It felt as if the world had been cut away, isolating just this spot.
Gregg noticed my state and let his lips curve into a smirk.
"The Mourning Specter is a small, elite party. Without a chance like this, you'd never get a glimpse of them, let alone a shot at joining. Those folks are probably champing at the bit to show their faces here, hoping for a shot."
His voice was charged with excitement. Ruda's eyes widened at his intensity.
Mourning Specter. That name sent a pang through my stomach.
It was the name of the party I'd formed with friends when we came to the imperial capital from the countryside a few years ago.
A young party that had quickly made a name for itself with its five monstrous members. Now, within the capital, it stood as a peerless young party alongside the Holy Spirit's Children.
Its formal name was the **Mourning Specter**.
My throat had gone dry without me noticing. Was it from tension? A strange sweat broke out.
Please, don't call that name. I wanted to protest, but saying so now would be too unnatural.
I pulled my hood down deeper, trying to hide myself even a little.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you feeling okay?"
Ruda asked, her voice worried as she shrank back and shivered alongside me. I felt like I was going to vomit.
"Well, I guess it was just a false rumor after all. I had some expectations since they made such a big fuss about it…"
Gregg shrugged.
Whether it was the Holy Spirit's Children or the Mourning Specter, the parties belonging to Footsteps were generally high-level.
Even the short-tempered Gregg probably wouldn't complain just because one party hadn't shown up.
"Hey! What gives?! Where's the Mourning Specter?!"
But there was someone else who did intend to complain.
A loud shout abruptly drew all eyes.
At its source stood a boy with fiery red hair. Strapped to his back was a two-handed greatsword too massive for an average person to wield. He was short, but even through his clothes, you could tell he had a well-trained body.
As I've said many times, a Hunter's strength is directly proportional to their short fuse.
The audacity to shout before a crowd what no one else dared say—not even Gregg.
The eyes of someone utterly convinced of victory, even while making enemies of everyone present. And he almost certainly had the strength to back it up.
The greatsword radiated a unique gleam, not forged by ordinary hands. It was likely one of those so-called Treasure Weapons, acquired from a Treasure Hall.
He was clearly younger than me, but his aura was too dangerous to dismiss as mere youthful arrogance.
"I'm not here for small fry! I heard the top dogs would be here, so I made the trip all the way out here!"
The boy continued crudely, not waiting for anyone's agreement.
"You're young. Are you seriously planning to make enemies of everyone here?"
Gregg murmured, observing him with curiosity.
Despite his rough appearance, he showed a certain degree of sense for his age.
A Treasure Hunter's horizontal connections are vital. Problems spread like wildfire. No matter how strong you were, sometimes that wasn't enough.
Until now, he'd probably gotten away with whatever he wanted. But everyone here was friendly towards Footsteps. Moreover, they were all strong. Treasure Weapon owners weren't uncommon.
None of the surrounding Hunters moved to stop the boy in the center. His words likely voiced the sentiments of a portion of the Hunters present.
At the same time, he was being observed with disdainful looks by the other Hunters.
The boy glared at the Footsteps members seated at various tables with a gaze sharp enough to carry killing intent. But most ignored him.
No one was more accustomed to dealing with brats than senior Hunters.
Perhaps he was getting worked up, because the boy shouted again. It almost looked like a beast making its threat display.
"I'm gonna be the strongest Hunter someday! I'm already Level 4! I was gonna offer to make the so-called strongest in the capital my buddy, but forget it!"
Quite the declaration. This kid was going to make it big—or die trying.
He was probably still in his mid-teens. Being Level 4 at that age was certainly impressive. His bottomless confidence and arrogant attitude weren't admirable, but in the world of Hunters, winning made you right.
That was the world of Hunters.
Ruda was discreetly biting back a retort. Apparently, the shock that this brat had a higher Level than her was too much.
But it was okay. There was still the possibility he'd gained his Level within a party.
As the boy stamped his feet in frustration, a Footsteps member finally approached him.
Not one of the recruiters who'd been getting yelled at. It was Tinno Shade, who'd been sitting alone in the corner of the room until moments ago.
He walked up to the boy with casual steps and looked down at him with cold eyes.
"Huh? Who the hell are you?!"
"A brat who doesn't know his place. We don't need you."
His voice was low and chilling.
The other Footsteps members, who'd been unfazed even when the boy targeted them, hurriedly intervened.
"Whoa, Tinno! Today's goal is recruiting members—don't cause a scene!"
"It'll be over in an instant. I'll kick him out. If Big Sis were here, she'd do the same. The one who gets to join the **Mourning Specter** is... me. She promised she'd let me in once I got stronger."
