In the Zebrudia Empire, with its many treasure halls, the status of treasure hunters is high.

A single hunter who has absorbed enough mana and material through traversing a foreign world can outstrip an entire army of knights. The Zebrudia Empire has always had a tendency to emphasize power as part of its national culture, and it is not uncommon for high-level hunters with two names to be approached by high-ranking nobles.

The Rodin family is a long-running family of treasure hunters in Zebrudia.

The origins of this lineage can be traced back to Solis Rodin, a treasure hunter who appeared in the Star Temple, a level 10 treasure hall that once existed in the vicinity of the current imperial capital, and defeated an alien god that had burnt a thousand miles in all directions to ashes.
In praise of his conquest of the [Star Temple], which the Zebrudia Empire at the time could not manage even with all of its national power, the Emperor of the time considered bestowing a title on Solis, who was only a treasure hunter, but Solis declined, calling himself a mere adventurer.
The Emperor praised his humble behavior as a model for hunters and gave Rodin the title of "Brave. Since then, Rodin's family is the only one in the Empire who is allowed to call themselves a hero.

Ark Rodin is a descendant of such a family and has been educated since childhood to become a first-class hunter.

Solis Rodin was an all-round hero with no weaknesses. Rodin's family has been highly talented in various fields for generations, and Ark is no exception.
He has broken through high-level treasure halls where ordinary hunters would hesitate to go and has acquired two names, and even though he is now a young man, he has been named as a candidate for the strongest hunter in the Empire.

Rodin's family prides itself not on its authority, but on its bravery. At some point, Ark's name came to be known as the "Brave One", the name given to his ancestors.

Rodin is a special name in the Empire. From the beginning of his career as a hunter, his name was the center of attention.
This is not the first time he has been invited by the nobility.

Separation from power is one of the family traditions of the Rodin family. But at the same time, if you want to be smooth as a treasure hunter, you can't completely cut ties with the upper echelons of the Empire.

Ark and the 'Ark Brave' were praised for their achievements in capturing the Prism Garden and came to the Marquess of Sandline, far from the Imperial Capital.

This is the famous "flower in the sky"? It's magnificent. ......'

A mature man wearing a serene crimson coat looked at the strange bunch of flowers with transparent petals in a vase and sighed in admiration.
This time, the host of the party that had summoned Ark and the others was Neiham Sandline, the head of the Sandline family.

He was one of the senior nobles who had been given a vast territory in the west of the Zebrudia Empire.
Among the nobles of Zebrudia, there are not a few who harbor a strong jealousy towards the favored hunters.
Compared to those people, the Marquis of Sandline is not a difficult person to get along with, but he seems to have an inexplicable admiration for hunters who traverse inhospitable terrain - on the contrary, he seems to have an inexplicable admiration for Rodin, who once saved the empire. He was tired of being summoned every time.

The flower, with its transparent colorless petals, was from the Treasure House.
They are as transparent as glasswork, but have the texture of ordinary flowers and plants, and their detailed shapes are more beautiful than any craftsman could create.

'It's a thing made of mana material. It is not a treasure trove. It will not retain its shape for long in the outside world.

It's a flower that grows in abundance at the far end of the Prism Garden. Despite its mysterious appearance, the Sky Flower does not have any particular power and is an insignificant item for high-level hunters like Ark.
The reason we picked some of them and brought them back this time was as a memento of reaching the innermost part of the Treasure Hall, not for any particular reason.

However, there is no doubt that the Chalk Garden is not a treasure hall that can be conquered by ordinary hunters.
The Sky Flower, which can retain its form only for a short period of time after its mana and materials have been drained and dissolved into the air, is proof to the nobles that they have a good treasure hunter.

With the exception of a few, the items inside the Treasure House cannot retain their shape for long in the outside world.
In the outside world, they are called "flowers in the sky" and are much admired, but they are only temporary illusions. When the time comes, they will disappear without leaving a single fragment.

Remembering that there had been many rotten flowers in the lounge of Clan House at one time, Ark smiled in his heart without expressing it.

The Marquis did not reply to Ark's words and just put his hand on his chin and narrowed his eyes.

