The Ultimate Hunter

Casper woke up with a start, his heart pounding in his chest.

He lay still for a moment, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the dim light coming from the barred window above.

The room was cold and the surface beneath him was soft. He realized he was lying on a mattress.

How had he ended up here?

Then he remembered about the goblins, the dungeon outbreak and the lady who saved his life.

As he tried to sit up, he felt a sharp pain and immediately slumped back with a groan.

"Looks like you're awake, I'm surprised you're not panicking"

Casper recognized that voice, it was the same he had heard countless times on television and it was the same as the one who saved him.

He turned to the direction of the voice

"Hey, don't worry we're in the hospital, you're safe here"

Long red hair, dark crimson eyes, H-cup size boobs, a smile that calmed every heart that look at it.

It was Fiona, The Ultimate Hunter, an SS rank awakened, she was known for single handedly clearing dungeons. Rumors say that during the third/last invasion, she faced them solo and won.

Ever since then she earned the name "The Ultimate Hunter", as long as she stood, no one had a reason to feel fear and just her existence puts peace in the minds and hearts of the citizens of the world.

"You look awe struck kid"

"Of course I am, you've always been my favorite Hunter from day one, I have posters, even toys, down to the last item made with your face or name and I'm a big fan of…." He shut his mouth when he realized he was starting to sound like a creep.

"Hahahaha, Kid you're a weird one, you made Fiona girl here feel awkward" Ethan couldn't help but chuckle at the scene

"Ethan is right and who the fuck are you calling a girl" Fiona faced him with her "I'm going to get you for that" look.

"Umm, who are you? And what am I doing here?" Casper asked pointing at Ethan.

"I'm no one special, my name is Ethan and you're here because I have an offer you can't refuse"

Casper narrowed his eyes on Ethan, apart from the black coat and his unkept hair, Ethan didn't seem all that dangerous or suspicious and when he said he couldn't refuse what did he mean by that?

Fiona looked at Casper with concern in her eyes, "Casper why do you want to become a hunter even though you don't have any Mana or Ability?"

Her expression was hard to read but Casper had a feeling that she was serious. But there was something he didn't get..

"Mana? I don't have Mana??"

Fiona stared at him for some seconds, "Wait, you didn't know"

Casper shook his head.

"Well that's the only reason you're here" Ethan swirled his chair towards a wall that seemed different from other parts with plain dark blue design. This wall seemed to have a symmetric pattern.

Ethan smirked and held up a remote, it had the same pattern as the wall, he pressed the button and the wall started pulling apart like an elevator door.

Mist flowed from the opening revealing a blue pearl, it gave an immaculate light, it glittered like a star and its appearance was captivating to the eyes.

"What's that?" Fiona couldn't get her eyes off it.

Ethan stood up, the light reflecting onto his back, "This is an item my colleague had left for me unfortunately I couldn't use it"

His voice had a hint of disappointment mixed with sadness.

"Why not? What stopped you from using it?" Casper asked with curiosity, whatever that item was, he could tell it was important. He could feel it, the power the item gave, it was probably an A rank item, no, SS rank. So why didn't Ethan use it? What stopped him?

"I didn't meet the qualifications and because of that not only was I unable to use it, I lost an incredible amount of my Mana, now I can only use my skill Telepathy"

"Hey" Fiona frowned "You never told me anything about this"

"It …. Wasn't necessary"

He turned so that they couldn't read his expression.

Fiona sighed and slumped onto the bed Casper was resting on.

"So care on telling us what that is? Why you couldn't use it?"

"Yes, let's get to that"

Ethan faced them again, he looked serious

"As for what it is, I don't know"

There was silence for a bit.

Suddenly Fiona stood up and held him by the collar

"What do you mean by you don't know what it is?

"It's just as I said" Ethan led her hand off his collar "I don't know"

"What about your colleague?" Casper asked "Didn't he give it a name?"

Ethan sighed and dropped onto his seat "I wouldn't know, he only left the remote and a note that said 'Give it to the boy without mana' which I didn't take seriously because who'd believe a human without mana existed but here you are"

Casper could tell that Ethan wished for the item to be his but he couldn't do anything about it.

"Your colleague" Fiona straightened "What's his name?"

Ethan gave her an awkward look

"Well umm I.... don't remember" He said with his hand behind his head.

"Stop messing with me Ethan"

"I'm not, after he left, no one remembered him, not even yours truly, I only know he was my colleague from the note"

Casper silently analyzed Ethan, he wasn't joking, Casper could tell from his tone of voice and the eyes that seemed to be clouded.

"Well if he wanted me to have it" Casper began to stand from his resting point.

"I'll gladly take it."

"Kid, are you sure?" Fiona said, her lighthearted tone now a little forced "Do you really want something you don't understand in your body?"

