Harbor’s Edge and a Pet Cafe Encounter

Should the situation turn critical, the entire city would be enveloped in the wail of air raid sirens.

Since no alarm blared, it indicated that the sea beast tide’s threat level was not particularly high; the mechanized forces assembled at the port were sufficient to handle it.

****

Thirty minutes later.

A crisp electronic chime echoed in her ear.

“Ding! Hello, this is Defender Weapons Store. Your order has been delivered. Please confirm receipt!”

Ming Yu donned a fitted short-sleeved shirt and trousers.

She casually tied back the silver strands of hair that fell around her shoulders, secured a black mask, and quietly slipped past the girl who was deep in slumber.

Then, she stepped out of her home.

After taking the elevator downstairs, Ming Yu retrieved a thermal cutting blade from the mail locker.

As her fingers closed around the familiar, rough texture of its hilt, a complex swirl of emotions churned within her.

This very blade had been a gift from her old instructor near the end of her hunter training, and it had been by her side for nearly two decades.

Named ‘Mistcutter,’ signifying ‘a sharp edge capable of cleaving through fog,’ its meaning was indeed quite profound.

With Mistcutter, which was almost half her height, strapped to her back, Ming Yu unfurled a black umbrella.

She cast a glance at the sky, then stepped resolutely into the vast curtain of rain.

****

Pharos, Seaport 16.

At the edge of the harbor, menacing metal cannon barrels pointed directly skyward.

Infantrymen, armed and resolute, stood guard on either side of the heavy artillery, clad in rigid, standardized exoskeletons, their gazes as sharp as an eagle’s.

Stretching into the distance, countless dark shadows lurked beneath the water’s surface, hurtling forward at an alarming speed.

They were on the verge of entering the heavy cannons’ firing range.

The atmosphere solidified into a deathly stillness.

As the branch vice-president, Raymond had brought all seven A-rank hunters he could muster.

He had personally come to the site to command and coordinate, undeterred by the inherent risks.

Gazing toward the distant horizon where sea met sky, a terrifying maritime hurricane was steadily forming, gradually bearing down on Pharos.

Yet, for the soldiers and hunters present, it was not the frenzied hurricane that caused their hearts to pound, but rather the imminent, surging tide of sea beasts.

News had already arrived from headquarters: this particular sea beast tide was linked to the activities of a ‘Leviathan,’ but its intensity was not severe.

The average rank of the beasts ranged from C to B, with only a rare few A-rank sea beasts expected to appear.

Even so, they dared not let down their guard.

Behind Raymond, a lean, black-haired youth named Luo Bin leaned against a shipping container, resting on a broad-bladed sword that eerily resembled a chainsaw.

He appeared to be meditating with his eyes closed.

At Luo Bin’s feet, a bald man named Jeston chewed gum, slowly blowing a pink bubble.

Pop—

The bubble burst.

“How boring.”

The bald man squatted by the shore, spitting his gum into the wild sea breeze.

He scratched his gleaming head, then turned to the youth beside him, chuckling.

“Binbin, once this mission is over, why don’t you come over to my place? It’s quite spacious, and if you get tired, you can just crash there.”

At this, Luo Bin slightly raised his eyelids, casting a sidelong glance at Jeston.

“No time. I’m scheduled to play video games with someone.”

“That’s a real shame,” Jeston mumbled, popping another piece of bubblegum into his mouth. “By the way, have you heard?”

“Heard what?”

“I heard from someone at headquarters that someone in our District 16 has been promoted to S-rank,” Jeston said, feigning mystery. “It seems there might even be an S-rank participant in this operation…”

“…That’s it?”

“But that’s an S-rank! There are only eight in all of Pharos… oh, wait, now there should be nine. Don’t you want to see them in action, to witness the gap between us and an S-rank?”

“Hmph, no interest.”

Luo Bin closed his eyes once more, crossed his arms, and let out a cold snort.