'It's fragile. But that's why it's beautiful. Oh, I would love to see a garden full of flowers like this once before I die.

...... Unfortunately, it will be difficult to do so, Ark thinks without saying it out loud.

The chalk garden is not an environment that only hunters can enter. The pollen in the air like a dense fog will eat away at anyone who enters, and the phantoms that have adapted to the environment are hiding in the countless flowers in bloom, watching vigilantly for the lives of intruders.
It is fortunate that the terrain is flat, but even with an escort of several hundred knights, it would be impossible to break through. It's a different field.

'For example, how about...? Ark. If you, the most powerful man in the Imperial Capital, were to come with us as an escort--'

'My Lord. That place is not a place for someone of your high rank to enter. Of course, the Phantom can be defeated, but it's not an environment for mere mortals. We also had a bit of trouble this time.

The Marquis of Sandline snorted once at Ark's immediate answer, but he didn't seem to have any intention of forcing himself. He must have understood his position.

Occasionally in Zebrudia, an unthinking nobleman would enter the treasure house with his private army and get lost.
Searching with a slow-moving army is far more difficult than it should be. Especially if the target is a guard. It's a good opportunity for hunters to make contacts with nobles, but in most cases, the rescued target is dead.

So the Marquis de Sandrein shook his head as if to change the subject.
He says with a deep, friendly smile. But his eyes are incredibly sharp.

'So, Ark-kun. Have you thought about the story I told you?

'......'

Ark was often scouted by the Marquis of Sandline to become his personal treasure hunter.

Treasure hunters were the strongest hand in the Zebrudia Empire. No matter how many high-level treasure halls exist, they are meaningless if there are no hunters capable of bringing back treasure from them.
Therefore, the nobles of each territory were eager to acquire good hunters. Ark and the others are especially the focus of attention.

An exclusive hunter is a hunter who belongs to a noble family. These are hunters who give top priority to a request in exchange for a certain reward.

Although the degree of freedom is reduced, it is not a bad story for hunters.
Being an exclusive member of a noble family is a kind of status for hunters.

They may receive material benefits. They may be able to obtain superior members through connections. You may be able to enter a restricted treasure house.
One of the charms of the game is that you don't have to keep conquering dangerous treasure halls to earn a certain reward.

Above all, being an exclusive member of a noble family is near the top of the list in terms of "trust" that the Explorers Society places importance on.

It is the endorsement of the ruling class of Zebrudia, a powerful country. The mere fact of being an exclusive member of the aristocracy may even raise your level.

However, Ark shook his head with a gentle smile.

'It's an honor, sir.

'Hmm ...... Rodin does not serve the nobility, huh. Solis has made a troublesome family tradition.

'We still have things to do. Please forgive us.

Rodin the First was a man worthy of the name of hero, but he often had troublesome disputes with the powerful.
In every age, there are some things that cannot be managed by force alone. And this family tradition is probably one of the reasons why Rodin's lineage has lasted so long.

However, this is not the only reason why Ark does not serve the nobility.
Ark had not yet achieved what he wanted.

Among the nobles, there are many like Marquis Sandline who claim that Ark is the strongest hunter in the Imperial City.
There may be some favoritism, but it is not a mistake.
Even hunters lose their power when they grow old. Even the strongest hunter cannot remain the strongest forever. Ark is still in his mid-twenties and has a good future.



The strongest names among hunters are divided in two.

The Marquis of Sandline says with a resentful expression. A name that has spread quickly over the last few years.

''A thousand changes,'' he says.

'......'.

'Strange Grief'. The name is often heard. Fame and infamy. I never thought I'd see the day when a hunter would threaten Rodin...'

It was a bolt from the blue. There were no rivals.
The hunters who came to the Imperial Capital were all people who had made a name for themselves in various places. But even among them, Ark was outstanding.
Of course, there were several hunters who surpassed him in strength alone. However, these are the ones who will eventually catch up.

In the past, Ark only looked up. That was enough.

Who could have imagined? That someone of his age could be a rival to Ark Rodin, who had the strongest bloodline, the best environment, and the greatest effort.

