Having survived Mr. Gark's abduction, I walked through the Explorers' Association with my shoulders turned.
Perhaps it was because it was the middle of the day, but there were only a few people in the lobby, where at certain times of the day there would be a line.

When I first came to the Imperial Capital, the inside of the building looked terribly stuffy, but even I've gotten used to it after five years.
You can go through the bulletin boards with countless request lists on them, you can go through the bulletin boards with recent news on them, and you can go through the bulletin boards with information on bounty hunters on them.
There was no way I was going to be able to meet the level 8 quota by myself.

I walked slowly around the Explorers' Association, checking the front of the counter, checking the delivery and appraisal offices, checking the archives, but in the end I couldn't find what I was looking for, and I sighed with a scowl.

What I was looking for was an escort. More specifically, hunters wearing the First Step symbol who would listen to what I had to say.
Basically, I don't like to go out alone. The road from the Explorers' Association to the Clan House is crowded with people, and there is no chance of being attacked on the way.

When I go out voluntarily, I find a suitable guard at the clan house and take him with me for a good reason (or rather, I only go out when I have a guard with me), but when I'm kidnapped or summoned by Mr. Gark, I have to go out alone.
The way there is no problem because Mr. Gark is there, but the way back is terrifying.

Of course, I am fully equipped. I'm armed from toe to head with treasure, but that's only a comfort.

''It's really annoying that Mr. Gark calls me out of the blue every time. It's not that urgent. ...... I know that without being told.

As I twirled the chain around my waist, I quietly peeked out of the entrance door.
There is a big street in front of the institute. The sun was still high in the sky and the street was crowded with people, unlike inside where it was not so crowded.

There were horse-drawn carriages passing by, and townspeople squinting in the bright sunlight. No one looked as anxious as I did.
The scene distracted me for a moment. It is strange that I, a hunter, should be frightened when ordinary citizens are not frightened either.

I put on my best face and pretended to be calm, and then, with all my might, I stepped outside.





In Zebrudia, the name value of a high-level hunter is quite strong.

There are many different jobs, achievements, and specialties among hunters, but most hunters are considered to be top-notch from around level 5, and are approached by the state, nobility, and large merchant associations.
After that, they will have a strong backbone in proportion to their level.

It is also around this time that fans from the general public begin to appear. Not to mention Ark, who is explosively famous in Zebrudia as a descendant of heroes, even the violent Liz-chan has her fans.
Hunters are not only warriors but also idols of sorts.

This kind of fame is one of the factors that bring Hunter enormous wealth and honor, but on the other hand, I, who have become one of the best level 8s in the Imperial Capital due to a mysterious power, have almost no such fans.

This is because I felt a sense of crisis when I started to become famous to some extent, and tried to hide my face as much as possible.
I have never shown my face even in newspapers, and of course, there are many people who know me because there is no way I can do it perfectly even if I hide my face, but in general, Senhen Manka is known as unidentified.
I think I'm one of the best high-level hunters, including the other two level 8s in the Imperial Capital, in terms of being unknown.

The reason for this is to avoid making as many enemies as possible, which is common among high-level hunters.
For example, a fighting maniac like Luke who tries to test his skill as soon as he finds out that his opponent is strong.
For example, a criminal who harbors a strong grudge against a hunter for capturing his friends.
There is no shortage of enemies of hunters, from criminal organizations that specialize in hunting down the treasures owned by hunters to those who come to them to take advantage of their authority.

And, and this is important, unlike other high-level hunters, I don't have the ability to deal with them.
That's why I try to hide my face and have a guard when I go out. I wear jewelry as much as possible and try to avoid deserted streets.

No one understands me, but I'm a chicken.

I carefully and cautiously walked down the path to the clan house. I wanted to hide my face, but I couldn't, because hiding my face in this situation would make me stand out.
Unfortunately, the practice of "Dancing in the Light" had not yet reached the point where I could change my face. In the case of the Transforming Human Face, I was able to change my face to some extent from the beginning, but this is not a matter of the strength of the treasure, but rather the suitability.

