Chapter 10: Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunterâs Hero Dream Chapter 10 \n10 č 芌ă Testing Your Ability\n
âPlease watch, Master. This flexibility, itâs a skill directly passed on to me from Onee-sama. I can get in any position.â
âUh-huh. I donât really know what youâre talking about, but thatâs amazing.â
Spreading her legs 180 degrees, Tino flopped down on the floor. Her dark hair scattered off her shoulders and onto the floor.
A flexible body is essential for Hunters. For a thief it is particularly indispensable. Liz has the body of a mollusc that can fold up impossibly until she could fit into a suitcase.
Even though she would shortly be taking part in a contest, Tino didnât give off a fighting vibe. Itâs probably due to her regular training routine.
Liz Smartâs training was self-taught. Genius comes in two types, the reasoning type and the intuitive type. As a genius of intuition, Liz-chan took all the training she went through and created a harsher arrangement before imposing it on Tino.
After going through training that was half malicious, Tino consequently always remained in a relaxed manner at all times.
A big difference with me who always wants to throw up. This adorable junior is now also a species of monster.
In the underground levels of the clan headquarters there are several floors dedicated to training facilities. To test the skill of the boy Gilbert, we had come to the facility on the first floor of the underground level.
It was a wide area 100 meters on all sides (328ft). The ceiling was 5 meters high (16ft). The air time is high, the layout was designed so that a person that excels in three dimensional battle can move somewhat freely. Because the hardness of the ground is identical to reality, if a hunter was slammed into it without defending themselves, they wouldnât be able to escape getting injured.
The boy Gilbert was looking at our condition with glaring eyes.
The figure of Tino who had slammed him into the ground. Her thighs that were largely bare, the enticing gap in her hair that showed off the nape of her neck. Those were the eyes of someone that was perfectly sizing up their enemy.
His atmosphere was brimming with the mood of victory. Youth is wonderful.
He sort of resembles Luke from back then.
ââŚYou dare to look down on meâŚâ
âItâs because sheâs Level 4.â
â!?â
âMaster, please donât give my details out to my opponent.â
Gilbertâs eyes widened for an instant. He never thought they would be the same level.
Tino is a silent, if a little cold â beautiful girl with a delicate physique. The boy Gilbert is small for a man, and she is even slightly smaller than him.
But donât get the wrong idea. Gilbert is a swordsman. Small stature is no benefit to a swordsman, and it can become a drawback, but for thieves itâs different. For those in the vanguard position, the lightness of their body is a weapon.
Gilbert watches Tino doing her flexibility warm ups.
âCompared with Master, Iâm nothing.â
âIn your eyes what the heck am I exactly?â
Praising me to the sky wasnât something rare.
Tino removed the fixtures on her belt, and her dagger and item pouch fell to the floor. Looks like she doesnât want to use a weapon. Gilbertâs eyes widened in anger. Tino gave a shrug.
âIn order not to kill you, I need to make some allowances.â
âArghâŚ!?â
A vein popped out on Gilbertâs forehead. Stirring people up is one more thing Tino is strong at.
Ruda rushed over to me and asked with a worried expression.
âWill that girl be ok?â
âMmmâŚ? Yeah Probably.â
Their ranking level was the same, but Tino unmistakably had outstanding talent. She was still level 4 due to being a solo hunter, but if she had the help of a party she might already have made level 5. At any rate she is the product of my childhood friend.
Usually though, a swordsman would be unrivalled in fighting a head on battle. Explorers level rankings are earned. Gilbert has the ability of a Level 4, so it would pay not to be careless.
In addition, the boy has that large sword Relic.
The effectiveness of Relics are extremely varied. They can turnover a difference in level, they are genuine trump cards. From seeing it at the member recruitment, his Relic didnât seem to have an unusual power. But it still creates a large difference.
Tino doesnât have any Relics (except the shot-ring I gave her that has no practical use) so itâs a big handicap. Though saying that, she is used to one on one combat, and she most likely knows to be cautious.
Well from where Iâm standing they are both monsters though.
While I was thinking all of that, Gilbert clasped his sword and threw it away angrily. He clenched his fist and his joints cracked threateningly.\n
ââŚTo fight a bare handed woman, I donât need a weapon either.â
What is a swordsman doing casting away their sword⌠is he an idiot?
