Chapter 64 - Translation

<h1>Chapter 64 16.7 - Nexoria City Trip</h1><p>Chapter 64 Chapter 16.7 - Nexoria City Trip</p><p>The moment I felt the place, I looked around to see what was happening around me.</p><p>No matter how planned they were, in order for help to arrive this late meant one simple thing.</p><p>'The monsters ran rampant.'</p><p>And the signs were evident.</p><p>SWOOSH CLANK</p><p>I could still see some Hunters fighting with monsters scattered around the city. It was evident that the scale of the monster attack was nothing but normal.</p><p>'I don't understand. How come such a thing never reached my ears?' I asked myself, seeing the hunters dealing with others. Since I didn't reveal that I had my weapon with me, I did not participate in the hunt.</p><p>But things were slightly different from what I thought.</p><p>'Even Kaya Hartley will have a hard time if she wants to hide what happened here.' It was an attack that was impossible to reach one's eyes, especially Ethan's.</p><p>'Either the game's contents have changed, or there is something I am missing.' I thought and racked my brain. But in the end, I couldn't come up with an answer aside from the Hartley family's power being higher than I expected.</p><p>SWOOSH BOOM BOOM</p><p>Suddenly I felt something hot around me.</p><p>No, saying around me was rather wrong. It was fire aimed at the monsters around.</p><p>"GET BACK! THIS LADY WILL HELP YOU!" It was an excited voice of a young girl whose hands were ignited with fire.</p><p>Her short, braided red hair fluttered as she moved in the middle of the battlefield, and her yellow eyes were burning like the sun.</p><p>SWOOSH BOOM SWOOSH BOOM</p><p>A group of monsters lunged at her from all sides, their snarls and roars a cacophony of chaos. But the girl met their attack head-on, her laughter ringing out like a battle cry. "Come on, you ugly creatures! Let's see who's the hottest in this fight!"</p><p>Her words were punctuated by bursts of flames, each strike calculated to take down her adversaries. The way she used mana was befitting of a mage I knew, and her personality shone through the battlefield.</p><p>As the monsters closed in, she twirled and spun, flames trailing in her wake like a fiery dance.</p><p>SWOOSH BOOM SWOOSH BOOM</p><p>The battle continued, each wave of her hand sending forth torrents of fire that incinerated the monsters in their path. Her laughter remained a constant, a testament to her enjoyment of the fight. "Burn, baby, burn!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious as she fought with an unwavering smile.</p><p>SWOOSH ROAR</p><p>Just as a monster lunged at her from her behind, she molded the flames into intricate shapes, creating a wall of fire to shield herself from a particularly ferocious monster's attack.</p><p>With a confident grin, she quipped, "Keke…Did you think I would not notice? NOW BURN!"</p><p>SWOOSH BOOM</p><p>Her movements were a blur as she darted between monsters, her fire leaving trails of destruction in its wake.</p><p>And just like that, in a matter of seconds, all the monsters here were slaughtered, leaving none of them alive.</p><p>"Huff….It was hot…" As she raised her hand and swept her sweat away with a cool motion, she looked around. "But, it was for sure fun."</p><p>I could see the grin stemmed from her addiction to the thrill of the fight as she stepped on top of the corpses.</p><p>However, the aftermath of her fiery assault left its mark. The buildings and environment bore the scars of her magic, and the other hunters around her regarded her with squinting gazes. The destruction she had inadvertently caused was hard to ignore.</p><p>"HEY! Who are you?" A voice among the crowd broke through, drawing the attention of those around her. The onlookers were wary, their expressions mixed with curiosity and caution.</p><p>The reason was simple. She was the girl that came for help but did more damage to the properties in the process. That was something everyone here could do, but they didn't do it.</p><p>"Does it matter who I am? Besides, why are you asking me anyway? Didn't I just save you?" The girl answered with a scowl, clearly annoyed by the tone of the question.</p><p>'As expected. She is just a little brat.' I thought, looking at her banter. She was a little brat who liked to be the center of attention while doing. However, she wanted and not taking any responsibility for her actions.</p><p>Simple as that.