In a room of a high-end inn for Treasure Hunters in the heart of the Imperial Capital, eight Hunters had gathered.
Unlike the establishments used by nobles and merchants, inns catering to Hunters prioritized practicality over luxury.
Cold storage rooms for preserving Monster materials, meeting rooms, maintenance rooms for washing blood-soaked weapons and armor — just about everything useful for continuing to explore Treasure Halls was on hand.
Each piece of furniture was built sturdy enough that even powerful Hunters couldn't break it, and the room was spacious enough for a Party to use.
The facilities were far superior even compared to the Nebulnes inn they had been using as their base, but the complexion of Arnold sitting in the seat of honor was poor.
The cause was the words he had received from Branch Chief Gaark.
He swept his gaze around the Party members and confirmed in a low, intimidating voice.
"You've gathered the rumors, right?"
"Y-Yes. It seems he's a famous Hunter in this area—"
Wiping sweat from his brow, Ei, the Party's sub-leader, began to explain.
Thousand Transformations.
The epithet of the Hunter who, as Branch Chief Gaark had mentioned, owned Peerless Shadow and — whether seriously or as a joke — had commissioned Arnold's group to subdue a Thunder Dragon simply because he "wanted to eat it."
Normally, just being the leader of the Party that the woman who had attacked Arnold belonged to would have been reason enough to treat him as an enemy, but he was far too risky a target to provoke.
Thunder Dragon.
The subjugation of the Thunder Dragon was the crowning achievement among Arnold's many accomplishments.
That dragon, which had wreaked havoc in the Land of the Mist, truly possessed the power to level an entire country.
Before Arnold's group had challenged it, numerous high-level Hunters had failed to drive it back — an absolute powerhouse. The reason Arnold had been certified at Level 7 and given an epithet was precisely because that subjugation was a feat worthy of it.
Thunder Dragon.
A massive body and unyielding scales. It soared freely through the sky, armed with a lightning breath that was nearly impossible to avoid and a long tail like a blade whose cutting power far surpassed ordinary swords — a dragon classified among the upper echelons of its kind.
Arnold's group had faced it directly — the Thunder Dragon of the Mist — but countless Hunters had contributed to the preparations for its subjugation.
The stage was set, opportunities were watched for, and after ensuring complete equipment and countermeasures, they lured it into a trap.
A battle they could not afford to lose, with the fate of a nation hanging in the balance. Despite every precaution, the life-or-death struggle lasted for hours.
The Explorer's Guild had set the recommended subjugation Level at 7, but if Arnold was allowed to speak from experience, that certified Level was far too generous.
Fortunately, the subjugation succeeded, but one misstep would have meant death for Arnold's group. Even now, carrying powerful weapons forged from its materials and having survived countless brushes with death since then, they would not come out unscathed if they fought it again.
No matter what dire situation they found themselves in within a Treasure Hall, the thought that it was still better than facing that Thunder Dragon had always given them the will to push forward.
The carcass was dismantled, and the Land of the Mist prospered. Even after distributing shares to every cooperating Hunter, substantial sums were paid out.
Whether or not the payout matched the difficulty of the subjugation was another matter entirely, but a dragon was treasure from head to tail. Bones, scales, and the precious stones within its body went without saying, but even its flesh and blood were in demand as potion ingredients.
Using a portion of those hard-won materials as food was nothing short of the idea of a madman. If any Hunter somewhere was boasting about it, it would be the kind of thing worth laughing off.
But if the person saying it was a high-level Hunter, that was a different story entirely.
"When you think of Hunters in Zebuldia, Rodan was the famous one — damn, Level 8, you say..."
Hearing the information, Arnold clicked his tongue in frustration.
Level 8. A man certified at a higher Level than Arnold, who had slain the Thunder Dragon.
Even the members of the Thunder Dragon of the Mist, who did not flinch from life-or-death combat against Phantoms, had expressions twisted with unease.
With the dramatic power enhancement that Mana Materials provided, Treasure Hunters had vast differences in strength.
While there was indeed a heaven-and-earth difference in ability between an average Hunter and Arnold, the same could be said of the gap between Arnold and an even higher-level Hunter.
There had been only five Treasure Halls near Nebulnes.
Even so, those five Treasure Halls were each certified at different Levels, and compared to neighboring nations, it was a fortunate situation — but compared to the Imperial Capital, where countless Treasure Halls of every Level were available, the difference was like heaven and earth.
