Monster Hunter:Volume3

Novel Illustrations

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  Front Cover

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  Chapter 1

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  Chapter 2

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  Chapter 3

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  Chapter 4

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  Chapter 5

Chapter 1 - Irritation

This is not the refreshing feel of fresh grass clinging to one’s cheeks, but rather the discomfort from fangs of bugs that had reached one’s skin through the gaps between armor pieces.

The jungle’s atmospheric temperature is high. Cool breezes from the nearby river helps to alleviate the heat, but it is hot nonetheless.

While on the same level, the jungle’s heat is different from the desert’s dry hotness, in that it gives one the impression of having an additional layer of soaked clothing stick to their skin.

Zeeg Grandest thought it was strange that while armor pieces made from fire wyvern shells are highly capable of blocking external heat, they also effectively disperse internal heat. Then again, if that were to not be the case, he wouldn’t have been able to stay put in the bushes for the past hour, waiting for his prey.

One whole day has passed since the start of this hunt. In accordance to the Hunter’s Guild contract, there should be less than an hour left before a carriage arrives to pick them up.

If that were to happen, the hunt at hand would be considered a failure. That is the single most important thing that they want to avoid. Although it certainly is disappointing for one to forfeit the quest’s contract fee, but reputation is what they are more worried about. If one were faced with consecutive failures, good hunting requests would stop coming their way.

On top of all that, the wyvern population is not so large in the first place. If a subjugation of a wyvern were to be requested, it would only be in cases when the client is truly desperate, meaning it is only natural for the guild to assign quests to hunters whose skills are up for the job.

One of the factors dictating that criteria is one's rank as a hunter, but it is natural that their recent hunting achievements would take priority when considering such things.

If one were to take long breaks from hunting, their skills would become rusty. Even if their ranks were high, they wouldn't be deem reliable if it's been years since they hunted their last wyvern.

In this aspect, the party Zeeg is currently a member of is one with a great amount of prestigious achievements. They've hunted a great variety wyverns, and the boy even owns the rare armor set, made from scales and shells of the powerful fire wyvern Rathalos, at the young age of 18.

Of course, the boy acknowledges the fact that it was not obtained with his strength alone, but with the combined strength together with his comrades.

Without moving any other part of his body, Zeeg averted only his eyes- He looked to his left at the bottom of the cliff that stood there.

From the bushes, a pair of sand-colored horns protruded upwards, as if to pierce the heaven.

Those are the shoulder pads of the Diablo Mail, a piece of body armor manufactured from horns and shells of the desert-dwelling herbivore wyvern Diablos.

That large man had fortified his whole upper body with Diablo armor, and for his lower body, armor made from shellss of the armor wyvern Gravios. His whole body may be covered in heavy armor, but he is certainly not a coward.

One would understand when they look at the Field Horn hanging from his waist.

Manufactured with a unique engineering technique, the horn serves to emit a sound that attracts the attention of monsters.

Only ones who have confronted wyverns before would comprehend the magnitude of courage it takes to blow the horn in the presence of such beasts.

That large man is still active in his hunting career at the old age of 60- He is Gannon Denon. Even though the color white is becoming more and more prominent over his originally black hair, not one bit of his physical strength has deteriorated.

Gannon's Diablo Spear may not have any special attributes like the Hellfire lance, which can emit fire and burn the target's flesh with each stab, but what he is currently using has greater sharpness that enables it to pierce through tougher wyvern scales.

A pair of small horns could be seen shaking beyond the shoulder pads. Those are the horns attached to the large man's helmet. Although Zeeg could not see the large man's face, the boy averted his line of sight back to his front upon feeling an intimidating gaze directed back at him.

Their prey this time will be coming from the sky, but the threats they have to be aware of is not limited to that point alone.

Aside from the sky, there are three entrances to their current area, including the log that acts as a bridge across the river, a large opening in the cliff, and a path that goes between the river and he cliff.

Luckily for today, giant bug monsters such as Vespoids and Hornetaurs, that seem to come back no matter how many is struck down, were nowhere to be seen.

Zeeg couldn't come to a conclusion whether it's because of the change in climate or a premonition of things to come, but it makes their job easier nonetheless.

Normally, they would have to tediously deal with those giant bugs with the size of large dogs, with carapace as sharp as knives, and with needles that inject their opponents with paralyzing toxins.

Hearing subtle movements in the air, Zeeg shifted his line of sight to the river's direction. Think of the Neoptreons and they doth appear- Something like that had happened to them before.

However, what caused the movement in a patch of damp grass wasn't a bug.

A giant flower bloomed among the lush greenery, thickly covered in spike-shaped petals and shining in a metallic silver.

Nay, that is no flower.

In the jungle, there exists giant flowers that emit the scent of rotten flesh, but like how Gannon's armor isn't an actual monster, what stood there wasn't a flower, but rather the waist part of an armor set that gives such an impression.

It is a fashionable armor piece, made of materials obtained from the female fire wyvern Rathian, designed as if intended to be an evening dress made of steel. This particular design if for use by women, and while the waist armor this girl is currently wearing is weaker in terms of defense compared to what she used to wear, it has an advantage in its reduced weight.

Still, Zeeg speculated that there is an additional reason for this girl who is a year younger than him- for Elmeria Franport to suddenly change her armor of choice to one with lower defense.

That is because the time she changed to the Rathian set coincided with when Zeeg made the switch to his newly obtained Rathalos set. In other words, she's certainly saying that she doesn't want to wear the same armor set as the boy.

Still, even if Fradio Heart, one of their comrades, would say something like,

"Hehehe... Matching armor sets, I see..."

Even if he intended them as mere jokes, the boy and the girl would surely be overwhelmed with embarrassment and awkwardness, but Zeeg never thought that it would be enough of a reason to change one's armor, as it actually is a matter of life and death.

("......Seriously, does she dislike it that much?")

Zeeg would often take offense when he sees that armor. Not only due to his distaste for its appearance, but also the girl wearing it.

And in the direction of that Elmeria girl, a hunk of metal could be seen.

It is a heavy weapon handled by the young lady, unfitting for her thin arms- A hammer.

The hammer is a difficult to use weapon type, as it focuses on pulverizing prey with powerful swings, while completely neglecting defense. Even so, Elmeria chooses to not wear some parts of her armor in exchange for more manageable mobility, meaning even a single hit from a monster could end up being fatal.

The reason she's able to choose such a dangerous specialized attack style is because she's hunting in a party, in which Gannon is the one pulling the monsters' attacks toward himself.

("......Isn't she becoming more of a coward lately?")

That was what Zeeg thought while looking furtively at the girl's profile and her long blonde hair, tied together at her nape.

The boy couldn't shake the thought that the girl's decisions up to now have been way too cautious. It is only natural that it is a leader's responsibility to care for their comrades' safety and know when to pull back. Only then will they be considered a full-fledged hunter, but that's totally different from being a coward.

Even during this hunt, they had many chances to take. But Elmeria would always choose to to the safe route, not taking any risks.

Even when Zeeg would say things will go well, she wouldn't accept his proposal. Even when wounds were so light that they can practically be licked off, she would tell him to use medicine on them.

("......I'm not just some little brat, dammit.")

Of course, from Elmeria's standpoint, she probably wouldn't consider the boy to be a even halfway to the top yet, but it's not like he's so useless that he doesn't know the state of his own body.

While keeping himself from clicking his tongue in annoyance, the boy returned his line of sight to his front.

If he were to not stop thinking unnecessary thoughts, he wouldn't be able to move his body as effectively as he can at the most crucial moment. That moment may very well be what decides between life and death.

Sensing in his ears a faint sound of grass being stepped on, Zeeg held his breath.

As faint as it may be, the boy knew very well that Gannon and Elmeria also noticed it.

He peeled his eyes wide open and turned to that direction- Into the darkness beyond the large opening in the cliff. But having just adjusted his eyes to the brightness, he couldn't peer into the darkness without difficulty.

