Chapter One: The Mighty and the Mighty
In a corner of the capital, Arnold Hail and his party mates gathered in a room of an inn catering to hunters.
Five to six members was generally considered the right size for a typical party, but Falling Fog was a party of eight men, with five vanguards and three in the rear. Most of them had been attracted by Arnold’s reputation.
Their homeland, Nebulanubes, the Land of Fogs, had an environment far more treacherous than Zebrudia’s. The rainy season dominated most of the year there, and there were only a handful of clear days throughout. In the thick, ever-present fog, evil abounded, and even within the city, one couldn’t feel completely safe due to the lurking monsters that sneaked in under the cover of fog. Compared to their homeland, the capital of Zebrudia was like paradise.
“Dammit. That girl treated Arnold as if he was some country bumpkin. The Dragon Slayer and moniker-bearer has arrived, but she showed not a shred of respect!” said one of the members as he agitatedly slammed the table.
What came to their minds was likely the girl who’d sat behind the reception desk of the Explorers’ Association. As one would expect from the famous capital, indeed, she was a bright lady with a remarkably well-featured face. Based on that alone, the Land of Fogs simply just couldn’t compare up to the capital.
Yet, as much as she’d worn an affable expression, her words had lacked the respect and reverence one would expect towards high-level hunters. Had she been unaware of Arnold’s achievements, that could still have been understandable, but she’d known Arnold’s name even before they’d mentioned it. It’d been clear that she’d just taken them lightly.
“Well, that’s how it goes; we’re strangers after all,” said Eigh, Arnold’s henchman and vice leader of Falling Fog, calmly. “What. We’ll just shut her up with our skills soon enough. Seeing her face distort in astonishment will be satisfying.”
In this era, considered the heyday of treasure hunters, word about high-level hunters spread swiftly. While the arrival of high-level hunters was seen as an opportunity for cities to strengthen their forces, it’d mean the turf of existing hunters would be disturbed. By now, the sensible hunters must’ve learned of Arnold’s arrival and were on the lookout.
Arnold’s party had two choices before them: they could recognize their status as newcomers and submit to those weaker than them, or they could silence them with their own strength. But in reality, there might as well be no choice. To know their places and bow down to the inferior would be an act of the weak, and that was not something a hero like Arnold the Dragon Slayer would do. Therefore, there was only one path—to muzzle the competition by force and demonstrate their valor through their prowess. After all, this was the simplest and most favored option to the hunters, who were largely hot-blooded and meritocratic. And indeed, that had been Arnold’s purpose in coming into this capital city—to acquire even greater power and to win even greater renown.
Arnold was a Level 7 hunter with a moniker, and some hunters might’ve lacked the resolve to face him based on that alone. But that was fine. Arnold had no interest in the weak. The adversaries he sought to devour were the strong of the capital. He had to make it known to the hunters of the capital, as soon as possible, that the hero of Nebulanubes was worthy to be known as a hero—no mere country bumpkin—also in Zebrudia.
“But, Arnold, this capital truly lives up to its reputation as the holy land of treasure hunters. There is an abundance of both treasure vaults and hunters with monikers here, unlike in the Land of Fogs,” said Eigh with a somewhat sly smile, placing the list of treasure vaults and the list of high-level hunters with monikers residing in this city they’d received at the Explorers’ Association on the table.
Although the Land of Fogs’s environment was cruel, and the monsters appearing there were troublesome, the number of treasure vaults in the vicinity was scarce. The quality of hunters in a region was directly proportional to the number of treasure vaults it held.
“The Abyssal Inferno, the Argent Thunderstorm... This is the all-star lineup of famous moniker-bearers. And there also are names I haven’t heard. This is better than what I’ve imagined.” With that, a deep smile crept onto Arnold’s face.
Among these hunters may be warriors who could rival Arnold, who’d reigned supreme in the Land of Fogs. Engaging in life-or-death duels with formidable opponents was exactly what stirred Arnold’s soul.
“Looks like we’re gonna have some fun.”