By the way, it might have seemed like a handicap when Tino got rid of her knife, but sheâs the type that talks with her fists. Her kicks in particular are her specialty.
The distance between the boy and Tino is about 5 meters.
âMaster, weâll go eat ice-cream-â
âI made no such promiseâŚâ
Tino was in such good spirits she was singing. While performing some sort of dance steps.
Gilbert was grinding his teeth. It wouldnât matter who the opponent was, Tinoâs behavior would be annoying to anyone.
I didnât make any promises⌠but I did one sidedly force orders on her. Once in a while itâs ok to go out with her. As an escort.
âWell, alright. Once you safely finish the request.â
â! Yeesâ
Th instant I answer, her dance changed. Loose steps turn into sharp ones. She rotated on a pivot and from that unstable posture, in one go her body spun at top speed.
Her eyes changed from wide and innocent to ones that were aiming at prey.
From where I was watching from a distance it looked like a splendid change of pace.
A swordsman excels in power, and a thief prioritises agility.
In a Shrine their role is scouting and opening locks, but itâs not like they canât fight. They can approach their opponent soundlessly and defeat them in an instant. A high speed versatile warrior.
The distance of five meters shrunk in only one step. When Gilbertâs eyes became aware of it, it was too late, Tinoâs hand shot out like a spear aimed at his neck.
Starting before the signal had been given was an unfair bad habit. Most likely throwing away her equipment was also a distraction for this.
â!?â
Even still as expected of a level 4, Gilbert wasnât completely caught unaware and he took a step back and slanted to avoid the strike. Following his actions like a stream, Tinoâs knee shot up into his stomach.
From light movements like a feather came a heavy impact. Gilbert was left without options and was blown away.
That was undoubtedly complete domination. Without armour or equipment, Tinoâs slender arms and legs were enough of a threat.
To the actions that were over in a moment, Ruda and Greg-sama were lost for words. Without looking in the direction of the blown away Gilbert, Tino flashed a small smile towards me.
âMaster, did you see? Divine punishment.â
â-âŚNot, yetâŚâ
Gilbert was raising his body that had fallen several meters away. He coughed violently and he staggered, but it wasnât so bad he wouldnât be able to move.
Heâs sturdy. A person that constantly absorbs Mana Material can gain durability beyond an armoured man, and more stamina than a wild beast. Their flesh, bones and their flowing blood are different than ordinary people.
Tino feels the sharp murderous glare of Gilbert, and laughs scornfully. She runs her hand through her hair.
âI think you already know, but I was holding back. I could have broken your neck. Iâll teach you the hard way not to speak to Master so brazenly. Master is your god, every day you should turn towards clan headquarters and pray to him. Bring me an offering regularly. Iâll give it to Master for you.
â-!!â
Without responding to Tinoâs joking demands, Gilbert rushed in. His small body came at Tino with the force suitable of a level 4. To his vigorous spirit I took a step back without saying anything.
Tino turned on a pivot and evaded him. His hand thrust out to grab her in a surprise attack, but like she had been expecting it Tino warded it away lightly with the back of her hand, and then thrust the heel of her palm into Gilbertâs temple.
A dull sound rang out. The seemingly sturdy Gilbert staggered unsteadily for a few steps, then collapsed. He tried to stand back up desperately, but his eyes were out of focus.
Did that shake his brain? In this state I think itâs just good heâs still moving. If it was me I would definitely be throwing up.
Tino clapped her hands and brushed them down, and then spoke proudly.
âLook Master. At my growth! Thanks to Master, I was able to grow like this.â
I didnât do anything, shouldnât you be saying that to Liz?
At the match that was over so quickly, Greg-samaâs lips trembled. Making comparisons to herself, Ruda was also mumbling.
âSo strong⌠Gilbert was also bare handed, but to overwhelm a swordsman thatâs used to fighting head on⌠more than anything sheâs used to battle. To be this terrifying and still be a teenager, or should I say⌠is this the power of ăFootprintsă?â\nââŚTo fight bare handedâŚI havenât experienced itâŚâ
A swordsman without a sword isnât a swordsman.
âNot yet, I canâŚstill, I can fightâŚâ
The boy Gilbert staggered to his feet. He had no wounds, but his sense of balance was off, and his eyes were still a little hazy.