Even so, the boy looked on, and could eventually see the orange color of a rotting fruit exuding from beyond that darkness.

Of course, that doesn't mean the darkness is literally rotting.

Zeeg could hear a short gasp that he unintentionally let out from his throat, and feel the damp sweat that formed under his red armor.

The color started forming a shape, as a crested head protruded from the darkness.

("It just has to be Ioprey......")

Zeeg groaned from the depths of his abdomen.

Those things are the most demanding type to deal with among small carnivore monsters. Their throats contain Poison Sacs, and they hunt by appearing in large numbers and spitting poison at their prey repeatedly, then ganging up on their weakened target.

Moreover, the one that just appeared isn't alone.

One crested head after another appeared from the opening in the cliff, each raising up their heads as if to sniff for the scent of prey.

Five in total- Under normal circumstances, this quantity wouldn't be something to worry about.

However, now is a very bad time. That is because the plan was to have Fradio lure "her" here. It a melee were to break out in this location, even an Iodrome will pose a threat.

Zeeg lifted his waist up slightly and reached for the handle of his great sword- of the Lacerator Blade+, but stopped upon feeling a piercing glare from behind.

Turning around while taking care to not be noticed by the Iopreys, Zeeg's eyes met with Elmeria's unsparing blue-green pupils. Obviously, what she meant to communicate was "don't make a move".

Zeeg answered with some gestures, his message being "it'll be better for us to take them down first". As tough as it may be, even Gannon's Diablo armor won't defend against poison. It won't be an easy task to keep those Iopreys in order while fighting against "her" at the same time. As reply, Elmeria made a decision that totally astonished the boy.

She raised a finger and pointed at the riverbank.

("Step aside, you say!?")

As if she was reading Zeeg's mind, Elmeria nodded. Get away from this location and wait for those Iopreys to leave before coming back- that was surely what she meant.

She wasn't joking, apparently.

Right now, Fradio should be in the process of luring "her" from the nest to this location. Sounds of that man's heavy bowgun being shot could be heard several times in the distance, and the trained noses of hunters could smell the unique scent of Paint Bullets which had been fired at "her".

At any second now, "she" will be here.

This is undoubtedly their last chance for this hunt. It it were to fall all apart at the last moment because of some Iopreys, the frustration would be unbearable.

Looking away from the girl, Zeeg moved without making any sound and reached for his Lacerator Blade+ with his hand, wrapped in a wyvern scale gauntlet. A reproaching sound could be heard from behind. The boy could feel Elmeria breathing out of the spaces between her teeth in a menacing manner as a warning, but he pretended to not hear her.

At that moment, the Iopreys broke into a commotion and cried out to each other.

The boy thought they've been noticed, but that was not the case. Observing the Ioprey pack breaking off to their left and right as if to make way for something, Zeeg then peered curiously into the darkness once more.

A prominent crest, violet in color as if packed densely with poison, appeared from the darkness in a position approximately two head lengths higher than those of the Iopreys. Under its head is a large swollen throat sac. From the other side of the small hill, it looked at the Ioprey pack menacingly with its eyes, shining like golden ink drops.

("So there's an Iodrome here as well......")

Zeeg could feel impatience burning in his chest.

Iodromes usually act in independent groups, but sometimes they would follow a certain creature acting as their leader. It is a monster called Iodrome, and while its size is not quite as big as other wyverns, its toughness level is on par with Yian Kut-Kus.

The Iopreys' primary prey are giant bugs, but if other creatures were to disturb their feeding grounds, they wouldn't let it slip either. Additionally, this current location is surely one of their best feeding grounds.

Even if the group were to decide to retreat, they wouldn't be able to leave this area without being noticed anymore. The Iodrome is sharp-sighted. Also, even staying hidden is not a viable option either.

There's the option to have "her", who is being lured here, fight those Iopreys, but that's not really a reliable tactic.

Besides, if they were to jump head first into the ensuing chaos, all of the monsters' attention would be focused on the hunters.

("I just have to do it.")

Zeeg came to that judgement.

While Elmeria may be the leader, it doesn't mean that the other hunters are below her. They all paid their share of contract fee and had their share of participation in the hunt. Meaning, if the request were to not be fulfilled, the boy would lose his share of contract fee and his own reputation. He just can't afford to let that happen.

Zeeg gripped the handle of his Lacerator Blade+ and got up to his feet. "Don't!", an ear-piercing exclamation came mixed in with the sound of the river's flow, but the boy paid it no heed.

At this point, they would've been noticed either way.

The boy rushed ahead in one go, swiping the grassy-smelling sweat off his body. He then stopped and simultaneously flicked up his waist to spring up the sword on his back, grabbed and pulled on the handle, and brought the blade down in an overhead slash.

Retractable blades sprung out of the sword's body like wyvern fangs, digging into the head of one Ioprey, then pinned it down on the damp earth just like that.

The great sword's wielder then pulled his weapon up and rotated his body in a side revolving swing, splitting the Ioprey's skull apart. The blade mowed down and dug into another Ioprey's legs, tearing its flesh and bone.

Letting out a shriek, the Ioprey collapsed.

The other Iopreys screamed in unison, and the boy listened to those high-pitched voices while raising his sword for another overhead slash, decapitating another Ioprey.

Amid the gushing body fluids, the boy utilized the sword's recoil to make a sideways evasive roll.

On the spot where he was standing on just a moment ago, the ground was dyed in blood and bluish purple toxin, the greenery started to change color and withered before his eyes.

The boy instantly stood up and mowed down the neck of another Ioprey. The monster fell, its crested head spinning in the air before falling down right in front of the boy. Seeing the neck swell up, Zeeg leaped out of the way. A mixture of toxin and saliva spurted out, hitting a tree and raising white smoke.

Things are going great, was what the boy thought, but at that moment the clear sky suddenly darkened.

A fierce gust of wind blew from the front, followed by a thunderous roar that shook the hot, damp atmosphere and caused ripples on the river's surface.

("So it's here!")

While using his sword to guard against the gale, Zeeg took a look at "her" through his helmet's visor.

Wind burst forth as the creature spread its wings, blowing away the poisonous mists and swaying the trees' branches.

As if to challenge the new arrival, the Iodrome raised its head and cried out. It's as if it was declaring this place as its territory.

However, a head on a long neck extended down from the sky and bit the Iodrome's neck, easily ending its living breath.

The smaller creature's thin neck swelled up, then exploded. As toxin splattered all over the place, some of "her" scales seemed to have been burnt, and violet fluid dripped from "her" mouth, but "she" doesn't seem to be injured.

On top of the Iopreys that had been thrown out of order and attempting their escape, the large body, as green as the jungle, swooped down. As for Zeeg, he had already gotten out of the way somehow.

As one of the Iopreys got terribly trampled under that foot, its amber-colored eyes popped off, and its internal organs were wrung out of through mouth.

Immediately after, the other Ioprey that got away was struck by "her" tail and knocked into the river, never to resurface again.

As if to cancel out the sound of flowing water, "her" roar echoed throughout the area- She is Rathian, a female fire wyvern called by some as the queen of the jungle.

In awe of the menacing existence, the boy's body stiffened.

Although he had hunted it multiple times prior, he would have this same feeling in situations like this.

That is because it is every person's fundamental level of fear.

There's a saying among hunters that, if one doesn't feel that fear anymore, then it would be time to retire. That is because hunters who have lost their feelings of fear would in turn lose their fear of death.

Whether that's true or not, the boy could never get used to the uneasiness that goes against even how he wants to move his body.

As Zeeg clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, the Rathian's face turned around in his direction. Her golden eyes met with Zeeg's, who was crouching on one knee behind the bushes.

From the opening mouth, what remained of the crunched Iodrome head was dropped to the ground, along with the lingering toxin and blood. It's as if she was telling the boy that he'll be the next one.

The wyvern then raised another roar, knocking Zeeg down on his buttocks with the voice's sheer pressure.

