Explorer's Guild, Kreet Branch. In an inn room affiliated with the guild, Gaark Walter frowned as he scanned the newspaper.
"Hmm... The number of incidents is down eighty percent from the usual... What the hell did they pull?"
Normally, Kreet turned into a lawless hellhole during this season. The braggarts who wandered in from outside were mostly brawlers, and when you added the criminal organizations that tried to make a spectacular name for themselves by thrashing those brawlers, plus those looking to settle old scores in the chaos—the newspapers published in Kreet during this period were typically stuffed with nothing but alarming stories.
As a natural result, the Explorer's Guild, which employed a large number of powerful Hunters, would see a surge in commissioned requests. But this year, things were clearly different.
Hardly any incidents that appeared to have been caused by those criminal groups were making the papers.
It wasn't as if they'd somehow caught wind of the Fox's plans and laid low.
The Explorer's Guild's intelligence-gathering capabilities had barely managed to pick up anything at all—it seemed unlikely that such information would be widely known among criminal organizations.
When Gaark read through the paper thoroughly, he found that in place of the reported attack on Martial Emperor Festival participants, there were several articles about the Lantern Knight Order having destroyed numerous prominent criminal organizations.
There was no mistaking it. Thousand Transformations had done something.
Their targets were elites who had survived in the underworld for a long time, to a greater or lesser degree. Setting aside raw power, these were people who excelled particularly at going to ground.
The Lantern Knight Order was certainly a well-coordinated Party that excelled at bounty hunting—but the hardest part of bounty hunting was tracking down your target. It seemed unlikely that they had moved on information about such a diverse range of organizations.
In the first place, the Lantern Knight Order belonged to the Beginning Footprint. It was more natural to assume there had been some kind of exchange.
Krai was bold and fearless, but there were signs he was careful not to overextend.
Had he started dismantling organizations because it would lead to the Fox's eradication? Or was it to prevent the Fox's allies from joining the fight if they were eventually cornered?
The other organizations and the Fox weren't necessarily allies, but Thousand Transformations was undeniably their common enemy. If push came to shove, they could band together for a counterattack.
Gaark had participated in large-scale annihilation operations against major organizations before, but based on this paper, the scale of this operation was different.
He let out a low growl and thought for a moment, but he couldn't get a clear picture of the full scope of Krai's strategy at all.
The only thing he could tell was that Thousand Transformations had nerves of steel.
After all, they had been fighting the Fox head-on, yet showed not a single trace of tension in their expression, and had never once asked Gaark for help.
Ah, right. Of course. You'd always been like that from the very start.
The individual was Ark, the group was Krai. Ark stood out, but Krai was surprisingly inconspicuous relative to their exploits.
Even among members who were each a match for a thousand, they became hard to pick out in a crowd. Everything had been in the palm of Thousand Transformations' hand from the start.
There was apparently a reason why the symbol of the Mourning Specter was a grinning blind skeleton, and why their party name was so unsettling.
That skeleton, they said, was weeping and mocking.
—Those who could see nothing at all, even less than himself who had no eye sockets.
Krai himself had claimed he'd simply forgotten to paint in the eye sockets, but nobody that foolish could possibly exist.
Recalling the scene where Krai had delivered that line with such breezy nonchalance, Gaark's smile deepened.
Even as a disguise, it was crude—but that was precisely what made it so provocative. And on top of that, he delivered it with an air of absolute seriousness, and even when called out, refused to change his stance. What a thoroughly rotten personality.
Just then, without even knocking, the door burst open.
A tall, slender silhouette like a candle. The Abyssal Inferno—whose appearance had hardly changed since Gaark was a rookie—stood frozen for an instant in the pose of having kicked the door open, then strode in with magnificent composure.
Rosemary Puropos. She was supposed to have retired from the front lines already, but the aura of Mana Material radiating from her was as strong as ever.
She'd softened a bit with age, but the witch before him was the type that anyone who knew what they were looking at would declare to be a monster.
The Abyssal Inferno strode inside, flared her nostrils once, and curled the corners of her lips into a smile.
"Branch Chief. Apparently that 'Helgate' group is holding a secret meeting. I'm going to go burn them."
"...Where did you get that information?"
Helgate was a well-known organization in the surrounding nations.
Of course, they couldn't compare to the Fox, whose reach extended across the entire world, but they were an undisputed A-rank outfit known for their small, elite force.
