One night after the hellish party, I was listening to Eva's report in the Clan Master's office.

In general, clans formed by treasure hunters are quite random organizations.
They were originally formed by parties of treasure hunters for the purpose of mutual aid. Since there are few procedures and conditions required to form a clan, there are even clans that do not have any particular function, although they are called clans in name.

And it is not that such organizations are meaningless.
For treasure hunters who are almost self-employed, being a member of an organization is a certain advantage. In the first place, there is no way that a group of egotistical hunters can form a proper organization.

On the other hand, 《First Step》 is different.

When I formed the clan, I hired Eva and the other clerks, all professionals in their respective fields, and threw everything at them.
Now I'm filled with the desire to retire from hunting, but back then I wanted to quit hunting to the point of desperation. This was around the time when the Treasure House of the Ghosts of Sorrows began to exceed level 5, and I began to feel that my life was in danger and that I was a huge burden to the team.

To be honest, I didn't think I could make such a big clan in one go.
Although I approached them, I didn't think that the Black Gold Cross or the Ark Brave would be on my side, and frankly speaking, I thought it would be okay if I failed.

To tell you the truth, I still don't really know what was good about it. Perhaps it was good that I, who was the most incompetent among the founding party, did not work.

While I was just nodding along, thanks to the power of the talented clerks, 《Footprints of the Beginning》 had become one of the best organized clans in the Imperial Capital (regardless of its size).
A clean and conspicuous clan house, and welfare services such as food and drink in the lounge. They also replenish items and sell treasures on behalf of the clan, and even have their own training grounds.

One of them is a highly reliable information network.

I don't remember giving any instructions, but Eva probably did a good job.
I have no idea what the logic behind it is, but now the Footprints are gathering fresh information.

'It looks like it's real. ...... Arnold Hale, level 7. It seems that he is a hunter who was promoted after defeating the thunder dragon. The level was certified by the Explorers Association of Nebula Nubes, the Land of Mists. I'm sure there's a bit of favoritism since it's a weaker branch. ......'

And if you want to know something, you can ask Eva-san and she will tell you almost anything. There are too many good people around me.
She is a good secretary. If anything, Eva is more like a head than a secretary, but if she were to disappear, I'm sure I'd die instantly. I wouldn't be able to sleep on her feet. And she's beautiful. There's nothing more I could ask for.
Please don't go away until I retire, even if it means lining your pockets with membership fees.

'The real thing,............,' he said.

I let out a deep sigh at Eva's words, which she listed without hesitation.

It's a good idea to take a look at the web site and see what you can find.
If that was the case, then Liz had just beaten a seasoned hunter from the outside with no questions asked. Now I have more things to worry about.

Although Liz's certified level was 6, the members of the Ghosts of Sorrows had conquered the Treasure Hall at an unreasonably high level and were stronger than that level.
So it was not strange that Arnold, who was level 7, lost unilaterally, but the problem was that it was a complete surprise attack.

But the problem is that it was a complete surprise attack. It is useless to argue about who is worse.
A level 7 hunter would not be so easily mollified. Arnold's gut must be churning right now. If he had been defeated head-on, it would have been understandable, but that would have only deepened his resentment.

And hunters, with a few exceptions such as paladins, have a higher attack power than defense power.
No matter what kind of "Zekage" you are, if you are taken by surprise by a high level hunter, there is a good chance that you will lose. Although Lies is trying to be a constant battlefield, it does not mean that he has zero gaps.



What should I do?

Dragons are synonymous with the strongest of all demons.

There are many different types of dragons. There are many types of dragons, such as sub-dragons, pure dragons, ancient dragons, and so on, and also flying dragons, land dragons, sea dragons, and so on.
In the event that you're a hunter, you're going to need to be able to find a dragon that can take care of you.

In other words, basically, lightning is incredibly strong in any field.
Because of its speed, it is extremely difficult to avoid, and the sound and impact can easily cut off the consciousness of hunters with enhanced bodies. The sound and impact can easily mow down the consciousness of a hunter with an enhanced body. Since it conducts, it is impossible to prevent it with metal armor, and even among mages, only very high level mages have the ability to control lightning.

If you can control lightning, even a rabbit is a powerful enemy. If a dragon could control it, it would be a disaster. I'll die.

I fold my arms and frown, and Eva asks me with some concern.

'Have you ever fought one before?

'All I can say is ...... yes. The only thing I can tell you is that it tastes really good when it's teriyaki with sweet and spicy sauce.

