"Hey, hey, Klye! You know, how about we go take down a Hot Spring Dragon together? Apparently there's a nest nearby."
"Huh... No thanks..."
He was relaxing in his room when Liliz's cutesy, pleading voice snapped him right back to reality.
Hot Spring Dragon... Seriously, what kind of name was that? Whoever came up with it was way too casual about it.
The inn Citry had booked was, as expected of one catering to wealthy merchants, fully equipped with everything at a high standard.
The room was spacious, the futons were plush, and the meals — though the portions might have been insufficient for hunters like Liliz — were extravagant affairs brimming with rare delicacies from mountains and seas.
The hot spring was fed directly from its source, and while there was a large communal bath, each room also came with its own open-air bath. He hadn't used it yet, but if he wanted to, he could spend an entire day without leaving the room in complete comfort.
Why did he have to go fight some Hot Spring Dragon on the very first day?
Thanks to Citry's lap pillow — or maybe it was the nap — his energy had recovered. But that was energy meant for soaking in the hot spring. Important energy.
"Huh? But it's such a rare find... Klye, what did you even come here for?"
He'd been thinking about it lately, but seriously — every time he went outside, they ran into way too many powerful monsters.
Even though Liliz had walked around town during the day and moved around far more than he had, this tiny childhood friend was brimming with energy.
Liliz pouted her lips and grabbed his arm, shaking it. Without Luke and the others around, he was Liliz's only playmate, which was a problem. Tinno was there to toy with, but— "Let me say this right now — I have absolutely no intention of doing anything productive here! For two weeks, I'm going to soak in the hot springs, eat, sleep, and just wait it out."
"So you've already made your preparations — is that what you're saying?"
"Huh? ...Yeah, yeah, that's right. Everything's going according to plan."
Citry quickly jumped in to back up his pathetic declaration.
Whether he'd "made preparations" or not... well, various things had happened, but his vacation was largely on track.
It was the hot spring. The hot spring was right before his eyes. Everything else could go jump in a lake. Arnold, the White Sword gathering, commission requests — he'd forget about all of that for now. He'd leave it to his future self.
At some point, Citry had changed from her usual robes into a blue yukata adorned with a floral pattern.
It wasn't particularly revealing, but perhaps because her usual look was those heavy robes, the new outfit felt fresh and somehow alluring. Her excellent posture made it look as though the yukata had been tailor-made for her.
Of everyone on this vacation, Citry had undoubtedly borne the greatest burden. He really hoped she could finally spread her wings and relax for once.
Incidentally, a men's yukata had been provided as well, but unfortunately, Klye had Treasure Weapons concealed all over his body, so he couldn't actually wear one. His life came first. Even when bathing, he kept his rings on.
"Citty~! When did you change? What about mine? Don't tell me you changed into that to make a move on my Klye!"
"Oh, stop lumping me together with Big Sis! I would never do that! Besides, I've told you many times — Klye doesn't belong to Big Sis. ...If you want a yukata, just ask the inn staff. They'll give you one."
"...Liliz, if you wear a yukata, you won't be able to throw kicks or anything, will you?"
Between Citry's rebuttal and Klye's observation, Liliz made a troubled expression. Whether she'd actually have an opportunity to kick anything at the hot spring was beside the point — she'd always hated restrictive clothing ever since she was little.
As for his apprentice Tinno, she seemed to want to try one on, fidgeting and glancing around.
"It looks like there aren't many guests today, so we'll probably have the hot spring all to ourselves."
"Now that's nice."
He wouldn't have minded other guests being around, but if it was empty... maybe he could actually swim!!
More importantly, fewer guests meant a lower chance of Liliz getting accosted. Liliz and Citry were both cute-looking girls, so staying at an inn like this practically guaranteed that someone would hit on them — and then Liliz would deck them. Well, in a way, those guys brought it on themselves, but the fewer incidents, the better.
That reminded him — there was something he needed to confirm with Citry.
"By the way, what happened to Kuro and the others? They weren't at the meal either..."
"Per your orders, Klye, their rooms have been reserved. Meals should be being served to them as well. Beyond that, I'm not concerned."
So cold... but if they were all staying at the same inn, they'd probably run into each other later.
And when that happened, he'd remove their collars and set them free.
§ "Mastaa... um... how does it look?"
Tinno turned around with a determined expression, then asked hesitantly.
She was wearing a navy blue yukata. The ribbon she usually tied her hair with was gone, and the contrast between her fair skin and the dark fabric was striking. With Citry's help, she'd achieved an impeccable outfit.
When they'd first come to the Imperial Capital after coming of age and met Tinno, she'd only been ten. He still tended to see her as a child, but looking at her now, she was unquestionably a proper adult from every angle. In some respects, she was even more developed than Liliz.
Come to think of it, their ages were surprisingly only about four or five years apart...
Unlike Citry, Tinno's outfit actually showed less skin than usual, yet she somehow looked more alluring. As he stared intently, Tinno's face flushed red.
"Yeah, it suits you really well. Cute, cute... It's almost a waste for only me to see it."
He'd caused Tinno quite a bit of trouble too. His slightly over-the-top praise made her face turn even redder as she averted her gaze.