If the secretive Fox were to form an alliance and happened to share information, it would most likely be with a class like this.
But Gaark frowned. This time around, Gaark's team was a small elite force themselves. Their numbers, including Gaark and Rosemary, could be counted on one hand.
Going in with too large a force risked raising alarms, and besides, if they actually intended to wage all-out war against the Fox, they'd need to mobilize every Hunter from the Imperial Capital Branch—and it still wouldn't be enough.
Helgate was a tough organization. Their military strength was considerable, and unlike the Fox, they didn't maintain absolute secrecy.
If they launched a raid, a fight was inevitable. But there was no sign of tension in Rosemary's expression.
"I burned the information broker, of course. I taught you this before, Gaark. Burn them thoroughly... because what remains in the ashes is what holds value."
Information brokers were thought to sell any information for the right price—but not when doing so would put their own life in danger.
But it seemed the broker had determined that the Abyssal Inferno was more terrifying than Helgate. Imagining the man going pale as he was cornered, Gaark let out a deep sigh.
If you burned them, nothing would be left at all.
But he had to admit, just sitting around in silence wasn't exactly dignified either.
Perhaps sharing the same sentiment, Rosemary spoke in a voice that chilled the blood.
"I'm going to show that brat I've still got it."
Even in old age, had the Hunter's temperament not faded in the slightest?
Gaark was the same way—whenever capable youngsters appeared, his blood just couldn't help but boil.
§ It seemed the Abyssal Inferno had grown quite a bit more restrained.
During her prime, she'd burned buildings down like they were candles—but this raid had been carried out as quietly as a creeping flame.
The meeting place was at the edge of Kreet. It appeared to be an old building.
She casually set fire to the first floor, then strode boldly into enemy territory.
The stench was overpowering. The building's walls and ceiling should have been superheated, yet she'd managed to burn only the interior with impressive precision.
Several armed men lay sprawled on the ground—guards, apparently. They were alive, but they wouldn't be moving anytime soon. Rosemary shrugged.
"I assume you want to interrogate them? Naturally, I showed some restraint."
"...That's just how it is. Every branch raises a fuss over civilian casualties. Even criminals."
"So that's your approach."
It didn't seem like the same person who once claimed that people reduced to ash couldn't talk in their sleep. Gaark himself had held similar principles back in the day, so he couldn't say anything—but regardless, time really did fly.
Though Gaark intended to operate alongside the Abyssal Inferno, her methods had hardly changed.
Overwhelming chanting speed, overwhelming magical power, and overwhelming destructive force. Rosemary, who had been drawn to the art of fire magic and delved into its depths, could barely use any magic besides fire-based spells. For a Mage—whose versatility was considered their greatest strength—this approach was heretical.
But in other words—that meant she had reached Level 8 with just that one discipline alone.
Rosemary Puropos was not a Mage.
She was a weapon. She had burned people, burned Monsters, burned Phantoms, and burned Treasure Halls. Many were called "a match for a thousand," but no one deserved that title more than she did.
There was no time to prepare. But the same had to be true for the enemy.
The guards stationed in the lobby had been few in number. If they'd known the Abyssal Inferno was coming, they wouldn't have deployed such a meager force.
Perhaps displeased at having defeated them without even receiving a counterattack, Rosemary wore a sour expression.
It seemed there would be no chance for Gaark to cut loose.
They ascended the stairs cautiously. If there was one weakness to the Abyssal Inferno, it was engagement distance.
Mages were fundamentally unsuited to walking point. No matter how fast their chanting, at close range they were inferior to a robust warrior. But it seemed Rosemary had no intention of letting Gaark take the lead.
Rosemary frowned.
"...It's quiet. Too few people."
"...Are they meeting with someone really important?"
The number of guards during a secret meeting indicated the power balance between the organizations.
After looking into it, the building apparently belonged to Helgate—but the fact that there were so few guards meant the meeting partner might be of even higher standing.
Organizations ranked above A-rank were few and far between. Gaark lowered his voice another notch.
"Jackpot?"
"..."
The building was wrapped in silence. An ideal environment for a secret meeting with the secretive Fox.
He should have worn armor. Gaark currently had his halberd, but he'd gone without armor since it drew attention. For an ordinary Hunter it might be fine, but against Fox members— Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from above.
