Bathed in the soft, ethereal glow of the morning light streaming through the arched windows, the Hunter Museum was a vast space filled with a sense of awe and reverence.
Artifacts of mighty Hunters and infamous demons co-existed within these walls, encapsulating the tumultuous history of their world. Every item housed a story - a tale of valor, betrayal, fear, terror and courage.
A group of young, eager faces followed a tall and statuesque woman with long blue hair, bright blue eyes, and gorgeous looks through the labyrinthine paths of the museum.
Clad in Hunter Academy uniforms of white and blue shades, they walked with a sense of palpable excitement, their eyes wide and eager.
It was not every day they got the chance to visit the most interesting museum in the world while being guided by someone knowledgeable about the things inside.
To be led by their senior, an Elite Hunter like Rachel Sterling, who had shockingly risen to the glorious A Rank within merely two years, was nothing short of an honor for them.
They remembered her tragic tale, the loss of her team, and her triumphant resurgence, inspiring them all.
She was surely the youngest in the academy to achieve such a feat.
Rachel led them into a grand hall where the tales and items of the most infamous criminals and demons were displayed.
She slowly walked before pausing at a large glass box in the center. It was a spectacular sight - a floating suit of almost black with the sun and lightning symbol shining brightly in the center, a bold, metallic gold on the chest.
The black color of the suit made the golden accents pop dramatically. The cape was also back, with a golden trim and sun motif at the clasp.
The suit wasn't in its best shape, with streaks of dried blood here and there, the fabric ripped up in certain places, and the cape was torn at its edges. Yet one could still feel the brilliance radiating from the golden symbols on the chest part.
It was as if the suit was alive.
It once belonged to a Hunter whose name once evoked reverence and awe, but now, it was only a symbol of infamy and betrayal - The Golden Prince.
A sense of dread and excitement brewed among the young Hunters as their eyes fixed on the suit of the Golden Prince, displayed gloriously under the soft museum lights.
They all know how it was said that the Golden Prince was probably the strongest Hunter to ever exist in the history of humanity, though it never could be truly proved.
The golden symbols gleamed with a brilliance that belied the dark story it held. The once admired symbol of the sun on its chest now looked more like a mocking, cruel sunburst.
Rachel pointed at the infamous suit, her bright blue eyes reflecting a myriad of emotions, chief among them bitterness and anger. Her voice, usually full of strength and encouragement, took on a colder, harsher tone as she spoke of the treachery of the Golden Prince.
"I am sure there is not a soul in this world who doesn't know that this suit," Rachel began, her voice echoing in the silent hall, "belonged to the Golden Prince, a Hunter who abandoned his humanity and betrayed us all. He not only joined forces with the Demon King but also nearly destroyed our world while killing twenty of the strongest protectors of our world. If not for my father and the other brave four Hunters, we wouldn't be standing here."
The harsh reality of her words hung heavy in the air, causing the vibrant atmosphere of anticipation to sour into something much darker. The juniors, who were brimming with hate, now stared at the Golden Prince's suit with a mixture of fear and loathing. The silent reverence they had once held for this very same suit was now tainted with the undeniable truth of betrayal.
One of the juniors, a young boy with dark eyes full of curiosity, raised his hand, "But why did he do it, Miss Sterling? He was the strongest and an esteemed Hunter, wasn't he?" The question hung in the air, a painful reminder of the treachery that lurked within the hearts of those they admired.
Rachel's gaze turned distant, her eyes seemingly lost in the memories of the past.
An uneasy silence took hold of the grand hall, the juniors exchanging glances, waiting for an answer. The shadows of the suit danced on Rachel's face, casting a strange light on her beautiful features.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she let out a heavy sigh, her gaze still fixed on the gleaming suit, "That's the one question that nobody could answer with certainty," she began, her voice a somber murmur that reverberated through the hall, "Maybe it was his esteemed position and power that corrupted him and made him greedy for more. It just shows that we should never blindly look up to someone like a god."
She pressed together her lips firmly as she continued with a lowered gaze, "I am ashamed to say he was once my mentor…someone my family trusted and loved," As she said this, her hands closed into fists.
She then looked up with a sharp gaze in her eyes, "This is why…who knows…the people we blindly admire, they might be hiding their demonic side the entire time. His actions shook the very foundations of our world and the wound he inflicted on us... still runs deep."
Her words, heavy with the weight of the past, echoed ominously in the hall. The juniors absorbed every syllable, their eyes glued to the Golden Prince's suit, the hero turned villain, as a sense of foreboding gripped their young hearts.
Seeing their solemn faces, Rachel straightened up, her cold eyes sparking with a fiery resolve. "That's why we, Hunters, must never forget. We bear the duty to protect our world, to stand firm in the face of darkness. And never, ever, let the shadows corrupt us."
Her voice, resolute and powerful, filled the grand hall, bouncing off the marbled walls, infusing the atmosphere with a sense of fierce determination.
The juniors, inspired by her words, nodded in agreement, their youthful faces hardening with resolve. The weight of their chosen path, the path of a Hunter, felt more real, more tangible, than ever before.