The giant mouth opened up before him, showing the pitch black interior of the throat. Beyond it, a faint flickering light could be seen, as if it's a fireplace that is being lit up.

It reeked of blood. Just the smell of blood is what's not so different between himself and the Ioprey, was what the boy thought.

He's living, and what's he smelling is death.

While the boy was frozen in place and wondering whether or not he'll be eaten, the sound of Field Horn echoed throughout the area. That sound is what gives hunters courage, while in turn induces fear and rage in their prey.

The Rathian immediately reacted, turning around in the direction of the cliff.

Gannon dropped the Field Horn from his hands, then readied his set of lance and shield, both created from the hardest shells of Diablos.

Letting out another roar, the Rathian then charged forward. A great amount of dirt was kicked up from the damp ground, causing large ripples as they fell into the river. The spike that protrudes from the monster's lower jaw, said to be used for child rearing, clashed with the shield, scattering sparks. Without stopping, the Rathian pushed Gannon towards the cliff.

"You're the one who started this, so don't just sit there!!"

Haring that angry shout from behind, the boy turned around and saw Elmeria, who is in the process of slipping past the Rathian's tail in order to get to the other side.

Just like that, she applied a great amount of force into the swing of her hammer- one that appears to be half-broken, striking the Rathian's leg.

The hammer's exposed core seemed to shine, and its impact caused a ripple in the Rathian's leg. It then spread throughout the monster's body, causing its scales to stand up in an unnatural manner with some of them being ejected right off, followed by gushing blood.

The wyvern let out a seemingly painful shriek, while at the same time raising its tail up. The barbs on that tail are poisonous.

The tail bent and lashed like a whip, and Zeeg immediately felt that it's dangerous.

That is because Elmeria is still dragged along by her hammer's swinging arc, and her stance is not yet readjusted. The swinging tail is undoubtedly being aimed at her.

Sheathing his great sword, Zeeg ran through the space between the wyvern's legs. The fear he felt in this moment gave him goosebumps. It those feet were to move, he would be easily trampled down.

Noticing that, Elmeria's eyes opened wide, questioning the boy's action.

There was no time for any explanation. Zeeg saw in the edge of his eyes that the Rathian's tail momentarily stopped, as it is getting ready to slam down on Elmeria.

Zeeg leaped at the girl, with the intention to push her down.

Under him, the girl let out a startled scream.

That was followed by a punch on his helmet, simultaneously with a terrible impact on his back from the strike that he was trying to defend against.

("Seriously!?")

Zeeg moaned. With intense pain in his neck. He had been hit from above and below at the same time. Elmeria's physical strength is comparable to an attack from a wyvern. After all, she's able to wield a giant hammer like it's nothing.

"S- Sorr-"

Without listening to the end, Zeeg got up and swung his great sword at the Rathian. The attack was for venting anger, from getting hurt as a reward of going through the trouble of saving someone.

However, the blade fanned the air.

The Rathian soared up into the sky. It made a midair somersault spin with great force, and Zeeg raised his great sword up to guard against it. The tail raked the ground, leaving behind a small pond where water from the river flowed into. Sparks scattered as the bards collided against the sword.

Strong toxin, with potency on a whole other level compared to those of the Ioprey's, scattered from the wounds on the tail. It splashed on the boy's great sword and armor, raising steam.

A muffled voice could be heard.

Looking that way, Gannon was on his knees, pressing on one eye with his hand. Smoke rose from the helmet, in the area surrounding that eye. He had been hit with the Rathian's poison.

Elmeria's face went pale as she broke into a run.

"You idiot!"

Zeeg shouted out to her, but it probably didn't get through to her ears.

At that moment, smelling the unique scent of sulfur, Zeeg looked up at the sky.

Landing on the riverbank opposite to this side, the Rathian took a deep breath. A great amount of air was sucked in through its nose.

"Elme-"

The boy knew that he wouldn't make it in time, so all he could do was give a warning.

The interior of the Rathian's throat shone in red, and a large fireball was shot out from its wide open mouth. It exploded upon impact, engulfing Gannon and Elmeria in a fire vortex.

Zeeg covered his face, but was still blown away by the explosion, landing on the ground in a unsightly manner. Hot wind blew onto his body. The heat that seeped through his armor lightly burned his hair and skin.

He rolled into the river, hearing a steaming sound as water evaporated upon touching his armor, then hurriedly lifted his body back up.

A whirlwind then hit the surrounding area, blowing away smoke and extinguishing flames.

The scorched earth had been turned black, and the trees turned into charcoal. A burnt smell drifted throughout the area, and the water in the small pond left by the Rathian even evaporated.

However, Gannon and Elmeria weren't burnt along with the area.

Surely, the large man had shielded Elmeria at once. His shield had been deployed on front of them, and its surface is covered in soot. After confirming that the two were safe, Zeeg felt a weight being lifted off his chest, and so he turned around once more.

The Rathian spread its giant wings and began its ascent. At this point, it's gone up so high that the sword wouldn't be able to reach it anymore. One of its legs was injured, and red drops of blood splattered throughout the area as it dangled.

For a moment, Zeeg felt his line of sight meeting with those golden eyes.

That wyvern, called by some as queen of the jungle, raised its voice one more as it beat it wings in order to change its direction. Zeeg immediately reached for the leather pouch on his waist and took out a Flash Bomb, but upon seeing that the Rathian is no longer looking his way, the boy had to let it go.

The green queen flew away quietly, despite its bloody, dangling right leg. What remained in the area were only the gust from her beating wings and the burnt stink resulting from her fire.

Zeeg knew full well of the reason they weren't able to finish it off. It was due to Elmeria running off to Gannon's side.

That was when the group's cooperation completely crumbled away.

When it comes to his role as decoy, Gannon did his part perfectly. It's evident from how he dealt with the fireball that was meant for him. It was Zeeg and Elmeria's duty to focus their attacks when they see an opening, but Elmeria forgot that when she ran to help Gannon.

And this is the result.

Irritation burned inside the boy's chest, so much that he felt like spitting fireballs like a Rathalos. But now is not the time. He still has to see this work through to the end.

Sealing his leather pouch close, Zeeg then turned to Gannon.

"......You alright?"

"I am."

Although clearly in pain, he was still able to give a firm answer.

On the other side of Gannon's shield, Elmeria raised her face.

Her face is even paler than usual.

As a result of the fireball's heat, her blonde hair had been messed up. Her eyes quivered in fear, but Zeeg never thought it to be unsightly.

No matter how skilled the hunter, they would never forget their fears.

However, her course of action just now was different from usual.

"......Glad to hear that."

Saying that as if it was just for courtesy, Zeeg turned away from the pair and started walking, stepping on the dry, black soil.

"W- wait! Where do you think you're going!?"

In response to Elmeria's voice, Zeeg turned his head around without stopping his feet.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to chase after it."

His nose can still smell the paint on the target.

From the strength of this smell, the location she's currently heading to should be beyond the opening in the cliff- the area with dense vegetation.

While not a place where he swing his great sword around easily, but the hindrance also applies to the Rathian.

The color of the wyvern's body blends in fairly well with the environment there, making it an ideal location for the monster to hide in, but the boy still thought he's the one who has the overall advantage.

One reason is because the thick vegetation will serve as shield against the monster's fireballs and poisoned tail.

"Y- you can't!"

Zeeg expected that statement from her, but he still couldn't help but click his tongue as he stopped his feet.

What could she have meant when saying he can't?

Elmeria's previous strike must have completely broken the Rathian's knee joint. One would know when they look at its rear view as it flew away.

If the boy were to chase it down right now, he might be able to defeat it before escort arrives to pick them up.

"Gannon has to be treated! You help too, Zeeg! We're carrying him back to basecamp!"

The injury shouldn't have been that severe. The Rathian's barbs didn't pierce his eye- or even touch his face, for that matter. It was just a small drop of toxin, so washing it off with river water and applying some antidote should suffice. That much can be done in only a few minutes, right here. Even if they were to go back to camp, the degree of medical treatment they would be able to do wouldn't change.

