Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter’s Hero Dream Chapter 4 \nメンバー募集④ member recruitment 4\n

When we came of age at 15 years old, as planned we formed a group of six. We challenged several level 1 shrines to test our abilities.

They are all called Treasure shrines, but they are ranked according to location, gimmick difficulty, threats, and the obtainable treasures. Level 1 shrines were popular with novice hunters and were quite simple. For us that went through grueling training and held inexhaustable enthusiasm, they weren’t a challenge.

Within our generation of novice hunters we were the fastest at capturing shrines. The future of Treasure Hunters. While having that kind of reaction, I became convinced my ability was one or two times beneath the others.

While I had some awareness while we were training, when I was thrown into the thick of it, it was like I had fallen into an abyss.

The difference in ability wasn’t too severe for the moment, but in a few years I wouldn’t be able to keep up on their hunts. While they were geniuses, I only had talent within the range of ordinary Treasure Hunters. An excessive hindrance.

At that time, in that moment, for the first time I understood it from the bottom of my heart.

We, were not equal.

The same age, raised in the same environment, but we were not born equal. A person with more magic power, someone that’s physically stronger. Even though we were siblings, my younger sister had talent in magic, while I had none. It was such a frustrating thing. Well, my sister wasn’t blood related though.

We were best friends that grew up together. Before making the decision to become hunters, we were always together in the same group. Sometimes we had a difference in opinion, and sometimes we fought, but it always came good in the end. My hometown was a tiny neihborhood, so we were like half family.

I truly was the weakest one. Everyone probably noticed my lack of talent and slow growth, but they didn’t say anything about it out of kindness.

And so the night we first captured a shrine, at the inn we were staying at – for the first time in my life I cried into a pillow by myself. I worried all night long, and then finally came to the decision to give up on everything.

Treasure shrines store up on dangers and riches. Dense concentrations of Mana Material create Relics, but at the same time give birth to Phantoms – to reject intruders.

If we were to continue hunting together, one day I would get in the way and put the whole party at risk. If I were to make an error and get abandoned I’d just die. But that’s not the problem (well, it is a problem though). They definitely wouldn’t make that choice. Besides I don’t want to die either.

It’s shameful to give up on your dreams, but it’s a better choice than putting your friends in danger.

My adventure ended with the capture of a beginner shrine. Depending how you view it, I could at least boast that I had been a part of the same group as those guys.

The next day I assembled them all in one room of the inn, and told everyone I was giving up on being a treasure hunter. Tears had already been shed the previous night, so that’s probably why I didn’t cry.

And then, the friend that first brought up becoming Treasure Hunters way back at the start, later on the disciple of a sword master and becoming widely known for his phantasmagoric (ever changing) sword – Luke Sycor spoke up with an undefeatably earnest expression.

“I also spent the night thinking about it, but Cry, you don’t have a particular role so become our leader.”

“…..Hey now, did you not listen to anything I just said?”

That was the begining of everything, and the end.

My friends talent exceeded my expectations by far, and the level of the Shrines we captured quickly rose.

After just one year I couldn’t keep up with them, but I always remained as the leader. Because they were a bunch of idiots. Stupidest, but the strongest. My enthusiasm quickly dried up as I alone was swallowed by the fear of death. Ever since that point I have felt like retiring as a hunter, but I stayed on as the leader.

And several years down the line till now, the outcome is that I still carry the burden of being the leader of ever increasing monsters.

§　§　§

“Is that the rumoured guy from Strangry? Isn’t he kinda weak? He can’t even stand up.”

“What has he been doing until now? He’s caused an uproar.”

“…A little while ago that guy, he was lined up behind me outside…”

Gossip starts up. I’m paying for my mistakes.

I absentmindedly run my gaze across the table of 『Strange Grief』. Since the party members apart from me rarely attend, we’re monopolising a vacant table. More precisely the others left the Imperial Capital to capture a shrine, so they aren’t here.

The convergence of everyones line of sight feels awful. I have the the attention of every single person. But nobody comes closer.

What have I done… All I did was sleep in a bit late. This is why I wanted to go home so bad! This wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t here right?!\n

“So this… is loneliness, huh…”

I give a nihilistic smile, and utter a soliloquy.

My stomach cramped so much it hurt. I am definitely the one with the weakest body in the room. Trying to escape from this wasn’t a trifling joke. It scared me.

What kind of reaction would these pepole have if they knew I wasn’t just a member of Strange Grief, but it’s leader?

Tino who was pulling me over to the table had her head bulge wanting to keep them in check. She had a dangerous look.

