A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 129

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 129: Fox Mask (1)

 

“Uncle is here.”

 

It’s a familiar voice. Not because it belongs to someone close to me.

 

‘Damn it…’

 

It’s because it was a voice that often visited my dreams since that day.

 

— Hello?

 

The figure standing on the sea of blood greets me with a smile. I can’t see their face, and naturally don’t know their identity either.

 

— They weren’t your companion anyway. Isn’t it actually good? A troublesome enemy from a hostile neighboring state died.

 

It spouts nonsensical excuses and justifies its murder.

 

‘Makes me sick…’

 

That scene repeating in my dreams was something that would make any human feel disgusted.

 

“…”

 

I turned around.

 

“Hello? We meet again.”

 

There was the Fox Mask.

 

Three Awakened each drew their weapons.

 

Mei clenched both fists and took her stance, while Ren held two swords in reverse grip to keep the opponent in check.

 

Shing.

 

I raised the Spirit General Sword straight up.

 

“This is disappointing. That child would have definitely died if not for me, shouldn’t you be grateful?”

 

Fox Mask spouted nonsense. A serial killer claiming to have saved a child?

 

‘There must have been another purpose.’

 

That thing is a deranged psychopath. It might have pretended to protect the child solely for its own amusement.

 

Whatever the case, it certainly wasn’t with pure intentions.

 

“W-wait a minute! That uncle is a good person!”

 

At that moment, the child who didn’t know its true identity shouted. Mei tried her best to hide the child behind her, but it wasn’t enough.

 

“That uncle killed all the monsters for us and even gave me his own bread to eat…”

 

“….”

 

“And he’s incredibly strong! He’s a really cool Hunter!”

 

The child cried while clutching Mei’s sleeve. Tears formed drop by drop.

 

Those innocent tears.

 

I couldn’t believe they were meant to protect a murderer…

 

What was the fox thinking inside while pretending to protect this child who knew nothing?

 

“Wow, I’m really happy that Yoshiki believes in me.”

 

The sound of clapping could be heard. He clapped his hands and rejoiced as if he was very pleased.

 

Then the child’s face brightened up.

 

“I-I’ll clear up the misunderstanding for you! Uncle can’t be a bad person.”

 

“Really? Thank you, Yoshiki.”

 

It was a chillingly kind voice.

 

“But you know.”

 

“….”

 

“Uncle asked you to do one thing… What was it?”

 

His tone was still gentle. However, the child’s expression began to rapidly worsen upon hearing those words.

 

‘Something like… he seems scared…’

 

The Fox Mask tilted slightly, moving his chin to urge an answer. The child’s lips trembled.

 

“D-don’t cry…”

 

“….”

 

“Because it’s noisy…”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The murderer gripped his sword tightly with force. I didn’t miss that moment.

 

Screech—!

 

In the blink of an eye, the opponent closed the distance. His sword rushed toward its target.

 

Clang!

 

I gritted my teeth and blocked Fox Mask’s thin sword.

 

“Uh, ah…?”

 

The fox’s sword stopped in front of the child’s neck. Tears that had been held back flowed down the young cheeks.

 

“What the hell are you doing?”

 

I aimed at Fox Mask with hands trembling from rage.

 

‘…He was trying to kill.’

 

It was definitely an attack filled with killing intent. If I hadn’t blocked it, if Ren and Mei hadn’t reflexively protected the child.

 

Like the more than ten Awakened Ones he had killed so far…

 

“Ah, why do you keep interfering?”

 

Fox Mask grumbled.

 

“Wouldn’t it be nice for you too if the noisy thing disappeared? It would be easier to fight me.”

 

The words heard through the translator were completely removed from normal human thinking.

 

| A beast that has given up being human. |

 

I could feel the Mountain Lord’s anger. The cold winter deity harbored burning rage.

 

| You’re not planning to leave him be. |

 

“…Absolutely not.”

 

I answered that way. I could never leave him alone. My sword aimed straight at its target.

 

“Eun Hae-dam.”

 

But suddenly Mei spoke to me.

 

“Please protect the child. We’ll handle that one.”

 

“…What?”

 

“Please.”

 

Her face was coldly hardened. It was different from how she had maintained a cheerful expression until now.

 

“I know that Eun Hae-dam is stronger than the average A-rank. Perhaps… well. But that’s not a reason to put Eun Hae-dam in front of Japan’s serial killer.”

