15 - On The way

Aria focused on the list of names, watching as three of the five options flickered and vanished, leaving only two behind.

Void Priestess

Frost

The group exchanged glances, nodding in silent agreement. These choices seemed ideal—not only minimizing risk to civilians but also offering strong potential for party dynamics.

"I'll go with—" Aria began, but before she could finish, the remaining options disappeared. In their place, a single class materialized before her eyes.

Priestess of Frosted Voids

Dante's eyes widened in shock. A fusion of two distinct classes—an impossibility for most. He quickly recalled the only other person who had ever achieved something similar, an SS-ranked powerhouse who had only emerged last year. His lips curled into an intrigued smile.

"...Interesting. I doubt anyone else knows about her except us," he mused before speaking aloud. "Congrats on the class. Let's move on to the training program, yeah?"

Stiles and SteelArm blinked in surprise before exhaling and nodding in agreement.

As they turned to leave, something caught their attention.

"Aria… has your hair always looked like that?" Stiles asked, his voice tinged with surprise and curiosity. "It actually looks… striking."

Aria's brow furrowed as she glanced over at him. "What do you mean?" she replied, taking a few steps toward a nearby mirror.

Her breath caught in her throat as she studied her reflection. Streaks of icy blue now threaded through her dark purple hair, like frost settling over twilight. The colors intertwined, flowing together in a perfect, seamless blend that took her breath away.

"W-what the hell happened?" Aria gasped as her eyes scanned over her hair again before sighing. "Well whatever I guess... It does look pretty nice." 

Putting everything else aside, Dante nodded in agreement, then turned and made his way toward the elevator. The others followed suit, entering, and ascending back to the guild's main area. "I'll be driving," Dante said casually. "The place is pretty much in the middle of nowhere."

With that, he stepped out of the guild and pulled out his car keys, making his way through the parking lot. After a brief search, he reached a truck and got in, the moment he got into the truck, he started the engine, waiting for the others to catch up.

Stiles spotted the truck first and slid into the backseat, securing his seatbelt. SteelArm and Aria approached next. SteelArm opened the passenger door and gently helped Aria into the seat before climbing into the back himself.

"So, where are we headed?" Stiles asked, leaning back against the leather seats, his voice full of curiosity.

"It's a place I found a while back, like I said. I used it for my training program. There's a waterfall there—thanks to the gates. When they opened, the terrain got all messed up, and, well… a waterfall just showed up out of nowhere. That's all I'll say about it." Dante's lips quirked into a slight smile as he turned on the radio, flipping through channels until he settled on one. He then put the truck in gear and drove off, leaving the guild behind.

As Dante drove, the rhythmic patter of raindrops began tapping against the windshield. The dark clouds overhead had thickened, casting a moody atmosphere over the road ahead. The streetlights flickered against the wet pavement, their reflections stretching along the surface like ghostly apparitions.

"Rain just had to start, huh?" Stiles leaned back in his seat, casually resting his arm against the car door while the soft hum of the radio played in the background. The beat of a classic rock song filled the air, blending with the rain's steady drumming.

Dante sighed, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. "Want to drive for us, then?"

"Nah, you got it, man," Stiles replied, stretching his legs before fishing his phone out of his pocket. His eyes flicked over the screen as he scrolled through messages and notifications.

The car remained silent except for the faint beats of music and the occasional swish of the windshield wipers. After a few minutes of skimming through the Hunter's Network, Stiles suddenly spoke up.

"There's an open B-rank dungeon next week. They still have room for two more parties—five-man groups or less. Wanna go for it?"

Dante's reaction was immediate. "Hell yeah! Sign us up for that!" His lips curled into a grin. "I could use a good brawl after that nightmare we went through in... that place." His voice trailed off at the end, as if refusing to acknowledge the memory directly.

SteelArm, who had been sitting quietly, let out a low hum before shaking his head. "Didn't we agree to help Aria with her training first? Gotta make sure she's ready for the gates before we go dungeon-hopping. A week might be pushing it."

Dante clicked his tongue before nodding. "Oh, shit, you're right. My bad. Yo, Stiles, cancel my vote on that—we can't make it." He cranked the volume knob up a little, letting the music take over as Stiles gave a small shrug and continued swiping through his phone.

Aria, seated in the passenger seat, had been quietly watching the exchange, her gaze occasionally shifting between the three of them. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her.

"What's that?" she asked, eyes lingering on Stiles' phone.

He blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "You mean my phone?"

"...I guess?" Her voice carried a note of hesitation.

Stiles held up the device slightly. "It's the newest model from the Hunter's Network—Network V3. Only available for hunters. Got some exclusive features, better signal, and all that high-tech junk."

Aria stared at the glowing screen for a moment before giving a slow nod. "I... I see. Alright then."

She turned her head back toward the window, watching as the raindrops raced down the glass in winding patterns. The world outside blurred under the streaks of water, distant neon signs reflecting off the wet roads like fractured light.

The conversation faded into a comfortable quiet, each of them momentarily lost in their own thoughts as the car continued down the rain-slicked highway.

"Anyone got a song request? Or should I just keep cycling through?" Dante asked, briefly glancing at the others before shifting his focus back to the road. The rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers kept time with the falling rain, clearing away the droplets clinging to the glass.

Stiles, still scrolling through his phone, spoke up without looking away. "Try 47.8. Heard from some other hunters it's a solid station—good mix of chill tracks."

