Chapter 3 - Chapter 03 - Hunter Rank SS+?

A 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧...

The atmosphere at the Hunter Association was filled with the rumble of conversation and laughter.

Hunters of various ranks gathered, trading stories while gulping down liquor strong enough to knock out an ordinary person within minutes. But for those accustomed to facing danger, alcohol was merely a complement to their enjoyment.

In one corner of the room, two Hunters exchanged information, their faces animated.

"Hey, have you heard? The low-tier Magical Beasts around the city have dropped off sharply lately," said a stocky Hunter with a scar running across his cheek.

His younger companion raised an eyebrow. "Really? First I've heard of it."

"Of course you haven't! You're too busy wasting your time at the bar." The first Hunter laughed heartily, then leaned in, lowering his voice. "Word is, there's an Irregular Hunter hunting in our territory."

"An Irregular Hunter?" His companion's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Irregular Hunter — the term for a Hunter operating without an official identification card. With no registration in the government database, no one knew the true talent or strength of a Hunter like that.

That fact alone was enough to keep them under constant suspicion, even shunned.

Most Irregular Hunters were known to be dangerous and often ended up captured by government or Association Hunters.

"Poor low-rank Hunters. It must be even harder to find prey now," the younger Hunter commented, shaking his head.

"Actually, it's the opposite, my friend." The stocky Hunter grinned.

"What do you mean?"

"Unlike most Irregular Hunters, this one is actually popular among the low-rank Hunters. They're even eager to find her."

"What?!" The younger Hunter was startled. "Why would they go looking for trouble with an Irregular Hunter?"

"That's the interesting part." The Hunter drained his drink, his face flushing redder.

"From what I've heard, this Irregular Hunter has actually been saving low-rank Hunters from danger. Not stealing their targets like other Irregular Hunters do."

"Is that all?" The younger Hunter frowned. That kind of behavior was unusual, sure, but not quite enough to cause a stir.

"Of course that's not all." The stocky Hunter chuckled. "The main reason everyone's looking for her is... her appearance."

"Her appearance?"

"Yeah." The Hunter nodded firmly. "According to the accounts of those who've actually met her, this Irregular Hunter has a beauty so stunning it's like a Goddess descended from the heavens. Some say her beauty exists only in dreams."

The younger Hunter rolled his eyes, unconvinced. "They're being way too dramatic."

The beauty of a Goddess? Something that exists only in dreams? Weren't there already plenty of Rank S female Hunters with stunning looks? Especially at Rank S+ and above, where beauty had become its own kind of distinction.

"I thought the same thing, until I heard who was praising her to the skies... the Young Master of the Falcon Family, Emil Falcon."

"No way?!" The younger Hunter slammed the table without realizing it, drawing the attention of several people nearby. "Emil Falcon? Are you serious?"

Forget the fact that Emil's rank was still low. As a scion of the renowned Falcon Family, everyone knew he was destined to become at least an A+ or even S rank Hunter, just like his sister, Mirai Falcon, who now served as Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association.

What made this news so shocking was that Emil was known as a shy young man who had almost never shown interest in any woman. Not a single girl had ever managed to catch his attention.

"If that's true, this Irregular Hunter is extremely lucky," the younger Hunter said, letting out a low whistle.

"Right. Word is Young Master Emil has been searching for her relentlessly."

"Damn..." The younger Hunter shook his head in amazement. "Now I'm curious what she looks like too."

"Same," the stocky Hunter nodded. "Whoever can make Emil Falcon this infatuated must have a beauty on par with Rank S+ Hunters, or even beyond."

Their conversation drifted on to other, lighter topics. The mood warmed up again. No one suspected that the very subject of their conversation was about to appear right in front of them...

CRACK

The Association's door swung open hard, cutting through the noise. Every head turned at once toward the sound.

Time seemed to stop. The air in the room felt like it had frozen solid.

Standing in the doorway was a figure who brought every Hunter's thoughts to a screeching halt.

Damn, what the hell is that?!

An unspoken scream echoed in everyone's mind.

A woman stepped inside with a hypnotic grace. Every movement was elegant, carrying an aura impossible to deny. Her expression was calm, almost indifferent, as if the dozens of pairs of eyes staring at her in awe were nothing more than a passing breeze.

