Those of the later generations looked back to the world centuries ago. It was a violent age. However, the earth, the sky, and the people who live in those lands, were brilliant and full of life. The world had a much simpler rule of living then than it is now. That is, to hunt, or be hunted.

People gathered in this land, whether it is to live another day, to test the limits of their abilities, or to gain wealth and fame. They set their fiery sights to the magnificent creatures flying freely in the blue sky, never to be reached by man. The very symbol of power and life... Wyverns.

Day after day, they risked their lives in the battlefields, wrapped in the sounds of swords clas.h.i.+ng with flesh and the smell of gunpowder smoke.

"Awesome.... So this is a city...."

The boy- Zeeg Grandest- blurted out, before realizing that people around him were chuckling at his astonishment. Slightly red with embarra.s.sment, he bit his lip and readjusted his shoulders that was carrying his luggage. The leather bag collided with the great sword on his back, causing a dull metallic sound.

The great sword is called Buster Blade, a metal sword forged from a large amount of Iron Ores and Earth Crystals. Its length is comparable to Zeeg's height, and it is so heavy that it needs to be held with two hands to be used properly, but the weight provides the sword with great destructive power.

There are metal great swords other than the Buster Blade. For example, the Iron Katana, which is superior in terms of both appearance and power, but is created from the rarer Machalite Ores. In the area around Zeeg's village, ores are fairly hard to come by.

("Man, it's so cool....")

Catching the sight of the Iron Katana 'Gospel' on a man's back, all Zeeg could do was stare with envy as he pa.s.sed by.

("But... from now on, things will be different! Just you wait... I'll be famous in no time!")

With the sound of a string breaking, Zeeg's hair strap fell to the ground, and he reached to pick it up. Attached to the string is a scale of the bird wyvern "Yian Kut-Ku", which he kept as a trophy from his first successful hunt. After replacing the string and putting the old one away in the pocket of his blue pants, he wiped his hair which got quite dusty from the long trip. Although he wants to take a bath and get some rest, the first thing a hunter needs to do when entering a city is to register at an organization known as "Guild".

"Hey, out of the way!"

Hearing the shout, Zeeg quickly made way for the owner of the voice.

Multiple muscular men carried large barrels from the transport bridge's gondola, which Zeeg was on until a few moments ago, and headed to the plaza.

("Jeez... what's their problem?")

Mildly annoyed, Zeeg rebalanced himself and walked after those men.

This city was built by carving a hole in a ma.s.sive rock mountain. The main method of getting up here is to take the transport bridge's gondola. As for the purpose of building a city in such a barren land, it is rumored that the reason was to keep the uniqueness of the "Hunter's Guild" that is based here.

Hunters are strong- therefore they have many enemies, or so the village chief said. Sometimes, they are attacked by wyverns that got their eggs stolen from them, and sometimes the land owners hire knights to attack them out of fear- things like that.

("I never saw those kind of things happen though.")

Zeeg reminisced about his boringly peaceful village and the chief, a frail, elderly man who could barely walk without a cane. It is hard to believe that he was a hunter so famous that numerous hunters, including Zeeg's parents, gathered around him, resulting in the establishment of a village.

Even though Zeeg was born and raised in that village, his parents came from the far east, traveling over numerous mountains. He never knew what the country was called, because they died when they went out hunting, before they had a chance to tell him their story. The two of them fell the horned wyvern Diablos at the desert far away from the village, but died from their heavy wounds during their return trip.

The day he learned the news of their death, Zeeg decided to become a hunter to earn his living. The village isn't exactly well-off, so children who don't have parents supporting them will have to do their share of work in exchange for food and shelter.

Zeeg has started hunting only recently, after turning 16. Before then, the only jobs he got were to prepare base camps and guard supply item transports.

("But I'm a professional now!")

While exploring the city full of hunters, Zeeg is itching to take on a quest, as he is feeling highly confident. Even though the village chief told him "You're not prepared yet" or something along those lines, just a few months after getting offered hunting jobs, he was able to fell the bird wyvern Yian Kut-Ku swiftly, setting a new record time in the village. When he brought back Kut-Ku Webbings and Screamers as proof of his successful hunt, he was highly praised by the villagers, but frowned upon by the chief.

("It's his old age, I guess...")

He was probably jealous that he doesn't have the strength to fight anymore, so he gets grumpy over every little thing. That was the best reason Zeeg could think of.

After walking on a narrow path that goes along the side of the mountain, Zeeg reached the plaza. On the stone wall, three cannons are installed, all their barrels pointing up into the sky. It is common knowledge that they are used to intercept invading wyverns.

However, their purpose is to repel, not kill. For this reason, the cannonb.a.l.l.s are specially modified to emit sound waves or stinky smells that wyverns dislike.

