The phone buzzed before the sun was even up. Kai stared at the screen for a moment, his eyes tired, before he finally picked up.
"…Yeah," he said.
Director Han didn't waste time with a "hello." He sounded serious. "We have a problem."
Kai sat up and leaned his back against the cold wall. He was awake now. "What kind of problem?"
There was a short silence. Then Han said, "An unstable dungeon."
That got Kai's attention. "What rank is it?"
"The paperwork says B-Rank," Han answered.
Kai sighed. He knew how this went. "And the truth?"
"It's higher," Han admitted.
Kai ran a hand through his messy hair. He wasn't surprised. "I'll be there."
"One more thing," Han added. "You aren't going alone this time."
The line went dead. Kai looked at his phone and frowned. He liked working by himself. Having teammates usually just meant having people to worry about.
The Association
The Hunter Association building was crowded. Even though it was early, the lobby was full of people whispering. As Kai walked in, he felt everyone looking at him. They weren't staring openly, but he could feel their eyes following him.
"Talking to yourself now?" a voice asked.
Kai turned and saw Aria. She was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed. She looked better than the last time he saw her.
"You look okay," she said.
Kai shrugged. "I'm still alive."
She smiled a little. "Barely."
The New Guy
"Good, you're both here," Director Han said as he walked up to them.
There was a man walking behind him. He was tall and stayed very still. He had sharp eyes that seemed to be studying everything. He didn't look friendly, but he didn't look mean either—he just looked like he was taking notes.
"This is Ryen," Han said. "He's a trusted hunter from the main office."
Ryen stepped forward. "Kai," he said. It wasn't a question. He stared at Kai for a long time, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle.
Kai nodded back. "Ryen."
Something felt wrong. Aria leaned in and whispered to Kai, "He's not just here for the mission. He's here to watch you."
Kai didn't say anything, but he knew she was right.
The Plan
A blue hologram map appeared in the air. It showed a forest dungeon.
"This place has been changing for two days," Han explained. "Many teams went in. None of them finished the job."
Ryen pointed at the map. "The energy levels are jumping up and down. The monsters inside are changing while they fight. They are learning."
Kai's eyes narrowed. "They're adapting?"
"Yes," Ryen said. He looked Kai right in the eye.
The Gate
The entrance to the dungeon was glowing and shaking. Dark smoke was leaking out of it. It looked dangerous.
Aria took a deep breath. "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Stay close," Kai said. He stepped through the gate and into the dark.
Inside, the forest was creepy. The trees were twisted and the air felt heavy and thick. It was too quiet. Suddenly, Kai's skin crawled.
"Move!" he shouted.
Something heavy slammed into the ground where they had just been standing. It was a monster that looked almost human, but its arms were too long and its claws were like knives.
Aria attacked first. Her swords hit the monster's arm with a loud CLANG. The monster had blocked her! A normal B-Rank monster shouldn't be that fast.
"It's getting quicker!" Aria yelled.
Ryen moved in to help. He was very calm. "It is evolving," he said. "It is learning how we fight."
Kai didn't jump in right away. He watched. He looked for a pattern. The monster was getting stronger, but it was also getting overconfident.
"Aria, keep him busy! Ryen, cut him off!" Kai ordered.
The three of them worked together. Aria kept the monster busy while Ryen blocked its path. When the monster turned to strike at Ryen, it left its side open for just a second.
That was all Kai needed.
He moved fast and silent. He stabbed his dagger deep into the monster's chest. The creature shook, let out a quiet noise, and fell over dead.
The Real Danger
The forest went quiet again. Ryen looked at Kai for a long time.
"You figured out its timing very fast," Ryen said.
Kai cleaned his blade and didn't look up. "It wasn't that hard."
Ryen didn't look like he believed him.
Suddenly, more noises came from the dark trees. One, two... ten... dozens of them. They were surrounded.
Aria gripped her swords tighter. "There are more of them."
Kai looked into the darkness. He wasn't scared; he was focused. His shadow seemed to grow darker around his feet.
"Good," Kai said. "Let's see how much they can learn before they die."
Deep in the woods, something else was watching them. It wasn't moving. It was just waiting and learning. For the first time, it was hard to tell who the real hunters were.
END OF CHAPTER 36