"Alright!"
Upon hearing the family assessment task, Muria didn't hesitate to agree. Hunting monsters was one of his specialties.
"Young Master Zellos, I must remind you: if you use any firearms or wear your Star Armor during the operation, this assessment will be considered a failure, and the family will continue providing martial arts resources only at the current level."
"I understand." Muria nodded. He knew the family wanted to see his true potential in martial arts.
In recent times, he'd spent his free hours in Dwaryal's capital as a nocturnal hunter, eliminating the various hidden creatures lurking in human society. Though he tried to keep a low profile, he hadn't been overly cautious, and he'd left some traces.
With the Douglas family's intelligence network, it was likely they'd already gathered information on his activities, which led to this assessment task. What was once an unremarkable position in the family had now caught their attention due to his martial arts progress. He had proven his aptitude in martial arts, and by showcasing his combat power, he'd further raise his status within the family, securing more resources.
"I'll send the location for your assessment shortly. Please keep an eye out for it!"
"Understood."
After ending the call, Muria's communicator quickly received the coordinates for his assignment. Seeing the location, Muria's eyes flickered—his target was in the same city.
"Owl Bar!" he murmured, reading the assignment's location with a thoughtful expression.
His recent monster-hunting activity had raised suspicions. In theory, a provincial capital like this city shouldn't harbor any such creatures at all. With the government's resources, they could easily eliminate every last one. Yet they hadn't; instead, they'd established a low-profile department to handle these threats.
"Training grounds?" Muria speculated. It seemed the city's hidden monsters existed solely to serve as sharpening stones for promising Star Armor Warriors like himself.
The Douglas family's task for him demonstrated the federal government's iron grip over its territory. The monsters hiding in human cities might believe they were concealed, but their every move was likely known by the government. Their survival within the city depended on how long they were deemed useful as training dummies. In other words, the weaker and more solitary these creatures were, the longer they might survive, though only temporarily.
"Those with potential…" Muria pondered further, sensing the government's willingness to let these mutated creatures prey upon ordinary humans to prepare Star Armor Warriors through real combat.
"Mom, someone invited me out. I'll be back later, so get some sleep," Muria said, already prepared to head out and complete his task.
"Be safe." Susanna watched her son head out once again. She was aware of his nighttime activities, but she didn't stop him. As a member of the Douglas family, he was bound for dangerous paths, so it was better for him to adapt now.
…
Muria was immediately engulfed by the dim lighting, flashing lights, blaring heavy metal music, overpowering perfumes, strong alcohol, and the strange mix of smells that filled the bar. Watching the men and women writhing to the music on the dance floor, he observed with disinterest.
Everyone had their way of unwinding. His preferred way was fishing, while this crowd's choice was clubbing and the thrill of chance encounters.
"Clear out all monsters in this bar," Muria recalled his task requirements. While it didn't explicitly state to avoid harming civilians, he considered it an implied rule.
"Let's see where they're hiding," Muria closed his eyes, focusing on sensing the life forces around him.
A skill essential to martial artists, this allowed him to detect creatures masquerading as humans by sensing their unique blood aura. The aura emitted by monsters was distinct from that of humans, making it easy for martial artists to identify them, much like a human radar.
"Found one!" Muria's eyes opened as he spotted a female server weaving through the crowd, balancing a tray of drinks.
"Let's start with you." Muria walked up to the woman, slipped his arm around her waist, and gave her a bashful smile. "Hey, miss, want to come hang out with me?"
"Giggle… Little brother, I'm working right now, no time to play," the server replied with a flirtatious smile, unbothered by his touch.
"What work? I'll cover you for tonight," Muria said, pulling out a wad of cash and slipping it into her chest pocket.
"A generous young master, huh? Alright then, I'm yours for the night. Whatever you want me to do, just say it."
Seeing the cash, the woman's smile grew brighter as she readily agreed. These hidden creatures needed to blend into human society to survive, and that meant playing by human rules. After all, they had to eat, too.
"Perfect." Muria released her and guided her toward a secluded corner of the bar.
"So eager, are we going straight to the restroom?" the server teased with a knowing smirk.
"Over here." She took Muria's hand and led him into a restroom stall, assuming he was just another wealthy young man seeking a thrill.
"What now? I'm all yours," she whispered with a provocative smile.
"Stay still," Muria said with a smile of his own, reaching for her head.
She didn't resist, letting him place his hand on her head. In seconds, dark red liquid began to trickle from her eyes, nose, and mouth, and she slumped lifelessly to the floor.
Muria stared at her body, unfazed. He could sense the thick, faintly fishy smell of her blood aura—she had hunted many humans.
"No one should find her for a while," he murmured, leaving her body in the restroom. But as he exited, he noticed a few strange glances aimed his way.
He followed the stares to a group of young men chatting and laughing, their conversation cutting through the noisy background.
"How long was he in there? Three minutes? That's quick!"
"I could take a longer leak than that!"
"What a waste! That girl was way too fine for him. Such a shame."
Muria's lips twitched, and he walked over. Moments later, the three young men lay slumped in their seats, deeply unconscious.
"It's not that I'm petty; you just noticed me. For the sake of secrecy, you'll have to deal with this," Muria muttered, looking down at the unconscious men with bruised necks before continuing his task.
He considered himself broad-minded and wouldn't be bothered by their comments. This was purely about avoiding complications with the mission. Really, he wasn't the kind of person to take offense over a little trash talk.
"There are quite a few of them," Muria mused as he sensed more non-human auras nearby. He moved toward the nearest one, soon locating a couple locked in a passionate embrace.
"Hey," he tapped the man's shoulder.
"Kid, what do you want?" the man snarled, his eyes gleaming faintly red in the dim light.
Thud!
Muria grabbed the man by the hair and slammed his head into the wall with a dull thud. The woman, seeing this, broke free from his grasp and fled immediately.
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