Chapter 12: 12. Mercenaries

Mason Slumped, gasping for air like a drowning man dragged ashore. Helena dragged him out as he muttered curses between coughs.

Owen watched the door close. If mason returned with such arrogance and disrespect towards Yuki again, he would crush his throat next.

But he was relieved when Helena came back alone. She regained her emotionless composure but stayed a careful distance away from Owen.

“Yuki” she said. “Your hunter profile will be updated to C-Rank immediately but be aware that the news of you being a dragon tamer is already out. Every human city, every Beast Kin territory, the Elven courts and…. even the demon continent. They will all know”

Owen felt Yuki’s pulse spike and her mood shit, what Helena had just said had alert her to danger. And she was right to feel so. The main five human cities were already riddled with forces that would stop at nothing to have him, a dragon, for themselves. But now they’d also have to deal with response from the non-human beings in the world? The unexplored demon continent, the beast kins and elves that look down on humans due to racial prejudice.

Worse, Owen didn’t know what to expect from them. He had only seen Elves and beast kin on Tv, they weren’t allowed in Nexus prime, the Top Human city. And as for the demons from the demon continent? They were as good as myths at this point. No contact had been had from them for over 500 years since the last Great war. The whole continent was covered with a black miasma that was extremely harmful to any non-demonic entity.

“You need protection” Helena continued. “Join a top guild. Or…” she hesitated; the second time Owen had seen a crack in her emotionless composure. “You can Join the Hunter association. Officially. It’ll come with benefits: housing, compensation, and-…”

’No’

The word wasn’t spoken aloud. Owen pushed it directly into Yuki’s mind, a sharp telepathic whisper.

’Don’t trust them. Not now, at least’

Yuki straightened up. “I’ll think about it” she said.

Helena studied her for a moment then nodded. “Very well. We’ll finalize your Rank-Up paperwork.” She said as she got up to leave. “I hope to see you again, Dragon Tamer. Goodbye.” She left, leaving Yuki and Owen alone in the room.

Owen climbed up her thighs and settled right beneath her boobs. “What do you think?’ Yuki said, petting his wings.

“I think we have better choices to make, we don’t need to be tied down to one organization.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Yuki flustered.

Owen sighed, disappointed at Yuki’s lack of understanding of the situation. “I mean, you’re the hottest hunter in the news right now. With unprecedented potential. A lot of forces would want to steal me from you and a lot of others would want to have you work under them. Those others, being the Top Guilds in each city.”

“Oh sweet! So, we should join one of those top guilds then? Right?”

Owen flew off her thighs and circled the room. “No Yuki, we’re not going to join any guild or organization. We are going to be mercenaries!”

“What?” Yuki yelled as she got up.

“Yes, that way we will get to set our worth however we please.” Owen then settled by the door. “If we get tied to a guild now, they’ll set our worth in stone. But as we stay independent, as I evolve, as you climb ranks, we will dictate our terms. Taking only the highest offers as mercenaries. The world will chase for us. Humans and non-humans. They will all want us”

’I-… I understand” Yuki said as she pushed open the door. Thinking about what the future had instore for her, she willed Owen back into the beast space and stepped out of the room. Down the hall, through the lobby, past the envious hunters and out the front doors of Hunter HQ.

Reporters still lined the front, but they didn’t surge towards her this time. No crowd pressing in. no microphones being shoved at her face. They kept their distance as their bodies still shivered at the memory of Owen’s roar.

Cameras clicked quietly as Yuki walked past but she ignored them and raised a hand, hailing a Taxi.

—

The moment the taxi pulled up to her apartment complex, she spotted another cluster of reporters gathered near the entrance. But surprisingly, none approached her. They parted like the red sea, giving way for her to walk through.

Upon reaching her apartment door, she stopped at the sight before her.

Six people stood in front of it. Each dressed differently, each radiating a different level of danger, interest… or intent.

Owen Quickly materialized out of the beast space and back into reality, placing his self in the air between them and Yuki.

’These…These are Dangerous people’ Owen snapped telepathically to Yuki as he puffed steam out of his nostrils.

“Calm your tamed beast, Madam.” One of the people said as he stepped forward. He was a tall fluffy red hair. He wore a red suit and had the face of a music idol that would have girls form fan groups for him.

“Who…who are you people?” Yuki asked, already taking up a combat pose like she had to fight.

The man in the red suit chuckled as raised his arm forward for a hand shake.

“I am Jacob Gardner, A-Rank Hunter and Vice Guild master of the #5 Guild on the guild rankings; The Crimson Fangs”

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