Her purple hair was long and shimmering, perfectly styled, swaying gently with every step.

Her eyes — a pair of purple gems — radiated a wisdom and strength that were hard to put into words. Her skin was pale as porcelain, a striking contrast against the dark purple kimono, a style rarely seen in this era.

What made her appearance even more captivating was the small beauty mark near her right eye, a tiny detail that somehow completed the whole picture perfectly.

The kimono wasn't just clothing. Every fold of it seemed to speak of majesty and power. And what stood out most was the aura radiating from her, as if silently saying "do not come closer."

Even the Hunters, ones who'd seen beauty from every corner of the world, were left stunned.

This woman's beauty surpassed any Rank S or SS+ Hunter they had ever encountered.

Feeling the piercing stares from every direction, the woman frowned briefly before settling back into her calm expression. She knew that, sooner or later, she'd become the center of attention.

After all, her image was that of someone cold toward strangers...

Amid the suffocating silence, a stream of notifications kept popping up in her mind without pause:

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀]

...

Irritated by the barrage, Lux (Raiden Ei) frowned.

'Turn off the notifications. Only activate them when it's really important.'

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱...]

The voices vanished from her mind. She let out a breath of relief, but her focus remained fixed on the reason for her visit today.

With a steady stride that spoke of grace and authority, she approached the reception desk, where a young girl was on duty.

Just as she was about to speak, Lux (Raiden Ei) felt something startlingly strange...

Her mind suddenly went blank.

Huh? What was happening?

She blinked.

Why did it feel like... she was struggling to start a conversation?

It wasn't a matter of speaking ability, but... she also couldn't seem to take the initiative to begin!

This realization shocked her.

Don't tell me...

[𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗶'𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴]

[𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗶 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 '𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀']

"..." Lux (Raiden Ei) fell silent, unable to respond.

Social difficulties.

Simply put, trouble communicating with others.

It turned out this was a side effect of the hundreds of years Raiden Ei had spent meditating in the 'Plane of Euthymia' — the dimension of her own consciousness.

Isolated from the outside world for centuries, she had lost even the most basic social skills.

Strangely enough, this imperfection only added to her appeal.

Who would have thought that behind the cold, perfect facade of the Electro Archon lay a side that was so... endearing?

"I-is there something I can help you with, Miss?" the receptionist's voice trembled, clearly both mesmerized and intimidated.

Her nervousness was understandable. Raiden Ei's beauty was so dazzling it made her feel small. The girl was trying hard not to stare too long, afraid it might seem rude.

Of course, it was useless.

The purple-haired woman's allure was like a magnet — impossible to look away from. Even her scent filled the air around them, creating an intoxicating sensation that made the girl's head spin.

Noticing the nervousness in front of her, Lux (Raiden Ei) tried to ease the tension with a calm voice.

"I want to get a Hunter identification card," she said directly.

"Eh?" The receptionist jumped.

"Is there a problem?"

"N-not at all, Miss! P-please forgive me!" The receptionist hastily bowed, panicking that she'd upset her. "P-please, follow me..."

Meanwhile, the Hunters who were still stunned slowly came back to their senses after the captivating figure vanished from sight. Their reactions varied, but were united by the same fascination.

"Damn! That's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life!"

"That beauty mark near her eye... God, I nearly lost my mind just looking at her!"

"Wait, wasn't she getting a Hunter ID card made? That means..."

The male Hunters fell silent for a moment, processing the implications. The same thought crossed all their minds at once: recruit her into their group or guild!

Amid the commotion, a few low-rank Hunters stood frozen, their expressions stunned.

That's her... that's the Irregular Hunter the Young Master has been looking for!

"Hey, snap out of it, idiot!" one Hunter shook his friend's shoulder. "Go contact Young Master Emil, quick!"

"H-huh? R-right away!" His still-dazed friend hurried out.

The man began plotting how to stall for time until their Young Master arrived. Naturally, hidden beneath it was the intention to make a good impression on this mysterious woman.

***

"C-could you tell me your name, Miss?" the receptionist asked, her voice still shaking.

"...Raiden Shogun." After a brief pause to think, Lux (Raiden Ei) settled on the name she would use.

