The memory of a hunter named Tino Shade.

Engraved in the deepest part of it was the scene after he had completed months of basic training and had his first kumite with his master.

'Ready? Tee.'

The master smiled at me.
Unlike Tino, who was exhausted and breathing heavily on the ground, there was not a drop of sweat on his face.

Her shining pink-blond hair is tied back in a small knot, her irises are pale pink, and her eyelashes are long. Her skin is tanned but smooth, without a single blemish or stain, and anyone who sees her will agree that she is lovely.

In her ear is a metal earring with a red heart. Her slender arms and legs are free of unnecessary flesh, and her chest is more modest than Tino's, who does not have a large chest.
She was shorter than Tino, who was still growing, and if you stood next to her, you could often mistake her for an older woman.

Now - no.

'When Cry says that crows are white, they are white. Do you understand what I'm saying?

The sweet voice sounded as if it was trying to reason with a child, and it was thrown at Tino.
The forefinger held up. The power in its diminutive frame is greater than any being Tino has ever known.

It's hard to believe he's only a few years older than you.

There were once those who climbed the ladder to glory before anyone else. There were monsters who easily conquered treasuries that had defeated many hunters.
Tino and the others, who are regarded as excellent, the second generation are merely following in their footsteps.

Therefore, Tino has never boasted of his talent.

The girl under Tino's tutelage is one of them.

Godly speed that leaves not even a shadow. That's why she was given the nickname "Zekage".

Liz Smart of Zekage.

Like a wind, like a shadow, running through the earth and sky, overwhelmingly ahead of everyone else, she was an object of admiration and awe at the same time.

He smiled, but only his eyes glittered, as if the energy contained in his body was leaking out.

'It's not about loyalty or adoration. What I want from Tee is absolute obedience.

This is probably something that would make a short-tempered hunter angry if he heard it.
But Liz's voice is very serious.

'To Cry-chan...'

After a pause, the words are released from her lips. I'm glued to her eyes as she peers at me.

'I don't want you to give me any opinions, no matter how trivial.

'No matter what stupid jokes are told to you, no matter what unreasonable orders are given to you that you don't understand, even if your life is in danger, I want you to faithfully follow his will without thinking.

'I want you to crush any and all enemies that defy you. No matter what kind of nobleman they are, no matter if they are a great hunter, no matter how powerful they are in Zebrudia, it doesn't matter.

'I can't stand the thought of anyone who disagrees with us surviving even a second longer. That's why I made you my apprentice. I'll kill them all when I'm around, but what good is it when I'm not?'

'Tee is smart, you know that, right?

'Huh, huh ......, yes. Yes, sister.

Sometimes talented hunters are called monsters.

I'm not saying that all hunters are like that, not even Tino.
But his mentor was definitely a monster, feared even by his fellow hunters.

The words he said with a joking air, however, had a fervor that allowed no resistance.

Serious. He was so hostile to everything around him that there was no room to take advantage. If Tino were to turn against Krai at this moment, the Master would kill him as if he were a flower on the ground.

He is shorter than Tino and his body is slimmer than Tino's. At first glance, she looks like a mere mortal.
But it still only has human form on the outside.

Tino only noticed this after Tino Shade, the hunter, became a little more skilled.



§



The abnormality was obvious without even looking for it.

In the dense forest. We walked with caution along the narrowly marked path to the White Wolf's Den.
The formation was led by Tino, with Gilbert and Greg behind him, and finally Luda, who was in charge of the rear guard.

In the case of this impromptu party, there were no magicians (magi) who were skilled at destroying large areas, nor were there any healers who could be effective in case of serious injuries.

Greg and Gilbert are the vanguard.
Greg is a warrior skilled in a variety of weapons, and Gilbert is a swordsman who specializes in one-on-one combat with his greatsword.

The balance is very unbalanced, but on the other hand, there are two thieves (Thief) who are skilled at spotting enemies.
Luda's ability to sense danger was as cautious as that of a soloist, and even if his vision was poor, he would not miss a phantom approaching with hostile intent.

Even before we reached the treasure house, there was a strange atmosphere in the forest.
The expressions of the members of the party were stiff as they felt the unique atmosphere that only a hunter who has been fighting demons and phantoms can understand.

