Spirit Hunting Union

But her legs froze in the following moment.

A faint light was cast on her face. River clenched her jaw in frustration.

At one point, she attempted to move again. But almost immediately, she stopped. Only watching the Spirit make its way into the portal.

The issue here wasn't that she couldn't walk. It was that she didn't want to.

***

Quinn looked around persistently. He had searched almost every alley and pathway here. But he found nobody.

He clasped his waist, panting lightly…

… The wind suddenly gusted in his face.

Quinn creased his brows.

That just felt… unnatural.

Immediately, something red came aiming towards his eyes. He gasped.

With practiced reflexes, Quinn jerked sideways. In an instant, something sharp cut across the side of his face.

Quinn's body hit the ground. He rolled a couple of times before jumping back up, fists raised.

The white mask slowly slipped off his face. Good thing he had it on.

However, Quinn's eyes widened upon seeing who it was.

"Mr Miller? What…?"

The next thing he saw dried saliva in his mouth. Not only had Mr Miller, his science teacher, appeared out of nowhere. Holding a beam of light as though it were some normal toy.

But a dark dome floated right behind him. What the actual fuck was going on?

That looks like a portal. Somehow. Like something you would expect from a fictional story.

"Fuck, I can't process this."

The man started walking towards him. Mysteriously, another beam came out of his other hand.

Quinn stiffened.

How did he even do that?

He mumbled,

"Mister…"

A cold, snappy response followed,

"No need to rush."

Quinn blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Two seconds ticked by. And the man's nose was already rubbing against his skin.

Quinn's heart sank. He yelped.

Because, how did he just…?

Mr Miller dragged the beam upwards across Quinn's chest. Blood sprinkled like a water fountain.

Then, a blow connected to his left rib with a crushing force.

Quinn cried out loud. His body flew leftwards. Stabilising in place after a few topples.

His chest stung as though a thousand needles were poking him.

Quinn gently pushed himself up. He held his jaw.

"Well, don't tell me you got reborn by something as well…"

He shot his glance up.

"... Because that won't make me the only special one. You know?"

But damn, what in the fantasy has happened to his body lately? He should be collapsing after getting stabbed—why isn't he?

The man suddenly turned at him.

Quinn frowned.

And focused entirely on him as well.

Those beams don't look natural at all. His speed was equally extraordinary. Quinn could barely catch sight of his legs before he had already got close.

'A human's eyes don't look like a void either.'

So, definitely, this wasn't his science teacher anymore.

Quinn raised his fists as he recalled the annoying old man's words:

Imagine the Spirits as dark fumes with no arms, no legs. No body parts at all. Just an entity with an evolutionary brain.

'Now, I get it.'

This, standing before him, was a Spirit. It was that simple.

Probably, the nice Mr Miller he knew was trapped in there. Unable to guess whether he's still alive or just dying away.

And his whole consciousness had been taken over by the dark creature.

Quinn didn't need any more explanation to know he was guessing right. At least, he was able not to run mad from the realization.

'Should I…?'

The man's voice rang out,

"You were faster than I thought."

Quinn's back stiffened.

"Uh?"

He could see thin lines at the corners of the Spirit's mouth.

"Maybe not actually boring."

Quinn relaxed his shoulders. He raised his brows.

"What is he yapping about?"

Mr Miller approached again. Quinn tightened his fists more.

… But they loosened in shock when the air beat against the back of his neck. His lips parted.

Because that thing was no longer at his front.

His eyes widened in terror.

The raspy, uncanny voice said from behind him,

"But even at that, you are still weak."

Quinn spun and swung a punch immediately.

But no one was there anymore.

Insane speed!

He turned back at the front. Only to catch sight of the man.

At an excellent distance away. Back straightened. Grin tight.

Quinn then dared to ask,

"You're the cause of Mr Miller's strange behaviour, weren't you?"

His tone was strong.

The Spirit's grin faded.

"Why do you even care about that now?"

Quinn was relentless.

"Just tell me!"

"Oh-oh."

He pressed on,

"I know the kind of person he was. Someone with great intentions for the world. So many ambitions. But imagine what it's like to limit your capability... your genius mind, just because you're some science teacher in some… fucking high school. Imagine that!"

