Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~ - Volume 5 - Chapter 2.2

“Lizzy, Master still hasn’t come back,” Tino cried.

Lizzy was curled up, sleeping on the pillow-strewn tatami floor. The pillow fight was unlike anything Tino had ever seen. Being high-level hunters, even sisterly bickering turned into an ordeal.

Flying like comets, the pillows had enough force behind them to send Tino flying if they landed a direct hit. By the time morning arrived, the room was a complete mess. She thought Lizzy was wrong to sneak into her master’s futon, but she hadn’t expected Siddy to lose her usual cool and turn quite so violent.

Hearing Tino’s voice, Lizzy sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“Mm, wha? Morning already?”

“Never mind that! Master said he went to a hot spring, but he hasn’t come back yet!”

“What about it?” Siddy said with a yawn. She yawned in a very similar manner as Lizzy did.

Tino was quite taken aback by her indifference.

“Hm? T, could it be that you’re concerned that something happened to Krai if he hasn’t come back yet?”

“Huh?”

That was exactly right. She was quite concerned. But when she thought about it, it wasn’t her place to be worrying about someone as powerful as her master.

“Ah, I had the whole night ahead of me and Siddy went and ruined it all. Maybe I’ll go hop in a hot spring,” Lizzy griped as she let out a yawn.

“Y-You too, Lizzy? Aren’t you worried about Master just a bit?!”

This was unimaginable for someone always clinging to Krai. Lizzy, however, let out a small sigh.

“I believe in Krai Baby. I’m sure he has a good reason if he hasn’t come back yet. You’re a weakling, T. If you have time to worry, then worry about yourself.”

In the empty inn, Tino walked alongside Lizzy and Siddy. Unlike the buildings of the imperial capital, this one was made of wood and its interior had a foreign feeling to it. There was even a courtyard with a waterfall fed by a hot spring. But where had her master gone? Tino found herself looking for him, but no results.

She had been dazed after taking a pillow to the face, but Tino was certain he had said he was going to a hot spring. At the time, she thought he was leaving because he wasn’t thrilled by the pillow fight, but could he have had other intentions? The Thousand Tricks was a hunter who calculated all his actions and masked their significance.

Suddenly, Lizzy stood still. She looked around and blinked a few times.

“Hmmm, that’s weird,” she whispered.

“What’s the matter?” Tino asked fearfully.

There shouldn’t have been anything strange happening. But then Siddy made a peculiar face, an expression troubled and exasperated.

“Goodness, Krai’s always so abrupt,” she said. “And I had made it clear I wasn’t at all finished preparing.”

What were these two sisters on about? Seeing their stern looks, Tino couldn’t help but raise her guard. Then one of the inn employees walked towards them. It was a woman in the gray kimono worn by all the inn staff. She had thick makeup and close-cropped hair. Tino was caught off guard; she didn’t recognize this woman. The employee smiled when she saw them, moved to the side, and bowed with one smooth movement.

It had taken Tino a minute to notice, but something felt off. The inn—it was eerily quiet. It was still early in the morning, but there should have been activity. It seemed unlikely that the staff of a high-class inn for merchants and nobles would be absent at a time so many guests normally departed.

Is something happening? Tino wondered.

As she struggled to understand what might be causing the silence, Lizzy nonchalantly approached the staff member. With a smile on her face, the staff member tilted her head curiously. Lizzy grinned—and then instantly drove a fist towards the woman’s solar plexus. It was a merciless strike. Tino was shaken by a boom that reverberated like a cannon blast.

There was a rule among Grieving Souls (in fact, this went for all members of First Steps) forbidding the harming of civilians. Rules established by Krai were one of the few things that could bind the free-willed Lizzy.

But what shocked Tino wasn’t Lizzy’s sudden attack, it was the staff member, a supposed civilian, who had blocked the attack. A look of agony briefly passed across her face, but no civilian should have been able to survive blocking an attack that could puncture armor.

Lizzy followed up with a kick. It was a kick even Tino struggled to track, but the woman dodged it with the ease of a drifting leaf. Not only that, she managed a counterattack. In an instant, a plethora of metal rods flew at Liz from multiple angles. They were fast as bullets, but Lizzy knocked them all out of the air. With her leg still raised, she smiled.

“I get it now. You’re a shinobi, aren’t you? One of those scouts from the east?”

On the ground were short metal stakes. They lacked any distinctive features besides their sharpened points. It must have required intense training to learn how to utilize them with ease and strike at a target in the blink of an eye.

The woman shrugged. “Where’s the Thousand Tricks?” she asked, ignoring Lizzy’s question.

Lizzy smiled. She returned the favor and didn’t answer.

“And how can I tell you’re a shinobi?”

The air around Lizzy began to warp, the energy of her body was being turned to heat. She disappeared. In the same instant, the mysterious woman flew into the air.

“You see, I’ve always wanted to fight a shinobi!”

“Hm?!”

Cracks formed in the wooden floor. Even though she was in a yukata, not an easy garment to move around in, each punch and kick from Lizzy made it clear why she had the moniker “Stifled Shadow.” The woman in the kimono was completely on the back foot. In a flash, she drew a shortblade while narrowly avoiding Lizzy’s attacks.

