Spirit Hunting Union

Quinn felt himself moving.

He gasped as realisation hit him like a sledgehammer. It was as though his senses had gone numb for a second right there.

Staring downwards, he noticed he was on a small boat. Which moved forward on autopilot. On a river of frosty water.

Quinn didn't need to touch it to know. He could feel the biting chill.

Suddenly, he heard a deep voice from behind him:

"Ah… why was I expecting an abyss though?"

Quinn glanced back. Only to see the two guys on the same boats too.

The one who talked seemed to be the strong-framed guy in earrings. Most importantly, that blonde bastard kept staring at him like they had any issues before.

Some seconds later, the guy in earrings extended a hand towards Quinn. He respectfully said, with a wide grin,

"Hi. I am Doran."

Quinn watched him.

"Well, I don't mind you calling me whatever you prefer. Even if it's "Too Loud Guy" - it's fine by me. Let's just make it through this mission."

Finally someone who can read the room.

Maybe the idea of teaming up wasn't that bad after all. Quinn handshook him, his expression tight. Consequently, Doran prompted him to handshake the other guy too: Kael or whatever he's called.

God, he just won't look away.

After a while, the boat brought them to shore. They jumped off the boat. But Quinn didn't feel safe about this.

Nothing about this made sense at all. Or in other words, their step was quite dangerous.

But first, Quinn paced away from the shore. He won't want to slip into the river. And get himself broken before the mission even started.

Doran walked closer to him, under the shade of a leafless tree.

He said to him,

"Check your Curse, Quinn. The map has appeared on mine."

Quinn nodded slowly.

But why is he talking so casually with him? It just made his stomach churn in disgust. Honestly.

Quinn opened the screen anyway. The map came right up, showing a clear marking towards the left.

He glanced over there. The slope keeps moving up with every metre. If they go this way, as the Curse said, they would end up climbing high into the mountains.

Which wasn't fatigue-wise. So, instead of that path, Quinn thought:

'Can you secure another direction with a more regular slope?'

The screen loaded for a few seconds before bringing a result.

[Location secured.]

[Path: Ice Ramp.]

[Path threat level: Very High.]

[Final destination: Winter's Maw.]

Quinn had said "hell no" before he himself realized it.

He immediately checked the threat level of the previous path instead. And it was rated "High".

Then he discussed it with Doran.

Both destinations pose a significant threat, no matter the level. Should they go the hard way to face great danger? Or go the easy way to meet a much greater one?

First, they checked if there were any other paths. But both of their Curses disabled their access to more.

Seems they had run out of chances.

The question next was… which one was much closer to Winter's Maw between both paths? Ice Ramp was three kilometres away, while the latter was five.

So, they decided to take the Ice Ramp.

This wasn't a wise or honest decision, Quinn knew.

But what they could avoid within three kilometres could kill them within five. And climbing the mountains? Please. They were still amateurs.

As soon as they turned to call Kael along, what they saw made their lips part.

Quinn couldn't help but say…

"I knew he was someone I'd hate."

Doran shook his head.

At that moment, Kael got out of the river. He had taken off his gear, left with only boxers before he jumped into the river. Now, he was shivering like a fish.

Seeing the others staring his way, Kael apologised,

"Oh… you guys are ready to move? Gimme just a second to wear back my gears."

Doran suggested maybe they take his gear from him. Quinn thought that was a good idea.

And so, Doran dashed forward in time to grab Kael's gears before he himself could. Quinn was surprised. Because that speed was incredible.

In the aftermath, Kael started chasing Doran down the ramp in just his underwear.

Quinn resisted the urge to laugh.

The bastard must be freezing to death at this point. How satisfying.

He then walked down the ramp too.

***

The sky above was overly blue. It sometimes shifted between black and orange. Leafless trees stood around like lonely guardians. Each seeming to whisper words that the ear fails to hear.

Meanwhile, Quinn saw some bugs around those trees. He raised his brows. How were these things surviving in this kind of a place?

The air was freezing the lungs of a human like him. Not to mention tiny animals.

Seriously, whichever survival way they adapted to, Quinn knew they were incredible.

As for him, he couldn't wait to leave.

They all panted hard as they descended the path. Their breaths fogged up in the acrid air.

Doran soon turned to Quinn and asked,

"Are you okay?"

He glanced at him.

"Oh… yea."

Doran did the same with Kael, asking how he was doing. It seemed the environment was hitting them little by little.

The only slope they had to climb next was one by the side of a mountain. That was about five metres tall.

When they got to the mountain's peak, Kael sighed aloud.

He complained,

"Eh… eh… can we take a moment to rest, please?"

Daron couldn't believe him.

"What? In this open space?"

"But…"

Thankfully, Quinn located a black cave down the wide summit. It was also on their course, as said by the Curse.

So, the guy could rest there if he wanted…

Quinn turned around, intending to say that. But the words suddenly froze in his throat.

His heart began to race.

He clenched his fists.

He didn't dare move a limb.

Daron blinked and tried to talk.

But Quinn cut in, whispering,

"Behind you."

A sudden foul scent filled the air.

Daron and Kael blinked. They slowly looked back. And saw what had caught Quinn up since.

Down the mountain was a large fox teeming with black fumes. It had a very hairy body. And its eyes glowed with red energy.

It was staring at them, with intent. They maintained a close stare too, not moving an inch.

They mustn't.

Quinn quietly asked,

"What rank are you guys too? D-rank?"

"Yes," Daron and Kael responded.

He shot the screen a slow glance. On it was:

[Mutated Fox]

[Description: Inside the beast resides a wielder of dark energy.]

[Rank: D]

That was when Quinn realised something didn't add up. A beast against three D-rank Hunters?

He spun around immediately. But in a split second, a hairy figure closed in on him. Slamming their body into him.

The force sent Quinn toppling over the edge. At that moment, he saw it.

There were two more foxes. Screw this!

His body rolled down the mountain.

Quinn gritted his teeth mid-air. He shouted,

"Another behind you guys! Fight!"

Daron and Kael turned.

Now, what was on Quinn's mind was…

'Damn it! How do I survive this fall?