Fortunately, no one was looking at us.

I am unrivaled in my ability to blend in with ordinary people. I told Liz, "That's what I'm talking about, Cry! You look like a normal person! You're just like a person!
Not only do I have one of the lowest levels of mana and material absorption, but even the way I carry myself makes me look like I'm not a warrior at all. That's not an act. .......

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of them.
A chill ran through me, and I slowly turned around.

'Mr. Cry. It's been a long time.

'...... Ah, long time no see.'

The person standing there with a condescending attitude was a blue-haired boy with eyes as cold as ice.
He was probably about the same age as Tino, maybe a little younger. He was dressed like an ordinary citizen, not wearing any armor or carrying any weapons, which made me feel uncomfortable because of the gap between his sharp eyes and mine.

But more than that, I had one question in my mind.

............ Who?

'I'm sorry, all of a sudden. I'm sorry that I haven't seen you in a while, but I need to talk to you about something.

............ who?

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

As I mentioned earlier, there are not many people who know my name and face. I don't think they are members of the Footprints.
For some reason, there is a rule in Footprints that when a member joins, I interview him or her in person. It can't be helped that his name and face don't match, but it's inconceivable that he has forgotten the face itself.

From the way he talks, it seems that the boy and I are acquainted. There is no possibility that he is the wrong person.
Maybe he's a fan of mine? ...... No, of course not.

He is a handsome man with a clear nose and icy blue eyes. He's a handsome man with a cold impression. He's not the type of guy you'll find at my party.

............ Who is he?

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about when I say I'm here.

............ Who?

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it. I'd like you to introduce yourself first or wear a name tag on your chest.
Don't think I'm going to remember you, okay? I don't even remember my own clan members.

'I know Chief Gark summoned you. I won't take up much of your time. Please come with me to ---- Cry?'

'............ Oh. Well, ...... that's odd. I was just thinking I should meet you too.

'!

I smiled and decided to do my best to join in.
I don't know who you are, but I'm sure you won't back down and say, 'Oh, I see.
It's out of the question that I don't know your name. If I had been as strong as Liz, I would have said I didn't know, but alas, I was a fluffy guy. The fact that I don't feel the urge to kill at this point is also significant.

The boy's eyes widened for a moment, but quickly returned to their original expressionlessness.

'As expected of a man of many changes, he knows what he's talking about. Then please come with me. It's not the kind of thing you can talk about standing around. We can go to a nearby coffee shop or--'



Here it is! I don't mind going out with you (well, I don't mind if you think about it), but even if we're going to talk, this Krai Andrich, I'm not going to take part in it alone. Even if the other party is younger and unarmed.

'Sorry, it's just around the corner, I'm going to drop my stuff off at the clan house--'

'I found it, Arun! You're suddenly running off on your own ............! What? Could it be that you found it?

My words were interrupted by a sudden intruder.

The girl approaching from across the street had blonde hair like sunlight.
Big green eyes, blemish-free skin. She didn't look like a hunter. And she didn't look familiar either.
The boy called Arun said to the cheerful girl without changing his color.

'Oh, Marie. Apparently, Mr. Cry was looking for us too. He said he'll come with us.

'! Thank you, Mr. Kry. Good, now I have one less thing to worry about. ......'

The girl called Marie patted her chest as if relieved.

It seems that this reduced worry is coming my way? Can you take it away?

Marie ni Arun. I still don't remember. I feel like I'm gonna puke with anxiety.
I've got to get through this at all costs.





Despite my uneasiness, Arun led me to a nondescript coffee shop.

I've been there a few times before, and it's a place that serves delicious tea-flavored pound cake. At any rate, I was relieved that I wasn't suddenly surrounded by strong men in a closed room.

