"You're quite skilled. Your information-gathering abilities especially are impressive. You took down three groups just yesterday. The overall atmosphere is a bit unsettled, but... where did you find such a remarkable talent?"
Apparently, Tomoari and her people had decided to stay at the neighboring inn. They were probably being considerate of Citry, who was their client and someone who provided them with various supplies.
When asked for her impressions of having worked with the Fox Mask Appreciation Society (Provisional), Tomoari fixed me with a probing gaze and spoke.
Her crimson armor — the order's symbolic color — was striking. Tomoari's evaluations were ruthlessly objective. She was one of the few friends I had who didn't blindly swallow rumors about being Level 8.
If anything had gone wrong, Tomoari would have mercilessly called me out on it, so clearly nothing had happened.
The Fox Mask Appreciation Society. Despite the relationship having started from a misunderstanding and being generally confusing, they were quite the formidable group.
"Well, a lot happened. As long as we're getting along, that's what matters."
"The enemy you fight today might be your ally tomorrow. And vice versa. Sometimes we even have to work with people who are practically criminals — but I'd appreciate a heads-up beforehand."
That was harsh. Sure, those people were suspicious beyond belief, but what had she seen to jump straight to calling them criminals?
I offered to come clean, but Sora ultimately ignored me. She must have decided things were fine as they were.
So the Fox Mask Appreciation Society (Provisional)'s misunderstanding remained unresolved. I felt a strong sense of kinship with their improvisational approach — but as the senior party, I really should help clear things up.
Citry interceded before Tomoari's sharp gaze. She narrowed her eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"Now, now, Tomoari. As I mentioned beforehand, this was all agreed upon. Kurai can freely manipulate criminals without batting an eye. If you're going to act without us disclosing that, well — that falls under the scope of our contract."
"Hmm..."
Tomoari pouted and fell silent. What kind of contract had she signed with Citry? At the very least, the way the Lantern Knight Order and its members looked at Citry wasn't how they'd look at a mere client.
And which "Kurai" was this Kurai who could freely manipulate criminals?
If anything, I was the one being manipulated. It only seemed otherwise because Eva and Citry were around — "Well, fine. If it's for money, we'll do anything. Using what's available is our motto. Though I wouldn't take on a mock battle with the 《Thousand Swords》 no matter how much you offered."
Luke... was really disliked. No, not disliked — feared, more like.
The more skilled his opponent, the more Luke got fired up and held nothing back, making him one of the most feared members of the clan, on par with Riz.
Speaking of which, Riz, having lost patience with me sitting around doing nothing, had headed out into the city with Anthem and the others.
She'd probably gone to beat someone up. With Anthem along this time, they probably wouldn't get caught, at least.
At that point, Citry clapped her hands together to change the subject.
"So, Tomoari. Have you received the information?"
"Information...?"
"I'd asked you to look into the participants of the Martial Emperor Festival. If I'm going to aim for the top, I need to do everything I can."
That was Citry all right. Luke and Lucia were also entering, and winning as an Alchemist seemed like a long shot, but apparently that was no reason to slack off.
At her disarming smile, Tomoari showed a rare wry grin.
"Good grief. I told you I'm entering too —"
"That's business. This is something else entirely."
"Exactly. A client who pays well is the most valuable thing there is."
They got along great... I wished I could distribute some of that social finesse to the others. Riz and Luke were out of the question, but even Lucia, despite appearances, was surprisingly shy.
Tomoari straightened up and had a companion bring a file. She spread it across the table and lowered her voice as though sharing a secret.
"First, let's start with the most interesting bit. Boss — your double is going to be there."
"...No, that's not a double. That's the real me."
"!?"
Tomoari's eyes went wide, and she exchanged a look with her companion.
§ § § This era, prosperous thanks to the riches produced by the naturally occurring Treasure Halls. The Treasure Hunters who bring back Treasure Weapons from those halls are called heroes.
Treasure Hunting was the quickest path to wealth, fame, and power — and so this age was known as the golden era of Treasure Hunters.
From childhood, Klah Andorih had displayed exceptional talent far beyond his peers, embodying the qualities of a hero. It was perhaps inevitable that he would aspire to become a Hunter.
By the time he was aware of it, he was filled with admiration, and by the time he came of age, not a single adult around him doubted that Klah would succeed greatly as a Treasure Hunter.
Though his body never grew particularly large, Klah possessed extraordinary combat instincts and a tremendous pool of magical power uncommon for a man.
Most importantly — he had the high Mana Material absorption and retention abilities that were essential for a Treasure Hunter.
And so, as if guided by fate, Klah became a Treasure Hunter.
