Chapter 44 – Lurking Malice

The tор flооr оf the Shisei Guild-ownеd building.

Нimuro Seiуa was in а mееting with а mаn.

Тall with refinеd featurеs, thе man with еmеrаld еуes wаs Uzuki Kаin.

An eхесutivе of the Shisеi Guild and Нimuro’s right-hand man.

“Наve you cоnfirmеd the intel on ‘him’?”

“Yesss. I chесked various other sоurсes toоo, but thе infоrmаtiоn from the Hunter Аssociаtiоn rаt was aссurаte.”

“I seе. Then, сould you tell mе аbout his baсkgrоund onсe morе?”

“Yuki Asuto, twentу-threе уears old. Lost both рarеnts in thе First Оutbreаk five yеаrs аgoo, сurrentlу living аlоnе. Nо relаtivеs, аnd onlу оne close friend. Since Awakening during the Second Outbreak, he has been active as a Solo Hunter. No personal social media accounts, and no connections with any Guilds.”

“I see. Then…”

“Yesss. We can quietly eliminate himm, no problem—”

“That is fortunate.”

Himuro slowly nodded.

This time, it was Himuro himself who had set the plan to kill Yuki in motion.

Yuki Asuto undoubtedly possessed the potential to reign at the top of Japan’s Hunters.

(That flawless defense when we met. He would have countered any attack from any angle.)

It was almost unimaginable that he had acquired such combat prowess in less than a week since his Awakening.

He was a man of that caliber.

Himuro had wanted to secure him for the Shisei Guild at all costs.

However, the recruitment attempt made by the Master himself had ended in failure.

If the reason had been that another Major Guild had gotten to him first, Himuro would have backed off.

But the only recruitment offer from a Major Guild was from Shisei. He hadn’t received any invitations from mid-sized or small Guilds either.

The reason was never fully uncovered, but Himuro could guess.

When he asked, ‘Are you planning to start a Guild?’ there was a slight pause in Yuki’s response.

Himuro hadn’t missed that.

(He must be planning to start a Guild.)

If the Hunter who reached C-Rank faster than anyone else in Japan were to start a Guild…

It would rapidly overtake others and grow to the point of threatening the Three Major Guilds.

“Masteer, may I ask a question? Why eliminate a small-fry Hunter like Yuki?”

“Because he is the ‘Hunter who set the official record’ for reaching C-Rank faster than anyone else in Japan.”

“Huh?”

“You don’t seem to get it.”

“Yesss. Isn’t that ‘just that’?”

The official record of being the fastest to reach C-Rank in Japan was impressive.

But compared to Himuro, it was ‘just that’.

“Fufu… If we’re talking unofficial records, Himuro was faster.”

Eligos, floating in the air, sneered.

Eligos was Himuro’s Angel and his shadow advisor.

The reason Himuro was currently Japan’s strongest Mage was because ‘she’ had guided him from the very beginning.

Achieving the world’s fastest D-Rank and C-Rank Feats was also thanks to her.

“But you know, leaving him be is dangerous. Combat-wise, he’s not a problem yet, but unsettling rumors have reached ‘my’ ears. We absolutely cannot overlook him. Crush him.”

“…”

While Himuro was the one executing this plan, it was Eligos who had devised it.

Therefore, Himuro had no idea why Yuki must not be spared.

He even thought that a small-fry Hunter like that could just be left alone.

(But, if Eligos says so…)

Her track record doesn’t lie.

Whenever Himuro acted according to Eligos’s words, everything went smoothly.

Conversely, when he disobeyed her instructions, he mostly failed.

So, Himuro had decided to follow Eligos’s orders (even if he had doubts).

“…It’s been about three years since the Three Major Guilds system was established. The situation has stabilized considerably, but because of that, people have started seeking change.”

“I seee.”

“If Yuki Asuto were to start a Guild, Hunters attracted by his talent would gather one after another, forming a major force. He’d likely gain public support too. Eventually, he might acquire enough power to threaten us. That would be troublesome.”

“I seeee, that certainly would be a nuisance.”

“Three Major Guilds are enough. We don’t need any more.”

The various interests currently divided among the three Guilds could be taken by a new Guild.

The Shisei Guild’s interests would undoubtedly shrink as well.

“Rare talent can be both poison and medicine. Yuki Asuto chose the path of becoming ‘poison for us.’ So, we’ll have him leave the stage before he grows any further.”

“Understood in detaill.”

“Ah, but if we eliminate him immediately, the media might catch wind. Let’s lay low for a while.”

“Yesss. Shall I leave shaping public opinionn, to you, Master?”

“Of course. As for the means afterward—”

“Leave it to me. That’s my job, after all.”

Uzuki twisted his mouth into a grin.

Still that terrifying smile, Himuro thought.

It was fine now because he held Uzuki’s reins, but the thought of him being taken by another Guild sent a shiver down his spine.

He—Uzuki—killed people without hesitation, beautifully, and in particularly cruel ways.

He was the Shisei Guild’s foremost assassin.

Entrusting Yuki Asuto’s assassination to him would be no problem.

Himuro had enough trust and proof of his capabilities to be certain of that.

“Ah, that reminds me—”

It was while Himuro was looking over the documents Uzuki had submitted.

He suddenly remembered the existence of a pesky little fly buzzing around.

“You mentioned before that there’s a little fly snooping around the Hunter Association, right? Since the timing is good, you can dispose of him along with Yuki.”

Himuro pointed at the printed photo of a certain staff member on the document.

That alone must have made Uzuki understand everything he needed to do.

Uzuki grinned widely.

“Understood.”