“Where should we start? I mean, we might need to gather some information about this capital first,” said the dependable henchman, sporting a toothy grin reminiscent of a wild beast.
“We stand as newcomers on this land, and we shall unleash our wild spirits and make a resounding entrance. Such is the way of the hunters, for it is through flaunting our valor that we etch our names in their memories. Let us show the hunters of this land our true might. Oh, what sweet anticipation I hold for witnessing the expression on that receptionist girl’s face when our paths converge once more!”
***
Things hadn’t been going my way lately.
One’s fortune ebbed and flowed. When they rode the wave, everything they did seemed to sail smoothly, but when the tide turned, even the smallest turns led to dire consequences.
The pressing matter at hand right now was the recharging of my Relics. The truth was I’d originally planned to wait for Lucia, who’d always recharged them for me, to return. However, if Luke had started training deep within the treasure vault, it’d be a while before she’d come back.
Most of my Relics were now out of mana, and even half of my protective Safety Rings were depleted. My barely remaining trump card was the one Relic Lucia had infused with magic. But unlike the Safety Rings, it couldn’t be used for self-defense.
I couldn’t afford to keep idling around, waiting to be toyed to death by the Malice Eater—such a fate would be too pathetic even for me. But the problem remained: how should I go about having over five hundred Relics recharged for me?
The task of recharging Relics, in fact, would pose a significant burden for hunters. These powerful artifacts demanded immense amounts of mana, commensurate with their level of power. An average hunter could typically handle charging only one or two Relics, while even the most proficient Magi with deep mana reservoirs would find themselves reaching their limit after charging just five or six.
People who depleted their mana would be struck with an overwhelming exhaustion so intense that could even render them unable to stand. Worse yet, if they weren’t used to the process, they may even lose consciousness on the spot—as a consequence, mana depletion within treasure vaults was one of the most crucial things hunters must be wary of.
Thus, hunters didn’t generally possess a lot of Relics. After all, there were limits to how many Relics one could recharge even if they enlisted their Magi comrades’ help. Moreover, Magi themselves required mana to cast spells, leaving them with little to spare.
Although mana was naturally replenished by nourishing oneself and getting sufficient rest, mana was a very precious resource for hunters, and this was often misunderstood.
Nevertheless, my clan members were all good people, and I was sure they’d help me if I asked.
But there was a problem: the quantity.
I wouldn’t have thought twice if there were only one or two Relics—but there were over five hundred. This was such a great number that it was questionable as to whether even most of the clan’s Magi amassed could come close to covering the amount of mana needed. In this sense, my younger sister, Lucia, who’d always handled the task of recharging my Relics, was an exceptional Magus.
Especially demanding in terms of mana were Safety Rings. Their ability was simple: to block any attack, albeit only once. It was the very simplicity of their ability that made them so powerful as Relics, and that was why Safety Rings were Relics that everyone considered owning for additional layers of precaution. However, recharging Safety Rings demanded five to ten times the mana required for the average Relic. That was a ginormous quantity that posed a significant challenge even for an ordinary hunter to charge just once.
But I couldn’t afford not to recharge them—in fact, they were my highest priority.
Safety Rings were my lifeline.
Without them, I would’ve died multiple times already in the past few weeks.
Feeling a comforting pressure on my shoulders, I let out a weak sigh without much thought. Then I turned around and asked, “Oh... Ah... Uh, Sitri, what should I do?”
“Huh...? About. What?!” responded a somewhat wistful and feverish voice.
It was Sitri imploring, despite the fact that she should still be fatigued from her recent exploration. And for some reason, she was massaging my shoulders.
Eva was at work. In the clan master’s office, there were only Sitri, wearing slightly more casual attire than usual, and me, sitting deep in my usual seat at the work desk.
Sitri had many hobbies, and one of them was massages; in particular, she enjoyed giving them but not receiving. And due to her busy schedule, it wasn’t often that we had the time together. After she returned from journeys, it’d become customary for us to chat while she gave me a massage like this.
She not only solved my troubles but also massaged my shoulders, and I even owed her money... What did that make me? I must’ve seemed like a total loser from an outsider’s perspective.
