X-Rank Hunter

Meanwhile, after the two of them left, Bantay spoke up to his master, "Just how many insanely strong humans are living in this village?"

There was a moment of pause before Jim responded leisurely,

"Probably, only the three of them. The others are mostly A-rank and B-rank Hunters, oh right, there are also some S-ranks. Mom said before that they are all here to live peacefully."

"To live peacefully? Mostly are A and B-rank hunters? and there are few S-ranks?" Bantay repeated those words, unsure if he heard it wrong.

Hunters are tied down with their responsibilities, right? Why are they living peacefully here?

This is surely a made-up story by his mom to satisfy master's curiosity!

Just what are they hiding? Just what is in this village?

Curiosity invaded Bantay's mind. But as curious as he was, there was nothing he could do to peer through the secrets of this village. He was just a tamed beast, after all, there was no need for him to meddle in their affairs.

"But why are all of them here? Why is it that people from the outside didn't know about the many powerful hunters living in this village?" Bantay muttered. It was hard to say whether he was asking himself or to his master or it was just a curious word that escaped from his mouth.

Jim who heard the mumbling of his tamed beast, replied, "What are you saying? The whole Kingdom knew about the existence of the Hunters living in here. Maybe only your beast kind was oblivious to it!

"And also, there are a total of three other small places in the Kingdom similar to this village. They also have many A-ranks and B-ranks and some S-ranks with them. Though these villages are considered Shadow Lands, these three other places are the strongest.

"Are you sure you don't even know it? Did you ever try to leave in this mountain range and saw the other villages?"

"What?! There are still two other places out there that have many Middle Rankers and few High Rankers?" Bantay really shocked this time.

"Actually, the ones living in the other two other places are not Hunters, but a group of Assassin and an Organization of a criminal." Jim revealed the truth as he continued. "There are four of this kind of place in the past, but the other one is already been destroyed by the invasion of a single demon and many Otherworldly Monster Beasts back then five years ago."

Jim who knew about it didn't hide it from his tamed beast.

Well, it was not classified information in the first place. It was what hunters were studying at the Academy. Even though Jim rarely listen to the class, there was no way he could miss out on something as common as this.

"There's a place similar to this that has already been destroyed?" Bantay was yet again shocked. Though he was shocked as well that the other two places were ruled by a bunch of Assassins and Criminals instead of Hunters, what shocked him most was that the village similar to Biga village in terms of strength was destroyed by a Demon and its minions.

He only opened his eyes here in this place 10 years ago and was not able to leave in this damn mountain range. So it was not his fault why he knew nothing about this place's situation. He didn't even know how he ended up here and his memory was really foggy.

He was wandering for a long time now in this mountain range, and he was still yet to find the exit. It was as if he was moving in a circle. Since that was the case, he just decided to rule in this place since he was the strongest beast living here.

Of course, not until Jim cut him down and gave him a scar. He was weakened after that and his territory was divided into three.

But still, this village always gave him a goosebump even before when he was still ruling over the mountain range. And what he didn't expect was there were still other places similar to this one in terms of strength.

On the other hand, seeing that his tamed beast was completely oblivious to it, Jim could only sigh deeply as he explained,

"Yes, that's true. It was a tragedy five years ago. That place was guarded by the strongest family in the Kingdom, the exiled family, Kastel Family. And yet, they were all been annihilated by a single demon and its minions."

"The strongest family in the Kingdom has been wiped out?" Bantay swallowed a mouthful of saliva in disbelief. "I think I heard of this Kastel Family before, but I don't care anything outside this mountain range so I didn't put more attention to it. To think that they are already got annihilated. This demon you are talking about seems to be extraordinarily strong,"

"Yeah, I think so too. But you are strong enough yourself right? Do you still not encounter a demon even once before or at least know its strength?" Jim asked as he stared at his tamed beast in confusion.

"I'm truly strong in the past, but my memories are a little bit foggy, I only know that I fought in the last Three Great Wars together with the humans. As for the demons, I felt that I fought one or two as well before." Bantay responded as he scratched his head, trying to dig into his memories.

