[ Isn't it a bit dangerous to train in the forest? There are monsters all over the place! ] ( Kenji )

He worryingly said!

[ I mean I trust you Hatsuko but can you protect everyone from danger? ] ( Kenji )

Everyone was looking at me, waiting for my response.

[ Yes I can. ] ( Hatsuko )

Kenji rubbed his chin with his hand as he thought for a bit.

[ Are you serious about this Hatsuko? ] ( Hina )

She looked at me. She was gripping her skirt while trying to endure something. Did she recall the last battle she had with that bear?

I don't need her around if she's going to act like that.

[ You can go back to the apartment if you're scared. I don't want anyone to drag me down! ] ( Hatsuko )

I said to her

[ N-no! I'll come with everyone! ] ( Hina )

She said while trembling a little.

[ I will follow Hatsuko anywhere as well, I don't mind! ] ( Akemi )

Akemi confidently said.

I looked at Ichika waiting for a response from her as well.

Some moments ago she was in a state of thinking for a bit but now she looked straight into my eyes.

She had the looks of someone who was hyped!

[ I a-also don't mind if I go outside of the city as long as you're with me Hatsuko! ] ( Ichika )

She said to me. Her cheeks were blushing a little as she was looking at me.

...

[ Alright! ] ( Kenji )

He said to us after thinking for some time.

[ You can go outside of the city! ] ( Kenji )

[ Eh, we can? ] ( Ichika )

[ Yes, if it's Hatsuko I'm sure he can protect you! ] ( Kenji )

Ichika looked a bit surprised by her father's response.

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It didn't take long for us to get out of this city's borders.

Kenji made sure to give a special bulletproof armor to everyone.

I saw that kind of armor once in a shop where hunters would buy weapons and stuff. And they were really expensive. I wonder if they are made this some kind of special material.

Akemi and me refused to wear those since we didn't need them.

I could create a barrier much stronger than those armors.

[ I can't believe I'm out here again... ] ( Hina )

[ You could have stayed back as Hatsuko said you know! ] ( Ichika )

Ichika worryingly said to Hina.

[ No! I'm coming as well! ] ( Hina )

I'm not sure why this girl wants to come with us as well. She insisted on coming with me since this morning for some reason.

[ Is it really that big of a deal to go out here? ] ( Akemi )

And... Akemi who doesn't know how much of a coward's humans are...

She thinks that being out here is nothing more but a hunting ground. That's not that different from me though...

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Shiro as well got out of my hood and started walking with us.

[ So c-cute! Is that your cat Hatusko?! ] ( Ichika )

She said while rubbing Shiro's fur.

[ He always keeps it with him everywhere he goes. ] ( Hina )

Hina responded to Ichika who was rubbing Shiro.

Akemi also got close to them as well.

[ Is that little creature something that interesting? ] ( Akemi )

Shiro was surrounded by three different girls who had grabbed their attention.

After some seconds, Shiro slipped through their bodies and came near me.

[ Awww... I wanted to rub her more... ] ( Ichika )

Ichika looked a little upset.

Doesn't she realize we were about to begin her training?

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After walking away from the city, I used "Presence detection" to locate any kind of monster.

I also checked Ichika's status.

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——————————

Name: Ichika

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Health: 200/200

STR: 110

MC: 109

AGI: 45

VIT: 28

DEF: 132

Condition: Healthy,

Skills: ( Heal ) ( Barrier ) ( Fireball ) ( Firre arrow ) ( Firefist ) ( Fire resistance )

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Her status wasn't as bad as I thought, but still, she is weak compared to most of the monsters I have killed until now...

...

I would have never believed that one day I'd end up like this...

It's been more than two months ever since that day.

I spent each day, trying to survive in this place.

I was pathetic!

Powerless!

Useless!

And the only thing I could hang on was myself.

And only myself!

There was no one else besides me!

No one tried to help me!

Instead, they tried to kill me!

Why?

Because I was weak!

My thoughts kept running wild as I was trying to not go insane! The more monsters I fought, the more the rage inside me increased.

I wasn't satisfied! I was angry! Thirsty for growing stronger!

Becoming more powerful!

But still, there were things I didn't know!

For how long will my powers keep increasing?

Every day I kept fearing that one day I would reach the limit of my power!

Did I always have this kind of power?

And if I did why did it activate when I was in danger?

Pure instinct?

Hatred?

The will to survive?

I wasn't sure about the reason why.

But there was that one feeling I always had!

It was something important to me... something like my life depended on it!

I had to collect the last soul! "9,999"

It was stuck to this number ever since I reached it.

No matter what kind of monster I killed, it never reached 10,000!

Was I missing something important?

Were the monsters I was killing, too weak?

What if I try to kill an Angel or a Demon?

I also thought about using the artifact, Akemi mentioned to me before.

Maybe the artifact might have some secrets.

[ Hatsuko! So what are we doing first? ] ( Ichika )

While walking forward, Ichika asked me.

Both Hina and Ichika were nervous about different things.

[ Some small fries are coming our way. ] ( Akemi )

She casually said.

But this kind of thing was different for Hina and Ichika.

[ [ Heh?! ] ] ( Hina/Ichika )

I could see that she already noticed them.

Even my skill "Presence detection" noticed some monsters which were coming from our front.

Both Ichika and Hina were looking at me, waiting for instructions on what to do.

The monsters aren't that strong but they could be threatening to Hina and Ichika.

But those monsters weren't the only thing around...

Some meters away, from behind us, I could feel some humans following us.

 

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