It had been four days since the conclusion of the CEHA Examination Entrance, and an announcement had been made regarding the students who had successfully passed and were accepted into the renowned and highly sought-after Hunter Academy located on New Earth.
In second place was Gydarra, a dark elf who was renowned for his relentless fighting spirit. He was an exceptional warrior, able to perform any role or task with skill and precision. Despite the arrogance and controversy that surrounded him after he maimed Dallan by severing his legs, nobody could deny that he was a worthy runner-up.
The third position was held by Robert because, of course, the alliance would not have happened without Robert. What's more, he managed to bring tens or even a hundred more hunters to pass with him in the exam.
Nina, the leader of Elite Hunters, held the next position due to her precise and efficient decisions and commands, even in critical conditions.
Meriel, Linda, and Yudan then took their respective places at seventh, twelfth, and eighteenth positions. While their scores weren't as high as Nathan's, it was a remarkable feat for Vensalor to have all its members in the top twenty.
In two weeks, the new school year at CEHA will commence. However, because of the recent major event involving the god apostle, CEHA's original plan to immediately bring all academy participants to Yunatea has been postponed for the first few weeks. Nevertheless, these participants will soon have the opportunity to experience their first dungeon expedition in Yunatea, with real cases, adventures, and battles to be encountered.
"Nathan Oppa..." Linda called, knocking on the door of his room.
From the bed, Polly slumped off his stomach as Nathan stirred awake.
"Yes?" he replied slowly.
"Meriel and the others will be here soon, do you intend to go downstairs and greet them?" Linda asked.
"Yes, I'll be right down," he said, slowly pushing himself out of bed.
Nathan gently stroked the fur on Polly's head, the fox, and then said softly, "Wouldn't you like to come downstairs and meet my friends, Polly?" His voice was gentle, and he smiled reassuringly as he spoke.
Polly lifted its head and glanced at Nathan, its nose twitching and its ear flicking. "Ummm... I don't like dark elves," it said hesitantly before putting its head back down on the mattress and rubbing it against the mattress lining.
Nathan smiled, then he stood up and went into the bathroom, and took a quick shower. Afterward, he left the room and descended the stairs to the living room.
Nathan and Linda stepped out of the house and suddenly saw Meriel, Yudan, Gydarra, and Gaem walking toward them.
Gydarra, with his fists clenched and teeth gritted, ran up to Nathan and shouted, "Hey you, fucker! I'm not your slave anymore. There's no way you can get away with what you did to me. I will make you pay!" while pointing an accusing finger in Nathan's direction.
Meriel, along with the others, then passed Gydarra and exchanged pleasantries with Linda and Nathan. "Good day, Mr. Nathan," Meriel said cheerfully, offering him a bright smile.
After a brief conversation, they promptly stepped inside the house, leaving Gydarra outside.
"What the heck!" He exclaimed, stomping into the house and flinging himself onto the sofa in the living room. "So lame. I came here expecting to have a battle with this silly human!"
Gaem then gave Gydarra's head a sharp flick. "Is that all you think about? Fighting? You moron! This is New Earth, not Yunatea. If you use your skills in a populated area, you can get sent to jail!"
Gydarra rolled his eyes and sighed in frustration, his expression clearly showing his discontent. "Ch! So lame!" he exclaimed.
Nathan was now surrounded by a group of people who had bonded over their shared experiences, despite only having known each other for a short time. He could sense the strong sense of togetherness that had developed.
Nathan usually stayed on the sidelines of conversations, only speaking up when he felt there was something important to say. Linda and Gydarra, on the other hand, often argued with each other and pointed fingers, getting close to being noisy. Gaem would then intervene, hitting Gydarra before they returned to their casual discussion.
Meriel always had a smile on her face and a chuckle at everything that was going on. Yudan, who was quite similar to Nathan, remained silent, but each time someone asked him a question, he gave an incredibly detailed answer as if he had read it straight from a book.
"What do you think about going somewhere for recreation to pass the time?" Gaem proposed when they were discussing what would be fun to do.