It wasn't without reason that she was reluctant to use the name Raiden Ei. To her, that name was far too precious to give to just anyone. Only those who were worthy deserved to know her true identity.

This attitude might come across as arrogant, but it was a consequence of Raiden Ei's personality — or perhaps, more accurately, Raiden Shogun's?

Lux (Raiden Ei) herself wasn't entirely sure what state Raiden Shogun's consciousness was in right now, given that she was currently playing the role of Raiden Ei.

Or maybe she was playing both roles at once? That uncertainty made her frown slightly, but she quickly let it go.

She just hoped... there wasn't some hidden "time bomb" inside her — the Shogun personality that could seize control at any moment.

"A-and what about your city of origin, empire, or place of residence?" the receptionist continued.

"I'm not affiliated with any power," Lux (Raiden Ei) answered calmly.

"S-so, can we conclude you're from a village?"

"...Yes, let's say that."

The answer sounded somewhat condescending, but considering Raiden Ei truly had no identity of any kind in this world, she really was like a village girl who knew nothing.

"A-and then..."

Over the next few minutes, the questions and answers continued. The receptionist asked a series of standard questions, and Lux (Raiden Ei) answered them all calmly and concisely.

"And finally..." The receptionist pointed to a large, glowing orb in the middle of the room.

"C-could you touch this orb? It will determine your Tier, Talent, and current experience."

"Tier?" Even though she already knew the answer, Lux (Raiden Ei) kept up the pretense of ignorance.

"Tier is a person's power ranking," the receptionist explained. "The higher your Tier, the faster and easier it is to raise your Hunter Rank."

The Tier system ran from Tier 1 to Tier 10, each divided into three stages: early, middle, and late. Breaking through a Tier's limit wasn't easy — the speed depended heavily on the type of Talent one possessed.

In the past, a person's strength was judged purely by Tier. But ever since the Hunter Rank System emerged, everything changed.

Strength wasn't everything — if Tier represented raw power, then Rank represented a combination of power, experience, and achievement.

A high Rank showed not just strength, but combat experience as well. For instance, if a late-stage Tier 6 Hunter with no combat experience faced a late-stage Tier 5 Rank S Hunter, the Rank S Hunter would usually win, thanks to their more seasoned experience.

Even losing in Tier didn't always decide the outcome of a battle. Many factors could tip the scales toward victory — strategy, technique, knowledge, even luck.

But Tier, huh...?

Lux (Raiden Ei) eyed the large orb before her with hesitation.

Raiden Ei's power didn't come from [mana] like most Hunters, but from a different dimension entirely.

This made her curious... how would this world define the strength of an Electro Archon within a human system?

From the memories she'd received, one of Raiden Ei's greatest feats was splitting an entire island in a single strike.

Beyond that, she had lived for over a thousand years, and as an Electro Archon, her power should be equivalent to peak Tier 8, or possibly even higher.

With all of that, she might well qualify for Rank SS+.

But could this orb actually detect all of that?

Lux (Raiden Ei) looked at the Truth Orb — a sphere three meters in diameter — which served not only to determine a person's Tier and Talent, but also to measure their entire history of experience and achievements. This system was designed to prevent fraud, like "a Hunter claiming to have killed a Dragon when they actually hadn't."

Thanks to the Truth Orbs, Hunters could be evaluated fairly and transparently. There were no back doors; everyone had to compete honestly.

For anyone wanting to hide their abilities, the only option was to become an Irregular Hunter.

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗔𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁'𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱!]

[𝗗𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹!]

"..."

"I-is something wrong, Miss?" the receptionist asked worriedly.

"No... it's nothing." Lux (Raiden Ei) had been caught off guard for a moment but quickly settled back into her normal expression.

The receptionist let out a relieved breath, then carefully approached the Truth Orb.

But the moment she saw the information appear... her face went pale.

"W-WHAT?!" Her scream shattered the silence.

"T-that's impossible... t-this information..." Her voice trembled as she stared at Lux (Raiden Ei), eyes wide. "M-my apologies, it seems... there might be an error. C-could you touch it once more, Miss?"

"Hm? Of course."