</p><p>The hunter in charge was clearly unimpressed by her response; his arms crossed as he approached her. "Saving us doesn't give you a free pass to wreak havoc and cause destruction. We could have dealt with those monsters without turning this place into a disaster zone."</p><p>Irina's fiery demeanor only seemed to intensify as she shot back, "Oh, please! Like you would've done any better? I saw you guys struggling out here."</p><p>The hunter's expression remained stern, his voice laced with authority. "Our job is to protect the city while minimizing collateral damage. What you did here was reckless."</p><p>Irina's hands ignited with flames, her frustration evident in the way she clenched her fists. "Look, I don't need a lecture from you. I'm not some rookie mage who can't control her powers. I took care of those monsters, and if a few buildings got scorched in the process, tough luck."</p><p>A murmur of agreement seemed to ripple through the crowd, some hunters nodding in reluctant understanding. Others, however, continued to eye Irina with skepticism and disapproval.</p><p>Just as the argument seemed to escalate further, another voice cut through the tension. "Hold on a second, everyone."</p><p>All eyes turned toward the person who had spoken up. A newcomer stepped forward, a thoughtful expression on their face as they observed Irina. The newcomer's gaze seemed to hold a mixture of recognition and understanding.</p><p>"I think I know who she is," the person said, their tone calm yet carrying a sense of certainty.</p><p>The crowd's attention shifted, curiosity evident in their expressions. The atmosphere seemed to change as everyone awaited an explanation from the person who had spoken.</p><p>The newcomer turned to face Irina, a faint smile playing on their lips. "You're Irina Emberheart, aren't you? I've heard of your family's reputation for powerful fire magic."</p><p>The moment his word sank, everyone's eyes were wide open. Looking at the girl, it made sense that she was from that family. She also resembled that woman as well.</p><p>'I am fucked, aren't I?' I could see that expression on the face of the hunter who had just gone against the little heir of the Emberheart Family.</p><p>He, too, noticed something was amiss, but when he noticed that, things had already gotten out of his control.</p><p>He was a sad individual. He was right, but the opponent he was against didn't only require him to be right but also required him to have the strength to back his beliefs up.</p><p>This was such a world we were living in.</p><p>The right and wrong was defined by the strong.</p><p>At that moment, seeing the crowd's reaction, a smile unnaturally bloomed on Irina's face. She seemed genuinely happy that now she was getting the reactions she deserved.</p><p>"Tsk. What a brat." I mumbled in annoyance. If the world was going to be in the hands of such a girl, then the future was bleak, not that I cared too much.</p><p>Though, for some reason, seeing her smiling like that made me annoyed.</p><p>Turning my head, I was about to leave, but suddenly I heard another voice coming from the sides.</p><p>"What is happening here?"</p><p>It was a voice I knew from the game, which would bring the tamer of this fiery girl right here, right now.</p><p>Her short white hair was fluttering as the sword in her hand was filled with blood.</p><p>"I thought the monsters were running rampart here and hurried, but it seems we are not needed?" As she mumbled with a small tone, a smile was on her face. It was a smile that would make everyone would relax normally, but nobody here could do it.</p><p>Since everyone here knew who this girl was since she also came from a renowned family. Her white hair and blue eyes, coupled with her indescribable beauty, were enough to make everyone know where she was from.</p><p>"Julia Middleton."</p><p>Different from Irina's Emberheart family, who mostly dealt with magic, the Middleton family was a hunter family that raised the best hunters of each generation; thus, their reputation was a lot wider in the field of Monster Subjugation.</p><p>"Oh! Irina? You are here too?" Julia approached Irina with her usual amicable smile as she splashed the blood on her sword onto the road, getting rid of it.</p><p>Irina's own scowl seemed to ease slightly as she replied, "Yeah, well, I was bored wandering around. This city doesn't have anything entertaining. But thanks to these guys, I had some fun." As Irina spoke with a grin, the hunter's around her had their furrows burrowed.