X-Rank Hunter

Chapter 135: X-Rank Hunters

"This..." Jan didn't know what he felt right now. Astonishment, disbelief, anticipation, what was happening right now was really beyond his expectation. He never thought that this little girl was actually, Janine Kastel!

He was still planning to recruit the other party into their Mandirigma Academy but now, he would just learn about the identity of the other party shattering all of his hopes. Everyone knew that even the Hunter Association itself couldn't take this little girl away from the place she called home. How could he have the ability to do it? Try to force her to comply? It had to be known that she was protected by the Hunter Association and it was probable that someone in the dark was watching her now.

No wonder this little girl could defeat his student so easily, he finally realized why. As expected to the descendant of the former strongest family of the Kingdom! Their bloodline was really scary!

Even so, he needed to confirm this astounding reality. That said, he stared at Janine as he asked, "You are Janine Kastel?"

"What if I am?!" Janine snorted coldly. She really was displeased this time. "Don't think that just because I'm a little girl right now, I will let you escape with my ten buckets of chicken drumstick!"

"I..." Jan was speechless. Who would stoop so low just to run away with only ten buckets of chicken drumstick?! Even so, he still responded patiently, "I'm not trying to run away I just..."

But he was still yet to finish his words when the other party interrupted him, "Then hurry up and pay me up!" 

"But I..." Jan was just about to say that he didn't have any chicken drumstick right now when suddenly, an old man from the crowd walked closer to them.

"Hohoho," The old man exuded a warm aura and he revealed a heartfelt smile. In his ordinary clothing, one could tell that nothing was special on him.

But when Jan saw the other party, his heart skipped a beat as he immediately straightened his posture. But before he could even bow down and greet the other party, he heard the other party warning him through telepathy, "Hohoho, there is no need for that, I'm only an ordinary old man right now."

Jan immediately understood. This person before him was probably putting a low-key. But what was this person doing here in this remote place instead of enjoying himself in a luxurious city?! Jan couldn't make sense of it at all. 

But in the next few moments, his doubts were answered when he heard Janine speaking from the side, "Old man you're finally here!"

Janine had brightened upon seeing the old man that just arrived. She seemed to have relief as well since she didn't need to make a move herself just to give the man in front of her a good beating. She raised her hand and pointed her index finger at Jan as she added indignantly, "Old man, this scammer is trying to scam me! He refuses to give me ten buckets of chicken drumstick! Please punish him for me!"

"Hohoho," The old man laughed bitterly. Why is she making a fuss over ten buckets of a chicken drumstick? "Didn't I just give you yesterday a couple of hundreds of pieces of your favorite chicken drumstick?!"

"That's a different matter!" Janine snorted coldly, "Besides, I already ate half of it. You also need to give me more!"

"Hoho," The old man laughed bitterly again. This little girl was surely a good eater. If not for the Hunter Association providing him money, he might have become a poor bloke right now after all the years he provided this little girl her daily food. "Alright, I will give you ten buckets later."

"Huh?! No way!" Janine refuted. "If it's you, you need to give me a hundred buckets!"

"Alright, alright." The old man gave up.

"..." On the other hand, Jan finally realized what was this person before him currently doing. He must be here to guard Janine Kastel! No wonder he didn't appear in the world in the past few years. Everyone thought that he was in seclusion, who would have thought that... Jan could only nod his head as realization dawned upon him.

But to make him as a guard? That was really... unprecedented.

"Alright!" The old man then laughed again as he swept his gaze across the crowd who wore the same confused expression. He smiled at them, after which, he waved his hand and the crowd vanished on sight. After a few moments, they appeared and scattered all over the place as they didn't know what had just happened. As if they had just woken up from a bad dream.

After sending the crowds away, the old man turned his gaze to Jan as he said, "This little kid caused you a lot of troubles..."

"It's fine, it's fine." But before the old man could even finish his words, Jan had already responded. After a moment of pause, he then added respectfully, "I never thought that Vice-chairman is here. Are you here to guard Kastel's daughter?"

