Let's be treasure hunters.
Back in the day, when I was just less than ten children.
Said one of my friends in the group I always played with, one of my childhood friends.
He was a gunless, armed, but brave boyfriend.
Be a treasure hunter. Surround treasure halls around the world for wealth and glory.
There's only one goal, he's the strongest hero in the world. We would... these six of us would make it.
One unsubstantiated suggestion was endorsed by a very fast, clever friend.
A friend who loved to read the book followed it with a nasty one, and a friend who was a little under-reported but dependable nodded loudly.
My sister, who always stuck behind me, glanced at my face, and I agreed with it again.
Treasure hunters who take home a myriad of strange treasures through the ruins of various places are and always have been flowers. There is no quicker way to get wealth, honor, everything that exists in this world and be a hero.
Of course, there are risks. There is a tremendously great risk in the name of death.
And a few years. As a result of our mutual incision, we were successfully qualified as hunters.
Even so, I can get Hunter's credentials as soon as I apply.
A brave, gunless, arm-wise man friend became an unbridled swordsman, and a very fast, clever friend became a bandit (sheaf) (not thieving anything else, but commonly called it) who broke through the trap and led the whole party.
And other friends - happy or unhappy, each of them had the pearl talent the hunter needed.
Before becoming a hunter, that one scale was already evident at the stage where the roles were being divided and trained.
I was the only one who didn't have talent.
I was the only one who couldn't do more than the crowd, no matter what I let him do.
Four friends, a sister and me. I was the only one among the six of them. I was the only one who couldn't do anything.
I was the only one who didn't see the way to be a hero.
That was five years ago.
§ § §
I felt terrible in the morning.
Thick black clouds covered the sky. If you meditate on your eyes, only the sound of rain grains slamming the ground comes into your ears. The smell of water. The smell of mud.
The ground is completely muddy in inclement weather that lasted three days. It's still daytime but it's dim outside.
In front of a stone building that looks sturdy. Even though it was raining, there were many young and old people lined up.
Those whose eyes are dead, those who are shouting and yelling, some represent the characteristics of other races, not just pure human beings. The only thing we have in common is that most of them are dressed beautifully.
Something in thin, dirty armor that doesn't even know what leather it's made of. Something in a thick coat that covers the whole body. Some of them are even equipped with heavy metal armor to cover their entire bodies. Few carry weapons, such as swords and heavy firearms.
It was a street that was barely even crowded due to inclement weather, and only one of those paintings was surrounded by unusual enthusiasm.
Everyone gathered here for the slightest chance of existence.
To show that own arm to a well-known active treasure hunter and have him put in that party.
Treasure hunters are and always have been a floral profession.
The risks are limitless among a few jobs, but as long as you have talent, you get wealth, honor, power, everything. It would never be within reach if it were not born into noble houses and well-known merchants, such glory.
Hunters often work in groups of people called parties. If experienced hunters can attend a party to which a large number belong, they will be exceptionally less risky than working from scratch.
The active hunter side is always looking for a good fellow. That was the kind of event being exchanged on this occasion.
I didn't think many people would come because of the rainy weather, but there seems to be a lot of people. Sigh once, and I'll line up at the back of the line too.
Because of the lack of a roof, all those who have lined up outside are wet.
Wear the hood on the jacket deeply, try to shrink and wait. I don't know anyone, but being in a queue alone makes me thin.
"Ohhhhh! Oh, my God, so many people! I don't think we should go inside at all!
An annoying scream rises from the front and shrinks further.
Even though waiting in order is terrible, it's raining on the cold and the teases are bad. I know how frustrating it feels, but that's the same for everyone.
Hunters have strong arms. Many are short minded. No one will be happy if a fight or something happens and you get involved.
One of Hunter's talents is his physique. I have an average physique, but most of the men lined up around me had a bigger head than me.
They are monsters in the skins of people with the strength and courage to meet plainly with monsters of far more power than men.
All I can do is pray that the situation passes as peacefully as possible.
Fortunately, prayers seemed to arrive rarely this time, and did not develop into any more noise.
The row moves forward just a little bit. As I shrunk and was careful not to gaze at anyone, someone lined up before me looked back at me.
Beautiful blue eyes reflect me.
"Hey, hey? Are you party aspiring, too?
"Ah... yes"
A rare and bright voice. I look a little below my eyes reluctantly because ignoring it is going to be trouble.