</p><p>After all, they were the ones that were struggling to fight with those monsters, but now this girl was here saying it was fun for her.</p><p>This damaged their pride, though the girl on the subject didn't care.</p><p>Julia chuckled softly, her smile unwavering. "Well, I can see that. Looks like you handled the situation quite well."</p><p>Irina shrugged nonchalantly, her flames flickering as she gestured to the defeated monsters. "Eh, it was a piece of cake. These creatures are nothing compared to what I usually deal with."</p><p>Julia's attention turned to the hunter in charge, and she offered a polite nod. "I apologize for the commotion. My friend here tends to have a flair for the dramatic."</p><p>The hunter's stern expression softened slightly under Julia's amiable demeanor. "No harm done. We appreciate the assistance, even if it came with a bit of...extra flair."</p><p>Irina rolled her eyes playfully. "Hey, if you want boring, go hire some stuffy mercenaries. But if you want a show, you call the Emberhearts. I even tried a new spell, was it to your liking?" her smile was still there, but I could see the small annoyance in the eyes of Hunter.</p><p>'This girl certainly has the perk of annoying people.' I thought.</p><p>Julia's laughter mingled with the murmurs of those around them. Her presence seemed to diffuse the tension even further, her reputation and charm working in her favor.</p><p>Julia chuckled softly. "A new spell, you say? It seems you're as spirited as ever. Here I thought there would be some fries left for me."</p><p>Irina's eyes sparkled with a mix of pride and mischief. "Don't you know, this lady here is known as Monster Frier?"</p><p>"Yes, yes. You are the monster frier, okay?" Julia answered, but Irina looked rather bored at the talk. It seems she had enough fun.</p><p>She just wanted to change the subject, as she looked around to see where this girl's partner was.</p><p>"Hey? Where is Victor?" She asked Julia. Since she and Victor were both partners, she thought they would be together. She even searched for them for a while, but she couldn't find them. "And, I called you. Why didn't you answer?" Irina looked at Julia with a squinting gaze.</p><p>"You did? I didn't even hear it." Julia answered while she was checking her watch. "Look, there aren't any calls here."</p><p>The moment Irina heard about this, she understood why it was; I could see her annoyance.</p><p>'It was for sure Victor's doing. He probably knew Irina would call them, so he put a jammer around them.'</p><p>It was something that the guy would do since he was strangely obsessed with Julia. But that was for another day.</p><p>Since the commotion here was calmed down, I was about to leave I heard something interesting.</p><p>"Victor left after he got a call just now."</p><p>"He left?" Irina looked really surprised. There was just no way Victor would leave the chance to wander together with Julia. It was something no one would do.</p><p>"Yes. He suddenly said something urgent came up and left. He looked troubled."</p><p>The moment I heard what Julia said, suddenly, I thought of something rather insolent.</p><p>'What if….'</p><p>It was a what-if theory that made everything set in stone, though I had no proof…</p>

**Chapitre 64 – 16.7 : Voyage à Nexoria** Dès que j’ai perçu l’atmosphère des lieux, mon regard a balayé les alentours pour saisir la situation. Peu importait leur niveau d’organisation, si les renforts mettaient autant de temps à arriver, cela ne pouvait signifier qu’une seule chose. *« Les monstres ont semé le chaos. »* Et les preuves étaient indéniables. **SWOOSH – CLANK** Des Chasseurs dispersés dans la ville continuaient d’affronter des créatures éparses. L’ampleur de l’attaque dépassait clairement toute norme établie. *« Je ne comprends pas. Comment une telle nouvelle a-t-elle pu m’échapper ? »* me suis-je interrogé en observant les Chasseurs s’occuper des survivants. Ne souhaitant pas révéler que je portais une arme, je me suis abstenu de participer aux combats. Pourtant, la réalité semblait légèrement différente de mes attentes. *« Même Kaya Hartley aura du mal à étouffer cette affaire. »* Une attaque de cette envergure était impossible à ignorer, surtout pour Ethan. *« Soit le scénario a dévié, soit il me manque des éléments. »* J’ai réfléchi intensément, mais aucune réponse ne s’est présentée, hormis une certitude : l’influence des Hartley était bien plus vaste que je ne