But even with abilities that could only be described as divinely blessed, the Treasure Halls were formidable.
What awaited Klah after leaving his hometown was a path of thorns.
He was consumed by it. He conquered countless Treasure Halls. He honed his skills. There were times he nearly lost his life, and times he was targeted by criminal organizations.
There was no room to breathe. He sacrificed sleep. The hardships and tribulations were, for Klah Andorih, trials from God — and yet overcoming them brought him joy.
And when he finally looked up — Klah's name had resounded across the land.
Level 8 (possessing strength that made it seem so), Klah Andorih of the 《Thousand Heavens, Ten Thousand Flowers》.
He had yet to receive a formal epithet. But many Hunters already knew Klah's name.
His bold self-introduction had paid off. Treasure Hunter epithets were generally assigned by the Explorer's Guild, but being stuck with a lame one was unbearable.
《Thousand Heavens, Ten Thousand Flowers》. Traveling a thousand skies, shining like ten thousand blossoms. That was Klah's ideal as a Treasure Hunter.
Sometimes his name was remembered incorrectly, but such things were trivial.
And at last, Klah had earned the right to participate in the Martial Emperor Festival — the pinnacle of martial prowess.
His feelings were overwhelming.
The current rumors about Klah were exaggerated. He was neither truly Level 8 nor an epithet holder, had never single-handedly destroyed a massive criminal organization, nor turned a flower field into a Treasure Hall.
But those rumors were surely a reflection of people's expectations.
Klah Andorih could only truly surpass those rumors by winning the Martial Emperor Festival.
His opponents would undoubtedly be formidable. There would be many who had walked the path of martial arts far longer than Klah.
But Klah's current condition was better than it had ever been.
He could do it. His current strength surely rivaled Level 8.
Most importantly, Klah had comrades. The precious companions who had resonated with his initially solo ideal and joined him along the way.
He couldn't fight in the Martial Emperor Festival alongside his companions, but the mere fact that they existed gave Klah strength.
He'd even formed a Party. When he was told to name it 《Wailing Evil Spirit》, and when he was told the symbol should be a mask, he'd been startled — but Klah had the magnanimity to listen to his companions' opinions.
"Hey, isn't this bad? What are we gonna do, Cool? There's no way I can beat the real thing."
"Hmm... This is bad. I can't believe the real one is actually showing up..."
In the inn they'd rented as their base for the Martial Emperor Festival, the members of 《Wailing Evil Spirit》 — Elizabeth Smyart of 《Spectacular View》 and Cool Saiko of 《Foresight》 — sat with grave expressions, heads bent together in discussion.
Elizabeth Smyart was a Thief. She had dazzling fluorescent pink hair and revealing clothing that was practically naked. Most eye-catching of all was her prominently jutting chest. Her epithet 《Spectacular View》 apparently derived from that. He thought it was a stupid epithet, and the fact that she occasionally said clever but underhanded things was a flaw, but her skills as a Thief were nothing to scoff at.
Cool Saiko was the Party's brain. He wore glasses and always spoke formally — he had apparently never swung a sword, yet for some reason called himself a swordsman.
In combat, he was almost completely useless, but the reason Klah, who had never received leader training, had been able to form a Party and keep things running so smoothly was all thanks to Cool's gift of 《Foresight》.
The other members, too, each had their quirks, but to Klah — who had always been a Solo — they were irreplaceable comrades.
"Our Party, aside from Klah, is a bunch of nobodies, you know..."
"Well... If they weren't nobodies, they wouldn't let me call them 'Zurii,' would they?"
"!! That's not true!"
Unwilling to let that slide, Klah interjected without thinking.
Regardless of how it had started, the two of them were now members of the same Party.
He told them this often, but low self-esteem was the weakness of Klah's Party members.
"Cool, Zurii. If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't have reached this grand stage so quickly. I'm grateful."
Klah said it with a serious face. Zurii made a strained expression. Cool looked troubled.
"Why... is this guy so strong...? To think he'd actually enter the Martial Emperor Festival —"
"Well... He's been fighting and surviving on his own this whole time... He's the only one who isn't doing it on purpose."
That was right. It didn't matter who the opponent was. No matter who they were, he wouldn't lose. Bring it on — he'd change everything.
Not just his own name — he would make the name of 《Wailing Evil Spirit》 resound far and wide. That was Klah's other dream.
With renewed determination, Klah turned his quietly burning gaze toward the window.
With the Martial Emperor Festival approaching, the city was gradually growing livelier. Suddenly, Klah thought of something.
Come to think of it — would that young man with a name similar to his come to cheer him on?