Chapter 293: Ready When You Are

"You and him." Hunter Quentin raised a cup of his alcohol as he pointed to Teklavit. "How about that?"

The first time Ned saw Hunter Quentin was the day he entered the Forgotten Pint and after he let Gogmurch be captured outside the gates of the Hunter's Association in Du'kki island. He was some random, worthless Hunter the first Ned saw him. But as he tried to slowly reveal himself, he was more cunning than he thought, even if he was looking a little drunk all the time.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Hunter Quentin tilted his head looking at Su'ayun and shook his head in revolt.

"You see," he then said walking to the twins. The shadow cast by the building against the setting sun made him look like a Hunter waiting to pounce his prey with his black leather coat. "I happen to know the contest on this upcoming Hunter's Exam."

Sure, it does help for some aspiring Hunter if they happen to know a thing or two about the event. It would be the greatest advantage the Hunter's couldn't miss. Imagine someone having to have an advantage, having a step ahead of the rest. And it seemed that this was what the twins were thinking as they looked at Hunter Quentin with yellow sparkling eyes.

"Could you please tell us, Hunter Quentin?"

As though it was practiced, the twins clasped their hands as they leaned closer to the Hunter and said in unison.

Cough was what the Hunter did. Leaving him with a reddish face and hoped that it was from the alcohol.

"Sure, sure." Again, Hunter Quentin raised a hand to Ned and Teklavit standing in the middle of the courtyard. "Not until I see these young kids fight with each other."

Unbeknownst to them, even to Hunter Quintin, Ned saw a glimpse of shadow lingering behind the glass panel above the second floor of the inn. Ned focused and canceled all noises that were rattling around him and tried to use his senses to see who was looking at them. To his surprise, he couldn't feel who the person was.

"... plus, it will benefit us if Master Quentin shared a thing or two of what he knew about the Hunter's Exam."

Teklavit finished speaking and looked at Ned, trying to persuade him. But it seemed that there's more to it as he saw Hunter Quentin wink to Teklavit.

"So, what do you say? Ned?"

After Hunter Quentin rounded the four, he went back to the door thinking that Ned might not want to have a duel with his apprentice.

"Okay, fine." Ned nodded his head and walked further away from Teklavit and positioned himself near the edge, to the walls, of the inn. "But on one condition."

"Wait... I already have my condition." Quentin spun around and said. He then stopped and looked at Ned as his fingers ran the hilt of his dagger, hanging his waist. "What more do you want?"

"Not more..." Ned said. "But specific."

"How specific?"

"Well... Let's say it has something do to about a specific beast the Association captured a little less three months ago."

Hunter Quentin paused, trying to rack his brain of any specific details Ned has been asking.

The twins and Teklavit on the other hand were lost in words as to what they were talking about. Those tiny, and thin hair of Teklavit waved from the formless blow of the wind. Not just that, he seemed to control the wind around him. Although tiny in details, Ned could feel the mana bending around him.

A moment later, Hunter Quentin slapped his forehead and gave up thinking. "Okay, again. How specific? Was it more important than the details I'm going to share with you lot?"

"For me, very." Ned walked past the twins and Teklavit and stopped closer to the Hunter and leaned closer to whisper. "You see... If you happen to know something about the details of the Hunter's Exam, then you might have a piece of information about some one-armed Goblin, captured by some kid, and was imprisoned somewhere in this specific city."

Quentin pulled back thinking of something and said, "By something, you mean an old Goblin we talked about before?"

"I guess you really knew a thing about it." Ned smiled.

He didn't know that his acquisition would work as easy as the one he just pulled off. Now that he knew that Hunter Quentin might know something about Gogmurch, Ned wouldn't let this opportunity gone to waste.

Ned took the chance as the Hunter said it himself, he knew something about the Hunter's Event. Then if he knew something about it, he might as well knew something about other specific details.

Well, I guess having to have a Soak on one's name comes in handy, Ned thought after he nodded to the Hunter. But not just that, Ned sensed something more about the Quentin guy, something he was well versed of.