Though a little confused, Lux (Raiden Ei) placed her hand on the orb again.

The receptionist stared at the Truth Orb, trembling, only to find the information stayed exactly the same, but the orb's glow was far brighter than before.

Seeing this, Lux (Raiden Ei) figured she might need to channel more energy. Without hesitation, she released a bit more of her power.

And what happened next was beyond anyone's expectations.

The orb suddenly unleashed a blinding flash of purple lightning, striking out in every direction.

𝙅𝙀𝘿𝙀𝘼𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙍𝙍...!!!

"Kyaaa!!"

The receptionist was thrown backward by the sheer force of the energy wave.

At a speed almost too fast for the eye to catch, Lux (Raiden Ei) shot forward and caught the girl before her body hit the floor.

"Are you hurt—"

"Fuck! Is that for real?!"

Lux's words were cut off by someone's startled shout.

Her pupils shrank as she realized her information had already been exposed to the entire room.

No, worse than that — the roaring purple lightning had formed a massive projection across the ceiling, large enough for the entire city to witness.

"That's..."

The Hunters trembled, mouths hanging open, staring at the lines of text displayed in the air.

Purple lightning crackled as the Truth Orb radiated golden light, carrying an undeniable aura of majesty.

...

[𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐧]

[𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐫: 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝟖 (𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞)]

[𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒𝐒: 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐧]

[𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒𝐒: 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢]

[𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒: 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐧]

[𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒+: 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐨𝐮 𝐈𝐬𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧]

[𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐀+: 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐲𝐦𝐢𝐚]

[𝟔𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 ???: 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐧𝐨 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐨𝐭𝐨]

[𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡, 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒+!]

...

The information displayed across the sky made everyone hold their breath.

"R-rank SS+... with six Talents, one of which doesn't even have a known Rank..."

A tense silence hung in the air before—

"INCREDIBLE! DID YOU ALL SEE THAT?!"

"OUR CITY HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO A RANK SS+ HUNTER!"

"AND SIX TALENTS?! EVEN THE MOST LEGENDARY HUNTERS ONLY HAVE FIVE! BUT SHE HAS SIX!"

"OUR CITY HAS BEEN BLESSED BY THE GOD OF FORTUNE!"

The atmosphere erupted into joyful chaos.

No one doubted what they'd seen, because a Truth Orb could never lie. It was a sacred artifact created by the Gods themselves.

Their excitement doubled at the thought that a Rank SS+ Hunter had been born in their small city. With a Hunter of this caliber, the city's combat strength would rise dramatically.

No more worrying about Dungeon Breaks — even the Association and the central government would no longer dare to look down on them!

Though their city already had the Falcon Family's backing thanks to three Rank S Hunters, that alone hadn't been enough to guarantee their safety and influence.

But with the emergence of a Rank SS+ Hunter, even the Imperial Family in the capital was sure to take special notice!

Lux (Raiden Ei) stood silently amid the uproar, her face remaining calm, though inwardly she was a little surprised. She hadn't expected to cause a sensation this big.

***

"Young Master! Look at the sky!"

A panicked shout from a Rank D Hunter shattered the calm of the afternoon. Several Hunters nearby turned their heads upward at once, mouths agape.

Emil Falcon — a handsome fifteen-year-old boy with soft brown hair and brilliant green eyes — followed the direction of their gazes. In an instant, his eyes widened in disbelief, his body frozen in place.

Across the city's clear sky, a massive announcement was projected in golden light, a phenomenon that only appeared when a Truth Orb announced the presence of a rare Hunter.

This time, the text was different. Not the Rank S Hunter that appeared once every few years, but something impossible:

[𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒+: 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐧]

Emil's heart pounded.

Rank SS+?!

Impossible!

For hundreds of years, the strongest Hunter in this city had only ever reached Rank S+!

"I have to report this to my sister and father!" he muttered, then sprinted toward the Hunter Association at lightning speed.

***

The Hunter Association was usually calm and orderly, but today was different.

A crowd of Hunters of every Rank packed the main lobby, all eyes fixed on the large information screen displaying the same announcement that had appeared in the sky.

Emil pushed through the crowd, breathless. In one corner of the room, he spotted two burly Hunters who were supposed to be out on a search mission.

