Nageki bourei part 1

 Part 1: stifled shadow

Prologue: A Short-Lived Dream

It all started with one unforgettable proposal:

Let’s be treasure hunters.

The story began when I was a child not even ten years of age. The

one who’d suggested it was a member of my group of childhood

friends.

“Let’s be treasure hunters. We’ll find all the treasure vaults out there

and claim the wealth and glory for ourselves.”

Our goal was to be the strongest heroes in the world. If anyone could

do it, the six of us could.

The guy who’d brought up the idea was reckless and had more

brawn than brains, but he was also full of courage.

First to agree to this baseless yet attractive proposal was our

particularly dexterous friend, who was quick in more ways than one.

Our resident bookworm nervously agreed in turn, and our quiet but

reliable friend nodded deeply.

My little sister, who always tagged along behind me, glanced my

way. Naturally, I agreed to the idea as well.

Treasure hunters, who trekked through ruins all over the world in

search of treasure, had been stars all throughout history.

Wealth, fame, power.

There was no faster way to gain access to your heart’s desire and

become a hero. Of course, there was also a great deal of risk

involved.

We had all heard countless stories of hunters who’d fallen victim to

devious traps, terrifying monsters, and ethereal phantoms. Even the hunters’ tales of adventure that had inspired my friend’s proposal

were full of such gruesome anecdotes.

But the risks could not hope to extinguish the flames of adventure in

our hearts. The very day we embraced that dream, our journey had

already begun.

To prepare ourselves for this occupation, we began by identifying

and honing our individual strengths. Once we had decided on our

roles, we devoted ourselves wholeheartedly to improving on the

relevant skills.

The bravest one among us became a peerless Swordsman while our

nimble friend became a Thief, one who disarmed traps and led the

party through peril. Note that there was no actual stealing involved;

people just tended to call them Thieves.

For better or for worse, every other one of my friends had an all-

important talent required to become hunters.

Something had already become clear, however, at the point where

we were training at our respective roles:

I was the only one who had no talent. The only one who, no matter

how hard I tried, couldn’t even be considered average.

Out of the six of us—my four friends, my sister, and myself—I alone

was incapable of doing anything useful.

I alone had lost sight of the path to heroism. That was five years ago.

                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up in the worst of moods.

The sky was filled with thick, black clouds. If you closed your eyes,

you would hear only the sound of raindrops smacking against the

ground.

A fetid bouquet of mud and water filled the air. After three

consecutive days of stormy weather, the ground was complete muck.

Although it was noon, the world was dark.

Before a sturdy, stone building stood men and women of all ages.

Some stood there with lifeless eyes, while others were screaming in

rage. Some weren’t even pureblooded humans, instead displaying

physical traits of other species.

Their garb came in all varieties: dirty armor made from some

unknown sort of leather, long overcoats that hid their whole bodies,

and even full suits of armor like knights would wear. Many of them

wielded weapons such as swords and firearms.

The one commonality they shared was that they were imposing.

The street was nearly empty due to the poor weather, but one

corner was caught up in unusual enthusiasm. Everyone had gathered

there in search of the most meager of chances: the opportunity to

display their strength to famous treasure hunters and to be accepted

into their parties.

Throughout time, treasure hunters had always had the most coveted

of occupations. They traveled across the world in search of ruins—

treasure vaults modeled after ancient civilizations—to obtain the

riches within.

Despite the major risks, those with talent could have wealth, fame,

and power in the palm of their hand. They could also have glory the

likes of which famous merchants and even royalty could never hope

to attain.

Hunters often formed groups of several people, called parties, to act

together. If a newbie could find their way into a party of multiple

experienced hunters, the risk was far lower than working alone. On

the other hand, established hunters were always looking for skilled

allies. The event being held here today was intended for just that.

I assumed not many people would come today due to the rain, but

come they did. After letting out a sigh, I stood at the far back of the

line. Because of the lack of shelter, every single person in line was

soaked.

I flipped the hood of my overcoat up and shrank down, waiting.

There was nobody here I knew, and standing in line alone was

disheartening to say the least.

“Aaargh! What’s with all the damn people?! You can’t even get

inside!” There was an annoyed yell from up ahead, prompting me to

shrink down even more.

Not only was the wait long, but it was cold and rainy. It was unfair,

yes, and I understood why he would be angry. But everyone else had

to deal with it, too. There were many hunters out there who were

strong but short-tempered. I really didn’t want to get caught up in

any fights.

Among a hunter’s attributes and abilities was something called

physique. I had an average physique, but all of the men around me

were at least a head taller. These beasts in human clothing had the

power and courage to coolly fight monsters whose strength far

surpassed those of normal humans.

All I could do was to pray that this would go peacefully. Fortunately,

it seemed that one of my prayers had actually worked this time, as

there was no further commotion after that.

The line moved forward a little. As I crouched low and did my best to

avoid eye contact, the person in front of me abruptly turned around.

I saw myself reflected in her beautiful blue eyes.

“Hey there! You looking for a party, too?”

“Oh? Um, yeah.”

Her voice was cheerful, a poor match for the gloomy weather.

Ignoring her seemed like trouble, though, so I looked vaguely in her

direction.

The one who had accosted me was a female hunter who looked to

be in her mid-twenties. Well-kempt brown hair and big, blue eyes.

Long coat, big pouch attached to her stout belt. Her outfit was

standard hunter fare, but her pristine hair and affable features didn’t

seem like they belonged to someone who trawled dangerous

treasure vaults. Heck, her gear was hardly even soiled.

In the era where treasure hunters were celebrated, female hunters

weren’t especially rare. But in my experience, hunters like her could

be divided into one of two groups. The first group included people

who were just about to become or had just become hunters, their

hearts still filled with hope.

The other group consisted of those who had experienced countless

adventures but never lost that sparkle in their eye. These hunters

had such outstanding talent that they could be heroes—true beasts,

like my friends from so long ago.

Nine times out of ten, they were the former, but you could never be

too careful. In this field, there really were plenty of beasts disguised

as humans.

As I eyed her dubiously, the hunter smiled wryly for just an instant

before returning to her cheerful expression and offering me her

hand. At the very least, she didn’t seem like she’d just hit me out of

nowhere.

In the depths of my mind, I set this hunter to a danger level of E, a

level I conferred to hunters who, at least on the surface, seemed

mentally stable enough.

“The name’s Rhuda Runebeck. I’m a level three hunter, though I only

just ranked up a few days back.”

Level 3? So she’s around middle-class. Much better than her

appearance would suggest. Wordlessly, I adjusted her danger level to

D. At the very least, she wasn’t a newbie.

Treasure hunters were given levels by the Explorers’ Association (the

Association, for short) based on their exploits. These levels were

known by the general public as indicators of hunters’ abilities.

