A vast amount of mana material has manifested itself worthy of the White Wolf's lair.

Your consciousness awakens. Your brain immediately begins to think. It establishes itself.

The first thing I felt was not vindication, but exhilaration.

Eyes that see through the darkness. An ear that could accurately distinguish distant echoes.
My senses began to work, and a vast amount of information entered my brain. I could feel the power that filled my whole body. And the way you use the sword at your hip.

It's the king of Silvermoon. The thing that existed at the end of countless vindictiveness and ideals.

Its form resembled that of the man it imitated, but its form was decidedly different.

The human bones that covered its face were proof that it was still a wolf. But it was actually more human than beast.

The vast amount of mana and material accumulated in the White Wolf's lair will rebuild the Phantom, Red Moon, into a higher being.

Countless silvery wolf knights with wisdom and the ability to manipulate weapons were created.

These were his subjects. Good knights who served the boss of the pack.
The Silver Moon that perished, leaving behind a grudge and a curse, has now been dead for more than ten years and has taken on the form it should have.

If he had this much power, the demonic beast called Silver Moon would not have been wiped out.

We had the power. The five hunters who had invaded had higher abilities than the hunters who had come to hunt Silvermoon with their desires, but they were no match for them.

Even the most powerful one, the giant man with the spear, was no match for the boss and the led pack.
A single blow from a spear was powerful enough to pierce through thick armor, but it was useless if it did not hit.

In strength, speed, skill, and even intelligence, the current boss surpassed all of the hunters and people.

Unlike the other wolves, I had no grudge against the boss. It was just exhilarating.

The foolish hunters who bowed down to his power, the way they scrambled knowing they were powerless, the moment their hopes were dashed and their faces turned to despair, all of it was funny and inexplicably hilarious.

It was so funny that I couldn't help but miss the hunters who ran off in a direction with no way out.

The White Wolf's Den is a hunting ground.

Death is the only thing that awaits the wretched prey that blends into the den. No one can escape the blade of its boss.

Give death to the foolish invaders who defile your fortress. Hunt them down, give them hope, and then make them despair. The sight of the struggling hunter will comfort the boredom of the boss and his friends.

Eventually, we should consider expanding the nest, but that can wait until we have more friends.

It was just then that the boss, who had dared to stay away from the herd boss room where the hunters would be aiming, heard the roar of his companions, almost like a scream, and thought it was time to push the hunters he had missed.

And then they met.

The Ghost of Sorrow, smiling with joy.



§ § § §




It's like-- wind.

Shadow. Thunder. Fire. Or a storm.

'......What?'

Gilbert's voice sounded dumb.

He hadn't blinked. Without warning, the boss blows up.

His body bounced on the ground, and a dull sound echoed, and then the Laughing Skeleton was standing right in front of me.

'Na--'

Rodolphe, who was standing next to me, opened his eyes to the limit and looked at the laughing skeleton that had appeared so close to him.
The bottom of the long spear in his hand rattled against the ground. It's not so much a glare as it is a stunned gaze that fails to grasp the current situation.

Before the veteran hunter could move a finger, the Laughing Skeleton spoke.

What came from beneath the mask was a muffled, but slightly high-pitched, cute voice.

'I just want to make sure you're okay, Cry.

Tino, clinging to my arm, tries to hide behind me.
The laughing skeleton doesn't pay any attention to that.

'Could that be a new member of the ...... family?

A voice without a hint of tension. For some reason, I'm relieved to see that he looks the same as always.

The boss, who was blown to the wall, kneels down and stands up. His eyes glare at the Laughing Skeleton with his back to you.
I don't know anyone who's this rowdy. ...... No, I know someone who's even rowdier.

The laughing skeleton continues to talk, and everyone except Tino is frightened. No, it's Tino who's most frightened.
I force my face to tense up and smile at him.

'No, you're not. Do you want me to take off my mask?

'It's ......, isn't it? I'm glad. I thought you were different too, but you're wearing a similar mask. Oh, I found this on the floor. It's Kry's, right?

Oh, you're really mad.

The voice sounded somewhat sweet. Lise offers me the Star of Silence.
The fact that she uses her own name in the first person is a signal that she's mad.

Then her hand touches the mask with a ponderous gesture and removes the mask that had completely obscured her appearance.

