Chapter 6 - Hunters to Hunt
The shimmering barrier loomed ahead, glowing faintly like a veil of trapped starlight. As Takeo edged closer, the faint murmur of voices reached his ears. Clattering weapons, hushed conversations, and the occasional bark of laughter drifted through the still air. For once, the noise wasn’t unsettling — it was comforting.
“At least there are more people around me now,” he thought, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
The massacre in the forest had left a weight in his chest, but the presence of others eased it slightly. It meant he wasn’t alone. It also meant no assassin would dare attack so openly; it would draw too much attention. Still, the reality of the tournament gnawed at him. Anyone could issue a challenge, regardless of strength or size, and that made everyone a threat. He was reminded of Brutus yet again.
Takeo adjusted his haversack as he approached the barrier, its immense size dwarfing everything around it. He’d never seen anything like it—a shimmering dome of light, alive with shifting energy. It was both beautiful and unsettling, radiating a divine presence.
“Nothing makes sense anymore,” Takeo muttered under his breath. “But I guess I’ll just have to go with the flow.”
As he stepped closer, lost in his thoughts, a sudden chill shot through him.
Instinct.
Takeo’s body moved on its own, his small dagger flashing into his hand as he jumped back.
GUSH.
A deep, clean cut ran from his shoulder to his chest, blood seeping through his light armor. Pain shot through his body. He staggered, gripping the wound, his mind reeling. The attack had been too fast—too precise.
“Who are you?!” Takeo shouted, his voice echoing into the quiet.
A figure emerged from the shadows, calm and deliberate.
"I am-"
Takeo started to sprint the moment he heard the voice responding. Instinct screamed at him to move, and he obeyed without hesitation.
The barrier shimmered just ahead, and he focused all his energy on reaching it. But as he lunged forward, expecting to pass through, the surface turned out to be far more solid than he anticipated.
THUD.
His face slammed into the barrier, and he stumbled back, clutching his nose as pain flared. Before he could recover, a sharp whirl cut through the air. A throwing knife buried itself in the ground exactly where his head had been moments ago.
For once, he was thankful for his carelessness. The collision had saved him.
Suddenly, a glowing prompt appeared before his eyes, projected from the bracelet on his wrist:
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[DO YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT: HUNTERS TO HUNT?]
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“WHAT?! WASN’T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE AUTOMATIC?!” Takeo yelled, frantically swiping at the prompt while grabbing onto his nose. “Yes, yes. Fu— Yes! Do it now! As fast as possible!” He pleaded with the system, desperation clear in his voice.
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[YES]
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The barrier pulsed and shimmered as it absorbed him. Light engulfed his body, pulling him into the dome. Just as the glow enveloped him completely, three more knives flew through the air, their sharp edges glinting menacingly.Takeo closed his eyes, bracing for impact.
But the knives stopped midair, frozen by the mysterious shimmer before clattering harmlessly to the ground.
An audible tsk came from the distance, sharp and annoyed.
“You can consider yourself lucky,” a light, mysterious voice called out. “Luck is, after all, a crucial aspect in life.”
Takeo turned his head, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, but it remained elusive.
“I don’t know if you saw everything or nothing at all.” the voice continued “but it would be wise to act as if you saw nothing, even if you did.”
Takeo scowled, his sarcasm cutting through his fear. “Yeah, because throwing knives is the default way to start a negotiation.”
The voice chuckled softly, the sound unnervingly casual. “This is the first time I’m glad I spared someone. Take care then.”
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“You didn’t spare me!” Takeo shouted back, his voice tinged with frustration. “I made it to the barrier before you could do anything.”
“And yet, you never even realized how close I was. By the way, dropping to the ground in front of me was not a good option.” the voice replied, growing fainter as its owner walked away.
Takeo’s hand tightened around his dagger as he stared into the distance, the words lingering in his mind.
"If he was that close but chose not to kill me… Was I just a.. passing target? Collateral damage?” The thought gnawed at him, but he couldn’t shake the truth: the attacker had full knowledge of him, while he was left in the dark. For now, he had been spared — or possibly ignored. Either way, the message was clear. Luck, as his attacker had said, was essential. For Takeo, it meant his survival.
Takeo couldn't see the outside from within the dome after he walked into the vincinity.
With a shake of his head, he forced the encounter to the back of his mind and turned his focus to the task at hand.
He surveyed the area.
It was a large dome with nature still intact. There were designated Merchant Stores. Takeo was very much surprised that there were stores open. Although it was much more shocking that there were even any stores here in the middle of nowhere at all.
Takeo's eyes widened slightly with excitement. “Merchants? Here?”
It looked to be just a normal space from the outside. But then again, Takeo didn't have much time to notice anything after being on the run throughout his journey here. Inside the dome, it was vast and lush, filled with dense trees and open meadows, all contained within the barrier’s shimmering light. At the center of the dome, rows of merchants’ stalls lined the clearing, their tents glowing faintly.
