The Hunter Games: A Monster Hunting LitRPG

Gun and Reina were missing for most of the day, but I didn’t worry too much about it. Gun had mentioned going on a date with her anyway, so I figured they were out at the festival. Meanwhile the rest of us stayed at the dojo and tried to relax, cook, read, or train. Felix had a session of training with sensei in a block before I did, and after I paid the price of boosting my stamina, my stats updated:

 

I was happy to see that I gained more sponsors and my fame grade bumped up, too. Even though school ended on a bad note, I was able to say that at least one good thing happened today.

After a quick wash after training, I stepped into the kitchen for a light dinner before our mission tonight. Maybe a sandwich, or some of those rice balls Gun made the other day. Not to my surprise, Ash was already there, sitting at the table with an oversized shirt draped over her.

She beamed at me and waved as she enjoyed her bowl of watermelon wedges. “Hiya K-pop!”

I snickered. “Ash, glad to see you doing what you do best.”

“At this rate, I should eat professionally, right?”

“I’d always bet on you when it comes to a food eating contest.” I scanned her and scratched my head, wondering where all of that food went in her petite body, before I realized what she was wearing….

The giant T-shirt was inside out, but I could still see the graphic fade from the other side.

“Ash….”

“Yea-huh?”

“Have you been in my bedroom?”

She shook her head no vigorously, her mouth stuffed with watermelon. Already, she had a guilty look on her face as she tried to deny the obvious.

“Really? Then how are you wearing my Gurren Lagann shirt inside out?”

She swallowed the food in her mouth and looked down, her fingers pinching the fabric of the shirt, pulling it away from herself to look at it as though seeing it for the first time. “Oh, this is yours?” she said, her face lighting up with a sheepish smile.

I folded my arms over my chest, raising an eyebrow at her. “Don’t try to play clueless with me, Ash. You knew it was mine when you pulled it out of my closet.”

She shrugged, not the least bit bothered by my accusation. If anything, she seemed amused. “Well, you did say we’re like siblings, right? Siblings borrow clothes all the time!” she admitted before she stood up off her seat, where I noticed the cat girl also sporting my god damn boxers, too!

“Ash!” I shouted, and she sprung. I ran at her, but she was nimble, leaping off of my back as I reached in to grab her.

I slammed into the table when I missed, then immediately pivoted around to chase her into the hallway. Just as I cut the corner, she was already gone, but I did clash with Reina, who winced as I nearly bulldozed her over.

“Watch where you’re going!” she hissed. “You nearly stepped on my feet again!”

“Reina!” I beamed. “You’re back. How’d the date go?”

“As if it is any business of yours!” she huffed.

I chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right. I probably don’t want to hear the graphics of your night out with Gun, and—”

“It didn’t go that way, you pervert!” she retorted. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”

“You don’t want me answering that,” I said slyly with a smirk.

She crossed her arms over her chest and flicked me a sour look. “Well, if you must know, the festival was great. Gun and I shared a lovely meal to

gether.”

“I hope it wasn’t sushi….”

She rolled her eyes.

“Either way, I’m glad that you two are hitting it off. Now you have someone else to annoy besides me.”

She deadpanned me.

“Any who, did you see a sneaky little cat dash past here a few seconds ago?”

“Are you referring to the streak that whizzed by? Yes, she bolted straight through the back door and into the courtyard. And she was wearing some God awful pants with cheetah prints on them.”

Those were my favorite pair….

“But you don’t have time to chase after Ashley. I heard that we will have a briefing in a few minutes.”

“You’re right. And I still need to eat dinner. I’ll catch her later,” I said, heading toward the kitchen before I stopped short. “Oh, right.” I pivoted around and asked, “Are you feeling alright?”

“Pardon?”

“After classes today… you want to vent, or—”

“No… I am fine.” She fed me a weak smile. “I was just a bit overwhelmed is all.”

I smiled. “All right, then. I’ll see you later.”

After I ate a light dinner, it was time to head over to the meeting hall. I let Ash get her victory tonight. Come tomorrow, she won’t be so lucky. I didn’t know what turned me more, the fact that she managed to sneak around wearing my clothes with no one saying anything, or the fact that she looked better in my prints than I did.