Lizzy was clearly the stronger of the two, but it took a formidable opponent to even dodge her attacks. If nothing else, the woman must have been regularly absorbing mana material if she was capable of something like this. With specialized techniques, she moved silently, with the same momentum as a falling leaf. Lizzy tried, but she couldn’t get a hit in.

Then, without making a sound, multiple silhouettes appeared behind the woman.

“Wha?!”

Tino couldn’t help but gulp. The silhouettes all looked like civilians; none of them carried anything that looked like a weapon and they had the faces of mellow people unaccustomed to violence. But that was a disguise. No normal human could keep a calm face while watching Lizzy fight.

The new arrivals all drew weapons. They had jet-black kodachi—the same weapon as the woman in the kimono. Their movements were synchronized, so much so that it was unnerving. From all directions, black rods cut through the air. At the same time, a few of the new attackers struck at both Lizzy and Siddy.

Tino frantically threw herself into the fray. She didn’t have a weapon, but she couldn’t just sit around and watch. The woman in the kimono had shown extraordinary talent, but the others weren’t quite so strong. However, even Lizzy wouldn’t be able to easily manage multiple attackers at once. Tino dodged a blade and closed the distance. Fighting armed foes meant she would have to get up close.

More and more silhouettes came dashing in. They weren’t allies of Tino’s, they were reinforcements for the intruders. Just how many were there? As the thought crossed Tino’s mind, one of Siddy’s assailants and three of Lizzy’s all collapsed like cut string.

“Oh my, to think I only hit four. No shortage of talent among this lot,” Siddy said, somewhat flabbergasted. She had at some point drawn her pink water gun. This was a Relic of hers. It was a terrifying weapon capable of automatically loading any potion she was carrying. Apparently, she had managed to get in a counterattack while evading her assailants.

“Have you gotten rusty?!” Lizzy said. She fought almost like she wasn’t the one at a disadvantage. “It’s ’cause you’re messing around too much!”

“And what would you have me do? Our recent treasure vaults have been filled with enemies unaffected by potions—”

“Take out the Ignoble first!” the woman in the kimono ordered.

A handful of the reinforcements closed in on Siddy, but she didn’t panic in the slightest.

“A shame. You’re just a tad late.”

There was a sound like dripping water. Tino’s gaze was drawn to the source and what she saw caused her eyes to bulge.

The serene waterfall in the courtyard was taking the shape of a human. A spherical object was inside its transparent body. A thin mist rose from the stout figure as it approached the assailants.

“This is my new golem!” Sitri announced. “It’s easily transported and can be activated in seconds as long as you have water! You simply need to toss it in!”

Apparently, she had thrown golem cores in the waterfall at some point. She had only been planning on visiting the baths, yet she kept golem cores on her person. Siddy was always prepared for everything.

Following the first, more golems began to rise up. The formerly calm and collected shinobi began to step back. The freshly formed hot spring golems came at them at once.

***

“You’re really heading out already, old man? You came all this way to a hot spring town, why not stay and enjoy it a bit more?” Gilbert said, showing poor etiquette until the very end.

“Shaddup! Arnold’s busy,” Eigh cut in, as he usually did. “We only arrived in Zebrudia not too long ago, we don’t have time to fool around.”

After resting for a night, the members of Falling Fog were all completely refreshed. Ready to depart, they had gathered by the sole gate in Suls. At the checkpoint near the almost-defenseless gate, a group of people who looked like hunters were being processed. Perhaps they were here as tourists?

The appearance of Falling Fog had changed drastically during the trip. Their equipment and carriage had been replaced multiple times after their grueling battles. They looked shabby, not at all like a party led by a Level 7. Their faces, however, weren’t so gloomy.

As long as their leader Arnold was still going, Falling Fog would never die. That no one had left the party even after witnessing the might of the Thousand Tricks was proof of this. Chloe looked with admiration at the Crashing Lightning now that he was back on his feet.

Treasure hunting was a harsh job. Experiencing battle after battle wore down the heart. Sometimes hunters without any physical injuries would never again pick up a sword due to ailments of the spirit. No small number of hunters retired after seeing the brilliant shine of a genius and losing confidence in themselves.

Chloe hadn’t worked for the Explorers’ Association for very long, but she had seen many such cases. The sight of Arnold fainting when he saw Krai’s face had made her all but certain he would be retiring.

Noticing the gaze of Rhuda and some of the others, Arnold scowled. There was a shine in his narrowed, golden eyes.

“I made a sorry sight of myself back there,” he said. “But now I understand how that man operates.”

“So you’re not giving up?” Chloe asked, her voice filled with admiration.

Was he being obstinate? No, perhaps this was just a hunter as they were meant to be.

Eigh answered in Arnold’s place.

“Of course we’re not giving up,” he snorted. “Arnold’s not gonna accept defeat just like that. After all, our goal is to be the best hunters out there and I think we can do it. The Thousand Tricks showed mercy to Arnold Hail for no reason and he’s gonna regret it!”

There was conviction in Eigh’s voice. Chloe thought she understood why, if only just a bit. The Thousand Tricks was lauded for being ingenious, but he had a defect that was obvious even to an amateur—complacency.

