Shin turned around and spoke briefly.

“Take care of Ayaka, I’ll handle the rest.”

Fuyumi silently nodded.

“Get them!”

A group of five adventurers charged forward with their weapons drawn. Shin walked to the front of the doorway, guarding his friends behind him. Suddenly a flash of light covered the room. Everyone inside shielded their eyes. A perky drunken voice called out to everyone in the room from the overhang above them.

“Mind if I join in?”

Shin opened his eyes and saw an archer perched on the guardrail of the second floor. He wore a green tunic with a hood over his head that covered his blue hair, which was tied up in a ponytail. The top of his face was obscured by a black mask covered in white scripture. He took out a bow with his left hand and slowly stood up as he nocked an arrow with his right.

“I never miss… a good bounty.”

His body jerked as hiccups interrupted his words.

“Ornstel, how many times do I have to tell you give us a warning before you flash us!”

Ornstel shrugged his shoulders casually.

“Well, I wouldn’t want to miss out on a good opportunity to make a grand entrance.”

“Woop-”

The archer took a step forward nonchalantly.

“Ah.”

He opened his eyes to see that his foot was hanging in the air. Ornstel fell to the ground, somehow managing to stand upright.

His eyebrows furrowed as his head tilted toward his commanding officer.

“Ralfiel, you’re having trouble with these… guys?!” Ornstel said while pointing his bow and arrow at Shin and his allies.

Ralfiel turned around and put the palm of his hand to his face and sighed.

“I’ll leave it to you, just shoot them already.”

An arrow whizzed by Shin’s head, scratching his cheek as he barely managed to dodge it in time. It planted itself in the wall behind him, piercing the velvet drapery.

“Oh, you managed to dodge that, nice!”

The remaining adventurers turned around and left the building, escorting the scantily clothed men and women out.

Ornstel pulled out another arrow from the quiver strapped to his back.

“Allow me to… introduce myself. I am Ornstel, a hunter… a somewhat independent bounty hunter.”

He bowed deeply, putting his right hand behind his back.

Another arrow flew forward. Shin’s eyes widened as the right side of his body recoiled back, where the arrow had pierced deep into his shoulder.

“Haha! That one always works!”

“Shin!” Nightingale and Fuyumi called out in unison.

Shin bit his lip as he ripped the arrow out of his shoulder, causing him to stumble forward. Shin threw the arrow back at Ornstel. Using [Spatial Mastery], he suddenly changed its trajectory. Ornstel flipped into the air dodging out of the way.

“Oh, so you’re one… of the few Savants?”

There was an awkward silence as Ornstel stared at his opponent.

“I suppose I… should take this more seriously.”

The hunter took out a small bottle from his beltstrap and took a drink.

“Ahhh, nothing beats a good refresher from the tonic.”

His stance straightened out as he smiled devilishly, revealing his sharp fang-like teeth. His entire demeanor was completely different compared to the carefree drunken man he was just a few seconds ago.

Unfazed, Shin stepped to the side.

“Fuyumi, you go ahead to somewhere safe. We’ll meet up later.”

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“Sure.”

Fuyumi slowly walked out of the doorway, observing the hunter’s every move. Nightingale followed behind her. As Nightingale passed Shin, he whispered.

“Nightingale, I’m counting on you to protect her on the way out.”

He nodded in response.

“Leaving so soon?” Ornstel said, throwing his hands up.

“That’s no fun!” He continued.

Shin’s eyes narrowed.

“Your fight is with me.”

Shin took a fighting stance, holding his sword with both hands.

Ornstel clicked his tongue.

“Well, I suppose you’re not wrong.”

Fuyumi leapt up to the second floor, vaulting over the guardrail while Nightingale boosted himself up with a wind current. They quickly jogged toward the balcony that they came in from. Nightingale stopped when he heard a ticking sound.

“W-wait!”

Nightingale stretched his hand out.

“[Galewind Barrier].”

An explosion blew out the floor and the low ceiling ahead of them, filling the room with dust and smoke. Wooden shrapnel flew everywhere as various curtains and draperies fell to the floor.

“Fuyumi! Nightingale!” Shin called out.

Ornstel laughed like a hyena as he dashed forward, wildly brandishing a dagger in his right hand. He made a wide horizontal slash that Shin parried with his sword. Shin prepared to swing downward at him but Ornstel dropped low to the ground and kicked Shin in the stomach, sending him reeling backwards, disappearing into a dense cloud of smoke and dust.