Groups of hunters typically introduced themselves along with their

job and level.

There were up to ten levels in existence, but level 3 was considered

average in terms of strength and exploits. Statistically, 70% of all

hunters stopped at level 3. Seeing as Rhuda had gotten there so

young, one could say that she was hopeful for greater things. I had

nothing to lose from being wary of her; middle-class hunters were

still beasts compared to common folk.

My lips parted to speak. Probably because I had run here without

drinking anything this morning, the voice that came from my mouth

was painfully hoarse.

“I’m... Krai Andrey. Nice to meet you, Rhuda.”

I did not grasp her hand, which was outstretched as a mark of

goodwill. In my five years as a hunter in the imperial capital, the

most important thing I had acquired was a sense of danger.

She could toss me the moment I took her hand. Or she might crush

mine. Heck, it was likely enough that the moment I offered my own

hand, she would say, “Don’t underestimate me, you little shit!” and

kill me where I stood. Of course, it was also possible that she would

see me as an enemy because I refused a handshake.

Rhuda’s brow furrowed for a moment before she went cheery again.

“You solo, too? Everyone here is so on edge, y’know? I hate it.”

I didn’t reply.

“I’ve been a solo hunter all this time, but lately, I’m kinda hitting a

wall. Then I happened to hear that they were just about to hold this

big hunter-recruiting event. So here I am now.” She patted the

dagger stored within its sheath on her belt.

In treasure vaults, there were various gimmicks like traps and hidden

corridors. The fact that she was carrying a weapon with such low

killing power meant that Rhuda was specialized more in dealing with

these gimmicks than fighting monsters.

And she’s going solo? This girl’s something else. I quietly raised her

danger level up to C.

Myriad abilities were necessary in raids on treasure vaults, and it was

nigh impossible to cover all of those by yourself, so the Association

recommended forming parties. Sure, going solo came with its own

merits, but risking one’s life to go to a vault alone was just crazy in

my opinion. There were plenty of lunatic hunters out there, and in

my experience, the solo ones were almost all of that variety.

She might have looked calm and sweet, but either she had such a

poor personality that nobody would be in a party with her, or she

had some other really annoying circumstances. Either way, I’d rather

she left me alone.

Not knowing what to say, I forced a smile. Another one of the many

things I’d learned in my years here was that smiling could get you

through most difficult situations.

“Your whole career? That’s pretty rough.”

“Yeah, for real! I tried going to the White Wolf’s Den, and it was just

too much for me.” There was a glint in Rhuda’s eyes, like she was

dying to talk to anyone. “So I came here looking for a party, right? I

figure five or so level three hunters could get through it together.”

“Pssh, the White Wolf’s Den? Kid, do you even know where we are?”

The derisive tone of this sudden interruption caused Rhuda’s

expression to harden. It had come from a mountain of man ahead of

us.

He wore leather armor with metal accents and a bloodstained

overcoat. If Rhuda was a sparkly-eyed freshman, this guy was an

experienced alumnus who’d long since graduated. The sheath

hanging from his belt was soiled from use.

I grimaced. The majority of hunters were hot-blooded and typically

grew much more so in proportion to their skill level. Even the

Association often said that hot-bloodedness was part of the hunter’s

basic skillset.

Unsurprisingly, despite the fact that this man was two heads bigger

than her, Rhuda fearlessly yelled, “What’s your deal? Got a problem

with me, bub?!”

“Level three? The White Wolf’s Den? This ain’t no place for amateurs

who just became hunters yesterday!”

The goliath pulled his lips into a sneer. Other people in line turned to

watch the two, some out of irritation and some out of excitement for

a fight, and yet they showed no signs of stopping.

I surreptitiously took a step back. One had to be careful not to get

involved in fights. Yep, that was another thing I had learned as a

hunter.

It was strictly forbidden for hunters to hurt common folk because the

difference in strength was simply too vast. If you were seen by the

knights who kept the peace, it would go on your criminal record. It

was also a problem of pride, so even the most violent hunters were

careful to avoid doing so.

On the other hand, fights between hunters were often ignored. I was

weak enough to put even common folk to shame, but as I was

officially a hunter, nobody would care if I got caught up in a hunter

fight and was injured as a result.

In fact, people would look down on me if I didn’t fight back. They

would blame me, the victim. Oh, what a world!

“You only come here if you’re confident in your strength. The people

recruiting are from the Steps. A little snot-nosed newbie like you

ain’t gettin’ in with the biggest new clan in the capital. You’re just

wastin’ our time!”

Clans were one form of hunter groups. When a few hunters gathered

and moved as one unit, they were a party. When multiple parties

consolidated, they were a clan.

There were various reasons to consolidate: sharing information,

lending out items, borrowing party members when vital roles were

unfilled, even challenging high-difficulty treasure vaults together.

Having such connections made being a hunter way smoother. To that

end, the Association recommended forming clans.

The party recruitment meet here today was sponsored by a clan

called the Steps, one of the many renowned clans in the imperial

capital of Zebrudia. Their formal title was First Steps, and they

consisted of many young but well-known parties. Though they hadn’t been around for long, the Steps were extending their influence all

over the capital. Just about every hunter working in Zebrudia knew

that name.

Recruitment was typically done on an as-needed basis, but the Steps

held a regular, large-scale event once a year. Hopeful hunters,

regardless of background, age, or level, could undergo a test from a

Steps party. If you fit their tastes, you would be welcomed as a new

party member.

Of course, members of Steps parties were pretty high-leveled, which

reflected in their tests. As such, very few people passed them, but for

those who were skilled but lacked connections, they were seen as

the chance of a lifetime.

This enthusiasm would be misplaced, though, as hunters of the Steps

were at the very upper crust of the capital’s hunters. Like my old

friends, their talent encroached beyond genius level and into

“ungodly” territory. Nearly everyone who took the test had all their

confidence smashed to smithereens before them.

“Excuse me? The flyer said your level and history doesn’t matter.

Besides, level three is nothing to sneeze at!”

“Hah! Level three is average at best! Do you know how many level

three hunters the Steps are stuck with?!” The goliath hurled abuse at

Rhuda the moment she dared to bare her fangs.

In a way, he was right. Level 3 was nothing more than average. To a

famous party, a level 3 designation was worthless. All of the Steps

members were at least level 3.

Still, Rhuda’s level only reflected her current status. I had mentioned

that 70% of hunters stopped at level 3, but as long as you had the

aptitude, you could keep going up. If she had made it to level 3 going

solo, then joining a party and gaining experience would make it easy

for her to keep climbing.

That was exactly why this clan’s member recruitments didn’t include

a level restriction. No matter how much of a genius you were, you

still started at level 1.