“Hmm...? So how. Was it? Did it. Feel good?” said Sitri in a somewhat honeyed voice.
Her slender fingertips crawled in a rubbing motion along my nape and traced a path all the way to my shoulders, firmly pressing down on my not-so-stiff muscles in turning motions. She seemed to be well-versed on the locations of pressure points. With each firm touch, a tingling titillation surged up my spine, providing an overwhelmingly pleasurable experience that almost took my breath away.
Sitri was highly knowledgeable about the human body. An Alchemist was not only an excellent scientist but also a magician and a physician. Perhaps this massage had also been a subject of her research.
The members of Grieving Souls were all on good terms, but Sitri and I were particularly close. This was due to the fact that Sitri had been slower in her growth compared to the other members during our training days before we’d become hunters. Ultimately, it’d just been that the mastery of the Alchemist profession required extensive knowledge and facilities, making it a late-bloomer path. However, at that time, Sitri had been plagued by feelings of inferiority, and I, talentless and idle, had encouraged her. It seemed the grateful and loyal Sitri still remembered.
Since then, Sitri had frequently shown concern for me, even though she’d long repaid that kind of favor with interest.
And to be honest, it was questionable if those had even been favors in the first place. After all, I couldn’t really refuse when she’d pensively said, “I’ll stop if you don’t like it...”
Sure, go ahead. If that is what you want, I’ll be your experimental subject as much as you want.
Firmly pressing, she applied pressure along my spine in turning motions, gradually kneading and loosening the muscles. Despite her slender appearance, Sitri was strong.
Her breath brushed against the back of my head by my earlobe, sending shivers down my spine, and my body heated up as if on fire.
A feverish saccharine voice tinged with excitement struck my ear. “Mmm...! You’re so! Hard! Krai. You’re. Amazing—mmm! Aaah...!”
It wasn’t really a big deal, but since it was starting to get weird, I’d prefer if she could refrain from making strange noises.
How on earth was a masseuse producing such a seductive voice?! My shoulders weren’t even that stiff.
I suppressed the weird sounds I was about to make in response to the tremendous pleasure I was experiencing and tried my best to maintain my composure. Taking a deep breath to soothe my throbbing heart, I addressed the brains of our party, who seemed to be running on a high voltage for some reason.
“Ah... About my Relics, they’ll be...running dangerously low if I don’t get them recharged soon.”
“Mmm...!” came Sitri’s seemingly poignant voice.
Where did that come from...?
Unfortunately, this was not a job for Sitri. While Alchemists were a subclass of Magus, their mana pool was only about as deep as an average hunter’s; their reputation was so low that Alchemists were generally considered to be a class for Magi who lacked talent. Although her mana capacity was higher than that of an average Alchemist, it was still on par with the ordinary hunter—and her mana was priceless.
“Only if I...! Can properly! Modify! Noctus Cochlear...! Aaah...!” the seductive voice, panting for breath, continued.
I decided to ignore whatever dangerous thing she was talking about. I couldn’t afford to react to every little thing like this if I wanted to keep up with Sitri.
Lifting her fingertips off my shoulders, Sitri smoothly glided her arms forward from the sides of my head in a stretching motion.
Her breasts firmly snugged the back of my head, breasts that were far bigger than her older sister’s, and her heartbeat was palpable.
She’d got to be too unsuspecting no matter how close we were. Though she didn’t usually show it, Sitri had a penchant for physical intimacy much like her sister, Liz, and according to Sitri, intimate contact helped her recharge her energy.
This wasn’t even a massage anymore. Her arms, curled in front of me, now moved to tightly hug my body as if plundering warmth from me, her slim fingertips trembling as if they were enduring something.
I couldn’t discern the exact scent, but there was a faintly sweet and highly pleasant fragrance in the air.
Sitri’s teases were just as mischievous as her sister’s. Honestly, it made my heart race, but I endured it with an iron will.
“Hmm, worst-case scenario, I might have to ask Starlight for help.”
