The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 46: She Deserved to Know

Buji followed Instructor sheepishly behind as they traveled the path of the dimly lit corridors that led to a large building. Buji couldn’t tell what it was with Instructor Hay’s demeanor tonight. Unlike other times, it felt different, serious, and almost… purposeful.

They got to a door etched with faint symbols. Instructor Hay pulled out the key to the door’s lock from his pocket and unlocked the door, allow it to swing open silently. Buji hesitated, but Hay’s hand gesticulation urged him to move forward.

Buji came into the office to observe that it was surprisingly orderly, not like he had expected for a personality like Instructor Hay. Shelves lined by the corner of the walls were stacked with books. The books were comparatively in order.

’Maybe chronological order,’ Buji thought recklessly. He thought that Instructor Hay can easily dictate that any of his was missing from its arrangement.

At the center of the office was a large desk, with a neatly arranged stack of parchment and a glowing orb that seemed to hum faintly.

By the side of the window was another desk, with a single chair facing the desk. Instructor Hay sat on the chair and gestured for Buji to take a seat.

"Sit," Hay said curtly.

Buji obeyed his instruction and sat on a seat beside the desk at the center of the office.

Instructor Hay lowered himself onto his desk, rubbing his fingers on his two hands against each other as he studied the young man in front.

"Now," he began. "I’ve been so curious as to how you alone were able to survive that dungeon raid when I heard Kirex was there. If it were to be Tyga, that wouldn’t be a case of surprise for me. So tell me, what happened? How did you survive that dungeon raid?"

Buji felt uneasy with the question. It was getting him annoyed as days passed, with everyone seeming to be interested with what had happened. Even Kira, he was on different term with Kira moments ago because of it. What’s happening?

He raised his lowered hair, and looked up at Instructor Hay. The question now, seemed to him like a trap, with his opponents trying to get information they will use against him. But still, he was going to tell Instructor Hay what happened, but he will do like he did to others.

"You’re not saying anything," Instructor Hay called Buji back.

"It started when we were about to enter the dungeon. There was a whirling circle in space that shimmered with intense energy. Leader Kirex called it a portal, the entrance to the dungeon. After…" Buji got interrupted.

"I didn’t ask you to narrate everything. Just tell me how you survived," Hay barked with a serious voice.

’Woah woah woah. Is this the same man who always moderated events? Or, is he not?’

Instead of continuing, Buji asked. "Is this the first time something like that is happening?"

Instructor Hay glanced at him. His question had come unexpectedly. Noticing the surprise in his face, Buji continued.

"Just… I was thinking why my own incident has to be the most important. Why do everybody want to know?"

Instructor Hay smiled at the boy’s show of smartness. Joining his two hands together and placing them on his desk to allow him to come closer, he said. "Now I think about it… you’re right."

Buji’s eyes widened. Just that statement alone meant a lot of things. It probably meant that Instructor Hay was trying to get information from him for a third party. Could the third party be the Hunter’s Association or Mr. Zin? If that was the case, was Kira also doing the same job? Was she going to betray him? But Instructor Hay was distracted.

"…only that those who survived were strong enough and had compatible talents that could leave them beyond doubt. It would have been my pleasure to let you know of some things, but I will leave it for you to find out yourself."

Buji wanted to talk but he was cut short. "Buji, please tell me what happened."

"If that’s what you want then, have it," Buji said and continued. "After surviving the first dungeon where we were attacked by Stone Bats, we came out into another open space that led to another dungeon. Only then did we realize that it was a dual dungeon."

"I’m not surprised the motive people here hold of Kirex, he was distinguished among others when it comes to skill and strength. He led well, of course, but then, due to the cunningness of the dungeon, we lost two hunters in the first dungeon."

"The remaining four hunters, which were Kirex, Tyga, Lian and I entered the second dungeon. We went with no healer and a mage, and the only hunter we had, who was intuitive in talent was lost in the first dungeon. Together, we were able to overthrow the statue guardians who acted as Chess Players, but, when we needed to be together the most. When we needed teamwork, they left me. Even, before then, we had already lost Lian in the hands of the Chess Players."

"I… I got separated from the group," Buji said with his head bowed down. "They bounded me and left me alone at the altar, and after they left, there was this darkness. I didn’t feel her presence then, the dungeon only became chaotic in the darkness."

"Arrows shot out from nothingness, pinning me to a particular place and leaving me half dead, and that’s when I encountered her. That was when I felt her… presence."

"Her?" Instructor Hay asked, his brows furrowed.

"Yes. The Night Priestess," Buji clarified with a steady voice. "She appeared out of nowhere, and she seemed to be the boss of the dungeon. With the arrows stuck in my body, and her snake tendrils and chain which I was bound by, I thought I was done for."

Instructor Hay leaned back on his chair and made hand gestures. "And yet, here you are. Alive."

