The massive door groaned as it swung open.
Eliminate the hunter, the map's signal pulsed in Allen's mind.
A boy stepped inside. His face looked sickly, almost haunted, but it was his eyes that made Allen's skin crawl—cold, sharp, and filled with something… evil.
"So, you're the new hunter," the boy said, his tone calm but edged like a blade.
"You're… human?" Allen asked, disbelief flickering in his voice.
Inside, his thoughts churned. How am I supposed to kill another human being?
For a moment, he was lost—frozen in doubt.
But then, the words from the throne of the ancient palace echoed through his mind, clear and commanding…
The boy gave a short, humorless laugh. "What, did you think I was some kind of toy? Anyways let's find out how much strength you've got"
In the next heartbeat, he blurred forward.
Allen's instincts kicked in, and he rolled aside, boots scraping against the floor.
"Such pride over this power,huh?" Allen muttered, steadying his breath.
They clashed again and again, but Allen was nothing compared to the boy. Every time Allen tried to strike, he missed. Every time he tried to defend, he failed.
"Unbelievable… He's not even using his full strength, and I'm still getting beaten like this", Allen thought, panic settling in his chest.
The boy didn't even need a weapon. Blow after blow rained down on Allen, shattering his shield with nothing but bare hands.
Allen collapsed to the ground like a lifeless corpse. One of his teeth was gone, and blood streamed from his nose and mouth, staining the floor beneath him.
"How pathetic hunter you are, ain't you? You couldn't even stand against a level one like me… I almost feel sorry for people like you who thinks they can be a part of this association."
Allen heard every word, but his body refused to obey him. He tried to push himself up using his sword as support, but his arms shook, and he collapsed again.
"Fine… I'll give you an easy death."
The boy stepped toward Allen, flipping him over. He raised both hands, gathering every ounce of strength to drive them into Allen's chest—
—but in that split second, Allen's sword shot upward, piercing straight through the boy's eyes.
Allen pushed himself to his feet, his breathing ragged. "I may be weak," he said, voice steady despite the blood on his lips, "but you should never have underestimated me."
But the boy wasn't dead. Not yet.
"My dream… to become the greatest hunter in the world… is it over?" The boy asked himself, his voice breaking like a child's. Tears welled in his eyes.
"What a fool I've been…" Those were the words he kept repeating until his final breath.
Allen stood frozen, staring down at him. There was no victory in his expression—only the weight of regret for the life he had just taken.
"Congratulations, Hunter 99. You have successfully completed your first mission," a voice echoed from nowhere. "You are awarded the Mystical Fist and some additional powers. Now,You are free until the next bounty."
Right after that, the sound of a bell rang out, sharp and clear. Everything around him began to blur, the world fading into a haze.
Then—Allen's eyes snapped open. He was lying under the shade of that giant tree.
"What the hell… was that?"
He sat up, heart pounding, and immediately checked his teeth.
All fine.
His hands? Perfectly normal.
Relief washed over him—it had all been a dream.
For a moment, he almost forgot about his cowardice.
But just a few minutes later, as he stood, the ground seemed to vanish beneath his feet. Right before his eyes… that nightmare had returned.
Only this time, there was no guilt. His blood boiled, his rage searing through him like fire. He could burn those slaughterers to ash with his anger alone.
As his fury climbed, his fist began to glow—bright, alive with power.
He took off running. Faster. Faster still. Only when the wind roared in his ears did he realize… he was moving ten times faster than ever before.
"Wait… I had this much potential?" His lips curled into a smile—pure, dark, and filled with the promise of revenge.
He arrived at the territory of the 99 Slaughters.
"Oi! Keep your distance from here!" the gateman barked, stepping forward.
But Allen wasn't in the mood to listen to anyone. Without a word, he walked straight in—and as the gateman moved to stop him, Allen's fist shot out.
The punch landed with such brutal force that the gateman collapsed instantly, lifeless before he even hit the ground.
The moment he stepped inside, wild wolves lunged at him.
They were so fast, he couldn't even lift his glowing fist. He struggled helplessly, thrashing like a trapped bird in a lion's jaws.
In the next instant, their fangs tore through him. One wolf snapped his spine; the rest devoured his flesh in a frenzy, ripping and chewing until nothing was left.
A few moments later—his eyes shot open.
He was lying once again inside that ancient palace, the same one he'd found after leaping into the well.
"What the hell is happening with me?" he muttered, breath shaky.
Allen couldn't make sense of it. Was this a dream… or reality?
Then, the voice returned, echoing through the vast palace:
"Welcome back to the Bounty World, Hunter 99. We hope you enjoyed your free time. We have a new mission for you… and your time starts now."
But this time, Allen wasn't going to stay silent.
"No! No, I won't—" he shouted, his voice bouncing off the cold walls. "Not until you answer my questions! I'm not playing this time!"
Only silence answered him.
Then, a map appeared before his eyes. But unlike before, it showed no paths, no markings—just a blank expanse.
And then, a voice from the map spoke.
"Hello, Master… I'm Xi, your permanent map. My job is to guide you through your bounties," it said in a calm, almost cheerful tone.
"First, answer me! What the hell is going on here?!" Allen shouted, his patience snapping.
"Move, Master," the map signaled.
Allen's eyes narrowed. "What—"
WHAM!
A heavy piece of wood slammed into the back of his head. His vision went black instantly, and he collapsed to the cold floor, sinking into unconsciousness.