“Master, don’t mind them please. The magnificence of Master, I’m the one who knows it best.”

“It’s your fault that I am suffering from this mental anguish right now.”

Tino Shade is my childhood friend’s, the Genocidal Monster 『Peerless Shadow』 Liz-chan’s apprentice.

Back then, I recalled the circumstances just after I came to the Imperial Capital. A few years after becoming Liz Smarts apprentice, I along with Arch Brave and a few other parties fromed a clan, and when we formed First Step that girl was also there with us.

She adores Liz as her Onee-sama, and from that connection she calls me Master. She’s not a party member of Strange Grief, something more like a half mascot. Before long it wasn’t really aproppate to call her a mascot, and she became another monster with crazy prospects.

By the way, I’m referred to as master while being the leader of Strange Grief, because I’m also the clan master of First Step. In other words I’m at the top of the monsters. At the time it was being decided everyone was just going along with things because no one wanted the position, so before I knew it I was the one in the seat. Just remembering it makes me want to throw up.

“What are you here for? A Hunt?”

To my question Tino held my arm, got closer to my body and looked at me with upturned eyes. The cutesy act and short temper is surely from her teacher’s bad influence.

“……because, today, Master’s Strange Grief was, was searching… for party members, I heard…”

“……I didn’t say so. I would tell you that face to face….”

It’s because of the deputy clan leader, who was angry that the creator of this event never showed up to it. More or less, I show up everytime but disguised as a guest.

In the first place, I think it’s strange for people to make so much noise over vague gossip. However since it draws so many people, we should leak rumours next time too. The members of Strange Grief are already solidified, but there are still parties searching for excellent members.

I don’t think I should come anymore. time… or rather, I’m never coming again. Please just get along without fighting each other.

My dramatic appearance had thrown everyone off their bearings, and it was nice that nobody was approaching while I was chatting to Tino. From the next table a handsome guy came over.

The people in the surroundings broke apart creating a fissure to let him pass.

A man that looks better than any one else here in that white uniform created in the style of the Imperial military. Silky smooth golden hair, friendly blue eyes. Born and raised in the empire, and undoubtedly one of the strongest hunters in it.

Lion. Hero. Arch Brave’s leader. 『Silver Star Heavy Thunder』 is his alias, one of the five people in the Empire given a level 7 hunter ranking. Ark Rodin.

He’s also the rival of my childhood friends. A guy that gets to party up with cute girls, quite an unpleasant guy. Furthermore he’s freaking strong but isn’t self obsessed about it, he’s so wonderful that it grates on your nerves. And the fact that he sees right through my petty jealousy just makes me more annoyed. It’s a negative chain.

“Cry, you’re late. Something happen?”

“…Not really. I just overslept.”

“Ahahahahaha, your jokes are as funny as ever.”

Ark laughs cheerfully, saying I was being funny. It wasn’t a joke though.

“Don’t get any closer to Master. You faker.”

“Ahahahahahahahaha”

Tino tried intimidating the handsome guy. For some reason he’s not mad about it and starts pounding the table while laughing. It’s terrifying.

We’re not in private so I don’t think it’s a good idea to snap at each other. It’s a mistake in education.\n“You were thinking about the fun you would have today, so you couldn’t sleep right?”

I was so full of anxiety I laid awake until dawn. That’s the reason I slept in.

Appearing before a bunch of quick tempered and strange monsters, I would never do so if I wasn’t so afraid of the clan deputy. The hunters have superior abilities, so even though I’m the master my position is at the bottom.

“I see… so you were hiding in the shadows as a participant so you could judge from there. …Quite underhanded isn’t it? There was that big rule of having to wear a uniform, yet you aren’t wearing one, and you’re not displaying your mark.”

“I just said I overslept didn’t I? Listen to people.”

I didn’t have any time to prepare. Ark narrows his eyes and gives me a scrutinising look. Even if he’s a handsome genius, he’s still a hunter and doesn’t listen to people when they are talking.

There was no judging going on. Whoever other parties recruit isn’t my concern, and no one was being invited to my party. Todays participation was just some window dressing.

“Master, this man is too impolite. He should be expelled from the clan.”

“Ahahahahahahahaha, Tino you’re the same as ever, so hilarious!”

“I’d be happy if everyone was as broad minded as Ark though.”

Ark, Greg-sama, Tino and that boy from before, a fight has nearly broken out three times now.

Ark reaches out to stroke Tino’s head, and she avoids it like a threat. You have courage to touch the small monster. You can stroke it but be careful if it bites you.

I don’t want to get in fights so I rarely go outside, if I do I wear a disguise. The most well known face here is probably Arks.