I was the last of my team to walk in, Naomi and Reina sitting on opposite sides of each other in the meeting hall. Again, Naomi brought her black book with Reina sitting there drumming her fingers on the table. Reina made it dead obvious she was staring at Naomi as she read. Soon after I took my seat next to Reina who was closest to the door, Hayashi came through, bearing gifts.

“Sensei, are those our uniforms?”

“For your first mission as officially licensed hunters, you will be properly suited,” he said, then placed the folded uniforms on the table between us. “You will wear these with pride and honor. Remember, they bear the insignia of our corporation, a symbol that you represent us in every action you undertake. They represent not just your individual accomplishments, but our collective achievement as hunters. I highly suggest that you maintain them at all times.”

I reached over and grabbed my uniform, unfolding it and taking a look. It was a unit all right, with leather padding along the shoulders and straps along the midriff and the thighs. Our matching accessories, arm guards, and boots were all included, my fingers stroking along the fabric as I tried to guess what material the suit was made out of. It looked breathable and stretchy, with the Hunter Corp emblem embroidered on the left side. In crimson red, it almost looked like the Assassin’s Creed emblem with an eye in the middle of it.

There were two sets for each of us, Reina taking one of hers and laying it out flat on the table to inspect it. The design looked the same as mine, which made her cringe. “I thought we were hunters, not super heroes?”

“You’ve never seen the hunter’s uniform before?” I asked her.

“Yes. And I also know that the design changes every season.”

“Only ever so slightly,” Hayashi said flatly.

“These colors….”

“Be glad that it doesn’t come with a cape,” I teased, Naomi getting up to take hers. Right away she inspected how ‘fitting’ it was. For a girl known to wear baggy clothes, I could tell from that look on her face that she wasn’t too happy about her new threads.

“I opt for something less revealing,” she complained.

“Understandably for you,” Reina added. “You don’t have much to be proud about with the way you’re shaped.”

Naomi craned her eyes at her, giving her a sharp look.

I didn’t know what Reina was talking about. Naomi was just as curvy as Reina, minus the bosom area. Reina had bragging rights there.

“Before you ask, no, you cannot suggest design options, and no, you cannot ask for size modifications,” Hayashi said. “These suits have been tailored to the measurements you supplied before onboarding. Unless they cannot fit, deal with it. The colors compliment the nature of our business, and the snug fit prevents snagging and offers the best maneuverability. The materials are highly resistant to most forms of damage, be it from weapons or nature’s unpredictable conditions. They are not designed for fashion statements but for functionality and survival.”

“Great, I can’t wait to try it on!” I smiled.

“As for your level two contract, there has been a series of disturbances in a local cathedral in Utoro. A few disappearances have sparked some concern, dating back for months now. One or two members of the church couldn’t be located, and according to their fellow parishioners, they were never seen leaving the area. Reports have been inconsistent, but allegedly, eerie noises can be heard from the cathedral after sunset.”

“Disappearing parishioners and ghostly sounds? Sounds like something right up our alley,” I responded.

“One or two members didn’t trigger too much concern, not until that number tripled in the following months. Desperate for answers, they are calling on us for our assistance in locating a family of four who have been missing for a few days. The church has been ringing our doorbell for some time now, and finally, they got the attention of Hunter Corp. That is where you three come in. Your job is to investigate the building for any shadow walker activity. But more importantly than that, you must find the family in this folder, dead or alive.”

Sensei slid the file on the desk over to me, and I caught it under my fingers. Before I opened it up, I looked over to him and asked, “What makes them think that the family is in the cathedral? I’m sure they would have searched all over that place to find the family, no?”

“They did, but paranormal activity suggests that they are inside. Pastor Fedrei mentioned that every night, faint cries for help echo from the cathedral’s bell tower, sometimes drowned out by the tolling of the bell. Others have heard these same cries and suggest it’s Maria Camelli’s voice, the mother in the file.”

I opened up the file to find pictures of the family members –a couple in their forties and two young children, twin boys who looked no older than ten. Underneath each picture was a brief description of each person and their usual habits as provided by friends and families.

“I am in no mood to witness more dead bodies today…” Reina said quietly under her voice, and then looked up to Hayashi seriously. “We will find them, alive.”

“There are suggested areas where your targets may be according to their lifestyles. Search those areas first. You’ll find more information in the folder. And Reina,” Hayashi said as we all stood up to get ready, Reina pivoting to him as he continued, “after the mission, I’d like a word with you.”