"Damn! This is absolutely mesmerizing!", Marcus's eyes practically sparkle as he unabashedly marvels at my ranged weapon. "It's a league apart from my crossbow!", he emphasizes, bringing his own for a side-by-side comparison. The intricate silver carvings on my weapon's body elevate its authentic allure. As we compare, the hunter's attention zeroes in on the tiny lever under the barrel. Furrowing his brows, he reaches out, curiosity etched across his face, "Wait, what does this do?"
My grin widens, and I teasingly move the crossbow just out of his reach. With a playful wink, I declare, "Let me show you!" My index finger flicks the lever, causing the walls of the flight groove to smoothly shift aside, revealing hidden space. Marcus's eyebrows shoot up in surprise as he observes me load three bolts into the groove and take aim at one of the targets.
I pull the trigger and the bolts slice through the air, jabbing the target in a perfect upward arrow formation. "A Triple Shooter!", the blonde male exclaims, his jaw hitting the floor. I smirk as he begins to worship the weapon in my grasp. "Dude, this is seriously high-end stuff! How did you even manage to get your hands on it?"
At his question, I simply shift my gaze to the silver-haired hunter currently engrossed in his training beside me. Logan doesn't bother gracing us with his gaze, but a subtle curl appears at the corner of his lips. Smiling, I shrug and return my eyes to the bolts, "A special someone who holds a deep affection for me sent this as a heartfelt gift."
"A special someone?", Marcus repeats, tilting his head before his eyes widen, "You mean a secret admirer?? Damn! You're fortunate..." Warmth envelops my chest at the notion. Truly, I am fortunate to receive Logan's affection and attention.
"Huh", Gwen scoffs from her spot in the other section of the room, capturing our attention. With a shake of her head, she lowers her phone and looks at us, "Hey, did any of you take a peek at Nexus today?"
"No? Why, what is it?", I inquire, while Logan continues to fire his rifle.
"A hunt was carried out right in the heart of Sanborn City today.", she reveals and my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Glancing at her screen again, she reads out loud, "Guns blazing, chaos unfolding right in front of the unsuspecting crowd, and the hunting partners got mistaken for gangsters!"
"Unbelievable...", I comment before glancing at the other two hunters who remain absolutely quiet.
"No kidding! Their headquarters had to pull some serious strings to keep the cops from digging into the hunters' actions. But the fact that law enforcement turned a blind eye just fueled the public's suspicion that these hunters are somehow tied to a full-blown mafia gang.", Gwen informs me before running her hand through her locks exasperatedly, "And you know what? The higher-ups at the headquarters didn't even lay a finger on them! No punishment whatsoever."
I blink, mirroring her shock at the revelation. When her words fail to elicit any response from Marcus, who is engrossed in reloading his weapon, the huntress crosses her arms, releasing a huff, "Are you really just going to stay silent? Not even going to try to defend your homeland?"
The blond male nonchalantly shrugs, taking aim at the stationary target, "What do you want me to say? You're aware that each headquarters operates with its own set of beliefs, rules, and work ethics. In Sanborn City, they couldn't care less about the secrecy of our work and existence, as long as the main goal is accomplished."
"Indeed", Logan affirms from behind me, prompting me to glance at him, "That's what we were drilled with growing up. But, of course, when we got assigned to Rogerdale, we had to adapt and change our ways."
"That's fucked up.", Gwen remarks. "If we're also causing fear in the hearts of humans, what separates us from the abominations we're supposed to be fighting against?"