'Oh, I see. ......'

'I'm getting hungry. ......'

I've encountered them before, but only Liz and the others fought them, and I had to hide in the shadows.
I'm sure they were stronger than me, but I don't know how they fared. My gear was a bit battered, but I'm sure I wasn't seriously injured.
The only thing I remember vividly is that the food Citri cooked for us after we killed it was juicy and delicious, but maybe it was just the special sauce that made it so good. Citry was a very good boy in many ways.

'I want to eat again after a long time. ......'

'............, as expected, there are no restaurants that serve thunder dragon meat, even in the Imperial Capital. It's a rare and expensive material to begin with, and I've never heard of it being used for food--'

'I know, I know. Hmm. ......'

What should I do? .......
At any rate, I'm sure I'll file a complaint with Mr. Gark, but fights between hunters are tolerated unless there's a good reason.
I've known Mr. Gark for a long time, so I'm sure he'll at least nail me, but he didn't seem like the kind of guy who would let that stop him.
If I could just get down on my knees in secret, I'd get down on my knees all I wanted, but it would be weird for me to get down on my knees in that situation. He wouldn't be convinced.

I thought about it for a while, but perhaps because I was hungry, I couldn't think clearly.

I pondered for a while without expressing myself, but finally decided to give up thinking.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and what you can do to help.
I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will work for you. ...... I think that's all I can do.

You will notice that Eva is still silent, waiting for me to speak.
I'm not sure what to make of it. I've known Eva for a long time, and I understand what she's thinking.

Unlike me, she is meticulous. It's nice that she's willing to assist me as a mere employee, but she's too generous.
You can cut me some slack, if you like.

I shrugged my shoulders and let out a long sigh.

'Haha, ............ Eva's asking me about teriyaki, I'm too hungry to think straight.

'! I'm not!'

Eva's eyes widen in exaggeration and she retorts.
I'm just kidding. You don't have to raise your voice like that. .......

'I think it's best to be peaceful. ...... Well, I guess it doesn't matter if I talk to Gark-san about this. All right, let's go eat some teriyaki.

I'll contact him myself. ............ Thunder Dragon?



I laughed a little when Eva asked me in a fearful way.

'Well, let's talk about it another time. The thunder dragon is delicious, but the chicken is not bad either.

You just said yourself that there are no restaurants that serve it in the Imperial Capital, but people who can do that have a first-rate sense of humor.
I wish I could learn from you.



§ § § §



It's been a long time since I've been hurt this badly.

It had been a long time since anyone had defied me in Nebulanubes, the Land of Mists, where I was based.
The highest level of the hunters based in Nebulanubes, a small country, was 7.
Among them, Arnold Hale and his group, the Foreign Mist, were known to be the most powerful party, as they fought to the death against the thunder dragon that had attacked the country and defeated it.
Even the upper echelons of the Misty Nation took a shine to Arnold and the others, who were the strongest in both name and reality.

The reason why Arnold and the others decided to leave such a comfortable country was to aim higher.

In the Land of Mists, there were only five treasure halls in the surrounding area, and there was a limit to how far you could go as a hunter.
In order to conquer high-level treasure halls, you need to gradually increase the level of the treasure halls you conquer and absorb mana and materials to become stronger.
In Nebulanubes, there was an overwhelming lack of battlefields.

I was confident.
Only a handful of hunters, even in small countries, could be certified as level 7. Among them, Arnold is a hunter who specializes in combat ability.
As the leader of the party, Arnold was the strongest, but the other members were also confident in their abilities. In addition to that, they have more members than a normal party, so they are not likely to be defeated in a fight between hunters.

He knew that the Zebrudia Empire was a hunter powerhouse that could not even be compared to Nebula Nubes. He also understood that there were probably many hunters there who were of a higher level than him.

But he had no intention of losing.

'd*mn, that woman ...... caught me off guard and took me by surprise, ...... I can't let her get away with that.

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a number of things you can do.
His equipment has changed from the armor he wore just after he arrived to cloth clothes. This is because it was damaged in the brawl in the tavern.

After a night of brawling in the tavern, the Foreign Mist had somehow managed to get into position and was visiting the Imperial City branch of the Searchers' Association, pushing down its strong anger and slight fear.

Foreign Mist is a high-level party. In the Explorers Society, high-level hunters are given preferential treatment.
It's common sense to ask for help when you change your base, as you'll often receive some kind of favor.

