Two days later, on a day off, Dennis and Daisy went to the mall to shop at a hunter supply store, for hunter's intending to head to the front lines and leave the city to scavenge for whatever remains in the world outside. Dennis glanced to his side and saw Daisy number 5, who looked cheerful and was holding his hand with a bright smile.
"So, just to be clear, our goal today is to find the potion ingredients for the camouflage that changes your form, so the seven of you can take turns coming out once a day and go to school normally," Dennis said.
"That's about it. The only things missing are some cheap gold accessories—they don't need to be expensive. As for the potion ingredients, I happen to have everything else since I bought them online yesterday. So now, I just need something to act as a container for the potion that doesn't need to be removed from my body," Daisy number 5 said.
"Hmm... I see. That's good then. You... oh sorry, Daisy number 1 already explained your whole plan to me. I don't have a problem with it at all; in fact, it's great that you guys found a solution. What about our wedding rings? They're made of gold too, right?" Dennis replied.
"No, a wedding ring is a wedding ring—it means something different. I want to buy a locket necklace, a bracelet, or maybe a watch, but if possible, something that also functions as a shield or has other perks," Daisy number 5 said while looking down at her ring.
"You mean you don't drink the potion?" Dennis asked.
"Of course not. Like I said, its function is to keep my body from changing into anything other than the human form it already is. That potion can't be consumed because it's actually a poison. I am an alchemist; basically, I create items combined with medicines and toxins that are then processed using magic to create various effects, depending on the brew and the container," Daisy number 5 answered.
"Oh... okay, got it," Dennis replied, hesitant to ask for any more details.
Finally, they arrived at a hunter equipment store. When they stepped inside, Dennis could see it was a self-service shop filled with various protective gear like Kevlar, chainmail, heavy armor, and more. All sorts of uniquely shaped weapons were displayed on the walls, and there was a shelf stocked with different knives and accessories like necklaces, rings, and bracelets.
There were also binoculars, night vision goggles, watches, and multi-purpose folding knives—almost all of which utilized some kind of blue crystal with ancient letters like runes engraved on them.
Without delay, Daisy number 5 immediately began browsing the display cases, leaning in so close that her face almost touched the glass and her horns scraped the edge of the display. Meanwhile, Dennis stood behind her without moving much, simply following her like a bodyguard.
Finally, after thinking it over and appearing to discuss it with the others inside her, Daisy number 5 opened the case and picked out a pair of analog men's and women's watches that looked antique, featuring chains full of crystals that, according to the label, were for protection. After showing them to Dennis, who nodded, she immediately took both watches to the cashier.
"Let me scan these for you first," the cashier said.
"Excuse me, miss, for the women's watch, would it be possible to replace the crystals with plain white ones without any runes?" Daisy number 5 asked.
"Hmm... we can do that, but the price remains the same; there's no discount, and you have to pay first," the cashier answered.
"That's no problem, please do it," Daisy number 5 replied, handing over the joint account card she and Dennis had just opened yesterday after school before the weekend.
After scanning the joint debit card, the cashier printed the receipt, handed it to Daisy number 5, and took the women's watch.
"Alright, please wait a moment," the cashier said, then turned and went inside to see the technician.
After that, Daisy number 5 turned to look at Dennis. She took his hand and slipped the men's watch onto his wrist.
"There, now you have a magic protection effect. At the very least, it can deflect light attacks, so you'll be safe, hon," Daisy number 5 said.
"Yeah, thanks, honey... sorry, I won't call you 'hon' back... it feels a bit weird," Dennis said while stroking Daisy number 5's head.
"Hehe... that's okay, I just enjoy calling you hon," Daisy replied with a broad smile, looking quite happy.
A short while later, the cashier returned and handed the women's watch to Daisy, who declined the packaging. Daisy number 5 then immediately pulled Dennis to wander further into the store. Once they were in a spot hidden from the cashier's view, Daisy number 5 suddenly stretched out her hand, and a black hole that looked like a dimensional storage portal opened up.
She reached inside and pulled out a pot filled with a greenish-purple liquid. Slowly, she placed the pot on the ground, then with a pen, she began carving runes onto the blank crystals before dipping the watch into the pot. After that, she held both sides of the pot; her hands glowed with a red light, and the liquid inside began to swirl like a whirlpool.