A howling cry rang out from nowhere. Greg looks around warily and grumbles.

'Something's wrong. ...... I can smell something bad. We haven't even gotten to the treasure house yet--'

I'm not sure what to do.

Tino replied as he squinted at the tips of the trees that were randomly lined up, some of which were as large as a hundred pounds.

''To be precise, he made me write it, but...''

Hunter's bad premonitions often come true. A hunter's senses, which have been enhanced by the supply of mana materials to the point that they cannot be processed by the brain, will alert the hunter in the form of intuition.

If you want to save your life, turn back as soon as you get a bad feeling. This is the most well known rule for treasure hunters.

But that rule does not apply to this case.

Because we knew this would happen long ago, and we're here because we've accepted it.

And even though this is a temporary party, I have told you about it beforehand. Whether or not they trusted me when I told them is another matter.

Luda, who was cautiously following at the tail end, blinked.

'So you're saying that ...... Cry knew what was going on and sent us there?

'To add to that,......, the formation of this group is probably not a coincidence.'

'What? I'm not sure what to make of that.

In addition to the two spotters, there are two members who specialize in physicality.

It is true that the Master was pretending to be coincidental when he assigned the members to Tino. However, it was clear to Master Tino that this was a bluff.

Tino is an old member of the Footprints. Even before that, he had many opportunities to interact with Strange Grief, the group to which his master belonged.

Tino's life as a hunter is based on his hellish training and the trials he is subjected to.

This is not the first time Tino has taken on a request from Cry.
At first Tino couldn't believe it, but now he understands.

'The Master has read all the anomalies in the Treasure House and the events occurring there, and has guided the necessary personnel to gather these members. Gilbert, the test of skill with you and its results are no exception.

Gilberto, who had become much more mature after the test of skill, opened his eyes wide at Tino's words.
Luda interrupted him as if in a panic.



'Wait, wait, wait! You need--men? It's just a coincidence that I participated in recruiting the members of the Footprints... but there are plenty of better hunters in your place if you want to send them!

'That's right. In the first place, that was the first time I've ever met a Thousand Transformations--'

I can't believe it, I don't want to believe it.
I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that.

Even though it is not a treasure house yet, there is a high possibility that illusions and demons will attack if you make noise in the vicinity.

You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.
Not as a corpse, of course, but alive.

To do that, he needed to let people know that this was not an accident.

'The Master has all the information on hunters and treasure houses in the Imperial City. Even if you've never met him, it's no problem for Master to read your behavior.

It's not just Tino, but every member of the footprint knows this.

There is no way that a level 8 certified hunter would show up late to recruit members for no reason, incite people to make a big fuss on the spot, bring the tavern to the brink of destruction, or shift the target of the skill test to Tino to deflect Gilbert's anger. That would just be stupid.

It was an act. It didn't look like an act, but it was a sophisticated lie that Tino's eyes could not detect.

Tino's slightly irritated words made Gilbert swallow his words.

I can easily accomplish something like that. I've seen a lot of changes in the training grounds, and there was definitely something unpredictable about them.

The weight of the Purgatory Sword on his back was bothering him.

Among the magic used by wizards (magi), there is a technique that increases the power and reach of a spell by coating it with water or fire.
The ability to give attributes to a weapon often has the same effect without the construction of the magic.

One of the Purgatory Sword's abilities is the impartation of flame, a power that drastically increases its offensive power by coating the sword's body in flaming heat, allowing it to burn as it cuts.

In the past, there has never been an opponent that this has not worked against.
But what about this time?

The manipulation of the flames that Thousand Transformations performed was outside of Gilbert's idea of the Purgatory Sword's capabilities. If that was the full extent of the Purgatory Sword's power, it meant that he was only using a fraction of it now.

Gilbert had conquered various treasure halls in the past, but he had a bad feeling about this one that far surpassed them all.

Seeing the three anxious people, Tino said in a light tone.

'Don't worry. The Master knows everything. He won't just hand out a request he can't handle. It's possible if we're willing to die. We're not turning back no matter what happens. I wrote a suicide note.

'Oh,......, that's right.

If it were a hunter's theory, it would be a move of escape, but I wonder how much he is risking his life to pick up the bones.

In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, it's possible that you'll be able to find a great deal more information on the web.