I thought it was an awful thing for him to say, but I kept my lips

sealed. Best not to say anything unnecessary. Even as I watched in

silence, the confrontation between them continued to heat up. I was

far removed from the action at this point.

While the goliath talked smack at Rhuda, he made a show of

touching the sword at his hip. It was a broadsword about a yard long.

Unlike Rhuda’s self-defense dagger, it was made to slay monsters

and phantoms that lurked within treasure vaults.

Overall, Rhuda was out of her league. No way this goliath is lower

than level 3.

“Heh. Wanna settle this once and for all? If it’s a fight you want, then

let’s do it.”

Even so, she was showing no signs of backing down. Her clean-cut

features warped into a wild smirk.

Like the goliath, she brushed a hand against her dagger before

pulling it out and showing it off fondly.

Treasure hunters were, put simply, inhuman. If they got into fights

with common folk, they were always the ones in the wrong. But in

the case of a fight between hunters, the first one to draw their

weapon was the aggressor. That was the reason he hadn’t

unsheathed his sword first despite how incensed he was. The man

was clearly used to picking fights.

Now, even if Rhuda was beaten senseless by this goliath whose name

she didn’t even know, she had no room for mitigation. A court of law

wouldn’t care if he was a higher level than her.

How did I end up having to deal with this? I’m literally just standing

in line.

While I stood there, fed up with both the weather and this argument,

a man exited the building, wearing a white uniform like some sort of

imperial officer. His collar was adorned with a silver mark modeled

after a pair of footprints. This was proof that he was a member of

First Steps. The callous expression on his face, which was marred

with deep scars, mirrored that of the goliath in front of me.

He glared at both the goliath and Rhuda with equal scorn, then

bellowed, “Quit your damn fighting, or take it somewhere else! I’ll

kick you idiots out without even testing you!”

The goliath clicked his tongue and returned his sword to its sheath.

Likewise, Rhuda’s eye twitched in irritation as she put away her

dagger.

Finally, the line shuffled forward, and we made it inside.

The enthusiasm within the building was even more overwhelming

than outside. I caught a few lingering whiffs of alcohol. Was this a

bar? All of the tables were pushed to one side, leaving a wide space

for hopefuls to line up. The air was thick with excitement. When

Rhuda and I were ushered in, her eyes opened wide.

Apparently having forgotten about the commotion outside, she

exclaimed, “Wow! Is everyone here a hunter?”

Several white-uniformed members of First Steps occupied the tables.

When it came to the parties of First Steps, there were all sorts. For

every party composed of several famous hunters, there was a party

in which only the leader had any renown. For every party that sought

brute strength, there was another party that searched for specific

skills. Those who hoped to join one of them were to head to the

table of their chosen party and take the test.

The tests themselves differed from party to party. There were plenty

who gave basic tests like interviews and formal skill examinations,

but some seemed to value inspiration more.

We looked around for a while, but Rhuda was still rooted to the spot,

unable to hide her astonishment.

I could have ignored her, but I felt bad. I decided to ask, “First time?”

“It’s not yours?”

“I think it’s my... fifth?”

“This is your fifth time?! Oh, um, sorry.” For some strange reason,

Rhuda apologized.

“It’s not a big deal. I imagine most people here have tried out more

than once.”

Hunters were essentially in a meritocracy. The talented ones were

scooped up quickly. But that didn’t mean the talentless had no

chance.

Surely there were more people like me, who knew they had no talent

but had come to the capital for the meager chance regardless. That

tenacity could be considered a skill of its own. At least we could find

out for certain.

I kept my distance from the lines forming at each table, staying in the

corner as I observed the situation. It seemed there were more

parties out looking for members than usual.

Though it was a recruitment event for the Steps, that didn’t mean

every single party of theirs came here every time. But today, in a rare

turn of events, every famous party was present. That explained why

the line extended outside.

Rhuda addressed me over-familiarly, “Hey, Krai, can you fill me in a

little? I don’t know a thing about all this.”

“Fine. I guess it can’t hurt to curry favor with a strong hunter.”

After all, she wasn’t going to be a level 3 forever. Assuming she

didn’t die, anyway. Rhuda loosened up a little after my answer.

“You might not know it, but I’ve been in this city a long time. I know

most of the famous hunters, so this should be a good opportunity.”

First off, even though getting into a party was the objective here, you

couldn’t just go with a party at random. Each party was recruiting for

different roles and had different methods. The idea that getting into

one of the best parties secured your future certainly wasn’t wrong,

but it was not unheard of for people to butt heads with their new

parties once recruited.

If the difference in talent between you and the rest of your party was

too great, it would lead to trouble down the line. Rhuda was on the

right track, I’d say, but there were capable hunters from all over the

world here in the capital. Some appeared to be human, but

concealed some other life-form entirely. My friends were like that.

“I don’t know what you can do or even want to do, but since you’re

carrying that dagger, you’re probably suited for things other than

combat.”

I scrutinized her gear once more. Aside from the dagger, she also had

a leather pouch hanging on her hip, small enough to not hinder

movement. She probably had lockpicking tools and the like in there,

too.

Hunters all had their own talents and niches. Typically, when a

lifelong solo hunter joined a party, they picked the easiest one to

enter and joined as an attacker. Before, they would have to have

fought off monsters and phantoms on their own, so they tended to

have high offensive capabilities. However, when it came to things

like trap-disarming, scouting, and lockpicking, they were usually inferior to someone who had specialized in those activities as a

member of a party.

Without a ton of experience, Rhuda would have a rough time trying

to join a party as a Thief, someone who specialized in those activities.

She likely knew as much herself, so there was no reason to point that

out and make her mad.

She waited for me to speak with a serious look on her face, so I

pointed toward the back of the room and continued, “First off,

there’s one major rule in here: the farther back the party is, the

higher their level.”

Much like the levels assigned to hunters, clans and parties also had

levels designated by the Explorers’ Association. Parties in the same

clan could be separated by wide chasms of skill.

I pointed at the big table all the way in the back, where the largest

crowd had gathered. “That’s the strongest party recruiting right now:

Ark Brave. Ever heard of them? The average member is only twenty-

one years old, but they’re the best of the best. They cleared a level

seven treasure vault with only six people.”

The Braves were the most prominent beasts in the stampede that

was the imperial capital. They had such power that you’d think they

were blessed by gods. Their leader was known on the streets as a

full-on hero.

By the way, the White Wolf’s Den was a level 3 treasure vault. The

Association’s designations were pretty vague at times, but a level 3

vault was normally recommended for parties of multiple level 3

hunters. A treasure vault only one level higher was nearly ten times

harder, so for Ark Brave to have cleared a level 7 vault, there was a

world of difference between them and her.

