Chapter 18: Age Is Just A Number
Echo Wisp – A tiny, floating orb that mimics the last words spoken within a short radius. Useful for distractions or deception.
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Finn reclined lazily on Nue's back as they soared through the sky, a satisfied grin plastered across his face. His fingers absentmindedly traced the outline of his beloved coffee pills tucked away in his pocket.
"Ah, my love... I'm finally coming back to you," he thought dramatically, closing his eyes as the wind rushed past him.
Suddenly, he felt Nue start to descend. Blinking, Finn opened his eyes and immediately noticed something different—his guild had changed.
The main building was noticeably bigger, its structure more refined, almost towering compared to before. The once open training grounds were now enclosed in a large facility, giving off a more structured, militarized feel.
Finn furrowed his brows for a moment, then shrugged. "Eh, don't really care about that."
As they got closer to the ground, Finn didn't bother waiting for a proper landing. He simply stepped off Nue's back midair, free-falling without a second thought.
The ground rushed toward him, but Finn simply tucked his hands into his pockets, landing without a sound. The impact vanished into nothing as his shadows absorbed the force. He casually stood up, stretching.
"Ahh, I missed my baby." His gaze wandered toward the Guild.
Before he could take another step, a group of masked individuals in matching caps approached him, walking in synchronized formation. Finn instantly sensed the truth—they were just clones.
He sighed. "Alright, where's the guy I'm supposed to be in charge of?"
As if on cue, the real one emerged—riding atop his own Mahoraga.
The clone grinned smugly. "Hah! OG himself, huh? What, you come here to die? Because I—"
Finn exhaled, already tired of the nonsense. Without hesitation, inky black tentacles erupted from his shadow, seizing everything in front of him in an instant. The clones froze mid-motion.
Then—
A flood of memories surged through Finn's mind, information stolen from the Behemoth now integrating into his consciousness. He clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Damn it."
His gaze dropped to his right sleeve, where the tattoo of Rabbit Escape pulsed ominously.
"I hate me."
Without hesitation, Finn gripped his own arm—
—And ripped it off.
A sickening crack echoed as shadowy tendrils burst from the wound, sealing it instantly. Across the country, every single clone tied to that mark disappeared.
Finn sighed, rolling his remaining shoulder. "Great. Now I gotta grow another one."
He turned back toward the Guild, muttering, "I better get my damn coffee after this."
//--\\
Finn leaned back in his chair, popping another coffee pill as he flipped through the paperwork in front of him. His fingers traced the signature on the document—his own handwriting, but not his own doing.
He groaned, rubbing his temples. Damn clones... Signing stuff without me?
Sighing, he reached for the phone on his desk and dialed.
After a couple of rings, Jess answered. "Hello, boss. What's up?"
"Yeah, terminate the deal with the Guild," Finn said flatly. "I still wanna strengthen our own, so get back here."
There was a sharp gasp on the other end before the line abruptly cut.
//--\\
Later, Finn sat in his office, lazily spinning a pen between his fingers as Jess stood in front of him.
"So, what happened while I was gone?" he asked.
Jess gave him a weird look. "What do you mean?"
Finn exhaled. "Remember the cloning technique I showed you?"
Realization dawned on her face. "Wait… how long were you gone?"
Finn tilted his head, counting in his mind. "Uh… how old am I?"
"Almost twenty," Jess answered.
"Oh," Finn mused, snapping his fingers. "Then a year and a half." He grinned. "But don't worry—I leveled up."
Behind him, his shadow stretched unnaturally across the window. A moment later, countless eyes blinked open within the darkness, varying in shape and size. The largest of them—the Behemoth—remained partially obscured, only revealing a gaping maw lined with endless rows of fangs.
Jess's legs gave out, and she fell back, wide-eyed.
Finn chuckled and withdrew the shadows. "See? Knew you'd understand."
Regaining her composure, Jess took a deep breath. "Sir, you need another rank evaluation."
Finn waved her off. "Yeah, yeah. But first—find me an S-Rank dungeon. I need another boss for my collection."
Jess suddenly lunged forward, gripping his shoulders. "Sir, you can't enter a dungeon yet. You need seven more members to get clearance!"
Finn narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Last time I was here, I could just walk in."
"The Hunter Association changed its rules," Jess explained.
Finn pinched the bridge of his nose. "And what about the recruits?"
Jess hesitated. "They, uh… heard you were joining a different Guild. So they quit."
Silence.
Finn sighed, grabbed another handful of coffee pills, and threw them into his mouth.
"Fine. What's our financial situation looking like?"
Jess hesitated again.
Finn leaned back, eyes closed. "Yeah, no. I don't even wanna hear it."
After a moment, he sat up, stretching. "Alright. Get my rank evaluation scheduled. And tell them I want it by the ocean."
Jess blinked. "Why the ocean?"
A slow smirk spread across Finn's face.