“I thought I was your opponent.” He said cheekily as he took out an arrow.

Ornstel rapidly shot a volley of arrows in Shin’s direction before charging into the smoke himself.

Sounds of clanging and clashing metal echoed throughout the building. The dust began to clear up, revealing Fuyumi kneeling and shielding Ayaka with her body. Around her was a soft glow of a green barrier that slowly withered away. Nightingale’s barrier was barely strong enough to contain the explosion.

“We gotta go quick! They’re gonna send reinforcements now that they heard that! I can carry her.” Nightingale said, offering his hand to Fuyumi.

“Thanks, but it’s fine. Besides, I’m faster. Let’s go.”

Fuyumi put Ayaka on her back and stood up. Nightingale and Fuyumi looked back at the fight below them before jumping through the enormous hole in the wall.

Shin took steps back as he dodged and weaved Ornstel’s relentless flurry of attacks. He ducked under a slash from Ornstel's dagger, saw an opening, and slammed the pommel of his sword into the archer's stomach.

Ornstel recoiled back a few meters. However, before he was able to recover, Shin clenched his fist, creating a gravitational field behind the hunter with [Collapse], pulling him back. Ornstel flung his arms wildly as he struggled to keep his balance.

“How interesting!”

Shin covered his sword in flames with [Elemental Mastery] and threw it forward like a javelin. Ornstel arched his body backward, dodging under the sword as if he was playing limbo. The sword impaled itself into the wall, its flames extinguishing. Shin pulled it back into his hands, reigniting his blade.

Ornstel flipped the dagger around his finger, taunting his opponent.

“Is this field gonna run out anytime soon?” Ornstel laughed nervously.

Shin focused on his opponent and took a stance, preparing to slash.

“What are you planning to do from there? Throw it again?” Ornstel said, raising an eyebrow.

Shin swung his sword as he normally would. However, halfway through Shin opened his hand, releasing his grip while continuing the slashing motion. The blade flew forward, leaving trails of flames behind.

Ornstel’s eyes widened as he got lower to the ground and grabbed his dagger with both hands. His dagger clashed against the sword, producing small flames that scattered in every direction. Shin called his sword back slightly, hovering it in the air before swinging once more in the opposite direction. His sword mimicked his motions as it levitated in the air.

Shin continued with each subsequent slash getting faster and faster. Sparks and fire continued to fly out as Ornstel continued to block every swing. The loose rugs and draperies scattered throughout the room began to catch flame. The room began to turn red as the heat intensified.

“I never knew fighting another Savant could be this exciting!” He said, laughing hysterically.

“Another Savant?”

Cracks began to appear on Ornstel’s dagger. His eyes narrowed as sweat rolled down from the top of his head. The smile on his face faded.

“Tch, you have no idea how lucky you are!”

Shin continued to swing his sword from a distance in silence.

“People would give a lot of money to be a Savant, you know!”

He suddenly shifted into a calm tone.

“Remember you aren’t the only one.”

“Hyaaah!”

The blade of Ornstel’s dagger shattered with one last block. Shin’s sword continued forward, cutting across the hunter’s torso and searing his tunic. Ornstel fell over, his arms and legs splayed out.

Shin breathed out heavily as he recalled his sword and put it back into the sheath hanging from his belt and walked up to Ornstel’s sprawled body. The flames around them began to flare up. Shin stared down at his opponent. Half of the gash across his chest bled profusely while the other half was cauterized by the flames of Shin’s sword.

“You’re… one… lucky bastard.” Ornstel spoke slowly as he stared up at the man who bested him.

“Are you also a Savant?” Shin asked flatly.

“No.”

Ornstel turned his head to the side and coughed up blood.

“This is… the first time… I’ve lost.”

The mask on his face cracked and then shattered, revealing the man’s face. It was a face that Shin had seen before, but he couldn’t recall where from at the moment.

Flaming wooden boards fell from the roof. The building began to creak threateningly. The body in front of him began to disappear into twinkles of light. Shin quickly ran out of the hostel in a daze. He couldn’t tell if it was because of the face of the man he fought or the smoke covering the room.

Shin moved through the alleyways around the buildings before making his way up to the roof. Before long, the hostel’s roof collapsed as the building crumbled to the ground.