At that moment, a shadow appeared in his vision.

A shadow covering the sun.
Tino is the first to notice it falling from the sky and pushes Greg away. A dull gray glow passes over where his head had been a second ago.

A beat later, Gilbert and Luda distance themselves and take up fighting positions. Greg, who had been pushed and rolled, reflexively took a pass.

His eyes catch the target. A shadow crept up on him without scent or sound.
Luda's eyes widen and he lets out a muffled cry as the crimson beast crouches and does not seem to move.

'......, ......, isn't the apparition here a wolf?

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it. He points the tip of the purgatorial sword he pulled out at it.

The crimson beast that dodged the first attack stood up with a slow, gentle movement.

--On two legs.

The crimson fur is like wire, and the ears are like those of a canine. A thick tail of the same color extended from its rump, and its nose moved in small movements as if it were assessing the situation.

However, the majority of the beast was covered in blood-red armor. Its hands, protected by armor, slowly shook as if to check the weapon it held.

'This guy is wearing ...... armor! It's not what I've heard!

'He's got a sword. ...... Mastaa ...... Mastaa always goes beyond my expectations. ......'

The phantom that appears in the White Wolf's Den is supposed to be a giant wolf.
But the phantom that appeared in front of me now was different in every way from what I expected, except for its color and face.

As if to drown out Tino's somewhat sad words, the wolf warrior roared.



§ § § §




'Ah, I think I'm going to vomit. I want to quit being a hunter.

Murmuring to himself, he wandered around the empty Clan Master's office. If Eva had been there, she would have looked at me coldly.

If only Tino had told me why he didn't want to go with me.

All that comes to mind is unproductive complaining.

Liz's apprentice is much more important than a rescue target that may or may not be alive.

He's a level 4 hunter, so he should know the theory of hunters. He'll come back if he's in trouble.

But the members of the footprint are all reckless. No matter how strong the enemy is, they won't retreat so easily.

Tino has been influenced by this in some ways. Or rather, the most reckless are the members of the Ghosts of Sorrows, so they must be under the bad influence of their master. Oh no.

If Tino dies on my orders, what will happen to my short-tempered master, Liz-chan?

'Ah, at worst, I can use Gilbert boy and Greg-sama as shields. ......'

I'm sure they'd be happy to be sacrificed to Tino, too.

I chose my members too randomly. You should have at least assigned a member of the footprint.
Gark, you bastard, you should have warned me beforehand... no, no. It's my fault. There's no excuse.

I'm sorry!

It's gonna be okay. I'm sure Tino knows that it's a big wolf that's going to be in the White Wolf's Den, so he should be prepared for that. That's what I tell myself, but for some reason I don't feel safe at all.

It was already pitch black outside. There are streetlights in the Imperial City, but not outside.

Night marches are avoided by everyone because demons and beasts become active at night. In the first place, even if we dispatched the members in the lounge now, they would definitely not be able to catch up with Tino.

I'm going to have to go without Ark, I think.

Half escaping from reality, I made up my mind and approached the bookshelf on the wall of the Clan Master's office.
It was a massive shelf lined with books on clan management and the history of the Imperial City. I grabbed the handle that was unnaturally placed there and pulled it as hard as I could.



The bookcase opens inward without making a sound. At the end of it, there was a staircase leading downward.

At the end of the hidden door is my private room. Running down the stairs, I groped in the darkness for the switch.

When I flipped the switch, the soft glow of a lamp illuminated a western room two sizes larger than the Clan Master's room.

It was a windowless room. A bed large enough to sleep several people. Bookshelves. A table. Desk. Sofa. On the wall, there is an obscure picture of a gift, and a piece of paper with the three rules of the clan's policy written on it.

But the most striking thing of all is the treasure troves crammed into the room.

Swords. Spears. Armor. Cloaks. Chains. Rings. All kinds and shapes.

Some I've bought, some I've had given to me. And then, of course, there are the ones we got by sneaking into the treasure house.

It could be called the culmination of our work as treasure hunters of Strange Grief.

We could probably live a teenager's life just by selling off all of those treasures at a reasonable price.
But our goal has not yet been achieved.

I suppressed a queasy feeling in my stomach and decided to look for a treasure that could break the current situation even a little.