The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 69: You Have Attracted Attention

Buji’s head was still spinning as the weight of what had happened pressed heavily on his chest. The sterile scent of the clinic disturbed his sense of smell as he slowly sat up. He wasn’t sure if he now felt lighter from what had happened, or just drained from everything he had been through. Either way, he had barely gotten his bearings when—

SLAM!

The door of the ward of the clinic he was in flew open with a force that rattled the walls. He flinched, and looked at the direction of the door. He instinctively braces himself from the impact the thud has caused, not until he heard his voice.

"So, you are awake now," a man’s voice shot out. "But I warned you not to involve in that raid! Not until you’ve learnt a few things during our lessons!"

"Instructor...Hay?" Buji called outt to be sure.

"Don’t instructor me," he barked. Then calmly he said, "Are you even that reckless with your own life?"

The sheer authority that accompanied the instructor’s tone sent a cold shiver down Buji’s spine. He didn’t have to look up to know the man was livid. He could already feel the weight of that rage pressing down on him.

"I...just—"

But Buji was cut short.

"How many times, Buji?! How many times could I have told that you weren’t ready for a raid of that level for you to listen to me?!" Hay’s boots pounded against the clinic’s floor as he marched up to Buji’s bedside.

"Do you have a death wish? Or are you just that ignorant of what the outcome could have been just because you wanted to pay?"

Buji swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. He wanted to explain everything to this man who claims to be his tutor standing in his front. He wanted to tell him that he had no choice since he has a system that always guided him. That he has discovered something beyond what even he, Instructor Hay, could understand.

But he knew better. Speaking of something of that sort would only mean he’s increasing the possibility of his death wish coming to past. It would only mean digging himself into a deeper hole.

Instructor Hay crossed his arms. The expression on his face clearly stated frustration and something else—concern.

’Is he really concerned for me? Or—’

But Instructor Hay’s voice cut through the thoughts. "Do you know what could have happened? What if you ended up replacing Doris?"

Buji clenched his fists beneath the sheets, staying silent. Hay can talk all he wanted but should why trying to include Doris now?

Instructor Hay sighed heavily, rubbing his temple before continuing.

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"You might think you are special because you survived. Because you survived your first raid, and this one too, but let me tell you something, survival is not the same as victory." He leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing.

’But, I had victory.’ he thought. ’Wait, Instructor Hay’s words only meant that they didn’t know yet—they didn’t know he had been the one that saved everyone in that dungeon. Good enough.’

Instructor Hay continued. "Do you think making it out alive means you’re strong? No, Buji. It just means you got lucky. And luck, in this world, runs out faster than you think."

Buji finally looked up, his lips slightly parted,.

’How will I tell this man that it was not luck...it had been capability. It was because he got stronger. He was transforming which raid he partook in, getting stronger. Or, was it luck.’ Buji’s mind drifted. ’I’m not sure a weakling can survive what I went through on the basis of luck. I might be the weakest, but the unbeatable weakest! Haha.’

He opened his mouth to talk but Instructor Hay cut him with his index finger raised.

"You are an S-ranked hunter, yet you have no known talent. That alone should have made cautious of that fact." Instructor Hay said, and paused. "Do you know how many hunters like you died trying to prove they were strong?"

Hay scoffed. ""You went into that dungeon without understanding what it truly meant to fight in a raid. You have no proper team, no support, no backup plans, and yet, you ran straight into death’s arms thinking you’d come out victorious?"

Buji bit his lip. If Hay kept referring to him alone, he would be right. But, making a general note to his team, he was wrong.

"We were victorious!" Buji raised his voice, before he spoke calmly. "And we had a proper team—

"Shut up and listen."

Kum. Buji’s mouth snapped shut.

Hay took a deep breath, pacing slightly before turning back to him. "Proper team? When all the members of your team were taken to the hospital after the raid. Instructor Jean, Instructor Gib, they were taken to the hospital too, and you said you were victorious?"

"As far as the fact is clarifiable enough to let you know that we couldn’t have come out of that dungeon if we had no victory, I shouldn’t argue with you." Buji said rudely. "Besides, not all went for treatment, they just went for check-up and that was why I didn’t join, since I was—"

"Since you were not? Affected? Is that what you wanted to say? Then why are you here—since the past two days?"

’Thank goodness I didn’t finish my statement. How can I be this reckless with words?’ Buji thought before speaking out. "That’s not what I’m supposed to mean, I’m just not compatible with hospital environment that was why—"

Instructor Hay shook his head. "You’re missing the real deal, the bigger picture. Hunting, real hunting, isn’t just about fighting. It’s about surviving through intelligence, resourcefulness, and knowing when to retreat. No not retreat, you can’t retreat in a raid. I meant, calling on other hunters for help when things turn out worse."

He stepped closer, placing a firm hand on Buji’s shoulder. "You made it out of that dungeon by the skin of your teeth. That means you weren’t strong enough. That means you weren’t ready."

Buji lowered his gaze. He had felt it. That overwhelming power surging through him, that gradual transformation. But even then, the domain had nearly consumed him. If he had made a single mistake…

Hay sighed once more. "You need to train harder, and not just physically. Your mind, your strategy, your adaptability. Power means nothing if you don’t know how to use it wisely."

Buji remembered what Instructor Jean told him. That he might not have the talent, but he has the potential. All he needed was being able to make use of it, and in due time. ’He was right, after all.’

Then, Instructor Hay straightened. his expression suddenly darkened. "And more than that… you’ve attracted attention, Buji."

Buji’s eyes widened. "Attention?"

Instructor Hay nodded. "Someone, Instructor Gib managed to tell us what happened inside that dungeon."

’Mess up!’

"But, what did she say?"

"She couldn’t explain further. You know, not all that happened during a dungeon raid are let out for people to know." Instructor Hay explained.

"Yh. Thanks to that."

"Thanks to that...?" Instructor Hay turned his stare to Buji expecting an answer, but nothing came. So, he decided to let it go. "She only told us that you are suspicious. And that you all left that dungeon, thanks to you."

"She said?"

"Yes." Instructor Hay replied, his voice grew more serious. "There are people watching you now, people who are curious to understand her statement clearly. And not all of them will have good intentions if they are clarified."

"I’d say I’m curious to know too, but I will let it be for now."

’For now? Don’t even expect to get any information from me cause that will be as good as impossible to get.’

A tense silence settled between them. Buji couldn’t stop wishing Instructor Gib had known better to stop talking.

Hay studied him for a moment before riding from where he sat. "Get some rest. Your training begins the moment you step out of this clinic."

And with that, he turned and walked toward the door.

Before leaving, however, he paused. "One last thing…"

Buji looked up.

"Next time you ignore my orders, I don’t think I will be the Instructor Hay you use to know. I won’t take it likely. You get?"

Buji nodded. ’But that will be if there will be any need for you to give me any order.’

With that, the door shut behind him, leaving Buji alone in the clinic.

His mind was a storm of emotions. Guilt, frustration, confusion… but above all, determination.

Instructor Hay was wrong anyway. If only he knew the new Buji, just like Instructor Gib had her suspicions, he would too.

He might not be strong enough now, but he would be soon.

He had to be.

<Ding!>

<Ding!>

That was the system’s screen materializing itself before Buji’s eyes.

[Quest Completed: Retrieve the Emberheart’s core!]

[Several unread messages. Click to read]

’I wonder what my rewards will be this time, and the messages too—’ Buji thought before clicking on the screen that said he had several unread messages.