During their trip, he had never once discarded his complacent attitude. He had lured Arnold along by leaving blatant tracks, and later he had waited for Falling Fog in Suls, almost as though to mock them. Before this trip, Chloe hadn’t even been aware of this defect of Krai’s.

Krai was looking down his nose at Arnold. He might have an overwhelming advantage at the moment, but any gap in Krai’s defenses was an opportunity for Arnold to catch up. The Crashing Lightning was yet to clear more than a few of Zebrudia’s treasure vaults; he had plenty of room to grow. Without exception, the Thousand Trials made people stronger. Unless Arnold’s renewed vigor and determination were all part of Krai’s calculations?

“Gonna have to think of a good provocation, right, Arnold?” a member of Falling Fog said with a grin.

“Fool!” Arnold shouted. “I’m not like that man.”

“M-My bad!”

By the sound of it, the Thousand Tricks had said something that really got under Arnold’s skin. Control over one’s emotions was practically necessary for high-level hunters and as a result, it wasn’t easy to piss off a competent one like Arnold.

Eigh looked at Rhuda and then all the hunters of Scorching Whirlwind. They had formed something of a bond after their travels together and now they had come to see Falling Fog off. Eigh shook hands with each one of them and offered some parting words.

“Well then, we’ll see you all in the imperial capital,” he said. “If you plan to stay here a while, keep an eye on that man.”

“It’s fine, even Krai won’t...” one of the hunters said before trailing off. “Are you suggesting he might pull something out here?”

“Hell if I know,” Eigh said with a chuckle. “But it can’t hurt to be cautious. Isn’t that right, miss?”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Chloe said.

Even she couldn’t say for certain that nothing would happen. Insofar, Krai had done as he pleased, almost as though he was simply playing around. She had watched over many hunters, but after witnessing the Thousand Tricks in person she found him completely inscrutable. She got a headache just thinking about what she might say to Gark when he asked for her report.

With not a single cloud in the sky, it was an ideal time to hit the road. Eigh yawned and turned towards the gate. Going by carriage, the imperial capital would take a few days to reach. Now that they were free of the Thousand Tricks’s machinations, they surely had a leisurely journey ahead of them.

With Arnold leading the way, Falling Fog began to walk to the gate. Being a tourist destination, the gate didn’t seem like a very sturdy one. There were only a few guards stationed nearby and they couldn’t hold a candle to the knights who guarded the imperial capital. They had heard that the number of sightseers had fallen on account of the bandits, but they saw a few tourists so perhaps the situation had changed.

Their journey had a profound impact not just on Arnold, but on everyone in Falling Fog. They had changed out all their gear and items. They had the benefit of experiencing a high-level treasure vault.

Their coffers were almost entirely empty (in part because of the fines for the hot spring Arnold destroyed), meaning they probably wouldn’t have much time to rest for the foreseeable future. But once they overcame this setback, Arnold Hail and Falling Fog would be better than ever.

There were still hints of fatigue in Arnold’s movements, but he seemed at ease, which was the exact opposite of how he had been when he arrived at Suls. Likewise, his party members all wore looks of determination. Eigh had a flippant expression and Arnold responded sternly, just like they always did. Chloe watched them go with a smile.

Then a party of hunters, men and women, five in all, appeared at the other side of the gate. They were dressed awfully lightly, like they had come to rejuvenate in the hot springs. They were all on foot as well. They at least had swords at their hips, but not armor. They wore coats, preventing Chloe from making any certain judgments, but they seemed formidable enough, which made it all the more mysterious that they didn’t have a carriage.

With a bow, the easygoing man at the front of the group cleared the path for Arnold. Eigh thanked him and their nearly bottom-tier carriage rumbled along the path.

Then, as Arnold was about halfway down the path, it happened. Before Chloe’s very eyes, the man spun around. It was a fluid, beautiful movement. Eigh’s eyes widened. Gilbert and Rhuda were speechless. The man, however, had a relaxed smile, just like when he had made way for Arnold.

His hand darted out from his coat, a sword in his grip. The drawn blade cut an arc through the air. All Chloe could do was gasp. The polished blade was headed straight for Arnold’s neck.

***

One specialty among Alchemists was the creation of golems. Sitri’s hot spring golems were a weapon without precedent.

Obeying her orders, they attacked the shinobi. The assailants were strong enough to somehow hold their own against Liz. The woman who made the first strike was their best, but that didn’t mean the rest were easy foes. Whether it be technique, strength, or experience, the golems were inferior in every way.

Their selling point was the convenience of only needing water to take form and their ability to persist as long as their core remained intact. Sitri had hawked the hot spring golems as guards, but they were nothing more than walls. That, however, changed when you had enough gathered in one place.

The golems shot projectiles formed from the hot water that composed their bodies. Each individual shot wasn’t particularly powerful, but a torrent of them was enough to restrict a target’s movements. There wasn’t any real chance Liz would get hit, and if she did, well, they could worry about that when the time came.

The number of assailants continued to increase, but it wasn’t too much for Liz and Sitri to handle. The Stifled Shadow excelled at breaking through crowds. If she could just get rid of that slippery leader then Sitri and her golems could take care of the rest.

