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"Hirano Chihiro?”
"Yes sir!”

The interviewer’s eyes were glued to her resume as they sat in his office.

"I swear if he asks about my hobby…”
"Your hobby…”

She screamed, slammed the table, flipped it over and hurled a chair in her imagination.

"...is researching cryp…tids? What’s that? Food?”
"LISTEN HERE, YOU LITTLE SHEE-…”

She tilted her head, eyes closed, a polite smile plastered on her face.

"It’s a term for creatures whose existence hasn’t been scientifically verified , sir!”

She lay sprawled across a pile of clothes inside her tiny ten square meter apartment.

"Ahhh! What does hobby have anything to do with finding a job?!”
"Quack!”

A white feathered duck sat nearby, quietly listening to her vent.

"Why they need experience for an entry level, minimum wage job?!”
"Quack!”

She rolled over to face the duck.

"Why…”
"Quack!”

She smiled and patted him. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Not interested!” She shouted.

"Good! I can kick you out!” The voice replied.

Her eyes widened and she rushed to the door. The duck, meanwhile, dove into the pile of clothes she used as a bed.

"Landlaaadddyyyy!”

She clasped her hands together, eyes squeezed shut, standing before the apartment owner, who held a rolled-up newspaper.

"Pwease! Gimme your mercy- adei!”

The landlady bonked her head using the newspaper.

"Your rent’s overdue for four months now, girl! If it not because of your famil-…”

The landlady glanced away.

"...sorry, I didn’t mean to… Anyway, got a job yet?”

Chihiro lowered her gaze, clutching her skirt, shoulders drooping.

"Maybe you should avoid putting chick in the hobby section…”
"CRYPTIDS! Emm…”

The landlady grabbed her arm and put the newspaper into her hands.

"Ohhh! Sankyuu landlady!”
"I picked it up myself! Heard someone got fired for breaking a subscriber’s window… Maybe you should give it a shot!”

Chihiro blinked then got bonked again but barehanded.

"Adeii!”
"The job! Not breaking windows!”

Chihiro patted her head and the landlady walked away.

"Oh yeah! Tell Slushatel I said hi!”

The landlady waved without turned, walking past a ‘No Pet Allowed’ sign.

"Ho- ho- ho- HOWWW?!!”

Chihiro trembled, slammed the door shut, grabbed her duck and shook him violently.

"HOW DID LANDLADY FIND OUT BOUT YOU, SLUSHATELLL?!!!”
"QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!”
"SHUT THE F*CK UP!!!”

A neighbour yelled. The landlady pinched her head while walking away.

"Ughh, she’s so loud, I hope she finds a boyfriend already...”

Chihiro slumped to the floor, back against the wall and unfolded the newspaper.

"What’s this blurry image?”

Slushatel climbed over stacks of books and research papers to join her.

"Quack!”

Newspaper

Amarok Strikes
Wednesday, 7 March 2007

A group of local hunters in Miraii City, fed up with the law enforcement’s sluggish response after six years of inaction against the infamous beast, decided to take matters into their own hands.

A livestream on a new streaming platform, Youtho went viral on Tweak, a new social media platform, showcasing tense moments as the hunters confronted the creature in the forest on the city’s eastern side. Just before the video ended, a hunter shouting ‘Amarok’ sparked massive question marked in the comments section.

Seigi Division, the police department assigned to the case, was deployed but shockingly found no evidence or trace. The department later concluded the video was staged by attention seekers.

The victims’ families expressed outrage and plan to sue the department, insisting the footage was real and that the hunters are still missing.

The incident has caught the attention of politicians, pressuring Seigi Division to reopen the investigation.

"Youtho? Tweak? Also six years?! How come there was no news bout it before?!”

"Quack!”

Slushatel jumped down and she slid through her research papers.

"The Wrath Dragon related to three legendary swords… The White-Purple Serpean… Giant Oarfish… Skin-Runner… Mhm, we should add Amarok too!”
"Quack!”

She placed the papers aside and continue reading the newspaper.

"Seigi Division has been ordered to reinvestigate this case. For six years, there was no concrete evidence proving the existence of the rumor, but now, we strike back!”

The Chief of Police said. He also added:

"However, we lack the necessary knowledge and expertise on this creature! We welcome anyone with reliable information and credential resources to help us! Rewards will be given if the information proves useful!”

Slushatel slowly backed away as Chihiro’s eyes widened.

"Quack?”
"This… This…”

She inhale deeply, a bright smile spreading across her face.

"THIS IS IT! I WAIT MY WHOLE LIFE FOR THIS!!!”
"SHUT THE F*RK UP!!!”

She grabbed a sheet of paper, pressed it against a book and started jotting down.

"Its decided! We going to learn more about Amarok, Slushatel!”
"Quack… Quack!”

She froze for a second then flipped the newspaper again.

"Yeah yeah, thanks for reminding!”
"Quack!”

She browsed through the list in the ‘Helped Wanted’ section.

"Tried it… Failed that… No response… Male only… Qualification… License…”
"Quack!”

She collapsed sideways, staring into nothingness.

"Quack!”
"Huh?”

She immediately sat up.

"Quack! Quack!”
"Ohh yeah I forgot! Thanks, smart boy!”

Later that afternoon, she stepped outside carrying Slushatel in her left arm. Two men stood nearby, one leaning against a door with cash in hand, the other passing a packet of drugs, before quickly hiding it.

"Dang, she’s hot! Hey cutie! Can I have your number?”
"No phone!”
"Quack!”

She locked the door and walked away.

"Huaa, playing hard to get! What’s that chick’s name?”

The man asked and she stopped.

"Chick?!”
"Quack?!”

Both Chihiro and Slushatel turned sharply, frowning.

"Skazhi eto eshchyo raz, i ya prevrashchu tebya v svoy lichnyy biologicheskiy proyekt!”
"Quack! Quack! Quack!”

The men froze, trembling, dropping both the drugs and the money. Chihiro gritted her teeth, grabbed her bicycle and rode off with Slushatel perched in the basket.

"Wanna go faster, Slushatel?”
"Quack!”

She leaned into a corner and sped up on the straight ground road, trees lining both sides.

"Quack! Quack!”
"What?”

Slushatel suddenly leapt out, flapping his wings furiously.

"EEEHHHHH?! HOW?! YOU A PEKIN DUCK RIGHT?!”
"Quack! Quack! Quack!”

Slushatel effortlessly leaving her behind.

"What you mean race?! SLUSHATELLL!!!”

She smirked and pedaled harder.

"Fine! Bring it on!”

WELCOME TO HIKARI TOWN

End of Chapter 1…

Extra Odin:
She reached out to the newspaper distributor in town and got accepted immediately. That evening, she returned home, beaming.

"YEAHHHHHHH!!!”
"Quack!”
"SHUT THE F*CK UP!!!”

She unlocked the door and hold the knob with her duck stood beside her.

"Five… Four… Three…”
"Quack! Quack!”

The moment she twisted the door knob, the entire town went dark.

"Ah yeah, ofcourse! ‘Hikari’ yet this town blackouts almost every night!”
"Quack!”

She turned around after closing the door and smirked as her duck glowing softly in the dark.

"Heh… This town is so messed up that even Slushatel rapidly adapted and evolved!”
"Quack!”