“If you can get into that party, your success is all but guaranteed. If

not... Well, even just receiving a bit of praise from one of their

members is enough to get other parties fighting over you.”

Solo or not, experienced or not, she must have known their names

by now.

Even Rhuda, in all her bravado, was getting intimidated by this. She

whispered, “Just asking, but... do you think I have a chance?”

“Depends on you. I mean, as far as I know, Ark Brave has never

actually recruited anybody during this kind of event.”

They were a top-class name even in the capital. Young hunters would

try to get in time and time again. Their party composition was

already solidified, so the people crowding around their table

probably didn’t actually expect to get in. They just wanted to see the

faces of the party members or maybe make tentative connections

with them.

Rhuda stared at the crowd and sighed deeply, without even

bothering to complain. The moment she’d heard “level seven,” she’d

likely assumed it was out of her reach.

I continued to introduce her to the other parties. All of them had

names that you would’ve heard after being in the capital for a few

months. Rhuda didn’t know them because she had worked solo all

this time, but if she’d cared to search for this information, she

would’ve found it easily. Rather, the fact that she didn’t know just

proved she was a newbie.

I pointed at each one and gave an explanation. Not that I knew every

single party myself, but there were rare parties here who had never

shown up in previous years. Almost all of the Steps seemed to be

participating in this recruitment event. Once I was finished, I let out a

sigh.

After my long lecture, Rhuda said somewhat exasperatedly, “You

sure know a lot. I’m getting tired just listening.”

“All of this is common knowledge.”

“I dunno if it’s okay to ask, but who are you looking to join?”

“Join? Hm... None, I guess? I can’t really do anything.”

I didn’t have a field of expertise. One couldn’t even call me an all-

rounder; I truly had no skills whatsoever. A master of none, except

worse—no courage, and no power to boot. The little passion I’d had

back when I thought I was worth something had long since been

extinguished.

Needless to say, being a hunter was dangerous work. Some

estimates claimed that 70% of hunters died in treasure vaults. I just

didn’t have it in me to take that risk. I had used my lack of talent as

an excuse, but maybe that was my biggest problem. It made me

want to vomit.

“I see. Well, if you want, maybe we could form a party?” she

suggested cheerfully.

Rhuda was probably serious. My heart tightened, and it became

difficult to breathe. Among bad guys, she was a good person. She

couldn’t possibly have been joking. But the thought of me dragging

her down was unbearably painful.

“Thanks for the offer, but I don’t need pity. You should find a party

suited to your strengths and make your future as bright as it can be.”

“Oh, okay.”

I gripped the silver chains hanging beneath my belt. The cool

sensation helped calm my pounding heart a little.

Suddenly, Rhuda changed the subject. “Huh? Hey, what about that

empty table over there? Why didn’t they put that one away?” She pointed over and over at the large, empty table behind Arc Brave’s

recruitment zone.

“Wow. You two really didn’t do your homework, huh?”

“Whoa!”

The goliath she’d argued with earlier was now approaching. His face

was red, as if the heat was getting to him. His developed biceps and

riveted, rough-looking armor seemed even more dangerous in the

light. Apparently, he’d found success, as he was in a much better

mood than before.

Her parade thoroughly rained on, Rhuda frowned and glared at him.

“What do you want from us? Don’t think I won’t get mad again.”

“Don’t be so mean, kid. Allow the Great Greg, a real hunter, to show

ya the ropes.”

The Great Greg? Never heard of him. But I only knew the names of

the real best of the best, the highest-up hunters who anyone savvy

to the industry would know. There were plenty of tough guys I didn’t

know. It was entirely possible that he was just about to get famous.

“That table’s for the party that founded First Steps along with Ark

Brave. Looks like they ain’t comin’ today, though.”

“The party that... founded them?” Rhuda blinked.

The Great Greg lowered his voice, as if he was telling us a carefully

guarded secret. “First Steps is always lookin’ for members, but today,

they’re out in full force. They’ve even got the Braves here after they

wrecked that level seven vault. The Crosses and Starlights are here,

too, and they never go recruitin’. And look... they’ve even got guys

with the Steps mark crawlin’ around, and they ain’t in any parties.”

He glanced furtively at an unpleasant-looking man who was standing

by the wall with his arms crossed. The man wasn’t wearing the same

uniform as the hunters who were recruiting. But on closer inspection, his collar, sleeves, and other inconspicuous spots had

buttons and other accoutrements bearing the First Steps emblem. As

a general rule, the clan members had to wear the symbol

somewhere that stood out.

“Ain’t much point in all these Steps comin’ if they’re not recruitin’,

yeah? There’s gotta be a reason.”

I had to interject to his conspiracy-laden talk. The Great Greg had

clearly done his homework, but I knew a little more.

“Those are solo members who belong to First Steps.”

“Huh?! Can you join a clan going solo?”

“The minimum party size is one. You need a party to apply to the

clan, but if you fill out the application as a one-man party, you can

get in. Though you need to be really strong.”

If I had to say, Rhuda had either pushed herself to her limits or just

had a bit of talent and luck on her side.

Turning my attention away from the man, I pointed at a bored-

looking girl who was wandering around near the empty table.

She wore tight, black leather fighting gear. Along with her black bob

and the dagger hanging from her belt, her ensemble emphasized

ease of movement from top to bottom. The girl was probably

younger than Rhuda.

“That’s Tino Shade. She’s a level four, and she works solo for First

Steps. I’d say she’s one of the more famous ones.”

“That little girl? Really?”

“Careful what you say. Her age and appearance belie a very short

temper.”

Tino was a Thief, like Rhuda, but more advanced. I figured she could

probably make it through the White Wolf’s Den alone. She was just

one beast among the Steps.

The Great Greg finally turned his attention to me, his eyes alight with

interest. “You don’t look like much of a hunter, but you sure know

your stuff.”

“Information-gathering is important. Besides, she happens to be

the... pupil of someone I know.” I tugged on my hood to cover even

more of my face.

To be more specific, she was the pupil of a friend. In other words, my

friends were apex beasts. Crazy, right?

“Someone you know?” Rhuda echoed, curious.

“I dunno why she’s here when she flies solo, though.”

Maybe she got tired of working alone and came here to find a new

party. People inside the clan can be recruited too, after all. Though I

imagine she could just join a party without bothering to come here.

Seeing my quizzical look, the Great Greg crossed his arms haughtily.

“That’s it. Now we’re gettin’ to the meat of things. See, there’s this

rumor goin’ around about why they’re here. Today, one of the two

parties that founded First Steps is here. A party who ain’t scouted

anybody in who knows how long.”

