The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster

Buji stood in front of the blue-lighted portal which shimmered with an intense energy. He was not sure what he was going to go through inside there, but from the look of things, all won't be well.

He glanced down at his weapon—a sword, not too long but had sharp edges enough to slit a throat with one swing. 'Not bad, from an old friend anyway.'

Looking around him, he observed his team members. They stood at corners waiting for the right time to enter the dungeon. Their faces were filled with a mix of resolve and anticipation. Every one of them, in pairs, discussed with each other. Buji guessed their discussion was about the raid they were about to indulge in.

He, however, started feeling uneasy when he noticed they had turned their attention to him. Maybe he was popular, or so?

Just then, a boy stepped forward, stopping in the middle where every one of his team members could see him. The light that came from the portal made the boy's shadow glimmer behind his back. He stood with a posture that exuded authority and calm confidence.

'Maybe, he will be leading this team?'

His name is Kirex, a second-year student. From the side-talks beside Buji, he found out the boy had already gained a reputation as a natural leader and a prodigy in combat techniques. His short black hair was slightly tousled, and his piercing green eyes held a sharpness that made Buji feel both inspired and uneasy.

His weapon was a long spear with intricate carvings along its shaft. As he rested the blades against his shoulder, its blade shimmered faintly, likely imbued with magic. Buji's perception of the boy only grew with each move he made.

'Let's see in a few moments what he can do.'

"Alright, gather closer and listen up," Kirex said with a voice that seemed to cut the tension that hovered around in the environment. "This is a real dungeon raid, not one of those simulations some of us have been training for."

"The stakes are higher, and the risks. Of course, there are always risks, so they are real."

Murmurs followed after the last statement, but Buji only sensed the underlying fear that rested with some of the team members. He studied each of them more closely now, noting their varying level of preparedness.

'But are they not meant to be second-year students? This should not be their first… I guess.'

Buji thought, with reference to what Kirex had said, it means there were those who would also be engaging in their first raid like him. It was not making any sense to him, how? But it had to be. They probably had their reasons.

"I will be the one guiding us in this raid. Emra couldn't make it so she had excused herself earlier on. Stick to whatever formation I assigned, and we can make it out alive. Got it?"

His statement only meant that Emra was supposed to be leading the team. And that implies that she was the most entrusted with leading. It made more sense to Buji now, why Emra had asked if he didn't see the message posted in the group chat. And why she always acted like she was above all.

'But, he said make it out alive? If he's saying that, what then does fate have for me in there?'

Cutting short his thought, he looked around him to dictate his teammates better. To his right stood a tall and wiry boy, named Lian. Buji had his name when he was called by a female in the group. Slung over his back was his own weapon, a bow and its arrows.

Next to him by the side was Clara, the girl who had called Lian and unknowingly helped Buji to know his name. She has short auburn hair and strapped to her thighs were a pair of daggers. The girl in question was unreadable, but her movements were precise and deliberate as she adjusted her gloves and tested the grip of her blades.

At the other end was Zarel, a stocky boy with a battle axe resting on his shoulder. His facial expression dispersed confidence, though Buji suspected it was more of a mask than a reflection of how he truly felt.

There were two remaining team members, a boy and a girl, whose names Buji had yet to learn. After observing the team members, he returned his gaze to his short sword and chuckled to himself.

'They're all prepared. And I'm here with just this to read an A-rank dungeon.'

Finally, Buji returned his gaze to Kirex, who advanced closer to the portal to check its stability with a handheld device. The bright glow of the device reflected off his face, and he placed it in the small bag he carried.

"Buji," Kirex called suddenly, throwing the bag for Buji to catch.

"Yes?" Buji responded, slightly catching the bag from reaching the ground.

"Emra said you had awakened no talent. Not really Emra, everyone saw it. So, you will be in the rear guard. You won't be doing much, your job is to watch our backs and handle anything that comes from behind. Got it?"

Buji nodded in affirmation. Whether it was because he awakened no talent or not, he suspected it was because he was the least experienced among them. Right?

'I mean, a leader won't just look down on anybody because of a certain misfortune. The person in question might be of help, somehow. Sometimes.'

Of course, he was going to be of help to his teammates in the dungeon, but how?

"Clara, you stay with Buji to help us detect any impending danger. We need to be careful since we are here with no healer," Kirex finalized stepping closer to the portal and motioning for the group to gather.

"On my signal, we move in. Stay close, and don't break formation. The first few minutes inside will be crucial since we need to establish our ground before anything catches us off guard. Ready?"

A collective nod spread through the group. Buji could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he took his position, holding the small bag with his left hand, and gripping his sword tightly with his right hand.

"Let's go!" Kirex commanded, stepping into the portal.

One by one, each of them followed, their bodies vanishing into the shimmering blue light. Clara who walked alongside him stopped in his front and muttered, "Teamwork is key. Work with us and we can get this done quickly."

Buji was the last to step through, his breath hitching as he too vanished into the portal.

One thing he was not told happened. The hunter system gave him a notification, which he was sure it had given to others.

Ding!

[08:00:00 remaining to raid the dungeon]

Good luck.

***

One by one, each of them entered through the portal at Kirex's instruction. Their bodies vanished into the blue-lighted portal, which shimmered with intense energy.

