The Author's POV

[Monolith headquarters, location unknown.]

After the explosion that took place not too long ago, the reconstruction of the headquarters had already begun. Though the damage the headquarters had taken were significant, the central infrastructure remained intact.

As such, It was estimated that the building would be fixed back to normal within a couple of months.

On the northern side of the infrastructure, an ominous and gloomy atmosphere spread across a particular room in an area that had been unaffected by the explosion.

"Looks like everyone's here"

A cold, eerie voice echoed inside the room as an old man with a long-grey beard and grey eyes apathetically looked at five individuals standing opposite him.

Observing them, the old man could vividly see a tangible aura spread out from their bodies as each of them stood with their back straight.

Lifting his finger, the elder, Mo Jinhao, looked towards a particular individual standing in the middle of the group and pointed at him.

Opening his mouth, his cold voice once rang out inside the room.

"Xavier, is this the group that you want to bring to the hunt?"

"Yes, Vice Leader."

Xavier softly responded as he stepped up.

His expression was constantly changing. However, what didn't change was his glaring eyes filled with killing intent and the small smile that resembled that of a serpent.

"Everyone here seems to be quite well trained. One <B> rank, two <C> ranks and one <D> rank."

"That is correct, Vice-Leader. They're my personal unit, and I've decided to bring them with me for the hunt. I want them to gain some experience."

"Not bad."

Mo Jinhao nodded in appreciation.

This was the current force they were prepared to send to catch 876.

After getting the tracking system functioning again, much to their surprise, they found out that 876 had long left the human domain.

This was a bit of a problem since the direction where 876 was going directly bordered the elven domain.

With them being extremely sensitive to the mana in the air, they could feel anyone with tainted mana from miles away.

What followed suit was a tragedy as the elves would try their best to dispose of them.

Because of this, Mo Jinhao was forced only to send a relatively weaker unit. But, even then, this was plenty to kill 876 many times over.

The last time he checked, 876 was in the <D> rank range. So anyone from the tracking squad was enough to get rid of him.

Especially Xavier, who was <A> rank himself. If he couldn't do it, he deserved to die.

Rubbing his beard, Mo Jinhao reminded.

"Mhm. Make sure to be careful. Although 876 is weak, he's a crafty one."

Having seen his exploits with the cameras, 876 knew just how terrifying his analytical and planning abilities were. Even though he was weak, he was not an opponent to go easy again.

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Suddenly waving his hand in the air, a small circular object appeared in Mo Jinhao's hand.

Flicking his wrist, the object quickly flew in Xavier's direction, who caught it with his right hand.

"This the tracking device?"

Xavier asked.

"Yes."

Mo Jinhao responded before his eyes narrowed and the room's temperature dropped.

"Quickly get rid of 876. Actually, do me one better. If you can, bring him to me alive!"

"As you wish."

Casually tossing the tracker in the air and playing with it, Xavier lowered his head.

"I'll get this done within half a year."

"Alright."

"Thank you."

Turning around, Xavier left the room. Following from behind him were his unit members.

—Clank!

Once the door closed, silence prevailed over the room. Staring in the direction of where Xavier had left, Mo Jinhao's eyes narrow as he muttered.

"...I hope you succeed in your mission. Xavier."

For what he had done to the Monolith. And him.

Mo Jinhao was going to make 876 pay dearly.

***

The blazing sun had set, and darkness enveloped the sky.

The crackling sound of wood burning rang out inside of the forest.

"Haa..."

Amidst the fiercely burning fire, I sat and stared at the fire opposite to me.

It had only been a day since I ventured out of the human domain, and everyone was tired.

Apart from Smallsnake and I, who were on night watch, everyone had fallen asleep in their tents.

"Ren, now that we've left, can you tell me what are your plans?"

Disrupting the silence, Smallsnake asked.

With my eyes still lingering on the raging fire in front of me, I took a branch from next to me and casually threw it in the fire.

Kracka—!

The fire burned even more violently.

"If you're curious as to where we're going, then we're going to the dwarven domain."

I responded after a while.

Smallsnake couldn't hide his curiosity and asked.

"The dwarven domain? Can I ask why we're going there?"

"... there are several reasons, but the main one is because I'm looking for someone to forge my sword."

With the ore that I had gotten from the auction, I planned to create a new sword.

As I've previously mentioned, only a few people could handle the ore that I had with me.

Anywhere else, and the result would be a good artefact, but one with a lot of lost potential.

"Also, I think this is a great opportunity for you and Ryan."

"Good...opportunity?"

Smallsnake tilted his head. He was clearly confused by my answer.

"Mhm, perhaps I might not even have to wait for long before the chip inside of my head is removed."

"Wait,really?"

"Yup."

The dwarves were incredibly smart.

There was a chance that they could create an artefact that could block whatever was installed in the chip inside of my head.

Furthermore, if I could have them teach either Ryan or Smallsnake, they would learn a lot. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Dwarves did, after all like to interact with intelligent people.

"Okay, that makes sense."

Smallsnake tossed a branch into the fire.

"Then, what about after the dwarven domain?"

He asked.

"...After?"

"Yeah. Are we going back to the human domain?"

"No, there's something else."

"Something else?"

"Mhm, but I won't say much with regards to that as I'm not sure about the situation myself."

Initially, in the novel, a massive conference would be held in about two to three years in the elven domain.

What made this conference special was that, for the first time since invading earth, the elves, dwarves, and orcs agreed on allowing humans to participate.

This was a monumental announcement as the whole human domain went into a frenzy as hope dyed their eyes.

...and of course, needless to be said, Kevin and the others would participate.