Quinn swallowed. Still, he continued,

"But he suddenly became a different person. One that burned the whole fucking science lab! Set his entire bloody research on fire. Every fucking thing! I have always been bewildered by this. But now, I get it. It has all been YOU! Everything went wrong because of you…"

… The Spirit groaned,

"You talk too much, little boy."

Quinn anticipated his next move. Yes, he was very well ready.

In an instance, he closed in to the nearest wall. And leaned against it.

He raised his fists.

"I promise you I won't die."

The man closed in, in the blink of an eye. And slammed his back into that same wall. Quinn could have sworn he saw angels dancing in the sky.

But what surprised him as well was how light his body was when he jumped afterwards. He felt like air.

Maybe that's a good thing. Quinn chuckled bitterly when he dropped to the ground. And rolled on his back.

The man walked slowly towards him later.

'His reaction got faster,' he thought as he unsummoned the second beam. He clenched his fists.

Quinn straightened his back. He frowned.

Now, enough of his own stupidity. He couldn't survive this fight just by blocking. He hadn't even been able to land one punch.

Maybe it's that this Spirit is way stronger than he is? Could it be so?

Talking about that, what's the Spirit's rank? What's his level?

A Nightmare at some fucking mid-level? A Nullifier sounds appropriate too… Maybe?

Damn it.

How was he supposed to figure any of this out? This is why those folks should have stopped gatekeeping simple information! If not, things might have been easier for him. Screw this!

Quinn reluctantly dropped into a boxer's stance. But honestly, he had no idea what to do.

He gritted his teeth.

The man walked closer.

"You look like some subpar rookie. But there's clearly something backing you up. But that…" He suddenly paused, "... won't matter in the end."

Quinn swallowed.

What he heard next was,

"Infinite Gate."

Quinn gasped.

"What…?"

In the next second, the black domes appeared out of nowhere. They surrounded Quinn. Some floated inches from the ground. Others in the thin air.

He then saw the man vanish. His heart throbbed.

It didn't take long before that same man started slipping from one dome to another. In seconds. And what else didn't take long was the slashes.

Quinn cried out every time a blade cut into his body out of nowhere.

Face. Arms. Shoulders.

Everywhere bled.

Everywhere stung.

Quinn fell to his knees.

At a point, the attacks still come. But strangely, Quinn won't feel a thing. But a second later, the sting spreads all over his body.

Yet, he couldn't do anything.

The red screen appeared from time to time with messages like:

[Fatigue: 60/100]

[HP: 70/120]

Quinn knew he was almost dead.

What can he do?!

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

After moments of enduring, Quinn dropped onto his back. Staring at the bright sky while his consciousness slipped away slowly.

The screen appeared again,

[Fatigue: 70/100.]

At that moment, the man stared down at him from above. While holding the beam.

So, he had been doing the damage with that?

What a bastard.

… Seconds passed.

Quinn's strength gently ebbed away.

Everyone seemed darker.

But suddenly, he heard a voice shout,

"I know that's you!"

Quinn gasped.

That voice is familiar. Very familiar.

He immediately glanced rightwards, towards the alley's entrance. And kneeling there with teary eyes was his friend.

'Rhen!' Quinn's mind raced.

The Spirit also looked at the guy. Soon, he took a step towards him.

That was when Quinn grasped his leg.

He shouted to Rhen,

"Get outta here. Quickly!"

Mr Miller simply turned and started stamping him.

"Let go."

But Quinn wouldn't do that.

While they were at it, Rhen's voice broke through,

"I saw him that day."

Both Quinn and the man glanced at him.

Rhen continued weeping.

"He… he was the one who set the hall on fire. H-he did it. It was him!"

Quinn gasped. What fire?

Rhen didn't stop,

"I don't get any of what's going on. Everything feels fucking suffocating! B-but if that's really you, if it's you, QUINN VALE, then know you can't give up." Rhen shook his head. He raised his voice, "You have gotta take him down! He's the fucking devil! He'll kill more if you don't find a way to stop him."

Quinn watched with parted lips.

His heart ached.

One statement echoed in his mind:

You have gotta take him down…

'Me?'

Would doing that really save more?

Suddenly, Quinn heard the man grunt,

"What a fool."

And the next thing he saw was the same person appearing right behind Rhen. His leg was off his own grip!

Quinn jerked off the ground immediately. And sprinted forward. He screamed,

"Duck!"

Rhen blinked in the distance.

Quinn screamed again,

"Duck. He's behind you!"