 

“…”

 

“We’re the only ones who will die or get hurt here. If things go wrong, please take the child and run.”

 

I looked at Ren with a flustered expression. As if telling her to object or something.

 

However, Ren also seemed to agree and didn’t look back at me.

 

“Ugh, hic. Wh-what was that just now…?”

 

“…It’s okay. Don’t look over there.”

 

The child, whose face had turned pale, whimpered. Mei covered the child’s eyes while calming her down.

 

“That crossed the line.”

 

Mei’s gaze toward Fox Mask was cold. I could feel her firm will.

 

“…”

 

I eventually let out a sigh.

 

“…I understand.”

 

If that was their pride and sense of responsibility, then it might not be bad for me to step back and watch.

 

However, Fox Mask was originally an opponent they had planned to attack together as three.

 

I didn’t let my guard down, ready to step in if necessary.

 

“Ren, please stay calm.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

When I advised him, he took a deep breath. He seemed to be trying hard to calm his excitement.

 

‘He must be remembering the last battle.’

 

He had been in a highly excited state like this after discovering his dead colleagues.

 

‘The result wasn’t good.’

 

If he charged in like that again, victory couldn’t be guaranteed. It was better for him to act calmly.

 

‘…But even so, can we really defeat that thing?’

 

The gap in power was clear. It wasn’t an opponent we could beat just by changing our attitude.

 

‘That’s why I thought it would be better if the three of us attacked together.’

 

The variable of having a child to protect was something I hadn’t anticipated.

 

Meow—

 

…And there’s a cat too.

 

I approached the child holding the cat, hoping we wouldn’t get a development where the small animal suddenly runs out.

 

“…Hic.”

 

“It’s okay. You’ll be safe.”

 

The child seemed frightened by my expression… but there was really nothing I could do about that.

 

‘Let’s watch for now, Mountain Lord.’

 

| …It’s an incomprehensible decision. But I agree. Since there’s a child. |

 

I wrapped my arms around the child and watched the scene where battle would soon unfold.

 

“Ah. So that’s your choice. How tearfully touching.”

 

Soon the fox spoke with a giggle.

 

“Go ahead and try.”

 

“…We will.”

 

“Gladly.”

 

Ren and Mei stepped forward in front of us.

 

It was natural that those with someone to protect would be weaker than an opponent with nothing to lose.

 

“Dual Sword Style, Falling Flowers.”

 

“Star Dust.”

 

But they were still top-tier Hunters.

 

Clang!

 

Kwaaaaang!

 

Two swords sliced through the air. And a massive shooting star fell from the sky.

 

Kuguuguung.

 

Even seeing it again, it was power beyond all standards. It was like watching a disaster descend.

 

So naturally, no human could dare survive within that disaster.

 

“Haha.”

 

But the fox wasn’t human either, after all.

 

Whiiiii…

 

Through the dust clouds, the murderer emerged completely unharmed.

 

The fight was just beginning.

 

* * *

 

Bright .

 

Mei’s life, written with such a character, always shone brightly. She was like a star, as if she would eternally illuminate everything below from the heavens.

 

— I’ll finish with an encore song★ Thank you for coming today! See you again—!

 

After debuting as an idol at eighteen, she quickly became a star of Japan.

 

— Waaah! Amazing!

 

— So cute…! Mei-onee-chan, look over here!

 

The constellation of stars visible from the concert hall. Beautiful light sticks shining solely for the singer on stage.

 

Those were truly overwhelming days.

 

— You’re malnourished. If this continues, it will severely strain your body. The dizziness has gotten worse lately, hasn’t it?

 

Even as her body gradually withered away.

 

— …Yes.

 

Even simple daily life was difficult. Balancing between the image the public demanded and her true self was challenging work.

 

— I, I was able to endure daily life by listening to Mei’s songs…

 

— Thanks to you, I can spend today energetically too, Mei-san! I love you!

 

But if it could give someone strength through that. She could keep going forever.

 

[Recognition complete.]

 

[Calculating Awakened ability stats…]

 

— Awakening…?

 

That was why Mei chose the profession of Hunter.

 

— I’ll do it.

 

— You really…!

 

She discovered that her frail arms could produce tremendous strength. And with that strength, she could not only save people’s hearts but also save their lives….

 

— I’ll do both.

 

How could she give up?

 

“Falling Divine Star!”

 

She wanted to live as both an Idol and a Hunter.

 

“Ren, I’ve got it restrained, so please handle the close-range attack!”