l’avais imaginé. **SWOOSH – BOOM – BOOM** Soudain, une chaleur intense a enveloppé l’air autour de moi. Enfin, « autour de moi » n’était pas tout à fait exact. Il s’agissait plutôt de flammes dirigées vers les monstres aux alentours. **« RECULEZ ! CETTE DEMOISELLE VA VOUS PORTER SECOURS ! »** La voix vibrante d’une jeune fille résonna, ses mains enveloppées de feu. Ses cheveux roux courts, tressés avec négligence, flottaient au gré de ses mouvements, tandis que ses yeux dorés brûlaient d’une intensité solaire. **SWOOSH – BOOM – SWOOSH – BOOM** Une horde de monstres se rua vers elle de toutes parts, leurs grognements formant une cacophonie menaçante. Mais la jeune fille fit face à l’assaut, son rire résonnant comme un défi. **« Allez, petites vermines ! Voyons qui résistera le plus longtemps à cette chaleur ! »** Chacune de ses paroles était ponctuée d’explosions incendiaires, chaque geste calculé pour réduire ses adversaires en cendres. Sa maîtrise du mana trahissait une mage expérimentée, et sa personnalité explosive transparaissait à travers son style de combat. Alors que les monstres se rapprochaient, elle pivotait avec grâce, les flammes dessinant une danse destructrice dans son sillage. **SWOOSH – BOOM – SWOOSH – BOOM** Le combat se poursuivit sans relâche, chaque mouvement de sa main engendrant des torrents de feu qui carbonisaient ses ennemis. Son rire, toujours aussi exalté, trahissait un plaisir presque enfantin. **« Brûlez, mes mignons, brûlez ! »** s’exclama-t-elle, son enthousiasme contagieux malgré la violence de la scène. **SWOOSH – ROAR** Au moment où un monstre bondit dans son dos, elle façonna les flammes en un rempart ardent, bloquant l’attaque avec une précision mortelle. Un sourire victorieux aux lèvres, elle lança : **« Keke… Tu croyais me surprendre ? MAINTENANT, RÉDUIS-TOI EN CENDRES ! »** **SWOOSH – BOOM** Ses mouvements devinrent un flou indistinct alors qu’elle traversait les rangs ennemis, ne laissant derrière elle que destruction et braises incandescentes. En quelques secondes à peine, tous les monstres gisaient anéantis, sans un seul survivant. **« Pfou… Ça chauffait sec… »** Tout en essuyant d’un revers de main la sueur perlant à son front, elle contempla son œuvre avec satisfaction. **« Mais c’était diablement amusant. »** Son sourire trahissait une addiction au frisson du combat, alors même qu’elle enjambait les cadavres fumants. Cependant, les conséquences de son intervention étaient indéniables. Les bâtiments alentour portaient les stigmates de son passage, et les autres Chasseurs la dévisageaient avec réprobation. Les dégâts collatéraux, bien qu’involontaires, étaient trop flagrants pour être ignorés. **« HÉ ! T’es qui, toi ? »** Une voix s’éleva de la foule, attirant l’attention générale. Les regards se firent méfiants, mêlant curiosité et désapprobation. La raison était simple : cette fille, bien qu’ayant prêté main-forte, avait causé plus de ravages que les monstres eux-mêmes. **« Ça te regarde ? Et puis, pourquoi cette question ? Je viens de vous sauver, non ? »** rétorqua-t-elle avec une grimace, visiblement agacée. *« Comme prévu. Une vraie peste. »* songeai-je en observant son comportement. Une peste qui adorait être sous les projecteurs tout en refusant d’assumer ses actes. Aussi simple que cela. Le Chasseur en charge, peu impressionné, croisa les bras en s’approchant. **« Nous sauver ne justifie pas ces destructions. Nous aurions pu gérer cette situation sans réduire le quartier en ruines. »** L’attitude belliqueuse d’Irina s’enflamma davantage. **« Sérieux ? Vous galériez là depuis je ne sais combien de temps ! »** Le Chasseur maintint son ton autoritaire. **« Notre mission est de protéger la ville en limitant les dégâts. Ce que tu as fait était irresponsable. »** Les poings d’Irina s’enflammèrent, sa frustration palpable. **« Écoute, je n’ai pas besoin de tes leçons. Ces monstres sont morts, et si quelques murs ont pris feu, tant pis. »** Un murmure parcourut la foule, certains hochant la tête avec réticence, tandis que d’autres affichaient un scepticisme persistant. Alors que la dispute menaçait de dégénérer, une nouvelle voix coupa court aux tensions. **« Un instant, tout le monde. »** Tous les regards se tournèrent vers l’interlocuteur. Un nouveau venu s’avança, son expression calide mais pénétrante. **« Je crois savoir qui elle est »,** déclara-t-il avec assurance. L’attention générale se focalisa sur lui, l’atmosphère se chargeant d’une curiosité