Infinity in the Void – Freedom in the Abyss

Armillys was with Gai, staring at a golden wall. Both of them crossed their arms as they just keep on staring.

"So, what do you think?", Armillys asked.

"I'm not sure, I know what gold looks like and it certainly has that golden shine. But... doesn't it feel a little off?", he spoke his inquiries.

"Gold is not a good material for building, so an alloy?", she wonders.

"Could be.", he look down at the golden slabs of the city, "Why don't we try this? The professor said not to touch the buildings, but she didn't say anything about the ground."

Armillys nodded, picking up a slab, "It feels... like granite."

That perked Gai's interest, "How do you know its granite?"

"Don't worry about it.", she shrugged, "I want to try something..."

She put the slab down and called upon her emerald glaive, with a mighty swing she sliced it in half. Gai went on to inspect the cut.

"It was a clean slice, and...", he looked at the metallic shine, then he pinched the corner and caved it in, "Yeah, this is definitely gold."

Both of them scratched their head, not knowing what to do with this information.

"Hmm, so you have made some progress.", a serene and soft voice spoke out from behind them.

They both turned, looking at Charlotte.

"It is strange, isn't it?", she stepped in between the two, picking up half of the slab, "It has the shine and property of gold, but the texture and weight of granite."

"I told you.", Armillys whispered with a smirk. Gai just rolls his eyes.

"But this is outside of the assignment.", Charlotte's voice startled them, "Pretty good to think outside of the box, but all this assignment needs is observation data."

She placed the slabs down, "This is just for fun, so don't take things too seriously."

"Then why did you make an assignment like this?", Gai asked.

"Well, life isn't all about the highs, you gotta chill sometimes.", there was a sly smile on her face, "I am a Hunter, so any moment of rest is important."

"We'll try.", Armillys replied with a firm nod.

"On the other hand, try to hunt something for dinner.", Charlotte dusted her hands, "Eating snake soup every day must've bored you, so how about you accompanying me to hunt some meat?"

"Sure! Beats staring at a wall all day!", Gai was excited, and he looked over to Armillys, "C'mon, you want to be a Hunter, right?"

"I do...", her voice became smaller, "What are we looking out for?"

"Hmm~ a caiman is delicious, but I think we should go for a capybara.", she stated, walking past them and grabbing Ouroboros Omniscia.

"A capybara?", Gai was surprised.

"But they are... cute.", Armillys frowned at that.

"Cute or not, this is what being a Hunter is. A Hunter must Hunt, that is the rule.", the coffin's sides open up, revealing rows of hunting rifles.

"That's... an illegal amount of guns to own.", Gai scratched his head.

"Having three God Slayers is already crossing the line, and owning a private warship, being legal or not isn't something I am concerned about.", she took out three hunting rifles and three ammo magazines, "Just take them."

Both of them grab a rifle and a magazine, awkwardly looking at the weapons in their hands.

"Come on now, we need at least five capybaras.", she urged them, her voice had a certain pull to it, compelling the two to listen to her.

 

=0=0=

 

Armillys and Gai were hiding inside a bush together, while Charlotte was on a tree. They are looking at a herd of capbaras bathing in a stream.

"Do you feel hesitated?", Charlotte asked the both of them while stretching her right hand out, holding her rifle with one hand, just like how she always does it with Fallen Starlight.

"Yes...", Armillys replied.

Gai placed a hand on her shoulder, quietly comforting her.

"You have to be willing to kill if you want to be a Hunter.", she stated with indifference, "For now, don't think about anything and follow me step by step, you too Gai."

"Yes, Professor.", he nodded, holding his guns and focused.

"Armillys, you aim for the one in the water. Gai, aim for the sleeping one in the front.", Charlotte ordered as she took aim at a capybara as big as a cow.

"Take a deep breath, feel your heartbeat as it slows down."

Armillys and Gai clenched their jaws, doing as Charlotte said.

"Line up your sight, aim a little down..."

"Blurr your mind, do not see an animal, see a monster."

"Don't think about anything except the target."

"And fire."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three shots went off, hitting three capybaras in the head. The rest of them were spooked and ran away—

Bang! Bang!

Charlotte shot two more bullets, killing two more capybaras.

"You guys did a great job.", she hopped down next to the two, "So, how do you feel about shooting an innocent animal?"

Armillys was quiet, as she took in the moment. Her hands were not trembling, she was used to fighting being the literal reincarnation of a hero, they were firm and unshakable. But on the inside, she was feeling conflicted, she just killed an innocent animal that had nothing to do with her survival, and the amount of snake jerky was enough to feed all of them...

Was it because Charlotte persuaded her? No...

It was because she wanted to be a Hunter Armyllis following Charlotte's lead.

"I'm not feeling good.", she stated, feeling like she was about to vomit.

A predator aiming for her life is different from an innocent animal. She does not feel good about killing one.

"Yeah, there isn't the thrill of the hunt.", Charlotte nodded as she pretended to not read the room, "But it's still fun putting a bullet through the skull of an animal."

"That's just cruel!!", Armillys lashed out at Charlotte, "Why do you think it's okay to kill innocent animals?!"

Gai went around and hugged her, feeling her heaving breaths, "Calm down, Millys—"

"No, I don't think about it at all.", Charlotte just shrugs, making it worse, "I can put a bullet in any animal's head, because why should I feel sorry for an inferior species?"

"But that's just me.", she pats Armillys' head, "Like all things in life, you need a reason and passion to do it. The thrill is what drives me to be a Hunter. So find your passion and reason, so you can Hunt."

"Mm...", Armillys grumbles.

"You two can go back, I'm going to skin and bleed the capybaras.", Charlotte snapped her finger, summoning Ouroboros Omniscia to her side.

Gai nodded, "Right. Millys, let's go back."

As the two of them walk back in silence, Charlotte can only sigh.

"Giving her a recommendation letter right now is inappropriate.", she took out a cigarette.