The air in front of the Treasure House was tense.

The entrance to the White Wolf's Lair, a treasure house with a gaping hole in it.
In front of it, where the Phantoms used to stand guard, hunters lined up in parties, each making their final checks.

I've decided on a plan. No, to begin with, there were only a few moves that could be taken.

The space in front of the White Wolf's Den. The Black Gold Cross was positioned in the center of it.

The origin of the party's name. The armor is made of a special alloy called "Kurogane" and is manufactured with the best of modern technology. The armor is made of a material that is said to be the closest thing to a treasure trove, being hard and flexible at the same time, preventing magic and even mitigating shock.
Wrapped in it, your well-trained body trembles. It's not fear. It's trembling.

Sven Anger is a level 6 hunter. He's so good that he's been given two names, and he's one of the best treasure hunters in the world, but he's not a genius, nor does he have the ability to predict the future.

But he is still a hunter.
In the past, we have overcome many hardships together as a party. Now, a request with more risks than those in the past was bringing Sven both fear and elation.

The total number of parties participating in this project was twelve.
The average number of people per party is six. That's less than a hundred people. Although not a large number for an army, all of them were hunters who had been trained in the Treasure House.

It is not often that hunters strengthened with mana and materials are gathered in one treasure house to such an extent. There is more to them than meets the eye. Not a few of them have armor-type treasures.

But even so, no one seems to be relaxed. Hunters who belong to the Footprints understand the dangers of the Thousand Trials. And the outsider hunters are caught up in the spirit of the hunters of the Footprints.

The White Wolf's Den is a cavernous treasure house. Although treasure halls often have this aspect (or rather, treasure hunters exist because of this aspect), they are not designed for large numbers of people to enter and take advantage of their numbers.

Sven decided to divide the troops and control the inside. We need to avoid too large a group to hinder our retreat at least.

Each of us decided on a survey area, and we surveyed in parties.
Communication is done by whistle. The number of whistles in a row changes the meaning.

If there is an emergency or something is found, retreat once. If you find a demon, lure it outside and strike it with all of you.
It will return in a certain time even if you are safe. If it doesn't come back, it is considered killed before you can even blow the whistle.

If your party doesn't enter the treasure house, wait outside. There is a risk of being destroyed individually, but you can avoid being annihilated at once.

It was painful that we didn't have any information about the enemy. Or perhaps we are lucky that we know they are there.
Hunters should always do their research beforehand. It's not often that you find yourself in a situation like this.

It might be better to tackle an unknown compartment.

Sven clicked his tongue once more and stared at the treasure house with glaring eyes.

'Trials, trials, trials, or ...... cry, you forced me. I'll definitely beat you up later.'

'Don't say that, you're afraid of the Zekage.'

'Shut up. There's no way a simple arrow can hit that thing! It's too incompatible.''

Sven shouted at the party members who were talking to him in a mocking manner.

Talia, holding Citri's special slime potion, waits with her companions at a distance from the entrance to the treasure house. I can see that she's tense and struggling to calm her breathing.

Talia's - no, her dark potion is the trump card this time.
Of course, I don't intend to rely on it all. It would be better if we could kill them with other hunters' attacks - magic and arrows from a distance.

However, it was fortuitous that I was prepared for the time when all of them did not work.

Alchemists are not good at fighting. On the other hand, their ability to respond when carefully prepared is superior to any other profession.
Thalia's skills were still in their infancy, but the potion she carried was made by an alchemist who was once called "the best". There is no doubt about its effectiveness.

And then, a voice called out to me from behind.
The voice was a little high and shaky.

'......Who is that ......Citry? Everyone seemed to be convinced that ......'

'Oh, Henrik, you've never met him. ......'

Henrik joined the Black Gold Cross about half a year ago. At that time, the members of the Ghosts of Sorrows were already reigning as the top party.

Each member of the Ghosts of Sorrows has a face other than that of a hunter.
Among them, Citri, who works as an alchemist, has been extremely busy. As he became less visible, his name naturally became less audible.

'You've been out of the public eye a lot lately, Citry.