It was a female hunter her late teens or so who had been speaking up. Well-cared bright brown hair with big blue eyes. Large pouch set on a long coat and sturdy belt. The outfit belonged to a standard hunter, but the undamaged hair and the seemingly nostalgic appearance did not look like a hunter exploring the dangerous treasure hall. The outfit is almost brand new and free of dirt, etc.
In this day and age, female hunters and so on are not uncommon, but empirically, hunters of this kind of atmosphere can be divided into two main avenues.
Just before or after becoming a hunter, one who is still full of hope.
And a true 'monster' like an old friend of mine, with a pronounced talent that can be a hero, who still doesn't lose his shine after countless adventures.
Ten, eighty-nine. The former, but you can't be alarmed. This industry - because many monsters have really worn people's skins.
The female hunter laughed bitterly at me with a frigid look, but immediately gave me a bright look.
Apparently, they're not the kind of guys that get beaten up instantly.
I sneak that hunter into my brain and set it to danger E. This is the level of danger that hunters are exposed to when they only look at the surface.
"I, Luda Lumbeck. I'm a Level 3 hunter. It just went up the other day."
Level three hunter...... medium? Seems a lot better than it looks.
I silently reset the dangers of the woman in front of me to D. At least he doesn't seem to be a freshly hunter.
Treasure hunters are awarded levels according to their merits by the Explorers Association, commonly known as the "Exploration Association", which manages it in bulk.
Levels exist up to 10, but Level 3 is a guaranteed level of strength and merit to a medium degree.
Since there are statistics that 70% of all hunters stop at level 3, Luda, who is still young but has been able to reach that level, is promising.
There's no harm in staying alert.
Open your lips. I haven't had a drop of water since morning, and the voice that came out of my mouth was terribly dry because of the way I've run so far.
"... I... Klee Andrich... nice to meet you, Luda"
Answer without holding that hand.
The biggest thing I've gained in five years of hunter history is a sense of crisis.
Because you might be able to throw it the moment you grip it. I might be able to throw it, or I might be gripped. There's a good chance they'll kill you the minute you hold your hand.
Of course, it's possible that he was considered an enemy for not shaking hands.
Ruda distorted that brow for a moment, but immediately said brightly.
"Are you a solo, too? Everyone was tingling, and it just didn't feel right."
…………
"I've been a hunter all my life, but I've been hitting the wall a little lately... and that's when I heard there was just a massive hunter recruitment"
Sheath lowered to waist belt. Hanging there, pounding a dagger.
Various gimmicks exist in the Treasure Palace. The fact that he only has a dagger with less killing power means that Ruda is probably a better hunter at disarming gimmicks than at fighting demons.
No, that skill is essential to working solo.
Treasure Palace Attacks require some skill and are difficult to cover all by themselves.
Not all treasure hunters are necessarily engaged in treasure hunting (treasure hunts) in the treasure hall, but a track record of attacking the treasure hall is required to obtain Level 3 certification. If you have the ability to make it solo, you can also be convinced that you have received the certification in a short period of time.
I guess it's the one you call 'genius', as they say.
I don't know what to say, I have no choice but to smile.
One of the few things I've learned in the last few years is that laughing can handle trouble.
"Alone - for a long time, you're being impotent."
"Yes! Yes, it is! I went to" The White Wolf's Nest "and I really don't have enough trouble..."
You were hungry for a conversationalist, Ruda makes your eyes shine.
"So... I was hoping to get you into another party." The White Wolf's Nest. "If there are five of us, we can attack enough."
"Ha. 'The White Wolf's Nest'? You understand what this place is like and you're telling me?
The look on Ruda's face turned into something dangerous at once, to a voice that was suddenly called out to make fun of this one.
The Lord of the Voice is the Big Man who was lined up in front. Leather armor with a combination of metal and leather, a bloodstained and blackened coat. If Ruda is a shiny hunter freshman, she has the style of a fierce warrior.
Hunters are a lot of blood, not just these guys. Besides, I have a hard time getting more blood in proportion to my skill.
So much so that the expedition says that the amount of blood is the hunter's qualities, etc.
Ruda yelled at a big male opponent two minutes older than herself without fear.
"What? All of a sudden! Something to complain about!?
"Damn, level three hunter?" The White Wolf's Nest "? This isn't a place for freshly hunted amateurs."
The big man pulls his cheeks when he tingles and smiles that he can't even call a grin. I look at the big guy and Luda with the kind of eyes that the other guys in line seemed annoying or even interesting.
