The next morning, Dennis and Daisy stepped out with Diana, Dulcia, and Deborah, who had altered their appearances to look just like Daisy, each with a different hairstyle according to their agreent, and then they went their separate ways outside the apartnt. Dennis and Daisy headed toward the school. Dennis turned to look at Daisy, who was wearing her armor uniform and carrying her katana, walking cheerfully beside him.
"You seem pretty happy, don’t you?" Dennis asked.
"I am. I never imagined that my sisters, who were inside my body all this ti and were only voices to , would now be outside. I’m happy, it’s like having a family now—and of course, it’s complete with you here as my family too, honey," Daisy answered, turning to look at Dennis while clutching both straps of her backpack.
"I’m glad to hear that," Dennis replied with a smile.
"But you’re okay with all of them being out, right? Because they’re all actually , and they’re your wives too," Daisy replied.
"It’s fine. It’s just that I might need so ti to get used to it, that’s all," Dennis replied, smiling and looking straight ahead as they walked.
"Of course, I understand that you need ti to get used to it... but... do you actually accept them? Because they are a part of , and it’s because of them that I’m still able to be with you right now," Daisy replied hopefully, looking a bit anxious as she waited for Dennis’s answer.
"Of course I accept all of them. After all, before they officially ca out, they were popping up pretty often anyway, right? It’s just that seeing seven of you standing in front of is still a little awkward, but that doesn’t an I have a problem with it," Dennis replied, placing his hand on the head of the anxious and hopeful Daisy.
"Thank you, honey. I really love you, and so do they. Everyone loves you and only wants to be with you, even though they might have habits that are... beyond what you’d expect... even I just found out myself, hehe," Daisy said, looking visibly relieved.
"If even you’re just finding out, I guess that ans I’ll have to learn about each of them too, hehe," Dennis joked in reply.
They walked toward the school gates, which were visible even though they were still a bit far from their position. They could also see many students standing guard in front of the gate, but the atmosphere around them seed quiet with nothing happening. When they arrived, the students on guard opened the gate and let them inside. As they were walking, they passed several students going back and forth.
"Why do you look so drained?" one student asked.
"The apartnt next door was so loud last night; my wife and I couldn’t even sleep," replied the student next to him, his face looking half-asleep.
Dennis looked at the guy’s face; he recognized the student who had just passed him because he lived in the neighboring apartnt, though he didn’t know his na since the student and his wife only exchanged polite greetings whenever they ran into him without actually introducing themselves as neighbors.
Dennis briefly wondered if the reason the student was too tired to sleep was indeed because his own apartnt was a bit noisier than usual now that it was more crowded. But he brushed the thought aside and just made a ntal note of it, planning to set so new house rules later. As they approached the school building, Dennis and Daisy saw Gary, Olivia, Jason, and Kimberly standing in front of the entrance.
Once they spotted Dennis and Daisy, the four of them naturally headed straight over.
"Finally, you’re here, man. Mr. Steve is out right now taking so of the 10th graders, and Ivan’s team is out too because soone ca by asking for help to secure their territory. So, our job is to keep an eye on everything here and stay on standby," Gary said.
"Yep, our task is light, so we can just relax here," Jason added casually.
"Got it, sa as yesterday," Dennis replied easily.
"Daisy, how are you doing?" Olivia asked while grabbing both of Daisy’s hands.
"Yeah, are you feeling better?" Kimberly asked, also placing a hand on Daisy’s shoulder.
"I’m doing great, thank you for worrying about ," Daisy replied cheerfully.
"Hmm... you look happy," Olivia noted, studying Daisy’s face.
"Oh... is it that obvious?" Daisy asked with a wide grin on her face.
"Very obvious. Hurry up and tell what’s going on," Kimberly replied.
"Co on... let’s step aside for a bit, let’s have so girls’ talk," Olivia added, pulling Daisy by the hand.
Right away, Olivia and Kimberly whisked Daisy off for an interrogation, while Dennis, Gary, and Jason sat on the steps of the building entrance, looking out at the school’s front yard and toward the gate. Everything seed quiet and still; even the students on guard duty up front looked relaxed, chatting and laughing loudly enough for the sound to drift faintly toward them. Then, Dennis turned to look at Gary and Jason sitting beside him.