They weren't walking footsteps. Running—desperately so, from the sound of it. The building's construction should have offered some soundproofing, yet it was still audible. That said something.
Rosemary stopped. She raised her halberd into a ready stance, prepared to spring at any moment.
Almost simultaneously, the door on the upper floor burst open.
"Hah, hah, hah—"
A group of men in black suits stumbled out through the doorway as if fleeing in panic.
A small, scream-like sound escaped from behind the opened door. The men tumbled down the stairs, and upon seeing Rosemary, they stumbled and came rolling down.
Rosemary took a step back, and Gaark moved forward in her place. He kicked one of the sliding men back up to the upper landing.
Tough-looking guys. The dense aura of Mana Material emanating from them—they were unmistakably Helgate men. But the group was clearly running away.
Men with the strength of veteran Hunters or greater. With Gaark's team below and something else above, they found themselves trapped on the stair landing.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out from above. A slightly high-pitched male voice.
"Hmm? Tag's over? Come on, keep running. Run for your lives. This is boring, y'know?"
"!?"
The figure who leaped down was a man in a light, kimono-like outfit wearing a fox mask. At his waist hung an enormous scabbard. In his hand he gripped a single wooden sword.
Despite the distance, and despite the absence of anger in his voice, Gaark felt a powerful wave of pressure. The man nimbly vaulted from the doorway and landed on one knee near the fleeing men.
In that instant, Gaark's dynamic vision barely managed to catch the sword strike.
A flash of steel as natural and gentle as a light breeze, as a mountain stream—soft and flowing. A few seconds later, when the man stood, the group had collapsed soundlessly to the ground.
Becoming one with nature and cutting like the flow of wind. An unprecedented self-taught sword style: the Flowing Wind Sword.
The fox mask turned toward Gaark and Rosemary without missing a beat. Since the mask only covered the front of the face, the tied-back red hair was clearly visible.
After a brief silence, the fox mask spoke.
"...Oh, lucky! I was just looking for something in decent shape to test my cuts on!"
"Wait, Luke! It's me!"
Gaark called out in a panic, but Luke charged at him without the slightest hesitation.
"Gaark? Don't know any guy by that name! I was told I can cut everyone here, so that's what I'm doing!"
Kicking off walls and stair railings, Luke attacked with fluid, unpredictable movements.
Having regularly sparred against Peerless Shadow, his agility was far beyond what you'd expect from a swordsman. That terrifyingly fast sword work was probably developed specifically to counter Riz.
No good—at this range, they were in the domain of Thousand Swords. A halberd wouldn't cut it.
But he'd managed to buy a moment. From behind Gaark, flames surged forward like waves through the air. Rosemary's disgruntled voice reached him.
"Hmph... Let me teach you a little lesson!"
"Old lady, let me tell you something. A cool swordsman—doesn't burn! He cuts through fire too!"
In response, Luke charged straight through the flames. Against ordinary fire it might have been one thing, but to rush headlong into a Level 8 attack spell—that was extraordinary courage.
Even the Abyssal Inferno's eyes went wide.
"That guy... without hesitation!?"
"The—the wooden sword!?"
Come to think of it, Luke had apparently received magic resistance from Lucia's magic as well. Within a single Party, they had the ideal relationship of elevating each other.
Luke himself didn't burn to a crisp, but the wooden sword went from charcoal to ash in an instant.
And then, Luke collapsed within the flames.
"Daaamn it! The strongest swordsman's blade doesn't break! To ruin my sword again—I'm still not good enough! Krai, give me strength!"
"...Tch. Looks like someone beat us to the punch. His judgment was spot on, but what a ruthlessly calculating man—"
Amid Luke's anguished wailing, the Abyssal Inferno clicked her tongue in irritation.
§ § § "Huh? Say that again? So the boss I was absolutely sure was real turned out to be a fake wearing the real one's mask, and the one I thought was fake turned out to be friends with the real boss, and on top of that, both of them are fired up about mass-producing Inari Sushi bentos nationwide! You don't understand what I'm saying? Don't ask me—go ask the boss yourself!"
Using the Resonance Stone she'd been given, she contacted the main shrine of the Fox God's shrine maidens. The main shrine, upon receiving the call, seemed to be in a state of confusion—but Sora was just as confused.