"I wanna show them something."
///---\\\
The ranking test was set on an isolated beach, where the waves crashed aggressively against the rocky shore. The sky was clear, but the tension in the air was thick.
A crowd of elite hunters stood at a safe distance, watching in anticipation. Among them, a man in a pristine white coat with golden embroidery stood at the front. He had slicked-back silver hair and sharp, calculating eyes.
This was Director Elias Montemayor, the head of the Philippine Hunter Association. A veteran S-Rank hunter himself, he had seen countless warriors rise and fall, but something about Finn intrigued him.
"You're late," Elias stated as Finn casually walked onto the sand, coffee pill in hand.
"Yeah, yeah," Finn waved dismissively, taking a sip from his thermos. "Traffic."
Elias eyed him. "There's no traffic in the sky."
"Exactly." Finn smirked.
The other examiners exchanged glances. This kid was way too relaxed for a ranking test.
Elias sighed and gestured toward the ocean. "Alright, Mr. Picador. Your previous S-Rank status was based on your Venom ability, but given your… absence, we need to verify if you're still at that level."
Finn stretched his arms lazily. "Fair. So, what do I gotta do?"
Elias smirked. "Simple. Show us why you belong among the strongest."
The moment the words left his mouth, Finn's expression shifted. His usual playfulness faded, replaced by something unreadable.
His shadow stretched unnaturally along the sand.
Without a word, Finn took a step forward—then split.
A perfect copy of himself walked out from his body like a reflection stepping out of a mirror. Then another. And another.
Within seconds, ten clones of Finn stood beside him, each adjusting their sleeves, rolling their shoulders, or cracking their necks.
The watching hunters stiffened.
"Cloning…?" One of them murmured.
Elias narrowed his eyes. "No. It's not just cloning. These aren't mere illusions."
The clones moved independently, shifting into different stances. Some pulled out daggers, others adjusted their hands as if preparing to cast something. The air around them crackled with energy.
"Each one's a real body," Elias realized. "They aren't just copies. They're all him."
Finn smirked. "Wanna see something fun?"
The clones raised their hands—then snapped their fingers.
A wave of toxic mist burst from the ground, spreading like wildfire across the beach. The sand blackened on contact, dissolving into nothing.
One clone extended his hand, and a long, serpentine creature slithered out from his sleeve—a Plagueborn Viper, hissing as it released a venomous breath.
Another clone clenched his fist, and the ocean itself darkened. A black tide spread outward as his toxin infected the water, warping it into a living biohazard.
A third clone casually flicked his fingers. The air itself turned into a swirling gas of hallucinations and death.
Hunters instinctively took a step back.
Elias remained firm. "He's controlling multiple venom types… adapting them in real-time."
Finn exhaled, stepping to the center of it all. "That's cute, right? But I'm not done."
Finn lifted his right hand—then slowly spread his arms wide, almost like he was T-posing.
The air shifted.
From the ocean, the biggest shadow yet began to rise.
A deep, guttural growl echoed across the sky, shaking the earth beneath them.
Then, the Behemoth emerged.
A colossal, titan-like monstrosity, its massive form loomed over the waters. Just its presence made the waves churn violently. Its massive maw remained closed, but the sheer pressure it exuded was suffocating.
The Behemoth wasn't alone.
Across the battlefield, different Shikigami appeared, each summoned by a separate Finn clone.
Nyx Widow perched atop a nearby rock, its many glowing eyes watching in eerie silence. Plague Fang slithered through the toxic mist, its fangs dripping with corrosive venom. Abyss Maw emerged from the shadowy ocean, tentacles writhing as it let out an unearthly screech. Several unknown Shikigami, each radiating power, took their places beside their master.
The Behemoth let out a low, rumbling growl as it stared at Elias.
Finn lowered his arms, looking around with a satisfied nod. "Oh, and fun fact…"
He pointed at his clones. "Each one of them can summon Shiki... them too."
The battlefield was flooded with creatures.
Silence.
For a long moment, the watching hunters were frozen in stunned disbelief.
Elias stared at Finn, his smirk finally vanishing.
"…Alright. That's enough."
Finn clapped his hands, and just like that, the entire army vanished onto their own shadow. The mist, the creatures, even the Behemoth—all of it collapsed back into his shadow.
He dusted off his hands. "So, do I get my rank back, or do I gotta do more tricks?"
Elias exhaled slowly, adjusting his coat. Then, he gave a rare chuckle.
"You," he said, "are a monster."
Finn grinned. "I prefer ' The Chimera,' but I'll take that."
Elias crossed his arms. "Welcome back to S-Rank, Finn Picador."
Finn stretched. "Sweet. Now, about that dungeon clearance…"
Elias sighed. "…We'll talk."
Finn smirked. "You better. 'Cause I just got started."
---
Hello why he was back in S - Rank is because the clone was already transferring but now Finn was back to being a S - Rank in Philippines