He glanced up at the timer displayed above the zone:
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[TIME LEFT UNTIL EVENT START: 20 MINUTES]
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Letting out a sigh of relief, Takeo made his way toward the stalls. He needed supplies—and fast.
A familiar face caught his eye near the edge of the merchants’ tents.
“Chinatsu? What are you doing here?” he called out, his tone brighter than usual.
Chinatsu, the only healer from Aselite, turned toward him with a startled expression. “Takeo! Oh, dear, you don’t look well at all!”
She was wearing what looked like a long dress with a mix of yellow and blue. Keeping her hair up in a bun and with a large sun hat for shade.
Her eyes quickly scanned his shoulder, noting the bloodstained armor. She raised her hands, a faint glow emanating from her palms.
“Hold still. I’ll have you fixed up in no time,” she said, her tone soft but firm.
Warmth spread through Takeo’s body as Chinatsu’s gift, Restoration, went to work. The deep wound on his shoulder began to close, the blood retracting as if time itself were reversing. Takeo noticed ,however, there was a small cut on his leg, likely from the forest, surfacing before being healed in moments.
“Thanks, Chinatsu. I really needed that,” Takeo said, flexing his arm.
Chinatsu gave a small smile. “You’re welcome. But what are you doing here, anyway?”
“Participating, of course,” he replied casually. “What about you? Why would a healer sign up for this madness?”
Chinatsu’s expression softened. “Oh, all non-combatants have their own system. We can opt into events as vendors. Once we accept, we’re teleported to the preparation zones to help combatants like you.”
Takeo shook his head in amazement. “This system never ceases to surprise me.”
Chinatsu chuckled. "Indeed."
He reached for his coin purse, pulling out a few silver coins. “Oh right, before I forget. How much for the treatment?”
Chinatsu waved her hands quickly. “No, no. It’s fine, Takeo. I’m here for our townsfolk. Besides, Kaoru already promised to cover any healing costs for Aselite participants. He’s our guardian, after all.”
Takeo smiled. “Well, I owe you a meal when I get back then. Deal?”
Chinatsu hesitated, her cheeks turning a faint shade of red. “Y-Yes! That sounds great.”
“Perfect. See you then!” Takeo said, waving as he walked toward the other merchants.
The timer ticked down.
Takeo wanted to see what else was going on before glancing to the floating screen.
[3 MINUTES]
Immediately, right after looking at the limited time he had. Takeo sprinted through the stalls, searching desperately for a weapons vendor. There were multiple but he was looking for something specific.
Spotting one at the edge of the clearing, he dashed over.
“How much for the bow and arrow?”
“Ah, a fine choice! Premium craftsmanship from Celedral’s finest—”
“Just tell me the price!” Takeo cut in, already pulling out his coins.
“Two silver coins! A bargain!”
Takeo handed over the coins without hesitation. Bargain, what a load of baloney. It was a terrible purchase—he knew he’d been overcharged — but there was no time to bargain.
“Thank you for your patronage, lad! May the bow serve you well!” the merchant smiled wryly.
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[3. 2. 1.]
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Takeo slung the bow over his shoulder just as the timer reached zero. Just in the nick of time.
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[COMMENCING EVENT: HUNTERS TO HUNT]
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The merchants and shops were slowly shimmering.
"Take care Takeo! We're all rooting for you!" Chinatsu managed to get one last cheer in from a distance away.
The merchants and shops shimmered, their forms instantly dissolving into light as the timer struck zero. In their place, the air at the center of the dome began to ripple, shimmering with an unnatural glow. Slowly, a figure emerged - an image, projected onto a veil of flowing water.
The projection was eerie yet captivating. The water’s surface danced with faint light, reflecting the person’s sharp, sunken features. The projection’s long fringe covered part of its face, while black robes draped around its ethereal form. Though it wasn’t physically present, the image carried a commanding presence, amplified by the mysterious water veil that made it appear alive.
“There is no need for introductions.” the figure said, its voice calm and detached, reverberating as though carried by the water itself. “Let me tell you directly how this event works: survive. That’s it.”
Just then, the system showed the event description and further details.
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[EVENT RULES FOR HUNTERS TO HUNT]
[EVENT DESCRIPTION: ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE DEEMED "THE HUNTED." THERE WILL BE SUMMONS THAT WILL SPAWN IN THE FOREST’S CENTER AND HUNT "THE HUNTED". PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RANDOMLY TELEPORTED TO THE OUTSKIRTS FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE SUMMONS. DEFEND YOURSELF BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY AND OUTLAST THE TIMER.]
[DIFFICULTY: 3 STARS]
[TOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 1236 PARTICIPANTS]
[WINNING CONDITIONS: SURVIVE UNTIL THE EVENT ENDS - 24 HOURS.
SLAYING ONE SUMMON WITHIN 24 HOURS]
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