In the first place, bare handed fighting was Tinoâs strong point, so when she incited Gilbert to throw away his weapon the battle was already over. Miracles and the like donât exist. Even so, was it a hunters pride to stand back up?
Did I have that same passion and willpower as a hunter when I first started out?
Made to kneel by someone overwhelmingly strong, and still having the will to stand up is a type of talent. It seems like he really does hold the qualities to become a hunter. That recklessness is a hard to come by personality. Same for not having the ability to step on the brakes.
Tino had a very irritated expression. I clapped and called out some encouragement.
âTino, bring down your opponent. We didnât decide on the winning conditions. Beating him until heâs out is fine. Itâll be a good experience.â
You guys will become friends after fighting right?
§ă§ă§
Gilbert Bush was a prodigy. About the time he was able to make his own judgements, he decided power was needed and was praised for his ability ever since he picked up the sword.
Effort doesnât lie. Sometimes learning from a teacher, sometimes coming up with his own ideas, he kept swinging the sword and gained strength over the years. When he was ten he had earned strength such that others in the village he was born in, including adults, could not come close to him.
There are various types of human talent, one of which is Mana Material absorption rate and tolerance limits. The faster the absorption rate the faster you can get stronger, and the higher the tolerance limit the further you can go.
Gilbert was far higher in both than an ordinary person. Even in a village with a low concentration of Mana Material he was able to become stronger than ordinary people.
For Gilbert Bush to take up the job of Treasure Hunter was only natural.
Even now moment by moment he was continually capturing more and more shrines, overcoming phantoms and monsters to gain in fame. Itâs the fastest way to obtain everything in the world. If you explore Shrines filled with mana, you can reach strength you couldnât by staying in the village.
And so when Gilbert became of age at 15 he pushed through any opposition and came to the holy land of hunters, the Imperial Capital.
His first visit to the Imperial city, everything was so large that it was incomparable to the village, overflowing with things, satisfying Gilbert.
Food that couldnât be obtained in his village while he was on his own, a countless number of huge buildings. On streets wide enough for horse drawn carriages to travel side by side, so many people passed by each day you might have thought a festival was taking place. Most of all was something that was hardly ever seen in the village, people dressed as Treasure Hunters.
After registering with the Explorers Association, Gilbertâs steady advance hadnât slowed since his first time hunting a Shrine. Gilbert was rare among rookie Treasure Hunters, in that he didnât lack training and he had talent. And above all, he was brave to the point that the Explorers would admonish him as reckless⌠and then there was also luck.
With fellow rookies, a five person party was formed. In a flash Gilbert was able to raise the level of Shrines he could hunt.
With the large sword that was found by chance in his very first Shrine, the phantoms that were expected to be difficult battles were easily slayed. The run of the mill monsters couldnât even draw near.
Golden Age. There were whispers from a few years back, a generation of genius rookie hunters being born one after another. Gilbert was considered to be part of the second wave.
There was some resentment held to being second, but hunters that surpass human reasoning are numerous. Particularly, by capturing countless Treasure Shrines, and if you were a veteran that absorbed Mana Material over a large period of time, you could become unbelievably strong.
At this stage in Gilbertâs eyes, he couldnât see anyone that was a match for him. But he wasnât impatient.
With time they could definitely catch up. Gilbert held that conviction.
The future was bright. Gilbert was sure he could see the staircase to glory.
Then shadows came into view, they were first seen a few weeks ago.
§
âAt last, the engines can get started. With this the request can move ahead. As expected of Master, such enchanting judgementâŚâ
A voice from overhead could be heard without a trace of tension in it. Due to the all over beating, forcibly moving his body brought out sharp pains. He glared back at Tino who was calmly looking down from overhead.
Cold eyes as if looking at an insect.
Strong. Terribly strong even though she was from the same generation.
Each blow hit fast and heavy.
He rushed out headlong â however, an attack that had enough power to damage a ăPhantomă only lightly grazed him. That attack sent Gilbert flying.
It was different to the riffraff that Gilbert had met up until now.
Above all, it was most clear that Tinoâs movements were intended to be inter-personal.
Relative to humans, Phantoms have a much tougher constitution. Techniques like shaking the brain or warding off attacks with your palms arenât used on them.\n\nHis skin had goosebumps. Infinite Variety had spoken with a mysterious smile.