A number of hunters are peeking this way. Ark was being reserved, but there was no sign of any one coming forward to get between us. Before the member recruitment is over, by all means please come have a chat with him.

“So, did you find a good member?”

To my question, Ark collects his attention on me.

Even now Arch Brave is screening prospective applicants. He’s their leader, so a new member could be decided once he says a name. Even if it’s not an invitation, other parties would scramble to recieve someone that gained the attention of a super celebrity like Ark.

Ark furrowed his eyebrows for a moment, then let out a small groan and shook his head.

“Frankly, it’s difficult. There are some great people here, but would they keep up with me if we went to capture a shrine?”

His words made me widen my eyes unintentionally. That’s exactly it. Monsters are born within monsters.

The strength of a hunter for some reason, is proportional to how many shrines they have captured. Arch Brave is continually capturing higher difficulty shrines, there’s no easy way for someone to catch up and be ready to join a party like that. If you had that much power, you would already be flourishing.

This is an event to find people with good future prospects. The applicants that have been given an infinitely high hurdle seem a bit pitiable.

Arks eyes shine with a momentary glimmer of light. He asks in a calm tone of voice.

“Speaking of, has Cry found anyone?”

I don’t know since I haven’t been searching at all. I raise my head and take a look around. Whenever my line of sight meets with a hunter, their face freezes from the tension.

Standing next to the wall looking uncomfortable, my line of sight meets with Ruda. to her with his eyes wide open was Greg-sama, wearing an indescribable facial expression. The red headed boy that was trying to pick a fight with everyone had his arms restrained behind his back by members of Footprints. His teeth were bared even so.

Looking at Tino as he struggled and shook his shoulders.

“Hm-? We have enough members already. If I named someone, would you take them in?”

Ark shut his eyes and meditated on the words I said as a joke.

“……Yes. I trust in your words Cry.”

Everyone in the room became noisy. While we were in the same clan, which party leaves the choosing of its members up to someone else? Furethermore it’s one the top parties in the empire, that gets competitive over a single spot.\n\nHe was excited for a moment, but managed to control his shouting voice in the last moment. I guess that Sword of Purgatory refers to the Relic he carries on his back.

Probably isn’t an actual alias. There are only a few hunters in the capital that are known by one.

Ark is looking over Gilbert seriously. Even with a reassessment he will still look like a brat.

I clapped my hands and spoke condescendingly.

“Alright then Gilbert. I’ll reccomend you to Ark. But there’s just one condition.

“There’s…a condition!?”

I can’t get a good judgement. Ruda seems like slightly talented trash, Greg-sama looks like amusing trash, and Gilbert looks like trash that doesn’t know it’s place. But nothing is certain.

I can’t be a good judge, so whoever I choose will come down to luck anyway.

“Yeah. Just one condition… 『don’t lose』. What’s the most nesesary thing for a hunter? 『Victory』”

Gilbert is looking over with a puzzled expression. No, everyone in the clan is quietly listening to me.

I’m just spouting out a bunch of random words, don’t take it so seriously… I want to throw up.

“If you don’t have that ability you will expose your party to danger. For this reason show me that you 『don’t lose』. By the way ever since I became a hunter… I have never been defeated.”

“What!?”

I haven’t fought anyone. It’s because I never fight. I use any measures to run away from a battle. Sometimes I use my friends as a shield, sometimes my influence, at others wealth.

That’s why I’ll play the same hand in this battle.

From the litle finger on my left hand I pull out a gold ring, I fling it at Gilbert.

That ring is the 『Bullet Finger』. It’s quite a common thing, but it’s a Relic from a shrine. It has a trivial amount of power, but it has value if you want to sell it.

Catching it with his right hand, the boy Gilbert frowns.

I smile and loudly shout.

“Every member here listen up. I plan on giving Gilbert a recommendation. But if someone knocks him down and takes that ring, I’ll recommend them to Arch Brave. Incidentally, that ring is a Relic, so if you don’t want a recommendation, I’ll just give you that instead.

Ark gives a short whistle.

Tino understands the situation immediately, and in an instant closes the distance on Gilbert and gives him a hard kick to the face.

My smile is cramping up, so before any one notices I quietly stand up.

“…Now then, lets escape.”

§　§　§

This is the story of a hero.

The Golden Age of treasure hunters.

Men and women search for wealth, honor, power – an era where people wish for glory.

The story of the childhood friends with brilliant talents aiming to become the strongest, The clan that aims for the same, And one person, the one concerned thats consigned to be a bystander watching over,

My story, the tale of Strange Grief.