"Y-you two! What are you doing here?" Emil demanded, his eyes blazing. "Aren't you supposed to be searching for that Irregular Hunter?!"

The two men exchanged a nervous glance before the older one worked up the nerve to answer, "T-that's... Young Master... actually, we already found the Irregular Hunter you were looking for."

"Eh?" Emil froze, his chest tightening. "W-where is she now?!" he asked eagerly, his voice cracking slightly with excitement.

Emil had been obsessed with finding this mysterious Irregular Hunter for weeks — someone rumored to possess astonishing abilities, yet whose face had never been seen, always vanishing as quickly as she appeared.

"A-about that..." The younger man swallowed hard. "It seems the Irregular Hunter Young Master has been looking for is... the Rank SS+ Hunter whose information is being shown right now..."

Emil froze solid. The world around him seemed to fade into meaningless static.

Only one word left his dry lips. "...Huh?"

At that exact moment, an uproar erupted around them.

The crowd, which had been noisy just moments before, suddenly fell silent, then broke into whispers filled with awe.

Emil's heart seemed to stop for a beat.

That's... that's her...

In the middle of the room, walking with the grace of a goddess descended to the mortal world, was the figure he had only ever been able to dream about.

An adult woman with a beauty that seemed to freeze time, her long dark purple hair swept up high with elegant ornaments, sharp electric-purple eyes holding a timeless wisdom, an aura of majesty wrapping around her body draped in an elegant purple kimono detailed with gold.

The kimono was slightly parted at the thigh, revealing black stockings hugging her long, slender legs. Every step of hers was graceful yet firm, creating a striking contrast between softness and strength.

A tense silence fell over the room as the woman made her way toward the reception desk.

The Hunters shifted aside to clear a path, as if afraid that even the slightest touch might invite the goddess's wrath.

'She's here... finally. I have a chance to see her again...'

Emil's body trembled.

A memory flooded his mind — of being trapped by a swarm of high-tier Magical Beasts in the forbidden forest three months ago.

Death had nearly claimed him, until a flash of purple light split the sky, and in an instant, every monster was reduced to dust.

It was this woman who had saved him, glancing at him briefly with cold yet beautiful purple eyes, before vanishing like a dream.

Ever since then, Emil Falcon had been utterly captivated, unable to stop thinking about her.

Now, his savior goddess stood right before him. Real. Even more breathtaking than his memory of her.

A receptionist, hands trembling, asked, "E-excuse me, Miss. Is that information in the sky yours?"

The woman — Raiden Shogun — frowned slightly, clearly bothered, yet still elegant.

"Yes," she answered curtly.

Like a dam bursting, the room erupted into chaos, filled with shouts of offers from various Guilds.

"Miss, join our Guild! You'll get 90% of the profits from every hunt!"

"No, Miss! Our Guild will make you Vice Leader right away!"

"Don't listen to them! Our Guild has connections with the royal family!"

The corner of Raiden Shogun's mouth twitched faintly, clearly annoyed, but she chose to ignore the chaos. She turned back to the receptionist.

"What about my Hunter identification card?"

"T-that's..." the receptionist swallowed. "Since this is the first time we've had to process a Rank SS+, the procedure will take a bit longer. Our system isn't programmed for..." her voice trailed off under Raiden's sharp gaze.

Emil saw his chance. As the second son of the Falcon Family — one of the wealthiest noble houses in the kingdom — he could speed up the process. This was his opportunity to get closer to her.

But before the words could leave his mouth, a confident voice cut in.

"If that's the issue, I can help, Lady."

Raiden Shogun turned, her eyes narrowing at the man now standing before her.

A handsome young man with pale purple hair and gleaming green eyes. His lavish white robe was embroidered with gold thread, and the gem-studded staff in his hand signaled a status of considerable importance.

"...You?" Raiden asked, one eyebrow raised.

The man bowed elegantly, dropping to one knee, taking the woman's hand and holding it aloft — not quite bold enough to kiss it, but bold enough to touch it.

"Ah, forgive my rudeness, My Lady." His voice was smooth, hypnotic.

"My identity may not mean much before someone like you, but allow me to introduce myself — my name is Yerlin van Julius, known as the Flowers Magician, one of the Rank S Hunters of this city."