He paused, his eyes betraying dark excitement. The tone of his voice

made it sound like he was telling a spooky story. Then, he leaned in

and said, “For the first time in years, the Grievers are lookin’ for

members.”

Shock ran through my body when I heard the name. It felt as if this

place alone had been cut off from the rest of the world.

Not noticing my current state, the Great Greg’s lips warped into a

grin. “The Grievers are the cream of the crop. Without this once-in-a lifetime chance, none of us would ever even see ’em, let alone get

picked up by ’em. Bet they’re tryna make an appearance if all goes

well.”

His excitement was palpable. The sheer passion radiating from his

speech had shocked Rhuda into wide-eyed silence.

The Grievers. My stomach churned. That was the nickname of the

party I had formed with my friends when we left the countryside and

came here to the capital. Commanding a team of five beasts, the

party had risen to prominence in no time. At this point, they and Ark

Brave made up the two strongest young parties in the capital.

Its formal name? Grieving Souls.

I realized my throat was dry. The nerves caused me to sweat all over.

Don’t say that name, I wanted to beg, but it would be too strange to

say that now. I retreated even deeper into my hood, trying to hide

myself as much as possible.

“What’s wrong? Are you sick?” Rhuda asked, concerned, as I shrank

down and quivered.

I wanted to vomit.

“Guess it’s all fake, though. Here I was, gettin’ all excited since it

sounded so juicy.” The Great Greg shrugged.

Every member of First Steps was high-leveled, not just Ark Brave and

Grieving Souls. Even the Great Greg, in all his short-temperedness,

wouldn’t complain just because he failed to get into one party.

However, there was one person who did complain. “Hey, what’s the

damn holdup?! Where’re the Grievers?!”

All eyes gathered on him at once.

It was a boy with flaming-red hair. On his back was a greatsword so

massive that no normal human could have swung it. Though he was short, one could tell that his body was toned and muscular even

through his clothes.

To reiterate, a hunter’s strength was often linked to his short-

temperedness. He had the nerve to say what everyone else,

including the Great Greg, would not. His eyes were certain of victory

against all others present, and that conviction was likely backed up

by real strength. He was clearly younger than me, but it would be

dangerous to just call him uppity and leave it at that.

Furthermore, the greatsword slung across his back gleamed in a way

that no man-made object did. It was something found in a treasure

vault—a special item called a Relic.

“I don’t want the small fry. You guys said the best of the best were

gonna be here, so I came all this way!” He continued his potty-

mouthed tirade, not looking for anyone to agree with him.

“Kid’s got a temper. He ain’t tryna make an enemy of everyone here,

is he?” the Great Greg muttered as he watched with curiosity. He

had the air of a ruffian, but it seemed he had gained some good

sense in his years.

To treasure hunters, connections were vital. Rumors could spread in

the blink of an eye if someone caused trouble. No matter how strong

you were, that could spell the end of your career. This guy probably

hadn’t cared up until now, but everyone here liked the Steps, and

everyone here was strong. Many even had Relics like him.

There were no signs of anyone trying to stop him, however. He

probably wasn’t the only one who was feeling fed up. Others looked

on calmly, as though they were watching a farce.

The boy shot threatening glares at the Steps at every table, his eyes

smoldering with rage. Most of them decided to ignore him, though.

Nobody was more used to being treated rudely than top-tier

hunters.

Apparently even more incensed, the boy screamed louder, like an

angry beast. “I’m gonna be the strongest hunter out there, and I’m

already level four! I thought I was gonna get to meet the best of the

best in the capital, but I don’t see shit! Man, I’m so over this!”

Wow, he actually said it. This guy’s either going to be a big deal or

big dead.

He looked to be in his teens. Level 4 was good for his age, to be sure.

His boundless confidence and outright arrogance weren’t so

praiseworthy, but you know what they say: winners write the history

books. That was just how this industry worked.

Rhuda twitched ever so slightly, apparently shocked that this idiot’s

level was higher than hers. It was okay, though; there was still a

possibility that he had leveled up in a party.

As he continued to stamp his feet and kick up a fuss, a Steps member

finally approached him. It was one of the people he had glared at,

someone who wasn’t part of the recruiting parties: Tino Shade, the

girl who had been hanging around in the corner.

She stepped over to him casually, looking at him with a glare that

would send shivers down any man’s spine.

“What do you want?”

“You’re too uppity. We don’t want you here.”

This is getting bad, I thought to myself.

Her tone was flat and icy. She was clearly enraged. This was pretty

typical of her; Grieving Souls was the party Tino’s mentor belonged

to, after all.

The members of First Steps who had stayed calm despite the boy’s

glares now nervously hurried to break them up.

“Wait, Tino! We’re here to recruit people, not get into fights!”

“One strike, and he’ll be down. That’s what my dear Lizzy would do.

I’m the one who’s getting into Grieving Souls. She promised me I

could join when I got stronger.”

She was boldly facing him at point-blank range despite his

intimidating greatsword. Her short temper was much the same as

the boy’s.

While Tino seemed ready to pounce on him at any time, the other

Steps tried to soothe her. I wondered who would become the guilty

party in the next few moments.

“Just let the idiot be! We’re wasting time. Remember, we were told

to do this as peacefully as possible! You’re gonna get us in trouble,

too!”

“Who’re you calling an idiot? I’ll kill you, bro!”

“You, idiot! Go off and die somewhere so we can do our jobs,

a’ight?!”

Now even the Steps were stooping to this kid’s level. Top-tier clan or

not, the same brand of people were in it. These beasts were all

salivating over the opportunity to show off their strength.

The commotion grew as everyone continued to pour fuel on the fire.

At least there wasn’t anything breakable around; people could start

pulling out weapons any moment now. Once that happened, there

was no stopping it until someone died or everyone’s bloodlust was

sated.

A fight between treasure hunters was a calamity.

Thankfully, no common folk would get caught up in it, but if Relics

started coming out—which at least a few hunters were sure to

have—this building and the neighboring ones could easily be

obliterated.

“Yeah, get ’em! Show us what the Steps are made of!” the Great

Greg egged them on.

Following his lead, several others did the same. Incredibly, some of

them were even Steps themselves. This was clearly getting out of

hand.

As Rhuda watched, dumbfounded, I tugged on her sleeve and

whispered, “Rhuda, we should give up and get out of here. Once the

fight starts, it’s not going to stop. And if we get caught up in it, we’re

dead.”

Hunters couldn’t stand being insulted. When attacked, they would

always fight back. When counterattacked, they would fight even

harder. It was a negative feedback loop. Even if it was just an

accident, they wouldn’t let the attacker get away. It would never end

until there was only one man standing.

Tino shrugged and tapped the tips of her feet. I knew this move; she

was about to kick his head off.