The Explorers' Association in the Imperial Capital was a much larger building than the one in my home country.
The number of hunters coming and going was also incomparable. Just sitting in front of the counter or on a chair in the lobby, many parties passed by. They were armed and ethnically diverse, and the place was crowded in a way that Nebula Nubes could not have been.

However, there are only so many of them, and few of them are spectacularly strong. No one approached the newcomer who had taken up a position in the lobby.

Arnold grits his teeth as he frowns at the tormenting pain in his head, surrounded by his party members.
His mind wanders back to the scene of yesterday. The shock of shaking his head at the smile of the woman who attacked him out of the blue.
What was in his heart was not simple anger.

It was natural for a hunter to be wary of a surprise attack. And this was the new Imperial City, not a well-known home town.
I didn't expect to be surprised in the city, but I was prepared. With Arnold's strength, he could have fought back even if he had been taken by surprise by an ordinary hunter.

But he was beaten and beaten unilaterally. There were eight of us, and only one of them. Although Arnold was careless, he hadn't drunk and wasn't drunk yet.
Because of his confidence in his own skill, he could see that his opponent was no ordinary person.

Fighting phantoms and demons is different from fighting between hunters.

But that woman was used to hitting people. A perfect surprise strike without a moment's hesitation - a heavy blow struck at the slightest moment when her consciousness was blanked by alcohol.
I'm not sure how many hunters there are in the Imperial City, but I doubt there are many hunters who can knock out Arnold, who is strengthened by the Mana Material, with a single blow. He was probably a well-known hunter even in this Imperial City.

I can't just leave it at that. The scene in the tavern was seen by many hunters.
If he backed down after being one-sidedly defeated by the surprise attack, the name "Foreign Mist" would be damaged. From now on, Arnold intends to make a name for himself in this sacred land of hunters. He can't afford to be licked.

'There's no way Arnold-san can lose if he fights ...... head on, one on one!

One of the party members. The youngest member of the party, Juster, is red-faced and says with great effort, "I'm not sure I can do it.
But you can hear the slightest hint of fear in his voice.

The hunter who had beaten Arnold apparently did not stop beating Arnold even after he lost consciousness, smiling broadly.
Juster joined the Misty Thunder Dragon after Arnold and the others had already become a party of no strangers in Nebulanubes.
For this young hunter, who had always been a member of the best party, being overwhelmed by a single hunter was an experience that was enough to shatter his confidence.

Up until now, Arnold had been adored for his prowess. He would not lose the trust of the members of the team just because he lost once, but a small crack in his armor could lead to a fatal situation someday.

You can't make a natural enemy. We can't become helpless losers.

'Whoever they are, they'll pay for what they've done.

Arnold's declaration caused the members to gulp.
They look at the huge, dull gold blade beside him. Arnold's weapon, which he didn't even have time to hold in the tavern.
It is a sword with the power of lightning, created from the materials of the thunder dragon that attacked the Land of Mist. It's also the origin of Arnold's second name, "Thunderbolt Flash.

He licks his lips. The wound on his head, which should have healed, throbbed with a dull ache.
The high class potion with high healing power had been used on a member who had been seriously injured, so it was the middle class potion that had healed Arnold's own wound. As a result, he was left with a scar on his forehead that looked like an earthworm.

I'm not going to complain about a scar or two now.
The pain you feel is an illusion. The wounds have healed with potions and enhanced natural healing.

Arnold understood. The phantom pain wants only one thing. A rematch with the hunter who made the wound.
And only then, when he's victorious, will this pain go away.

'This is a chance. That woman is probably the most famous hunter in the capital. Beating her head on will give you a big advantage. At least you won't be licked. No one ever came at me in Nebulanubes, so it's good to get my dull arm back.

'...... I see. I suppose I was lucky in a way, then.

The previously unhappy Aei shuddered and gave a deep smile.

What Arnold is looking for is not a simple rise in recognition level. It's not superficial glory.

It's strength. And to get it, he needs a strong opponent.


The scene at the tavern was unexpected, but as bad as it was, it turns out that there are strong men in the Imperial City, as they say.
Then all that's left is to subdue and surpass them.

Once we're settled, we'll need to find out the name of that enemy.
With a temper like that, we should be able to figure it out with a little questioning from the hunters around here.

'Sorry. Sorry to keep you waiting. So you're the level 7 from Nebula Nubes.

I look up. The one who called out to him was a giant of a man, no less than Arnold.