Taking note of her surroundings, Sitri held her fingers in her mouth and let out a whistle. While she did this, she tried to identify her attackers. She had very little to go off of, but she got a hint from their ability to keep the Stifled Shadow busy. They seemed to have high levels of mana material, but they weren’t hunters. Shinobi, or Ninjas, as the class was called, were extraordinarily rare in this part of the world. And if they had this many gathered under one banner...

The still-increasing swarm of attackers began to ignore Tino and focused on overwhelming Sitri. The golems formed a protective wall in front of her and swung their large, powerful arms. But their opponents knew the apt countermeasure: they aimed their jet-black kodachi straight at the golems’ cores. There should have been at least some resistance, but the shinobi pierced the cores with ease and the golems dissipated. It seemed there was still room for improvement.

“I’ve got it. You’re from Barrel, aren’t you?” Sitri said with a beaming grin and a clap of her hands.

The woman attacking Liz maintained an unshakable facade, but the attackers right before Sitri briefly tensed up. She took this as a sign her supposition was correct. Sitri had learned through years of experience that her party leader’s actions could have any number of results. If there was a named quest for the extermination of Bandit Squad Barrel, then it was a given that they would appear.

“Your reputation precedes you,” Sitri said. “I can see how you caused so much trouble for the knights of Lord Gladis.”

“Quiet!”

They had already taken down multiple assailants, but they kept coming like an unrelenting forest fire. The quest brief had estimated a high number of combatants; their losses so far were probably still within an acceptable range. That was no surprise, they were known for being a large band after all.

Tino was fighting with everything she had. Liz had a threatening glint in her eyes. A few attackers broke through Sitri’s wall of golems and came for her. One raised their blade—but they were crushed by a gray brute.

“Kill kill kill.”

“Meooow.”

Sitri’s pawns had responded to her whistle and now stood around her protectively. Unlike the still-developing hot spring golems, these were her masterpieces.

“My apologies, I’m quite weak,” she said. “Would you allow me to rely on these darlings?”

“What the hell are these?!”

Killiam roared and Drink’s eyes bulged. The Ninjas all began to back away warily. Ninjas excelled at fighting humans, but they weren’t so strong against stalwart monstrosities.

Kicking aside the Ninja it had crushed beneath its feet, Killiam followed Sitri’s orders and swung at the other attackers. With its sharp, three-pronged tail, Drink kept their kodachi at bay.

Meanwhile, the leader was still locked in combat with Liz. She puffed her cheeks slightly, then opened her lips slightly and a pillar of fire shot out. The flames instantly engulfed Liz. The underlings all stepped back.

Katon. A veil of fire. Ninjas were scouts who utilized specialized spells. Katon was mainly a technique used for making an escape, but it looked like it could also be used to attack. Fighting off two attackers, Tino’s face twisted when she saw what was happening to her mentor.

The leader of the Ninjas turned her gaze towards Sitri. But then a flame-encompassed leg came right for her. There was a heavy sound, unlike any other so far. The woman was knocked off her feet, flew through the air, and bounced across the floor before coming to a halt. The other Ninjas began to waver.

A dark silhouette engulfed in flames simply shook her body and out went the flames. Her robe had been burned to a crisp, but her skin and hair weren’t even singed.

“Huh? Attacking with an escape move? Do you take me for some sort of shit-for-brains?! I finally get a chance to move my body and I’m left bored outta my goddamn mind!”

The Stifled Shadow’s finely shaped eyebrows twitched as she stepped forward.

“Hell’s gonna freeze over before anyone gets one up on me with a magic trick!” she screamed, baring her teeth.

“Are you genuinely attempting to fight Grieving Souls with nothing more than this?” Sitri asked tauntingly. In her hands was a pink water gun, an item gifted to her long ago.

They came from a party that had no shortage of hard-earned power. The flames created by the Ninja were a party trick compared to the offensive spells used by the Avatar of Creation.

Sitri wondered what state the rest of the town was in. Fortunately, she had already handed out a set of golem cores. If they were put to good use, the town should be able to hold out for a bit. The town’s guard was lax, but it had been strengthened after the incident with the hot spring dragon. With any luck Arnold and his band would still be around.

But there was one thing puzzling her: why would the famously prudent Bandit Squad Barrel challenge Grieving Souls? While she thought it over, yet more reinforcements arrived. Liz stopped her relentless onslaught.

The new arrivals were more shinobi, dressed like the others, but these ones were restraining a familiar face. It was one of the inn employees and a blade was being held to their throat. Pallid and dripping in sweat, their eyes begged Sitri for help.

“Stifled Shadow. Ignoble. Don’t move a muscle. Every staff member we’ve captured is still unharmed, but that can change. If you resist, we’ll kill them one by one.”

***

Arnold’s body moved of its own accord. Luckily for him, his wariness of the Thousand Tricks meant he was still alert. But it wasn’t lost on him that it was largely a coincidence that he avoided being struck fatally. A stinging pain erupted across his neck muscles.

The man smiled. He seemed impressed that Arnold had managed to rapidly contort his body and evade an attack from his blind spot.