In the short time Gilbert Bush had been at the Imperial Capital, he had heard it many times. At the highest peak among treasure hunters in the Capital, there was one person.
A group of hunters with nicknames only given to the elite, the leader of Strange Grief.
âWhyâŚâ
âBecause I also have similar memories⌠when there was too big of a difference in ability. I get it. With my situation with Strange Grief, I didnât desert them though.â
The words hid their true meaning, so for a moment he didnât understand what was being said.
However, right afterwards the true meaning hit him and made his face stiffen.
The amount of nicknames that are given out truly are only a small handful. They are only given to hunters that have special talent, and have captured many Shrines. Itâs something out of reach for Gilbert right now.
That person, the one everyone unanimously speaks praises of their strength, all members holding jewel like talents â the man in front of his eyesâŚ
âI think this party will be a really good experience for you. There may be some things you want to think about. But it wonât be bad to get along with other similar young people right?â
An appearance thatâs full of weaknesses, and physical strength that seems much lower than Tinoâs.
At the time they first met, Gilbert thought he was an overwhelmingly weak person. But right now, that fact was terrifying.
Before he knew it, his arms and legs were shaking. His cheek was twitching and he was having trouble breathing. His mouth had gone dry, but he couldnât take his gaze off the young man in front of him.
There are many phantoms inside Shrines. Phantoms that eat people. Phantoms that pose as people. Some have intelligence, and some have peculiar abilities, others are simply strong, and some lead you astray with words.
However compared to those ăphantomsă, the man in front of him was more difficult to comprehend. Infinite Variety. He often heard that name, but no one actually said what type of Hunter he was.
Infinite Variety walked forward at ease, and approached the Purgatory sword. And then, in that manner he touched the edge of the sword with his foot.
In that instant, with the sword still in its sheathe, bright red flames started to swirl.
Thunderously, the sound of the wind accompanied as the flames formed into a spiral. He didnât know what was happening. The phenomenon was caught in his field of vision, but his brain rejected what was happening.
Greg looked at Ruda in blank amazement.
Within the spiral of flame, without any signs of being burned Infinite Variety spoke.
âThe bestowed attribute is attack range extension, is it? A simple but good sword, you should take care of it.â
His arms, they were wrapped entirely in flame, like armour. In a trance bright red eyes were reflected.
âIm- Impossible. You canât⌠use it! The Purgatory sword is⌠a Relic! Itâs, a Relic!â
Relics were powerful items, but at the same time they required subtle manipulations. The more powerful a Relic was, the more training would be needed to show itâs true strength.
The flames crawled, and upon Infinite Varietyâs back a pair of blazing wings manifested.
The bad treatment from Tino. Anguish. Regret. Stubbornness. Everything was forgotten and he shouted.
âWithout even, holding the gripâŚ!? You canât! Something like that.. is possibleâŚâ
As the owner, Gilbert had only recently learned ăSharpened Sword Bladeă just reaching the point where it was useful, just enough to cover the sword in flames.
Operating it was not difficult. But in the first place, itâs not like there was a switch, and there was no instruction manual.
He could recognise how unlikely what Infinite Variety was doing, because it was his own Relic that he had personal experience with.
The young man was smiling surrounded by the flames. Black hair reflected the flames light and shined brilliantly. Impossible. It was different from Tino who was high in skill.
The path Gilbert was heading on, at the end of it, was no such figure.
Something unknown. A sight that was not even in his imagination. Words that naturally rose to him left his mouth. A shivering voice that didnât seemed like his. His voice trembled.
âMonâŚsterâŚâ
Without surprise, Tino looked down at Gilbert.
Due to the flames, the shadow of Infinite Variety was projected, seeming much like his party name. A screaming grieving spirit could be seen.
Translator Notes
The meaning of Gilbert leaving his group. My thinking is that from Gilbertâs perspective, Cry is calling him a deserter. And that Cry is like him, much more skilled than a bunch of people. But more so, a talent that geniuses canât keep up with. But when Cry talks about himself being a deserter itâs about himself being cowardly, not something critical. At least thats the meaning I got from it.
The last sentence talks about Cryâs shadow being like his parties name. Strange Grief is the katakana used for ĺăăŽäşĄé. Which means Grieving/Lamenting Ghost or Spirit. When I think about it, the book title doesnât use katakana, which means I truly did screw up the series title in a glorious fashion.