CHAPTER 81: TENSION IN THE CANTEEN!

Chapter 80

The Hunter Association’s canteen was anything but ordinary. The place buzzed with life, echoing with the chatter of hunters boasting about their latest beast kills and near-death escapes.

Long metallic tables stretched across the wide hall, sturdy enough to withstand the slam of weapons or fists that often came during heated arguments.

The scent of grilled meat, fried spices, and steaming broth lingered thick in the air, masking the faint tang of blood and gun oil that always clung to hunters’ clothes.

The aroma mixed together in a way that was both appetizing and overwhelming, the kind of smell that could only belong to a place where danger and survival were part of the daily routine.

On one side, a serving counter lined with reinforced glass displayed meals ranging from regular human dishes—rice, burgers, roasted chicken to exotic plates made from beast meat that promised energy boosts or temporary stat increases.

Neon screens above the counter constantly updated the day’s menu, prices, and availability. The beast dishes in particular had long lines of hunters waiting, each hoping for a slight edge in their next mission.

The walls carried holo-posters of famous hunters and warning notices about beast outbreaks, while the floor bore scuff marks from countless boots and dragged weapons. Every step in the hall echoed faintly, a reminder of the constant traffic of those who walked the thin line between life and death.

Security cameras watched silently from the corners, not to prevent fights—since brawls were a daily occurrence but to make sure they didn’t turn lethal. Many hunters had scars that testified to the fact that disputes in the canteen often escalated before staff intervened.

Despite the rowdy atmosphere, the canteen had its own charm. For many hunters, it was the only place where rivals and allies alike could sit down together, share a meal, and forget, at least for a while, that death was waiting just outside the Association’s walls.

And in walked Max along with Jake, who had his usual smile plastered across his face.

They went to the counter and got their meals handed to them, steaming hot portions piled onto metal trays. Max stared down at the plate for a second before glancing back at Jake.

"How does one even earn in this association? Wait... does one even earn here?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Beats me." Jake shrugged casually as his eyes scanned the hall, already looking for a place to sit. He spotted an empty spot across the room and pointed.

As they walked toward it, they passed Jasmine and Lana, who were seated together and eating their meals peacefully.

When the two girls spotted them, they waved. Jake returned the gesture with an easy smile while Max only gave them a brief glance before turning away.

The boys reached their spot and sat down. In no time, they began eating, hungrily devouring their meals. The hall had returned to its usual noisy state when suddenly, a loud shout broke out, loud enough to silence nearly everyone in the canteen.

"What do you mean you can’t hand over your meal to me? I’m more important than you here. A C ranked hunter who is a hybrid. What are you?!" A voice roared, instantly pulling every eye in the hall toward the commotion.

There stood Zach—the arrogant hybrid Max had pissed off during the assessment for being too cocky. Now, Zach stood with four others flanking him, and in front of them was a frail-looking hunter clutching his plate nervously, his hands shaking so badly the food nearly toppled.

"Pardon me, but I can’t. We E rankers don’t get enough food in the first place, and if I hand mine over, I wou... would be left with nothing to eat," the hunter stammered, his eyes darting nervously toward the floor.

"How dare you refuse me? Do you even know who I am?!" Zach thundered in anger. His voice rolled through the hall like a whip, making the frail hunter flinch.

Max, who had been chewing his food lazily, tilted his head slightly in Zach’s direction. The moment he saw the brat, he scoffed under his breath and went back to eating.

Jake, on the other hand, tensed up. He looked ready to interfere, but Max shook his head sharply, stopping him.

"So... I’m sorry, b...but I can’t. Please, go get more from the counter." The E ranked hunter’s voice trembled as he tried to sound polite.

"That do..."

"Hey Zach." One of the trio beside him nudged his arm and whispered, though not quietly enough. "Isn’t that the guy from the assessment? The one who embarrassed you?"

On hearing that, Zach froze. Slowly, he turned his head toward Max’s direction, and when his eyes landed on him, veins bulged across his forehead. His clenched fists trembled with barely contained rage.