Starlight was the biggest party of Magi in First Steps, consisting of six members who were all eminent Magi even within the capital. Their members were not ordinary humans: they were Noble Spirits, known for their exceptional aptitude for the Magus class, far beyond that of pure humans. They were a party of girls who had unique sensibilities and, well, to put it bluntly, naturally looked down upon humans.
And of course, they also looked down upon me, so it was highly doubtful whether they’d help me with such a private matter, in fact.
But wait a second, are they in the capital?
Sitri let out a faint scream and pressed her flushed cheeks against mine.
“Ooh, come on...! Krai...please don’t...mention other women...when we’re...doing the thing...!!!”
I was glad she was enjoying herself, but please know that if anything, it’d be me who’d be misunderstood by others, okay?
Sitri’s whisper tickled my ears. “My sister isn’t here... This is our only chance now. Come...feel me...more...”
“Yeah, uh-huh.”
Liz would come flying over if she were here, I was sure; others walking in on us might as well misunderstand the scene too. Sitri’s voice alone was already inappropriate enough.
And just as I spoke, the door to the clan master’s office fiercely swung open at that inopportune moment.
Eva placed a finger on her forehead, her brows furrowed and her cheeks slightly flushed.
There were very few people who could evoke such an expression from Eva, who remained unruffled by most things.
I’m really sorry!
“If you don’t mind me asking...what were you two doing?”
“As you can see, I’m getting a shoulder massage.”
We were properly dressed, and nothing inappropriate had been happening between us.
“J-Just so you know...this floor is off-limits for hunters...” said Eva with a trembling voice as she pointed out the obvious rule. She hadn’t raised her voice too much, probably because this wasn’t the first time.
I’m really sorry!
“Y-You don’t know anything! Please don’t butt in between Krai and me!”
“Easy, easy. You don’t have to pour fuel on the fire.”
If she angered Eva, it was me who’d suffer. It was fine for Sitri to have fun, but I hope she didn’t forget that.
I tapped the intertwined arms lightly, and Sitri, understanding my intention, released her grip reluctantly.
I stood up, and I felt unbelievably light. It was as if all my remaining fatigue had been washed away—that was exactly why I couldn’t refuse her massages.
As I rotated my arms lightly to check their conditions, Sitri, with a smile so innocent that one wouldn’t believe she’d just been speaking lewdly, said, “How about a full-body massage next time, not just the shoulders? What do you think?”
Hmm... That’s hard to resist.
“I have a potion just for that. I’m sure...it’ll be an experience so pleasant that you’ve never felt anything like it before.”
“I feel that will probably do more harm than good, so maybe I’ll pass.”
Perhaps it was second nature for Alchemists, her impulse to use things like potions and needles at every possible opportunity seemed to be one of Sitri’s only flaws.
“All right, as much as I don’t feel like it, it’s time to get my Relics charged up for me. Preparation is important, right?”
“Allow me to help too...since it’s also partly my fault that your Relics are out of mana,” said Sitri. “I have a good idea.”
Having Sitri on my side was like having the power of the multitudes. Unlike me, she possessed real power.
Apologizing with a smile to the still-blushing Eva, I decided to bring Sitri with me to check out the lounge.
“Speaking of which, Sitri, you seemed to be quite busy lately. Was everything sorted out already?”
Outstanding treasure hunters often had multiple roles, and so did my party mates: Lucia, excellent as a Magus, Anthem, masterful in healing magic to regenerate lost limbs, and Sitri, well-versed in all kinds of knowledge as an Alchemist, had all received numerous offers from various organizations and were particularly busy.
Facing false accusations had not changed Sitri’s busy schedule; therefore she rarely appeared in the clan lounge. One of her laboratories was located on the third floor of the clan house, so she occasionally visited me. However, it was unsurprising that some of the recently joined clan members were unfamiliar with Sitri’s face.
“Oh...actually, I’ve recently lost my position at the lab I’d been frequenting...” said Sitri.
“What?”
My eyes widened upon hearing her words.
Sitri was brilliant—so brilliant that her skills had once earned her the moniker of “The Prodigy” in the capital.