("I don't really get the point....")

In a city like this, there shouldn't be a need for those costly tools. The hunters here should be able to take care of an invading wyvern or two, he thought. Moreover, as he looked around, he saw numerous hunters wearing armor made from wyvern parts, which he recognized only from the books he read. Those armor pieces are solid proof that those hunters have hunted wyverns before.

("Just a little more time... and I'll also be considered a first-cla.s.s hunter!")

Filled with pride and confidence, Zeeg walked past the dried-up fountain to the entrance of the gathering hall, made from drilling a hole in the mountain. To his sides there were some simple rain sheds set up, with the barrels the muscular men from earlier were carrying placed inside.

Walking into the entranceway signified by a hanging giant beer mug, Zeeg was met with the overwhelming smell of alcohol, food, and tobacco. The smoke was so thick that he thought he walked into a fog.

Almost no one paid attention to Zeeg. Some turned to look, but it's as if they were looking at something insignificant, like pebbles or weed on the road.

("What's up with them?")

Zeeg felt a little disappointed.

Even if it's a small village, he's famed as the one who set a new record time for hunting Yian Kut-Ku. Rumors of his exploit should have reached the outside world somehow. It's rare for a hunter at this age to use a great sword, you know. Well, at least in the village, that is.

"Hey."

As a man called him from behind, Zeeg feels a streak of joy, thinking that someone who heard rumors of his achievement has come to greet him. So you're finally here! I heard about you! The rising star! Those were the words that he expected to hear, but...

"You're blocking the entrance, kid. Out of the way."

Those words flew into Zeeg's ears from behind as he was b.u.mped on his shoulder. Initially intending to voice a complaint, he fell silent after seeing those people.

The other party is a group of seasoned hunters. One can easily tell by looking at the worn-out Kut-Ku armor sets, equipped by all four men.

"It's the Crimson Avian Wings."

Someone said out loud.

("So it's these guys....")

Zeeg gulped upon hearing the name. He heard that they are a group of extremely skilled hunters who specialize in hunting Yian Kut-Ku. But on the other hand, they were also viewed as cowards who refuse to hunt other wyverns. Among the customers, some looked at the party insultingly. Zeeg, however, doesn't see them in that way.

Three men sat down at a table, the fourth man headed to the counter. The female receptionist wearing a red uniform with white sleeves took the order of four beers, swiftly poured alcohol into the mugs, and then placed them on the countertop. The man paid for the beer and took the mugs back to his group.

("Right, registration.")

Zeeg took a deep breath, then walked past the Crimson Avian Wings to the counter.

"Welcome!"

The female receptionist welcomed Zeeg in a friendly manner, slightly lifting his spirits.

"I've never seen you here before. You're new here, right? Where are you from?"

As Zeeg told her the name of his village, the gathering hall suddenly fell silent.

("What?")

After a short while, something caused a knocking sound, and the customers started talking among themselves again, as if the brief silence was just an illusion.

Zeeg turned to the source of the sound and saw a familiar figure of a small man sitting on the counter, hanging his legs.

("Village Chief!? Wait, no.... he's different.")

The old man looked almost the same as the village chief. Not to the point of being identical twins, but it's still surprising that two unrelated people could look so similar.

"Then, what business do you have in this city?"

"Eh? Ah... give me a second."

Zeeg hurriedly turned to answer the woman's question, then put his luggage down, opened up his bag, pulled out the village chief's introduction letter, and handed it to her.

"I want to register at this guild."

The letter was handed to the receptionist, but she seemed to have no intention of accepting it. Instead, she pointed to the elderly man, now smoking from his pipe in a carefree manner.

"If it's that, you'll need to hand it to him, not me."

"That... person?"

Zeeg almost called him an old man, but fortunately stopped himself in time. Dragging his luggage along so that it wouldn't be lost, he walked to the elderly man.

"With you, right? I want to register at this guild. I also have an introduction letter."

Zeeg handed him the letter, and the old man took it in a leisurely manner before slowly opening it up and reading the contents with his small, bead-like eyes.

"Hmm..."

After he finished reading, the letter was folded and put into his bag. He then took out a book from behind the counter and opened it in front of Zeeg.

"Name, age, gender, most proficient weapon."

"Anything else?"

The elderly man said nothing, and instead blew ring-shaped smoke out of his mouth, signaling Zeeg to get it over with as soon as possible.

Zeeg made an irritated face to show his dissatisfaction, but complied with the old man. With a quill, he wrote in the book: "Zeeg Grandest, 16 years old, Male, Great Sword". Just after he finished writing, the elder pulled the book away from him as if he was taking back a stolen possession, and pa.s.sed it to the receptionist.