"If it make me become a great hunter like you then I don't mind"

"As much as I love to do this, I agree with the Ultimate Hunter, you might be getting into lot of trouble than you'll me bargaining for" Ethan said trying to support Fiona.

"I don't care, if it's to help others, then I'll face every problem that comes with it head on" Casper clasped his right hand into a fist showing them how serious he was

Fiona was awe struck, she had never seen so much zeal in someone before.

"Ethan—"

"I know" Ethan raised his hand to stop her. "Go ahead Casper" he stepped aside for Casper to pass.

Casper walked straight to the item, he stared at it for some seconds, this item held powers no one knew of, it could possibly help him with the practical exam but it held too many mysteries, it could possibly lead him to deadly situations.

Well it's too late to turn back now.

He stretched his arm to get it but the pearl jumped off and landed on his chest. It started burning through his cloth and engraving into his chest.

Casper screamed "Get it off, get it off" He ran around the room, yelling at the top of his voice.

Nurses came rushing into the room but Ethan ordered them out.

Fiona waited till Casper ran toward her before holding him tight.

"Ethan, get it off him"

"Shit Fiona, I can't" he said rushing to his computer

"Why not?"

Casper was beginning to break free, Fiona increased her hold, was he becoming stronger?

"Cause if I do, he might die"

"What? If he dies what do we tell his family?" Fiona struggled to release her words since Casper kept on going on a tantrum.

"He won't die if we don't interfere"

"Huh?"

"Put him on the bed"

Fiona did just that and the bed transformed to a casket like incubator with Casper inside, gas poured from the sides, it seemed to calm him down.

Ethan swirled his chair towards the incubator with his tab, he looked into it, Casper laid there with a hole on his chest.

"Okay then, his heart beat is normal, no changes to his body apart from the hole and entrails of a strange substance in his blood and muscles, probably the item."

"What do we do now?" Fiona stood next to him.

"We should return him to his family, I'm sure they're worried sick by now"

"What about the Item?" Fiona asked.

"Oh don't worry, you'll observe him, weren't you planning on becoming a lecturer in the same Hunters academy the boy is applying for"

"Yeah but there is no guarantee he will get in"

Ethan smirked then brought out a lollipop from his pocket and put it in his mouth

"Oh I know he will get in and I'll be his sponsor."

He turned to the Incubator where Casper seemed to be sound asleep.

"Now then, to contact his family"

***

"Come on Casper, Wake Up"

Casper opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the blue painted ceiling of his room. Did Ethan drop him home?

He suddenly remembered the voice that woke him up, he turned and saw someone who looked like his mum only she was young and more beautiful than ever.

"You look beautiful mum" He stretched out his hand to reach for her face when…..

Whack!

Sophie hit him hard on the head with her fist.

"Who the hell are you calling mum? Pervet!!!" Sophie said with her cheeks flushing red.

"Ouch that hurt"

"You're lucky I didn't tear your head open" Sophie raised her fist like she was going to hit him again.

Someone chuckled behind her, it was their mother and she was standing at the rooms' entrance.

"Looks like someone is finally awake" She gave her warmest smile

"Mum…." Casper started to fake a whimper "Sophie is planning on killing me"

Whack!

Sophie hit him again harder than last time, Casper could have sworn he almost fell unconscious again.

"Sophie, if you keep hitting him like that he might never recover"

"Mum, he deserves it, going to fight an Alien when he was no abilities" She sighed "Just utter foolishness"

Casper could see the disappointment in Sophie's eyes, she got up and left the room without saying another word.

"How are you feeling now?" His mum walked up to him and took the seat beside his bed.

"I feel a bit dizzy aside from that I'm good" Casper gave a faint smile indicating he was okay. But his mum seemed weary, he could tell that she was worried and hiding something from him.

"Casper….." She seemed tensed as she spoke "I think you should go to a normal academy"

"What...?"

"I'm saying you don't have the ability to become a hunter" His mum stopped him from speaking further.

And he didn't, he could tell she was trying hard not to cry, it hurt her to see her son in this state, probably if it weren't for Fiona who came to his rescue, he'd probably be dead by now.

It only proved some points to Casper

He was weak and pathetic.

"Mum..."

She looked up to her son.

"I am sorry for putting you through this but I will still go to the practical exams" He held his mums' warm hands "If I don't pass the exam then I'll forget about being a hunter"

His Mum shuddered as he said something she thought she'd never hear.

"Are you sure?"

Casper pulled his mother into a tight hug.

"I promise mum"

Finally the tears his mum were holding tight started to pour down and with his mother in his arms Casper swore to himself to win the practical exam at all cost.

He looked up to see his dad at the entrance and thought to himself.

"Just watch me old man, I'll crush every participant who comes in my way of becoming a hunter" he said in his thoughts.