Linda crossed her arms and legs, her face turning serious. "I spent most of my life being locked up by crazy men. I don't know much about the recreational venues in this world," she replied, her voice softening into a laugh.
"Me too," Nathan added. "I've locked myself in since the death of my parents. My farthest experience is traveling, only to the pocket dimension, to fight monsters."
"Hah!" Gydarra exclaimed, followed by a hearty laugh. "So, I guess it's safe to say we're all a bunch of parentless people here..."
Gydarra stopped when Gaem hit him on the head once more. "Hey, could you be a bit more careful with your words? Your head sure looks like it's empty. I still have parents, and Ms. Meriel still has a father, and I'm sure Yudan does too," she said, turning to Yudan.
Yudan merely smiled in response.
After chatting for a while, Nathan and his friends proceeded to the rooftop of the house, which overlooked the lake. It was already evening, and the moon shone brightly at the edge of the sky, imbuing the atmosphere with tranquil serenity. As they began setting up the fire, they also readied the meat and other foods they had brought to enjoy that night.
Nathan settled onto a metal lounger and watched his friends bustling around, Linda and Gydarra still bickering over insignificant matters.
Meriel brought a plate of succulent meat to Nathan and placed it on the small table before him. She smiled warmly and sat down beside him.
Nathan eagerly grabbed the plate of meat and, using a fork, quickly took a small bite. The delicious flavors of the dish, prepared by their favorite chef, delighted his taste buds.
Meriel smiled as she saw Nathan start to smile that day. "I heard from Linda about what happened with Muramoto and Olivia," she said in a gentle and caring tone.
Nathan nodded slowly, but he was still unsure.
"There are so many possibilities that could happen, I'm sure everything will work out alright, right?" she continued, her smile still radiating warmth.
Nathan turned to Meriel and was comforted by the sight of her smiling softly.
"Yes," he replied, a bit more confidently. "I'm sure it will be fine."
"Have you finished your dealings with your father, Meriel?" he asked.
After hearing the news that Meriel had been summoned back home but had refused, Nathan was aware that Gydarra and Gaem would still be accompanying her and attending the academy at CEHA.
Meryl nodded slowly. "Yes, and do you know Mr. Nathan?"
"Huh?"
"No one from the tribe is aware that I have made a contract with you, apart from Gydarra and Gaem," she explained, her eyes twinkling with an unspoken secret.
"Does that mean trouble for me?" he asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.
Meriel just smiled mysteriously, "I've chosen to go down my own path, and..." she paused, leaving the rest of the sentence hanging in the air.
Nathan turned to Meriel with a concerned expression on his face. "Would they despise me if they found out about this? I've taken the tribal chief's daughter for myself." He paused, his eyes scanning the lake. "Doing this contract could be a risky move," he added.
Meriel followed his gaze, her legs swaying slightly as she thought. "I'm prepared to take the risk," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nathan nodded, feeling a gentle breeze brush against his face. He sighed in contentment, his nerves slightly more relaxed. "I think this decision means you're ready to accept the risk," he said.
Nodding slowly, Meriel smiled and said, "If Gydarra and Gaem hadn't shown their support, I may have refused if they had forced both of them to follow me. But I have thought this through carefully, and I stand by my choice no matter what the cost."
Nathan smiled and nodded, then resumed eating the piece of meat on his plate with his fork.
"I only hope you don't regret your decision," he said. "Because if you do choose to follow me, I'm sure the road ahead won't be easy either."
"I understand," Meriel replied. "Continuing my tribe's traditions wouldn't be any easier, either. It would mean leading troops to war and pillage. But at least I'm doing this of my own free will, so I don't feel any obligation to regret it."
Nathan understood the value of having friends in his life, especially after the ordeal he went through in the pocket dimension a few days prior. Despite the risks that come with forming friendships, he was prepared to accept them, as he knew that friendship would not be easy, especially if it involved a god apostle assigned to hunt him or a chief's daughter who was a slave trader.
Nathan then laughed humorously before standing up and stretching his arms. "Let's enjoy these tranquil times before the next challenge comes our way," he said, feeling a sense of relief.
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