She then took a lid from the black hole and sealed the pot tightly, after which she placed it back into the portal for storage.
"Okay... are we done?" Dennis asked.
"Hmm... we'll wait five hours and see the results," Daisy number 5 answered.
"I see. Don't you want to buy another one as a spare?" Dennis asked.
"No need, it's bound to work. I'm just curious about the extra effects," Daisy number 5 replied.
"Alright then, ready to go home?" Dennis asked.
"Yeah, let's go. We'll just wait at home," Daisy number 5 answered.
They walked toward the store exit, but suddenly, "aw," Daisy number 5, who was walking in front, bumped into someone, and Dennis immediately caught her to keep her from falling. Dennis looked at who she had bumped into and his eyes widened; it turned out to be Brad and five of his friends.
Judging by their clothes, they were wearing hunter guild uniforms and were most likely the school's core team that Dennis and the others were set to replace. Behind them stood Bella and another girl who was also a classmate—a similar type to Bella—named Rika.
When Brad's eyes met Dennis's, both of them froze, staring each other down without a word as if sizing one another up. But before anyone could move, a young man with a buzz cut and a muscular build stepped forward. He looked down at Dennis and Daisy number 5, his eyes observing their faces. Then, his expression shifted into a smile.
"You're the ones we saw in the cafeteria back then and the candidates for the new school team replacing us, right? Mr. Steve already showed us the video of your fight; honestly, the six of you are impressive," he said cheerfully, placing a hand on Dennis's shoulder and looking him straight in the eye, as he was a bit taller than Dennis.
"Hey... Ivan, that's the guy I told you about, the one who slammed me in my wife's classroom," Brad blurted out.
"Oh... so it's him? Truly interesting," Ivan said while staring at Dennis, observing him with a smile.
Daisy, who knew nothing about the incident where Dennis slammed Brad, immediately turned to Dennis with a look that seemed to ask, "what is he talking about?" Suddenly, a girl with very fair skin, beautiful blue eyes, and silver hair—looking much like an ice princess—stepped forward. She joined in observing Dennis and Daisy, carrying a bow but no arrows. Her brows furrowed and she rested her chin on her hand, then she turned to Dennis.
"So you're the one who slammed Brad so easily? Hmm, interesting... oh by the way, my name is Sasha Volkov. I'm a member of the current school core team and also the wife of Ivan Volkov... this guy," Sasha said, placing her hand on Ivan's shoulder.
"You're pretty pathetic, Brad, but I'm not surprised. I saw the video too; he's clearly stronger than you... maybe stronger than all of us," said a handsome young man with short black hair, carrying a sword at his hip and a rifle on his back.
"Shut up, Hyunjin. Don't act like you can lecture me," Brad said irritably, his eyes still fixed on Dennis.
"Hahaha... sorry, sorry. Don't get your panties in a twist, man," Hyunjin teased back.
"Enough, honey. This isn't the time for jokes," said a beautiful woman with long, straight black hair, carrying two straight swords on her left and right hips.
"Sorry, Minji. I just can't help poking at Brad," Hyunjin muttered with a smile.
Then Minji turned to look at Dennis and Daisy and introduced herself. After that, a man carrying a guitar case—which likely held a sniper rifle—stepped forward. He approached with Rika, holding her hand; it seemed he was Rika's husband, as they wore matching rings.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Akira Sasaki and this is my wife, Rika Sasaki. She's your classmate, right Dennis? I know you because Rika is friends with Bella. Don't worry, I don't have any bad intentions," Akira said with a smile.
Dennis and Daisy were stunned; they had only wanted to shop in peace, but instead, they ran right into the school's hunter team that was about to graduate. Dennis glanced at Brad, who turned out to be a member of that elite team, and Bella standing beside him.
Both of them were glaring at him with pure rage. Then, he looked over at Daisy number 5, who was staring at Bella with a calm expression—but it was crystal clear she was ready to kill, her hands already curling into sharp claws.
"Okay, I need to find a way out of this situation immediately, before something unwanted happens," he thought to himself, racking his brain for a way to escape the encounter.