"With her tendrils, she drew me closer to her and was about to finish me off, then I saw this golden glow out of nowhere."

"Golden glow?" Instructor Hay interjected. "Did it feel like it was coming from you or her?"

"I can’t tell for sure," Buji replied after a short pause. "It was all-encompassing and the next thing I could remember was falling to the ground lifeless, and waking in the hospital, alive."

Instructor Hay focused his gaze on Buji as if trying to extract any information from his body. "Are you forgetting to tell me anything else?"

"Nah," Buji shook his head. "I already told you that’s all I remembered."

Buji thought that if he told him about the system that he had communicated with at the point of death, it could be a great minus to him. Worst still, if he told him about the illusion he had. He wasn’t foolish enough to introduce fire to water. The water will take the fire out without hesitation.

For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, Instructor Hay spoke.

"What you experienced isn’t ordinary. I wish you had remembered more of what happened so that I can know from where I can help. I wanted to know all this because as you can see, I will be tutoring you from now onwards. This information was going to help me know how I can decide on things you need to be tutored on."

’I hear you. Can you even listen to yourself, like how does my survival in that raid relate to any hunting scheme?’ Buji’s thought mocked.

"Well, I can be taking on courses like other students. It’s going to be helpful too," Buji said.

Instructor Hay stood from his seat and walked to a shelf, retrieving a scroll. He brought it to his desk and invited Buji to come closer to take a look. "This is what we will cover in your training," he explained, clarifying Buji with his hands pointing to the scroll.

"As a member of a team, you will be expected to go for the raid tomorrow. Left for me, I won’t advise you to go."

"Why?" Buji asked.

"Since you have no sure talent now, we will be focusing on Combat tactics, dungeon navigation, and survival skills. But that will be starting from next week. That’s when I will also provide you with theoretical lessons on rare entities you can find in dungeons."

Buji studied the scroll, nodding at each explanation Instructor Hay gave out.

"Anything you want to say, or any questions?" Instructor Hay asked.

"No, sir," Buji replied but his thought had a lot to say, only that they might not be of concern to Hay.

First, he was going for that raid tomorrow. How can he not go? When it would only make him become richer, especially now he was still under the school’s care. It will also be of betterment for him soon when they go on holiday. He was not returning to that compound for sure, he needed to keep his distance.

On a second note, he must go for the raid. He needed to prepare himself through it for the quest from the system. And then, the thought of raiding a dungeon alone reappeared in his memory.

If he was going to be involved in the raid tomorrow, how prepared was he even? Was he sure of survival? He only hoped the raid would be as he expected. The dungeon they were hunting was A-rank, and he wished it was not going to be as difficult as the Bat Dome.

"Mister Buji!" Instructor Hay’s voice brought him back to reality. "I wonder what it is that is eating your memory at this age."

"Nothing," Buji replied.

"I expected that as an answer from you though," Hay said and drew some books closer to the edge of the desk where Buji could collect them. "Use these books for study until next week."

Buji collected one of the books that were on the desk and studied its cover. The title on it read "Dungeon Strategies" and his mind drifted to Kira.

Kira was only trying to help him with the book since then, he had no tutor. His mind settled. He was able to find a good reason that warranted Kira to lend him her Dungeon Strategies book.

To avoid any more suspicion from Instructor Hay, he bowed slightly to him in thanks before leaving the office. As he walked back through the corridors, he thought about Kira again.

During their earlier conversation, he had acted in a way that only made him feel guilty now, and he couldn’t shake it off. Then he remembered the last statement Kira made before leaving him.

…I have your book.

Buji thought hardly. He had no other book, except… yes, except the SEA book. Apart from being among his acquisitions of the system, his hardcopy was missing. It only meant Kira had read something from it, and that was why she was demanding the truth from him.

’She deserved to know the truth.’

His thoughts betrayed his reality. He didn’t want her to know anything about it. Rather, he didn’t want any other person to know anything about what’s happened to him. Higher hunters, Emra and her father, or even the hunter’s association might have a hint, but that’s only subdued by their suspicion of him. He only wanted it to end up being a suspicion, and not a reality.

Not this current time he’s still weak. The system promised to make him stronger, only then. Then… will he make them know something about his new person. Plus, he also needed to be careful with Emra.

Kira.

He still had the strong involuntary urge to let her know about his new self. Is she not going to do like Emra had done? He trusted no one after what Emra and her father had done.

Then, he realized he had reached the path junction where he was to decide which place he wanted to go. He took the left path which led to the dorms and after a short while, he arrived at the dorm’s door and was on its doorway alone. Lights were off already except for the dim light rays of the moon which lighted his ways.

He already made his decision for that night. He needed someone by his side, so, he had resolved. "Tonight, I am visiting her and at least if for nothing else, attempting to mend our friendship."

He glanced at his wristwatch, it read 22:24 hrs [10:24 P.M.] and he shrugged and continued his movements up the stairs.

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