Who was the person before him? Jan was more than certain that he was the Vice-chairman of the Hunter Association, Pedro Pendrago! Another Advance Ranker of the kingdom. He was astonished when he realized that the Vice-chairman himself was actually the one who was guarding the Kastel Family's only survivor.

"Hoho..." The old man laughed but before he could even reply, Janine from the side was annoyed.

"Who's guarding who?!" Janine snorted. It seemed as if she had forgotten the matter about ten buckets of chicken drumstick too as she added indignantly, "This old man was just a pervert stalker! He keeps following me around no matter how hard I shooed him away."

Even with a smile so wide, the old man, no, Vice-chairman Pedro found the edge of his mouth bleeding. It was obvious that upon hearing Janine, he refused to cough a mouthful of blood but the blood was just wanted to escape. Why was he a pervert stalker?! Couldn't she understand that he was guarding her with all his might?!

One must know that this little girl was too daring to even stroll the Sierra Madre, a place full of beasts and bandits, all by herself. And to assure her safety, Pedro was secretly trying his best to chase away all those beasts and bandits that might cause harm to Janine. If anyone could just see how many bloodbaths he had suffered... 

But now, the one who he protected so hard was just calling him a pervert stalker?! It was still fine if she told it to him when there was no one around, but there was someone around! How could she embarrass him in front of them?! Pedro's heart bled. If there was no one around, he might have already been crying right now.

"..." On the other hand, Jan couldn't utter a word. He didn't know what was the relationship between the two of them but he thought that it was somewhat close? Nevertheless, he didn't react to Janine's claim seeing that Vice-chairman Pedro was about to cry.

Even Kyle who was silently sitting at the table opposite to Janine continued to watch speechlessly. This girl was surely courageous. Kyle really wondered where did she get the guts to even embarrass the Vice-chairman of the Hunter Association. If it was he... Kyle couldn't think of the possibility of him having the courage to embarrass the Vice-chairman. He might get punished on the spot instead if he did so.

"Alright, alright..." Trying his best to change the subject, Pedro spoke as he wiped away the blood dripping from the edge of his lips. After a moment of pause, he then continued as he smiled at Janine, "I will give you your chicken drumstick later. I will also pay for him alright?"

"Yey! Old man, your the best!" Janine didn't care who would pay the chicken drumstick as long as she received it. She rushed towards Pedro and gave him a tight hug making Pedro almost strangled to death, "Thank you Old man, I will leave now. Bye!"

After saying those words, Janine released Pedro as she left the area and stroll the town instead.

On the other hand, Pedro could finally breathe properly after being released from Janine's arms. This girl had become stronger again, this really surprised him. It appeared that the bloodline of the Kastel Family was about to be fully awakened now. It really was too fast compared to anyone from the Kastel Family he knew before. Was this the result of Janine's sorrows and hatred against demons and her desire for revenge? If this complete awakening finally happened, Pedro imagined how terrifying the other party would be.

Unfortunately for him, he was oblivious to the fact that Janine was cursed. And later at midnight, the curse would take effect erasing each other's memory. So no matter how excited he was, he would never see the fully awakened bloodline of Janine anymore. Besides that, he didn't know the matters about the blessings Janine had received from one of the Four Greatest Hunters that hasten her growth.

That being said, they would part ways without knowing it.

****

Somewhere far...

"It seems like my children are doing well..."

An elegant voice sounded across the surroundings shrouded in pink blossoms. Countless pink butterflies blended themselves with the pink blossoms seemingly enjoying each other's presence.

Amidst the beautiful surroundings was a lady dressed in white. Skipping the cliched description of appearance, this lady was simply beautiful to no extent.

In front of her was something like a mirror with a border of blossoms and butterflies. In the mirror, a certain figure was displayed. She was a little girl trying her hardest to get her chicken drumstick. Who else could it be other than Janine Kastel?

From time to time, the ones displayed in the mirror kept changing. Ben Cosa, Elaine De Rosa, Jim Jabat, those figures were being displayed together with what they were doing. And the lady watching them couldn't help but rejoice with a smile.

"The time has come..." The lady spoke, "We will entrust humanity's future to you...

"X-Rank Hunters!"