I couldn’t believe that she’d be dismissed from a lab unless it had something to do with the false accusations tarnishing her reputation.
Should I offer her at least some comforting words as a friend?
“Well...rather than having lost my position...it’s more like the lab...ceased to exist, I should say,” she said. “It’s just—for crying out loud!—as you know, Krai, I wasn’t good enough... I’m ashamed!”
As she struggled to find the right words, Sitri’s cheeks blushed faintly, and she dropped her head in embarrassment.
I see... So the lab she belonged to went out of business, I thought, coming to my own conclusion.
Sitri was a prodigy, but she was not a god; she was an Alchemist, but she was not a merchant. Which was to say she couldn’t possibly handle everything perfectly. I didn’t know the exact predicament, but her lab seemed to have been in a situation that couldn’t be salvaged with just one talented member.
As for what “I know,” I wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that; perhaps the lab Sitri belonged to had been a prominent one that I should’ve known about.
“Well, these things do happen sometimes. You just have to learn from your mistakes. You’ll do better next time for sure,” I said.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“I may not know of the specifics of alchemy or which lab goes out of business, but I know you well, Sitri.”
She was an intelligent, skilled, curious, and hardworking—if a little quirky young—woman of talent and charm. It might seem like she overthought things at times, but it was probably just that I tended to underthink.
“Right...you don’t know anything. You don’t,” she said.
“If you want, you can continue your research at the lab at the clan house...”
“Yeah?!”
At my casual comment, Sitri lifted her head and stared at me intently.
Did I say something strange? Her studies were utterly foreign to me.
I knew nothing about her research, and I probably wouldn’t understand even if she explained it to me. However, in the spacious lab at the clan house, Sitri herself had all the state-of-the-art equipment assembled, so there shouldn’t be any shortcomings in that regard. Well, unless there were other issues beyond just the facilities.
Sitri seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then a sweet smile emerged on her face as she said, “Thank you very much for the offer. But I’m afraid that it does look like the experiments might get you into trouble, so allow me to turn it down.”
There is no need to worry though...was what I was about to say, but I stopped myself just in time.
Sitri and I were not the kind of friends who held back secrets from one another. If she said they might get me into trouble, then those must be genuinely risky experiments that could indeed get me into trouble—it wasn’t my place as an amateur to unnecessarily say otherwise.
Clasping her hands together, Sitri spoke in a cheerful voice, “Besides, I’ll be fine; I’ll find another lab soon enough. This time I’ll do better.”
“Yeah, uh-huh,” I said. “Well, take your time. Getting enough rest is also important for your body.”
I was sure Sitri would easily find her next gig right away. There didn’t seem to be much I could do for her.
In the end, what I offered was nothing but a half-hearted attempt at consolation, but for some reason, Sitri nodded happily regardless.
Though it was daytime, the lounge was filled with familiar faces. It wasn’t like every hunter visited treasure vaults every day. Preparation was essential for exploring treasure vaults, and hunters must also tune up their physical condition before they venture into one.
The lounge served as a place of respite for such hunters; it was a place where clan members could exchange information, a place without outsiders. With complimentary meals and drinks, it was an ideal place to kill time.
Narrowing her eyes, Sitri looked around the lounge as if appraising the space.
“Feels like it’s been a while since I’ve come here...”
Though we, Grieving Souls, occasionally went out for meals together, we generally never used the lounge since some of us tended to start arguments with other parties. Of course, we’d stop them—it was better to have our meals somewhere else outside than to stir up a stormy air among my friends, which was especially true with Luke being sword-happy as he was. This was such a sad decision to make.
One by one, people in the lounge began to notice my presence. Some wore puzzled expressions, while others furrowed their brows. A few widened their eyes, and some waved their hands at us.
Amid them, a tall man standing at the center of multiple parties exclaimed upon seeing us, “Oh, hey, it’s Krai and Sitri—what a rare sight to see you both in the lounge. What brings you?”
It was Sven Anger, leader of Obsidian Cross, a top party of First Steps. He was the one who’d gathered the numerous parties for the investigation into the abnormalities at White Wolf’s Den—he was a man far more reliable than someone like me. He was quite caring for a hunter, and he was rather approachable, second only to Ark if we were only considering people beyond my party.