A well-trained hunter’s kick could easily cave the ground in or

destroy walls. Phantoms—guardians of treasure vaults that even

heavy weapon fire couldn’t hurt—would be crushed by just one of

her kicks.

“Huh? Wait!”

“If nothing else, I know when things are getting dangerous. Now let’s

go before the fight starts.”

“But I still wanna find a party!”

It was hopeless. Even her brain had become pure muscle. Your life’s

more important than a party! That was how I’d survived these past

five years. Rhuda had clearly never seen an argument between high-

level hunters.

I really shouldn’t have come here. Intense regret clawed at my brain.

Teary-eyed, I started to plead. “I know, but I’ll help you search! I’ll

help you out, really! But your life is more important.”

“Huh? Um, okay, I get it.”

The heat of passion in the room continued to grow. In fact, the

teen’s sword was now literally on fire.

Crimson flames enveloped the sword without spreading, lighting up

Tino’s cold expression. Many Relics had incredible powers like this.

We crept along the walls toward the exit, hoping to stay out of sight.

It felt pitiful, but it was the safest option. I heard the exchange

intensifying behind me.

“Think after killing. Lizzy taught me that.”

“Tch. All right, princess. Bring it on. But I ain’t gonna take it easy on

you!”

“Are you underestimating me? Hm? If you wanna fight, let’s take it

outside!”

If they clashed outside, the empire’s knights would be sure to come,

especially considering society was becoming more sensitive to

treasure hunters and their behavior. If they hurt any common folk,

they were done for.

The third-party jeering continued. I didn’t want to think about it, but

those were the voices of Steps. It was all too chaotic.

“Yeah, do it! Ready, set, fight!”

“Hey, stop egging them on!”

Screaming voices, coarse jeering and whistles, uproar. Behind us as

we exited, someone gave a signal for them to fight. I dropped to my

knees, crawling out like a maggot.

Just before I could make it out and finally escape this danger zone, a

gust tore across the room. The gale, rich with hot air from the hunters, blew me off balance and knocked me onto my behind,

throwing my hood off.

Rhuda yelped as a shadow loomed over me. My heart pounded like a

drum as I slowly looked up.

Then, Rhuda muttered weakly, “When did you...?”

Eyes like translucent black diamonds looked down at me. They

belonged to Tino, who was supposed to be fighting that teenager.

Her cleanly divided bangs swayed after a moment. Her bare, supple

legs were right before my eyes. The rage on her face was now

replaced with a vacant look.

Rhuda gulped. “Um, what’s happening?”

Tino didn’t bother to answer her, instead asking me in a quivering

voice, “M-Master, what are you doing? How long have you been

here?”

Ugh. I think I’m gonna vomit.

               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let’s talk about how the dream began.

Having entered adulthood at age fifteen, the six of us, including me,

had tested our skills in a few treasure vaults appraised at level 1.

Treasure vaults were given ranks based on their location, the

difficulty of their gimmicks, and the threats and treasure within.

Level 1 vaults were easy ones for newbie hunters to try out. They

had proved to be no match for us, hunters who’d undergone intense

training for years with boundless passion.

We’d cleared them faster than all the other newbie groups, feeling

that we had a great future ahead of us as treasure hunters. But at

the same time, I had been fully aware that I was one or two leagues

below the rest.

Honestly, I’d always had a vague understanding of it while we were

training, but having the fact so thoroughly shoved in my face had felt

like being dragged down to hell.

The difference in our strength hadn’t seemed too bad at the time,

but in a few years, I wouldn’t even be able to join their hunts. They

were geniuses, whereas I wasn’t even average if you were being

generous.

I had been—and still was—just an extreme hindrance.

One day in particular, I had finally and truly understood that we were

not equals. We were the same age and had grown up in the same

environment, but I was nothing compared to them. Some of them

had tons of mana, and others were impeccably strong.

Even my sister had an aptitude for magic, while I had nothing. Can

you imagine how frustrating that was for me? Though she wasn’t my

blood sister, I suppose; we just considered each other as such.

As childhood friends, we were like family. Even before we had

decided to become hunters, our group had always stuck together.

We occasionally disagreed and even fought, but we had made it this

far. My hometown was small, so we had all practically been raised

together.

Anyway, the difference in power was palpable even to me, the

weakest of the bunch. Everyone else probably figured I was just a

late bloomer. Yet the fact that nobody ever mentioned it only

showed how kind they were.

On the night of our first-ever treasure vault raid, during my first-ever

stay in lodging away from home, I cried and cried and cried into my

pillow. The next day, I decided to give up on it all.

Treasure vaults begat both riches and danger. Mana material, the

building blocks of treasure vaults, gathered together to create the vault and treasure within, simultaneously birthing the phantoms that

would oppose any hunters who dared enter.

I had felt that if I continued being a hunter, I would surely one day

drag my party down to the point of endangering them. There

wouldn’t be any problem with them abandoning me to die the

moment I messed everything up—beyond the obvious, of course—

but my friends wouldn’t choose that. And I didn’t want to die,

anyway.

It had been sad to give up on my dream, but it was better than

endangering my friends. My adventure came to an end at a treasure

vault meant for newbies, but that also became the seed that would

sprout into new stories. After all, once my friends became first-rate

hunters, I could boast that I had once been part of their group.

The following day, I had gathered everyone in my room at the inn

and explained to them the gist of why I was giving up. I’d already

shed all of my tears the night before, so I had been dry-eyed during

this speech.

Once I had told them everything, the first to speak had been Luke

Sykol, the one who’d initially pitched the idea of us being treasure

hunters. Eventually, he would apprentice with the Sword Saint and

later be known as the Protean Sword. He was just as serious as I was.

“I did a lot of thinking last night too, actually. You don’t have a role,

do you, Krai? You should be our leader.”

“Uh, were you even listening?”

That had been the beginning and the end of it all.

Their genius had far exceeded my expectations. The levels of

treasure vaults we raided had grown higher and higher. In under a

year, it had become clear that I’d never be able to catch up to them.

Still, they had called me their leader—because, simply put, they were

stupid.

Stupid, yes, but the strongest out there. My passion had quickly been

engulfed and replaced by a fear of death, to the point where I alone

couldn’t handle it. From then on, I had just wanted to quit being a

hunter right away. Even so, I had been their leader.

And now, after many years of going with the flow, I continued to lead

these beasts as they grew and grew.

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“That guy’s a member of the Grievers?! He looks weak as heck. He

was just shakin’ in his boots!”

“Where was he all this time? People were about to fight.”

“Ain’t that the guy who was standing behind me in line?”

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

I brought this upon myself, really. If I were them, I would do the

same, I thought miserably.