"......Is it really that bad, Gannon?"

Zeeg directed his question not at Elmeria, but at the man himself.

Gannon leaned his shoulder against his lance that had been staked to the ground. Half of his face was inflamed and has turned violet, and the eyelids of his injured side has become badly swollen.

Elmeria removed the man's helmet, then used clean drinking water from her canteen to rinse his eye, rather than drawing water from the river, then applied the antidote. The area between his brows started to wrinkle as white vapor rose up. The medicine's effect kicked in before long, greatly alleviating the swollen areas and the color of his skin.

"How're you feeling?"

"......Hm, all good now."

Gannon said that and started to stand up, but Elmeria's hands held the man's shoulder down. The girl then turned to the boy, her eyes burning with anger.

"Help me out here, Zeeg."

Those words meant to "ask" for help, but her tone made it sound more like an "order". Zeeg felt something in his head being cut off. It might have been that thing people call the cord that holds one's patience together.

"......You've gotta be kidding."

As if spitting those words out, Zeeg spoke up. Elmeria's facial expression turned severe right before his eyes. It's like a mirror. Zeeg knew full well that he himself is also making that face. Even though he knew, he just couldn't keep quiet. The boy opened up his visor and gave Elmeria a dark look.

"Don't you get it? If we let it get away now, we'll fail this hunt, you know?"

Without a doubt, this is the last chance they have for this hunt. Even so, while they're stuck in this argument, the wyvern is probably recovering from its injuries, and the carriage that is coming to pick them up is almost here. Zeeg couldn't bear to meet those eyes that look on with pity and disdain for the quest's failure.

"Gannon's eye isn't something that can be replaced."

Elmeria raised her voice, showing determination as hard as Machalite in her decision. Her implication was that she wasn't ever asking for any opinion to be expressed. However, the boy couldn't just obediently go along with that.

That is because, at any rate, the boy was born and raised in the same village as the legendary hunter, the Hero of Kokoto. This results in him being met with ridiculous expectations from others. That in turn gets him a great amount of job recommendations, but on the other hand, failure would mean tarnishing his village's name.

Even if he were to say "I'm me", the society's spotlight focused on him wouldn't go anywhere.

"C'mon, old man did say that he's all good now."

"Gannon would still say that even when he's not."

Of course he won't, was what Zeeg thought, but he kept quiet because nothing he says would be able to sway Elmeria right now. Gannon is a hunter to his bones. Although he would go great lengths in order to protect Elmeria, he's not a rookie that would bluff things off in this kind of situation.

"......Just- do what you want."

Zeeg closed his visor, turned his back to the pair, and started to walk off.

"And where do you think you're going!?"

"Isn't that obvious? I'm going to hunt it. In that state, I should be able to pull it off alone. I can't afford to let this one go."

"You stop right there!"

Light footsteps could be heard, caused by Elmeria who ran towards Zeeg, stopping to stand between the boy and the opening in the cliff. She's carrying the Breath Core on her back. Zeeg admired her for being able to run with such speed with that thing on her back, but that does nothing to quell his anger.

"......Out of the way."

"I won't let you do as you please. We're going back to camp- And you're helping."

"Enough with that bullshit!"

Zeeg took off his helmet- the Rathalos Helm, and hurled it down on the scorched ground. Elmeria is apparently unfazed, and Zeeg is indeed angry at himself for letting out such a childish behavior, but for him to go pick up his helmet right now would make things even more awkward. Moreover, he is also irritated by how Elmeira is seemingly able to see through all of his thoughts.

"What did we come all the way here to do!? Wasn't it to hunt the Rathian!? And you're going to let it all go just like that!? Are you going to let all the trouble we went through for the last few days go to waste!?"

"I never said that kind of thing! But still, hunters have to know when to quit! If Gannon were to lose his eye, would you be able to take any responsibility!?"

"Wasn't that why I told you I'd go alone!? You can just take Gannon and go back to camp!"

"And since when did I give you the permission to do that!?"

Those slapping words caused Zeeg to roll his eyes. To him, it felt like he's being written off, like he's being told that he's not good enough to hunt the Rathian by himself.

Sure, wyverns in guild-designated hunting grounds are tougher than those in the hunting grounds near villages. But Zeeg's abilities were enough for him to hunt the one-horned wyvern Monoblos by himself. That wounded Rathian may still be a tough job for him, but it is not impossible.

"......Out of my way."

Acknowledging that what he did earlier was uncool, Zeeg picked up his helmet and held it under his arm, then used his other arm to push Elmeria away. However, the girl who stood there in an imposing stance also had the weight of the Breath Core on her waist, causing the light push on her shoulder to not move her at all.

A defiant gleam could be seen in her eyes. "I'm not even scared of wyverns' charges, and you think you can push me away with those thin arms?", was probably what she was thinking.

"You..."

"Coming at me with that attitude doesn't scare me one bit. Who do you think I am? I became responsible for you the very moment you became one of us. If you go out there and die, it'd be troublesome. You seriously think you're a first-rate hunter now? Don't be ridiculous. Just being able to hunt a Monoblos doesn't make you special. For a member of my party, that is."

It's useless no matter what he says, thought the boy. He gave it a thought, but couldn't recall since when did this girl turn into someone who doesn't listen to others. Maybe she had always been gradually changing all this time, as if being slowly encroached by Ioprey poison.

People don't notice the change in their long-time companions. And when they do, they'd be completely taken by surprise- Zeeg just remembered that he had once heard something along those lines.

"Having an argument in this time and place, I see."

Upon hearing that calm voice with a hint of coldness, Zeeg turned around.

A man approached, walking along the riverbank.

On his head was an ashen grey helmet with curled horns pointed to the back, and two eye holes giving an impression of a demon, with other parts of his body wearing the same type of equipment- Equipment created from hides of the poison bird wyvern Gypceros, except for the torso that was left naked, giving an impression of an executioner. An unforgettable appearance, even at the slightest glance.

Holstered on his back was the Tankmage, a type of heavy bowgun, which also has parts made of the Gypceros's Rubbery Hides.

"It's not that big of a problem. We're going back to camp for now, so get ready."

"Oh? Then, we're giving up on the Rathian?"

Under the Gypceros hide mask, Fradio's eyes narrowed.

"I never said that. We're having a good look at Gannon's injuries first, then-"

"We don't have time for this."

Zeeg interrupted the girl.

"If we go back, its wounds would be healed while we're there. If we're going to finish the hunt, it's now or never. If you're taking Gannon back to camp, then fine. But I'm going."

"Didn't I already tell you that you can't!?"

Zeeg turned back to Elmeria.

"And what's up with that!? No one's telling you that you're responsible for me! This isn't like back then when the guild had you take care of me! Or rather, if you have any brilliant plan to finish the hunt after we all go back to camp, then let's hear it!"

"That's......"

Elmeria bit her lips.

From her expression, it was evident that there was never such a plan. She insisted on it purely because, with priority above all else, she wanted to take Gannon back to camp.

Zeeg knew full well that the relationship between those two were a lot more than just hunting comrades. However, that has nothing to do with the hunt at hand.

Right now, their purpose is to complete the hunt as requested.

Returning alive is important, of course, but there's no meaning in worrying about it to the point of not being to complete requests. To be insulted for one's cowardice is what hunters can't bear with.

"......What do you say, Fradio?"

Zeeg asked while glaring at Elmeria, who is now casting her eyes down. Even while turned away, the boy knew that the man was making a move. Perhaps he was crossing his arms, or perhaps he was inserting his hand into his mask to scratch his chin- the chin with shape unknown to anyone, on a face no one has ever seen.

"Well... If you're asking whether or not to abandon the hunt, I'd say we have no choice but to abandon."

Elmeria's expression lightened up. "I told you so" was clearly what her eyes were saying.

