[NORTH KOREA – REFUGEE CAMP RENAMED SURVIVOR CAMP]
"Ok, I am off to my training. I will be back in two hours…" Thalia said with a bright smile.
"Are you…are you wearing make-up? To training?" Miho asked with a playful smile.
Thalia blushed and looked sheepishly away from Miho's gaze.
"You are! You are wearing make-up to your training!!! Will a special someone be there? Hmm?" Miho asked playfully…clearly enjoying torturing her poor friend.
Thalia red with embarrassment defended herself by saying, "no, it's not like that at all…it's just training…I'm going to train."
"Haha, ok…well enjoy your "training"!" Miho teased.
[SHADOW DUNGEON]
CLANG CLANG CLASH
The air resonated with clashing rings. The air between them carried a mix of competition…and maybe something more…
The two fighters knew each other's rhythm well, they had been sparing for weeks now. She pushed forward with a quick diagonal cut, he caught her strike easily and let her strike slide off his blade smoothly in a beautiful parry.
"Hey, are you love-birds done making-out?" Thomas Andre laughed as he approached the two fighters.
Thalia and Suho's faces grew bright red with embarrassment in response to that comment.
"We are sparing!" Suho said annoyed at Thomas' comment.
"Is that what you call it?" Thomas chuckled.
"Anyway, I come with exciting news…an S-rank dungeon break in Japan…and it's a beautiful one." Thomas said with excitement.
"Giants from another universe are wreaking havoc all over Tokyo…I volunteered to handle this myself…after all I am the King of Giants." Thomas said with an air of pride.
"Anyway…the IHA asked me to bring a back-up. Thalia, are you up for some leveling?" Thomas asked.
!ALERT!
[SPECIAL MISSION – STOP GIANTS]
[Defeat 100 giants and receive special reward]
Thalia thought to herself, 'the System wants me to accept…it's even bribing me to do it.'
"Giants…I'm in!" Thalia said with excitement.
"I will come too!" Suho said firmly.
"Slow down lover-boy…your dad has been gone for a long time…perhaps you should go relieve him. Old man needs a break." Thomas said.
"Arsha…you look more beautiful that ever before." Thomas said teasingly.
"Oh Thomas…for a giant lug you sure know how to sweet talk a girl…but let me guess…you want a ride to Japan." Arsha said as she popped out of nowhere.
"We need to make a quick pit-stop in America…Adam White wants to brief us before we go."
[UNITED STATES – IHA HQ]
"I will be quick because time is short," Adam White said with a hurried voice, "currently Tokyo is under siege due to an S-rank dungeon break"
"How did this happen?" Thalia asked.
"Japan refused to work with the IHA…specifically their strongest hunter, Hunter Ryuji Goto refused our help."
"Who is that?" Thalia asked.
"Hunter Goto is the Guild Master of the Draw Sword guild and the strongest hunter in Japan. He has been pushing hard for the last few years to qualify as a Nation Level Hunter. Perhaps he believes that if he manages to clear the gate without outside help…that will solidify his claim as a Nation Level Hunter." Adam White said.
"In any case, Japan sent their own strike-team into the dungeon and failed to clear it…we have no idea on the status of the strike-team…but we fear they have been killed." Adam continued.
"Your mission is to eliminate the giants and close the gate…a separate squad is being deployed to help the wounded and rescue any survivors." Adam said gravely.
"This will be fun" Thomas smiled brightly.