It's as if the world has been cut off from this place.
Greg's lips twisted in a grimace, unaware of my condition.

'The Lamentations are an elite few, you know. You won't get to see them unless you get a chance like this, and there's no way you'll get a chance to join the party. They're probably just trying to make a fool of themselves.

He sounded excited. Luda's eyes rolled back in his head at his enthusiasm.

"Lamentations". My stomach churned at the mention of the word.

It was a few years ago. It was the name of a party my friends and I had created when we came to the capital from the countryside.
A young party that quickly rose to prominence with five monsters in its ranks. Today, it is one of the most prominent young parties in the Imperial City, along with the Ark Brave.

The official name is Strange Grief.

Before I knew it, I was thirsty. Maybe it's the nerves, but I'm sweating like crazy.
Please don't call me that. I want to sue you, but it's too unnatural to say that now.

I pull my hood back up. As if to disguise myself a little.

'Hey, what's wrong? What's wrong with you?'

As I shrink and shake, Luda asks me with concern. I feel like I'm going to vomit.

'Well, it looks like it was just a rumor. I was expecting a little more from you, since you were so mysterious. ......'

Greg shrugged.

Not only the Ark Brave and Strange Grief, but also the parties belonging to the Footprints are generally of a high level.
No matter how short-tempered Greg is, he's probably not going to complain just because one party didn't show up.

'Hey, what's going on! Where's the Lamentations?

But it seems that some of them were planning to complain.

A sudden loud voice drew their attention.
At the other end of the line was a boy with fiery red hair. On his back was a double-handed sword that could not be wielded with ordinary strength. He was short in stature, but even through his clothes it was clear that he was well trained.

As I have said many times, a hunter's strength is proportional to his temper.
He has the audacity to shout in public what no one has ever said before, not even Master Greg.
The eyes that are confident of victory even when everyone around you is your enemy. And perhaps you have the strength to back it up.

The greatsword had a unique glow that could not have been made by human hands. It's probably what's known as a treasure trove from the treasure house.

Although he was clearly younger than me, he radiated a presence that was too dangerous to be dismissed as mere stupidity.

'I have no use for small fry. I came all the way down here because I heard the top guy was coming out!

Without asking for anyone's consent, the boy continued in a foul tone.

'You're young. Are you trying to make enemies of everyone here?

Master Greg looked at him curiously and muttered something.
He looks like a roughneck, but he's old enough to have some sense.

In treasure hunting, horizontal connections are important. If you cause a problem, it will spread quickly. No matter how good you are, there are times when you can't do anything about it.

Perhaps you could have managed it in the past, but all of us here have a favorable view of footprints. And they're all talented. It's not uncommon for them to have treasure.

There is no sign of restraint from the boy who stands out in the center. This is probably because his words represent the feelings of some of the hunters here.

And the other hunters are looking at him as if he were a fool.

The boy threatens the members of the trail at each table with his glaring, even murderous, eyes. He is not taken seriously by most of them.
No one is more experienced in dealing with mischievous people than the advanced hunters.

The boy shouts even more, as if he is heated up. It seemed as if the beast was threatening him.

'I'm the man who will eventually become the strongest hunter, and I already have four levels! I was going to make the strongest of the Imperial City my friend, but now I'm fed up!

He's got a big mouth. He's gonna be a big shot, this guy. He'll be big or he'll die.

He's probably only in his mid-teens. Level four at that age is certainly impressive. His unbridled confidence and arrogance are not admirable, but if he can keep winning, he'll be justified.

That was the world of hunters.

Luda's cheeks were secretly drawn together. Apparently, she was shocked that the idiot was of a higher level than her.
But don't worry, it's still possible that he leveled up with the party.

Finally, a member of the trail approached the bumbling boy.
They weren't the ones who had been recruited by the party that had been sent away. It was Tino Shade, who had been lingering in the corner of the room a moment ago.

He walked casually to the boy's side and looked down at him with cold eyes.

'Oh? What the hell is wrong with you?

'You don't know what you're doing. I don't want you in my house.

A low, chilling voice.
The other footprint members, who had been unperturbed by the boy's gunfire, hurriedly stepped in between them.

'Hey, Tino. Today's purpose is to recruit members, don't cause a scene!

'It'll only take a second. I'll beat it out of you. If your sister were here, she'd do the same. The one who's going to join the Strange Grief is me. I also promised her that she'd let me in when I'm stronger.

Close range. This boldness in the face of a big sword with a long reach. He's got the same temperament as the stupid boy.
Tino is about to jump on you, but the others are trying to talk him down. It's hard to tell who's the bad guy.

'Leave the idiots alone, they're a waste of time. We've been ordered to keep this as quiet as possible! We're going to be scolded for our joint and several liability!