Ned spun around and walked away from him only to be tagged by his arm.

"How do you know this something was out there? And how do you know I know something about it? I could be messing with you lot, I could be lying that I knew something about the Hunter's Exam. I remember telling you that the beast was captured, yes. But why would you think I know the specifics?"

Ned paused for a moment before he leaned back closer to the Hunter and whispered, "You're not the only one who has a secret here. I happen to know someone from Ghostbloods, and the smell, the moment you entered, reck of those assassins. Plus, it's all over your face."

"N-no... How did you... " Hunter Quentin took a step back away and bore his eyes to Ned. "M-my face? What's with my face?"

"I also happen to know a lot of honest people." Ned smiled and retracted himself from the Hunter. "It's all over your face. That mockery, that unhidden honesty, telling me how you belittle us. Like we are some kind of a show to you. That's obvious, and that's very honest of you. Anyway, thanks to that, it will save me time. Don't worry, I'll give you a show and you give me what I needed. Pretty sure the Ghostbloods were doing something nasty these days. Like, be hired and assassinate someone, I guess?"

"What made you think I won't kill you. Right here. Right now."

"Oh no—you won't." Ned focused and inside his spatial inventory, he was looking for something he has almost forgotten. Thanks to the connection between his consciousness and the ring Kamma gave him, with just a thought, he pulled a piece of a card from the space, located further away from the center, out to his fingers. "You won't. Cause someone was already trying but failed to do so."

"T-that..." Again, Hunter Quentin pulled himself away from Ned. His thick brows furrowed, and lines were visible over his forehead. "T-thirteen."

Ned wasn't sure if he should be disappointed or be happy by what he discovered. It wasn't Quentin. He wasn't Thirteen, along with the other Ghostbloods.

"Anyway, Hunter Quentin-sir." Ned withdrew the Ghostblood card back to his inventory and walked away from the puzzled Hunter. "We thank you that you will help us get ahead of the others."

Quentin could only smile and looked at Ned with narrowed eyes. He coughed, trying to unclogged whatever uncertainty he got under his throat. "Well. It's a good thing I could help the future Hunters of the Kingdom."

That was a big turn of gear with the Hunter's voice like gears being ground.

"You don't need to kill each other, it was just a joke. Even if you did kill each other, pretty sure I'll follow next since Master Claire doesn't want someone dying in his inn." He added as soon as he recovered himself from shock. "Just fight, and I'll decide who will win. No weapons allowed, but magic... please go all out."

"Are you sure teacher Quentin?"

Teklavit shook his head as he looked at Hunter Quentin. He seemed to be confused and delighted at the same time. And his thin smiling lips were not helping to hide the excitement he was feeling.

On the other hand, the twins grouped and were confused if what they hear from the Hunter was right, or simply he was drunk.

"Don't worry ladies," Quentin said. He was back to himself, now smiling. "I'll handle what's to come. How can I be called a Hunter of I can't protect you lot."

Hunter Quentin raised hands and conjured a spell that circled the courtyard. A barrier made not just of mud, or soil, but stone. This was something no ordinary Hunter could do. Sure, Hunter Jo (the Hallowguard team leader, Terra magic-user) was stronger in terms of mana density, but Ned judged he would need to conjure Egnious to break the wall of stone. It wasn't just ordinary stone as well, since anything made of magic was stronger than ordinary elements.

Not bad, Ned thought as he pursed his lips.

Ned looked above, there was a wide hollow that let the streams of setting sun passed through the gaps of the stone walls, lighting everything inside.

"Girls," Quentin said, "You better stay here." He then nodded to his side, telling the twins to come over and stand beside him.

Now that everything was ready, Ned and Teklavit positioned themselves facing each other.

"Ready when you are." Ned nodded and as soon as he does, Teklavit appeared behind him, leaving a trail of dust and grasses behind him.

"I am always ready," Teklavit said. Hitting Ned by the face with his knee imbued with magic.