Caller of Souls

A few minutes earlier.

In an empty alley full of junk, Arvani leaned against the wall while checking the time on her phone screen. She was waiting for a notification from Daniel.

Sriiing!

Arvani flinched as a sudden blue light appeared deeper in the alley. Quickly, the girl uttered the word "release."

The card in her left hand instantly released a red Rabbit mask and its cloth. She put the mask on and waited for the blinding light to fade.

Thud!

As the light vanished, the loud sound of something falling echoed. Fueled by both courage and curiosity, Arvani approached the figure she saw.

'It's okay to be reckless, don't forget to make sure you have a backup plan.'

Kensei's voice once again echoed inside Arvani's mind. She quickly pulled out the dagger Ardi had given her. Holding the dark red dagger in her right hand, Arvani began to approach.

"Cough! Cough! Ugh... Damn fanatics."

Arvani halted. An old woman with a wrinkled face, short light brown hair, and wearing simple, old-fashioned clothes, coughed several times.

As soon as the woman made eye contact with Arvani, a sense of guilt and pity stirred within the black-haired girl.

But Arvani wasn't foolish. She had seen too many people die from pity. So she deliberately revealed her dagger more clearly to the old woman.

The woman chuckled. "Should I beg you to let me life, oh Red Rabbit?"

Daniel's words about letting her act as she pleased flickered in Arvani's mind. She then sheathed her dagger, turned her back on the woman, and walked toward the alley's exit.

"W-wait! You're really going to let me live?"

Arvani stopped. She turned slightly, and just as she was about to ask the woman's identity, Kensei answered first.

'She's a former Viarki, Kareen Paleis. If you kill her, people will fear you.'

Arvani's black eyes met Kareen's exhausted gaze.

"I have no reason to kill you yet."

Before leaving, Arvani pulled a small plastic bag from her jacket and tossed it near Kareen. Several boiled peanuts spilled out from the black plastic bag.

"What is this?" Kareen asked warily.

"Eat it if you don't want the poison in your body to spread."

A sorrowful laugh escaped Kareen. This was the first time someone had shown pity to her, a former Viarki. Her yellow and blue eyes looked at her wrist, where red dots from the poison covered her skin, placed there by those trying to kill her.

"I don't like owing people."

With great effort, the woman stood. She looked into Arvani's black eyes, visible through the mask's hole.

A strong gust of wind blew, and with it, Kareen vanished, along with the plastic bag of peanuts Arvani had given her. The black-haired girl then glanced at the bracelet on her left wrist, Kareen's gift.

"I should tell the boss."

.

.

.

Back in the present, Daniel was registering as a solo Hunter. A small commotion broke out when some possible journalists noticed the arrival of the Red Rabbit, who had gone viral online for their past antics.

Daniel calmly sipped his coffee milk and walked into the tower through a dark tunnel.

After walking for a while, the man encountered the first challenge all Hunters faced. In front of a one-ton iron door, Daniel paused to think.

"Arvani probably doesn't realize she can open this door easily."

"She's still too afraid. As her Guildmaster, I need to help her grow stronger."

It took just one hand and a bit of force for Daniel to open the heavy iron door. As he walked inside, he began to speculate on why former Viarki Kareen Paleis had shown up before Arvani.

The woman had no grudge against the Red Rabbit, so most likely, it was mere coincidence.

"I think she'll be fine as long as she hasn't reached the 20th floor," Daniel muttered.

He pulled out his phone, dialed Arvani's number, sent a short message, then blocked her.

"Good luck, Arvani."

Elsewhere, with Arvani—

After paying the registration fee and giving her alias, Arvani entered the corridor. Seeing no doorknob or keyhole, she guessed she had to push the door.

She was a bit nervous. But recalling how Mariposa and Ardi lived comfortably thanks to becoming official Hunters ignited her determination.

Arvani used both hands to push.

"For the monthly salary and a good life!" she shouted inwardly.

Slowly, the one-ton iron door began to move, little by little, until it opened wide—welcoming Arvani into the tower.

"Mariposa was right. A Miracle Holder's body is physically stronger than regular humans, even if their miracle isn't physically based," Arvani muttered, looking at her palm.

'How long do you plan to waste time? Hurry up.'

Kensei's voice returned, ruining Arvani's mood.

The black-haired girl sighed in resignation. During their one-month training, Kensei had taught her three of his signature sword techniques. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't itching to test them out.

After opening the door, Arvani received a message from Daniel. It was a simple text, instructing her to meet him on the 20th floor.

She stored her phone and kept moving forward. She had expected Daniel to leave her on her own. Just like Kensei's warning:

'You're weak because you rely too much on others.'

The challenge area on the first floor was a wide field of tall grass and scattered boulders. It spanned about 10 kilometers. The space also had a sky, with a late afternoon sun shining down, no clouds in sight.

< Kill the monster in the room.>

A massive hologram appeared in the center of the floor, projected from a large black metal box.

Although momentarily confused, Arvani snapped to attention when she heard voices of other Hunter candidates already fighting monsters.

She glanced at the dagger in her pocket.

"They didn't specify the type of monster to kill. That means I can choose freely. Let's go with something easy to catch," she thought.

As she entered the challenge area, Arvani could feel several eyes watching her.

'Are those enemies? Or just nosy people?'

She drew her dagger and began walking lightly, observing how most candidates had formed groups, protecting each other with the belief they'd be facing fierce beasts.

Suddenly, a strong wind swept through the area. A faint mist drifted across the air.

The number of monsters—originally countable—suddenly increased. Their types grew more varied. But Arvani froze in place upon spotting a figure unlike the rest.

A small girl stood not far from her.

The child looked no older than ten, with messy hair, tattered clothes, and cat ears and tail—making her appear as a human-animal hybrid. Her yellow eyes stared at Arvani without fear, as if she knew she was being judged but still chose to stand her ground.

Arvani swallowed hard. The dagger in her hand felt heavy.

"You… are you really the monster?"

The child said nothing, lowered her head slowly, then smiled. But it wasn't the innocent smile of a child. It was bitter—like someone who knew they'd be hated no matter what they did.

'This is the test. Don't hesitate.'

Kensei's voice rang in her ears.

The trial on this floor wasn't just about strength. It was the courage to sacrifice your pity.