The Marquis de Sandrein said that Rodin was a threat. That word is a misnomer.
There is no such word as "threatening" in Rodin's dictionary.

If there is a genius who can match him, he will meet him head on, fair and square. It would be better than continuing to run alone.

Then Ark remembered the young man's face and said with a bitter look on his face.

'But Sir. He's ...... not willing to do a 'thousand changes' from the bottom of his heart.'

'Mmmm ......!

The Marquis of Sandline had an indescribable expression on his face as he heard Ark's unusually carefree voice.


§ § § §


It was an unbearable sight to see. He didn't even care about the hard touch of the stone golem he was using as a chair.

Putting his finger on the throat of the mage, who was lying on the ground and not wincing, Citri sighed and gave us a troubled look.

A sour smell that makes your nose turn.
The lounge was a mess. The mages were lying on the tables as if they were drunk, and the stone golem was cleaning up their vomit with a rag.

I know Citri well. She's smart, honest, and careful.
And it seems that eight mages could not charge my treasure, as she had originally predicted.

Citri's training was much harder than words could say.
Probably, even they who had been hunters for a long time as mages had never experienced the depletion of magic power in such a short period of time. And the special potion made by Citry further drains their energy.

'...... Hmm... I'm in trouble. I don't seem to have the energy to recharge my magic anymore. Of course, I'm still alive as I promised. He's got a pulse. He just can't get his consciousness back.

'Yeah, yeah ......, that's right.

'I'm also recovering my magic power. You don't need to worry about the potions, as we have used them many times in our party. The magic power limit has been increased as well. It's just that I can't get my consciousness back.

'Oh, hey, are you okay? I'm not sure.

A man hunter, who had been watching the ordeal with bated breath, shook his companion's shoulder violently.
He looked as if he was clinging to the corpse, unable to believe that his companion had died during the search for the Treasure House.

My heart hurts. I feel like I'm going to vomit.

'Apparently, they can't charge the magic of the treasure without being conscious. They haven't been trained enough. I'm afraid that's all we have.'

Citri said without changing his color even though he saw the dead and dying.

The magic recovery potion that was prepared is still only down to one bottle. It is rather amazing that eight people could reduce one bottle. .......

Even the charge of the warding finger is not even half finished.
This is because there were only two mages with enough magic power to charge the warding finger, excluding Mr. Fubir.
The other five were able to charge other treasures, so it wasn't a waste of time, but from the looks of it, I should have secured a way to charge it in case Lucia was gone for a long time.

'? What's wrong, sir? I'm not lying .......'

The brown-haired hunter glared at Sitri as he picked up his companion, who was spitting out a cloud of white foam. Citry blinked a few times in response to his gaze and tilted his head curiously.
No offense to Citry. Of course, she didn't want to use up the mages. She had always been like that.

'I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll be able to find a great deal more information on this subject at ......, but I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's not a problem.

The voice was gentle, but there was a strength in it that did not allow for rebuttal.
Citry looked around at the other members of the team, who were looking at him as if they were going to shoot him dead, and Citry made an apologetic expression.

In the first place, this training (?) was not possible without his consent. It's not something that can be done without your consent.

The other mages were reluctant when they saw Fubir fall down.
It's true that Citry was the one who convinced them one by one that it was for the sake of their growth, for the sake of the party, that the pain was only for now, and that they would not die.

But it was he who made up his mind.

Well, it would have been difficult for me to say no to him if he told me in front of everyone that he was doing it for the sake of his friends, but I'll leave it at that.

A hunter's actions are his own responsibility. No one would blame her for Citri's actions. No matter how you feel about her.
And when she says she's doing it for the good of the party, there's nothing the outside world can do to stop her.

In short, it's a sad story, but there's a reason why she's still being called the "Deep Black" forever.

You can find a lot of people who are interested in this kind of thing. I've never heard of a potion that recovers all of your magic power with just a few drops!

In the event that you've got a lot of time, you may want to take a look at the following.

It's not like he's a perpetrator, but the look on his face is so protective that the members who had been looking at him as if they were avenging their parents are now upset.
In the event you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us.

