Arka spent the next few days job hunting. He went out every morning, traversing the city from one end to the other, sending his CVs to various companies, and attending several interviews. However, the answer he always received was the same: rejection. Frustration and despair began to gnaw at his spirit.
In the middle of the day, he decided to take a break at a small eatery, ordered a bowl of meatballs, and opened social media on his phone. While daydreaming, he saw a news post that caught his attention: The Sumatran Tiger Hunter Organization, one of the six largest hunter organizations in Indonesia, was holding an open interview for an administrative staff position. Without a second thought, Arka quickly finished his meal and ordered an online taxi to the organization's headquarters.
After a short trip, Arka arrived in front of the magnificent building of the Sumatran Tiger Organization. He immediately went inside and registered for the interview. The waiting room was filled with dozens of people with the same goal. Arka felt small, remembering how tough the competition was in the job market, especially for an organization of this size. When his turn came, he went into the interview room, hoping for the best. However, a few moments later, he came out with a dejected face. The result was the same; he was rejected.
With a sluggish gait, Arka walked towards the exit. As he was about to step out, a familiar voice greeted him. "Arka? You're Arka, right?"
Arka turned around and was surprised. In front of him stood his high school classmate, Rangga. His hair was neatly cut, he was wearing the official uniform of the Sumatran Tiger Organization, and an aura of confidence radiated from him. Rangga smiled widely. After a brief exchange, they decided to chat more in the building's cafeteria.
There, Arka told him about all his difficulties, from the struggle to find a job to the financial problems he was facing. Rangga listened patiently, then replied with his own story.
"After graduating from high school, I immediately gained power and became a Hunter," Rangga said. "It was tough at first, Arka. But over time, I kept training and now I've successfully become a part of the Sumatran Tiger Organization."
Rangga explained that he now held a C-level Hunter qualification, the lowest. "There are many qualification levels, from C to S. Hunters with S-level qualifications have power equivalent to a nation. Above that, there's the SS level with continent-level power, and the highest, the SSS qualification, with power that can change the destiny of the world," Rangga explained proudly.
Arka was astonished. He had never imagined that the power of the Hunters had such a great range, to the point of being equivalent to the power of the world.
Rangga saw Arka's surprised expression and tried to encourage him. "Keep your spirits up, Arka. You'll definitely get the job you want," he said.
Arka gave a bitter smile. "I've tried, Rangga. But it seems the world isn't on my side. Unlike you, who got the blessing of power," he replied sarcastically.
Hearing that, Rangga burst into laughter. "Do you think being a Hunter is easy, Arka? It's easy to make money, yes, but behind it all, I risk my life every day. Fighting monsters, coming home with wounds, or even..." Rangga fell silent for a moment, his face serious. "Or one day, I'll only come home in name."
Arka was silent, hearing how great the risks were for Rangga and the other Hunters.
"You should be grateful, Arka. You don't have to bear that burden," Rangga continued.
Rangga's words opened Arka's perspective. He realized that there were two sides to the Hunters' lives. He felt a little relieved, but the feeling of pressure he felt had not completely disappeared. Still, he felt lucky that Rangga was willing to listen to his complaints.
Time passed without them noticing, and the twilight began to fade, painting the Jakarta sky in shades of orange. After saying goodbye to Rangga, Arka hurried home. Upon arriving, he collapsed into a chair in the living room and turned on the television. As usual, the news broadcast was filled with reports about the Hunters and their activities. Sick of the same thing, Arka turned off the television. The exhaustion from a full day of job hunting made him fall asleep in that chair, sinking into a deep slumber.
Suddenly, an earthquake shook the ground. The furniture in Arka's house fell, creating a loud noise. However, Arka remained still in his sleep. The night grew darker, the moon shone brightly, but on the other side of the city, darkness once again reigned.
Another dimensional rift appeared, this time in the center of Jakarta. From it came out several giant monsters and dozens of smaller ones. Dozens of Hunters from various organizations, including Rangga, immediately went to the location. Rangga, with his C-level qualification, fought in the back lines, trying to hold back the endless waves of small monsters. Wounds began to spread on his body, and his energy was completely drained.