I took a sneak step back. Take great care not to get into fights. That was also something I learned after being a hunter again. No one can help me if I get caught up in anything and get hurt.
"All we're gathered here are confident people in our arms. Oh, my God, it's the party that belongs to that 'Footprint' that's recruiting members here, huh? Though emerging, it's the most dynamic clan in this imperial capital right now. We get annoyed when there's a mix of newcomers like you!
Clans are a form of population organized by hunters.
A gathering form, made by a few hunters and acting together from time to time, is the party. It is the clan that gathers and forms more than one party.
The reasons for formation vary. For example, sharing information. Facilitation of items. Rent a member if you don't have enough members, or try with them when challenging a treasure hall of high difficulty.
Horizontal connections are essential in smoothing the hunter. Therefore, the expedition also recommended the formation of a clan.
The party recruitment taking place at this location is also at the initiative of the clan.
"Footprints" is one of the clans to be named in this imperial Zebuldia.
The official name is "First Step". It was a clan to which many well-known young parties belonged, and whose history was still shallow, but which was also a clan that was currently growing in power in the Imperial capital.
Initially, hunters recruit party members from time to time when necessary, but Footprints collects the party to which they belong once a year to recruit large numbers of members. That was this place now.
A person of any age, level, etc. of origin may be tested by the member to whom the footprint belongs, and is welcomed as a member of the party if appropriate to his/her eyes.
Of course, the average level of hunters for the party to which 'Footprint' belongs is high. The recipients are extremely few, but would look like a huge opportunity for a hunter who is confident in his arms without any connections.
But it is an error. The members of the party who belong in the footsteps are the superior of the Hunters of the Empire. So did my friends, but the talent is more unusual than genius, and most people who wish to test it will be crushed to pieces of wood dust for the confidence they bring.
"Huh? Recruitment said I don't care about level or hunter history, and I'm level 3 in the first place!?
"Hang on! Sure, they say level three is medium-sized. Heh! There's nothing rotten about a Level 3 hunter in my footprint!
A big man yells at Ruda, who strips his teeth out.
The big man is right. Level 3 is only medium - only average. There would be no value in a Level 3 title for a named party. Most of the members in the footprint are above three.
But it's only the current story that Ruda is level three. I said 70% of hunters end up at level 3, but as long as they have the ability, the level goes up and down. If you were raised to three in a solo, it would never be harder to party and step on the number of places than that.
That's why there are no level restrictions on recruiting members for the footprint.
I thought it was a terrible way of saying things inside, but I kept my mouth shut. Better not say anything extra.
Even while watching in silence, Ruda and the big man keep heating up.
As the big man curses his mouth, he touches the sword on his hips and shows it.
A long sword about a meter across the blade. Unlike Ruda's dagger, it's a weapon to slash and kill demons, phantoms and fronts.
Loads are heavy in a dagger-holding ruda. It won't mean the big man is lower than level three.
"Heh? You want me to do it? Fine, let's not deal with him."
But there was no sign that Ruda would pull it off to see how it went. Distort its verbose mouth and let it have a wild grin.
Just like the big man, stroke his hips dagger once and pull it out in a falling in love motion to show it off.
Treasure hunters are outsiders. If hunters and the general public get into a fight or something, hunters are unilaterally made bad, but in the case of a fight between hunters, it would be worse to unplug their weapons first.
That's probably why the big man, who had no less blood on his head than Ruda, didn't pull out his sword first. I'm used to fighting.
Now even if Ruda was spilled by a big man who didn't even know his name, there was no room for extenuating circumstances. Even if there was a difference in the level of certification as a hunter, that would not be taken into account in court.
Both monsters. Why do you see me like this when I was just in line?
Tired of the rainstorm and the quarrel that was occurring in front of him, a man in a white uniform came out of the building like an imperial soldier would wear.
Silver markings imitating footprints on the collar. Clan, this is a testament to the members of First Step.
A murderous minister no less than a big man. The cheeks were engraved with deep scars, alternating between the big man and Ruda with guillotine and swordswallowing eyes.
Yelling in a rough voice no less than the two of us.
"Come on, stop fighting! If you're gonna fight, do it somewhere else! I'm gonna kick you out of the test!
A big man with a sword pulled out punches his tongue and undoes it. Ruda pulls her cheeks, but she puts on a dagger.
And slowly the rows began to move.