“Oh, come on. You managed to dodge even in that stance?” he said. “It was a perfect surprise attack, but I suppose I’m dealing with a hunter, a freak, after all. Good thing I went for the strongest one first.”

“Urgh. Who are you?”

The man was of medium height and build. He didn’t carry much on him and didn’t look like a hunter, but his bearing wasn’t that of anyone ordinary. Arnold was a Level 7 and strengthened with a high amount of mana material, yet his overwhelming presence didn’t seem to have any effect on the man.

The man’s comrades immediately spread out and surrounded the carriage. Their faces bore tacked-on smiles, but their movements were refined. They drew their swords and stood at the ready, not letting anything distract them.

It was simple luck that had allowed Arnold to dodge that attack. But thanks to that luck, he had gotten by with receiving only a shallow wound. Even without medical attention, the cut would heal with time. This, naturally, wasn’t enough to hinder Arnold’s ability to fight.

The man was clearly quick on his feet, but he wasn’t a match for a Level 7 hunter. Eigh and the other hunters had drawn their weapons and were ready to fight, yet the man kept his cool. Arnold didn’t know who he was. He didn’t recall earning the ire of anyone in Zebrudia.

“You’re not the Thousand Tricks, are you? I heard he was a powerful man—ah, this is some shit luck. Never expected there to be other high-level hunters out here. Hate to tell you this, but it’s our policy to not let anyone slip away when we attack towns.”

The Thousand Tricks?! Could this be another one of his schemes? The dull pain Arnold felt was drowned out by anger. But even amid his rage, he still had a strong feeling that something was off.

It was strange. Not only was it strange that they were attacking in the middle of the day, it was stupid of them to attack Arnold and his party in the first place. The man and his lackeys seemed formidable enough, but still inferior to the Crashing Lightning. Not to mention Rhuda and Scorching Whirlwind were also present; even though they were inexperienced, they could still put up a fight. These attackers weren’t mere bandits, surely they knew what they were up against...

Arnold’s train of thought was interrupted by a shaking sensation. For a moment he thought it might be an earthquake, but this was different. He angled his sword downward and thrust it into the ground, stabilizing himself. The unidentifiable tremors battered every part of him, sapping his strength.

“Arnold?!”

“Gee, it really took this long to kick in? You’re a tough one. That was potent stuff, the type meant for mythical beasts.”

Poison. A poison strong enough to work on a Level 7. With mana material, it became easier for hunters to improve their strength and speed, but at the same time, one tended to more readily neglect resiliences. Even still, Arnold could shake off most ordinary poisons, but the one afflicting him wasn’t your everyday concoction.

The heat left his body. He didn’t feel any pain, but that itself was fairly discomforting.

What could it have been? Was the man acting so sure of himself because he was just waiting for the poison to take effect? Arnold wondered.

He clenched his teeth and summoned the strength to look up. The man was peering at him as though he were a rare creature. The other nearby tourists had all gathered around Falling Fog’s carriage at some point. There were upwards of a dozen of them, most of them not carrying any notable weapons, some even dressed like merchants. Every one of them was looking at Arnold and his party with deep interest. For a moment, Arnold wondered why none of them were saying anything, but he quickly pieced it together.

They have no reason to say anything. They’re all—

Rhuda and Scorching Whirlwind had realized something was wrong and drew their weapons while getting into a circular formation. The man twisted his lips into an unnerving smile.

“Allow me to offer some introductions, not that there’s any point to it. We live in the shadows, but every now and then I get the urge to spread our name, just like you hunters do.”

Everyone in the crowd drew weapons that had been hidden under their clothes. There was no sign of the town guards coming to help.

“We’re Barrel. We flit about like shadows. People, objects, we take everything with the avarice of an inferno. We’re the strongest bandit squad out there and we’re here to bag the biggest prey. Remember that, not that it’ll do you much good,” the man said with an arrogant smile.

***

Tino felt like time had come to a stop. The declaration delivered by the newly arrived Ninjas sent a chill down her spine. The Smart sisters both seemed unaffected, but they did come to a halt and looked at the man through glaring eyes. They were sizing him up.

This isn’t good.

Tino wasn’t concerned about what the attackers might do, it was Lizzy and Siddy who had her worried. “Bandit Squad Barrel,” Siddy had said. If she was right, then before them were members of a large bandit organization that had bounties in a number of countries. They were calculating, prudent, and barbarous. With an estimated one hundred members, they were less a bandit squad and more an army. And now they were even creating trouble for the renowned knights of Lord Gladis.

Considering the strength of every individual, it was clear they weren’t your average gang. It was true Tino had never fought a Ninja before, but even their weakest members weren’t far behind her. This wasn’t like any of the bandit squads she had taken down in the past.

If they had this many members with strengths comparable to a Level 4 hunter, then attacking a whole town didn’t seem beyond their capabilities. And if some of them were a match for Lizzy, then the lax guards at the inn wouldn’t have even slowed them down.

All in all, they didn’t seem like the type to make empty threats. However, the issue was that the Smart sisters weren’t the type to cave to threats. Grieving Souls were a fearsome party. They were not bringers of justice.

These tactics might work on Krai or Ansem, but it took more than a hostage to restrain Lizzy and Siddy. Siddy would write them off as a tragic sacrifice, Lizzy would say it was their fault for not being strong enough. Sure enough, they looked completely unperturbed.