In this place, there existed many high-Level Treasure Halls that could push Arnold and his group — who had already grown to their limits in the Nebulnes Treasure Halls — even further.
Would the Mighty Thunder Flash, once called the strongest in the Land of the Mist, even hold its own in this Imperial Capital? No — even if it did, perhaps it was not ranked as high as they had believed.
They had expected this to some degree, but for the Thunder Dragon of the Mist, which had been feared precisely because of that power, the reality was heavier than they had imagined.
A certified Level did not necessarily represent true strength, but if that Thousand Transformations could hunt Thunder Dragons as if they were mere snacks, then at the very least — it meant he was above all of Arnold's group.
"So there are loads of people in this place who eat things like that 'Thunder Dragon'? But there weren't any impressive Hunters at the bar..."
"B-But, Arnold. The Thousand Transformations I saw was — like a small fry..."
"…Damn it!"
At Ei's timid words, Arnold stomped the floor furiously.
Being underestimated was fatal for a Hunter, but picking a fight in a battle where defeat was certain was also not what a Hunter should do.
Gaark's mocking gaze was seared into his mind. Those eyes — they held the conviction that Thousand Transformations had already surpassed Mighty Thunder Flash.
The request to deliver the Thunder Dragon was probably part of that as well.
Their original plan had been to establish their presence among the Capital's Hunters, sell the items obtained near Nebulnes at high prices, and then settle in to take down the local Treasure Halls one by one.
But they had stumbled at the very first step.
What was fortunate was that the one responsible was a famous Hunter.
The information on Thousand Transformations that Ei and the others had gathered through their inquiries was, regardless of its veracity, beyond their expectations.
He was said to be a man with eyes that could see the future.
He was said to be a man who had reached Level 8 without a single misstep.
He was said to be the leader of a Party composed entirely of those with epithets.
A mysterious Treasure Hunter whose name everyone knew but whose true abilities no one did. There were even rumors that he was a god-like man.
If he truly commanded even Rodan, whose fame had reached as far as Nebulnes, his strength was beyond doubt.
Undoubtedly one of the Capital's foremost Hunters — and even if they lost to him, their reputation wouldn't suffer that badly.
Arnold gritted his teeth until they nearly cracked, suppressed the boiling anger and cold dread welling up inside him, and made his decision.
"…We observe the situation. First, we do what needs to be done. We reorganize our formation. We don't have enough information."
Arnold and his group were not knights who valued honorable combat. They were Hunters.
Confronting a powerful foe required appropriate preparation — especially if they intended to win.
One of the members shuddered at the passionate intensity hidden in his voice.
"Um... what about the Thunder Dragon delivery request?"
"I have no intention... of taking the bait. It's not like we formally accepted the request."
First, they would assess the situation. Find weaknesses.
A Party composed entirely of those with epithets, backed by a massive Clan. Their opponent was overwhelmingly powerful — but precisely because of that, there had to be exploitable gaps.
His golden eyes glowed darkly at this formidable target, the greatest since the Thunder Dragon. Heat swirled throughout the spacious room.
§ § § "How... how did things end up like this...?"
Eva said in a trembling voice as she flipped through the IOUs.
Her mouth was trembling and her eyes were wide open — an expression unlike the always calm and composed Eva.
Even I couldn't bring myself to lounge in my chair as usual, so I folded my arms and pretended to think.
The Mourning Specter's income was split equally, but for Treasure Weapons, Monster materials, and other items they obtained, if a Party member wanted one, they could buy it at a price slightly below market value, and the difference would be distributed as money to the others.
Well, we were close-knit companions, and most of the members had little desire for material things, so we had gotten by without fuss — but the reason the debt had grown naturally was probably because I had been buying up most of the Treasure Weapons, which were a Hunter's primary source of income.
I never had any money, so each time I bought something, it counted as borrowing from everyone — but starting around the time Elisa joined as a new member, Citry, who was the most well-off, had begun shouldering the burden for me.
I was completely leeching off them. I had been turning a blind eye until now, but this was very bad... perhaps.
Eva knew about the Treasure Weapons lining my private room wall to wall. She also knew the contents of my wallet and the amount of my savings. She was essentially my secretary. She could probably more or less guess how I had ended up in this situation.
"Well... there were too many Treasure Weapons I wanted—"
"…That's an amount that even a top-class Hunter couldn't earn so easily. You kept bringing in new Treasure Weapons one after another, so I was wondering..."