That irritated Zeeg. Fradio ended up siding with her, was what the boy thought. In any case, the three members have been operating for a long time together in the same party. All this time, hunting under Elmeria's command. With that in mind, one's personal judgement would naturally be less reliable when compared to the girl's. Even so, Zeeg didn't think the decision he came to was wrong. However-

"We're already out of time, you see."

Fradio pointed up. At that instant, as if being called by the man himself, in the direction of the basecamp, a signal flare's trail of white smoke could be seen as it rose up to the blue sky. It signaled that the escort carriage had arrived. The team had wasted more time here than they had thought.

Failure, once again.

Denied of the reward money and precious materials they would receive had they succeeded.

A hard blow indeed, for one to lose money when they have been saving up for a new weapon. On top of that, it had been quite a while since they last received a request as big as to subjugate a wyvern.

It was supposed to be a chance they couldn't afford to miss.

The feeling of irritation just won't go away. All that time spent arguing should have been plenty for finishing the hunt.

"......Damn it all!"

Zeeg kicked the burnt, dry earth. Blackened dead soil fell into the river, creating countless ripples.

The Rathian's roar could be heard in the distance, as if it was laughing at the shallow-mindedness of its tiny hunters-

Chapter 2 - Setting off Alone

"Excuse me..."

Called upon by a distant voice from beyond the dream world, Becky straightend up as she felt her consciousness being pulled back together.

Just a little longer and she would have gotten to eat that extra-large rolled Rathian egg, but it was taken away at the last moment.

A registration book dropped loudly onto the floor. With sleepy eyes, she looked on as it filpped open.

She wondered, how many times has it been now?

It had fallen so many times that the corners were all dented. Although it would not be so difficult even in her sleep to grab it while it was falling, it would be annoying if someone were to make a fuss out of it.

As she picked up the registration book and yawned casually, the same voice could be heard once again.

Turning around, she noticed a young man, standing in front of the gathering hall's counter.

His approximate age should be... eighteen or nineteen? He was a new face, and seemed to be quite restless as he cautiously minded his surroundings.

His face had a childish look, and he seemed to be well-raised, with tall stature and solid build.

Not only that, his way of standing with a bent back made him stand out unnecessarily.

In this kind of place, looking like that is dangerous. It was like having a sign saying "I'm a newbie!" hanging from one's neck. He might have difficulties in finding companions, but worse than that, he might lose his life from being tricked into doing something beyond his level.

Becky readjusted her hat, one included as a set with her uniform, before standing up and turning to face the counter. She then habitually wiped the counter's surface, which had gained a black luster from absorbing a multitude of alcohol over the years.

While visiting hunters at this time were scarce as it was before sundown, there were those who had been here all day, loitering and drinking since morning without heading off to hunt. The hall's interior reeked of tobacco smoke and alcohol all year long, which could make some people drunk from the atmosphere alone.

Because of that, the boy's face going all red was not from nervousness alone. And judging from his demeanor, he seemed to be from some urban area. As of late, more and more young ones with such origins seemed to be turning up. They were the kind who came with admiration of the hunting occupation, as there have been increased opportunities of seeing monsters in the safety of cities.

That in itself is not a bad thing. They own their lives and the right to choose their path. They have the fortune to work towards a future of their own choosing, one in which they see enough value to risk their lives for.

For them, the guild will offer as much assistance as it can.

There is always the possibility that skilled hunters are hiding among those people, and ones with such skills will be a great asset to the guild. For that reason, being from an urban area is never a reason for the guild to turn someone away.

"Welcome."

As Becky said with a smile, the boy reddened up even more-- a favorable impression for her.

It just couldn't be helped that the boy's line of sight has dropped down to the woman's chest. It is only natural for boys his age, and the boy himself turned away soon enough. She finds this kind of innocence to be quite likeable.

Among hunters, there are many who is of the rowdy, uninhibited types. Although she could take care of them if they were to come forward, she wouldn't be able to keep the gathering hall under control if she were to worry about every little thing.

"So, on what businesses have you come here today?"

"Ah, um... I'd like to register as a hunter, please..."

It was hard to comprehend those words as his voice blended in with all the background drunken laughter, but it was better that way.

That is because, among those who don't head out to hunt, there are ones who will never miss an opportunity to lecture newcomers.

The types that tries to scam newcomers into buying stuff would be promptly thrown out, but most are of the type that do nothing but boast about their past exploits or give unhelpful advice.

The Guild Master told her to just ignore them, but Becky herself had always wanted to do rid the guild of those people.

Another reason is that most of them are the type to drink on the tab.

When it was time to pay up, she would kick their arses and send them away to work on a suitable quest, but among them are those who would leave without ever coming back.

Such is a possibility of a hunter's life, but it dampens her mood all the same when it happens.

Becky took out a different registration book from under the counter, opened it to a new page, placed it on the countertop, and pushed it toward the boy.

"Read what's written here, then sign if you agree to comply with all the terms, alright? Do you have an introduction letter?"

"No... Um... Am I supposed to bring one...?"

"No, no, you don't have to-- Anyway, make sure you read everything carefully."

"Y-- Yes..."

The boy cast his eyes down on the registration book and started reading intently, just as he was told to.

Seeing that his equipment was of the Velociprey set, apparent from their dull blue color, he seemed to not be a complete beginner. Still, one must not jump to conclusions. There still is the possibility that they were not manufactured from materials he had gathered himself.

The weapon on his waist was the Bonespike, a one-handed sword.

Its primary components were monster bones, making it lightweight and wieldy, but less durable than metal swords. However, it has upgrade potential, able to be turned into the embodiment of a fire wyvern's power if done right.

Before long, the boy nodded vigorously, raised his face up, and began looking around for something.

Becky passed him the fountain pen and ink bottle that was on the countertop. A faint, bashful smile appeared on the boy's lips as he received them and signed down his name.

He is called Brass Lagoon, apparently.

"Alright, Brass, next up is this."

Becky took out a yet another registration book, placing it before the boy.

Under normal circumstances, handling new guild registrations would be the Guild Master's job, but it was entrusted to Becky for today. The Guild Master has had too much to drink the previous day, and is now still asleep in his room.

Brass wrote down his information as the book prompted him to, showing no doubts in them. Age, gender, and most proficient weapon-- the basic profile.

The guild would assign jobs to hunters based on those information. There are no particular issues with writing down false information, but if that were the case, they might end up paying for it with their lives.

"...Done."

"Alright, thanks."

Becky took the registration book and scanned it over. Brass was younger than what his first impression suggested, being only sixteen years of age. But of course, hunters of that age are not nonexistent. Besides, this world is a competition, and starting early is sure to give an advantage, or at least, the chance to do over.

On the column for past hunting experience, it was written that he had hunted several Yian Kut-Kus back at his home region.

"Have you ever been on a Rathalos hunt?"

As Becky asked that, Brass anxiously knit his brows and shook his head.

"Um... Do I have to...?"

"No, no."

And so it's confirmed that he's a genuine beginner. If he doesn't carefully choose who he teams up with, it'll be all downhill from there. Furthermore, in the miscellaneous column, he'd written that he's handy for support roles, and that he has three Books of Combos with him.

"...So, why have you become a hunter?"

Becky asked as she was about to close the registration book. The reasons for coming to register as hunters greatly depend on each individual. Although they're generally here to make a living, she had a feeling that this boy is different.

"Um... I... I'm here to prove something."

"Prove? Prove what?"

"That I'm not a coward."

Although the boy declared as such, his demeanor was still that of a frightened rabbit.

Surely, this line of work is not where cowards thrive. It requires a great deal of courage to face wyverns large enough to swallow a person in one gulp.

Fear saps strength away from the limbs, and takes away freedom of movement from the body. Such is what happens to hunters no matter their degree of mastery, as they are involuntary reactions of the flesh, not impulses of the heart.

It is understandable that if he had the courage to face a Rathalos, then he would not be called a coward. But of course, he has to come back from it alive, too.

"Hey, that not bad at all."