No one could move. Master Greg, the Gilbert boys, and even the boss, who had his back to them, looked away helplessly.

Her long, unbound pink-blonde hair rippled.
Her skin flushed. Small lips. A well-defined nose. And most of all, her shining pale pink eyes.

She looked pretty, but there was a danger that she might explode at any moment.

Luda gulped.

'Ni,人...... while? What's ...... that?'

'No ...... way--'

Greg took a step back as if under pressure.
At that moment, Liz looked at me as if she had noticed the other members for the first time.

'What? Don't tell me you don't know about Liz and the others?

Her eyes shone brightly. Her cheeks twisted into a smile, but her eyes were not smiling.



'Still a hunter? Even with Krai here? Moguri? Unbelievable . You can't possibly be here in the Imperial Capital...'

The mask I took off - the Laughing Skeleton, the party symbol of Strange Grief - fell to the ground.

Then, Liz sneered arrogantly at the boss and the hunters all together.




'I can't believe there are people who don't know about us, the Strange Glyphs.




It's like - wind.

Shadow. Lightning. Fire. Or a storm.

Her petite body was filled with energy like the sun.
All of it indicative of the nature of the hunter Liz Smart of Zekage.

So, why are we here?
The face and demeanor you've shown me is the real deal.

The others are in awe. I was full of questions, and Liz said.

'I'm sorry, Cry.

She didn't look sorry at all.

Her small lips quivered as if she were trying to hold back a sob. As if she couldn't hold back her passion.
She looks like she's about to cry, but she doesn't.

'Liz, I'm so sad. I rushed back to the castle after conquering it, but there was no one there, and I heard that Rui-chan had gone to the Houtou Den.

Her voice broke down. Her skin is rising and her eyes are glowing with more energy. The air around her is distorted.
It was hot. The heat rising from her body invaded the cold cave air and spread through it.

The voltage is rising. He must be in high spirits after having just conquered the Treasure Hall.
It's not uncommon for the high concentration of mana materials to make a hunter's temper flare up.

Also, the castle shouldn't be too far to run back to, but what's going on?

It's sad. I'm sad. And very--'

And then Liz-chan said as if to throw up.

'I'm so embarrassed!

Her eyebrows twisted. Her eyes narrowed, and her cheeks and lips tightened.

'The truth is, I'm sorry. I thought there was a mistake. I'm sure you're just a little nervous, but I don't think you're the only one. ............'



You can't even ...... clean the trash to your satisfaction.


The look on her face upset everyone except Tino. Tino was beyond upset, he was about to die.

The only sound coming from the palm of his hand, which was gripping my back, was the sound of his teeth chattering. Don't worry, you won't be killed.

'No, no, what are you saying--'

'What? You're gonna die. Can't you see that Liz is apologizing right now?

The boy Gilbert, who tried to speak to her as if he couldn't stand it, was thrust into the wall.
After a delay, the heavy sound of armor being shot through echoes. The cave trembled. The law was out of order.

His eyes turned, his armor caved in, his hands twitching. A noble sacrifice.
Master Greg rushes over, helps him up, and sprinkles a potion on him.

You've got a lot of nerve, but you'd better watch who you're dealing with. You're the fastest of them all.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on.

'Hey, Tee? I'm not sure what to do. Hey, Lizzie, did you have a good day? Or was it not enough? Didn't you have enough energy? Or did you not have enough energy? Did you slack off? Didn't you do enough? The "power" is. Hey, hey, hey, hey, answer me! d*mn you! You piece of trash! I didn't raise you to be that shit! I didn't raise you to be that trash! You're making me hate you, Lise! You're a disgrace to me! Die! If you're not going to do it, die! Bite your tongue and die! Bite your tongue and die!

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Onee-sama. It's all my fault. I'm sorry for causing you trouble. It's my fault I'm weak, please forgive me.

Tino apologized like a broken music box to Liz, who shouted at him in a dusky voice.

You can't apologize to Liz! There's someone else you should be apologizing to!

Everyone's aghast. Even the boss is down.

I did my best. Tino was doing a great job. It's not your fault either. It's all my fault for giving you a weird request.

But if I say "it's my fault" now, I'm sure Liz will blame Tino. That's the kind of guy Liz is.

That's why I held her shoulders as if she was about to make a move and said.