 

Mei reached out toward where Fox Mask was. The Falling Divine Star skill that created destructive power by dropping countless stars was still active.

 

Crash, bang!

 

‘…It really is a skill name that suits me.’

 

Literally translated, it was an idiom meaning dawn stars falling sparsely, which meant that friends of similar age were as rare as dawn stars. Because they all fade away one by one.

 

The original meaning was probably related to aging, but Mei couldn’t help but smile when she saw this skill name.

 

Both Hunters and Idols, everyone….

 

When you come to your senses, familiar faces have already disappeared.

 

Whether dead or forgotten. For their own reasons, companions disappeared every day.

 

“Ren, now!”

 

But Mei chose to endure in this place, and vowed that she alone would remain until the end to protect everyone.

 

So….

 

“Dual Sword Style, Full Bloom!”

 

That terrible murderer too, she would kill him here today.

 

That was her duty.

 

Swoosh—

 

Ren’s blade was swung. He rushed through the gap created by Falling Divine Star.

 

‘There’s no way he’d be fine after that level of firepower.’

 

Though the attack with Star Dust alone had failed, Fox Mask was surely in a state of agony after taking Falling Divine Star with his whole body.

 

Slash—!

 

If Ren’s Twin Swords could sever the fox’s neck in that opening.

 

‘Surely…’

 

She could protect everyone.

 

“Ah. You’re all really being bothersome.”

 

…But was it arrogance? Was it greed to try to hold two things in her hands when even one was difficult?

 

Step.

 

A man without a single scratch walked out from within the cluster of stars once again, completely unharmed.

 

“…!”

 

“Then I’ll respond too, shall I?”

 

Fox Mask gripped his sword firmly. Then he moved at a speed too fast to even perceive.

 

Swoosh.

 

The silver blade grazing past the chests of the S-rank Hunters happened in truly an instant.

 

“Kugh…!”

 

‘How on earth?’

 

Stagger.

 

Mei couldn’t understand what had happened before her eyes.

 

It was an attack that had poured the maximum amount of mana into it. It didn’t make sense for him to ignore it.

 

‘Again!’

 

She had never thought he was an opponent she could defeat in one go anyway. If she failed, she just had to challenge him again and again until she succeeded.

 

That was something Mei was familiar with.

 

“Falling Divine Star—!”

 

Her wounds were deep. It was difficult to move. However, the same was true for Ren, who was fighting alongside her.

 

‘I’m the magic type, so I have to resolve this.’

 

For combat types, where physical freedom greatly influenced the outcome of battle, wounds of this degree were a significant hindrance.

 

Based on her characteristic sense of responsibility, Mei reached out her hand once again.

 

“Star Dust!”

 

Kwaggang—

 

Kwaaaang!

 

Countless shooting stars, on which someone might have made a wish, fell down.

 

And then, the scene she witnessed next was…

 

As if there was ‘nothing’ in that spot, the shooting stars passed right through the man.

 

‘The attacks… aren’t working?’

 

Immense despair washed over her. What was this…!

 

“How pitiful.”

 

She heard the sound of tongue clicking. And then immediately, a ringing sound—beeeeeep—struck her ears.

 

Thwack!

 

Fox Mask had simultaneously kicked both Hanasaki Ren and Sakura Mei, sending them flying through the air.

 

It was a speed invisible to the eye.

 

“Cough, hack, gack!”

 

Crack.

Crack.

Their bodies crashed into the ground. It felt like their spines had been crushed.

 

“Ah…”

 

Mei’s vision flickered. It felt like that moment at the end of a concert when her breath had risen all the way to her chin.

 

“How…”

 

Mei lifted her wavering gaze to look at the enemy.

 

Snicker.

 

The enemy was still laughing behind the mask.

 

‘Was I wrong?’

 

She couldn’t protect everyone. To save hearts, she needed hearts; to save lives, she needed lives. She had to choose one of the two.

 

Caught up in a pointless sense of privilege…

 

‘…Still, I don’t regret it.’

 

But Mei didn’t regret the past days when she had given courage as an idol and saved lives as a Hunter.

 

So this was a satisfying death and a supernova.

 

‘Of course…’

 

…she felt very sorry for not being able to save the child.

 

Mei forced her eyes open and looked at the fox’s back.

 

Step.

 

It was walking toward the child and Eun Hae-dam.

 

‘Please…’

 

If there is a God in this world, please.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————