“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.
This is a tale of heroes.
It takes place during the golden age of heroes, when people all over the world searched for wealth, fame, power, and most of all, glory.
This is the tale of my friends, who aimed for the top with all their legendary talent, the clans who pursued the same goal, and one solitary man, a true grieving soul himself, who watched it all from the sidelines.
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