'あぁ！？ 誰が馬鹿だッ！ ぶっ殺すぞッ！'

'お前だよ,この馬鹿ッ！ 大人しく死んどけッ！ こっちは仕事できてんだよッ！'

チンピラみたいな態度の少年に,足跡のメンバーがこれまたチンピラみたいな返しをする.
上位クランなどといっても,中身はほぼ同類であった.

怪物は皆,力を行使する機会を虎視眈々と狙っているのだ.

火に油を注ぎ,どんどん騒ぎが広がっていく. 周りに物がないのでまだましだったが,今すぐ武器を抜き出してもおかしくない. そして武器を抜いたらもう途中で止めるのは無理だ. どっちかが死ぬか気が済むまで喧嘩が止まることはない.

トレジャーハンター同士の喧嘩とは災害である.

ここにいるのは全員ハンターなのでまだましだが,この中の少なくない人数が保有しているであろう,『宝具』まで使い始めればこんな建物の一軒や二軒,簡単に吹っ飛ぶだろう.

'おう！ やれやれッ！ 『足跡』の力,見せてくれッ！'

グレッグ様が下品な声で煽り始める. それに釣られるように周りも皆煽り始める. 中には足跡のメンバーも混じっていた. もう収拾がつかない.

僕は呆然としているルーダの袖を引っ張り,こそこそと言った.

'ルーダ. もう今回は諦めて外に出た方がいい. 一回喧嘩始まったら止まらないよ. 巻き込まれたら死ぬ'

ハンターは舐められたらやっていけない. 一度攻撃を受けたらやり返す. やり返されたらさらにやり返す. 負の連鎖だ. たとえそれが流れ弾だったとしても許したりしないから,最後の一人が力尽きるまでそれは終わらない.

ティノが肩を竦め,つま先をとんとんと確かめる. 見覚えのある挙動――首をふっとばすつもりである.
鍛え上げられたハンターの蹴りは容易く地面を陥没させ,壁を吹き飛ばす.
宝物殿を守護する者――重火器すら通じない『幻影(ファントム)』をも一撃で潰すのだから信じられない.

'ま,待……'

'危機察知能力にだけは自信がある. さぁ,まだ喧嘩が始まらないうちに……'

'で,でも,私,パーティ探しに来たのよ！？'

無理だ. 奴ら,脳みそまで筋肉になっているのだ. パーティよりも命の方が大事だ.
そうやって僕はなんとか五年の間生きてきたのだ. ルーダは高レベルハンターの喧嘩を知らない.

やっぱりこんなところ,来なければよかった. 泣きそうになりながら説得する.

'わ,わかった. 探すの,手伝うから！ 今度手伝うからッ！ 今は――命の方が大事だ'

'！？ わ,わかった. わかったわ'

ただでさえ熱が篭っていた室内の気温が更に上る.

少年の構えた大剣が――燃えていた. 宝具. 異能を有する道具. 剣身に纏わりつくように燃え盛る紅蓮はそれ以上燃え広がることなく,涼しげなティノの顔を照らす.

隅っこを這うように出口に向かう.

惨めな気分だ. だが,安全だ. 物騒なやり取りが後ろから聞こえてくる.

'ぶち殺してから考える. お姉さまに習った'

'ッ……いいだろう,チビ. かかってこいよ,手加減はできないがなッ！'

'うちを舐めてんのか？ んん？ やるなら外でやれッ,外でッ！'

外でやったら絶対に帝国の騎士団が飛んでくる. ただでさえ昨今はハンターの不祥事に皆敏感なのだ. 一般人巻き込んだらただじゃあ済まない.

第三者の煽りが続く. 考えたくないが,足跡のメンバーの声だった. 混沌としすぎ.

'よし,行けッ！ レディ――ファイッ！！'

'こら煽るんじゃッ――'

悲鳴のような声. 下品な口笛と煽り. 喧騒. こっそり出口に向かう僕達の後ろで,誰かが開始の合図をする.

ほぼ同時に――風が吹いた.

熱気を含んだ空気が一瞬で払われ,吹き抜ける. いきなりの衝撃に尻もちを付く. フードが取れる.
後ろをついてきていたルーダが短い悲鳴をあげた.

ふと視界に影がさす. 心臓がばくばくと鳴っている. 恐る恐る上を見た.
ルーダが目を見開き,小さく呟く.

'ッ……いつの,間に……'

黒ダイヤのような透明な目がこちらを見下ろしていた. 先程まで少年と相対していたはずのティノだ.
切り揃えられた黒髪が一瞬遅れてさらさらと流れる. 大きく剥き出しになったしなやかな脚が目の前にあった.
先程のむすっとした表情ではない,ぽかんとしたような表情が僕を見下ろしている.

'あ,あの……なにか……？'

ルーダが恐る恐る尋ねる.
ティノはそれに答えず,しかしそれに負けず劣らず震える声で僕に言った.

'............ That ......, what, what are you doing? What are you doing? How long have you been here?

'...... I'm going to puke.