Her lips were pressed tightly together, but her expression made it clear she was delighted by the compliment.
Liliz wasn't one to praise people much, so maybe he should be the one to heap on the compliments.
"Th-That... Mastaa..."
"Klye, no matter how cute Tinno is, staring at her like that is incredibly rude."
"!?"
Citry stepped forward as if to shield the sputtering, inarticulate Tinno.
Was it really? ...No, he supposed it was pretty rude. Citry, being a woman rather than a man, probably understood Tinno's feelings better.
Tinno was his junior, but she was also Citry's junior. Citry was younger than him and closer in age to Tinno, so she was practically like a big sister.
"Um... Citry Big Sis, I don't mind—"
"It's okay. Klye doesn't mean any harm. Tinno, I'll protect you. Besides, Klye, before you say anything to Tinno... shouldn't you have something to say to me?"
...She wasn't pulling any punches.
It was probably meant as light teasing, but she had a point. Even among close companions, manners mattered. He looked Citry over once more.
Against the deep blue background, multiple white flowers were artfully arranged. The pattern perfectly complemented Citry's naturally composed aura. Her appearance was pure, lovely, and somehow imbued with a quiet sensuality.
Needless to say, Citry's outfit was flawless.
Treasure Hunters emitted an increasingly powerful aura the higher their Level grew. Mana Material enhanced not just physical abilities and magic power. Their faces didn't change, but something else did. Hunters who placed particular emphasis on beauty possessed a demonic allure — there were even numerous legends of one bringing entire empires to their knees.
The looks the inn staff had given him were entirely justified. They were right — stripped of his Mana Material enhancements, he and Citry were not on the same level.
If he hadn't watched her grow up firsthand and grown accustomed to her, he might have fallen for her instantly. No — she was completely out of his league.
Then again, his Clan was full of handsome men and beautiful women...
"Sorry, sorry... Citry, you're really beautiful too. I love your usual robe look, but the yukata looks great on you."
What a treat. Her pristine aura was wonderful. If he took a photo, the sister-loving Anthem would be thrilled. Compared to him, the difference was like the moon versus a soft-shelled turtle.
Citry shot him an accusatory look as he praised her with such limited vocabulary. She took a step forward, and before he could open his mouth, she slipped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his back and pressing herself tightly against him.
"B-Big Sis!?"
"...Do you really think that, Klye? Because I'll know immediately if you're lying."
The soft pressure against his chest. Through the gentle fabric, it felt as though Citry's heartbeat was transferring to him. If he had the perception of a Treasure Hunter, he could have told them apart clearly, but in his current state, he couldn't tell whether the heartbeat he heard inside his own body was his or that of the childhood friend before him.
The sweet fragrance wafting from her hair made his head feel warm and his vision swim. Those translucent pink eyes gazed up at him as though drawing him in.
He was used to physical contact from Liliz, but Citry's was a different matter entirely, and he couldn't help being flustered.
It was a mean-spirited joke. Being swayed by her allure and letting his hands wander was entirely plausible.
His hands, having lost their destination, hovered aimlessly in the air. He couldn't very well push her away.
Snapping out of it, Tinno let out a trembling voice, grabbed Citry's arm from behind, and tried to pull her away. As expected of someone trained in personal combat — her movements were decisive.
"Citry Big Sis!? Th-This isn't okay! I'm telling Big Sis on you! And the Master, too! He said it suited me!"
"Y-Yeah, yeah, that's right—"
I'm really sorry. I'll treat you to cake next time, so forgive me...
Citry let out a sultry sigh and nodded, seemingly satisfied.
"...Yeah, you were properly flustered, so I'll forgive you for making eyes at Tinno this time."
"No, no, of course that was fluster-worthy... I wasn't making eyes at anyone..."
Any man would have reacted the same way. The only one who wouldn't was probably Luke. But he'd truly devoted his soul to the sword and was practically devoid of biological desires, so Klye figured he was the exception.
As he took a deep breath to calm himself, Citry naturally looped her arm through his right arm.
"Why don't we head to the hot spring? Who knows when the next fight might break out — and Big Sis will be noisy if she comes back from looking for Hot Spring Dragons."
Tinno puffed out her cheeks in a pout and latched onto his left arm with a firm grip.
"Master, don't go getting all mushy over Citry Big Sis's jokes — stay sharp like you always are!"
...Had he ever actually been "sharp"?
Both Tinno and Citry were the kind of beauties he could show off just by walking with them. The situation could only be described as having a flower in each hand, yet somehow, it felt incredibly uncomfortable.
Ark was supposedly always in this same situation — how on earth did he manage to keep smiling? Maybe that was a difference in capacity after all. He really shouldn't have come here until he'd found Luke and the others.
Flanked by a cheerful Citry and a sulky Tinno, he made his way to the hot spring with the feeling of a criminal being escorted by guards.
§ § § "Hey, are you seriously — going through with this?"
The fierce-looking man — the one who had once been feared as a Red Hunter — broke into a cold sweat and spoke in a trembling voice.
Kuro figured he probably wore a similar expression himself.