Point-blank range. The audacity to face a greatsword with superior reach like this. His short fuse was on par with the stupid boy.
The other members tried to calm Tinno down, who looked ready to pounce at any moment. It was impossible to say who the real troublemaker was.
"Leave the idiot alone—it's a waste of time! We're under orders to keep things peaceful, remember?! We'll get scolded too if it becomes a joint liability!"
"Huh?! Who are you calling an idiot?! I'll kill you!"
"You, you idiot! Just go die quietly! We're professionals here!"
The Footsteps member retorted to the thuggish boy with equally thuggish language.
Despite being a top Clan, their substance was nearly identical.
All these monsters were hungrily eyeing an opportunity to use their power.
Pouring oil on the fire, the commotion grew. There were no objects nearby to throw, which was the only saving grace. Drawing weapons wouldn't be out of the question now. And once weapons were drawn, there was no stopping it halfway. The fight wouldn't end until one side died or simply couldn't continue.
A fight between Treasure Hunters was a disaster.
It was fortunate that everyone here was a Hunter. If they started using the **Treasure Weapons** that a not-insignificant portion undoubtedly possessed, a couple of buildings like this one would be blown away in no time.
"All right! Do it! Show us the power of Footsteps!"
Gregg started egging them on in his crude voice. Others took the bait and joined in, even some Footsteps members. It was beyond containment.
I tugged on the sleeve of the stunned Ruda and whispered frantically.
"Ruda. We should give up and get out of here. Once a fight starts between Hunters, it doesn't stop. If we get caught in it, we're dead."
Hunters can't afford to be pushed around. If they take a hit, they hit back. If hit back, they hit harder. A vicious cycle. Even if it was a stray blow, they wouldn't let it slide, so it wouldn't end until the last person standing collapsed.
Tinno shrugged and tapped his toe on the floor. A familiar gesture—he was loosening up to kick.
A trained Hunter's kick could easily crater the ground and blow out a wall. These were the guardians of the Treasure Hall—creatures who could crush even **Phantoms**, which were impervious to heavy weapons, with a single blow. It was unbelievable.
"W-wait..."
"My situational awareness is one thing I'm confident in. Now, before the fight really starts..."
"B-but I came here to find a party!?"
It was no use. Their brains were pure muscle too. Being alive was more important than a party.
That's how I'd survived for the past five years. Ruda didn't understand high-Level Hunter brawls.
I knew I shouldn't have come here. On the verge of tears, I tried to reason with her.
"O-okay! I get it! I'll help you find one! Next time! For now—life is more important!"
"!?" W-well, alright. I get it."
The room's temperature, already stifling with heat, climbed even higher.
The greatsword the boy held at the ready—was on fire. A Treasure Weapon. An item imbued with supernatural power. The vermillion flames wrapped around the blade didn't spread further, merely illuminating Tinno's cool expression.
I shuffled towards the exit, moving along the wall like a crab.
It was humiliating. But it was safe. The ominous exchange continued behind me.
"I'll kill you and then think. That's what Big Sis taught me."
"Fine! Bring it on, shrimp! Don't expect me to hold back!"
"Are you looking down on us? Hmm? If you wanna fight, do it outside! Outside!"
If they fought outside, the Imperial Knights would absolutely show up. Authorities were hypersensitive to Hunter scandals these days. If civilians got caught up in it, it wouldn't be pretty.
Third parties kept fueling the fire. I didn't want to think about it, but those were Footsteps members' voices. Too much chaos.
"Alright, go for it! La-dy—Fight!!"
"Don't egg them on—!"
A scream-like shout. Crude whistles and jeers. The clamor. As Ruda and I crept toward the exit, someone gave the signal to start.
Almost simultaneously—the wind blew.
The hot, humid air was instantly swept away. The sudden impact knocked me onto my butt. My hood flew off.
Ruda, who'd been following behind me, let out a short cry.
A shadow fell over my vision. My heart was pounding. I looked up cautiously.
Ruda's eyes were wide as she whispered in a small voice.
"When... did he…"
A pair of eyes as transparent as black diamonds looked down at me. It was Tinno, who should have been confronting the boy moments ago.
His neatly trimmed black hair flowed smoothly, a beat late. Long, toned legs were exposed before me.
It wasn't his previous sullen expression. He looked at me with a blank, almost dazed look.
"Um... can I... help you with something?" Ruda asked hesitantly.
Tinno didn't answer her. Instead, his voice trembled—no less than hers—as he spoke to me.
"...Um... what... what are you doing here? Mastaa...? How long have you been here?"
Ugh... I'm gonna be sick.