All the while, the Boss and the Fake Boss stood side by side, frying tofu. Being alive was a bonus, but at this point, she had no idea what was going on.
"So, when did you become the boss?"
"...It's not tasty."
The Fake Fox God frowned. The real White Fox God was busy licking clean the plate of fried tofu she had made.
Setting aside the fact that they weren't on the same page at all, the two of them didn't look like enemies in the slightest. Sora felt like she was losing her mind.
Through the Resonance Stone, the man who had once taught Sora what it meant to be a priest spoke in a calming tone.
*'Sora, calm yourself. The White Fox God should be heading your way right now.'* "She was just here! She came earlier and suddenly told me to fry tofu—"
*'Even if the White Fox God's divine will operates beyond mortal comprehension, she would never say something so absurd. The White Fox God's purpose is—the destruction and rebirth of the world! The organization's objective has not changed since its founding!'* Sora agreed. She had believed that too. But it wasn't true. That wasn't it.
She turned around and looked at the White Fox God, who was peering intently into the frying pan with a serious expression.
"...White Fox God, which is more important—tofu or the world's rebirth?"
The answer was a single word. The White Fox God looked at her and spoke in a cold voice.
"...Hah?"
"See... See! She's saying tofu is more important! It's because of you that the White Fox God is in a bad mood!"
*'Calm down, Sora. Take a deep breath. The White Fox God would never behave like that!'* "She won't listen. This is a divine oracle. The White Fox God is saying we should unify the world with Inari Sushi bentos! She's dead serious!"
*'Settle down, Sora. The real boss should arrive shortly! Here—let me speak with the White Fox God. If I talk to her through the Resonance Stone, I should be able to make sense of it!'* "I can't..."
She could never bring herself to face the terrifying White Fox God again. Besides, why was the Fake Fox God chatting so casually with the real one despite being a fake?
What was the relationship between the fake and the real? What would become of the organization from here on? The operation? Right—there was supposed to be some plan involving a powerful item.
Staring intently, the Fake Fox God noticed Sora's gaze.
It seemed the fake was more approachable than the real one. Sora would have to serve this one after all. The real one was simply too much for her.
"What's wrong?"
"...My superior wants to speak with the Boss."
"Oh? A Resonance Stone. Nice gadget you've got there—though I've got a much better smartphone!"
The Fake Fox God took the Resonance Stone with surprising friendliness—then tugged on the ear of the White Fox God, who was peering intently into the frying pan.
This brazen act nearly stopped Sora's heart. The White Fox God glared at the Fake Fox God.
"...Hah?"
In that instant, the killing intent released from her body sent a chill racing down Sora's spine, but the Fake Fox God continued smiling brightly.
Did she not feel this pressure? Despite being clearly inferior in power, she was far too bold facing the real one.
"Your subordinate is on the line."
"..."
"Here, I'll watch the frying pan for you."
The White Fox God took the Resonance Stone with a look of obvious distaste. The man's voice came through the stone.
*'White Fox God. It's been a while. My worthless student did something rude. She was saying some strange things—something about saving the world with tofu, or whatever.'* A straightforward question.
The White Fox God sat down on the kitchen counter and crossed her legs. The white tails that trailed behind her glowed faintly.
Then, after a soft clearing of her throat, she began to speak.
"It's been too long, old man. That's correct. We have decided to carry out the destruction and rebirth of the world using tofu. This is the will of the Fox God."
"!?"
The voice that emerged from her mouth was entirely different from the reluctant tone of moments before.
It was calm, powerful, and possessed an indescribable charm—the voice of a young man.
The Fake Fox God's eyes went wide too. She'd completely forgotten about the frying pan.
*'!? White Fox God!? But that's... far too divergent from the organization's long-standing directive—'* "I won't repeat myself. For now, restructure the organization into a form suited for tofu production. Those who resist will be purged."
*'But the other White Fox Gods will—I, no. Th-then, what should we do!?'* The White Fox God glanced at the frying pan and hastily hopped down from the counter.
"Make tofu."
*'!?'* Only that last line had been her natural voice.
But whether the man—who was clearly panicking even at the far end of the line—had noticed that— She tossed the Resonance Stone back to Sora and used her chopsticks to lift the over-fried tofu from the pan with a sorrowful expression.
It was over. The organization was finished. The man must have now understood that this was truly the real White Fox God's command.
The only path left for Sora was to make tofu.