The black kodachi was pressed against the hostage’s throat, causing them to let out a short scream. Lizzy was fast as lightning, but they weren’t dealing with amateurs; solving this without bloodshed wouldn’t be easy. For all they knew, there could be even more hostages.

Tino wracked her brain, trying to think of a way to resolve the situation without anyone dying. She came up empty-handed. The attackers weren’t paying much attention to her, but she didn’t see herself turning things around, even if she had her master’s mask.

Lizzy made her move. She dropped the Ninja she had been precariously holding in the air.

“I surrender.”

“Huuuh?!”

Tino hadn’t expected this. The attackers seemed equally surprised. Siddy ignored Tino’s bewildered cry and let out a small sigh as she set down Perfect Frolic.

“If they’ve got hostages, then I guess that’s that,” Lizzy said. “Don’t wanna piss off Krai Baby.”

“Awfully noble of you,” said one of the Ninjas. “Be sure to restrain them well.”

Tino never would have expected those two to do something so conscionable. She felt like she had just witnessed something unbelievable. The assailants restrained Lizzy and Siddy, then placed handcuffs on Tino. She hadn’t expected this to happen, but Tino sure wasn’t going to keep fighting if her mentor was standing down.

As she felt the surface of the cuffs, she wondered if this might be some sort of training. She guessed they were made of steel. Lizzy might have been able to break through handcuffs like these, but it would be impossible for Tino.

The situation was dire. It frustrated her that she wasn’t in something easier to move around in. She did what she could to grasp the situation and look for opportunities, but even she, the weakest link, had plenty of guards keeping an eye on her.

“Don’t worry. We won’t kill you immediately. You’ll be useful when negotiations begin,” the toughest-looking member of the reinforcements said. His arms were crossed and he carried himself with absolute confidence. Restraining high-level hunters with mere handcuffs was the height of carelessness. Just what gave this man his confidence?

Despite their restraints, Lizzy and Siddy both seemed completely unconcerned. With narrowed eyes, Siddy watched as Drink and Killiam were thoroughly restrained with chains and collars.

Then the man said something unbelievable.

“We’ll put you with your friends soon enough. We’ve already got two of your party. Even among bandits, Grieving Souls have created waves. But your end is approaching.”

Tino was taken aback. Even the Smart sisters looked surprised. The man smiled cruelly when he saw their reactions.

Two of your party. It was almost hard to believe. Tino was familiar with everyone in Grieving Souls. Lizzy and Siddy were both powerful treasure hunters and the rest were just as capable. Not one of them seemed like the type that a bandit squad could capture. Even if they were captured, it would only be after a grueling battle. It didn’t make any sense that this man had such a self-assured smile.

“When we had your allies surrounded, before we even captured them, they began to beg for their lives,” the man said with a chuckle.

“Did they?” Sitri asked. She blinked a few times, clearly confused. There were things not even she could comprehend.

Tino was of the same mind. There weren’t any Grievers who seemed like they would be captured without a fight and there certainly weren’t any who would beg for their life.

A large group appeared from further within the inn. They weren’t in kimonos, but instead wore black outfits that seemed easy to move in. The bandits must have split into two: a diversionary unit that would disguise themselves as the inn staff and an attacking unit.

“We had fierce resistance, but we succeeded in apprehending the Thousand Tricks, just as planned,” said the man at the front.

“Huh?!” Lizzy cried out. Even she couldn’t hear that phrase without reacting.

Impossible. Krai was a Level 8. As far as Tino knew, he surpassed his party members both in level and talent. He might not come out on top if judged solely on combat prowess, but in terms of overall talent, he was sure among the top five hunters even in the treasure-hunting holy land. But he had gone off to bathe in a hot spring and hadn’t come back. How could they have found him in the inn?

The numerous possibilities swirling through her mind vanished in an instant. As Tino stood about vacantly, a man with his mouth gagged was brought before her. She looked at him with wide eyes.

The man was bound much more thoroughly than Tino or the Smart sisters had been. His hands were bound behind his back with metal locks that had a bizarre sheen to them. His entire body was wrapped in chains. He was blindfolded and had a gag in his mouth. Cold sweat dripped off his pallid cheeks. The surrounding bandits marched him forward by lightly kicking him as he stumbled along.

The shinobi who had ambushed Tino and the Smart sisters gave him a scrutinizing look.

“That didn’t take long. The target’s a Level 8, are you sure you got the right guy?”

“Don’t be fooled. He might look scrawny, but he’s powerful. Besides, there wasn’t anyone else in the inn. Remember what the second-in-command said? All the rumors about the Thousand Tricks mentioned his ingenious plotting, there’s nothing about his strength. He might be more than just a brilliant mind. We’ll check later.”

Bewildered, Tino desperately tried to grasp the situation. He was gagged, blindfolded, and wrapped in chains, but there was no mistaking it. The person brought forward was one she had been working with recently—the man called Gray.

It seemed the bandit squad didn’t know the face of the Thousand Tricks. That wasn’t unreasonable. The symbol of Grieving Souls was a mask and Krai did everything he could to avoid showing his face. Photos of him never got out, not even in magazines and newspapers.