I slumped over on the Grieving Souls’ table and vacantly looked

around. My friends didn’t come to events like this, so I had this big

table all to myself. In fact, the other members of Grieving Souls were

all out of town, taking treasure vaults left and right. Even if they had

been in town, I couldn’t have dragged them here.

All eyes in the room were on me, but nobody dared approach.

They just gawked at me like I had two heads. What did I do wrong? All

I did was oversleep a little and get here late! Then I felt bad, so I tried

to go home! Nobody would care if I wasn’t here, dammit!

“So, this is solitude,” I joked with a self-deprecating smile.

Sharp pain ran through my stomach. No doubt I was the weakest

person in this building full of hunters. Trying to escape that fight

hadn’t been a joke or anything, either. I was seriously scared! How would all of these people, now looking at me dubiously, react if

they knew that I wasn’t just a member of the Grievers, but their

leader?

After pulling me over to the table, Tino puffed out her cheeks in

irritation and tried to stop their gossip. She had a dangerous look in

her eye.

“Don’t worry, Master. I know your greatness best of all.”

“You’re the reason I’m stuck here, languishing in dismay.”

Tino Shade was studying under one of my childhood friends, Liz

Smart—the Stifled Shadow and genocidal beast whose hands could

reach her mark faster than words. Back when we had first arrived in

the capital, Liz had taken a liking to Tino and picked her up as an

apprentice. Years later, I had gathered Ark Brave and some other

parties to create the clan First Step. Even then, Tino had been with

me.

She loved Liz like a sister, and likewise, she revered me as a leader.

Though she wasn’t a member of our party, she was sort of like the

mascot of Grieving Souls. Though she was enough of a beast that it

felt strange to call her that.

Incidentally, the reason she called me “Master” was because I was

both the leader of Grieving Souls and the clan master of First Steps.

In a way, I had a throne at the top of a heap of beasts. At the clan

formation meeting, I had just gone with the flow and somehow

ended up as the leader of that, too. Just remembering it made me

want to vomit.

“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be on the hunt?”

Tino clutched her arms to her chest and shrank down, looking up at

me with pleading eyes. Her flattery and short temper were but two

symptoms of her mentor’s bad influence.

“But you said that Grieving Souls was... looking for party members

today.”

“I didn’t say that. I just said I’d stop by.”

And that was just because my second-in-command had gotten all

mad at me and made me come because “blah, blah, it’s your own

event” and all that. Every other year, I came in disguise, though.

Leaving that aside, I thought it was strange that people got this

worked up over a vague rumor. Hunters were truly

incomprehensible.

But if it had caused so many people to gather, maybe we ought to

spread the rumor ourselves next time. There were plenty of parties

here other than Grieving Souls who were looking for promising new

members, too.

I’m never coming again. Not next time, and not the time after that.

Everyone, stop fighting and just be nice, please?

Everyone was so shaken by my dramatic entrance that they couldn’t

bring themselves to come forth. Thus, I took the opportunity to chat

with Tino instead. Meanwhile, however, a handsome man

approached from the next table over. The people surrounding him at

a distance cleared a path for him as he came.

It was the man I’d made this clan with, the one who looked best in

this white uniform, which we’d made as an homage to the imperial

army. He had messy blond hair and affable blue eyes. Born and

raised in the empire and no doubt one of the strongest hunters in it,

he was a brave hero and the leader of Ark Brave.

As one of only five level 7 hunters in the capital, he had earned his

own title: the Argent Thunderclap. Ark Rodin was his real name.

He was a bit of a creep, in my opinion. He’d formed a party with a

bunch of cute girls, acting as a rival to me and my group of friends.

The thing that really got on my nerves, though, was that he was

stupid strong without being haughty. In fact, he was a pretty good

guy. The fact that this got on my nerves made my mean-spiritedness

all too clear, pissing me off even more. Another negative feedback

loop.

“Krai, you’re late. What happened?”

“Nothing much. Just slept in a little.”

“Ahahaha! You and your jokes.”

I wasn’t kidding, but he laughed nonetheless.

“Stay away from him. You’ll infect him with your frivolity.”

“Ahahaha!”

Tino tried threatening him, but it must have really hit his funny bone

because he started laughing even harder, banging the table as he did

so. It was kind of terrifying. While it didn’t matter much this time

because it was between friends, Tino really had to stop snapping at

everyone. Someone messed up teaching her manners.

I ought to at least try to play it up for the crowd. “Well, you know

me. I was so excited for today that I couldn’t get to sleep.”

I was so very uneasy that I hadn’t been able to sleep until dawn. That

was why I’d overslept. If my second-in-command weren’t so afraid to

show her face in front of all of these short-tempered beasties, I

would never have come. Despite being clan master, I was at the

bottom of the ladder here.

“Hmm. So you watched from the shadows to see how things

developed. Well, that’s just unfair. The rules say you have to wear

the uniform too, you know.”

“Listen to me, will you? I said I overslept.”

I hadn’t had any time to get ready.

Ark narrowed his eyes and looked me up and down. Handsome

genius or not, he was a hunter. Occasionally, he didn’t listen carefully

enough. Hunters, as a rule, didn’t listen.

I wasn’t “seeing how things developed.” Other parties’ recruits were

none of my business, and I didn’t need new party members. I was

only here for show, and nothing more.

“This man is just rude. Let’s kick him out of the clan.”

“Ahahahaha! Tino, you’re always such a riot!”

“I wish everyone were as tolerant as you, Ark.”

If Ark had been like the Great Greg, or that guy who was arguing with

Tino before, we’d have had three fights on our hands by now. He

extended his hand to ruffle Tino’s hair, but she evaded him. This was a bold move against a little beast like her. He could try to pet her, but

she wouldn’t hesitate to bite.

I rarely went out since I didn’t want to associate with people. When I

did, I made sure to wear a disguise. Ark was probably the most easily

recognizable out of the three of us.

The crowd of hunters watched, but they were afraid of getting on

Ark’s bad side, so none of them seemed ready to interject. I would

have been delighted if he sat here and talked until the recruiting

meet was over.

“So, find any potential members?”

My question prompted all eyes to gather on Ark. Even now, the

Braves were continuing to scout for hopefuls who would join their

party. If he dropped any names now, they’d become part of his party

in seconds, provided they said yes. Even if they said no, a

recommendation from someone as famous as him would’ve been

enough to get them into any party they wanted.

Ark knitted his brow in thought. After some hemming and hawing, he

shook his head. “Honestly, I’m undecided. There are some promising

candidates, but I’m unsure if they’ll be able to keep up at the

treasure vaults we raid.”

I opened my eyes in surprise. But of course. Beasts are born in the

midst of beasts.

