Decision and Determination

"Rama! Ramaaaa!! Wake up!!!"

"Geez... Who's there? Take it easy will ya?" I walk towards the door unlively, my eyes are still heavy.

As I open the door, there're already Juna and Jani with their equipment attached. Training rags and weapons, but they look worried.

"Rama, we have bad news. All of the gathering and tracking quests have already been taken. What remains were only hunting ones." With a limp voice, Juna told me the situation.

"What?!" I rub my eyes, trying to regain my other consciousness. I can't believe what happen.

"It's true, Rama. We only have a hunting quest available. What should we do?" Jani replied.

"Ok, lemme get ready, and we shall discuss it in the guildhall." I immediately get back and prepare myself before we gather in the guildhall.

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The situation is tensed up. Juna and Jani are confused about which quest should we take.

"So, what now?" Jani frowns.

"Okay okay, we may only have the hunting quest remains, but even if we get that quest now, we're gonna have to take the hunting quest sooner or later," I said.

"Yeah, but at least we can provide ourselves with better weapons and provisions. Maybe armor." Juna replied. He looks upset with my argument.

"I know bro, but we're not the only ones. Gathering and tracking quests aren't much on the list. Others will have to take the hunting quest. Let's just think that they're lucky. How about this? Just think of us getting our first quest a hunting quest as a trial. We would get much better if we pulled this through. Besides, it's an E-Rank quest. The guild must already be admissing the quests according to our level and experience. So, although it poses higher risks, it still safe for us."

"How could you know, Rama??" Juna replied with anger, his fear can be seen in his eyes. I see the same expression on Jani as well.

"Well, I don't know okay. What I know is, if we don't go out and hunt, we cannot eat today. The guild doesn't provide us any provision no more right? It's either die in combat or die in poverty. Which one do you choose?" I furiously replied.

I can see the angry face of Juna and Jani. I don't know, perhaps I said something wrong, but I don't feel like I did though.

"If you so want to go on a quest, then go. We're not going"

"What? C'mon, man, what the hell? Did you get me? You can keep your weapons. Even I will be the one trading my weapons with provisions! Think about what you're gonna today! Think about your sister!"

"Exactly because I'm thinking about Jani, I choose this. I know what it feels like to be near death. I don't want her to feel the same way. At least, if we should go, we should be as safe as possible. Besides, we have been keeping some of our provisions for this. We have already been prepared for the worse. We can go for another day, waiting until gathering or tracking quests is available." Juna angrily expresses his thoughts and plans.

Well, he's prepared. Perhaps it's me that never thought of this possibility. All I have in my mind was if everything going smoothly. To be honest, it's not that I didn't think of this, it's just, I got a plan on my mind as well, and hunting solo, and unarmed to add the risk, is my plan all along. I don't know, perhaps I'm a masochist, but the thoughts of how challenging it would be, thrill me. Not just that, I even thought of our partying up a hinder to my plan. Well, at least for the first few quests, or perhaps until I leveled up.

"So, you're leaving?" I frowningly ask them, hiding my true feeling of relief inside.

"We're leaving. We'll wait until the next available gathering or tracking quest, then we would go hunting. We can party up later if you still want to take us as a party that is." Juna replied frowningly, turning his face slightly away from me.

"Hhhh.. Fine then. Just, take care of yourself, and your sister. Feel free to contact me if you need anything." I replied, sincerely this time.

Just because I want to hunt alone doesn't mean I don't care for them. After all, they're my friends.

We finally part ways, and I go to the guild to finally begin the thrilling adventure I've planned.

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The moment I entered the guildhall, I was greeted by the guild administrator on the counter located on the left corner of the hall. In the middle lies the big table with the digital maps showing the surface area. There are also tables and chairs placed around. I see some of the fellow hunters here using the chair for a meeting or just a gathering. Some of them quarreling in the middle, using the map to plan their next plan. They use the map to show the regional information regarding the ecology, monsters, their habitat, etc. It's just as how Enggar used the map yesterday on the briefing. As for the other hunters, just like me, they go straight to the quest board to assign for a quest.

I walk past the other hunters towards the quest board. Scrolling on the board to see which one requires me to hunt on Moonewks. I don't know why, but I really want to go hunt them. They're the most humanoid monster on the low level, so perhaps my unarmed combat could work on them.

Bingo.

"Securing the Perimeter. The research outpost located on the Jiatii Forest is now infested by a pack of raging Moonewks. I don't know since when they begin infesting that area. With them around, we can't securely do ecology research up there. Please help us get rid of them."

I assign on that quest using my hunter badge. The quest data is now transferred to my HUD and is removed from the quest board. I then go to the guild counter to trade my weapon for provisions.

"Excuse me, miss. I want to trade my weapon for provision." I greet the guild administrator.

"Hello, are you the new rookie hunter? Only rookie hunters that may trade their weapon here. The weapon must have never used for combat other than for training."

"Yes, this is my first quest."

"Let me check on that. Can you please give me your weapon?"

"Sure, here it is." I turn my weapon over her. She then put it in a cabinet of some machine that scans the weapon as soon as she activates it.

((Ding))

Green lamp flashes, indicating that my weapon passes the checking. The administrator lady then operates again on what seems to be another machine. Then after a while, she opens up a cabinet of that machine to pick up the items inside.

"Here you go. Have a safe hunt!" She said with a smile while giving me my provision.

"Thanks!" I replied with a smile.

I then immediately move towards the surface. The gate to the surface is next to the guildhall. The gate is operated and monitored by a sensor device. It automatically opens the moment I stand in front of it. As soon as I passed the gate, a long tunnel ahead greets me. Different from the vault, this tunnel is dim, with only small lamps on the sides of the tunnel guiding its path.

I walk along the tunnel with my bag on the back and a carving knife on my waist. I cross some other hunters passing by. Yes, the guild also provides us with a carving knife to collect hunting materials and other items during our hunt, and a bag to store it. The bag is quite big, even bigger than a mountain bag, perhaps two to three times larger. No wonder it's that big since we got materials and items to collect, so the space must be large.

The path is a little bit curvaceous and slightly inclined since it leads to the surface. After quite some time, I arrive at the end of the tunnel. It was blocked by another gate. This time, the gate uses a button device to operate. As soon as I pressed the button, a creaking sound of the opening gate can be heard due to its' thousand years of age.

((Fwooooshhh))

The wind of the surface greets me as if it says "Welcome!", and with it, marks the beginning of my adventure.

The hunt begins!