Chapter 8: A New Beginning

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: A New Beginning

Aurora was turning 30 this spring. She was an Platinum ranked Dragon Hunter and the captain of a well known Hunter group.

She is respected and feared wherever she goes.

​She kept her long, golden-blonde hair tied back in a single, practical ponytail. Her once-fair skin had been tanned by the sun, perfectly complementing her battle-hardened warrior persona.

​Despite being tempered by years of grueling physical training, her figure remained alluringly curvaceous.

With a heavy G-cup bust and a firm, high waistline, she possessed a physique from the neck down that could make any man easily fall for her.

​But the real tragedy lay in her face.

​Her visage was nothing short of horrendous. It is marred by several gaping holes that constantly oozed a thick viscous black liquid. Even worse, tiny, snake-like creatures would occasionally poke their heads out from the hollows of her flesh, twisting into creepy smiles.

​It was exactly why very few people ever dared to step near her.

Today, Aurora had ventured into the Venom Forest to gather medicinal herbs.

She advanced with extremely cautious steps while holding her thin rapier in her right hand, since the forest was full of venomous creatures like snakes, Dart Shooter plants, and Living Mushrooms.

​Being an Platinum-ranked hunter never made her arrogant. She knew all too well that she wasn’t immortal, and this untamed forest possessed more than enough danger to eliminate her with ease.

​Up ahead, she spotted a rare stalk of Blue Silver Grass and carefully plucked it from the soil. Their group’s healer had told her it was incredible for instantly recovering physical fatigue and lost magical energy.

​Just as her fingers brushed the stem, a giant serpent ambushed her from behind a patch of wildflowers, baring its needle-like fangs.

Hissss!

Lethal venom was already dripping from its maw.

​Aurora’s expression turned ice-cold. She wouldn’t show mercy. Not here.

​"Flash Strike!"

​With a sharp grunt, she unleashed her signature sword technique. But she didn’t just stab once. In the blink of an eye, she struck the lunging creature with nine continuous, blindingly fast jabs.

The result?

​Thud! Thud! Thud!

​The giant snake’s severed body parts rained onto the dirt with sickening thuds, its dark green blood splashing across the forest floor.

After the snake’s elimination, Aurora simply continued walking.

Because to her, a snake’s corpse held no real value

​After sliding down a slope filled with dried leaves, she stumbled into a strange scene.

​She saw a small boy on top of a Gagol Tree, swallowing its bark one piece after another.

​The same Gagol Tree which reeked of poison and death. Not even crows or any other birds lingered near it.

​And this boy was casually chewing on its bark as if it were some kind of delicious candy.

​She was so shocked that her eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets.

​"What in the world is going on?! What kind of monster is this boy?!" she screamed in her mind.

The boy turned around after noticing Aurora’s presence. And it was none other than Krono’r.

​After traveling for days, he had stumbled into this forest. While coming here, he had consumed a lot of not-so-extraordinary things. Maybe that’s why he looked a little taller than before.

​"Hey boy, what are you doing up there? Come down here!" Aurora said, gesturing for him to come down.

​Krono’r replied, "No, I don’t talk to strangers. I am fine as is. Leave me alone."

​He obviously wouldn’t believe a stranger. Much less a woman with a fox mask.

​Aurora didn’t give up.

​"Hey, come on now, little one. Your father and mother would be worried. Please, come down."

"Lady, I don’t have a father or a mother. So please, leave me alone. I’ll be fine on my own," Kronor responded with a little annoyance.

​"Huh! No parents? Then where did this boy come from? So mysterious!" Aurora wondered inwardly.

​Still, her maternal instincts refused to leave Krono’r alone.

​"Come back to town with me, little guy. I can give you food and shelter. This forest is crawling with venomous monsters that even I fear, and I’m a Platinum Rank Dragon Hunter. For a kid like you, this place is an absolute death zone. Please try to understand, I’m not trying to harm you."

​Krono’r paused his actions at once. The term "Dragon Hunter" caught his curiosity.

​After all, he had wanted to become one since the beginning. If he could somehow digest some dragon flesh, he could become stronger much faster.

​In the end, he chose to descend. But with the utmost caution.

​Thud.

​After landing, he looked into the woman’s amethyst eyes, asking, "Are you really a Dragon Hunter?"

​Seeing his curiosity, Aurora smiled behind her mask.

​"Yes, of course. I am one indeed. You may call me Aurora. Everyone calls me that."

​"Oh, so I am in the presence of a Dragon Hunter? Awesome! Anyway, lady, do you know where the dragons live? And how can I slay them?"

Aurora’s curiosity was instantly piqued. Normally kids of his age would be trembling when the hear dragons, but this boy was completely different. He didn’t show a ounce if fear.

"Hmm, so you want to slay dragons? Are you not afraid of them?"

​Kronor shrugged dismissively. "No. What’s there to be afraid of?"

​"A lot, actually. Dragons are massive, and they are absolutely terrifying up close," Aurora warned, though she was clearly taking great pleasure in the bizarre conversation.

​Hearing her, Krono’r put on a thoughtful look.

"You might be right, Lasy. But I’m not the type to get scared so easily."

​Aurora couldn’t help but chuckle,

"Haha, Is that so? What’s your name, brave little guy?" she asked teasingly.

Kronor went silent for a second before replying with a bright face:

"My name is Krono. Just Krono."

​He was smiling, but for some reason, Aurora felt it was fake.

​And yet, instead of becoming suspicious, she smiled back.