Yuki walked through the crowded streets as vonn's threats replayed in her mind on an endless loop. She looked like a zombie as she just mindless throttled through the streets. She barely noticed bumping into the people around her, the vendors, or the distant sound of traffic.
"Yuki" Owen's voice cut through her thoughts telepathically. "We're being followed"
She blinked. Pulled from her daze. "Huh?"
Owen, perched on her shoulder, shifted his position slightly. His golden eyes scanned the crowd behind them. "Someone's tailing us. About thirty meters back. They've been following since we left the apartment"
Yuki's heart skipped a beat. But she forced herself to keep walking at a steady pace. She resisted to urge to look over her shoulder. "Are you sure?"
"Completely, I can tell with my [mana sense]" Owen replied. His tail flicking with agitation. "Actually, there's more than one. I count at three three distinct signatures that have constantly kept a distance between us since we stepped out of Hunter HQ"
Yuki's chest tightened as her thoughts raced. the dark reapers? Had vonn sent people to watch her already? Or worse! Were they here to force her hand before the three days were up?
She finally risked a glance backward, trying to appear casual as she pretended to check a shop window. The crowd was thick, faces bldned together so she couldn't spot anyone that was obviously suspicious.
"They're staying just out of direct line of sight" Owen said. "I sense mana fluctuations too, maybe some sort of cloaking skill?"
"What do we do?" Yuki whispered, panic creeping into her voice.
Owen's golden eyes blazed as his head perked up and he bared his fangs. "Want me to chase them down? I can---!"
"No!" Yuki interrupted quickly. She took a breath, trying to calm herself. Her mind was already weak from vonn's visits that caused her trauma to resurface. She couldn't handle another confrontation right now.
"Maybe...." She said, more to convince herself than Owen. "Maybe there's just reporters? I mean, I'm quite famous now, right? It could just be paparazzi"
Owen stared at her, stupidifed by her incredible attempt at self deceit. "Yuki, these are definitely now reporters and you know it. I don't understand why you---!"
"Let's just get to the dungeon" Yuki cut him off. "Please, Owen. I just....I need to focus on levelling up right now. That's all I can handle."
Owen wanted to argue but he could feel Yuki's emotional state through their bond, fragile. Overwhelmed. Barely holding i all together.
He sighed, a small puff of steam escaping his nostrils. "Fine..."
---
The B-Rank dungeon gate stood in the Eastern district. A swirling vortex of purple enegry. Contained within a massive stone gate. Hunter association Barrie's surrounded it and a crowd of hunters stood about, checking equipment and forming parties.
Yuki had applied to an open party through the network last night, anything to get more experience. To level up and rank up faster. To find a way out of this nightmare of Vonn.
As she approached the gate, an excited voice called out to her.
"Oh my goodness! Is that her?!"
Yuki turned to see a young woman striding toward her. She was stunning, looked to be in her early twenties, with long silver hair that fell past her shoulders and a piercing violet eyes. She wore expensive hunter gear, black leather with silvery designs lined about it.
Behind her stood Alfred. The butler who had visited her apartment with the vice guild masters a few days ago.
Odessa Wayne. The other 'Dragon' tamer.
"You're Yuki Goldberg!" Odessa beamed. Closing the distance between them. "Alfred told me about you, but I didnt think I'd run into you so soon! What are the odds"
Yuki stammered, caught off guard by the woman's enthusiasm. "I...uh...Ms. Wayne. I---!"
"Please, call be Odessa!" The young woman waved dismissively. Then her violet eyes locked onto Owen who was still on Yuki's shoulders.
Her expression widened into a purer delight.
"And THIS must be your dragon!"
Before Owen could react, Odessa reached out and plucked him off Yuki's shoulder. She pulled him into a tight embrace, burying his face directly between her breasts.
"Oh my GOD! You're soooooo CUTE!" Odessa squealed. "Look at these little ones! And your scales, so smooth! So shiny! Awwn! I could just eat you up!"
Owen's initial protest died instantly as he felt contented being thoroughly smothered in the softness of her breasts.
'This... This is acceptable' He thought blissfully. 'Very acceptable'
"Ms. Wayne" Alfred coughed pointedly. "Decorum"
Odessa laughed, reluctantly pulling Owen away from her chest. "Oh, Alfred, you're such a killjoy" she handed Owen back to Yuki with an apologetic smile. "Sorry! I just couldn't help myself. Dragons are my weakness"
Yuki took Owen back, her face flushed with embarrassment. Owen settled onto her shoulders again, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
"Pervert..." Yuki muttered under her breath.
"I regret nothing!" Owen replied telepathically.
Alfred stepped forward. Bowing slightly to Yuki. He was dressed in heavy armor. "It's a pleasure to meet you proper, Ms. Goldberg. Madame Odessa has been eager to meet a fellow dragon tamer of her caliber"
"The rest of the party is assembled and ready for dungeon exploration, Madam" Alfred continued, gesturing towards the gate where three other hunters waited.
Odessa clapped her hands together."perfect timing! Yuki, you applied to my party didn't you? This is fate! We're going to have so much fun together!"
Yuki blinked. "Wait...your party?"
"Yhup. It's my small club of Dragon tamers! And we are doing a sweep of this B-Rank field dungeon today" Odessa's smile widened.
Before Yuki could process everything, Odessa grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the gate.
"Come on, let's head in!"
The dungeon gate glowed as the partu passed through, the world tidying and reforming into a vast open field. Rolling hills stretched in every direction, dotted with clusters of trees and rocks. The sky above was an unnatural shade of red, casting everything in a red hue.
A field type dungeon.
Odessa stretched her arms over head, breathing in the dungeon air. "Ah, I love field dungeons! So much room to move around!"
Her dragon, a sleek green serpentine creature, materialised beside her from her beast space. It was beautiful, with crystalline scales that glowed in the red light as it hovered in the air.
Yuki stared. Odessa's Dragon was much larger than Owen, easily fifteen feet long. And radiated an aura of Refined power.
Owen puffed out his chest defensively. "Hmpf! I've been bigger when I evolve into my adult form!" He grumbled.
---
Back outside the dungeon gate, the purpled vortex still swirled silently.
A group of six figures emerged from the shadows, all wearing dark hooded robes. Their faces were concealed behind white skull-designed masks.
The hunter association agent statured at the gate stepped forward nervously. "Excuse me, you're not on the list for this dungeon. You need to ---!"
One of the hooded figures reached into their robes and pulled out a thick envelope, then They tossed it to the agent without a word.
The agent caught it, opened it, and froze. Credits easily enought to retire on.
He swallowed hard, looking between the money and the masked figures.
"I...I guess there was some kind of error? In the application?" He muttered as he retreated his steps.
The hooded figures said nothing. They simples walked past him. One by one. And stepped through the dungeon gate.