"Becky, please go make his guild card for me."

("So her name is Becky, huh...")

The woman smiled at the boy, as if she knew he was watching. Slightly blus.h.i.+ng, Zeeg turned away to hide his embarra.s.sment. He was met with the side view of the elder's head, which really does look like the village chief.

"Master, what about his Hunter Rank?"

The old man opened one eye in response to Becky's question.

"Rookie should be enough."

"Wha-!"

Zeeg's face turned red with a different reason from before. Among the ranks of hunters, "Rookie" is the second lowest. Hunters who would only get requests to gather raw meat or special mushrooms, or aren't proficient enough to use weapons without hurting themselves, would be cla.s.sified as either "Rangers" or "Rookies".

"W... Wait a second!"

Zeeg slammed his hand on the counter.

"I was able to hunt the Yian Kut-Ku by myself, you know! Then why-"

As he said that, a group hunters from behind burst out laughing. Others just banged their beer mugs on the table, while some clapped loudly, but almost all of them were smirking with amus.e.m.e.nt.

One of them, a hunter with a ma.s.sive hammer placed beside him, turned around and started speaking.

"Hey kid, I'll educate you. For this place, hunting Yian Kut-Ku is a job for newbies, not something to be proud about!"

The man said as he glanced at the Crimson Avian Wings. He expected them to say something, but was completely ignored as the four men chugged their beer without any reaction whatsoever.

Irritated at their att.i.tude, the man grabbed his hammer, before another person told him to calm down. The man hesitated, and upon realizing that the whole gathering hall was watching him, sat down.

"Well, what he said."

The elder took the guild card from Becky and placed it in front of Zeeg.

"Being able to hunt the Yian Kut-Ku isn't something to boast about, but a mere qualification for registering at this guild. It's a different story if you're able to do it in a few minutes like the Crimson Avian Wings though... Can you do that?"

"I know, I know...."

All Zeeg could do was grab his guild card, much to his chagrin.

("It's so dirty...")

Led by a male receptionist, Zeeg arrived at his room on the first floor, and the boy groaned in his mind upon seeing the interior.

The bed was crudely made by stuffing in some straws. Other than that, the room contained only an item box, a table, and a chair. It's not so different from a pig's coop.

"Oink"

And one is actually living here.

The pig wears a white and blue striped s.h.i.+rt. It walked around as if it owned the place.

"Hey... can I eat this thing if I'm hungry?"

Zeeg asked while pointing at the pig, and it cried out in shock.

"Absolutely not! This pig was brought in by the Guild Master as moral support for the hunters, who face difficult quests day after day. Eating it would be-"

"That's just silly..."

Zeeg threw his bag on the bed, and thick puffs of dust flew up. It's like people here don't know what it means to clean. If one slept on a bed like this, they would itch like crazy from being bitten by the louse.

"What about food?"

"If you have the ingredients, we have a free cooking service right over here. You can also order food at the gathering hall."

"Hm... I'll go eat over there for today then. I didn't bring any ingredients with me."

"Certainly, sir."

The man bowed once, then disappeared behind the curtains. The pig, which was supposed to follow him, instead slipped under the bed, showing no sign of coming out again.

Zeeg hanged his Buster Blade on the wall. In this room, the only part that resembles a hunter's room is the neatly organized weapons rack.

Starting to feel itchy on his b.u.t.tocks while sitting on the bed, he moved to sit on the chair instead.

"Dammit...."

Zeeg still feels a little bitter about what happened earlier.

He understood that there are plenty of hunters that are superior to him. Even so, he was fairly confident in himself, and expected to be acknowledged.

But this is what he gets- a filthy little room, even worse than his own room back home.

Met with these conditions, Zeeg was reminded that being a hunter is not an easy job.

Many children aspire to become a hunter, but most parents, Zeeg's included, are opposed to the idea.

They are dead now, so no one could stop him from being one, but Zeeg never forgot what his parents used to say: "Don't expect anything from this job". He understood those words when he became a hunter. The money may be good, but the work is harsh.

"Hunters" are people who accept requests, be it to gather materials or hunt down wyverns. Accepting their quest, they head out to the vast world of nature with their trusty weapon in hand, alone or with companions. Exploring jungles, deserts, or even volcanoes, they face dangerous beasts multiple times their size. Day after day, their lives placed on a fine line between life and death.

However, that doesn't mean the job is legal. The hunter occupation, and the existence of a guild that unifies them, are not officially accepted by the kingdom.

The reason is that among hunters, some are strong enough to fell wyverns by themselves. This means their strength is comparable to an army of thousands. It is natural that the aristocrats would fear these people, and the possibility of them banding together to cause an uprising. This is possibly one of the reasons why the guild is based in a remote location, far from the capital.