You can see it clearly on his uniform.
His muscles had grown so large that they were clearly visible even through his uniform, and his arms and legs were covered with countless deep scars. His face is heavily tattooed, and his piercing eyes look down at Arnold and his companions.

His age is probably a year older than Arnold's, but his appearance conveys a huge amount of energy hidden within him.

It seems that the head of the Imperial City Branch was once a top-notch hunter. Although he had heard rumors, Arnold's lips twisted into a smile at the appearance of a more outstanding person than he had imagined.

He stood up from the couch. They were about the same height, and their sharp gazes collided with each other.

The head of the Fog Country branch was a fat pig of a man. He was a capable chief, but he was not a worthy warrior.
Every time I met Arnold, I could see a hint of awe in his eyes, but what about the man in front of me?

He held out his hand, and Gark squeezed it. I try to squeeze his hand, but he squeezes back with more force than that.

Strong. Even though he is supposed to be retired from the front line--this power!

'Ah. You're--Chief Gark, huh? Arnold Hale, level 7. I'll be looking after you for a while.

'Thank you for coming so far from home. I heard you defeated a thunder dragon. High level hunters are welcome.'

Apparently he already has the information.
Gark's words made the members relax. At that moment, Gark added as if he had an idea.

'But only if they don't cause too much trouble.

That's an implied statement.
As Arnold frowned, Chief Gark's thick lips twisted into a vicious smile.

'Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about you. There are a lot of troublesome people in the Imperial Capital.

'Troublesome people?

The ray standing next to him looks suspicious.
Treasure hunters get into trouble all the time. It's not uncommon for some of them to have a foot in the criminal world.
I wonder what kind of person the Branch Chief is when he dares to call them 'troublesome people', knowing this.

'Oh, yes. You've met them, right? I've been contacted. I heard you got beaten up by the Zekage at the tavern.

'?

'I'm sorry, you must be surprised. Liz is a level 6, but she's a crazy bastard who bites even me, the branch manager...''

In front of Arnold's wide-eyed eyes, Garc smiles bitterly and cowers his shoulders.

You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the best results. In fact, Arnold felt as if he was looking down on him.

He was a rube who had been beaten down by a woman of a lower level than him after he had ganged up on her in a bar.
In treasure hunting, strength is respected. As an employee of the search council, I'm sure they try to maintain some degree of impartiality, but their eyes are extremely strict.
I think that the favoritism of the branch of a small country may have entered into it. Do they really have the ability to compete in the Imperial Capital?

Maybe it was just my imagination, but it was humiliating.
When Arnold and the others glared at him, biting their teeth to the point of grinding, Gark continued without saying anything in particular.

'Oh, there's an apology from his owner. He was just a little excited to hear that he was a level 7, and he's not going to let you mess with him again, so just let it go. Well, I'm sure he was upset because it was his first time in the capital, but I heard you guys were making a lot of noise too.

'Keep ...... Lord?

If the fact that an apology had come was shocking, the word "owner" was even more shocking.
It was true that the way she had attacked him without hesitation had given him the impression of a beast, but she didn't look like the kind of woman who would be kept by someone. But there was no reason for Branch Chief Gark to lie.

'Well, I guess we can trust him. I'm not the kind of guy who allows bullies to bully the weak. If you play nice, he won't do anything to you anymore.

His voice was almost comforting.
The tone of his voice gave Arnold not anger, but an inexplicable chill.

She said she was level 6, but she was a strong woman.
She had a fierce temperament that would attack a hunter who declared a higher level than her without hesitation, and she had the strength to back it up.
She doesn't look like the kind of person who would work for someone else. What does it take to subdue a beast like that?

If it's a hunter who's following him, then there's only one answer-- strength.

Strength so overwhelming that it subjugates a beast that has no regard for the Branch Chief.

How strong can it be? Lise is attacking Arnold. Then it's obvious that he's better than Arnold.

I'm not sure what to make of that. Perhaps he had come to the same conclusion as Arnold.
Gark clapped his hands loudly, whether he sensed it or not.

'Oh, yes. It seems that its owner, the Thousand Transformations, has a favor to ask you. He's one of the top five hunters in the Imperial Capital, so it wouldn't hurt to establish a relationship with him.''

'A favor from ......?

Many changes. Gark laughed and said to Arnold, the name deeply etched in his mind.

'I'll give you the money, but I want you to fetch the Thunder Dragon. He heard that you guys killed a thunder dragon and he wanted to eat it for the first time in a long time. Well, there's no deadline, so just keep it in mind. Good luck, dragon slayers.