The scarred man, his face pale, tried to brush off the incident. "G-Grandmaster Volkov! It's nothing, really! Just a... a misunderstanding between Hunters. A little friendly sparring, you know?" He forced a strained smile, trying to sound nonchalant.
But Anya's gaze, cold and unwavering, swept over Kieran's battered form – the blood on his lip, the swelling jaw, the way he clutched his ribs. "A misunderstanding?" she asked, her voice dangerously quiet. "His condition doesn't suggest 'friendly sparring'."
The scarred man tried to explain again, a torrent of excuses bubbling to his lips. "We were just... he was being... he challenged us—"
"He was harassing me!" Anna's voice, though still trembling, cut through his pathetic attempts. She stepped forward, her eyes blazing with a newfound courage, and recounted everything that had happened, from their initial approach to Kieran's brave intervention and the one-sided beating. Her words were a stark, unvarnished truth.
Anya listened, her expression unreadable. When Anna finished, the silence in the Transport Hub was deafening. Anya's gaze returned to the three members of the Iron Fists gang, now visibly sweating under her scrutiny.
"As Hunters," Anya began, her voice gaining a resonant power that filled the vast space, "we are granted immense power. But with that power comes a fundamental responsibility. We are meant to protect humanity, not prey on it. We are meant to uphold order, not sow chaos. To use your strength to bully the weak, to intimidate and exploit fellow Hunters, especially newly awakened ones, is a gross betrayal of every principle we stand for."
Her eyes narrowed, and a palpable wave of killing intent, even stronger than before, radiated from her. The air grew heavy, and the bullies visibly recoiled. "You disgrace the badge you wear."
With a sudden, fluid movement that was almost too fast to follow, Anya launched herself forward. She delivered a swift, powerful kick to the scarred man's chest. He barely had time to raise his arms in a desperate attempt to block, but the force was overwhelming. His block shattered, and he was sent flying backward, slamming into a row of seats with a sickening thud. The other two bullies, reacting a split second too late, met similar fates. Anya's kicks were precise, powerful, and utterly devastating. They tried to block, to parry, to evade, but her movements were beyond their comprehension. They were outmatched, utterly and completely.
The three men were sent sprawling, crashing into benches and pillars. The scarred man tried to push himself up, clutching his chest, a groan escaping his lips, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed back down, gasping for breath. His companions fared no better, lying groaning on the floor.
A murmur rippled through the crowd. "So, this is the strength of an Elite Hunter," someone whispered in awe. "Even the Intermediate Hunters of the Iron Fists' Gang are like children in front of her!"
"But Grandmaster Anya isn't just your regular Elite Hunter," another chimed in, his voice filled with reverence. "She has attained a Grandmaster level of mastery in one of her skills, which allows her to fight toe-to-toe with Ace Hunters!"
Anya stood with effortless grace, her posture perfect, as if she hadn't just single-handedly dismantled three men. Her gaze, now icy, fixed on the groaning scarred man. "Scram," she commanded, her voice low and dangerous. "And do not let me see you or your gang again in this Association, or anywhere near a newly awakened Hunter. The consequences will be far greater than a few broken bones."
The three members of the Iron Fists gang, their faces ashen, scrambled to their feet, bowing repeatedly. "Thank you, Grandmaster Volkov! Thank you for your mercy!" they stammered, then limped away as quickly as their injured bodies would allow, clearly having sustained significant internal damage.
Anya then turned her attention to Kieran, her expression softening slightly. "Young man," she said, her voice still authoritative but with a hint of commendation. "What is your name?"
"Kieran, ma'am," he managed, wincing slightly as he spoke.
"Kieran," Anya repeated, a nod of approval. "What you did for Anna was commendable. It takes true courage to stand up for another, especially when the odds are so clearly against you. You uphold the true spirit of a Hunter." She reached into a pouch on her belt and produced a small, glowing blue vial. "Here. This is for your injuries."
Kieran, being a novice, was confused. The vial radiated a strange, soothing energy. "What... what is this potion, ma'am?" he asked, his voice still a little hoarse.
"It's an Intermediate Healing Potion," Anya replied. "It will heal you of all your injuries. Drink it."
Kieran's eyes widened. An Intermediate Healing Potion? That was a godsend! He couldn't afford to waste the day recovering in an infirmary and fail his daily quest from the System. "Thank you, Grandmaster Volkov!" he exclaimed, trying to bow, but his battered body protested. He swayed precariously.
Just then, he felt a gentle arm wrap around his waist, steadying him. He looked to his side and saw Anna, her face no longer pale with fear, but flushed with concern and a grateful smile. "Thank you, Kieran," she whispered, her eyes shining. "Thank you for helping me."
Anya simply gave them a brief, almost imperceptible nod, a hint of a smile playing on her lips, then turned and walked away, her presence immediately commanding the crowd to part, creating a wide path for her as she exited the Transport Hub.
Anna helped Kieran walk to a quieter corner, where they found an empty bench. "Here," she said gently, helping him sit down. "Let me help you with that." She uncorked the potion and held it to his lips.
Kieran took a hesitant sip. The potion tasted faintly sweet, like cool spring water, but as it went down, a profound warmth spread through his body. He felt his aching muscles relax, the throbbing in his jaw subside. The cuts on his face tingled, then closed. The internal pain vanished, replaced by a surge of vitality. He felt his breath deepen, his vision sharpen. In a matter of seconds, every bruise, every ache, every drop of blood was gone. He felt completely healed, as if the beating had never happened.
He flexed his hands, then rotated his shoulders. "Incredible!" he breathed, marveling at the potion's effectiveness. "I feel... I feel like I was never even touched! This is amazing!"
Anna nodded, a soft smile on her face. "It is. Intermediate potions are incredibly powerful. But they're also incredibly expensive. This single vial... it costs tens of Association points to buy."
Kieran inhaled sharply, a deep, shocked breath. Tens of points? This potion was worth more than several Bronze Rank missions combined!
They talked for a few more minutes, Anna expressing her gratitude again, and Kieran reassuring her. Finally, Kieran realized he needed to get to his Gate. "Well, Anna," he said, pushing himself up, feeling completely restored. "I should get going. Take care of yourself, okay? And don't let those guys bother you again."
Anna bowed deeply, her gratitude evident. "I will, Kieran. And thank you again. Really."
As Kieran walked away, heading towards the designated transport to his Gate, he heard the System's high-pitched, teasing voice in his mind. "You think you looked cool, Host, but in reality, you were really awkward back there."
"Hey!" Kieran retorted internally, a flush creeping up his neck. "I just got beaten up! And I stood my ground!"
"Says the one whose eyes didn't know where to put them when a damsel bowed in front of him," the System chirped, its tone full of amusement.
Kieran's face turned hot and red. He could almost feel the System's smug smirk. Damn it, System!
"She was quite pretty, wasn't she?" the System continued, ignoring his internal protests. "Delicate features, soft brown hair, and a figure that was surprisingly—"
"Alright, alright! That's enough!" Kieran cut it off, mentally shaking his head. "Let's just... let's just focus on the quest reward, okay? What about the reward for the Situational Quest?"
"No fun," the System grumbled playfully. Then, a crisp, metallic notification sound echoed in Kieran's head.
[Ding!]