However, most hunters have no intention of ruling a country. Just as the village chief used to say- "Hunters are like rulers of their very own kingdom".

The hunters' purposes in life are varied. Many started out to earn their living like Zeeg, but they will eventually discover their true calling. Some pursue fame, to be hailed as warriors who could fell wyverns by themselves. Others seek irreplaceable bonds, forged on the unforgiving battlefields. There also exists those who collect rare weapons and technologies.

Of course, there are some who have yet to find themselves, and hunt just to make ends meet. Zeeg, like them, haven't found his purpose yet, but he feels that if he continues being a hunter, he will definitely find it someday.

Surely, that is what everyone thinks. However, there are many who never found anything, and are stuck at the lowest rank until the day they die.

("I won't end up like them. I swear, I'll definitely make a name for myself!")

Zeeg made a vow for the second time. The first time was when he learned of the death of his parents. Whether or not his parents have found anything in their lives, he will never know.

Now that he thought about it, the rooms being left in this condition might help new hunters to reflect, and to renew their determination.

Looking out the window, it is still early in the day, and he is not yet hungry.

("Guess I'll sharpen my weapon...")

In the hunting grounds, a hunter's life depends on his weapon.

As he took out a whetstone from his bag and detached the Buster Blade from the wall, Zeeg could hear the striped pig's snoring from beneath the bed.

"Right now, these are the only quests for your skill level."

Becky lined up several request papers on the countertop.

With just a glimpse, Zeeg knew that those were quests for beginners. Zeeg slammed his fist on the papers with no intention to hide his dissatisfaction.

"What's the meaning of this? Deliver 12 Kelbi Horns? 15 Special Mushrooms? Slay 50 Vespoids? Aren't these quests for rookies?"

Zeeg yelled with all his voice, but all Becky did was shrug once in acknowledgement.

"Well, aren't you skill a rookie?"

"I was-"

"Yeah, yeah. Was the fastest Yian Kut-Ku hunter in your village, right? Sorry, but achievements in a small village like that aren't things to boast about. More importantly, do you have enough money to pay for the contract fees? The better the job, the higher the fee, you know."

Rendered speechless, Zeeg reached for the money bag tied tightly to his waist and counted the coins. Right now, he has about 150 Zenny, not even enough to pay the fees for a Yian Kut-Ku hunt. Even then, he didn't want to go back to collecting mushrooms again after coming all this way.

"I'm just saying, but you can't put these payments on your tab, alright? It's a different story if your rank is a bit higher though. I might pitch in and help a little, but for you... I don't think I can just yet."

Becky giggled a little.

"No one will think poorly of you for doing this, you know. For now, just do some gathering quests. You've always been hunting alone, right? Things are different when teaming up with other people. Even the distribution of supply items needs to be discussed thoroughly. If you keep that mindset, you'll end up being an obstruction. There were even cases of hunters having their licenses revoked for being disruptive, too."

"Hm.... That sounds like a bother...."

Zeeg expressed his honest opinion, resulting in a flick on his forehead from Becky.

"Now, don't talk carelessly like that. Even though they aren't listening, everyone can hear you. You'll end up having difficulty finding teammates in the future."

"That hurt, you know...."

Rubbing his forehead, Zeeg took a look around the gathering hall.

It is around dinnertime, so the hall is more crowded than before. Tobacco smoke and smells of alcohol are also stronger, to the point that Zeeg feels a little drunk just by being here.

A person boasted loudly about their hunting exploits. Another sang some songs with their broken voice. Even a few were sound asleep. Everyone seemed to be minding their own businesses, with no sign of acknowledging what Zeeg said earlier.

However, each and every one of them are hunters. Their hearing senses are honed to the point that they won't miss even a single breaking branch in the thick forest.

Zeeg turned back to the counter, still rubbing his forehead.

"But aren't there some hunters who hunt by themselves?"

"There are, but... most of them are the ones who chose to go solo after being with a team for some time, and thought that hunting alone is more to their liking. You haven't decided on which style you prefer, right? Moreover, monsters around here are tougher and more intelligent compared to the countryside. If you went in expecting them to be the same, you'll soon be finding yourself in a grave. I've seen many rookies make that mistake."

"Hm... and why is that? Do they eat better prey?"

"Who knows? Well, Guild Master used to say that it's because the hunters are strong- ah, your order's here."

While thinking about what Becky said, a chunky Aptonoth steak was served in front of Zeeg.

