're you talking about? Have you ever seen me with a silver-haired girl?"

Relief washed over him as he realized Serena hadn't seen the video. He could use this to his advantage.

Serena shook her head. "No, I haven't. But the guys who're here said that you knew someone like that and that they wanted to ask you questions regarding her."

"Um, if it's about a silver-haired girl, I don't know much about her either-" Arlo began, but his words were cut short as Rek emerged from the living room, a sly smile playing on his lips.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's CCTV footage of you going around London with her. It's too late to act stupid," Rek stated, his eyes locked on Arlo.

Gilga stepped into the hallway beside Rek, his imposing figure filling the space.

Arlo eyed the two men warily. "You two are...?"

Rek offered a belated introduction. "Ah, forgive my late introduction. I'm Rek Saber, a B Rank Hunter from the Black Crows Guild."

Gilga followed suit. "I'm Gilga, also a B Rank Hunter, but from the Sleeping Giants Guild."

The names of their guilds hung heavy in the air. Both the Sleeping Giants and the Black Crows were two of the major guilds in London, their ranks filled with A and B Rank Hunters. There wasn't a single hunter in the city who hadn't heard of them.

Arlo fixed the two men with a steely glare. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Rek sauntered over to Arlo, a smirk playing on his lips. "Ho~ there aren't many people willing to look us in the eye like that, especially not an F-Rank Hunter who's been living as a shut-in."

Instinctively, Arlo moved Serena behind him, shielding her as he faced the B-Rank Hunter. They stood toe-to-toe, the tension crackling between them.

"What're you hiding, Arlo Axton?" Rek demanded, his eyes narrowing.

Arlo's glare softened, and he let out a sigh before forcing a smile. "Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about. If you don't have any business here, then I kindly ask that you leave."

Just as Rek was about to respond, Gilga approached, his towering frame looming over Arlo. "I'm afraid we can't do that. Our guild sent us here to scout the silver-haired girl you were seen with. Where is she?"

"I don't know. Why don't you go search for her instead of wasting your time here-"

Gilga clenched his fists, his voice taking on a threatening edge. "I'm not here to play games. We can either do this the easy way or the hard way."

In the past, such a threat would have been enough to make Arlo back down, but after everything that had happened, after the words Vielle had given him, a surge of confidence flowed through his veins.

'I probably shouldn't escalate this situation any further… the logical option would be to back down and tell them what they want… But I don't want to,' Arlo mused silently.

Meeting Gilga's gaze head-on, Arlo responded, "Then try it. The hard way."

Arlo knew that in a fight without magic, he would undoubtedly lose against a B-Rank Hunter. However, Vielle had taught him a technique that would allow him to match their strength, even without casting spells.

All he needed to do was use magic to enhance his body, and with the overwhelming supply of magic from the Grimoire, it wouldn't be an issue. While he might not become as powerful as Vielle, he would at least be able to hold his own for a while.

"I-I'm still not sure what's happening..." Serena stammered, her voice trembling as she stepped between Arlo and the two Hunters, "but d-don't threaten my younger brother...!"

Arlo stared at his sister in surprise, taken aback by her sudden act of bravery. Despite the tremors that shook her arms and legs, she stood her ground, unwavering.

The Hunters, however, were neither surprised nor pleased by her reaction. Annoyance flickered across their faces, as if she were nothing more than an obstacle in their path. They aimed to scare her off with a mere glare, their bloodlust directed at her like a tangible force.

"Stay out of this conversation," they said simultaneously, their voices cold and unforgiving.

Serena flinched but refused to budge, meeting their eyes with a determined shake of her head.

Gilga, irritated by her persistence, reached out to move her aside. He had no intention of harming her, merely wanting to remove her from the situation. However, before his hand could make contact, he froze, his body going rigid.

It felt like a scythe had been pressed against his throat, a silent warning that any further movement would come with dire consequences.

The source of this unspoken threat emanated from behind Serena, where Arlo stood, his gaze as cold as ice. A surge of bloodlust bubbled within him, darkening the air around them and making it grow heavier with each passing second.

The Grimoire at his side began to glow with a dark, ominous light, its magic power leaking out in waves as Arlo's hair began to rise, defying gravity.

'What's with this pressure?' Rek wondered, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword.

Gilga, equally surprised, assumed a defensive stance, his guard raised and ready for any sudden movements.

Unaware of the tension that crackled around her, Serena slowly opened her eyes, staring at the Hunters with a confused expression. She could sense their fear, but the cause remained a mystery to her, as she lacked the ability to perceive Arlo's bloodlust or the magic that poured from him.

Meanwhile, Vielle's whisper, barely audible to anyone but Arlo, drifted past his ears. "Arlo... I don't mean to stop you, but... control the magic from the Grimoire. If you let it go out of control, this entire area may cease to exist."

Upon hearing Vielle's warning, Arlo took a slow, deep breath, calming himself as the glow from the Grimoire began to fade and his hair settled back into place.

"I'm not going to answer any of your questions," Arlo stated, his voice firm and unwavering. "And I’ll say this one final time. Leave my house."

With a sigh of relief, Rek moved his hand away from the hilt of his sword and headed towards the house's entrance, brushing past Arlo without a second glance.

Gilga followed suit, casting a final, curious glance at Arlo as he walked by.

Seeing the Hunters' departure, relief washed over Serena, and she sank to her knees, her strength leaving her. Arlo quickly crouched down beside her, checking to make sure she was alright.

As Rek reached the doorway, he paused, glancing back at the Grimoire in Arlo's hand. "...I'll leave for now, but don't think that this is over. Our guilds aren't the only ones who're interested in her..."

"You can expect others-" Gilga began, but his words were cut short by the sudden ringing of Rek's phone.

Rek answered the call as he stepped into the doorway, his brow furrowing as he listened to the person on the other end. "What? A Gate opened up near the Central Shopping Centre? That's troublesome, I'm on my way."

Without so much as a goodbye, Rek rushed out of the house, Gilga hurrying after him as the urgency of the situation became apparent.

Arlo turned his attention back to Serena, his voice laced with concern. "Serena, are you okay? I'm sorry. They came here because of me."

Instead of responding, Serena seemed frozen, her eyes wide with shock. "Arlo... they said a Gate opened up by the Central Shopping Centre, right?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Huh? Yeah, but don't worry about that, it has nothing to do with us-"

"Mum works there..." Serena whispered, her words hanging heavy in the air.

In that moment, Arlo felt his heart plummet, a sense of dread washing over him as a crimson screen suddenly manifested before his eyes.

[New Emergency Quest Unlocked.]