Before Rachel could respond, a small, timid hand shot up in the crowd.
Rachel's cold blue eyes shifted to the girl, recognizing her as Alice, one of the most promising D rankers. Alice's face was a mixture of curiosity and fear, the dim museum lighting doing little to hide her trepidation.
"Miss Sterling," Alice started, her voice echoing in the eerie silence. "I have heard people say that the Golden Prince single-handedly killed twenty of the world's most powerful hunters when a peak S Rank Hunter would usually struggle to defeat even two S Rank Hunters at once. Does... does this mean that the Golden Prince was stronger than your father?"
A gasp echoed through the room at Alice's audacious question. Rachel's piercing gaze shifted back to the Golden Prince's suit, her lips pressing into a thin line. A heavy silence hung over the room once more.
"Comparing the Corrupted Prince to my father is akin to comparing day to night, Alice," Rachel said, her tone sharp and her gaze cold, "Sure, the Golden Prince's rampage was horrific, and his strength was enhanced by the Demon King. But it was a fleeting, destructive power built on corruption and darkness. He never defeated those 20 brave Hunters. We wouldn't have lost so much without the Demon King by his side."
Her gaze hardened as she turned back to Alice, her voice dropping to a stern whisper. "My father, on the other hand, built his strength on determination, courage, and justice. He is the bulwark against the darkness. Do not compare a noble warrior to a corrupted one, Alice. It is not just disrespectful; it is a disservice to everything we stand for as Hunters."
"I-I am sorry…Forgive me for asking, Miss Sterling…" Alice mumbled with quivering lips as she lowered her face while the ones standing around her let out subtle snorts and gave her condescending looks.
"It's alright. I know there are still people in our world who can't come to terms with the reality of the Corrupted Prince's atrocious acts. We can only hope they learn with time for their own sake," Rachel said with a sigh.
Suddenly, the Hunter Museum's ambience shifted subtly as a gust of cold air blew in from the entrance.
A figure of towering 6 5" height and impressive stature appeared at the doorway, drawing the attention of everyone present. The juniors fell silent, their eyes widening with awe and a tinge of reverence.
The young man looking in his late twenties was an impressive sight. With his sharp jawline, striking bright green eyes, and blonde hair neatly slicked back, he exuded an aura of radiant charm and dominance.
Dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, he radiated authority that left no room for dispute about his elite status.
"Victor," Rachel's voice softened as she greeted him with a gentle smile. Her juniors gawked, their eyes darting between the couple as murmurs of admiration filled the room.
They knew he was Victor Hart, the scion of the Hart Family, one of the three Supreme Class Families of the entire western hemisphere, with the other two being the Sterling and Evangeline Families.
These three families were the oldest and literally stood at the peak, and nobody would dare challenge them.
They also knew Victor, despite being only 29 years old, was already in the lower echelons of the coveted and revered S Rank.
Any Hunter in this rank were worshipped since just one of them can cause ripples across the world.
Alice lowered her gaze nervously as Victor approached her, "A rather unseemly question to ask my fiance, don't you think?" he gently chided her with a friendly smile, "Especially when comparing such a devious traitor to our esteemed President."
Turning towards the glass encased suit, Victor's gentle gaze hardened, "The Corrupted Prince was a blemish on our history," he said, his voice growing disdainful and stern, echoing off the museum walls, "Power or not, he was nothing more than a demon-possessed traitor. A coward who turned his back on humanity when we needed unity the most."
Another hand among the juniors raised up as a young man asked with a look of curiosity, "Uhmm…Is there any other reason why the memory fragments from the surviving Hunters in the fight against the Corrupted Prince were never revealed to the public?"
Most of the juniors standing around him also slowly nodded as they eagerly awaited an answer since it was a common occurrence for Hunters to release memories of their glorious battles for all to see and also to inspire aspiring Hunters.
Victor slowly turned around and narrowed his gaze before slowly shaking his head with a serious look, "There is no special reason. Just like we all know, the fragments were never released because the WHA didn't want to make the Corrupted Prince more famous and unknowingly inspire the wrong people. I have only heard rumors, but the things the Corrupted Prince did and said during the battle can corrupt innocent people or spread demonic ideas. So it is in our best interests that the WHA should keep it to themselves."
His words resonated with an underlying concern, leaving an undeniable impression on the young Hunters while Rachel slowly nodded with her lips firmly pressed together.
Victor then clapped his hands together, drawing the attention of every eye in the hall.
He wore a genial smile, but his eyes held an undertone of seriousness, "Now…apologies, ladies, and gentlemen," he announced, "Our little museum tour must end here for now. I need Rachel to discuss some important matters regarding the upcoming quest."
A wave of disappointment washed over the young Hunters, visible in their drooping shoulders and regretful sighs. They had looked forward to spending more time with two of the Elite Hunters, their idols, and were disheartened at the abrupt end.
Yet they understood that they couldn't stand in the way of their heroes preparing to complete one of the most important quests of the century.
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