X-Rank Hunter

"Oh?" Sheiyn was a little surprised. Was she that famous? Sheiyn felt that she already saw this person before. She just didn't know where and when. Or perhaps, she really didn't saw her and it was only her imagination.

"What are you doing here?" Anna asked.

"I... I was just looking around." Sheiyn replied. She was just about to ask the other party about the whereabouts of her idol but hesitation prevented her.

"Oh? But what are you doing in this village in the first place..." Anna asked with a smile and paused for a moment before she continued, "Daughter of Cruz family."

"That..." Sheiyn didn't know what to say. She already knew that the other party knew about her identity since she already said it before. But how should he reply to such a question?

If she told the other party that she ran away from the family, wouldn't it appear that she was destroying her own image? Besides if not for her asking her idol to cure her, the mess that just happened a little while ago shouldn't have occurred.

She really was lost for words this time but the other party helped her when the other party said with a smile, "Did you run away?"

"H-how did you know?" Sheiyn felt ashamed this time as she downcast her gaze, couldn't even look from eye to eye.

Seeing her reddened face, Anna chuckled softly once again as she spoke, "I just guessed. I didn't know that I am actually correct haha."

"Ehh?!"

"But well, I can feel you. It's too boring to be caged inside our houses right?"

"What do you mean?" Sheiyn stared back at the other party.

"Well, I once was a runaway as well haha. Until now, I still didn't come back home."

"Oh? So you came from a big family?"

"If I am you, I wouldn't call it as only a big family haha."

"..." Sheiyn didn't know what to say. Besides family, what greater groups of people could be? A big clan? Organization? Tribe? Church? But no matter what it was, she could tell that this person before her was no ordinary individual and had a terrifying background.

But why would she run away from them? If her reason was only that she was bored, did she need to go so far to actually not immediately go back home and stay in this village instead? Besides, she was also imprisoned by her responsibilities here, so didn't she feel the same?

Anna could tell what was the kid in front of her was thinking just by looking at her face so she spoke with a smile, "It's fun here...

"Besides, many people here treated me as equal unlike those people in my clan who treated me as a goddess. It's so much annoying you know."

"So she really came from a big clan." Sheiyn said inwardly. But she had no courage to ask anything about her clan. She was afraid that it was impolite to ask something so personal in the first time of their meeting.

She was still yet to say anything when the other party spoke yet again, "So if you're going to run away, make sure you find a place with people who will care for you. You don't need so many, few is enough."

After Anna said those words she turned around and made a step forward.

"..." Sheiyn was completely speechless. What was all of these about? She wasn't planning on running away for a long time just like what the other party did. After all, she would immediately go back home later. So why did the other party advising her that as if she was some kind of prodigal daughter who cared not about her family?

But nevertheless, she took the goodwill of the other party and didn't say anything impolite either. Instead, as she was watching her back leaving away, she immediately asked, "Right, did you know where is Tita Charley?"

Anna halted her steps as she turned around and asked, "Oh, you are looking for Tita? But too bad, you needed to wait for her. She's still inside that portal."

"She was in the dungeon?" Sheiyn was surprised this time as she continued doubtfully, "Alone?"

"Yes, alone." Anna confirmed. But a moment later, she remembered something in her words was wrong as she immediately corrected it, "It was before, but right now, Sir Jason is also in there. He entered the portal just a little while ago, didn't you see him?"

Sheiyn of course saw a person entering the portal, and she recognized that person. He was the one who was sitting idly near the village gate a while ago when she entered the village for the first time.

She thought that that person was really just a guard. Never she thought that he was actually no ordinary individual.

"I saw him..." Sheiyn still replied that she saw a person entering the portal it was just that, "I never thought that Tita Charley was already in there."

"Are you perhaps worried about her?" Anna asked with a smile.

"Y-yes." Sheiyn nodded her head. She knew full well how dangerous an orange portal really was.

"Haha." Anna didn't know what to say. A little kid worrying for a monster? That was something she rarely encounters.

So instead of saying anything, she turned around instead and made a step forward once again to go back home.

Seeing the other party, Sheiyn didn't stop her as well. Though she was curious why would many Hunters were coming back inside the village, she didn't directly meddle in their affairs.

So seeing that there was no other person she could ask, she just decided to go back to Jim's house and look for this annoying rat.

Seeing her walking back, Bantay heaved a sigh of relief. But they were just having a few steps when they noticed couples of red birds flying frenziedly to where they were heading. Both Bantay and Sheiyn were curious about what was that but didn't put so much attention to it.

Instead, they continued their steps and walked back home.

****

Swoosh!

It took several minutes for the lasts of the Blood Minions to finally arrive. As the Blood Minions arrived they immediately dived towards Jim's body as if diving into a pool of blood. It went without saying, they entered their Master's body.

As they entered, Jim closed his eyes as he absorbed all the knowledge inside each of the Blood Minion. He couldn't help but feel joy. Every scene of every battle a while ago was recorded in the memories of his Blood Minions so how could he remain unhappy with that? That was something he wished to obtain!

Though he already saw some of the most important and astonishing fights, there was still something he wasn't able to watch earlier. But now, all of it was entering his mind and he was enjoying all of it.

After a few moments, he took a deep breath and opened his eyes and a smile followed suit. It didn't take long for every memory of his Blood Minions to enter his mind and absorb all of them.

"This ability really is good!" Jim mumbled to himself as he gazed outside the village of where many Hunters were busying themselves to all sort of things.

"Maybe I should let my Blood Minions wander around again." Jim intended to do this when suddenly, he heard heavy footsteps climbing upstairs. He didn't notice it coming because he was busy absorbing the memories but now that he was doing nothing, he immediately noticed it.

The footsteps were somewhat annoyed and he could hear the other party's heart beating in anger.

Jim didn't need to think deeply about who was coming for even her breathing was memorized by him. She was of course no other than Sheiyn!

Just as he thought, Sheiyn had finally climbed up from the stairs and walked towards the sofa and sat on it without even sparing a glance at him.

She was here to look for this annoying rat but when she finally saw him, it immediately hurt her eyes that as if sparing a glance at him was so much of a pain.

Jim smiled bitterly as she saw the other party. What the heck was this? He could tell that the other party was still angry at him but he didn't do anything at all to make her angry. He was even trying his best to win her good side so why did he end up winning the opposite?

Jim didn't know what to say. He also saw Bantay coming in as the other party came closer to him and said, "Master."

"So what's up?" Jim asked telepathically.

"Nothing serious." Bantay replied. "It seems like she's just taking a stroll outside and is looking for master's mother."

"Ohh?" Jim nodded but didn't say anything more. Instead, he walked closer towards Sheiyn's direction as he sat on the sofa opposite her.

"What?!" Sheiyn immediately asked indignantly.

"That..." Jim was lost for words. How could he start a chat with this kind of attitude? So in the end, he just decided to not talk with her as he said, "N-nothing."

"Hmph!" Sheiyn was still frustrated. She was dying to know and learn how did this brat in front of her managed to make his consciousness wander around but the other party was just refusing to tell it. If it was a family secret then he could just say it and not say so much nonsense to avoid the question. She hated this kind of people the most!

Jim of course didn't know why did the other party was angry at him. So he just thought that the other party was just having a 'period' this time. But she was just about the same age as him so how was that possible?

As bewildered as he was, Jim just let the matter go and stared dumbly at the space instead.