Chapter 8: E-Rank Hunter, Yoschua Verdi

I headed straight for the Hunter Association office.

“Oh my, it’s the young lady who came with Mr. Luca last time.”

The female receptionist said as she spotted me. A familiar face.

‘Was her name Irene?’

At Irene’s words, I quietly nodded.

“What brings you here today?”

I unfastened the Artifact from my wrist and held it out to Irene.

“You want me to look it up? Got it.”

I hadn’t said a word, but Irene seemed to catch my intention right away and set the Artifact down on the scanner stand beside her.

*Ziiing—*

A faint glow rippled for about three seconds before Irene turned her gaze to the monitor next to the stand.

“Oh my, you cleared a dungeon? And took down a Boss-Rank too… So what Mr. Luca said was true.”

Seeing Irene’s surprised expression, I couldn’t help but puff up with pride.

“Rank Advancement application.”

I followed up with the reason I’d come to the office today.

“Right, right. Advancing to E-Rank is something I can handle on my end too… Just wait a moment.”

It didn’t take long.

“Here, take your Artifact. I’ve registered you as E-Rank.”

“Thank you.”

I fastened the Artifact Irene handed back to me onto my wrist.

Advancing from F-Rank to E-Rank is possible without any special procedures.

In fact, I even have a record of taking down a Hob Goblin, a Boss-Rank Demon Beast among E-Ranks, so I could apply for advancement straight to D-Rank without issue.

But I deliberately didn’t.

Sure, I want to raise my rank quickly, but I don’t want unnecessary attention.

Even among Low-Rank Hunters, those who advance in such a short period are rare.

Only the promising rookies from big guilds who’ve built a reputation since their debut.

If an unknown Hunter advances in a short time, word will naturally spread, and plenty of guilds will come looking to recruit me.

But I have no intention of joining a guild, and I don’t want to be in the spotlight.

Being under someone doesn’t suit my temper, and if I get famous, I might get my identity exposed.

*

This time, I picked the Gate with the fewest people.

The reason? I didn’t want to deal with prying eyes.

The place I went yesterday had too many gazes fixed on me for no reason.

I hate crowded places.

—Murderer!

The bad stares that follow me.

Even if my body has changed, those memories still remain.

And because of that, I keep thinking things like this.

What if that person knows who I really am?

Of course, there’s no way… no way, but it still bothers me.

Thankfully, this Gate had noticeably fewer people.

No one was even grouped up. Guess they’re all timid types. Thanks to that, I can relax a little.

“Hello, everyone…?”

While I was letting my guard down, a female employee in a neat suit, who seemed to be from the Association, stepped to the center and greeted everyone.

Her face was visibly troubled. She’s probably anxious about how few Hunters are participating in this Gate’s raid.

E-Rank Gates are a joke, but that’s something only people who’ve been inside know. Plus, most Association employees managing Low-Rank Gates are rookies.

“Ugh…”

In the end, even when time came, no more people showed up, so the employee reluctantly raised her hand.

“Hunters, please enter!”

At the employee’s signal, I stepped into the Gate without a moment’s hesitation.

Let’s hurry. This time too, I’ll find the Boss Room faster than anyone else and clear it.

‘Ugh…’

As I stepped inside, a chilly wind hit my lower body, making me let out an involuntary groan.

Should I have picked pants after all? Too late now.

Soon, the scenery unfolding before my eyes was a rocky mountain.

A completely different place with no connection to the outside world.

Maybe that’s why coming to a dungeon always feels like I’ve arrived in another world.

‘Though the place before I entered the Gate is another world to me too.’

I’m a Possessor.

So the homeland of the people here is also another world to me.

Well, I’ve lived here for over twenty years, so maybe I should call this place my hometown now.

‘Let’s see.’

As I hopped up the rocks, a group that wasn’t human came into view.

I held out my Artifact toward them.

[ E-Rank Demon Beast, Kobold Warrior ]

[ E-Rank Demon Beast, Kobold Archer ]

‘Kobolds this time, huh.’

They’re practically cousins to goblins. Don’t look all that different either.

Speaking of kobolds… this dungeon must be a mine.

When I turned my gaze further in, I could see the entrance to the mine.

‘That must be it.’

I could smell it. The boss’s scent.

I felt a little excited. At the thought of wiping out all the Demon Beasts.

I wonder if I can fit all the Magic Stones into the backpack I brought?

Suddenly, I found myself envying the Awakened Ones who had the ‘Inventory’ Special Ability.

Of course, I’ve never actually seen an Awakened One who possesses a Special Ability besides me.

Looking around, it seemed like I was the only one who’d arrived at the mine.

‘There doesn’t seem to be anyone watching, so should I just wipe them all out at once?’

I don’t have to worry about anyone’s eyes on me, so I can fight to my heart’s content.

That was one of the reasons I chose a Gate with fewer people.

In that case.

[ Flame Element — Fire Road Lv.3 ]

No need to even pull out my staff.

No need to chant the incantation for the spell.

I just reached out my hand. And then.

WHOOSH—!

My hand spewed fire like it had turned into a flamethrower.

