Requiem Of A Failed Hero

Now, that was done. Raith waved with a big smile and bid the people farewell.

They all stood frozen before the two dark figures before them. Silence dominated the air for a few more seconds until Crimson broke it.

His armor made a creaking sound as he turned around looking at the people and asked:

"Who is the leader here?"

They all looked at each other then Curtis belatedly responded:

"We wouldn't use the term leader. But we do have a certain person designated over the team to lead every hunt."

"I see."

With a monotone, he said.

"I will take charge of thr group my liege was supposed to lead."

Jarvis declared facing Curtis who had no choice but to nod in response. Fact was, Jarvis presence was more terrifying compared to Crimson's.

He was taller, the hue of his black armor was thicker and not to say, the eerie white smokes that seeped out from underneath every slight opening of his armor. His cloak of white smoke, his helmet. Everything about him from head to toe was dignity in pure eeriness.

"Wait, why will you take master's team."

"If you have an objection, you can speak to me with the sword."

Crimson clicked his tongue in retreat.

'I hate him. I like him better when he could not talk.'

Now that he could talk, Jarvis was becoming more and more assertive. Towards Crimson, towards even Antares. The strongest between the two have not been decided or talked about. Antares' skills and fighting prowess had declared him the strongest from the moment he got summoned.

But with Jarvis new evolved form. He could pose a threat to that position. Antares didn't seem concerned about it, he has been occupied with getting stronger that he didn't have the time to even care.

Jarvis turned to Curtis.

"Here."

Curtis immediately pointed to the small number of people that gathered and watched with a mixture of fear and awe.

The gathering naturally separated a path for him as he gallantly approached the people who were behind.

They were just four.

He looked and each one of them, seeming to be gauging their abilities with his own eyes.

"Okay. You all have the potential to become strong figures. Especially you and you."

He pointed to a drowsy-face guy with green hair and the lady beside him–Amber Rose.

"Watch as I lead you into battle. And know one thing, my liege is a thousand times more capable of the things I will show you. Ahh, it is a great privilege to be here in his stead."

He raised his head, relishing the moment as he thanked Raith again.

The four people gathered before him watched in excitement.

Crimson from where he was watched with an envious glare.

In due time, they all set out into the nearest gate.

Despite the fact, that monsters filled the land here and there, they still chose to go to a gate because Slyvia and Maria asked them never to hunt the monsters that are not in gate.

The monsters that now lived on the land of Antarctica were result of the first set of gates to appear, after the gate break, they were released and over time had managed to evolve with the land.

Although, the ones they would meet around the areas close to where they had settled down where easy peasy but should they delve deeper into the land.

Maria warned them very well. Only the level of Mok Jae-Hwa can take care of monsters on that side and it would be had for even Mok Jae-Hwa alone to dispatch one monster.

Slyvia also added, telling them that all the monsters they find outside the gate are a part of the land. If they come by one and their life is threatened, it is okay to kill them. But they should never go on a hunting spree with monsters outside the gate.

And that instruction was seared well into their souls because she added with a murderous glare:

"If I hear any complaint from the monsters, I'll kill you all."

No one would dare disobey an order of that level from a dragon.

With that instruction ringing over and over again in their mind, they surveyed the gates around and made a plan with it.

The gates around them was over eighty and they had not even began to explore the land yet.

—

Just after the hunting parties entered the gates. Balam and Mok Jae-Hwa's plane arrived at King George Airport. At that time, Raith was around the area.

He looked up with his hand over his eyes to block the ray of sun as he watched the plane land.

'That must be Mok Jae-Hwa and Balam'

He wanted to do something but it can wait. There was something urgent he needed Mok Jae-Hwa to do for him so he decided to make haste to the airport.

Even in the airports, the people of Therut were already mixing with the workers at the airport, they talked and converse, they were taught a lot.

Magnificently speaking, it was a great sight for Mok Jae-Hwa. Wherever you find a man or woman in modern clothing, you find the people of therut there with them, most times in pair. They were so easy to identify because of their clothing.