Aptonoths are cla.s.sified as herbivores. While they are more than 10 meters long on average, they are docile in nature. Zeeg has hunted many of them for their meat and bones. When threatened, they would normally run away for safety, but some will attempt to fight back using its tail. They are not to be underestimated, since their tail whips are quite powerful.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Zeeg asked while slicing his rare steak, with red meat juices flowing out as the knife dug into the meat.

Becky poured some honey into a mug of Kelbi milk, then moved herself a little closer to Zeeg.

"Well... hunters aren't always successful in their hunts, right? If a monster was able to survive from being hunted and gave birth to some offsprings, the offsprings will grow up stronger. As a result, in areas where there are powerful hunters, the monsters will also be tougher- something like that."

"Huh...."

Zeeg stuffed his cheeks with meat. Even though it does not have any special seasoning, the steak was so delicious, as if it was melting in his mouth.

"Delicious! I've never eaten Aptonoth meat this good!"

"Really? That great!"

"Yeah! Aptonoth meat are usually tougher than this! Don't tell me it's an infant-"

Zeeg froze, his knife and fork still in his hands.

Among hunters, hunting infant monsters is strictly forbidden. There are rumors that offenders would be the ones who get cooked instead as punishment.

Even if it is not a law of the kingdom, the rule could be enforced. At least, that's what Zeeg heard- about there being hunters that hunt down rule breakers.

"Now now, of course not"

Becky laughed.

"This is domesticated meat. They are made by capturing some wild Aptonoths, waiting for them to produce offsprings, and raising those babies up with nutritious food. When they have fully grown, we eat their meat. A traveling merchant has been nagging us to try them for a while, so we purchased a batch to see how they do."

"Hm..."

Zeeg took a few more bites. The more he ate, the more he feels weird due to the unnatural amount of fat.

"I don't know how to explain this, but it feels kinda weird..."

"Everyone else says that. I guess it's good for only the first bite? Anyway, thanks for trying it out. We'll probably not buy another batch. Oh, and that one's my treat, so you don't have to pay. Want some wild Aptonoth steak instead?"

"No thanks. I'll finish this one. Domesticated, huh? No matter where it's from, I think it's a waste to throw away food."

Hearing that, Becky smiled happily.

"You really are a hunter, huh..."

"What do you mean by that?"

While eating some baked potatoes with his steak, a solid sound came from outside the gathering hall's entrance. The atmosphere suddenly became so heavy that Zeeg had to turn around and look.

He was so surprised at the sight that he almost choked on his meat.

A large man, over two meters tall, stood there. But his height was nothing special, since among hunters, people with large builds are fairly common. His armor was the thing that was special.

Two enormous horns extended from his shoulder pads, intimidating those around him. The helmet also has two smaller horns attached to the sides, pointing upwards. It's no mistake- his equipment is the Diablo set, made with materials from the desert-dwelling horned wyverns Diablos and Mon.o.blos.

Moreover, it's a full set, which could not be obtained by slaying just one or two of them. To get the materials, one has to hunt down many, breaking off their horns and cutting off their tails.

On the man's back hangs a lance that, at a glance, looked like a wyvern's tail.

("It's the h.e.l.lfire...")

The h.e.l.lfire lance, created from a wyvern's tail, looked so thin that it could snap in half at any moment. Its main components, Fire Wyvern Marrows and Inferno Sacs, gave it the fire attribute, enabling it to generate intense heat. Included in the set is a s.h.i.+eld capable of blocking the hottest flames.

The large man's old age is signified by the wrinkles at the end of his eyes and white hair mixed in with his black eyebrows.

He's apparently a famous hunter around here, judging from the fiery sight of numerous eyes focused on him. They looked on with envy and respect, both in regards to his equipment and rank.

However, that was not the only surprising thing.

Two more people followed the large man, one of them carrying the Diablos Maul, a ma.s.sive blunt weapon forged from the tail of a horned wyvern.

On top of the sight of such a weapon, Zeeg was also surprised with its owner.

It's a little girl.

Her age should be about the same as Zeeg's, and her height is about 20 centimeters shorter. She has a pretty face, but her blue eyes seem to send out an intimidating aura. Her long, blonde hair is separated equally on two sides of her head and tied together at each end.

Additionally, she has a weird choice of equipment, not wearing a helmet and body armor. She couldn't have forgotten them at her room, because it looks like she has just returned from a hunt, and her waist, arm, and leg pieces are still properly equipped.

Those armor pieces are from the Rathalos set, created with parts of the male fire wyvern. The armor is a great indicator of its wearer's high hunter rank.

No matter how much he thought about it, Zeeg could not understand why she wears just a long-sleeved s.h.i.+rt instead of armor.

The girl glanced to the side, and the hunters in her line of sight turned away. She then lets out an arrogant snort.

And then, there's another person.