Becky closed the registration book and smiled. Ones who are aware of their own fears are ones with the makings of a good hunter. That is because they know who themselves are. If he comes back alive, his experiences will accumulate well-- But then again, if he were to be overly cautious, then that would truly make him a coward.

"...Alright, you're all set with the registration. Your hunter rank may still be Ranger-- the lowest level-- but do your best out there."

"Y-- Yes!"

This time, his face being red was probably not due to shyness, but rather anxiety, anticipation, and excitement.

Becky then passed him his guild card and told him where to find the guest house. He would be surprised, that is for sure.

The rooms to accommodate new hunters are more or less equal to animal coops, after all.

If he is unable to stand just that, then he would be unfit for the hunter's line of work, where one has to camp out and go multiple days straight without bathing while out hunting.

The boy took the guild card and held it to his chest, said his thanks and bowed, then picked up his luggage and headed for the gathering hall's exit.

Seeing the hunters who entered at the same time as the boy made his exit, Becky's brows curled into a faint frown.

The air was heavy, filled with the mood of uneasiness.

Brass tried to avoid them, but his luggage bumped into one among them. The boy bowed to apologize, but it seemed like the group had not noticed him at all.

Leading the crew was a girl with a stern expression painted on her face, and a massive hammer, the rare Breath Core, on her back.

They were the party led by Elmeria Franport.

Behind her was the veteran hunter Gannon Denon, wearing armor with giant horns on its shoulder pads. Following him was Fradio Heart, the hunter who never takes off that Gypceros Cap of his; he had recently turned thirty according to the registration. The last to enter was Zeeg Grandest, carrying his helmet in his arms, with an ill-tempered expression.

("I wonder what happened?")

Usually, those four are not the type of hunters to show such attitudes.

The other hunters reacted to them, sensitive to the irregularity in the atmosphere. But it was somewhat mitigated by the fact that commotions are commonplace in the gathering hall.

The split between Elmeria and Zeeg were especially bad. They were like melting iron bars.

With the expression of discouragement of their faces, the quartet headed straight for the counter, stopping right before Becky. They probably came in here right after arriving in town. It was apparent from the dust on their armor, and their sour body odor that came mixed in with the stink alcohol.

"...Sorry, we failed."

Elmeria said, as if just throwing it out.

Becky immediately knew that she was referring to the Rathian subjugation contract, which they committed to.

Of course, if they were successful, their expressions would be far more merry compared how they looked when they came in. Even for Fradio, whose facial expression remains unseen, a difference be noticed from the look in his eyes. Although he seems to be finding amusement in the current group dynamics, he certainly is not satisfied with it.

"I see."

Becky said, while picking out the quest registration book.

This kind of thing is not that big of a deal. It may be unusual for the likes of Elmeria, but wyvern hunts usually do not end in success. They are just that dangerous, so to speak.

A Rathian that is taking care of its young are especially brutal, to the point of being untouchable. And in this case, it was a Rathian that had just retired from its motherhood, which would probably mean its extra ferocity still remained-- That was what Becky thought, but she recalled that this is not the only time Elmeria's party has not been able to fulfill their requests.

If memory serves her right, they must have failed their previous quest, and the one before that as well.

Becky opened the registration book and checked the quest details. One quest was to hunt two Basarios, and the other was to gather Powderstone. The Bararios quest was abandoned mid-way because Elmeria was injured, and during the Powderstone quest, they seemed to have timed out due to spending too much time driving away a Rathalos.

Putting down the registration book, Becky then looked at Elmeria and her team. Although what exactly happened remained a mystery, the accumulated friction among them was apparent. Zeeg and Elmeria were not even looking at each other at all, and Fradio seemed to be quite fed up with such state of affairs.

"Thanks for your hard work... But too bad, the contract fee can't be refunded. Do your best next time, too."

Elmeria nodded, without a shred of enthusiasm. In a plausible state of an undefeated hunter who suffered repeated defeats, as if being stuck in a bottomless swamp of disappointment.

One would think things will be fine since they have the veteran hunter Gannon Denon with them, but as it turns out, it is not necessarily the case.

"Want something to drink?"

As Becky asked her, Elmeria only ordered some food and alcohol over her shoulder and headed to a table. Gannon and Fradio followed her, saying nothing. Looking at them go, Zeeg clicked his tongue in annoyance, but went after them all the same, taking a seat diagonally opposite to Elmeria.

Becky passed the order of Aptonoth-Bullfango Ground Meat Sausage and Pickled Vegetables to the kitchen, then took a look at the party's savings in an account book.

In general, hunters do not carry their cash with them. The possibility of theft exists if they were left at the guest house, and if they were lost at the hunting grounds, it wouldn't be something one could just cry off.

And because of that, the guild offers its services to keep and manage their money.

For the most part, if the hunters were directly paid their rewards, the money would be all turned into alcohol and food, right on the spot.

Although it is profitable for the gathering hall, there would be none left for upgrading weapons and armor, increasing the number of hunters who are unable to tackle bigger challenges.

Such circumstance is undesirable for the Hunter's Guild.

So for that reason, and also to avoid unnecessary trouble among hunters as result of theft, the guild offers to temporarily keep their money and manage their payments in their place.

Becky swiftly flipped over the account book and checked Elmeria's balance.

She had sunk a considerable amount into polishing up the Breath Core, resulting in her savings going below even those of the average rookies for a time, but right now it seems to have come back to the usual level.

The same goes for the other three.

Especially Zeeg, who seems to have some sort of goal he is working toward, apparent from his accumulating savings and him barely doing any shopping. He is probably gathering what he needs on-site.

A female guild employee, wearing the uniform called the Maiden set, came in through the back door and placed a set of report documents on the counter.

The report concerns the hunt which Elmeria's team had just came back from.

Showing little interest, Becky picked it up and scanned it over. According to what had been written, the cause of failure was being too cautious. Apparently, the Rathian got away as much as three times, and the party was not able to finish it in the end.

Looking at the whole picture, Becky suspected that Gannon's injury was perhaps another reason.

Under the helmet, his face could be seen wrapped in bandages over the left eye. Hit by Rathian poison, according to the written report. Although he must have received prompt treatment, things are still uncertain, since it did get into his eye.

"Food's ready!"

Called by a voice from the kitchen, Becky closed the account book and stood up, pushed open the hinged door, and took the food platter. It was filled to the brim with grilled sausages, giving off quite the nice smell. Only a slight movement of the platter would cause the sausages' casing to burst open, sending meat juices gushing out, and also causing the uniquely sweet smell of meat to drift off.

Becky held the platter with one hand, and with the other, she nimbly picked up four mugs by their ears, used one of their rims to knock off the beer barrel stopper, then filled the mugs with the alcohol that came pouring out.

When all the mugs were filled, she used one of their rims again to put the stopper back in place, then pushed open with her rear the hinged door between the counter and the hall, and headed to the table where Zeeg and the others were seated.

Each one of them-- except Fradio-- had already taken off their helmets, but it seems that they still have not said a word to each other.

Although an air of uneasiness is surrounding them, it is quite a normal occurrence for parties that had just returned from a failed quest.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting. These are some good stuff for filling up your stomachs with, eh?"

Becky said, and placed the platter on the shiny black table.

No matter how bad one's mood, even if to the point of nauseating, hunger always prevail. Even more so if one has not had a proper meal for close to a week while they were out at the hunting grounds.

The most they could have eaten out there would be grilled salt-cured meat, or mushrooms and honey gathered on-site.

They were nothing compared to these sausages, which had been brought to its best flavors by a variety of spices.

And above all else, this place has the booze.

Moderately chilled beer-- it is the one thing that can not be surpassed.

The four hunters dropped all their thoughts, even if only briefly, as they picked up their mugs. They chugged down the contents-- the golden nectar under the thick bubbling cloud, so bitter yet so sweet.

"Kuhaah--!"

Exhaling in a manner that made her look like an old lady, Elmeria banged her mug down on the table, paying no mind to any beer that might have spilled off.