A hunter’s strength was proportional to the amount of vaults they

had successfully raided. It wasn’t easy to find people who could

immediately be useful in the raids the Braves went on, as they

continuously challenged more and more difficult vaults. Anyone that

strong would already be participating with their own clan. This was a

place for finding people with promising futures.

I felt bad for all of the people who had been thrown before this

impossibly high hurdle.

Ark’s eyes shone brightly as he asked, in his calm voice, “And you?

Any potential members?”

I wouldn’t know. I haven’t been looking. I picked my head up and

scanned the room. All the hunters in my line of sight seemed tense

and wary.

I made eye contact with Rhuda, who looked very uncomfortable as

she stood next to the wall. The Great Greg was in wide-eyed shock as

well. The redheaded boy who’d picked a fight with everyone here

bared his fangs at me as a Steps member pinioned his arms behind

his back. When I looked at Tino, her shoulders jumped just a bit. All

this attention made me want to vomit.

“Pfft. We’ve got enough people. But if I said I saw some, would you

take them in?”

I’d said it jokingly, but Ark closed his eyes for a while and thought

about it. “Sure. I think I can trust you.”

His words sent the crowd into an uproar. Even if they were in the

same clan, what hunter would let another party leader choose their

own party’s members? Especially not such a young, super-promising

party that could vie for first in all the capital.

One of his party members, a female Magus, addressed him in a

panic. “What the heck, Ark?!”

I sat up straight, crossed my arms, and reclined with one leg crossed

over the other. A grin crawled onto my face. “Heh, interesting. And

you’ll take anyone I choose?”

“Just one, yes. We don’t have the resources to train too many at

once.” Ark gulped. He really was a tolerant guy.

But I get to recommend someone, eh? Interesting. Ark comes up

with some really fun ideas.

This was a good chance. It was sure to stir up conversation, then the

next recruiting meet would draw in even more hunters. We’d have

to rent a bigger venue.

The problem, though, was that I didn’t have a good eye for this stuff.

All I saw was trash that might have talent, trash that just happened

to have hunting experience, and trash that was strong but way too

uppity. I couldn’t exactly recommend anyone from this lineup for the

Braves, and I was no good at drawing out people’s hidden potential.

He said he’d take anyone, but if I just picked someone at random,

this could cause conflict between us. The quickest way to do this

would be to recommend a solo hunter from our own clan. Their

accomplishments would speak for themselves.

I happened to make eye contact with Tino. She fidgeted and blushed

as she told me, “Um, it’s a wonderful gesture and an honor that you

would choose me, but I’ve already resolved to follow you. I won’t

join this fake pretty boy’s party. Please, choose someone else.”

“Man, I’d better make sure Liz isn’t doing more harm than good,” I

muttered.

My friends and Ark Brave were long-standing rivals. We were very

uncompromising, unlike the tolerant Ark himself. He wasn’t fake,

either; he was a real-deal pretty boy.

I looked around again to see if I could find anyone good, but no one

really stood out. Maybe the best course of action would be to smirk

like a badass and say “nobody here.”

Still, the way these beasts were looking at me so seriously was kind

of funny, so I decided to play along. Though my motivation as a

hunter had left me long ago, my current goal was to appear like a

really cool, tough guy.

Plastering on a thoughtful expression, I spoke. “Hmm, let’s see. I

guess there is someone, but the thing is, I kinda want them when the

time comes.”

“Dude!” came a voice full of rage. The boy restrained by the Steps

had forced himself out of their grasp and jabbed his finger in my

direction. Indeed, as a level 4, he certainly had strength to match. “If

you wanna apologize, then I guess I could join your stupid little

party!” he shouted, out of breath. This guy was bold.

To Ark, even level 4 hunters probably looked to be little more than

common folk, but I was a different story.

“Don’t you have a party?” I asked.

“That doesn’t mean nothin’!”

It does, though.

I put a hand on my chin and scrutinized the boy. He was daring

enough, and he likely had talent. With some discipline, Ark could fix

his attitude. Instead of being a jack-of-all-trades, he seemed more

specialized, which would take him even further.

If I let him into Grieving Souls, the existing members would rip him to

shreds before long. But this was for the Braves, and I didn’t really

care how much effort Ark needed to put in for him.

I clapped my hands once and smiled at the boy. “What’s your name,

son?”

“Tch... Gilbert Bush. Gilbert of the Purgatorial Sword!” Li’l Gilbert

yelled, just barely containing his rage.

Presumably, “the Purgatorial Sword” referred to his greatsword

Relic. It probably wasn’t a proper title; only a handful of hunters in

the capital had real ones.

Ark looked at Li’l Gilbert, his face serious. Whether Ark had a good

eye or not, this kid probably just looked like a brat.

I clapped my hands again before looking up at him. “Very well,

Gilbert. I’ll recommend you to Ark, on one condition.”

“What? What condition?!”

I wasn’t much of a judge. Rhuda just looked like slightly talented

trash to me, while the Great Greg was just funny trash, and Gilbert

appeared to be haughty trash. But that wasn’t much of an appraisal.

If I couldn’t judge them, then no matter what I picked, the result was

down to luck.

“My condition is... that you don’t fail. After all, wouldn’t you say

victory is the most important part of being a hunter?”

He listened to me, one eyebrow raised. Actually, everyone in the clan

was listening to me attentively. Don’t worry, guys, I’m outright

bullshitting. Urp, I can feel my last meal coming back up.

“Without that power, one day, you’ll endanger your allies. So show

us that you have the power to prevail. Oh, and by the way? Ever

since I became a hunter, I haven’t lost even once.”

“What?!”

That was because I’d never fought, though. Yes, not even once.

I used any means at my disposal to escape all combat. Sometimes, I

used my allies as a shield. Other times, I used authority or even

wealth.

So in this battle, too, I would do just that.

I removed the gold ring encircling my left pinkie and tossed it at Li’l

Gilbert.

It was a Shooting Ring. A very common piece of equipment, but it

was an item from a treasure vault. Though it didn’t contain much

power, it fetched quite a hefty price. He caught it in his right hand

and scowled at it.

I grinned at him and called out for all to hear, “Now, I declare to all

those who are present! I plan to recommend this man as a candidate

for Ark Brave. But if any of you can defeat him and steal this ring

away, then you will be the one whose name I put forth. By the way,

that ring isn’t much, but is still a Relic. Whether you want the

recommendation or not, whoever steals that ring gets to keep it.

Good luck!”

Ark whistled, wide-eyed.

Tino, having caught on to the situation quickly, closed in on Li’l

Gilbert and kicked him right in the face.

My grin stiffening, I quietly stood up in hopes of going unnoticed.

Time to run.