Chapter 38 – Reunion with Old Friends

“Nothing hарреnеd after all.”

Аftеr leaving thе Apрrаisаl Rооm, Аsuto mutterеd quietly whilе lоoking аt thе рарer with his rеsults written оn it.

The аррrаisal result wаs safеly C-Rank Оvеr.

Since he was С-Rаnk in the System, this apрrаisal result was natural, but thеrе had beеn a роssibilitу his rаnk could have bеen questiоnеd аnd revokеd.

Fоr nоw, the pоssibility of his rеsults being revoked hаd grеatly diminishеd.

“Аll that’s lеft is to safеly recеive mу Нunter’s License Cаrd… Huh?”

Whеn hе аrrived оn the first floоr, hе nоticed thе reсерtiоn аreа wаs nоisy.

Наd some incident occurred?

A Gate Break, an assault case involving a Hunter, a Monster attack.

Asuto searched his memories but couldn’t recall any information that fit.

(Well, whatever.)

He headed toward the counter to get his new Hunter’s License Card. That’s when it happened.

“He’s here!!”

“It’s Mr. Yuki!”

“Don’t push, don’t push!”

The men and women in suits who were on the floor swarmed toward him the moment they saw Asuto’s face.

“What is this?”

His thoughts couldn’t keep up with the situation.

Even if he wanted to calm down, he was in a state of being jostled and pushed, unable to move.

He felt like he’d become a bargain sale item.

“Mr. Yuki, about the Flame Sword Guild—”

“Would you be interested in the Heaven’s Thunderclap Guild!?”

“You idiot, don’t cut in line!”

Business cards thrust by the swarming people came into view.

It was then that Asuto finally realized they were Guild Scouts and that he was being recruited.

(Incredible… I never thought the day would come when I’d receive this much recruitment…)

This was an unbelievable achievement compared to his previous life, where he’d been passed over by every Guild.

Asuto felt a pang in his chest.

(But why am I suddenly being recruited so much like this?)

He had no memory of showing off his power in front of them.

If that wasn’t it, then was the source of the information Hound Dog?

He considered it for a moment, then immediately dismissed it.

For them, their own disgrace—something that would shake their foundation if it came to light—was something they’d want to bury in darkness first and foremost.

He couldn’t imagine them deliberately leaking Asuto’s information elsewhere.

—Then why?

That was when Asuto was pondering this.

“Asuto, over here, over here.”

Hearing a voice, he turned and saw a familiar person beckoning to him.

In that instant, Asuto moved at full speed.

He reached that person’s side in a flash.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Ah, yeah.”

Doing as he was told, Asuto escaped the floor through the staff entrance.

Behind him,

“Huh? Wha?”

“Did Yuki Asuto just disappear?”

“Dammit! A chance to recruit a high-rank freelance Hunter!”

The Scouts, who hadn’t been able to follow Asuto’s movement with their eyes, looked around bewildered.

“That was rough, Asuto.”

“Sorry for causing you trouble.”

“Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it.”

As he walked through the staff entrance, an indescribable feeling welled up inside Asuto.

(…I never imagined I’d get to see this guy again.)

Asuto clenched his back teeth hard.

The person before him was Hunter Association employee Ginzan Makoto.

Makoto was a friend from junior high school, and they had kept in touch occasionally even after graduation.

Even after Asuto lost his parents in the First Outbreak, and even after he became a Hunter, Makoto had often supported him.

When Asuto was feeling down, Makoto would treat him to drinks and listen to his complaints for hours on end.

Yet, Makoto had never once demanded anything in return from Asuto.

If asked, ‘Name one best friend?’ Asuto would name Makoto first.

He was the one and only person before whom Asuto could honestly expose his weak self.

In his previous life, about two years after Asuto became a Hunter, it happened.

Makoto had called Asuto’s smartphone. But at the time, Asuto’s phone screen was cracked, and he couldn’t operate it properly, causing him to miss the call.

He somehow managed to operate the screen and tried to call back, but the call wouldn’t connect.

The next day, Asuto learned that Makoto had committed suicide.

He had no idea why he had killed himself.

Because he was a guy who never showed any signs of being troubled.

But maybe, if he had been able to answer the phone that time, he could have saved Makoto.

If only his smartphone screen hadn’t been cracked that day, if only he’d had enough money to at least repair the broken phone! Yes, there wasn’t a day he didn’t regret it.

That Makoto, whom he had lost that day, was now alive, right before his eyes.

He reached a hand out toward his shoulder from behind, but reconsidered and pulled it back.

(What on earth was I about to do just now?)

(Was I seriously going to say something like, ‘Sorry I couldn’t stop you from committing suicide that time’?)

That would be an outrageous thing to say, even for him.

Makoto hadn’t committed suicide yet, and might not even be thinking about it.

Besides, Amy was waiting right over there.

He shouldn’t do anything strange.

Asuto reflected on his own careless impulse.

“…You saved me, Makoto. Thanks.”

“Nah, I’m the one who should apologize.”

“Huh? For what?”

“There were a lot of unscrupulous people inside the Hunter Association who leaked your rank information.”

“Ah—so that’s why the Guild recruitment swarmed like that.”

“Exactly.”

Makoto snapped his fingers.

Basically, Hunter personal information is strictly managed by the Hunter Association.

When disclosing information externally, they must obtain the individual’s consent.

This time, Asuto had not consented to his rank being disclosed.

It was a complete information leak.

This situation resembled the incident where Hound Dog had pinpointed Asuto’s location.

“Could it be that people connected to the Guild have infiltrated?”