“Kkireek! Kkireerik!”

“Kkirireerik!”

“Kkireerik!”

Was the intensity of the flames too strong?

The kobolds let out screams and instantly turned into black, charred ash.

Seeing them brought back old memories.

That time I was starving while going through a dungeon and had no choice but to eat kobold meat.

‘Ugh.’

I felt nauseous. That stuff was seriously tough and tasted like shit. I even got an upset stomach after eating it.

When I arrived at the scene, which looked like a fire had broken out, I could see Magic Stones rolling on the ground.

I picked them all up and stuffed them into the backpack I’d brought.

The materials were all turned into charcoal, but since it was a Low-Rank dungeon, the quality wasn’t good anyway, so I didn’t feel the need to bother collecting them.

They’d just be dead weight.

‘Alright, let’s head inside.’

Before going in, I created a floating flame and made it follow me around like a lantern.

As I stepped inside.

‘Oh.’

I could see sparkling things embedded in the walls and floor that caught my eye. Magic Stones.

A hollow laugh escaped my lips. Getting excited over mere E-Rank Magic Stones… I’ve really hit rock bottom.

‘For mining…’

[ Mana Sword Lv.1 ]

A small halo of light gathered in my hand, and soon a sword emitting a faint glow was gripped in my grasp.

“Hup!”

Swish swish—

I sharply cut around where the Magic Stones were embedded, then dusted them off and put them in my backpack. Can I take all of these?

I should probably save some room for the boss’s Magic Stone and materials, so I’d better take it easy.

They’re heavy, and more than anything, my current body is a lot smaller than before, so I don’t think I can carry much.

If I’d known this would happen, I should have learned gravity magic too. Then I could carry loads without any trouble.

Maybe I’ll learn it later? It’s not like I’m short on time.

I was just picking up the Magic Stones one by one like that.

“Kkireek!”

A voice that wasn’t human rang out near my ear.

A kobold.

I turned my head toward the sound and saw kobolds with a slightly different appearance from the ones outside.

[ E-Rank Demon Beast, Kobold Knight ]

[ E-Rank Demon Beast, Elite Kobold ]

The Kobold Knight was wearing armor and holding a sword, as if trying to imitate a knight, and the Elite kobold was bigger than the other kobolds, but still, a kobold is a kobold.

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.1 ]

Level 1 should be enough.

“Kkirireerik! Kkireerik!!”

The kobolds started screaming as if having a seizure the moment our eyes met.

Step, step.

Whether they heard that sound or not, footsteps began to echo from a distance.

Just from the sound of the walking, I could tell. There were quite a few of them.

Maybe all the kobolds in the mine heard that bastard’s signal and are coming this way?

I waited a moment, and kobolds appeared from every direction.

Kobolds here, kobolds there, kobolds, kobolds, kobolds…

No matter where I turned my head, all I could see were kobolds.

If an ordinary E-Rank Hunter had come here alone, they might have given up on life at that overwhelming number.

But I’m not ordinary.

The corners of my mouth naturally curled up.

Since once probably won’t be enough—

[ Mana Shield Lv.7 ]

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.1 ]

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.1 ]

[ Flame Element — Fireball Lv.1 ]

Let’s prepare properly.

ZZZING—

As I cast Mana Shield, a blue light began to swirl around my body.

It was the highest-grade Mana Shield I could use.

I don’t know about anything else, but I hate getting hurt.

Facing the kobolds that filled the mine, I confidently took a step forward.

If kobolds had intelligence and could sense mana, wouldn’t they have dropped their weapons and run?

But these stupid kobolds didn’t. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread, they say—they raised their weapons and charged at me.

In my right hand, a Mana Sword.

In my left, flame magic.

SWISH!

The first kobold to reach me swung its sword.

I leisurely dodged by twisting my body, then swung the Mana Sword at the bastard.

SLICE!

The kobold’s upper body was cut cleanly, like tofu.

THUD.

“…!!”

As the first kobold that charged crumpled pathetically, the eyes of the kobold group watching me changed.

I could immediately tell what emotion was in those eyes. Fear.

“Heh, heheh…”

A smile naturally spread across my face.

I raised the hand gripping the Mana Sword high.

And then I declared to them.

“I’ll massacre you.”

WHOOSH—!

After that, it was the beginning of a slaughter.

A little while later.

The mine reeked of kobold blood.

That’s a problem. If the clothes I bought today get soaked in blood smell.

‘There’s too many, this.’

My backpack was already full. No room to put any more.

There are still plenty of Magic Stones lying around… what a waste.

‘If only I had the Inventory Special Ability…’

But then I wouldn’t have been able to use Incantationless Casting. The Inventory Special Ability is just being a pack mule at best, so Incantationless Casting is way rarer. Let’s think positively.

I grabbed what I could and headed deeper in. Whether it was because I’d wiped out all the kobolds that had gathered earlier, after that I couldn’t find even a trace of a kobold, let alone one itself.

Deeper still, around the time I reached what I guessed was the end of the mine.

I could see a structure that felt out of place in a mine.

‘Found it.’

The door to the Boss Room.