Hunting

After finishing his conversation with his friends, Aric bid them goodnight, his usual confident smile masking the embarrassment still lingering from earlier. As he walked down the dimly lit hallway toward his room, he muttered to himself, "What a day…"

The memory of being caught by a teenager while unintentionally peeking flashed in his mind. A cringe rippled through him, and he groaned softly. "So embarrassing…"

He reached his door and stepped inside, tossing his jacket onto the chair. The cozy warmth of the room did little to ease the discomfort of the day's events. With a sigh, he sank into the chair by the window, staring out at the moonlit city.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzz of his phone. He picked it up absentmindedly, not expecting anything significant at this hour. But when he saw the name on the screen, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Principal Zander," he muttered under his breath, his fatigue replaced by curiosity and unease. This was the last person he had expected to hear from tonight.

Aric accepted the call, his voice trying to sound calm and collected. "Goodnight, Principal Zander."

The words barely left his mouth before his brain registered the mistake. His eyes widened in panic. "No, no! I mean, good evening, Principal Zander!" he stammered, glancing at the clock on the wall. It read 12:30 a.m.

His nerves got the better of him as he blurted out, "Wait—scratch that. Good morning?"

On the other end of the line, a heavy, resigned sigh could be heard. Zander's silence spoke volumes, and Aric could practically feel the judgment radiating through the phone.

'Way to go Aric, what a way to start a conversation' Aric thought as he nervously scratched the back of his head.

"Calm down, Aric. No need to panic," Zander said, his tone firm but understanding—he was well aware of Aric's personality quirks. Without waiting for a response, he continued, "There's an emergency situation in Kythera City. I need you to team up with a government-contracted hunter, alias 'Reaper,' and resolve the issue. Additionally, I want you to observe him and provide a report."

"Yes, sir," Aric replied promptly. While he might come off as innocent and naive, there was no denying his strength as a master-level ascender.

"I'll send you the mission details and information on Reaper shortly," Zander added. "It would be best if the mission is completed before sunrise. That's all—good luck."

"Understood, Principal," Aric said, his voice steady as the call ended.

The clock struck 1:30 AM, and Aric was still waiting at the meeting spot. He had spoken to Reaper on the phone earlier, but the hunter seemed irritated for reasons Aric couldn't quite understand.

"Could it be that they're forcing him into this mission?" Aric mused, pacing slightly. His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned toward the source, his eyes widening as they landed on the figure with a menacing mask and glowing red eyes.

"Are you Reaper?" Aric asked hesitantly, his voice carrying a mix of awe and nervousness.

"Yes," Reaper replied curtly, his voice low and detached. Without wasting time, he added, "Let's go. According to the intel, the vampires is likely holed up in an abandoned house in the woods."

"Alright, let's go," Aric said eagerly, adjusting his gear.

Reaper, however, paused for a moment and muttered, "I have a feeling this is a setup."

Aric blinked in confusion before responding with wide-eyed sincerity, "No way. What would Principal Zander even gain from setting us up?"

Reaper stopped in his tracks and turned sharply toward Aric, his mask adding an intimidating edge to his already cutting tone. "How the hell did you even become a professor with that tiny brain of yours?" he snapped. "I never said Zander, genius. I obviously meant the vampires."

Aric flinched at the verbal jab, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Oh… uh… why do you think that?" he asked quickly, trying to cover his blunder.

Reaper let out an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose beneath the mask. "Think about it. Sovereigns and archons conveniently get called to the capital, and then, out of nowhere, the government 'suddenly' finds vampires in Kythera City. Does that not scream suspicious to you?"

Aric frowned, considering the statement. "Don't you think it could just be a coincidence?" he offered, his tone almost hopeful.

Reaper rolled his eyes beneath the mask. "Right, because the world is full of coincidences," he said, dripping with sarcasm. "Look, I don't care what you think it is. Just be ready for the worst-case scenario: the vampires are luring us into a trap. Got it?"

Aric nodded slowly, his admiration for Reaper growing. "I see… you're really professional at this," he said earnestly, his tone carrying genuine respect.

Reaper groaned internally but chose not to comment, instead turning toward the woods. "Let's just get this over with."

With that, the unlikely duo set off toward the house in the woods, their steps quiet but purposeful.

The duo arrived near the abandoned house, the atmosphere thick with an eerie silence. Just a few meters from the entrance, a body lay sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath it from a severed right arm.

Before Reaper could even process the scene, Aric bolted forward, his supportive gear already activated. "Wait, don't—!" Reaper started, but it was too late.

Aric knelt beside the man, who appeared to be a regular civilian. "Hang in there," Aric muttered, his hands glowing faintly as he began treating the man's wounds. His focus was so intense that he failed to notice the subtle movements in the shadows around him.

More than ten figures emerged, their crimson eyes glowing menacingly as they encircled Aric in a tight formation. The vampires grinned wickedly, their fangs glinting under the moonlight.

Reaper let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temple through his mask. 'Why, oh why, did I have to team up with this idiot?'

"Wha—what? You were right, Reaper! This is really a trap!" Aric stammered, his voice breaking as he finally realized the danger.

The vampires froze for a moment, their expressions shifting as they became vigilant. They scanned the area, their predatory instincts kicking in as they searched for the "other one."

Suddenly, a blur of motion sliced through the air. A blade, enhanced by a gust of wind, cleaved cleanly through two vampires, severing their heads.

The remaining vampires hissed, recoiling in shock as a figure landed softly on the ground near Aric. Reaper straightened, his sword dripping with blood as he tilted his head slightly.

"Two down," he said coldly, his voice laced with chilling arrogance. Then, with a faint smirk beneath his mask, he added, "Ten to go."

The tension in the air spiked as the vampires snarled, their focus shifting entirely to the masked hunter.