the hunt begins

Zera woke up with a hazy mind, her surroundings unfamiliar. Blinking, she took in the sleek metallic walls, the organized shelves filled with weapons, and the dim lighting of the room. This wasn't her quarters. Confusion settled in until her gaze landed on Orin, seated at a workstation. Multiple screens in front of him displayed images of various monsters alongside detailed weapon specifications. His silver-gray eyes remained focused, hands swiftly moving through the interface.

His voice, calm and direct, broke through her thoughts. "Good morning. You fainted in the training area, and I didn't have the key code to your room, so I brought you here."

The memories of last night resurfaced, the exhaustion from overtraining hitting her again. She barely had time to process before Orin stood up, moving to a storage compartment and retrieving a pair of black gloves. "I spent the night in the training area, so there's no need to worry," he added before slipping the gloves on. His posture was relaxed yet controlled, exuding effortless confidence.

Zera wanted to ask more, but before she could, he walked toward the door. "I'll be in the cafeteria if you need anything." With that, he left, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She clenched her fists. She had collapsed. The frustration of her own weakness gnawed at her, but she pushed it aside. There was no time for self-pity. She needed to improve.

The cafeteria wasn't crowded. Only Rael was seated at one of the long tables, eating alone. When he saw Orin approach, a genuine smile formed on his face. "Welcome. The hunt team is on their mission, so I'm eating alone. Why don't you join me?"

Orin didn't hesitate and took a seat across from him. As a holographic menu appeared in front of him, he selected a meal before saying, "I'm going hunting. If anything urgent happens, contact me, and I'll return immediately."

Rael's expression shifted slightly. "You're strong, but some monsters can manipulate energy like we do. If you face one of those, brute strength alone won't save you. Also, there are level three and four monsters in this area. Be careful."

Before Orin could respond, a familiar voice interrupted. "Do you mind if I join?"

Zera stood near the entrance, hesitation in her stance. Rael, however, seemed pleased by her presence and gestured for her to sit. "Of course. Let's eat together."

As they ate, Rael pulled up a large holographic map, pointing to a marked location near a waterfall. "This is the target area where our team will be hunting today. It's a strategic location, but it also means potential danger from higher-level monsters." He continued explaining their approach, discussing formations, emergency exit routes, and the best combat strategies given the terrain.

After finishing his meal, Orin adjusted his gloves and stretched his limbs. He was about to set off when he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

"Wait! Wait for me!"

Turning around, he saw Zera rushing toward him. She had changed into a black metallic suit with a glowing purple core embedded in the chest, seamlessly integrated into her armor. the body was well proportioned and The core pulsed faintly, as though it were alive, yet her striking purple hair and eyes remained visible. She stopped a meter away, catching her breath. "Rael told me you're going on a hunt. Let me come with you."

Orin gave her a brief glance before nodding. He had planned to run, but with her accompanying him, he dismissed the idea.

They walked in silence for a while until Zera finally spoke. "I'm sorry for the trouble yesterday… and thank you." Not long after she asked" Were you training all night?"

"Yes." His response was simple, though his curiosity about her lingered. He wanted to ask about her core, why she couldn't use it properly. Such an ability shouldn't go to waste. Unexpectedly, Zera took the initiative to reveal more about herself. She was the granddaughter of Elder Raizo, one of the most influential figures in the Monster Hunter Union and the man who had introduced the third evaluation.

Orin listened, filing the information away. Prestige meant little without strength.

As they ventured deeper into the wilderness, Orin activated his holographic wrist display. Several green dots flickered across the map. "There are monsters nearby. Stay alert."

Zera nodded. "Don't worry about me. My suit has an emergency escape system, I'll be fine."

Arriving at the edge of a cliff, they looked down at a vast valley where a pack of level one monstrous beasts roamed.

They were large, reptilian creatures with thick, jagged bone plating covering their backs and skulls, resembling prehistoric dinosaurs. Their muscular legs made them surprisingly fast despite their armored bodies, and their sharp, jagged teeth looked strong enough to crush steel. Their glowing red eyes scanned the area with heightened aggression.

Orin analyzed the creatures before turning to Zera. "Stay here. I'll handle them." Without hesitation, he leaped off the cliff.

The moment his weighted suit made contact with the ground, a deafening boom echoed through the valley. The impact formed a deep crater beneath his feet, sending dust and debris flying. The monsters immediately turned in his direction, growling in response to the disturbance.

Zera watched from above, her heart pounding as she observed the scene unfold.

Orin charged forward, his speed wasn't fast bit it was already beyond human limits despite the restrictions of his weighted suit. One of the beasts lunged at him, jaws snapping shut just inches from his arm. With precise timing, he leaped upward, though the weight of his suit limited his jump height to four meters. But, It was more than enough.

His fist came crashing down, landing a devastating blow directly on the monster's skull. The bone armor shattered on impact, his hand piercing through flesh and brain matter with sheer brute force. The lifeless body crumpled beneath him.

The remaining creatures roared in unison, launching a coordinated attack. Yet, Orin remained unfazed.

He moved through them like a force of nature, fists tearing through their thick armor as if it were fragile glass. Every punch he landed resulted in instant death, their bodies collapsing under the sheer force of his blows. The battlefield became a slaughterhouse as he ripped through the monsters, his black suit stained with blood and fragments of shattered bone.

Even with his movements slightly restricted by the weighted training gear, the gap in raw strength was overwhelming.

Above, Zera couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene. Her fingers twitched slightly as she absorbed every movement, analyzing how effortlessly Orin dismantled the pack.

"Unbelievable…" she murmured.

These were only level-one monsters, but Orin was cutting through them with raw, physical force. No energy cores, no enhancements, just his body. It was unreal.

However, she wasn't the only one watching. And Orin wasn't the only one hunting.