It seems to be on me, so I don't hesitate to order a cake and a cup of tea. I need to eat something sweet to get my clunky brain going.

As soon as we sat down, Arun narrowed his eyes, sharpened his cold gaze like a blade, and said.

'There's no need to play games with you. I'm going to be straight to the point and ask you to back off.

'?

'It's true, you're one step closer to Level 9 with the capture of Noto Cochlear. You also owe Lord Gladys a favor. Destroying the remnants will put you one step ahead of the other level 8s. But that's too hasty. Don't you think so?

'?

'Originally, Akasha was our prey. Chief Gark may be thinking of a generational change. But in terms of experience, Mr. Cry, you are inferior to the other Level 8s. I've heard that the Lamentations are making great strides, but even with that in mind, you're still not a level 9. Perhaps you don't deserve to have such things pointed out to you by an outside clan. But that is our consensus.

'...... Yeah, yeah, yeah.'

Tea's good.
In front of me, who was completely in the mode of escaping reality, Marie stopped Arun as if in a panic.

'Arun, you can't just suddenly--'

''Marie, this is something I'll have to tell you sooner or later. Of course, I don't think we can bargain with the [Thousand Transformations] on our own.''

Marie looked at my expression with fear. But I don't know anything about it.
I can feel the tension in Arun's face. I smiled and waited for the next word, but it never came.

Now, what should I do? Actually, I don't understand half of what Arun said. No, I understand what you're saying, but there seems to be a big discrepancy in my perception.

Now, what should I do? If I were an ordinary person, I would check what I don't know here one by one and resolve the discrepancy.
However, I have a skill that I have cultivated so far, which is to just let the conversation go.

'In other words, Arun--'

''What?

Arun's expression tightened and her eyelids twitched.

What? I haven't said anything yet, but what did I miss?
Marie's mouth is quivering as if she's trying to hold in a laugh. I pretend I didn't see it.

'......Arun, you want me to back off.'

'......Yes. As I said in the beginning, .......'

I don't remember making any moves first, but I'll leave that aside.
In my experience, in this kind of situation, Liz is doing something on her own. And I'm being held jointly responsible for it.

'Mr. Cry! It's true that we've been sitting on our hands. But still, I think it's unreasonable to intervene from the side. I think. ...... What do you think?'

Marie makes a shaky noise.
I cross my legs and nod loudly as I stab at the pound cake with my fork.

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll back off.

'What? Are you sure? Thank you very much!

Marie's eyes widened and she bowed her head as if in a panic.

I'm not going to pull anything back as long as I didn't do anything to you, but you can apologize to Liz or Sitri later from my side.
I've done this many times before.

I don't know, but I just want to go home.

'Well, I'm sorry you had to come here to talk to me. I'm not really interested in the remnants or level 9. I'm more interested in this pound cake.'

I'm sick of being taken for something I don't know.
From the way they talk, Arun and the others are either bounty hunters or hunters, but I'm a leader in name only and I don't have any control over the members' actions. If you want to complain, you can do so to the person himself - no, you can do so to me, yes.

In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find out more about it here.


I'll quickly add a harmless appeal.

'In general, Chief Gark's errand was only called because I didn't fulfill my quota, so I don't think it's what Arun thinks it is.'

'Quota ......?'

'No, no. It's not that I was slacking off. I just haven't found the right one.

I wish I could meet my quota by collecting herbs or something.
Arun and Marie are aghast at my words. I don't know how they got to know my name and face, but I'm not who you think I am.

I've finally gotten over the ruckus related to the auction, and I need to rest for a while.
As I sighed heavily, Arun suddenly stood up with a grim expression. At about the same time, a shadow appeared in my field of vision.

'...... What do you want?'

'...... Shut up. It's not you I want.'

I heard a very familiar voice from right behind me. Just like the time when Arun tapped me on the shoulder, it seems that my sense of presence is no better than garbage.