Raiden Shogun regarded him flatly, unimpressed. "...Raiden Shogun."

"Raiden?" Yerlin smiled charmingly.

"A fitting name for you, Lady... Like lightning unrivaled, striking with a speed no one can chase and a power nothing can hold back. I feel fortunate to touch that lightning without being struck," he said with the same seductive tone that had already won over the hearts of countless noblewomen before her.

The male Hunters around them wore sour expressions. Even Emil felt jealousy burn hot in his chest.

How dare that man flirt with her so shamelessly...

But Raiden Shogun was no ordinary woman like the ones Yerlin had met before. She withdrew her hand with a movement both smooth and firm, her eyes cold as a frozen lake.

"Enough nonsense. How exactly do you intend to help me? And what do you want in payment?"

Yerlin lost a bit of momentum, but his smile didn't waver.

"With my authority as a Rank S Hunter, I can have your Hunter identification card ready in no time. As for payment..." He looked at Raiden softly. "Marry me."

Dead silence. Emil felt his blood boil.

Raiden Shogun was just about to open her mouth when Yerlin chuckled and added, "Of course, I'm only joking," winking playfully.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense.

Every eye turned to Yerlin with a mix of admiration and resentment.

This man had just done something they could only dream of — speaking directly to this new goddess of lightning.

Bastard...

Emil seethed with fury.

Noticing the murderous glares directed at him, Yerlin merely chuckled softly. Behind that laughter, ambition burned.

This woman, this unmatched beauty, would be his. With the charm that had already conquered so many noble hearts, he was certain it was only a matter of time before this woman fell into his arms.

"I'll help you, Lady, but in return... please grant me one request."

"As long as it's not an unreasonable request, I'll consider it," Raiden Shogun answered flatly.

"That's more than enough." Yerlin smiled, satisfied. The first step had succeeded.

Raiden Shogun nodded briefly. She was about to walk away, but suddenly remembered something. With a smooth motion, she turned back to the receptionist, her expression showing a hint of hesitation — the first emotion she had displayed since arriving.

"This is compensation from me for damaging the Association's property."

From within the sleeve of her kimono, Raiden Shogun produced something that left the entire room stunned. Magic cores from various Magical Beasts, shimmering in a range of colors, numbering in the hundreds.

Magic cores were crystallized energy formed within the bodies of Magical Beasts, the source of their power and a precious material for weapons and alchemy.

A single magic core from a low-tier Beast alone could feed an ordinary family for a week, and here, Raiden had set down a pile large enough to buy a luxury house.

"Y-you don't need to..." the receptionist stammered, her eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

The Hunters whispered among themselves. "Hasn't there been an Irregular Hunter lately slaughtering Magical Beasts left and right? Always vanishing before anyone could get a good look?"

"Don't tell me..."

But before that speculation could be confirmed, Raiden Shogun's body dissolved into a blinding flash of purple light and vanished, leaving behind a stunned silence.

"Heh... she really is an interesting woman," Yerlin murmured, a smile curling on his lips.

His gaze swept the room, his eyebrows lifting as he noticed Emil Falcon had also disappeared. But he quickly dismissed it.

Emil was no threat. That teenage boy stood no chance of competing with him for the heart of the lightning goddess.

With confident steps, Yerlin made his way toward the special office to finalize the Hunter identification card for the woman he had already marked as his new target.

***

"W-wait!"

In a quiet alley not far from the Association, Lux's (Raiden Ei's) footsteps came to a halt.

She turned with an elegant motion, her eyes narrowing at the young man panting behind her.

Emil Falcon stood there, breath ragged, sweat trickling down his temples. His brilliant green eyes burned with blazing determination, even as his body trembled.

How had he managed to follow her?

Lux (Raiden Ei) wondered, a little impressed. Even with her lightning-fast speed, this young man had managed to track her down.

But the moment she saw the glint in his eyes... she raised an eyebrow.

Hm... an eye-type Talent?

"Do you need something from me?" Lux (Raiden Ei) asked flatly, though there was a faint, almost undetectable note of curiosity in her voice.