palpable. L’homme sourit légèrement en se tournant vers Irina. **« Tu es Irina Emberheart, n’est-ce pas ? La réputation de ta famille en pyromancie n’est plus à faire. »** Les yeux de l’assemblée s’écarquillèrent. À présent, tout s’expliquait : cette arrogance, cette puissance… Elle était une Emberheart. *« Je suis dans de beaux draps, hein ? »* L’expression du Chasseur qui l’avait admonestée en disait long. Il avait réalisé trop tard à qui il avait affaire. Pathétique. Il avait raison sur le fond, mais dans ce monde, la justice ne valait rien sans la force pour l’imposer. Les puissants dictaient leur loi. En voyant les réactions, un sourire malsain étira les lèvres d’Irina. Enfin, on lui accordait le respect qu’elle estimait mériter. *« Quelle peste. »* grommelai-je, agacé. Si l’avenir reposait entre les mains de telles personnes, alors il était bien sombre. Non que cela me concernât vraiment. Pourtant, son sourire suffisant me irritait inexplicablement. Alors que je m’apprêtais à partir, une voix familière retentit soudain. **« Que se passe-t-il ici ? »** Une voix que je reconnaissais du jeu – celle de la seule personne capable de canaliser cette furie incendiaire. Ses cheveux blancs courts flottaient doucement, son épée encore maculée de sang. **« Je croyais les monstres en train de tout ravager, mais visiblement, notre aide n’est plus nécessaire ? »** murmura-t-elle avec un sourire apaisant. Un sourire qui, en temps normal, aurait désamorcé toute tension. Mais ici, personne n’osait se détendre. Car tous connaissaient cette fille. Ses traits angéliques, ses yeux bleus glacials – tout trahissait son lignage. **« Julia Middleton. »** Contrairement aux Emberheart, spécialisés dans la magie, les Middleton formaient depuis des générations les plus redoutables Chasseurs. Leur renommée dans l’art de la chasse aux monstres était sans égale. **« Oh ! Irina ? Tu es là aussi ? »** Julia s’approcha d’un pas léger, secouant négligemment le sang de son épée. La grimace d’Irina s’adoucit imperceptiblement. **« Ouais, bon… Je m’emmerdais. Cette ville est d’un ennui mortel. Mais grâce à ces types, j’ai pu m’amuser un peu. »** Les Chasseurs présents froncèrent les sourcils. Leur orgueil était visiblement froissé par son ton désinvolte. Julia éclata d’un rire cristallin. **« Je vois ça. Tu as bien nettoyé la place. »** Irina haussa les épaules, ses flammes vacillant. **« Bah, c’était trop facile. Ces bestioles ne valent pas celles que j’affronte d’habitude. »** Julia adressa un signe de tête poli au Chasseur en charge. **« Désolée pour le désordre. Mon amie a parfois le sens du spectacle un peu… excessif. »** Sous son charme, l’expression sévère du Chasseur s’adoucit. **« Aucun souci. L’aide est la bienvenue, même si elle s’accompagne de quelques… excès. »** Irina roula des yeux. **« Si vous voulez de l’ordre, engagez des mercenaires ternes. Mais pour un vrai spectacle, faites appel aux Emberhearts. J’ai même testé un nouveau sort – ça vous a plu ? »** *« Cette fille a vraiment un talent pour énerver son monde. »* Le rire de Julia se mêla aux murmures ambiants. Sa présence dissipait les tensions comme par magie. **« Un nouveau sort, dis-tu ? Toujours aussi inventive. Dommage, j’aurais aimé en garder quelques-uns pour moi. »** Les yeux d’Irina brillèrent d’un mélange de fierté et de malice. **« Tu ignorais donc que cette demoiselle est surnommée la Friteuse de Monstres ? »** **« Bien sûr, bien sûr. La reine des fritures, c’est toi. »** Julia répondit avec amusement, mais Irina semblait déjà lassée. Elle cherchait visiblement à changer de sujet, scrutant les alentours. **« Hé, au fait… Où est Victor ? »** demanda-t-elle brusquement. Étant donné qu’ils étaient partenaires, son absence était étrange. **« Et je t’ai appelée plus tôt. Pourquoi tu n’as pas répondu ? »** Julia consulta sa montre d’un air innocent. **« Vraiment ? Je n’ai vu aucun appel. »** La réaction d’Irina fut immédiate – je devinai sa pensée. *« Victor a dû brouiller les communications. »* Typique de lui, avec son obsession malsaine pour Julia. Alors que la situation semblait se calmer, une révélation inattendue capta mon attention. **« Victor est parti précipitamment après un appel. »** **« Parti ? »** Irina parut sincèrement stupéfaite. Victor ne ratait jamais une occasion de traîner avec Julia. **« Oui. Il a mentionné une urgence. Il avait l’air… perturbé. »** Une hypothèse insidieuse germa dans mon esprit. *« Et si… »* Tout devenait soudain clair. Même sans preuve.