Even Zeeg, who usually does not even drink beer, is drinking quite a lot today.

Seeing them in that state, Becky broke off from their table and headed back to the counter, pulling out a large teddy bear and holding it in her arms.

But it seemed that Zeeg and the others had not noticed her doing so.

Each of them, with forks in hand, started tackling the sausages. The sound of those forks piercing the smoking hot casings could be clearly heard, even in the bustling gathering hall.

Life returned to Elmeria's disheartened face, her cheeks turning back to the color of brilliant rose red.

Even so, all of them still kept silent, which is quite the unusual occurrence.

When one is faced with failure, it is only natural that they would spend time to reflect in silence. But it doesn't seem to be the case for the team, at least for today.

Becky rested her chin on the teddy bear's head and looked around, noticing that most of the other hunters were staring intently at Zeeg and the crew.

In this City of Minegarde, those four are quite famous.

Not only had Elmeria attained a high Hunter Rank at such a yound age, she had also obtained the Breath Core, a hammer so rare that it might as well be considered a myth, not to mention that it was yet to be recreated by current technology. As for Zeeg, he was able defeat a Monoblos by himself-- an impressive feat considering that he had started his career just a year and a half prior.

Although young hunters have been increasing in number lately, there are not many who soared up the ladders like those two. Before getting to that point, most of them would lose their lives, give up and return to their hometown, or play it safe and gradually sharpen their skills.

But those two were blessed with luck. Natural talent also playd a part, of course, but without skilled senior hunters to guide them on their way, they probably wouldn't have come close to the level they currently are on.

And because of that, their recent string of failures are catching the interest of everyone.

That includes the guild, too.

Since the points that dictate each hunter's ranks were automatically granted for every party member upon completing a quest, if someone like Gannon were to do the most work, then the raking system would not be indicative of each individual's skills.

But of course, Becky herself doesn't doubt Elmeria and Zeeg's individual skills, and if she were to be ordered to write up a report, she would write it as such. Her opinion would act as a verification of their abilities, at least to an extent.

Besides, they were only one step away from finishing off the Rathian. The problem was that they couldn't take that one last step.

As Becky watched over them dragging on their silence, she noticed one drunk hunter swaying up from his seat, approaching the four.

The hunter was a young one, his face in deep red due to intoxication.

Becky recalled that the young man once tried to court Elmeria, which only resulted in him being given the cold shoulder. His armor was of the Vespoid set, crafted from shells of the giant bug monster Vespoid, and on his back was a set of lance and shield.

This time, Becky doesn't intervene immediately. She would come forward if the fight escalated to the point of weapons being drawn, of course, but hunters are as used to fist fights as saying their greetings.

"Ya guys~ Failed 'nother quest, eh~~?"

The young man said, brushing up the forelock that got in the way of his eyes. Elmeria and Zeeg stopped their hands. The young man rambled on, unaware of the situation.

"Like ay~e saiddd~ you should just join up with us~~ And thennn~ I-- wiuugh--!?"

Two forks, both with sausages still on them, flew into his gaping mouth like straight arrows.

They were thrown at the same time by Elmeria and Zeeg, with magnificent precision. If the sausages weren't still on them, they probably would have pierced the inside of the young man's mouth. And probably because he had come to such realization, the young man fell on his buttocks, his face changing from red to pale blue as he swiftly backed away.

Elmeria and Zeeg both let out a sigh, then, at the same time, reached out to the platter, stopping as their hands bumped into each other. This time, it was not due to feelings like shyness.

Considering the manner in which they were glaring at each other, the impression one could get from the scene was a standoff between mutual enemies.

"...So, you reflected on any of that?"

Zeeg was the first to fire a shot. His words gave the impression of bottled up feelings finally bursting off.

"Reflect?"

Elmeria returned fire, letting out an arrogant snort. Licking off the meat juices from her fingers, she then wiped her hand on the table.

"I don't have anything I need to be reflecting on."

"What do you mean?"

Zeeg's hands, rested on the table, clenched into fists.

"What, you don't know? Didn't we end up like this because you were acting on your own?"

"And when did I act on my own!?"

"Well, didn't you totally do that!?"

Zeeg knocked his fist on the table, and as if doing so in retaliation, Elmeria banged her mug on a wooden tray.

The platter and the sausages in it sprung up, but the two adults of the group paid it no mind as they continued eating and drinking in silence. They would definitely intervene when push comes to shove, but now is not the time.

Ignoring that those two adults were even there, Zeeg and Elmeria both leaned forward as they glared at each other.

"What did I do, huh!?"

"Well aren't you the one who always jump in on your own!? Like when we were hunting the Basarios, didn't you ignore what we said and kept on swinging that sword!? Thanks to that, our teamwork was totally ruined! And I also got hurt!!"

"Wasn't that because you didn't say things clearly!? I mean, sure, cornering them one by one is important! But isn't it ridiculous when we can't finish off even one of them after half a day!? We had less time than usual to do that quest, you know!? If you're not satisfied, then why didn't you be more decisive!?"

"Isn't that obviously to minimize danger and maximize benefits!? Don't you get it!?"

To vent off her frustration, Elmeria banged her mug on the table again and again.

"Look, what's most important to hunters is to come back alive! And to make sure everyone's safe, isn't it obvious that it'd take up more time!?"

"Yeah, that's right! But--! There's a difference between prioritizing survival and being a coward, you know!"

Elmeria stiffened up slightly.

"...So you're saying I'm a coward...?"

"Th-- That's right!"

As he said that, Zeeg's face suggested self-awareness of going too far, but he was probably too stubborn to pull back from what he'd decided to do. After the first word was out, all the

feelings he'd bottled up burst forth, as if a dam had been breached. He was unstoppable.

"You've been way too careful lately! You're thinking about so many things in your head, but aren't there a lot more that you wouldn't know for sure if you're not in the real action!?

Planning things through back at camp is important and all, but if our prey ran away, then what good would all those strategies do!? What is the purpose of us hunters!? Isn't it to hunt things!?"

Elmeria's face turned redder and redder. But not due to alcohol. Those lips of hers quivered, turning red like strawberry as she bit them down.

Zeeg averted his eyes from the girl and chugged down his beer. He then scowled, likely because of the bitter taste.

"...Th-- That kind of thing-- You didn't even need to tell me..."

Before long, Elmeria spoke up in a shivering voice. Becky observed that her shaking must be coming from something other than anger.

That is because Zeeg's words totally hit bull's eye.

They all line up with the report documents, which stated that Elmeria's recent actions have been overly cautious.

She used to lean more toward the daring type.

And in the first place, the party was supposed to be relying on Gannon to draw the monsters' attention, and also to compensate for Elmeria's boldness. If the primary attacker were to chicken out, then getting good results would surely be difficult.

"But--!!"

As Elmeria said that, her eyes slightly watered up. At first glance, one might say that she's just drunk, but looking more closely, it's also possible that she was on the verge of bursting into tears.

"The party's leader is me! I'm the one who decides how we hunt! Don't get any ideas!! This isn't your party! It's mine!!"

This time, the one whose facial expression changed was Zeeg.

He could get up and punch Elmeria at any moment now-- That was what his expression suggested.

Becky then noticed Gannon, who seems to be pretending to not hear a thing, but is actually keeping a sharp ear on the situation, and is clearly prepared to break a few bones in an instant if the boy were to make a move.

Although it's unknown whether or not Zeeg is aware of the large man, he soon sat back down and looked up at the ceiling, then took a deep, slow breath.

He then reached for the platter, picking up a sausage and popped it into his mouth, then made a bitter face as he chugged down all of his remaining beer in one go. After all that, he stood up from his seat.

"Wh-- Where do you think you're going?"

Elmeria's voice was audibly discomposed. She's likely wondering why the boy is standing up all of a sudden.

"...Back to my room. I'm taking a bath."