Emil struggled to steady his breathing. His face flushed red, partly from running, partly from standing before the goddess who had lived in his dreams for months.

"T-there's something I want to tell you," he finally managed to say.

"Speak." Lux (Raiden Ei) looked at him, her deep purple eyes seeming to pierce straight into Emil's soul.

"I..." Emil's heart pounded so hard he feared it might burst. A bead of sweat slid down his temple as he gathered every ounce of his courage.

"I've loved you since the first moment I saw you! Please, marry me!"

The words shot out like an arrow, clear, without hesitation. A confession he seemed to have prepared and rehearsed for months.

Lux (Raiden Ei) froze for a moment before her brow furrowed. "You—"

"I-I know this sounds crazy!" Emil cut in quickly, afraid his courage would vanish if he stopped. "I know I'm far weaker than you, but believe me, I'll become as strong as you are! I just need time!"

"Listen—" Lux (Raiden Ei) tried to interrupt, but Emil cut her off again, his words pouring out in a rush.

"And with my status as part of the Falcon Family, our life together would be secure! I swear I'll be faithful for life! I'll never take a concubine or look at another woman! So please, marry—"

𝙅𝙀𝘿𝘼𝘼𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙍...!!

The sky above them suddenly darkened. Purple lightning crackled around Lux (Raiden Ei), a wave of electric energy radiating from her body, sending Emil flying back several meters.

"HUH?! Ow!"

Emil's back slammed into a hard brick wall, cracking it and drawing blood from his mouth. But even that pain couldn't tear his attention away from the sight before him.

Lux (Raiden Ei) stood there, her body wrapped in dancing purple lightning. Her once-cold eyes now gleamed with danger, like a storm ready to rage.

The air around her trembled with such powerful electric energy that Emil could feel it in every cell of his body.

"Are you finished talking?" the woman's voice was low and dangerous, like thunder rumbling before a storm breaks.

"I don't know what's made you feel this way about me, but... I have no interest in forming a romantic relationship with anyone."

She stepped forward, each footstep leaving small cracks in the ground. "Love, marriage, and things like that — it's all nothing but nonsense to my ears."

Her electric-purple eyes bore sharply into Emil's. "And what does your noble status even mean? In the face of absolute power, noble status means nothing at all."

Emil felt his heart pound.

"As for your loyalty," Lux (Raiden Ei) continued, "I don't need it. If I wanted loyalty, I could get it from anyone simply by showing my strength. No need to bother swearing oaths."

The lightning crackling around her body grew more intense. "And you think that with your Talent as it stands now, you could ever catch up to me?"

"I-if given time, I'm sure I could become your equal!" Emil said, trembling but full of resolve.

"Oh?" One of Raiden's eyebrows rose, her gaze cold. "How long would that take? Five years? A hundred? Or... a thousand years? You think I'm willing to wait that long?"

"T-that's..." Emil fell silent. For the first time, doubt crept into his heart...

Yes... she was right.

He had only one inherited Talent from his bloodline, while the woman before him possessed six, each one capable of surpassing his own.

Of course, even if there had been a man like that, Lux (Raiden Ei) would still have refused him.

Remember, once again... he was a man!

Even though he currently wore a woman's form, it was only temporary.

His orientation was still normal. He still liked women.

If it weren't for needing this power to survive in such a dangerous world, he would have long since refused to become a woman.

But at the same time... Lux (Raiden Ei) also understood why Emil had fallen for her.

After all, even Lux, whose emotions had already been eroded by the Divine Ice Emperor, had to admit... setting aside a few flaws, Raiden Ei really was beautiful.

She didn't know what to say about a game company like Genshin Impact creating such an overwhelmingly powerful character in the form of such a captivating woman...

Emil lowered his head, his chest feeling as though it had been crushed.

"As for love at first sight?" Raiden continued, her voice cold but faintly... mocking. "Are you joking? Isn't that just a fleeting impulse?"

"No!" Emil looked up, his eyes blazing with determination. "This isn't lust! I truly love you! I want to spend my life with you!"

Raiden stared deep into Emil's eyes, as if searching for something there. For a brief moment, a glint in her eyes found sincerity behind the young man's gaze.

The real Raiden Ei might have been a little surprised.

Unfortunately...

