Together, inside a pitch-black tunnel, a pair of young hunters made their way forward—
a boy and a girl barely eighteen years old, walking hand in hand through the darkness.
The staircase had first descended, then begun to rise again after several minutes of walking.
The path was utterly dark.
Because of that, the young witch Alexa illuminated the way by conjuring a small celestial sphere—a simple floating orb ignited with flickering flame.
But it was small and weak, a reflection of her modest level and limited power.
Its dim fire barely lit anything around them.
She looked frightened and hesitant.
In contrast, the young man Virtz pulled her forward by the hand, pushing ahead without the slightest hesitation.
In his eyes burned a quiet ambition—
a desire to accomplish something…
and truly begin his life as a hunter.
After all, hunting squads ranked below the ninth were not considered true hunters.