This man also has a weird choice of equipment.

Like the girl, he has no armor equipped on his chest. He doesn't even wear a s.h.i.+rt, leaving his red, sunburned chest bare. Other than on the body, the man is equipped with the Gypceros armor set.

These equipments are created from the rubbery hides of Gypceros, a wyvern capable of emitting flashes of light from the crest on its head. The elasticity is so great that the pieces could barely be cla.s.sified as armor. Out of them, the cap stood out the most. It has bent horns similar to a sheep's, and the hides covered all of the wearer's face, save for the eyes. The design reminded Zeeg of an executioner's mask.

On his back is the high-grade heavy bowgun Tankmage, specially modified to increase attack power. This means his role in the party isn't merely to support.

The three of them headed straight to the counter. They totally ignored Zeeg, not even turning to look at his face.

The girl stepped ahead and placed a dusty leather bag on the counter.

"Here are the requested materials."

Becky wiped her hands with a towel before taking out some doc.u.ments, and double-checked them.

She nodded, stamped the doc.u.ments with a seal, and threw the leather bag into a box.

"Item receipt confirmed. Thank you for your hard work- Would you like to eat something?"

"I'll make something at my room, so I'll just have a beer."

The girl said with a straight face.

("Beer? Seriously?")

For a second, Zeeg thought that it didn't fit her, and the girl turned to face him as if she could read his mind. With her large, blue pupils, she scanned Zeeg from head to toe-

And let out another arrogant snort.

Realizing that he's being insulted, Zeeg's face turned red with anger. Not caring who the other person is, he banged the knife's handle on the metal plate, and stood up.

But a spilt second later, the world turned upside down. Before he knew it, Zeeg is staring at the gathering hall's ceiling. The pain soon followed, running all over his back. It hurt so much that he shed a tear.

Zeeg felt so humiliated to cry in front of a girl like this.

The person who threw Zeeg down was not the girl, but the large man in the Diablo armor set.

"....Sorry."

The large man said while pulling Zeeg back up on his feet.

Zeeg dried his tears with his s.h.i.+rt's sleeves. When he turned around, he was met with the overwhelming figure of the large man, but the intimidating aura seems to have disappeared. The girl was hidden behind the large man. It's as if they used a body switching technique to swap places with each other instantly.

"Are you okay?"

The man in the Gypceros cap approached, looking at Zeeg from behind his mask. Judging from the voice, he is still young.

"I'm sorry about him. When he thinks the young lady is threatened, he always act in reflex to defend her."

"Yeah, it really is a problem."

The girl crossed her arms.

"That kid wouldn't be able to hit me, no matter how much he tried."

"Wh- what did you say!?"

Zeeg shouted, only for his voice to be reflected back by the large man's armor.

The girl leaned on the counter with her armguard, before turning to Zeeg.

"Becky, who's this kid?"

"He's a new recruit."

"Hm...."

She squinted her eyes, and scanned Zeeg from head to toe once more.

"....You balance is awful."

"What!?'

"Heh, did I strike a nerve? You're registered at this guild, which means you've successfully hunted a Yian Kut-Ku, right? Even so, what's up with your equipment? Leather Headgear, Chainmail Vest, Hunter's Vambraces, Leather Belt, and Blue Pants? I can't believe there are people who mix things up so badly. Don't tell me you spent all your money on weapons?"

"That's right~!"

Before Zeeg could say anything, Becky blurted out, clapping her hands. The girl shrugged as if to say that it was nothing worth praising.

"Just as I thought... Judging from the scratches on your shoulder pad, you're a great sword user, right? Those scratches are caused by your unrefined fighting stance. You're one of those people who just think 'hit it until it dies', right? Do you even utilize traps? Because I'm pretty sure you don't."

Bull's eye. Zeeg has never bothered with those things. Able to get through every job up until now just by using his Buster Blade, he doesn't see the point.

"And what's wrong about that!? What about you? With all that talk about balance, but you don't even wear your body armor! Your vital spots are all exposed!"

"You just don't get it, huh?"

Shaking her head and letting out a sigh, the girl turned to the counter.

"Becky... I really feel sorry for you, having to deal with rookies like this. Giving requests to this guy is almost like feeding him to the monsters, you know?"

Becky giggled at the girl's grumbles.

"The guild never refuses people with courage. Of course, it is up to them whether they will end up as monster food, or a splendid hunter."

"Jeez... You never change, huh?"

She said while sleeking up her hair with her dusty armguard.

"Hey, you never answered my question! Before criticizing others, explain your equipment!"

The girl turned to Zeeg, putting hands on her hips- She seemed highly confident in herself.

"You really are a rookie, huh? You've never hunted with anyone else before, right?"