“Ah. Well, something came up... Looks like there’s quite a buzz going on here. What’s up?”
It appeared that they’d parked multiple tables against each other, and a bustling atmosphere transcending party boundaries had developed. Though my arrival seemed to have dampened their spirits a bit. Given that the lounge didn’t provide alcohol, it was rare to see such a boisterous atmosphere here.
With a surprised look, Sven responded to my question, “Um... Ah, it might not concern you, Krai, but there have been rumors lately. It seems that while we’ve been busy looking into the incident, a high-level hunter has arrived in town.”
“Ah, that... Everyone seems to be so concerned about it.”
“So you’ve already heard? Of course we’re concerned, aren’t we? Especially considering that this newcomer is certified for a level rather similar to yours and mine. Rumor has it that he isn’t exactly the tamest guy out there.”
“I’m...not entirely uninterested, but honestly I don’t really care.”
“That’s the textbook definition of being ‘uninterested.’ But seriously, you consider a Level 7 someone you ‘don’t really care’? CM, you sure have nerves of steel to keep up that same unbothered look on your face as always. But that being said, we don’t plan to stand idly by if he ever picks a fight with us,” said Sven, expressing a profound sentiment as he made a misguided remark.
I shrugged my shoulders and faked a half-hearted smile.
It wasn’t that I had nerves of steel; on the contrary, I had nerves of jelly. That was why I rarely left the clan house: as long as I didn’t go outside, I wouldn’t get caught up in trouble no matter how unlucky I was.
Honestly, I was more concerned about the auctions than a hunter.
“My only concern is whether Liz will pick a fight or not...”
“Heh heh heh. There’s no mistaking that.”
She was the quickest to pick a fight... Perhaps I should warn her in advance.
“So, what brings you here, CM, if you’re not interested in the newcomer?”
“Oh, right. I was thinking if I could ask someone to recharge my Relics. I do have quite a number of them though.”
“Recharging Relics...?” said Sven as he widened his eyes and placed his hand on his chin.
The others around, too, exchanged glances.
“I usually ask Lucia for that, but she hasn’t returned yet...”
As I explained, I realized I might be asking the impossible. Mana was as crucial a resource for hunters as money. I’d requested recharges for a few Relics here and there before, but this time it was a different level of quantity.
Sven peered at the nearby Marietta, the Magus from Obsidian Cross.
“I don’t really mind,” said Sven, “but are you sure you want to expose your trump cards?”
That was an unnecessary concern. Regardless of whether I exposed my secrets or not, I was weak.
Then, Sitri, who’d been standing there silently, snapped her hands together and said with an uncontainable grin, “Sven, technically, I’m afraid you’re slightly mistaken. What Krai has said is that he’s willing to risk the exposure of his vulnerabilities to provide you all with a training opportunity.”
The members in the lounge gathered in front of Sitri.
That was such a smooth play from Sitri even though some of these members probably didn’t know her before. The fact that Sven hadn’t objected may have played a big part in her success.
Amid the bustling mood, completely different from a moment ago, Sitri continued in a penetrating voice with a mesmerizing smile, “Everyone here in the lounge today, consider yourself incredibly lucky. Krai has promised you all highly efficient training.”
While everyone in the room was marooned in this quagmire, I found myself the most marooned of them all. I didn’t remember saying anything pompous like that, and moreover, I was the one asking for help.
Regardless, no one voiced a word; even Sven seemed to be looking at Sitri with a somewhat curious gaze. One member, as if enthralled by Sitri’s serenely dazzling eyes, cravingly swallowed as they heard Sitri’s words.
Sitri raised her index finger and leaned in as if sharing a secret.
“What’s fantastic about this training,” she said, “is that, unlike his usual trials, there is no risk of dying!”
“What...did you say?!”
The moment Sitri had proclaimed those words, everyone, who’d been rather indifferent up to that point, became agitated. Even Sven opened his eyes wide.
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