Chapter 173: The Beginning

On an average peaceful day, the Hunter Association was filled with at least twenty thousand hunters.After the sudden influx of danger zone appearances, that number surged to over fifty thousand, sometimes even more. The building could no longer accommodate everyone, forcing many to remain outside and wait for those inside to finish their business before they could enter. Tonight was one of those days.

As evening approached, hunters usually returned to report their raids and trade their loot.

However, at this moment, those familiar routines were cut short by sudden changes that froze the entire building in place.

Everyone rushed toward the glass windows, staring at the destruction unfolding outside, their body hair standing on end.

They witnessed monsters they had never seen before emerging into the city.

One of them leapt an impossible distance into the air. When it descended, it brought down its clasped fist onto a massive building, reducing it to nothing but debris. It continued smashing the ruins while releasing a growl. It was not the usual hungry growl of a carnivorous beast, but the sound of a creature that sought nothing but destruction.

There were other similar scenes playing out across the city, scenes so overwhelming that hunters who had trained their entire lives for moments like this were left frozen in place.

At this moment, the Hunter Association building was as safe as it could possibly be.

But then, the blaring alarm system rang out, and a familiar voice echoed through the halls.

It was Crimson Sterlings.

Her voice was serious and shaky, something that was extremely unusual for their graceful and composed leader.

She issued a loud command, or rather, a warning.

Fight or be devoured.

Four simple words, yet their true meaning made even seasoned veterans tremble.

No one had the time to question it when something massive came crashing into the building, causing it to shake violently.

All the alarm systems went off at once, blaring loudly, yet their sounds were dulled by the chaos outside.

The collision occurred again, and the massive tower tilted slightly, as though it was on the verge of collapsing.

Crimson’s voice rang out once more.

She repeated the warning, but this time it sounded even more serious. Hints in her voice confirmed that she was crying.

"Exit the building at onc—"

The warning was cut short as a massive ball of flame slammed into the building, resulting in a violent explosion.

No second warning was needed. Everyone knew what had to be done.

The sound of shattering glass erupted as hunters leapt out of the building. They paid no attention to the cuts and injuries, nor to the fact that none of them possessed the ability to fly or safely manage a fall from such a height.

Yet even fleeing the building was not enough to escape the inevitable.

From beneath the tower, the cries of hunters rang out.

The scene below was gory.

They were being devoured by smaller beasts whose strength was exponentially higher than theirs.

Their protests and their attacks were meaningless against these creatures.

They were torn apart limb by limb, their remains casually tossed into the mouths of their killers, beasts that did not even consider them sufficient to satisfy their hunger.

Hunters who attempted to flee were captured within seconds and tortured painfully before being eaten, as though the beasts were punishing them for their annoying attempts at escape.

Those who managed to hold their ground were C-rank hunters with unique talents.

There were very few B-rank hunters present, and they quickly joined the fight.

But this was not a heroic battle.

It was a fight for survival.

Comrades were ignored and abandoned by partners who did not even dare to look back.

This scene,

Where humanity’s unique attribute, conscience, was forgotten,

Could only be compared to hell.

"Are you okay?"

Marlon looked down at the woman pressed beneath his weight and asked in a worried tone that concealed the dread within him.

Anna shivered violently, her teeth clattering as she struggled to form even a single word.

Marlon was pressed atop her, their position rather intimate, but neither of them thought in that direction.

Fear dulled everything else.

Marlon stood up and extended a hand toward her.

He could hear everything happening outside. He even saw a massive dragon fly past the window, growling with animalistic rage.

"Marlon..."

At that moment, Crimson arrived along with two others.

He recognized them instantly. Douglas Payne and the Black Ice Queen.

"Are you hurt?"

The Black Ice Queen’s usual cold composure had already been shattered by the chaos. She appeared before Marlon in an instant, holding his face, worry evident in her eyes as she asked the question everyone was thinking.

Marlon nodded.

Yet questions filled his mind.

Why were they here instead of outside saving the hunters?

"Come with us. We need to get you somewhere safe."

Douglas spoke in a stern tone.

"We do not have time to waste, kid. This is not just for your own good, but for the entire world."

The firmness in his voice revealed the urgency of the situation.

Marlon was perplexed.

Take him to a safe place? His safety being for the good of the entire world? What nonsense.

"I need to be outside. Hunters are dying. I have friends too, and I am not weak."

He spoke firmly.

Everything was happening too abruptly for him to properly understand or process the situation.

The screams growing louder and the growls drawing closer were proof that holding a conversation like this should have been impossible.

"You do not—"

The Black Ice Queen was about to speak when she suddenly sensed something approaching Marlon from outside the building.

Hundreds of arrows, laced with unfathomable dark power, warped through the air at impossible speed.

Douglas and Crimson noticed them as well.

The three moved forward instinctively, without any coordination or planning.

Douglas activated his skill.

A massive magic circle appeared, and within a split second, it transformed into a golden shield that shone with brilliant radiance.

Beside him, Crimson’s eyes glowed red. Her fists were wrapped in lethal misty energy as she prepared to strike.

The Ice Queen moved ahead of the others.

Her body was encased in thick ice armor that radiated chilling power.

She flew out of the building toward the direction the arrows were coming from.

She countered most of the arrows, though several still managed to deal damage despite her strength and defense. Had even one of them reached Marlon, he would have died instantly.

"There you are..."

She spotted the one who had fired the arrows.

A humanoid creature stood atop the remains of what had once been a towering building.

Its skin was pale white.

It looked human, except for the two black-gold horns protruding from its head.

Unnaturally, it possessed the height and appearance of an average seventeen-year-old teenager.

The strange creature noticed her.

A wide grin spread across its face.

It did not fear her in the slightest.

It casually lifted its hand, and a massive glowing bow materialized. Arrows condensed automatically, each laced with different elemental affinities.

Flame. Water. Ice. Earth. Lightning.

Except for a few rare affinities, most were present.

The arrows shot toward her in a relentless barrage.

She continued closing the distance, deflecting each attack with precision.

Meanwhile,

Boom. Boom.

The golden shield blocked countless arrows as explosions rocked the floor beneath them.

The violent impacts shook the entire structure, forcing everyone inside to brace themselves.

Marlon stood behind Douglas and Crimson, staring in disbelief.

Were those arrows meant for him?

The answer was obvious.

The way the three had instinctively stepped forward to shield him made it clear.

For the first time, he saw Crimson lose her composure completely. Rage burned in her eyes, the kind that made her entire body tremble uncontrollably.

Douglas gritted his teeth as backlash surged through his body from the repeated collisions.

Eventually, the torrent of arrows stopped.

Douglas deactivated the golden shield.

Both hunters turned toward Marlon, intending to move him immediately.

But Marlon’s gaze was fixed elsewhere.

He stared at the fierce battle unfolding between the Black Ice Queen and the creature above, ignoring the chaos around him.

"Aurax..."

It was impossible not to recognize it.

In the midst of combat, the Aurax’s eyes shifted toward Marlon.

A chilling grin spread across its face before it returned its attention to the Black Ice Queen.

Then, in an instant, the Aurax vanished.

It reappeared behind her.

A blade oozing with sinister ener

gy formed in its hand.

Time seemed to slow.

The Aurax turned its head and looked directly at Marlon, grinning coldly, as if inviting him to watch.

Then, without hesitation, it drove the blade into the Black Ice Queen.