Catrine

"Bet accepted," Aroon sneered, "you dunno how charming I am with girls."

The system kept his silence while Aroon crossed the distance to the center of the town with ease.

For people living there, he was their hero… marching without fear in the open, walking leisurely among them.

"You… who are you?"

The moment he reached the front gate of the central zone of the town, a man stood in front of him with an amazed look in his eyes.

He was slightly taller than Aroon, muscles presenting themselves like balloons in Christmas. His eyes told Aroon he wasn't someone he should play with, despite him being weaker than he used to be.

"None of your business," Aroon simply said, "step aside, I have business here to do."

"There are no more monsters here to kill."

Just as that man stood still and looked directly in Aroon's face that was covered with a thin piece of metal, the female sound of the mecha came while she walked from the inside.

"I know, I killed the rest,"Aroon simply stated the obvious.

"All on your own?" another girl appeared and she reminded him of Cheryl with the blonde hair and light going vibe she emitted and Anna with all tattoos covering up her exposed waist and arms

"I'm not finished with them yet," Aroon said to her, "going outside might be… a little problematic for you."

"With you around baby I doubt I would worry over anything," she playfully said while the mecha girl cleared out her throat.

"I'll go outside," she said.

"Didn't you hear the part of monsters still roaming out there?" Aroon glanced at her and all he saw with her metallic mask over her face.

"I doubt you left anyone living around the town," she said with an amused tone, "or else you would still go out there and play hero."

"I love that hero," the girl said while playing off with a strand of her hair and gazing at him with interesting eyes.

"I bet only those guardians are still waiting outside the dungeon, right?"

Aroon glanced at her silently for a few moments. "How do you know such a thing?" he couldn't help but ask.

"I lived through things you can't possibly imagine," she said before walking through the gate, "and I've a mission to do. So please spare me any effort to stop me as I won't."

"Tell me your name," he said while turning to watch her back while walking slowly towards the outer region of the town.

"Catrine… that's my name for you to dream of at night, mysterious ranger," she said with a chuckle while Aroon smiled without saying anything else.

"I'm Irine," the blonde said, "It's a privilege meeting you. Aren't you thirsty or something?" she pointed to the inside, "we have tons of fresh drinks, soft drinks and even some good stuff in there."

"Thanks, I'll have to pass on that," Aroon said with courtesy before turning around and adding, "stay put and don't wander outside."

"Who the hell do you think you are to order us?" The one standing silent during his talk with the girls finally spoke up.

"I'm the one who just saved your asses," Aroon said in a light tone while walking outside, following the same path Catrine followed.

"But said her name to me," Aroon sneered, "you lost old man, admit it."

"Yeah, that's all the old men always say when losing to any youngster."

Aroon kept running after Catrine before finally caught up to her at the outer district of the town.

"Why are you stalking me?" She stopped and turned to face him.

"I'm just going out to kill those monsters," he shrugged.

"You are stalking me, aren't you?" she shook her head while he said:

"How can I stalk someone I have never seen before?"

"How can I trust someone who didn't show me his?"

He couldn't help but smile, yet on his metallic still mask nothing appeared there but the sounds of his breathing.

"I saved your life."

"That doesn't count," she pointed to the central direction of the town.

"Twice actually," he added.

"That also doesn't count."

"I saved your life twice and you know that," he walked beside her when she turned to leave.

"Are you planning to accompany me all the way through my long journey?" she said, "If so then let me know. I'll need some ear plugs to keep your voice down."

"C'mon, don't deny I saved your life," he persisted.

"What do you want?" she stopped and crossed her arms around her chest. "I have a boyfriend y'know."

"Lies."

"'I'm here to meet him."

"You said he is an old friend of yours, not your boyfriend."

"He is," she nodded, "and he is a hell of a bastard to anyone trying to get near me."

"I bet he loves you a lot," Aroon said in a mocking way.

"A he is and B you got no right to judge on others," and she stuck to her lie till the end.

"I agree, as he selected all the way down here in such a forsaken place to come and live far away from you as possible,"' Aroon sneered yet the next moment he got a punch off her while she angrily shouted:

"What the hell do you know about him? About them? Huh? Having a mighty power and in the next second boof, everything is gone. Your beloved brothers and sisters, your future, your life, and you only have nothing else but a bitter taste of the power you once had."

He froze in his place while watching her chest heaving up and down. "You aren't a hero, you are a kid happy with his toy, knowing nothing, absolutely nothing about the state of the world. F*ck you."

She turned around and ran as fast as she could away from the town and to a different direction of the dungeon.