As an A-rank hunter himself, he had certainly heard about the appointment of the new S-rank, and he maintained a noncommittal attitude.

Currently, there were over three thousand active A-rank hunters in Pharos, yet only eight active S-ranks.

The reason for this disparity lay in the excessively stringent criteria for S-rank evaluation.

An A-rank evaluation required a hunter to possess specialized skills for participating in the subjugation of A-rank sea beasts.

An S-rank evaluation, however, demanded a hunter demonstrate the comprehensive strength to solo-hunt an S-rank sea beast.

He had heard that the individual in question had sacrificed an entire team, stepping over the corpses of their comrades to barely slay the S-rank sea beast ‘Jörmungaṇḍr,’ thereby earning a rather controversial S-rank evaluation.

Luo Bin suspected that the newly appointed S-rank likely had a fair bit of undeserved credit; otherwise, why would they remain unseen for so long?

Though he showed no outward emotion, inwardly, he was silently competing.

‘Perhaps, they’re afraid to show up?’

****

Ming Yu folded her black umbrella and secured both it and her blade on a rack in front of the glass door.

She then approached the sensor area, waiting for the large doors to slowly slide open.

Upon arriving near the harbor, she took a moment to look around.

When she happened to pass a pet cafe, Ming Yu was suddenly struck by an idea.

She wanted to adopt a pet to take home as a gift for little Nightingale.

Although the girl preferred quiet, a lively little companion might just add a touch of color to her world.

“Hello, welcome!”

A server, adorned with cat-ear headwear, offered a sweet smile to the entering customer.

Ming Yu gave a slight nod, politely returning the greeting.

It was her first time visiting such a place, and her gaze swept past the server, observing the interior environment.

A flicker of interest sparked in her eyes.

No sooner had Ming Yu settled into her seat than a black-footed cat, curled on the round table, slowly roused itself.

Beneath the table, a large white dog, half-asleep, groggily lifted its head, cast a languid glance at her, and then lowered its head once more.

This sight caused her to raise an eyebrow slightly.

The server approached Ming Yu, glanced at the paw-licking black cat and the sluggish white dog, and chuckled softly.

“What can I get for you, esteemed guest? Mocha, Latte, or Cappuccino?”

“I’m not particularly fond of coffee… Do you serve alcohol here?”

“Uh, alcohol… We only have pineapple beer here, would that be acceptable…?”

“…That’ll do.”

Ming Yu’s eye twitched slightly; she inexplicably felt a surge of awkwardness.

‘A miscalculation.’

She wasn’t accustomed to drinking coffee.

Normally, if she felt tired or drowsy during a mission, a quick injection would instantly clear her head.

“By the way, do you sell pets here? I’d like to adopt one to take home, as a gift for my… friend’s daughter.”

Upon hearing this, the server frowned.

“Esteemed guest, if you wish to purchase a pet, you should visit a specialized pet store. We do not offer selling services here.”

She paused, then continued, softening her tone.

“Furthermore, all the pets here were custom-ordered by the owner at considerable expense, and we are not authorized to make decisions regarding them.”

“I believe I can offer a price that would satisfy your owner. Please connect me with her.”

“This…”

Ming Yu’s request put the server in a difficult position.

Just then, a voice filled with an intellectual charm drifted from nearby.

“Oh? I’d be interested to see what kind of price could truly sway me.”

Ming Yu looked towards the sound, observing a red-haired woman with a devilish figure slowly approaching.

Her alluring, foxy eyes were fixed intently on Ming Yu.

The server nodded to the newcomer.

“Boss.”

“You may go attend to your duties.”

Chen Xin waved her hand at the employee, indicating for her to leave the matter to her.

Then, she refocused her attention on the silver-haired woman before her.

The instant her gaze met those blood-red eyes, she suddenly felt like prey being stalked, a disconcerting unease instantly rising within her.

However, this sensation lasted only for a fleeting moment.