Suddenly, a powerful monster as tall as a human but with a muscular body came out of the rift. The monster moved quickly, charging and killing Hunters easily. The war became bloodier. Rangga, cornered and exhausted, fell silent and trembled as the powerful monster approached him. The pressure the monster exuded was so strong that Rangga couldn't move.
With one precise punch, Rangga was sent flying, hitting a building behind him, and lay on the ground, powerless. The powerful monster, along with the others, began to run amok, destroying anything in its path.
However, hope appeared once again. A few moments later, two powerful figures arrived. They were the leaders of the two largest hunter organizations. First, the Leader of the Sumatran Tiger Organization, a middle-aged man named Bara Wirawan. And the second, the Leader of the White Iron Organization, a silver-haired woman named Kinar Puspita. They both stood on top of a tall building, radiating an aura of immense power, observing the chaos that was unfolding.
Bara Wirawan let out a long sigh, looking around. The sight below them was one of destruction: demolished buildings, cracked roads, and dozens of Hunters lying helpless. "It seems we have a rather troublesome guest," he muttered, his voice calm but with a hint of tension. Kinar Puspita, beside him, remained silent, her gaze fixed straight ahead.
Sensing the presence of two powerful auras on top of the building, the muscular monster that had been rampaging on the street immediately turned its head. It flew at high speed, approaching Bara and Kinar. Upon reaching them, the monster exuded a very strong aura of intimidation and let out a deep sound, like a deafening ancient language. "You have a different aura than the other ants," it said.
"It seems this monster can talk," Bara countered, his expression remaining calm. Kinar didn't respond, but her hand was already at the ready by her side.
The monster's aura suddenly became thicker, a dark red, indicating that it was ready for an all-out fight. Bara felt the incredible pressure the monster was releasing. "What a strong pressure. It seems this monster has an S qualification or even higher," Bara said, smiling faintly. He then took out two kerambit blades from inside his jacket. Kinar also took her weapon, a long sword with a vertical blade almost as tall as her body, from her back.
The battle began. Bara shot forward at super speed, attacking the monster. However, the monster reacted quickly, avoiding every one of Bara's attacks. Kinar followed, swinging her sword. Kinar's attack and the monster's bare-handed punch clashed, creating a shockwave that damaged the surrounding area. Aided by Bara, who used his wind manipulation ability to become faster and more unpredictable, he slashed and cut parts of the monster's body.
Bara and Kinar continued to attack with full force. Kinar's sword slashes emitted an aura, cutting through the surrounding buildings. The monster began to be pushed back. However, it did not give up. A thick red aura enveloped its entire body, making it even stronger. It charged back towards Bara and Kinar. Its counterattack was so strong that Bara was knocked back, hitting the building wall hard. Kinar managed to block the attack with her sword, but she was sent flying and fell to the street. Even so, she was still standing, her sword trembling.
Bara got up, took a deep breath, and radiated a stronger aura. "What a strong monster. Its thick red aura makes its body even harder," he said with a faint smile. The monster fell silent, hovering in the air, watching Bara. Bara shot forward again, unleashing all his power. The battle was balanced again, but not long after, Bara was knocked back once more.
Just as Bara was thrown, Kinar was already in front of the monster. She raised her sword with both hands above her head, a silvery-white aura swirling around her, and her sword began to glow brightly. With all her might, Kinar slashed vertically.
A slash of silvery-white aura shot out, leaving a trail of slashes dozens of meters long in its path, splitting buildings and structures it passed through. The powerful monster, unable to withstand the attack, was also split in two. The battle was over.
The moonlight shone calmly, illuminating Kinar's long white hair. Bara approached her, "Your power seems to be getting stronger, Leader Kinar." Kinar was silent, staring straight ahead.
Not long after, the dimensional rift began to disappear, and the cleaning Hunters and police began to arrive to secure and clear the surrounding area. Although the monster was defeated, the losses were immense: many Hunters fell, and the city suffered severe damage. This event became a bitter reminder of the fragility of the peace that existed.