'Terrible ...... to doubt my potions. It's a mana potion that uses a few rare ingredients and a different dilution rate to restore magic. It's very expensive, but you can check it out in the ...... lab.'



The wood golem pulls out a bottle of potion from the crate. The potion is contained in a bottle a size smaller than those typically used by hunters, and Citri shakes it lightly before placing it in front of everyone.

The black liquid was too blatant to look like a poison.

In the first place, the full recovery of the magic power is ...... very difficult to say, but it is because of the ...... small amount of magic power of everyone. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the most out of your time and money. If there is a next time, that is. ......'

In the event that you've got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, we're here to help.
Maybe ...... it's just a bad guess, but maybe he's disappointed that the mages don't seem to be recovering even after some time.

'It's so easy to become strong, but I can't believe you can't endure just four ...... times.'

Citry's voice was not as kind as usual.

Indeed, if you only listen to the method, it seems simple.
But it's not every day that a hunter who is on the front lines killing phantoms without a care in the world completely loses consciousness. There are eight of them, and they all lose consciousness. It must be unimaginably painful.

Looking at those victims of the magic charge, I feel frustration rather than pity.

Lucia had shown glimpses of her magical talent from the beginning. She was probably the most talented of the six initial members of the Ghosts of Sorrows.
That's why I wasn't aware of it at all, but looking at the current state of affairs, ...... perhaps Lucia was also struggling a lot in places I couldn't see.

In the event that you've got a lot of time and energy, you'll be able to take advantage of it.
From the beginning to now, Lucia has been in charge of charging my treasure. Lucia has never been unhappy with my ever-growing collection.

Remembering Lucia's indifferent voice, I'm now breaking out in a cold sweat.
She's been kind of cold lately. I've been wondering if I'm having a late rebellion, but could this be the cause?

It's true that the recent increase in my collection of treasures has been out of the ordinary. It's no wonder, since I'm no longer involved in conquering the Treasure Hall, and the only things I do now are searching for treasures and sweet stores.

'...... Am I perhaps doing something bad to Lucia?

'Mr. Cry. Lucia is not so weak that she would raise her voice in a test.''

Turning around, Sitri answered immediately with a smile. I don't think she even remembers doing the trials.
I decided to apologize to Lucia when she came back, trying to keep her in a good mood.

They didn't say anything. Maybe they thought they had no right to protest now, or maybe it was because Citly was my best friend.
But even if they didn't say anything, I could tell from their hard stares how they felt.

The one who should be blamed should be me, the one who came to ask her to charge the treasure. I let Sitri get the short end of the stick, huh?

One of them, the hunter who was caring for Mr. Feville, is about to open his mouth.
And then Sitri said in a disgusted voice.

You'll be able to find a lot more information on the web at ....... Lucia went through the same ordeal herself and didn't whine about it. In fact, I think you should all be grateful to Kry for showing you how weak you are.

These are haughty words. Please don't add fuel to the fire.
Citri smiled embarrassedly at those who were dismayed by his pompous content. He held up an index finger to his mouth.

'It's not a talent. The reason why Lucia-chan's and Cry-san's level is a little higher than everyone here is because the trials we have gone through, the amount of sweat, blood, and tears we have shed, is a little more than you. That's right. I'm not going to whine about the trials and tribulations that hunters much younger than me have overcome.

...... She's as articulate as ever. He is not afraid of the countless stares and the strong emotions that are put into them.
You can't help but feel admiration rather than dismay. Tino also opened his eyes and listened to her words.

The hunter, who was about to open his mouth just now, closes his mouth at the content. The irony is that this is a clan that has been around for a long time.
The irony is that I, the highest ranked member of this clan, have shed no sweat, blood, or tears.

But no one knows that except for the members of the Ghosts of Sorrows.

The Stone Golem carries a crate, puts away his cleaning supplies, and exits the lounge.
Sitri takes my arm and looks back at the members, who are all wearing mysterious or grim expressions.

'Oh. I'm sure you won't, but ...... if there are any problems when you regain consciousness, please let me know. I will keep my promise. I will deal with it sincerely, so...'