"Yeah, yeah, that's right... As the Level of the Treasure Halls we tackled increased, the Treasure Weapons we brought back became more expensive, so the debt just kept growing..."
It was almost surprising that no one had pointed this out until now. The amount was so enormous that it didn't feel real at all. What a shock.
Eva pushed her bangs up and pressed her hand to her forehead. Her expression was far more serious than mine — the person actually responsible.
"I... knew you occasionally withdrew Clan operating funds to buy Treasure Weapons, but... you always paid them back quickly, so I let my guard down."
Right, right... Citry had been filling the gap for me. I guess we'd just have to get married at this point.
My motives were... far too impure.
"I-I just want to confirm... you haven't borrowed from anyone outside, right?"
"Just from Citry."
Well, there had been times I borrowed from others too, but Citry had paid them all back on my behalf.
Treasure Weapons were my lifeline. That was precisely why I had never compromised... but perhaps I should have thought a little more before acting. I guess we'd just have to get married.
The slim glasses Eva wore glinted. Her pensive expression lasted only an instant.
She soon let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"…Sigh. Well, with the Mourning Specter, I think we could manage in a year or two... if there were no interest."
Even the current situation was already more than I could handle — could I really keep going as a Hunter for another year or two?
"…Can't we make it work with a confectionery shop?"
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
"Alright, it's settled! Until I pay off the debt... I'll hold off on buying Treasure Weapons."
They were words filled with resolve, but Eva's eyes were somewhat skeptical.
Until now, I had casually bought new Treasure Weapons one after another, bragging each time. It was only natural that she didn't trust me. I had no choice but to prove it through actions.
I might as well show my motivation too.
"Also... right. I'll take on a side job — well, maybe not that far, but... maybe I'll do some part-time work."
"Please don't."
"Right... how about a fortune-teller? I don't have any Skills or knowledge, but don't you think I could muddle through with guesses?"
"P-Please don't!"
The words were half-joking, but Eva's voice was desperate. Her face was even paler than when she had learned the amount of the debt.
It was just a suggestion, but... well, if your own Clan Master tried to start up as a fraudulent fortune-teller, you'd probably try to stop them with equal desperation.
Besides, in the Imperial Capital there were real fortune-tellers who boasted high accuracy rates, so his charade would be exposed in no time.
"…Maybe I'll work as a shop clerk at some store."
"Please don't."
"How about cleaning or something? Sewer work — you know, the stuff the Explorer's Guild puts out requests for because they're short on hands?"
The pay was low, and since it was work anyone could do regardless of whether they were a Hunter, apparently almost no one took those jobs.
"…Please don't. Really, I'm begging you... Klye, do you even understand your own position?"
"Hunters are free spirits. There's no shame in any job. A Level 8 doing sewer work is perfectly fine. Don't you think?"
"I don't. Liliz would go on a rampage, so please stop."
I see... it was hard to say without trying, but that was entirely possible.
This was a real problem... if that was the case, how was I supposed to earn money?
I had no special Skills and only average abilities, yet my Level was disproportionately high.
I was completely useless — a lost cause. Wasn't I far worse than someone who was simply incompetent? I felt like I was going to throw up.
Could I really do nothing but leech off Liliz, Citry, Lucia, and Tinno? Was I just garbage?
"Forget side jobs... why don't you explore Treasure Halls Solo? You are a Hunter, after all."
Eva was essentially telling me to go die.
Seeing me relax with a pathetic grin on my face, Eva let out a long, soul-wearying sigh.
"Stop making that pathetic face! ……Fortunately, we have starting capital, and if we take our time, I think we can increase our funds somewhat. Klye, don't do anything! Okay? And no more adding to the debt. Financial trouble is the number one cause of Party collapse."
Didn't that basically mean I was doing nothing?
…Could I really do nothing but leech off Eva…? How was that any different from borrowing from Citry?
It was a relief, but Eva had her own work. Running the now-expanded Clan must have been a considerable burden on its own.
Adding debt cleanup on top of that was inexcusable. I was too much of a loser.
"Klye, please carry yourself with confidence. Just having you be dependable makes it so much easier for me to handle things."
"…The standard of 'dependable' you're using is pretty low, isn't it? You just mean sitting there quietly, right?"
"…………"
She looked away. Was this really acceptable, even barely, for a Clan Master?