One of the members, the mage Marietta, also narrowed her eyes, looking somewhat nostalgic.
But what was in the back of her eyes was a strong fear.

People with superior abilities are sometimes feared as well as admired.
Even Sven's gaze was often filled with awe, and Marietta and the other members of the team had probably felt jealousy at times.

Citri Smart was no different.

He was quick-witted and absorbed all kinds of knowledge, and even in the Imperial City where there were many excellent alchemists with the highest school, he was outstanding and had a natural talent that was envied by everyone as an alchemist. At one time, she was even said to be the closest alchemist to the Philosopher's Stone, one of the longed-for goals of alchemists.

However, it was not because of her ability that she was feared.

She looked down at Henrik, who was giving her a somewhat reserved look. The reserved look in his eyes somehow resembled that of the Alchemist.

Sven paused for a moment to catch his breath, then wrinkled his forehead and said in a strained voice.

'Well, to put it simply, ...... Sitri is a ...... 'strong' weakling.

'Strong ...... weak?'

He was strong. He was talented.

But most of all, he was so different that no one could understand him.

So now that his glory is in the past, his name is not whispered by anyone.
It's not that we avoid them. But naturally, no one talks about it anymore. It's as if they're trying to erase it from their memories.

And in reality, there are now members of the Footprints whose names, like Henrik's, are unknown to us.

Sven looks up and turns his gaze from Henrik to Talia, who is clutching a bottle of black potion.

'And some of the parties, including us, the Black Gold Cross, were persuaded by Citri to participate in the launch of Footprints of the Beginning. In the past, in the Ghosts of Sorrows, I was the second highest level alchemist after Kry.

'Sven. This way, we're ready.



'Yeah, okay. Sorry, we'll talk later.'

Lyle called, and Sven stepped forward.

I'm ready to fight. No one's scared.

The Footprints are good. There's a reason the average level is so high.

The weak have already been weeded out. All the cowards left the clan a long time ago.
Here are the elite, the ones who've been through more than a few trials. They're also my comrades-in-arms.

That fact gives me a lot of confidence.

Footprints of the Beginning is strong.

It's led by a top-class party.
It's well-equipped and well-run.
But from Sven's point of view, all of that is just an added bonus.

The essence of this clan is the unity that we share on the battlefield of the Dead Mountain and Blood River. That is why this clan has grown so much in just a few years.
The symbol of the footprints means the trajectory that we have carved so far. It has become a source of pride.

Reason enough for hunters to risk their lives.

There's a party out there, but it doesn't matter.

Sven took a deep breath and shouted in a voice that made the grass sway.
His will to fight was growing. The expressions of the hunters tightened, as if their elation had spread.

'Hey, you guys. Let's get fired up! Overrun it! Carve your footprints! Tell that bastard Master we're all alive! Tell him this was no big deal!

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

An explosive roar shook the forest surrounding the treasure house.
All the parties, whether they belonged to the footprints or had joined from outside, shouted to the point of losing their voice.

The hunters then began their invasion with a turbulent force that could hardly be described as unstoppable.



§§



As I finished the selection of the treasure hall and was descending the stairs towards the underground training ground with the materials, I heard a sharp sound that cut through the wind.

The training facilities built in the clan house are almost the same as those that exist in various parts of the Imperial Capital. I rarely show up because it's boring to get caught up in the training, but if you go down to the basement, you'll always find someone checking on your movements.

It's only a training, but the spirit that comes through is real. When you feel it, you feel as if you've become a hunter yourself.

Well, I'm still a hunter.

You walk down the stairs in a steady, rhythmic fashion, and push open the heavy metal door of the basement floor training area (which has been blown down and replaced several times since the training area was built).

The only thing you can do on the basement floor is to check your kumite and kata. If you want to use magic, you should go to the second basement, where the walls have been treated against magic, and if you want to practice special techniques, you should go to the third basement, where there are various equipment.

The moment I opened the door, I was greeted by cool air and sounds.

Liz was standing on the metal floor, in the center of a large, empty training area.