"And how is that wrong?"

"Of course it is. If you keep up with that self-centered mindset, you're bound to expose your party to danger. Do you understand? Hunting in groups isn't the same as going alone. Everyone has to do their part. Even though my party prioritizes attack power, each of us has clearly defined roles. First off, him..."

She patted the large man's waist.

"Gannon's role is to fight on the front lines, distracting the monster from other party members by using Field Horns. That is why he's fully equipped, maximizing defense."

The man named Gannon nodded firmly.

"As for my role in the party, it is to charge up my power, wait for openings, and deal powerful blows. For maximum speed and mobility, I chose to not wear a chest piece. As for the helmet, it narrows my field of vision. I need good aim to successfully land my blows, after all."

With the back of her hand, the girl lightly knocked the other man's bare chest.

"Mobility is the same reason that Fradio doesn't wear a chest piece. His primary role is to intercept smaller monsters that could distract Gannon, so he always has to be on the move. As for the mask, well... It's just his personal preference."

The man nodded lightly.

"Gypceros... they're absolutely wonderful, don't you agree? The sticky sensation when its hides touches your skin! Their cute, wacky movements, like animals playing in water! ...What do you think? Would you like to join me as a fellow Gypceros fan?"

He approached so suddenly that Zeeg had to move away.

"I... I'll pa.s.s..."

Upon hearing the answer, the man named Fradio narrowed his eyes under the mask. "Is that so...," he muttered to himself, and then backed away. He seemed genuinely sad.

"Then, why do you wear those heavy armguards? Wouldn't you be better off without them?"

Hearing that, the girl shook her head at Zeeg's ignorance.

"You really don't know anything, huh? Do you really think armor are only for defending its wearer from attacks?"

"They're not?"

"They're not, you idiot! They reduce the strain on the wearer's body when lifting weapons, and also lessen the shock on the joints when attacking! You don't know this even though you use a great sword!? That's the reason why your movements are so sluggis.h.!.+"

"H...how did you-"

"Of course I know! You probably use a sword from the Buster line, right? The balance between the sword's weight and your Blue Pants are all wrong! That's why I said your balance was awful- Well, if you want to become monster food that much, I won't stop you. But..."

The girl extended her hand.

"....What?"

"Tuition fees. Just enough for my beer will be fine. It's rare to hear such a knowledgeable lecture from veterans at this price, you know? Consider yourself lucky."

"You've got to be kidding! The one who started ranting was you! More importantly, I don't even know you guys!"

As Zeeg said that, the gathering hall was filled with a brief moment of silence, followed by a unified burst of laughter.

"Hey hey! This guy doesn't know? Seriously?"

"Now that's surprising. I can't believe there was anyone who don't know of this gang."

"That can't be helped. He's still a rookie from the countryside, right? It's not strange."

"Yeah, yeah. I think so."

Red with embarra.s.sment, Zeeg banged his hand on the counter.

"C'mon! I've heard of even the Crimson Avian Wings! I don't know about these guys because they're simply not famous!"

The laughter was even louder than before, with a few people laughing while rolling on the floor.

"Did you seriously just say that?"

The girl said before turning to Becky.

"Tell him about us, Becky."

Becky looked at the girl with a bored expression on her face, as if an annoying job was thrown her way.

"Zeeg, this is Elmeria Franport, 15 years old. Her hunter rank is 'Wyvern Slayer'."

Zeeg's strength disappeared from his legs.

"Wyvern Slayer!?"

"That's right. With that rank, they have access to the queen guest house. Anyway, the man next to Ellie is Mr. Gannon Denon. As you can see, he's a lance user. The two of them have been paired up since they registered at this guild, so his rank the same- Wyvern Slayer. Their skills are guaranteed. Hm? What with that face? Were you thinking that the reason Ellie got to her rank was because of Mr. Gannon's help?"

He nodded, and that instant-

"Whoa-!"

The head of the ma.s.sive Diablos Maul swung down, narrowly missing Zeeg's face. It crushed the stone chair in front of him, a cracking sound to echoing around the gathering hall.

"Don't underestimate me!"

It was an attack from the girl- Elmeria.

Zeeg's face turned blue. The weapon has the power to pulverize a wyvern's head- not to mention a human's.

Elmeria lifted the hammer up and rested it on her shoulder. The weight caused her to slightly adjust her stance.

"I was able to reach this rank with my own abilities! Isn't that right, Gannon?"

"...That is the truth."

The large man nodded.

He didn't seem to be lying. Her attack was so fast that Zeeg's eye weren't able to keep up- himself only feeling a shockwave.

"Ellie, you're going to pay for the repairs, right?"

