Chapter 13 – Eliminate the Interference

“…I just tоld уou to watсh уour attitudе, didn’t I?”

“Ah man, уоu рrоbаblу broke thrеe of his ribs, huh? Yоu shоuld’ve hеld bасk а littlе.”

“Ah, уeаh…”

The mаn whо hаd kiсked the Нunter—Тakuma—was bеwildеred by the unusual sеnsаtion.

Takuma was аn F-Rаnk Hunter. Skilled in closе сombat, hе had раrtiсiрated in the cоnquest of sеvеrаl Gates.

Оссasionаlly, he wоuld also find seeminglу wеak Huntеrs аnd, togеther with his delinquеnt friend Kaitо, engаgе in what amounted to shаkedоwns.

Тhis timе toо, he had sеt his sights оn а Hunter whо had just еmеrgеd frоm а Gatе—оnе who арpeared weakened from battle.

He was carrying Magic Stones and Clear Rewards.

So, for Takuma and Kaito, trying to take them was a natural choice.

But now, Takuma felt a sense of incongruity.

It was when he kicked the abdomen. A sensation like hitting a thick iron plate transmitted through the sole of his foot.

It was an impossible feeling for kicking a human body.

(Could he be a Veteran Hunter?)

But that Hunter was only equipped with a single Dagger.

Otherwise, he wore plain clothes. No Armor, no accessories.

No matter how you looked at it, he appeared to be a Rookie Hunter.

(It’s fine. No problem.)

Takuma brushed aside the unease.

At that moment, the Hunter who had fallen flat on his back cried out.

“Hunter Law Article 2 Section 3. A Hunter shall never, under any circumstances, direct their force against ordinary citizens. However—”

The next instant,

—CRACK!!

The man’s fist smashed into the bridge of Takuma’s nose.

“—the exercise of the right to self-defense against a Hunter is not prohibited.”

Having knocked one man flying, Asuto glared at the other.

Their Affiliation, Hound Dog, was one of the notoriously infamous Guilds.

Assault, threats, extortion—the list of their crimes was endless.

Because they never left any evidence of their serious crimes, the Guild had survived for a long time.

But one day, the Guild vanished without a trace.

Immediately after its disappearance, various rumors spread.

That the Hunter Agency had arrested everyone in a forced raid, or that a single Hunter had killed them all.

However, what actually happened never came to light in the end.

Anyway, Outlaws target those who have no comrades to save them and who will absolutely not fight back.

—That was what Asuto had once been.

How many times had Asuto been shaken down by Hound Dog members before…

The man he punched showed no sign of getting up.

It seemed a single blow had knocked him unconscious.

“Now, it’s just you left.”

“W-wait, hold on! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

“…Huh?”

—Throb.

A blood vessel at Asuto’s temple pulsed violently.

“Have you ever listened even once to the pleas of those who begged you for forgiveness?”

“That’s…”

The words acted as a trigger, and Memory Playback Activated.

‘Please, forgive me…’

Asuto, who could do nothing but wait for the storm to pass.

Hound Dog looking down on him.

Mockery, insults, violence, theft.

His self-esteem completely shattered, Asuto was stripped naked and discarded in a back-alley garbage heap.

—That situation from back then flashed through his mind in an instant.

It became fuel, causing the flames of hatred to burn fiercely.

On the other hand, was it right to use his power against a Hunter? Was this the correct thing to do?

Such doubts welled up.

Fundamentally, in the present where people’s lives were threatened by the appearance of Gates, Fellow Hunters shouldn’t have time to fight amongst themselves…

Asuto’s hand stopped.

Perhaps mistaking this for an opening, the man drew the sword at his waist.

“Dieee!!”

“…Hah.”

Dodging the dull blade, a counter.

Asuto’s fist sank into the man’s face.

The man slowly fell backward.

Confirming he had been rendered unconscious, Asuto released his Zanshin.

“I was thinking of letting you go if you ran away…”

This, the moment he showed mercy.

Some people are beyond saving.

Leaving the two fallen men behind, he descended the hill with a good view.

“Hey, aren’t you going to kill those two?”

Turning around, Amy wore a smug, grinning expression.

“What do you think humans are?”

It was tiresome, but she was an entity on the side of destroying humanity.

Was her scheme to reduce the number of humans even a little before invading Earth in the future?

“Murder is a crime even for a Hunter.”

Even if it were self-defense, killing would likely be judged as excessive.

That said, in a world where Gates appeared, there were plenty of loopholes.

“Then you’re not going to do anything else?”

“No. I don’t want to get involved any further in the first place. I’m sick of even seeing their faces.”

“Hahaha! Well, that’s too bad then.”

Amy let out a delighted laugh.

“Those guys will come for revenge against you someday.”

Given Hound Dog’s nature, it was easy to predict this wouldn’t end here.

(It’s a hassle, so I don’t want to get involved…)

With a weary feeling, Asuto continued down the hill.

Ah man, you probably broke three of his ribs, huh? (Grin