Strong-looking men surrounded the table where we were sitting with their familiar movements. Unlike Arun and Marie, these men were fully armed with weapons and armor.
The sudden intruder, the other customers who had entered the coffee shop gasped.

A heavy voice like an intimidation is thrown from above their heads.

'It's been a while, hasn't it? The other day, you licked me quite a bit, didn't you?

'...... Who are you?

'............ level 8. d*mn, you're showing a lot of composure, aren't you ......'.

You can find a lot of people who are interested in this type of product.
The negotiations should have ended amicably in the end, but for some reason, they were all looking down at me with expressions that were a mixture of faint fear and strong anger.

Was there any reason for them to stare at me?

I lifted my head up and looked up at the owner of the voice.

Arnold's face was bright red. His cloudy eyes were lit with flames of anger, and his bare arms, which seemed to be several times the size of mine, were trembling as if he was waiting for the release of his power.

This is bad. It's a bad pattern.

'Level 8. I'm going to see if your power is really as good as you say it is.

It's a pattern of complete incomprehension. It's not as good as its reputation, and a level 7 should be able to guess my strength from my appearance, but he doesn't even seem to notice that.

Arnold asks, letting out a ragged breath.

'Is the woman not here today?

'Can you wait until I call ......?

'I'm going to roll you half to death in front of those b*tc*es.

Oh, God. What did Lise and the others do again?

Even though we're in a store, Arnold's men all draw their weapons at once. It's an overreaction in front of me and Arun, who are obviously unarmed.

My heart was beating painfully. Oh no, it's a complete white flag. I can't think of a way out of this.
I'm surrounded by Arnold's men and I don't have a flying weapon. I have my warding fingers, so I can take a few hits, but beyond that, there's nothing I can do. I can't even beat one of Arnold's men by myself.

...... I have no choice. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with that. Will you forgive me?

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing. But before he could open his mouth, Arun took a step toward Arnold and raised his voice sharply.

'Hey, you. Did you just say you're going to half-kill our customers?

'...... Get lost. I don't know who you are, but we're only here for a thousand changes.

Compared to the slender Arun, Arnold's body is at least a head taller. It was a tremendous sense of intimidation, but there was no fear in Arun's eyes. He looked up at Arnold with a contemptuous gaze.

'...... You're a rube. No, that's why you thought of challenging level 8. I'm not sure what to say. Think of it as a thank you for accepting our sudden offer to negotiate.

'Hmm ......'.

I was almost tempted by the offer, but then I thought better of it.
No, no, no, that's not possible. Arun may not know it, but the man in front of him is truly a level 7. In addition, Arnold has the numerical advantage. There's no way he can win.

Well, there's nothing I can do about it.

When I was troubled, Arun gave a small smile and pointed his fingertip at Arnold.
That's when I noticed the dull silvery-white bracelet on his wrist.

An emblem resembling a trident.

Arun shouts.

'Don't worry. We're new here, but-- Hey, riffraff. Mark that little brain of yours, my name is Altobaran. I'm a member of the Hidden Curses.'

'Arun! We don't want any trouble. ............ I'm Marie of the Hidden Curse. But we're a different party than the Abyssal Fire. ......'

The moment I heard that, I was shocked.
Finally, I remembered Arun - Altobaran and Marie, and clapped my hands.

I wondered if I had looked too dumb, but all eyes were on me.

He took a deep breath, looked around at Arnold and Arun in turn, and made an apologetic expression.

'Sorry, can I go to the bathroom ......?

Arnold's grim gaze shifted from me to Arun, as if he knew the information.

I've gotten caught up in a bad situation.

The Hidden Curse is a clan known for being one of the oldest and most elite in the Imperial Capital.
And the clan master, "Abyssal Fire and Extinction", is one of the best mages in the Imperial Capital, and at the same time, like me, he's one of only three level 8 hunters in the Imperial Capital.

I feel like puking.