Becky said, smiling. Elmeria then made a grumpy face in response.

"He was the one who provoked me, so he pays! And that's final!"

"W...wait a second! This nonsense-"

Zeeg protested, but fell silent when Elmeria gripped her hammer's handle.

"See? He's got no complaints."

"I guess it can't be helped...."

Becky sighed.

"But with his skill level, it would take many quests for him to get enough money... The stone component is actually quite expensive, you know. What should I do?"

"That's a simple matter."

Zeeg turned to look at the owner of the voice and saw a small old man- who looked very similar to his village's chief- sitting on the counter, sweeping away the gray smoke around him until his figure could be seen clearly.

He moved to sit closer to Zeeg and gasped for some air.

"Becky, you know, that job? Aren't we going to ask them to take that one quest?"

"Eh? Ah... yes."

Becky took out a piece of paper from behind the counter.

"What?"

Elmeria moved closer to look.

"It's an urgent quest- here."

"Let's see... Hunt a Rathalos?"

Zeeg's ears opened wide in response to the name. A Rathalos hunt! He has always wanted to try going on one.

"Um... I-"

"You can't handle it."

About to raise his hand, Zeeg was stopped by Elmeria. The girl pretended to not notice Zeeg's upset reaction. She placed the request paper back on the counter.

"We've had enough of the Rathalos for now. How about asking someone else? There should be plenty of hunters wanting to take a crack at it, right?"

"That is true, but there's a reason we can't afford to fail this one-"

Becky lowered her voice.

"The client is from the royal court."

"Really?"

Becky nodded.

"10 days from now, the royalty will be holding a 'hunt' at Arnest Forest. Well, their 'hunt' is just a game though, unlike what you guys do. Problem is, near the designated grounds, a Rathalos has apparently set up a nest. They want us to get rid of it."

"Can't we just chase it away? There's no need to kill."

"It you did that, it has a chance to come back, right? If it returned while the n.o.bles were hunting, it would be a big problem, so they want it killed. Well, that's pretty much the details for this quest."

"Hmm...."

Elmeria smirked while rubbing her chin.

"Alright, we accept. It's nice to do some good deeds for the royalty once in a while."

"No no, wait a second."

Elmeria reached for the paper, but her hand was blocked by the elder's staff.

"This is the quest that we want you to take care of, but can you also listen to this old man's request?"

Elmeria hunched her shoulders.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing difficult, really. When you head out, I want you to let the boy tag along."

Zeeg and Elmeria's eyes open wide upon hearing the sudden proposal.

"Now, now. I understand that you might be dissatisfied."

The old man spoke up before anyone could voice a complaint.

"You see, the chief of this boy's hometown asked me to take care of him... And the fastest way to teach him is to let him learn from the experience of a real hunt. If it's your party, letting this kid tag along shouldn't be much of a problem, am I right?"

"Don't joke around!"

Elmeria glanced at Zeeg, eyes narrowed.

"Bring a rookie like him along on a Rathalos Hunt? If he did something stupid, the three of us would be dead too, you know!? If you want to die that much, go do it yourself!"

"Now, don't say that. It'll be fine. I'll have him promise to not do anything and just watch."

"W...wait! Just watching is a bit-"

Zeeg voiced his complaint, but stopped as the old man glared at him. The sharp, intimidating glint in the Guild Master's eyes told Zeeg to shut up.

The elder then went back to his cheerful face and turned to Elmeria.

"See? He promised. If he does something disruptive, then just do anything with him. Throw him into a pitfall trap, or even feed him to the Rathalos. But only if he breaks the promise. Oh, I'll also have some bonus for you. How about this much?"

The old man fiddled with an abacus and showed it to the girl.

For a moment, Zeeg noticed a sparkle in her eyes.

"Hm..."

Elmeria squinted her eyes and looked at Zeeg, before patting Gannon's back.

"What sould we do? Master insisted that much."

"I don't mind."

"Then it's decided. We will hunt the Rathalos under those terms. For today, I want to eat, drink, and sleep in a fluffy bed. I won't let anyone get in my way, alright? We leave tomorrow at noon."

Everyone nodded.

Zeeg's opinion goes unheard to the whole company. He tried raising his voice, but at this point no one would hear him out.

And then-

"Um... I haven't been introduced yet..."

The man in the executioner's mask- the one called Fradio- raised his hand in a humble manner.

"Ah, I'm sorry."

Becky clapped her hands once in front of her chest, then turned to Zeeg and smiled.

"This is Fradio Heart, a gunner, ranked 'Wyvern Slayer' like the other two. People of his skill level are very hard to come by, you know. As for his favorite thing-"

Fradio proudly raised his bare chest and spoke up.

"-Gypceros!"