Dante nodded, reaching for the radio dial. He twisted it through the static and half-tuned voices until the numbers settled on 47.8. A smooth bassline kicked in, followed by the mellow strum of an acoustic guitar, filling the car with a relaxed yet steady rhythm.

He let out a satisfied hum. "Not bad. Guess hunters sometimes have decent taste after all."

After a few hours on the road, the truck rolled into a dimly lit gas station, its fluorescent lights flickering against the wet pavement. Dante pulled up next to a pump and shifted the truck into park before exhaling.

"Tank's running low. I'll fill it up. You guys can head inside, grab whatever you need," he said, cutting the engine and pushing the door open. The moment he stepped out, the cool night air greeted him, carrying the lingering scent of rain and gasoline.

Stiles was the first to exit, shutting the door behind him with a lazy push before making his way toward the gas station's entrance. The bell above the door gave a soft chime as he stepped inside.

SteelArm took his time, stretching as he climbed out of the vehicle. He rolled his shoulders, letting out a small grunt before glancing over at Aria, who hadn't moved from her seat. She leaned back, her head resting against the window, eyes half-lidded in quiet contemplation.

"I'm just gonna stay here," she muttered, barely turning her head toward him.

SteelArm shrugged. "Suit yourself," he replied before heading inside, leaving Aria alone in the truck.

Dante stood outside, letting the gas pump do its work while his eyes wandered over the quiet surroundings. The gas station was mostly empty aside from a single car parked near the convenience store entrance, its driver nowhere in sight. The neon sign above the building buzzed faintly, casting a dull glow over the wet asphalt.

Inside the truck, Aria shifted slightly, listening to the faint hum of the radio. The warmth of the car's interior contrasted with the cold glass against her temple. Her fingers lightly tapped against her knee as she let out a slow breath. Something about the night—about the stillness—felt oddly familiar, like an echo of something she couldn't quite place.

Meanwhile, inside the gas station, Stiles wandered through the aisles, grabbing a bottle of water and a pack of snacks before heading toward the counter. SteelArm, on the other hand, stood near the back, eyeing the selection of energy drinks with mild interest.

The store clerk barely looked up from his magazine as Stiles set his items down. The atmosphere was quiet, save for the faint hum of a vending machine in the corner.

Then, just as SteelArm reached for a drink, the entrance bell chimed again. The door swung open, and two figures stepped inside, their presence shifting the air ever so slightly.

Stiles glanced up and immediately felt something was off. The way they moved—the way their eyes scanned the store, it was too deliberate.

Dante, watching from outside, placed the gas pump back in its holder and shut the fuel cap. He leaned against the truck, eyes narrowed as he kept his focus on the gas station's entrance. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the tension in the air was undeniable.

Inside, the lanky man reached the counter, placing a single pack of gum down before looking up at the clerk. "Late night shift, huh?" His voice was casual, almost too relaxed.

The clerk barely glanced at him, flipping a page in his magazine. "Yeah, what about it?"

The man chuckled, tapping his fingers against the counter. "Gotta be tough, working alone at this hour… not a lot of people around to help if things went south, y'know?"

Stiles exhaled quietly through his nose. Yep. Here we go.

SteelArm turned fully, his muscles subtly tensing. The broader man near the door shifted, his hand slipping inside his jacket.

The clerk finally looked up, brow furrowing. "You buying something or just wasting my time?"

Lanky Guy grinned. "Relax, man. Just making conversation." He reached into his own pocket, and for a split second, Stiles' body tensed—ready to move.

But instead of a weapon, the man pulled out a few crumpled bills and placed them on the counter. "For the gum."

The clerk scoffed, taking the money, and placed it into the register before the man walked out getting into a car nearby and driving off. 

"…Well, that was not what I expected," Stiles muttered, running a hand through his hair as he placed his items on the counter and handed the clerk the cash. The tension from moments ago had completely evaporated, leaving only an awkward silence between the would-be robbers, the clerk, and the hunters.

SteelArm followed suit, paying for his drink before shaking his head and exiting right behind Stiles.

As they slid back into the truck, Stiles let out a chuckle, rubbing his temples. "That might've been the weirdest exchange of goods I've ever witnessed."

Dante scoffed as he started the engine, the truck rumbling to life. "Yeah? Welcome to the world of dumbasses." He shifted into drive, pulling away from the gas station and back onto the road.

For a while, the only sounds were the steady hum of the engine and the faint buzz of the radio. The rain had finally let up, leaving the road slick and gleaming under the headlights. They drove in comfortable silence for miles before Dante suddenly turned off onto a dirt road, the tires crunching against gravel as the truck rumbled deeper into the woods.

The road twisted through dense trees, leading them toward a clearing where a modest yet sturdy-looking house stood, nestled beside a roaring waterfall. The moonlight reflected off the rushing water, giving the area an almost ethereal glow.

Dante grinned as he parked and killed the engine. "Alright, boys. Welcome to hell." He threw open the door and stretched. "Training program Dante officially starts now!"

Stiles groaned, slumping forward against the dashboard. "Man, you make it sound like some legendary martial arts retreat. It's just a house in the woods."

Dante smirked. "Yeah? Give it a few days, and you'll be begging to leave."

SteelArm stepped out, rolling his shoulders. "As long as it works, I'm in."

Aria, who had barely spoken the entire ride, finally stirred in her seat. She looked out at the waterfall for a moment before sighing and pushing the door open.

"…This better be worth it," she muttered, stepping out into the crisp night air and stretching her legs and yawned slightly.

Dante cracked his knuckles. "Oh, it will be. Let's get started in the morning."

They all walked inside of the house.