The location was a private room in a high-class inn far beyond the reach of ordinary hunters — a far too refined setting for two rough-looking men to be huddled together in serious discussion.
Kuro took a deep breath and turned to his partner — Shiro.
"Haiiro's done for. His spirit's completely broken. But you saw it, right!? At this rate, our lives are finished either way. We've got no choice but to do this!"
"B-But... Thousand Transformations said he was going to release us."
"Th-That's ridiculous! Can you believe that? He said he'd release us, and look where he sent us — the City of Ten Thousand Demons, a place even the most reckless hunters avoid! Damn it all!"
The City of Ten Thousand Demons, as seen from a distance, was a hellish place that surpassed even the rumors.
Just looking at it made him think his heart would stop. If he'd been ordered to charge straight in, Kuro would have jumped from the carriage with the resolve to die and made a run for it.
Kuro, Shiro, and Haiiro all had considerable strength as hunters, but that Treasure Hall was on an entirely different level.
Being captured by Peerless Shadow and forced along on this journey had been agony. They'd been kept under constant watch, confined to the carriage, and even when they reached towns, they were only allowed to manage the carriage — never given proper rest. In the forest, they'd been forced into battle repeatedly. They'd even been chased by a Level 7 Hunter. He'd thought many times that death would be better than this, but that Treasure Hall was in a league of its own.
Thousand Transformations was insane.
Even after traveling together, they couldn't fathom his true strength or methods, but on that one point, Kuro, Shiro, and Haiiro were in complete agreement.
This journey was indeed a vacation. But it was a vacation for a Level 8. Not something they could keep up with.
There was even a chance they'd get caught up in something beyond the City of Ten Thousand Demons. No, in Kuro's estimation — a very high chance.
Haiiro, who'd been the most defiant at the very start of the journey, had already been defanged.
Before getting on the carriage, he'd spoken rudely to Thousand Transformations and been beaten senseless by Kuro and Shiro. In the forest, he'd been kicked down by Peerless Shadow and then "rescued." Looking back, all of it had probably been part of Thousand Transformations' scheme.
Things might have been different if they'd been mentally prepared, but by the time they realized, it was too late. Haiiro was already a broken man. His courage and his rebellious spirit had been completely crushed. Even if he made it back alive, he'd never be able to take on dangerous work again.
But Kuro and Shiro were different. Despite the miserable treatment, they'd been sharpening their claws and honing their fangs.
They had no intention of rebelling against Thousand Transformations. Ambushing a Level 8 would only result in being subdued with a single finger. The preparations they'd been making were solely to escape alive.
The bottleneck was the collar.
It was difficult to destroy, and no matter how far they distanced themselves, the electric shock function couldn't be neutralized. It was truly an invisible shackle.
The one who'd originally held the key was Worst of the Worst, but now Thousand Transformations had it on his person.
"We've got no other choice. Haiiro turned it down. If we wait too long, we might get a warning."
Shiro swallowed hard as Kuro pleaded with bloodshot eyes.
Their retreat was already cut off. Even if they delayed the plan, the fact that they'd planned it would remain. And there was no predicting how Thousand Transformations would react to that fact.
"He said we'd be staying for one or two weeks. The sooner we act, the better. It will succeed. It has to succeed."
"...Yeah, got it."
They knew far too little about Thousand Transformations. That he looked like nothing more than a handsome, gentle man. That he barely ever worked. That he spoke pathetically. That he was full of openings. That he radiated no sense of intimidation. And yet — despite all of that, he made life-or-death choices that everyone else would shun.
Moreover, even the few things they did know about him — they couldn't tell whether any of it was real or just an act.
But there was one thing they did know.
"Thousand Transformations is off his guard. Theft is our specialty. When it came to keeping the key safe, that woman Citry was better at it than he is."
Citry — that despicable woman — had been fully aware of her overwhelming advantage, but she never once flaunted the collar key in front of Kuro and the others.
They couldn't even begin to guess where she'd hidden it. And as far as keeping slaves in line went, that was absolutely the right approach.
But Thousand Transformations was different. He was overwhelmingly powerful, but with that power came the arrogance of the truly strong.
Whether to nip any rebellion in the bud, or perhaps because he genuinely intended to release them, he'd produced the key right before their eyes. And now they could more or less tell where he'd hidden it.
The key was — on Thousand Transformations' person. If that was the case, they could absolutely steal it.
That man wasn't on his guard against them. Just as people normally paid no attention to insects crawling on the ground.
Thousand Transformations was undeniably the strongest. Even without the collars, a head-on confrontation would leave them utterly powerless.
But at the same time, that man was human — not an infallible god. And if that was the case, there had to be a way.
Fortunately, this was a hot spring. There was a changing room. Shiro spoke in a hushed voice.
"I checked out the locker locks. They're a bit complicated, but I can open one in under a minute. As expected of an upscale inn — they never even considered that a clothing thief might show up."
"...Alright, let's do this."
Kuro and Shiro were villains. But no matter how villainous they were, they weren't so timid as to sit by quietly and wait to be crushed.
Forcing twisted grins to mask their fear, Kuro and Shiro rose silently to their feet.