After going to the dwarven domain, I planned to go there, but given how the future was no longer reliable, I had to make backup plans.

Still, that was for another time.

"Haa."

Standing up, I stretched my back.

"What are you doing?"

Smallsnake asked. Lowering my head and looking at him, I shrugged.

"Nothing, just stretching."

"Is that so?"

Smallsnake replied.

Then, lifting his head, he asked.

"Right, Ren, been meaning to ask. What did you mean by what you've said before?"

"...regarding the people hunting us?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, nothing much. Just that we're going to be reversing the roles that we're playing."

My goal was to quickly change the team's dynamic in a way that would soon get rid of our pursuers.

"But how? ...Aren't they stronger than us?"

"Stronger? You could say that, but you forgot one thing."

"What?"

Smiling, I pointed at him.

"Me?"

A confused look appeared on Smallsnake's face. Evidently, not having understood the joke.

"I've got you guys to help me."

The mercenary group.

A group filled with potential monsters.

"Us?"

Smallsnake asked as he pointed at himself.

"Yes."

"How?"

"Not just that. There's also a clear lack of information about me."

All the Monolith knew about me was my strength.

Nothing else.

This meant that they didn't know that I had multiple capable individuals working for me as well as a soon to be count ranked demon.

If I played my cards right, this tiny little pursuit would end up in a much more anticlimactic way than imagined.

Turning my head and staring at the fire in front of me, I closed my eyes and softly muttered.

"Isn't it fun?"

"...What is?"

Smallsnake asked.

Opening my eyes, I responded.

"Hunting."

***

'Hehehe, I met big bwaddar!'

Tossing around the bed, the exact words repeated inside of Amanda's mind as she had trouble sleeping.

'What did you do with your brother?'

'Um. He bring me to eat candy and ice cream. Delicious. And then he also bring me to the park where play with...'

"...When was this?"

"Fwour days ago!"

Bits and pieces of their conversation started to enter her mind, continuously haunting her in her sleep.

Because of this, Amanda couldn't sleep despite being tired.

"Auu.."

This continued for a couple of hours until Amanda could no longer take it and sat up.

Once she sat up, blinking her eyes, Amanda reached for her phone on the drawer beside the bed.

She didn't know why, but parts of her conversations with Nola troubled her.

Was it because it had something to do with Ren? Amanda didn't know. But all she did know was that she could no longer sleep.

As she sat up, Amanda wondered to herself, 'Did Nola really meet Ren?'

But she knew that that was impossible.

Ren was dead.

She saw it on TV. There was no question about it.

Yet.

Despite knowing this, doubt still flashed across her eyes.

Biting her lips, Amanda turned on her phone and dialled a specific number.

—Riiing! —Riiing!

The phone rang.

—Hello?

After two squeals, a groggy voice entered Amanda's ears. It became apparent to her that the person had just woken up.

"Maxwell...I want you to do something for me."

—...Yes?

It took a moment for Maxwell, who was on the other side of the phone, to realize who was speaking. Subsequently, the pitch of his phone raised.

—Young miss? Do you need anything?

"I want you to send me some surveillance footage."

—Surveillance footage? That's possible.

The Demon Hunter guild was the number one guild in the world. So it wasn't hard for them to gain access to some of the CCTV camera's installed around the city.

—Tell me the time date. And who you want to have checked.

Having contemplated for the whole night, Amanda already knew the answer to the questions as she promptly replied.

"Four days ago, around 5 P.M., and I want you to check Nola."

—Nola?

"Mhm, I want you to check what she did throughout the whole day."

Though confused, Maxwell did not ask any questions and simply complied.

Such a task, although troubling, was within his abilities.

—Understood...Anything else?

"No. Thank you."

—Alright, give me an hour.

"Mhm."

Lowering her phone, Amanda hung up and took a deep breath.

Slumping back on the bed, Amanda put her arm around her eyes and waited for Maxwell to message her back.

'...was what Nola said true?'

Could Ren have somehow survived? But that was impossible. She saw him die with her own two eyes.

...and why did he not tell her that he was still alive?

Many questions emerged in Amanda's mind as she blankly stared towards the dark ceiling of her room.

Trriiiiing—!

A message arrived on her phone, ending her thoughts at that moment.

As Maxwell promised, in just one hour, he had already done what she had asked him to do.

Nervously staring at her phone, Amanda quickly unlocked it. Then, checking her mail, she soon saw multiple video files attachements

Tapping on the screen of her phone, she slowly started to watch the recording.

Soon, the screen enlarged, and the video started playing.

The first video started with Nola getting picked up by a middle-aged looking man. Nothing looked out of the ordinary from there.

"...huh?"

However, things quickly changed as she went through the following few videos.

That was because instead of bringing Nola home, the middle-aged man brought Nola around the whole city.

He did exactly what Nola had said she had done with her brother.

Her heart started to beat wildly.

Bringing the phone closer to her, biting her lips, she thought. '...did Nola perhaps mistake him for her brother?'

It was a possibility, but she quickly discarded such a thought.

Nola though young, would not mistake her brother for a middle-aged man that bore no resemblance to him.

Skin masks did exist, after all.

As her train of thoughts paused there, swallowing a mouthful of saliva, her heart started to beat wildly.

"huu."

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down forcefully, Amanda checked out the last video.

With her eyes glued to the screen of her phone, as soon as she opened the last video, Amanda's body trembled, and her phone dropped out of her hands.

Covering her mouth with both hands, she muttered.

"O-oh god..."

The image of the middle-aged man hugging his parents and kissing Nola in the head in front of their apartment complex was reflected on the screen of the phone.