"What?!" Jim was a little surprised this time. But not for the other party fighting a demon but, "Do you mean to say that you are already nearly a thousand years old?"

Jim of course knew as well that the stronger the awakener was, the longer they could live. No matter if it was demons or humans or beasts. There were even some awakeners somewhere in the world that were still living right now ever since the Forsaken Age. And they were no other than the 'First Awakeners!'

Although there were only a few of them now but still, they were the strongest existence that were currently living on Encantadia. It was hard to see one though. Even here in the Maharlika Kingdom had only one of such kind. And that was the elusive Chairman of the Hunter Association!

Even the king himself was having a hard time just to take a glance at this Chairman, how much more for the other hunters. It was even doubtful if this Chairman really existed.

Nevertheless, he was the trump card of the Kingdom and he was always protecting the Kingdom from the dark.

"Yes, I think so." Bantay replied contemplatively, "If not for the fact that I lost my strength and memories, maybe I could stand toe to toe against the so-called demons."

"That strong?" Jim was really taken aback. If his tamed beast could live nearly a thousand years old, he really wondered how strong he was. Just by thinking about it, a smile unwittingly crept up from his lips, "It seems like you're not too useless after all."

Hearing those words, Bantay nearly choked to death with his saliva!

What do you mean by that? Do I look like a useless tamed beast to you?

My strength right now is considered S-rank you know! Although this is not my peak strength, still, it's already strong enough!

As Bantay was lost for words, the silver light that was trying to pierce through the barrier made by Jason was gradually fading together with the suppressive aura that was exuding out from it.

After which, the voice of Charley echoed, "You two, come over here and guard this little girl, I have some matters to do."

"But mom..." Jim, of course, knew what was his mother going to do and he couldn't help but be worried about the other party.

He knew that his mother was an incredible Hunter but once she used her real power, her personality was changing. Though she would not lose her rationality that much, but still, the worry he felt was just couldn't go away.

Three years ago, when she used her power to cure his little sister, Jade, her personality really changed that time. After she was done curing her daughter, she immediately beat up a couple of A-ranks and S-ranks just because it hurt her eyes upon seeing them.

If Jim remembered correctly, his uncle Sam was beaten up as well that time, and he was the one who received more beatings because he fought back that time.

But it appeared that she was still yet to satisfy even after when she beat up several Hunters, so to appease her cravings for beating up someone, she went into one of the portals, an A-rank gate, that appeared near the village at that time. There were a couple of them though.

But even when after she cleared the portal alone, her cravings didn't even lower a bit but instead, she was longing for more. In the end, she cleared most of the portals alone but still, she was not yet satisfied.

It needed his uncle Jason to make a move himself to make his mom calm down.

But now, the portal that was forming outside the village seemed to be an S-rank level. Its size was big enough and was floating several meters above the ground to be able to see clearly by Jim from where he was standing.

Just by looking at it from afar, Jim could feel goosebumps all over. When he focused his hearing from there, Jim could hear a massive wave of energy leaking out from it. And that made his worry increase even more.

Even though his mother was strong, if she went there alone and faced many high-rank beasts, it was still worrying whether his mom could go back unharmed.

"There's no but." After she said those words, Charley suddenly appeared in front of Jim as she patted his head gently and said "Don't worry, it won't take long. I will immediately come back home."

The smile on her lips made Jim felt assured. He didn't know why but that time, the feeling of wanting to embrace his mother invaded his heart. He wanted to speak a word but nothing could come out.

After patting his head, Charley stared into Jim's eyes for a moment before kissing him on his forehead.

"I will go now."

"Ok mom, please be careful. And you must promise me to come back." As hesitant as he was to let his mother go, he still let her do her way. He was just her son after all.

"Ok, I promise."

After which, she gazed in the direction of where the portal appeared, and then she disappeared to where she was standing. Jim who saw his mom disappearing, put all his trust and hope in her. He then turned his gaze to their house and beckoned to Bantay, "Let's go there!"

"Yes, master." Bantay immediately followed behind.