37: Gathering of Professionals
Chapter 37: Gathering of Professionals
The wind had changed.
Minji glanced toward Kai with a curious squint. "So... this Asphaleios and your Vajra Body... did you two always have them since childhood?"
The moment the question left her lips, silence enveloped the group like a vacuum. Kai immediately sensed Moon might blurt out something dangerous—something... honest.
Before Moon could speak, Kai cut in, his voice a little too quick, a little too smooth. "N-No. We didn't have these from the start. They came later. But... I don't know how."
Minji tilted her head. "Hmm. Strange... but not impossible. Rare anomalies like that have been recorded throughout hunter history."
Kai just nodded, hoping she would drop the subject. She did.
The group fell into silence after that, each member growing introspective. With the sun's angle casting long shadows across the landscape, the desert ahead began to glimmer faintly.
Ruby quietly bumped her shoulder against Moon's and smiled.
Moon blinked. "What?"
Ruby grinned. "Nothing. Just... your face is always so tense when someone brings up your past. It wrinkles like an old map."
Ruby always keeps most of her questions that don't let him help grow stronger , she doesn't like to peek into anyone's life ,but she doesn't know why she feels curious toward Moon.
Moon rolled his eyes. "This is my relaxed face."
"You're hopeless," she giggled, and they both shared a rare moment of calm.
---
A Few Days Later
After days of relentless travel, the environment subtly shifted. The fine orange sands gave way to heavier golden dust as the Amber Dunes began.
Kai motioned with a hand. "We're here."
The group slowed. The once-crisp air grew still and slightly warm. Even the wind moved more carefully here.
Minji took a deep breath. "This place feels... ancient. Like we're walking inside a slumbering beast's lungs."
Moon whispered, "Yeah, or its stomach."
Despite being well into the dunes, not a single Essence Creature had appeared. But something felt wrong. Too quiet. Too still.
Then Kai stopped walking, crouched down, and ran his fingers through the sand. He brought it closer to his nose, eyes narrowing.
He had seen a hint of red In sand.
"Blood. Fresh. No more than three or four hours old."
Minji's hand hovered near her bow. "So someone has been through here recently…"
Ruby scanned the horizon. "But no bodies?"
Suddenly, far ahead, they saw a group approaching rapidly—hoofbeats and echoing steps stirring the air.
Everyone tensed.
Weapons drawn. Feet steady. Energy subtly rising like pre-storm humidity.
The riders slowed as they approached, and their leader—a man with reddish-brown hair, dressed in desert-tuned armor—rode atop a white unicorn-like creature. Its mane shimmered like living flames.
He raised a hand in greeting. "Hello, fellow hunters. Are you all heading to witness the showdown between a top hunter and a King-level Essence Creature?"
Kai blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—what?"
The rider chuckled. "You don't know?" He hopped off his mount with the grace of a seasoned traveler. "Name's Alberto. I can help guide you there if you like—explain everything on the way."
Moon's eyes narrowed.
Kai didn't smile. "Appreciate the offer, but just tell us what's happening. We'll get there ourselves."
Alberto nodded, unfazed. "Of course. Well, apparently one of the high-class Professional-level Essence Creatures finally managed to evolve into King-class. The system issued a quest across nearby bases—only high class Professional Hunters are the one who are invited to hunt by
system . And believe it or not, four of them are already en route from Base #12072008 and #12072009. A fifth... well, she's teleporting in."
He paused, dramatic, Aah…Let .e remember their …"Names: Thomas. Abhi. Taejin. Layla. And one... unknown."
Kai's mind raced. He didn't like this. Friendly strangers offering too much info for free? Rarely ended well.
"And where's this happening?" he asked coolly.
Alberto pointed. "Northwest. Around 50 to 60 kilometers from here. I'm rushing back myself so I don't miss their entry."
As Alberto turned to mount his beast, Minji spoke softly, "It's rare... very rare to see a Professional Hunter. Rarer still to see multiple gathered. But for them to fight a King-level creature together?"
Kai clenched his jaw. "This is bigger than we thought."
He gave the signal.
Moon summoned his Tauras Echoes—twenty of them, roaring with Fighter-level energy. With swift hand gestures, he merged them in sets of five, fusing their cores into Elite-class Fighter Tauras. Their armor like skin darkened, eyes glowing a volcanic orange.
He handed one reign to Ruby. "Take it. It'll be faster."
"I get it," she said, taking the reins reluctantly.
Minji also hesitated but mounted. "I feel like we're diving into something... intense."
Within minutes, the group surged forward, the Tauras creatures thundering across sand, kicking up storms behind them.
Due to sand tauras speed was also affected but it won't take long enough.
---
Five Minutes Later
They arrived.
A massive plateau overlooked a sunken terrain, like a crater carved into the earth's heart. From the height, they saw a shifting black creature mid-transformation, molten lines etching across its growing limbs. It pulsed with terrifying energy.
A crowd of hunters—hundreds—stood four kilometers away from the beast, murmuring and waiting.
Moon leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Why haven't they attacked yet?"
James replied, "Because during transformation, their bodies become invincible. Literally unkillable."
Moon scratched his head. "Ah. My bad. Thought they were just scared."
Below, the atmosphere grew thicker with every passing second.
Something terrifying was about to begin.