Opposite her was Tino. He was dressed in his usual black hunter's outfit, his stance low and staring at his smaller master in front of him.
The sound of a door opening echoes through the training grounds, but the jet-black irises are narrowed, and he does not seem to notice us.

From the sharpness of his eyes, it's hard to believe that he is always being abused by his mentor.

On the other hand, Liz turns her face to me as I approach and breaks her stance.

'Oh, Cry-chan. Is it finally your turn?

'Yes.'

My black hair swayed as I faced Liz, who asked me in a distracted voice. A fist wrapped in leather armor was released with a short, compressed burst of energy.
The thrust left the sound behind, and the sound of it piercing the wind echoed briefly. I was so overwhelmed by the sight that I took an involuntary step backward.

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them in the marketplace.

'Now, now, I was training. But if you tear it to pieces, it might interfere with Cry-chan's request, right?

''Yes! I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Tino's blow left nothing but an afterimage. I'm not sure what to do, but I'd like to know what you think.
A thrust focused on speed. The low kick that was thrown at the same time as the step struck Liz.

Even from a distance, the air shimmers with the spirit of the woven fabric. Combined with his attire, it was like a black wind.

Foot strike. Thrusts. Palm bottom. Spinning kicks. Elbows. Every move he made was an attack.

One tenth of a second more and he would be caught. Such paper-thin offense and defense was fierce, yet beautiful, as if it were a dance performance.
White breath leaked from her thinly opened lips. At the same time as he was spinning, a kick flew past him and shaved several strands of his hair. It looked like a hit from my side, but I guess I just barely avoided it.

It's amazing ...... that Liz is so talented.

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a number of things you can do.

I'm sure you'll agree. It's great, isn't it? It's not the same as me, you know. In the past, I was annoyed when people said I didn't have any sense, but when I saw Tee, I knew I had the right stuff. ......! It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your time here.

When Liz came to the imperial capital and became Zekage's apprentice, she was first pointed out that she had no sense of close combat. Now he has acquired enough power to be certified as a level 6, but the bitterness of that comment is still etched in his mind.

No, I can't tell the difference, and I think it's pretty impressive that she can dodge the attacks of her promising apprentice, but she has high goals.

However, Tino's attack hadn't even grazed Lise's hair in the training session she had seen before. Indeed, the gap in ability seemed to be narrowing.

He can't reach her now with his bare hands, but maybe he can if he uses the dagger he always wears on his waist.
I'm sure you'll find a lot of people who'd like to know more about this.



I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea. I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure what to do.



Even though he's been moving hard for a long time, the blow is even sharper. His fist slipped past Liz's head.
She dropped her stance slightly.

In contrast to Tino's grief-stricken voice, Liz kept smiling.

My eyesight was not good enough to see what was going on. If I had been in Liz's position, I would have been knocked unconscious by the first blow.
Liz clapped her hands and took a step with feather-light movements.

'Here, Tee. Just a little more! Just a few more fingers, okay? Burn the life out of you! Don't slow down! Concentrate! Don't retreat! Attack! Don't be afraid!

''

Tino's eyes shone brightly as he looked at Liz. It's the kind of eyes you see before a fight, as if your life is on fire.

I stopped and scratched my cheek at the sight of it.

'...... could it be that there is still room?

I'm not sure. Did I look like I was in trouble?

No, it didn't look like a pinch, but ...... after saying so much about the different cuts, .......

Tino clenched his teeth. Lizzie's eyes roll back.

Maybe it's picking up speed again. The sound that echoed seemed to become heavier and more intense.
The outstretched limbs were now as sharp as spear blows, yet they hadn't touched Liz since a moment ago.
The fact that it didn't hit her even as her speed increased meant that she was avoiding it with the least amount of movement.

Tino is taller than Liez. His arms and legs are also longer, but still out of reach.

'Tee, dagger.

''Ah!''

The moment Liz said a word, Tino's eyes widened.
His hand pulled out the dagger at his waist without hesitation. It was not the one whose blade had been crushed for training, but a well-sharpened one that she always brought to the treasure house.