Buji was the last to step through, his breath hitching as he too vanished into the portal. The transition was disorienting. For a brief moment, Buji felt weightless, surrounded by swirling light and an overwhelming hum.

Then, as quickly as it began, it was over. And he was in it—inside the dungeon.

"Pheww."

One thing he was not told happened. He heard an articulate female voice. It resounded in his head after the notification sound had dropped.

Ding!

[08:00:00 remaining to raid the dungeon

Dungeon: A-Rank Bat Dome

Aim: Kill the boss]

Good luck.

From the look on other people's faces, Buji guessed the same had happened to them.

They had emerged into the dungeon, a vast cave illuminated by a flickering light that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves. The air was cold and damp, carrying a faint scent that hinted at blood. The floor beneath their feet was littered with jagged rocks and patches of moss.

Buji could hear his stomach churn as if he was about to vomit. The appearance of this place was disgusting.

Kirex immediately raised his hand, signaling the group to stop every movement.

"Stay alert," he said with a low but firm voice. "A-rank dungeons are always deceitful. We don't know what's waiting for us."

'Follow your leader, one, two. He sounds so confident, just hope he is as active as he sounded.'

For some unknown reason, Buji was uncomfortable being guided by this Kirex of a being, but what can he do? At least for his safety, he has no other choice. But his mind kept betraying his trial to balance with this team of his.

'Safety, hmm. Even though, what your fellows are doing, follow them do.'

In that case, he joined the group in spreading out slightly, maintaining the formation Kirex had assigned. Buji took his position at the rear, with Clara by his side. His senses heightened as he scanned the darkness behind them.

"Everyone, get prepared. Something is coming," Clara said curtly. The power of intuition had played its own role.

What's next is the power of combat to do its part. Funny enough, Clara was also good with combat. Buji could tell from the daggers she came with and her confidence while walking alongside him.

'Interesting. This means that a hunter is allowed to acquire as many skills and abilities as they can. The ones they awakened with were just their unique abilities, so, they should be very good at it. Although, I didn't awaken any.'

The silence that followed Clara's voice was oppressive, broken only by the faint sounds of their breathing and the occasional drip of water from the top. Buji's grip on his sword tightened as he tried to steady his nerves.

Just when the group thought nothing was going to happen, a sound pierced the silence.

A high-pitched screech sent a chill down Buji's spine. It was faint at first, but grew louder, echoing through the cave.

"What was that?" Lian whispered with an inaudible voice.

"It sounded like bats," Kirex replied. "Stay together."

With Kirex's instruction, the team joined themselves together, watching the backs of each other. The paced to and fro their spot, maintaining an arc movement.

As if on cue, a swarm of dark shapes burst from the shadows. They flapped their leathery wings furiously as the sound from the flapping filled the air with an ear-splitting cacophony. The group instinctively ducked their heads, shielding their faces as the bats swirled around them.

Buji felt the rush of air as one of the creatures flew past his head. The claws of the bat narrowly missed his face, increasing his heartbeats. But he forced himself to stay focused.

He tightened his grip once again on the short sword, his eyes narrowing as he peered into the darkness.

Sure enough, the bats eventually dispersed into different door openings in the cave. Buji observed each team member's expression—it was a mix of relief and lingering tension.

'Only God knows. This was just the beginning, and everyone seemed shaken. From the look of things, any creature they were going to encounter inside this dungeon would have wings, judging from the dungeon name.'

Yet again, the leader's voice echoed inside the cave. "Hold your ground!"

After scanning his teammates, his sharp eyes assessed each member. "Everyone alright?"

A series of nods followed though Buji was certain the incident had shaken some of them.

"In that case, we move," Kirex said, leading the way deeper into the dungeon.

Reaching the front of the door openings in the dungeon, Kirex stopped.

There were three door openings, leading into where they know not. This is an A-rank dungeon for you. Everybody turned their gaze to Clara, but she nodded disappointedly.

She was not getting any information.

'What the fuck. I smell doom.'

"Buji, calm down," he had unknowingly told himself, helpfully dismissing the pessimistic thought. Anyway, his statement drew attention as everyone moped at him for a moment.

"We will be sharing ourselves into two groups. Buji should come with me. Clara goes with Lian. Tyga and Moses can go together," Kirex instructed.

'Tyga and Moses,' Buji got to know the names of the remaining two members of the team.

Embarrassingly, his grip on the short sword loosened. His hands vibrated with an unknown force. And his team members had noticed it.

"That was why I asked him to follow me," Kirex chipped in with a smile, his spear held in a slant position behind his back.

Fear.

It is a fundamental and powerful human emotion that cannot be concealed. It always manifests physically, and that is why it is difficult to conceal. When the expression comes, the rush of adrenaline from the body tends to trigger a range of non-verbal cues.

Facial expression, body language, and differences in vocal features can reveal that one was afraid. Sometimes, goose pimples become the case, and many other signs.

For Buji, his case was revealed by an uncontrolled vibration of his hand, gripped over his sword.

'My bad.'

"Okay now, everyone focus and be with your member. Be attentive as you make your way into the caves, and protect yourselves too. Let's go, shall we?"

Immediately, every group dispersed into the cave door openings. The same way the bats had followed.

The light from the entrance faded as they moved deeper into the dungeon. The air grew colder and their footsteps echoed in the distance.

"Buji, stay tight."

"…"