[This work is being translated into English]
Melina walked through the training field, the muted sound of her footsteps echoing across the sandy ground. The wind carried the metallic scent of ancient blood and stirred-up earth, and her gaze cut through the environment like a sharp blade.
Melina's thoughts:
"It'd be better to join a group… or maybe a duo? In solo mode, few monsters appear… I need to devour more. I need to get strong for Atreus. I may be enough to move with groups already, but… I want to rely only on myself."
Then she spotted a couple—a burly man with a broad sword on his back and a gentle-looking girl clutching a gleaming staff.
Approaching with calm resolve and a steady voice, Melina said:
— Good morning, may I join you?
The man, Gohoah, answered in a deep, friendly tone:
— Good morning! I'm Gohoah and this is Atrix.
Atrix, smiling, added:
— Hi!
Without a smile, Melina responded firmly:
— My name is Melina. Are you headed into the open area?
Melina's thoughts:
"Open area… monsters of random levels… Only groups of three or more enter, and at least one must be Advanced."
Gohoah nodded:
— Yes, but we're missing a third.
Atrix explained, slightly shy:
— I'm just an amateur mage.
Gohoah pounded his chest proudly:
— I'm an intermediate swordsman warrior. And you?
— Advanced Evaluator — said Melina without hesitation.
The two exchanged looks and stepped away for a brief whispered conversation.
Gohoah said:
— She's Advanced, but… she's just an Evaluator. If she doesn't fight, everything's left for us.
Atrix exhaled deeply:
— We've been waiting for someone like that… It's either her or nothing.
Gohoah snorted:
— Fine… I attack, and you cover her.
— Agreed. — said Atrix.
They returned to Melina.
Gohoah:
— Alright, let's go.
Atrix:
— We need to choose a leader.
Gohoah scratched his neck, resigned:
— Melina holds the highest rank… And she can perform evaluations.
Atrix smiled in agreement:
— Yes, that's fair.
Melina, coolly, asked:
— Are you sure?
Both Gohoah and Atrix, in unison:
— Yes!
Raising her determined gaze, Melina declared:
— Then let's go.
Open Area
The field stretched out like a desert of stone and dust, scattered with bones and dark stains of past battles.
Gohoah barked an order:
— You two, follow me!
Melina's thoughts:
"This is good… Time to test what Aether gave me."
She knelt and placed a small device on the ground. A bluish light shone beneath her fingers. The system flashed:
[Select monster level:]
Inferior
Superior
Elite
Without hesitation, Melina selected Superior. A barely audible buzzing filled the air.
Atrix, alarmed, cried:
— What are you doing?!
Melina, with a serious tone, replied:
— Summoning Superior monsters.
Gohoah snorted and grabbed her by the collar, his eyes blazing with anger:
— Have you gone mad?! You want to get us killed?!
Atrix interjected:
— Calm down… It must be just a test…
Melina glared at him without blinking:
— It's not a joke. It's a test for the occupation expedition.
Gohoah gritted his teeth:
— If too many come, we either die by numbers… or by force.
Soon, six shadows appeared on the horizon. The ground trembled. Gohoah released Melina, his hand sweaty.
— If we die, it's on you.
Evaluation:
3 Lizard Zombies — Class: Superior (Low)
2 Apex Jaguars — Class: Superior (Intermediate)
1 New Phoenix — Class: Superior (High)
Melina announced without hesitation:
— Three Lizard Zombies, two intermediate Jaguars… and one high-level Superior Phoenix.
Gohoah paled:
— Six Superiors? We don't stand a chance!
Melina fixed her gaze on the flaming Phoenix hovering in the distance:
— Leave the Phoenix to me.
Atrix's eyes widened:
— But the strongest one should fight alongside her!
— It should focus on the numbers. Flyers work at a disadvantage for it. The two of us will handle the Phoenix.
Atrix hesitated:
— O-Okay…
Gohoah grumbled:
— I don't agree…
But Melina held her steady:
— That is an order from the leader. Attack the monsters.
Melina's thoughts:
"Time to use the new ability…"
System:
Predator's Call — Level 1 activated
Description: Attracts the target to the user.
Melina raised her hand, a dark glow surrounding her fingers.
— Ready. The Phoenix, come to me. Atrix, throw it to the ground!
Atrix broke out in a cold sweat:
— Alright!
She conjured Whispers, and the sky distorted, destabilizing the Phoenix's flight as it began to plummet.
Melina sprinted forward, her eyes glowing purple, and hurled a dagger straight into the Phoenix's eye.
The creature shrieked. Melina leapt, delivering a powerful kick to its head, slamming it against the ground with a burst of dust and heat.
Atrix stood frozen, mouth agape.
Melina drove the dagger in once more and, in a swift motion, slashed the Phoenix's throat.
The scent of warm blood and burnt feathers filled the field.
Gasping, Melina turned:
— Run and help Gohoah. I'll be right there.
Atrix snapped out of her shock:
— Y-Yes, ma'am!
Gohoah was surrounded, blood trickling from a cut on his arm.
Atrix used the wind to disperse the monsters:
— Is he okay?!
Gohoah panted:
— Where… is that crazy one?
— She's coming.
— And the Phoenix?
— Dead.
Gohoah's eyes widened:
— Good!
At that moment, Melina emerged like a flash amidst the monsters.
Gohoah shouted:
— Girl, come back!
Atrix:
— She killed the Phoenix with two blows!
Melina gave a slight smile:
— Let's see these abilities…
She snapped her fingers and unleashed black flames, incinerating the monsters. Amid the chaos, she decapitated them one by one, her eyes blazing.
The field fell silent…
She extinguished the flames with a gesture.
Both Gohoah and Atrix panted heavily. Then they saw…
Melina kneeling and devouring the bodies.
Gohoah recoiled, choking, while Atrix nearly vomited.
Melina approached with a predatory gaze:
— All clear?
A pale Gohoah murmured:
— You… are really an Evaluator…?
Melina activated the panel.
Panel activated:
— Advanced Evaluator
Atrix's eyes widened:
— It's true…
Melina wiped the blood from her lips and said:
— Anyone can get strong. When you become Masters, come join my group.
A trembling Atrix asked:
— Really?
Melina looked up at the sky:
— Yes. I'm heading to meet God. I want friends, incredible monsters, and new worlds… but I need more strength.
Gohoah looked at the ground:
— Are you going to the Atreus occupation expedition?
— Yes.
Gohoah sighed:
— I wish… but only Advanced ones should go up.
Atrix murmured, intrigued:
— It's strange not to bring Masters… With maybe six, Atreus would be ours in a year.
Gohoah:
— Very strange.
Melina's thoughts:
"With Masters it would be easy… But the government wants to lose as many hunters as possible. I need to get stronger before that happens."
At that moment, the air turned icy.
A slimy noise emerged.
A grotesque creature came out of the shadows—a giant insect-like body, with black eyes and razor-sharp mandibles.
Evaluation:
Race: Baron Roach
Class: Elite
Subclass: —
Melina narrowed her eyes.
— Defensive mode! It's an Elite!
The creature laughed in a hoarse, grotesque voice:
— How adorable you children are…
Atrix, trembling, whispered:
— It… talks…
Gohoah dropped to his knees:
— An… Elite… We have no chance…
Melina's thoughts:
"Elite… and with no subclass… Last time, I got beaten badly…"
To be continued…