You can find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier. He didn't even blink when the white blade passed by a few centimeters in front of him.
All of his thrusts, cleaves, and kicks, which made the blade pay attention to him, were too close to hit. You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this. He looks like he's having a great time.

'You can train Tee and train me at the same time! Isn't that great?

'...... Yeah, yeah, I guess so.

It seems that Tino has a long way to go before he can surpass his master.

Tino's breathing becomes more intense. His skin, always white, is red and flushed, and his bangs are sticking to his forehead from sweat.
But even so, his hands do not relax. The axis of his body is not disturbed and his movements are still light.

If I were Liz, I'd give her a hundred points. And if I were Tino, I would have been satisfied with my ability and would not have trained anymore.

I stepped forward and avoided the blow that was raised, and Liz simply said.

I'm going to finish ...... now that I'm warmed up.

I'm not sure if this is prep work,........

It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your vacation.


It should have hit her. The place where she was was completely within Tino's attack range (kill zone).
But the kick, the thrust, and the dagger slipped through Liz as if by magic.

She rubs her eyes, but doesn't know what's happening. The afterimage of Liz easily restrains Tino's outstretched arms, and her legs lightly sweep Tino off his feet.
That's all it takes, and it will keep moving forever. Tino's movement, which had been such an illusion, stopped. I let out a small sigh.

Tino's stance collapses. As if by reflex, his limbs scratched the sky, but there was nothing he could do when his wrists were held and his body was wide open.
His eyes widened, and by that time Tino's body was completely on the ground. A small scream escaped her throat.
Lise's hand was around Tino's neck as he rolled onto his back on the ground.

'Yes, it's over.

Tino's body was convulsing as he lay on the ground. You can almost feel the sound of his heart beating.
His arms and legs were shaking uncontrollably. Tino coughs with tears in his eyes, as if he is in pain from being strangled. His gaze wandered through the air, and finally caught me.

Liz releases her hand from around my neck and snaps it away.

'Huh,......, did you?

'I've got work to do here. Tee, you're sweaty. Don't just roll around forever, go get ready. Don't show Cry-chan how pathetic you are. Come on!

Tino's eyes widened as his master said something too harsh.

No, I'm fine with resting for a little while first--I mean, I don't have a favor to ask, and I don't mind if you don't go. ...... I think Tino needs a break right now.



'I'm going to go!

'...... Eh? No, it's not--?

Tino jumped up. I step back. I feel like a corpse getting up.

He stood up firmly with his legs, which must have been twitching and wobbling, and ran off.
I feel like I'm about to fall, but I'm running as fast as I can. Apparently, my leg strength is about the same as Tino's, who is injured or exhausted.

I push the door open with my body, and Tino disappears out of the training area.
I'm worried that he'll run out of steam on the way.

'How long have you been doing this?

'What? All the time?'

That's not an answer.


It's been almost two hours since ...... saw Lyle and the others off to the White Wolf's Den. .......

Obviously too much. Resting is part of a hunter's job.

On the other hand, Lies hasn't broken a sweat. Is he really human?

'Can we not take Tino with us?

'Yeah, it's okay. Tee can also be a good asset. ...... Cry-chan, you're tough like that, aren't you? ...... What is that thing you're holding?

What's so tough about it? It's not like I'm giving you a notice that you're out of the game.
It's not that I'm giving you an out-of-force notice. I sigh and present her with a file of information on the treasure house that I've scavenged from the archives.

The clan has all the information on the treasure halls in the vicinity of the Imperial Capital. It had been a long time since I had spent time in the archives.
I just looked for the materials that had been collected.

I flipped through it and Liz tilted her head in a cute way.

'Hmmm? All those low-level places? And it looks like there are several?

The Temple of Treasures was created by the accumulation of mana and materials. Because of its nature, it tends to produce more low-level items than high-level ones.
There are dozens of low-level treasure halls in the Imperial City, where many veins run through the earth.

Even on the condition that it was far from the White Wolf's Lair, my indecisive mind could not narrow it down to just one.
As if to disguise this fact, I smiled and replied.

'Yeah, I thought I'd let Tino pick the one he likes.

I always get in trouble, but I'm sure this one will be fine.