"Enough." Lux (Raiden Ei) finally let out a sigh. "Like I said, I have no interest in forming any kind of relationship with anyone, let alone marrying them."

"At least give me a chan—"

"Don't force me."

Lux's (Raiden Ei's) voice turned as cold as ice. "If it weren't for the fact that I'd rather avoid trouble, you'd be a cold corpse by now."

Emil bit his lip hard, both fists clenching tightly before finally loosening, defeated. Head bowed, he whispered, "I see... I understand..."

Seeing the genuine sorrow on the young man's face, Lux (Raiden Ei) fell quiet for a moment.

If that confession had been directed at someone else, in a different situation... things might have turned out differently.

Damn it, of all people, this boy had to run into her.

Lux (Raiden Ei) shook her head lightly.

"If that's al—"

Her words stopped short.

Her sharp eyes suddenly went alert, her body tensing.

In less than a fraction of a second, Lux (Raiden Ei) detected three shadows moving with extraordinary speed toward Emil — movements even a Rank S Hunter would struggle to track.

"Get down," Lux (Raiden Ei) ordered coldly.

"Eh?"

Emil was about to ask when—

𝙒𝙊𝙎𝙃....!! 𝙅𝙀𝘿𝘼𝘼𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙍...!!!

Three shadows and a flash of purple lightning collided exactly where Emil had been standing a second before. The explosion of energy hurled Emil's body against the wall once more, leaving a massive crack and making him cough up blood.

"RAIDEN!!" Emil screamed in panic, terrified his savior had been hurt.

"I'm not weak enough for you to worry about," Lux's (Raiden Ei's) calm voice answered from within the settling dust. "Instead of worrying about me, you'd do better to worry about your own safety."

As the dust thinned, Emil stared, transfixed by the sight before him.

Behind Lux (Raiden Ei), a blinding circle of purple energy glowed. Six curved points like a windmill connected together, forming a symbol that channeled tremendous power.

Chakra Desiderata — the true manifestation of an Electro Archon's power.

Lux's (Raiden Ei's) entire body was now wrapped in dancing purple lightning, her long hair whipping in the waves of energy, her cold eyes gleaming with an intimidating, supernatural light.

"...Beautiful," Emil whispered without meaning to, entranced by the lethal beauty before him.

"Enjoying the view?" Lux (Raiden Ei) asked with a cold stare that could freeze blood in its veins.

"Ah!" Emil snapped out of his daze. "S-sorry, I just..."

Raiden ignored him, her full attention now fixed on the three silhouettes now standing at the end of the alley, each cloaked in black, their sharp gazes savage.

"T-they..." Emil said, a little nervous.

"That appearance..." Lux (Raiden Ei) tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "Shadow Order?"

Lux's (Raiden Ei's) words came out flat, freezing Emil in fear.

Shadow Order — the most feared assassin guild on the continent, notorious for its brutal killing methods and merciless efficiency.

"Oh? Look what we've found," one of the assassins said, his voice a horrifying rasp. "Not only can you deflect an attack from all three of us at once... you can also recognize our identity in an instant."

"Not quite," Lux (Raiden Ei) answered calmly. "Just a coincidence."

"Seems there's a traitorous rat in our nest. I'll have to report this to the Boss later."

"Unfortunate," Lux (Raiden Ei) said in a low, dangerous voice, "but I'm afraid that won't be possible, because... you won't be getting the chance."

The three assassins fell silent for a moment before their mad laughter shattered the quiet.

"HAHAHA!! Interesting, very interesting!" their leader sneered, his black eyes gleaming with madness.

"At first we only meant to finish off that Falcon brat and let you go, but now..."

A disgusting flash of lust and killing intent burned in the eyes of all three assassins. "The three of us are going to capture you, make you our slave, and torment you until you're begging like a dog!"

"Try it, if you can." Raiden answered flatly, not a trace of fear in her voice.

"HAHAHA! WE CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR YOU SCREAM!!"

A faint, terrifying smile crossed her lips. "How convenient... I was hoping to hear you scream too."

𝙒𝙊𝙎𝙎𝙃....!! 𝘽𝙇𝘼𝘼𝘼𝙍𝙍𝙍...!!!