'Liz, Tino was doing a great job. You've defeated the Phantom, you've found the target of your rescue, you've done well, you've done well.



What the hell is he talking about?
I'm sure everyone here who knows what's going on is thinking the same thing.

But Liz, who didn't know what was going on, rolled her eyes. She changes her tone and looks up at me.

'What? You did well? Really?

'Yeah, yeah. I heard we all worked together and killed a big white one. I think that's great. Really.'

'........................ One? Just one? I wonder if that's ...... worth living for?

What's tugging at her heartstrings?
I feel like I'm appeasing a raging beast.

'Yes, I do. I want you to live, I do. And you've learned to take it easy on her, that's great.

'Ah! You see? Isn't it great? I've learned to hold back! Cry-chan insisted.

Lise's expression changes. The anger she had felt earlier was replaced by a good mood.

And you were right on the money, weren't you? Where did you stop? Where did you stop?

Well, just being alive is a big step. The old Lise would've killed you.
Am I a genius for putting up with a genocidal monster? Well, I didn't do anything.

I heard Tino's faint voice at the perfect time. It's just as well he hasn't been Liz's apprentice for years.

'I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you.

'Tee's got talent, too. It's just that she lacks motivation, effort, and the will to die. You're a hundred times weaker than me, so you should work a hundred times harder.'

'Yeah, yeah. You're right.'

I don't know what he's talking about, but I'm sure there's something between Liz and Tino that's similar to the love between a teacher and a student.

She's still stomping on the ground in frustration, but her anger seems to have subsided.
She was moody and didn't know where the fuse of her anger was, but it was still a little better because it didn't last long.

The boss, who wore a full-boned mask, didn't move an inch while the group was split up.
He just held his sword and watched Liz's every move with an observant eye.

Even though he had been hit by Liz's blow, there was no damage to his body. Unlike the Gilbert boy, his armor was not even a crack.

I heard footsteps. From the direction Liz and the others had come from, a new one appeared.
A huge body nearly reaching the ceiling. The one that came bending down, looking cramped, was familiar.

It was the silver-furred wolf knight I'd met in the boss room. Its weapon was a huge firearm befitting its towering body.

The Phantom's heavy weaponry, which was originally intended for sweeping shots, originated from an advanced physical civilization that flourished in ancient times.

The boss looks at the wolf knight, which is far more massive than he is, and points at it with his chin.

You can't be sure that the reason it hasn't attacked you before is because it wasn't just looking for an opening--it was waiting for a friend?

What the boss should be wary of is that Liz is the only one who could be an enemy.
The rest were six half-dead hunters and a healthy but weak hunter. And me, with my high certification level.

And the prestige of the certification level may work against hunters, but not against demons and illusions.

Liz-chan doesn't even turn her head, but makes a surprising sound.

'Huh? You're still here? Then ...... tee, I'll give you one of them.

'......E......One......Sama?

'Don't let me be ...... disappointed,' he said.

Against a heavy weapon with high suppression power, the distance between us is about ten meters. It's too far. The boss is next to him.

If you take a step forward, you'll be swarmed, and they won't even need to aim in this narrow path. There's no way even Tino can avoid it.

'Oh, I'll stop it. I'll do whatever I can to create an opening.'

The sound of armor scraping against each other. Rodolphe, who had been frozen in place until now, grabbed his shield and stepped out beside Liz.
The large, green-painted shield he held up was bald and had a few minor scratches here and there, but it was as thick as a small wall.

It wasn't large enough to cover his entire body, but it would be able to block most of the bullets. I can count on you. He's a good guy.



'...... Ah, ......, that's enough. It's not a good idea.

'What ...... to ......?'

'I was going to ask Tee to do it, but I'm tired, Liz. I need to cool down. It is also very ...... uncomfortable that ...... our company is being ...... licked because of Tee. I'm not sure what to do.

Pick up the mask. I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.

At about the same time, a gunshot rang out.

The Wolf Knight held a huge firearm that could hold up to a hundred pounds. The light twinkling from the muzzle of the gun momentarily bared the dimness.
It was aimed at Liz and all of us around her.


But no one falls.
Liz opens her outstretched left hand. A piece of metal rolls to the ground.

It was a piece of the bullet that had just landed and disappeared.