"Is there any word on when we’re heading out?" Dennis asked.
"Hmm... according to Mr. Steve before he left about thirty minutes ago, he said in about three hours. So that ans probably two and a half hours from now, and after that, we’ll be spending the whole day navigating the ocean toward the mainland," Gary answered, checking his watch.
"Which ans we’ll probably start getting busy in two and a half hours," Jason replied.
"Looks like it. Just stay ready. The further we move away from the core of the darkness, the more dinsional rifts are going to open up," Gary added.
"Well, let’s just hope nothing like that claw centipede shows up again," Dennis muttered.
"Exactly. Let’s not run into anything like that ever again; I still plan on staying alive," Jason replied.
"But one day, when it’s our turn to be in Onyx City, this constant darkness will just be part of our daily lives. And it’s not impossible that we’ll run into another S-rank monster like yesterday, considering Onyx City just sits there in front of the core of darkness without moving at all," Gary replied.
"True enough, but yeah... until that day cos, let’s just enjoy ourselves. We still have about two years anyway, since after high school, those of us who want to be hunters will get a year of advanced training at the guild," Jason said.
"Yeah, that’s right. They say Onyx City is way more terrifying. Especially from the stories I’ve heard from my old man’s acquaintances—forr hunters stationed there. There are giant monsters... truly massive ones, maybe fifty feet tall, that erge from the darkness and approach the city, causing a total panic. Though sotis, they say the things just pass by without attacking," Gary replied.
"Wow... it must be terrifying to see that. What rank is a monster that big?" Dennis asked.
"They don’t give it a rank because its power can’t be asured, and no hunter has ever co back after encountering one, no matter what their rank was," Gary answered.
"Sigh... drop it already. Stop telling scary stories," Jason protested.
"Haha... sorry, man," Gary said with a smile.
They fell silent for a mont, observing their surroundings and watching the other students. Then, Dennis turned back to his two friends.
"So, are you two positive about staying hunters?" Dennis asked.
"Of course. I already told you, I’m not taking over my dad’s business. I’ll just let my younger sister handle the family company," Gary answered, staring straight ahead with a flat expression.
"I’ll see. I’m fine with being a hunter since I don’t have any family, but Kim’s family is in the West. So, it’s up to her—if she wants to stay in this city, that’s fine. What about you, dude?" Jason replied, turning the question back to Dennis.
"Daisy and I have decided; we’re going to be hunters and maybe move to Onyx City later," Dennis replied. "Leaving my six wives out in the open in this city is too dangerous, but in Onyx City, it might not be a problem... though I actually haven’t talked to Daisy and the others about it yet, but I’m sure they’ll be down to move there," Dennis muttered in his heart.
"Does Oliv agree to being a full-ti hunter too?" Jason asked Gary.
"At first she didn’t, but since I’m not changing my mind, she eventually decided to follow and beco a hunter as well. So yeah... she’s on board now," Gary answered.
"I guess that ans one day we’ll all part ways and follow our own paths, huh," Jason replied with a slightly sad smile.
"Maybe," Gary replied shortly.
"Yeah... maybe," Dennis added briefly.
The three of them fell silent again. They began to think about their futures, and it wasn’t impossible that they might part ways forever, never to et again. The atmosphere turned a bit gloomy as all three seed to space out, staring blankly ahead, but suddenly Jason, who was sitting in the middle, grabbed Dennis and Gary’s shoulders.
"Hey... don’t go quiet on . We’re still together and haven’t split up yet. Let’s just enjoy this ti; don’t think too far into the future," Jason said.
"Haha... you’re right, bro," Dennis replied.
"Yeah, I get it. Everything is still far off, and even though we plan, nobody knows what the future holds," Gary replied.
Finally, they went back to chatting normally. However, Dennis felt sothing happening inside him. He looked at his hand, then clenched it into a fist before opening it again.
"Hmm... strange, why is there a surge of energy flowing through my body? It feels like I’m leveling up, even though I’m just sitting here," Dennis muttered in his heart, without knowing that his three wives scattered across the city were busy making him level up by slaughtering the monsters remaining in the city before it departed.
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