Chapter 14 – Kiara Hunt

Since she was a kid, Kiara Hunt was a woman who got bored easily.

Sword was the only thing that excited her and made her passionate about it. That was why she pursued Kendo, as it was the closest way for her to wield a sword and fight someone seriously. She enjoyed it and became better in no time.

But, at the same time, she felt a void in her life. Something that she couldn't fill with just that.

Her parents were strict with her.

Even when she managed to pass and win the Kendo Championship, they didn't look at her with pride in their eyes. Instead, they only said things like 'Good for you' or 'Good job'. They didn't show much interest in her hobby or life.

Still, that didn't stop her from loving what she did, so she continued. Until one day, when she was training alone in her home, everything changed.

"I am home~" She shouted loudly as she opened the door and walked inside her apartment.

Nothing was different. The TV was on and playing news about the apocalypse and the voice that people heard during it. The sound of pots and pans could be heard from the kitchen, showing that her mother was cooking dinner. Or not.

It was just her imagination of the good days that had passed. A gloomy expression was clear on her face as she took off her round glasses.

"Haha... Why did I think of those old times? Of course no one is here. Those cowards must've fled somewhere already." She murmured as she shook her head lightly and walked over to her bed, sitting down on it.

She opened her Status Board and checked her stats and levels. The higher level she was, the stronger she would become and able to wield a sword better.

[Status Board]

Name: Kiara Hunt (Human)

Passion: Sword

Level: 27

Attributes:

- Strength: 62

- Agility: 65

- Intelligence: 58

- Mana: 31

- Sword Skills: [Mana Coat], [Quick Slash], [Rising Slash], [Wind Slash]

Rank second.

Kiara sighed lightly as she looked at her status board. She knew that her growth would slow down eventually if she didn't find a way to level up faster.

Suddenly, her phone rang and she was surprised to see Vale's name on the screen.

Vale: Let's head to the nearby dungeon tomorrow. I will be the bus to level you up faster.

It was from the group chat they made earlier. And it was the only message entering her phone in ages. She couldn't help but smile.

'He's a weird guy.' She thought as she replied to his message with an 'Okay' before leaning back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. 'But he's fun to be around. An inhuman guy who can kill a horde of monsters alone without dying... With a sword, nonetheless.'

Kiara could see that Vale Gilstar was a born swordsman. Not in terms of Kendo or swordplay, but something else entirely. It was as if he had been using a sword for years before coming to this world.

Truly a strange guy.

However, she could also see that he looked a bit desperate for something. Perhaps he was looking for someone or something in this new world. The government's offer didn't interest him much and he refused it directly.

'He must have something else in mind.' She thought as she turned off her phone and closed her eyes. 'I will follow him for now. If there is something interesting or exciting happening, I'll definitely be part of it.'

To her, following Vale was like an adventure she hadn't had for a long time. Sword was the reason for her life. And finding a stronger swordsman was hard these days. Especially someone who called her a beginner.

"Haha~ I won't let him go even if he wants to kill me."

Soon enough, she fell asleep and dreamt of holding a sword in her hand and swung it toward her enemies while laughing. Her heart was full of excitement and adrenaline as she watched her opponent's terrified look before she struck them down with a single blow.

It was a great dream. She loved this over the nightmares that haunted her for the past few years.

Ironically, the apocalypse allowed her to be free.

***

Preparation for a dungeon run was essential.

Vale remembered the rules of dungeon run in his own novel, which he would use as reference. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start.

'Recovery Potion ready. Spare weapons? Check. New armor costing 10,000 points? Check.'

He looked at his reflection. Right now, he was wearing dark clothes underneath his white coat. His sword was held in his left hand as it was essential for him to use it in the dungeon. Holding the sheath would allow him to use some of the techniques he hadn't used before.

Noticing his watch, he knew it was time to go and meet his ragtag team at the gym. Kiara had already messaged him that she had arrived and was now with Taylor and Jenny. They were probably talking about the dungeon run and making plans.

It was his turn to join them and make more plans.

Vale stepped out of his apartment and went to the gym. The journey was short and uneventful. When he arrived, he saw his little group had prepared themselves already.

Taylor was holding a large shield and a hammer while Jenny was holding a longbow and arrows. They were dressed in a matching dark outfit. Their well-defined muscles showed that they didn't slack off from their training.

Meanwhile, Kiara was no different than usual. She was still wearing her tracksuit. The difference that he could see was that she didn't wear her glasses anymore. Her sword was still the same wooden one. 

But because he knew she could use a Mana Coat to make it sharper than a real sword, he had no problem with it.

"Good morning." Vale greeted them with a smile on his face and saw Kiara grinning back at him. "Are we ready?"

"Yup. We're good to go." Kiara answered.

"The car is ready. I saw our destination is outside New York, so I thought we should use one." Taylor added as he pointed at a black van behind him. It was a bit worn out but still in good condition.