’He thinks because he’s a B ranked hunter, he owns the place?! I’ll show him!’ Zach roared inwardly, his pride burning. He turned back to the weak hunter in front of him, his glare sharp enough to cut.

Without hesitation, he lifted his hand, forming a tight fist. A moment later, a sharp spike burst out of his knuckles, glinting under the neon lights of the canteen. The pointed tip gleamed menacingly as it extended forward, aimed directly at the trembling E ranker.

The entire hall seemed to hold its breath.

"Then you are of no use. Weaklings and trash like you don’t deserve to be here." Zach declared coldly, and without hesitation, the spike shot forward at a neck-breaking speed.

The E-ranked hunter flinched violently, his knees almost giving way as he immediately snapped his eyes shut in fright, waiting for the spike to end his life. His heart pounded in his chest, breaths stuck in his throat. But to his surprise, he was wrong.

The spike whistled past him with blistering speed, nicking his cheek and drawing a thin streak of blood. It didn’t pierce him. Instead, it was aimed directly at another individual.

"Oh shit!" Jake shouted, his eyes widening in horror. He was about to push Max out of harm’s way when...

Sigh!

Max let out a tired sigh and calmly dropped his spoon on his plate. Without even turning around, he lifted two fingers and clamped down tight on the incoming spike, bringing it to a halt just inches away from the back of his head where it was intended to land. The sharp tip quivered against his fingers but went no further.

"I didn’t even bother you this time." Max muttered flatly as he rose from his chair, pushing it back slightly. He then turned his gaze to the thick spike in his grasp, studying it like it was nothing more than a bothersome twig.

"Oops! Wrong target." Zach grinned widely, his eyes flashing with arrogance as he stared at Max, who kept glaring back at him with a cold expression.

"You do know that’s complete bullshit, right? Everybody here saw it. That spike was meant for me." Max frowned, still holding onto the weaponized spike. He thought about snapping it in half right there, but another idea formed in his mind.

"Prove it was intentional then." Zach replied, his grin widening like he had already won.

Max simply sighed again, shaking his head. Without another word, he spun sharply on his heels and, in one swift motion, hurled the spike with all his strength. The force behind it caused a loud bang to echo in the air as it ripped through space, whistling like a spear shot from a ballista.

Zach’s eyes went wide. He froze, unable to move as the spike bore down on him. Horror spread across his face as the weapon shot past, grazing his cheek and tearing it open, leaving a long crimson gash behind before slamming into the wall with a thunderous crack.

"Oops! Wrong target." Max muttered mockingly with a wide grin, his words echoing Zach’s earlier excuse as he stared at the stunned C-ranked hunter.

The frail E-ranked hunter who had been bullied earlier couldn’t help it. A chuckle escaped his lips, which quickly turned into a full-blown laughter as he clutched his stomach, unable to contain himself. The absurdity of the situation gave him a fleeting sense of relief.

Zach’s body trembled, his hands tightly clenched to the point his knuckles turned bone white while his teeth ground back and forth audibly. Rage consumed him.

After a few tense seconds, he slowly unclenched one of his fists and brought his finger to his cheek. When he pulled it away, his eyes widened slightly as he stared at the smear of his own blood.

"You dare draw my blood?" Zach growled lowly, his voice rough and guttural, as though the very thought of it insulted his existence.

"It was a mistake. Everybody saw it." Max replied coolly with a smirk tugging at his lips. He tucked his hands into his pockets and nonchalantly turned away, grabbing his now empty plate as though the situation was beneath him.

But before he could take another step...

"You just went ahead to do it." Zach whispered, his words dripping with venom.

A deafening BOOM suddenly erupted in the canteen as the C-ranked hunter launched himself forward, shooting off towards Max with insane speed. The tiles beneath his feet cracked from the sheer force of his takeoff as he lunged like a beast, hoping to catch Max completely by surprise.