The Wolf Knight points his weapon at it as if frightened.

Not satisfied with the situation, Ryz barked. Oh, I'm angry again.



'A mere firearm can't possibly hit us! You scum! Weapons from a physical civilization! We've already surpassed them! I'm a small fish! Don't underestimate me! Don't you dare pretend to be something you're not! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

A storm of bullets rains down. The narrow cave trembles.

Lise didn't move an inch. That was all it took for the bullets to disappear. The bullets that had lost their power rolled over and over.

Without losing his breath, he shouted.

'This kind of widespread attack is to be prevented by doing this, this, and this! Teehee! You've been struggling with this slow and ineffective attack? I'm not sure if you can do it, but I'm sure you can. You can do it, right?

You can't.

Luda was turning pale. Is it possible that she can see our movements?

She smiled serenely and looked over at Liz, who was making a mess of things.

I can't see her, but I know what she's doing.
I can't see her, but I know what she's doing, because seeing her is one of the reasons why I gave up my dream of becoming a hunter completely.

What Liz is doing is simple. She grabs the bullet with her bare hands, catches it, and throws it away.
I could understand the logic, but it was something more than just speed.

The smile on her face when she first showed it to me, as if it was a new toy, is one of my traumas.
A treasure house that requires such monstrous abilities is indeed too much for an ordinary person like me to follow.

The firing stopped. They've shot all their bullets.
I'm curious to know how the wolf knight who lost his bullets will fight in the future, but I'll never have the chance to find out.

Ryss swipes his hand lightly and looks at the Wolf Knight and the boss.
You can't see their faces in their masks, but you can guess what they look like.

And then... the overrun began.

It was as if he had blown away the process and was only looking at the result.


'This kind of 'Phantom' wearing armor will be killed with the armor! Even if it's wearing armor, it doesn't mean it's hard! Kill it from above! Blow its head off! Kill them all you want! It's gonna be so much fun, isn't it? '

He closed the distance with a single step, and before the Wolf Knight could even get into position, a kick sliced through his thick black armor like a piece of paper.
The huge body slammed into the wall and disappeared, leaving only its mark.

'The sword, grab it! Catch it! Evade! Do as you please! What's the problem, tell me!

I just barely avoided all of the slashes that were unleashed in all directions with blinding speed, and I picked them up with my fingertips, just like I said.
The boss tries to step back, but the blade doesn't move an inch.

The boss tries to back away, but the blade doesn't budge. If you duck, you won't get hit! If you duck, you can't duck! Do it right! Do it like you mean it! You know what I mean? You know what I mean? Don't rest on your laurels! You idiot! Hurry up! Hurry up and live! You don't have time for this! Work a hundred times harder than I do! The gap will only widen! You lazy bastard!

I don't know what he's talking about, but the storm of abuse has Tino on his back, and he finally starts crying bitterly. I feel so sorry for him.
You're definitely not cut out to teach, Liz.

'You were in such a good mood. d*mn it!'

As if to punish him, the leg covered with the shoe-shaped treasure, the Highest Roots, kicked the boss hard in the stomach.
The leg easily pierced through the armor and plunged into the boss's torso. His body convulsed, and an inarticulate scream echoed through the cave.

Blood splattered and clung to the skeleton's mask. I should have used a different symbol. .......

'Lies, have you calmed down?'

'Uh, ...... a little bit.'

A calming voice, different from the cursing I'd heard earlier. Tino kills the cry. It's as if he's trying to be careful not to spoil her mood any further.

Lizzie pulls her leg out of the boss. He's probably still alive, but it's a mortal wound. Not for long.

Liz walks toward me, as if she's lost interest. Her shoes are soaked in blood, her clothes and skin mottled.

Overwhelming power. Utter violence. The end of an extreme talent that lacks something in a human being.

There was Liz Smart, a genocidal monster who couldn't believe that she could live in human society.

Luda and the others collapsed as if they were slumped over.

Unbelievable, isn't it? That's my Thief.
He looks more like a vampire than a thief. I've always thought so too.

Liz unmasked. She puts her blood-soaked fingertips in her mouth, looks only at me, and smiles a little shyly.

'Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm back, Cry-chan.'



'...... Welcome back, Liz.'

I accepted Liz's hug and held her close to me.
Her body was as hot as if it had been on fire.