Encounter

Jun advanced easier than before as his body went stronger with time. He did not appear much more muscular but his speed, balance and fitness had improved, making him move with more dexterity. His rough strength had improved as well but not as much as the rest because he didn't train for it daily.

'Tomorrow I must get back to camp. Too bad... I was starting to enjoy this.' His steel like eyes swept the surroundings as he searched for a last prey. 'The last one must be special.' He ran a few miles through the woods then stopped at a river bank. Living as hunter all this time taught him that the beasts liked to go drink some water at this moment of the day. So he intended to hide there and wait for his prey to arrive.

He quickly made a hideout with some branches and then lied down on the ground, all his senses in a state of alert. Silence filled the atmosphere, only broken by the sound of the running water in the river. Jun patiently waited half an hour, always looking for movement in the vegetation.

Sometimes a bird would fly between the majestic trees and distract his eyes or the wind would blow the leafs and alert him. However, the quietness of this place soon made him oscillate between a half asleep state and total awareness. Considering that he didn't really get much sleep for the last thirty days, it was already a miracle that he had not fallen into a deep slumber.

But right when he finally couldn't fight against it anymore, a soft cracking noise reached his ears. He pulled himself together with difficulties and searched for the location where something or someone had stepped on a stick. And he quickly found it.

There, on the opposite bank stood a gorgeous woman wearing only a white gown. She walked into the water until it rose to her thighs, delicately caressing the surface with her hands. Then, she slowly undressed and revealed her perfect curves and soft skin. She washed herself in the pure water as the sun shined onto her and reflected in multiple rays on the river.

Jun got lost in this vision from another world, hypnotized by the perfect figure that he could not miss looking at. He was still young and had not went into his growth period yet, but he was mature enough to feel an inevitable arousal in his lower abdomen. Because of that, he started to feel an urge that he couldn't control to run towards her and embrace her.

When he was about to lose his temper, he saw a necklace that hanged on her chest. A symbol engraved in silver, an image immediately overlapped with one of his oldest memory, one that brought back feelings he had hidden deep inside his inner self. The previous feelings that aroused him were suddenly completely erased by a stronger and deeper emotion that made him tremble from rage in an instant.

These strong emotions he wasn't ready to face surged and made him lose all senses of prudence. He got up in one move and madly ran towards her. When she first heard him, she hid her private parts in reflex but then her gaze sharpened and she went into combat stance, preparing for the incoming threat.

Her face made a surprised expression as she saw her opponent. Jun, still having the looks of a young boy, wasn't really what she expected. Her gaze softened a bit and her body relaxed. When Jun arrived in front of her, she simply raised one hand and stopped him grabbing him by the neck. Powerless, he just hanged there, agitating his arms and legs like a disarticulated puppet eager to rip her face off. She saw in his red eyes that were close to hers a hatred and decisiveness that troubled her.

"Who are you ? Why do you want to kill me ?" She asked in a curious tone while frowning. Jun didn't seem to hear her and continued to stir. She watched him striving to get out of her grip an instant and wondered what she should do with him. "I'm afraid you're too weak to kill me now. If you truly wish to defeat me, then find me again after you grow stronger. My name is Allegra.I won't kill you today, but the next time you try, I won't show mercy anymore."

When she finished talking she hit Jun at the back of the head in a fast gesture and made him lose consciousness...

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The moon had already risen high in the sky when Jun woke up. He opened his eyes and didn't move at all as he watched the stars above, a tear running down his cheek as he remembered what happened. A complex mix of emotions assaulted him and he clenched his teeth.

'Not only did I failed to kill her, but she spared my life...' Is there greater humiliation than to be spared by our own enemies ? At that moment, Jun felt like he had failed his promise and hated himself for it. 'I must get stronger. I HAVE TO ! Then I will find her again. I will save her life to regain my honor... And after that, I'm going to kill her.'

For the second time, Jun made a promise under the stars. Another promise that he will spare no effort to fulfill. Whatever it takes.

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Kalo was sulking as he quickly advanced in the direction that his tracking device pointed at. When he had thought that he could go back to camp and enjoy some well deserved rest, his commanding officer had contacted him to give him some task. He had to investigate the whereabouts of a single boy who apparently went too far into the woods and might have died somewhere.

'What's the use of this crap ? He's surely dead anyway... His chip didn't move for a few hours so the beast should be resting somewhere for the night. As soon as I confirm that one of those stupid animals ate his chip, I can go back. Okay, the tracker indicates that it should be just in front, by the river.'

The scout arrived soon where his tracker pointed at, and looked around to find Jun's cadaver or a random beast. "Where is this stupid animal ? I hope it's not some f***ing bird or it'll just be impossible to catch. With my luck I bet that it's..." Just as he was complaining and searching for something, his eyes caught a surprising sight. Jun was sitting there simply a few yards from him, and was looking at him with a strange expression.

The two looked at each other in silence for awhile, then Kalo opened his mouth and asked with disbelief. "What are you doing here ?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here ? I'm resting. Who are you ?"

"You're JUN989 ?"

When he heard this, Jun quickly understood that this man was coming from the camp and eased up a bit. "Yes."

"Why are you still here if you're still alive ? The thirty days are over, you should have come back."

"Really ? Sorry, I lost count of time here."

Kalo was dumbfounded. It was the first time he heard a participant didn't come back immediately when it was over. And this one didn't even seem like he cared.