But even if he was a bit strong, how could this man possibly be mistaken for the Thousand Tricks? Tino was fifty percent dismayed and fifty percent irritated but that didn’t mean she could just go and tell the bandits the truth, no matter how frustrated she was.

Meanwhile, Siddy’s pink eyes began to fill with tears.

“Oh, how could this happen! Leader, please, save us!” she shouted at Gray. “I told you you didn’t look well, but I never thought you might be captured by a bunch like this!”

“Mm?! Mmf, mmmf!”

Siddy. Not only is she calm, she plans to go along with this?

Even Lizzy must have been caught off guard as she was looking at Siddy as though she had lost her mind.

“Surely this is a ploy so the hostages might be rescued while we’re being captured! But what good is that if you’ve been captured?! You dunce! Moron! Idiot! Philanderer!”

Siddy was expositing, but her acting was impeccable. One after another, she said a number of things she’d never say to Krai. The two leaders of the bandits exchanged glances.

“Who are you going to choose?!” Siddy screamed while twisting her body about. “Don’t avoid the question, is it me or one of those other two?! I’ve given you plenty of massages and lent you so much money! You got in the hot spring with me and didn’t even brush against me! The nerve! You said we’d get married! How many years are you going to make me wait?!”

“Huh?! Siddy, that was fifteen years ago! You promised you wouldn’t bring it up because it didn’t count!”

The faces of the bandits twitched as they listened to Siddy’s and Lizzy’s very convincing shouting.

“A lovers’ quarrel? Nothing ingenious about pissing off a woman as scary as her.”

“And is this why that other lot was desperate to get away? Let’s hurry up and bring them to the second-in-command.”

The apprehension had faded from their faces.

Siddy, that was an incredible performance, Tino thought. I could never hope to match such a—that was a performance, right?

Tino harbored a shred of doubt as she watched as Siddy expertly stomped her feet on the ground.

***

Until recently, Suls had the cheery bustle of any hot spring town. Now it was enveloped in a strange atmosphere. It was quiet, like the whole town was holding its breath. Noise from anyone or anything was sparse. The only sounds came from the birds, the occasional voice, and the hot water in the canals.

There was just one source of activity. A sizable camp was set up not far beyond the town’s rudimentary gates. A massive barrel was placed in front of the gates, almost as though to block the way. Sitting atop that barrel was a large, burly man. His armor was leather made from a high-tier monster. He had a set of sharp black eyes and a deep scar ran across his cheek.

This man was the founder of Bandit Squad Barrel. Geffroy Barrel. A man who had run rampant across numerous countries and had a number of bounties placed on his head. He smiled with satisfaction when he saw his forces were ready to move in.

The subordinates he had sent to infiltrate the town returned with their report. Being thoroughly trained Ninjas, they didn’t say anything more than they needed to.

“Kardon, we’ve secured and sealed off Suls,” they reported to the man next to Geffroy.

Kardon Barrel. He was one of the founders of Bandit Squad Barrel. With Kardon as the brains and Geffroy as the brawn, they were the pillars that supported the growth of their bandit squad. Technically, Geffroy was higher up on the chain of command, but that didn’t mean Kardon was any less vital.

What had started as just two people had become a bandit squad capable of challenging even large countries. Their strength came from accomplishments like absorbing an eastern organization that employed a number of Ninjas and contacting a magic syndicate to order poisons that worked even on high-level hunters. Strong leadership kept their greed from getting out of hand and they had developed a level of pride and coordination that surpassed any professional army.

It wasn’t long before the name Barrel, adopted from the first good they stole, was reverberating all across the land. They had become something that couldn’t be stopped, not even by the empire’s strongest.

“Hmm. Any resistance?” Kardon asked in a cold voice. He had an angular face and blond hair.

“There were four high-level hunters, including those from Grieving Souls, one lower top-tier party, and one intermediate party. One high-level hunter was captured after being poisoned, two surrendered on account of the hostages, and we captured the man who appears to be the Thousand Tricks.”

An ideal outcome. A single high-level hunter with enough mana material was capable of defeating an entire army. The subordinates trained as shinobi were strong, but most of them were clearly not enough for the best of the best. On the other hand, this meant that as long as they sealed off the high-level hunters, they could even slaughter the whole town.

“It appears you were right, Kardon. The Thousand Tricks is a man who relies on his mind,” the subordinate continued. Unlike most bandits, their eyes weren’t brimming with greed. “He wasn’t as strong as the rumors suggested, so, just to be safe, I’ve come to request that you verify his identity.”

“Rumors often take on a life of their own. I’ll confirm it later. Don’t let your guard down, no matter what.”

Everything was going smoothly, but Kardon’s face didn’t show a hint of complacency. Bandit Squad Barrel was making the gamble of a lifetime; eyes that were cold and calculating were a reassuring sight.

“Have you finished questioning the Thousand Tricks’s allies?” Geffroy cut in.

“No, everything they say is incomprehensible. We’ve gotten nothing from his closest allies, but is that really necessary at this point? As you ordered, we’ve bound the Thousand Tricks with Soul Sealer.”