They were refugees after all. 

Mok Jae-Hwa smiled.

'Raith really did a good thing with these people.'

Mok Jae-Hwa said in his thoughts. At first, he has been skeptical about giving his all to help these people, but eventually circumstances led him to be in that point where he had no choice but to just do it.

Looking back at those times, he never regretted that he helped them.

He laid his eyes on Raith who nonchalantly walked into the airport with a white shirt and a black pants that has been chipped here and there. It was obvious he was in a fight.

And there was only one person Mok Jae-Hwa knew could put up a fight with Raith. So, he had his answers.

Mok Jae-Hwa waved his hand like a baby and approached Raith with a smile but suddenly Raith's gaze became stern. His eyes narrowed to a slit.

And Mok Jae-Hwa stopped.

'What is this? Why is he...'

"Yo?"

Mok Jae-Hwa slowly, in dismay, he slowly turned his head back to look at the familiar vibrating voice, he was so sure he had heard the voice somewhere recently.

What was more baffling was that, this plane. Only he and Balam had boarded this plane. Balam right now was behind him because he kept fooling around with the people. And Balam didn't sound like this.

Who on earth sneaked into the plane and followed them all the way to Antarctica. A fear accompanied that question as Mok Jae-Hwa turned to realize who it was.

"Bas... the red beast?"

"Ah, no. I'd rather you call me Bastien than the red beast."

He replied to Mok Jae-Hwa looking down at him and turned his gaze to Raith.

"Nice to meet you. Hunter Raven Raith. Man, I was so curious when I heard a sun appeared in Antarctica, I just couldn't ignore it, I had to follow them and see you."

He said, looking at Raith from head to toe. He squinted his eyes, took a few steps back and whispered to Mok Jae-Hwa.

"Are you sure this is hunter Raven?"

Mok Jae-Hwa had not recovered from his shock, but he manage to nod a response, looking at Bastien with shaking eyeballs.

In his mind, he just couldn't stop thinking about how Bastien managed to follow them all the way to Antarctica without being noticed. Not by Balam, not by him.

"Huh...? He finally decided to show himself."

Balam said as he caught up with Mok Jae-Hwa.

Mok Jae-Hwa's eyes widened in more horror.

"Wait, you knew he was with us?"

"Yes. He was on top of the plane."

"On top? For over ten hours?"

Balam nodded with his hands in his pocket. He looked at Mok Jae-Hwa.

"You are quite weak but you wouldn't have been able to sense him even if you were stronger. He erased every ounce of his presence."

"But you did."

Mok Jae-Hwa responded, a slight frown forming on his face. Not towards Balam, perhaps slightly towards Balam for not telling him but more towards himself for not noticing.

"Well, I'm a demon and you're a lowly human."

Balam grinned with delight.

"I'm surprised. I didn't expect this to be how Hunter Raven would be."

Bastien said, looking at Raith from head to toe over and over again. As a matter of fact, Raith wasn't even putting on any footwear.

"I had expected... the renowned Hunter Raven, be more... perhaps noble."

"Well, I like that I do not meet your expectations. You can kindly take your leave now."

Raith's reply was stern and tinged with a bit of hostility.

"Oh oh, so straightforward. Don't you know how to entertain a visitor."

"Our doors are not opened to visitors for now. Take your leave."

Again, the words resounded with more ratio of hostility than before.

"Heuw, so saucy... I stood on a plane for twelve hours just to come see you and you asked me to just leave. Didn't offer me food, not even some drinks. I love wine, I'd love to take red wine. I actually love red wine a lot, and don't think it's because they call me red Beast."

Throughout his blurts, Raith kept a stern face.

"Are you really going to be like this."

Bastien's mood changed.

It was palpable, the change of the tension in the air could be felt immediately his smile was wiped off.

"Oh no... those two are looking like they would have a go at it in the airport"

Mok Jae-Hwa whispered to Balam.

But Balam, laughing aloud, responded:

"Why stop them! Let him see the strength of the one I serve!"