Soul Sealer was a chain Relic that bound one’s soul. Even a Level 8 hunter couldn’t break free from it.

“Continue your questioning. We can’t fail here,” Geffroy said.

Nearly everyone in Bandit Squad Barrel had been mobilized for the attack on Suls. In order to conduct a quiet but brutal attack, they were drawing on every resource they had, including poisons acquired from magic syndicates and flying mythical beasts.

Everything had gone well so far, but should they fail then the squad they had spent the last twenty years building would come to ruin.

At the start, Geffroy’s eyes hadn’t been set on the throat of the Thousand Tricks. When the bandits infiltrating the knights of Lord Gladis informed Geffroy that a named quest had been issued to the Thousand Tricks, the bandit leader made plans to pull out and move on to a different country.

A Level 8 was a freak. Geffroy wasn’t lacking in confidence and his subordinates weren’t neglecting their training, but a Level 8 had the might of a thousand men. He didn’t think his forces would lose, but he didn’t need to consult with Kardon to know that a direct confrontation wasn’t how they operated.

It was during their retreat from the Gladis Earldom that their plans began to change. They were crossing the mountains and trying to be as discreet as possible when they came across two travelers. Geffroy saw this as a stroke of luck and easily captured the pair, who then said they were members of Grieving Souls.

He considered that the two might be bluffing, but that didn’t seem likely. After all, Geffroy had decided to retreat when he heard about the named quest. The timing was too convenient for a bluff and there was no reason for them to tell such a lie. Very few people were aware that the Thousand Tricks was headed for the Gladis Earldom.

The two travelers were fairly strong, at least a bit more so than an intermediate hunter, but nothing Geffroy couldn’t handle by himself. And that caused ambition to take root in Geffroy and Kardon—they would claim the head of the Thousand Tricks.

They had their misgivings. The Thousand Tricks was accomplished and known for his foresight, but there was almost nothing known about his combat prowess. For Geffroy, who had traveled many lands and learned of many hunters, that sort of ambiguity was the definition of unnerving. There was no silencing people and strength wasn’t something that could be entirely hidden, no matter how hard you tried.

After catching the two Grievers, Geffroy’s suspicions turned to certainty. The Thousand Tricks was likely a hunter whose strength rested in his thorough preparations. And if he had captured a portion of his party, then now was the time to strike.

Be prudent, but sometimes bold. Accomplishments were necessary to spread one’s name and all high-level hunters had enemies. If he took the head of a Level 8, the bandit squad would expand even further. Geffroy could even see himself taking over a country and making himself a king. It was truly fortunate that they had managed to take the high-level hunters prisoner.

If Geffroy’s forces hadn’t had any major losses so far it must have been because their targets had their guard down. Just the head of the Thousand Tricks would have been a major prize, but having him alive was even better. The name Bandit Squad Barrel was going to carry even greater weight.

They had surrounded the town and occupied it without any major commotion. The Thousand Tricks had fallen into their hands, they had plenty of hostages, and no one stood to oppose them. No doubt, the knights of Lord Gladis would lose heart once they heard that their reinforcements had been taken out while they were still en route.

But the subordinate had more to report.

“Also, one woman got away. We’re currently pursuing her,” they said.

“What was that?!”

“It appears she was being escorted by the high-level hunter who was headed towards the gate. She doesn’t seem to be a hunter, but we’re pursuing her nonetheless.”

Kardon narrowed his eyes. This was unanticipated, but mistakes were bound to happen no matter how careful you were. Had the hunter been determined to protect his client, even at the cost of his own life?

Surely it wouldn’t prove an issue. They were camped out by the only gates in and out of Suls. If the escapee wasn’t a hunter then she shouldn’t have a chance of getting away. However, the walls encompassing Suls were relatively low.

Geffroy clicked his tongue. “Not much else we can do. Deploy the barricade,” he said bitterly.

“We don’t have many uses left,” the subordinate said with a look of doubt.

“It doesn’t matter,” Kardon said, answering on Geffroy’s behalf. “Geffroy ordered it. Deploy the barricade immediately.”

They didn’t plan on sticking around Suls for very long, but things would get complicated if someone somehow managed to call for help.

A squad of Magi stepped forward. They had sticks of silver chalk which they held to the ground as they ran off. A large wall appeared where their chalk passed over. It took only an instant for it to grow into something much taller and sturdier than the original bulwarks around Suls.

Bandit Squad Barrel was always thorough. Chalks were valuable Relics and these ones were already halfway used up. They would be little more than stubs by the time the town was completely surrounded, but it would be worth it if their plan succeeded. Even if reinforcements arrived, they had the whole town as their hostage.

Geffroy stood up and gripped the enormous battle-axe brought before him.

“We’re going in. Use your usual disguises and don’t let a soul into the town! If anything happens, report it immediately to me or Kardon!” he ordered. “Glory to Bandit Squad Barrel!”

Silently, burning determination ignited within his comrades. There had been no large, unexpected twists. The enemy wouldn’t be getting reinforcements. On the off chance they did, it would have to be something more powerful than a professional army if they wanted to win against Bandit Squad Barrel. But if all went well, Geffroy and his comrades would be celebrating with drinks in another country before reinforcements could even arrive.