Saying that, Zeeg picked up his Rathalos Helm and the luggage at his feet, then turned away from the table. The Lacerator Blade+ on his back, plastered with dirt, rang a metallic chime as it swayed around.

Elmeria did nothing to stop him.

Zeeg walk away alone without looking back again, exiting the gathering hall.

He didn't greet Becky on his way out-- another rare occurrence. Although she definitely was there, the boy probably didn't notice her. His face suggested that he was lost deep in thought.

"...What the-- What's up with him?"

Elmeria chugged down her beer, then wiped off the bubbles around her mouth. Then, she looked at Gannon and Fradio. She was looking for reassurance that she was not in the wrong.

And just as she expected, Gannon nodded as if to say that the girl was right. Elmeria's expression lightened up, but Becky felt apprehensive about such an attitude.

Gannon has always had quite a soft spot for Elmeria.

Although he's just technically carrying on his duty for the aristocrats to whom he's indebted, in a prectical sense, their relationship seem to be one between a mentor and his student. But on the other hand, the relationship between a young mistress and a loyal retainer is still there. Not absolute obedience, but quite close to it.

But he's getting too old for this.

There's no way he can be a hunter forever. The day will come when Elmeria has to lead her party by herself. Up to now, there are many times when things went well only because she's had Gannon there to watch her back. But is the girl aware of that?

Surely, listening to what the leader says is key to a successful hunt. If each individual were to act on their own, then there wouldn't be any reason to team up.

But that doesn't mean rigid rules could be enforced. There are no social statuses for hunters, after all.

Even though the guild has a ranking system, it was created so that one could only accept jobs appropriate for them, and not as a social status. The differences in lodgings and food, too, were enforced as motivation factors for hunters, and a way for the guild to show confidence in them. And still, a beginner wouldn't even be able to pay rent for the better rooms anyway. Preventing them from renting in the first place also serves as a preemptive measure to unwanted complaints.

From Elmeria's attitude when she spoke to Zeeg, she was obviously putting him lower than herself. It was natural that Zeeg would get angry. The girl not realizing that she was doing so is a problem, and it falls to Gannon to be mindful of such things.

But he didn't say anything about it, and even went so far as to nod in approval to the girl's actions. At this rate, she would never realize her mistakes. Which raises some concerns of danger down the line, if she intends to keep on being a hunter.

As for Fradio, he's still doing things at his own leisure, as if unconcerned by the exchange that had just happened. Still eating the sausages, inserting them under that rubber mask of his, so as to not show his face.

Because the guild has always held the policy of not prying into hunters' personal backgrounds, the man remains an enigma. But all that matters is his skill. Though Becky herself has to admit that she's curious.

"That guy just doesn't get it! He doesn't get it at all! Right!?"

Elmeria leaned further and further forward in Gannon and Fradio's direction, expecting them to agree with her, but she also seemed to not be expecting them to reply.

"He's letting things go to his head! Hunted a Monoblos!? So what!? If he can't hunt one after sticking with us for a year and a half, then he'd be better off going back to the sticks! Isn't that right!? That stubborn little... stubborn... little...!!"

Frowning so hard that her forehead wrinkled, Elmeria banged her mug loudly on the table. She then held it up high and waved it around.

"--Becky, bring me more beer!"

"Alright, coming right up."

Becky tucked her Sleepy Bear away on the other side of the counter, then stepped out to collect the empty mugs. "Anyone else want refills?" she asked, and the customers on other tables here and there raised their hands.

She then turned back to the counter, signaling other waitresses to come out and collect the mugs.

The skirt of their uniforms were slightly shorter than Becky's. As they went around to confirm the orders of other tables, Becky came to take the mug off Elmeria's hand and smiled,

"Beer refill for you, right? ...Want to order some food to go with it, too?"

"Damn it all!"

Zeeg shouted as he threw the luggage he was carrying at the wall.

Without bouncing back, a blunt impact sounded as the leather bag fell to the floor.

Some medicine bottles inside could have been broken, but the boy paid it no mind. His priority was on venting his irritation.

But that did nothing to cool down his anger, which continued to erupt forth like molten rock.

Catching sight of the properly made bed, Zeeg's fingers wriggled. He raised his hand, reached for his back, took hold of his great sword's handle, and glared at the bed.

He wondered, how would he feel if he were to smash the bed to pieces with a sword as powerful as a wyvern's jaw? Chips of wood would scatter around, and the mattress' plumage would disperse in the air. Looking at such a scene could help calm his nerves.

But the boy ceased such thoughts. Considering the clean-up afterwards, it'd result in more trouble than it's worth.

Where Zeeg is currently staying is called the Bishop Room, decorated with a good amount of high-grade appliances and furniture. It's easy to break them to pieces, but as the boy is currently burdened by expenses left and right, it would hurt to increase them.

Sighing heavily, Zeeg took the great sword off his back and hung it on the wall, then took a seat on the chair.

Although the Rathalos armor is lightweight compared to metal armor due to being created primarily from wyvern shells, it is quite heavy nonetheless. The chair creaked faintly, as if it was about to scream. The boy felt that it could break apart if he moved his body too much, but he didn't want to lay down on the bed while wearing dirty armor.

("Dammit...")

Putting his helmet down on the round table, Zeeg then unfastened his hair strap. The dusty black hair was let down, releasing a greasy stink and making the boy feel itchy as it touched his cheeks.

He noticed that his hair has grown quite long.

The hair strap in his palm was one of the things be brought with him when he first left the village. It was decorated with a scale of the first Yian Kut-Ku he had defeated.

Compared to back then, he has improved quite a lot, if he says so himself. He felt like writhing in embarrassment as he recalled his immaturity, like a fruit on the verge of ripening, so full of hope and energy.

Compared to back then, what about now?

What opinion does he have on himself?

Being able to hunt a Monoblos by himself at least suggests that he has skills. Not that he's meaning to boast, but he has proof of it in the form of the wyvern's remains. He's also earned enough recognition that he'd recieved some requests of which the clients wanted to be done by him specifically.

But he's seeing no fun in them.

He has a feeling that at this point, he'd hunted every known monster at least once.

The piscine wyvern Plesioth, said to boast the largest size among all wyverns, and even the armor wyvern Gravios. He had also hunted a number of Basarios and Rathians, even though the latest attempts at them failed.

The requests are also becoming repetitive. At this point, he couldn't even count how many Wyvern Eggs he'd transported.

("Man, it sure is getting boring...")

Swaying his body around on the creaking chair, Zeeg looked out through the window. A small black spot could be seen on the blue sky. Judging from its size, the boy assessed that it was a Yian Kut-Ku. Probably chased off by hunters somewhere out there, but there's no way it's coming to the city.

And suddenly, the boy thought about Freda.

A girl from the same village, Freda Esgrand is a lone hunter who was acknowledged by the legendary hunter of Kokoto, and was granted his sword.

Hunting in armor made from pale white hides of the Khezu, she had become an emotional inspiration for many hunters with her unrelenting determination.

However, that determination of hers is not fit for hunting together with others. Being determined to never give up-- That is what could lead to the death of her comrades, or even herself.

Despite that, she has never lost her goal of becoming a hero. Even after she was acknowledged by the people as a new hero, she continues to sharpen her skills and swing her sword in order to help those in need.

Freda once said to Zeeg that it's even more difficult for a hunter to keep on being just a hunter. Those are also the words of the Hero of Kokoto.

Those words proved to be true.

Although he has been fairly successful in hunting, he certainly fees less gratitude for such victories. Letting his guard down could still cost his life, of course. But he's starting to get used to even such risks.

("And that's no good at all.")

The boy also felt that the respect he once held for the monsters' lives has been waning.

Particularly the recent times, during which he's been hunting only for money and materials for his weapon.

And that goes against the original philosophy of hunters, which is to take lives only so that one's own kind could survive-- That was what he thought.

Maybe it's time to stop being a hunter and look for another way to live life-- Just as the boy considered it, he felt as if he was plunged down a dark, bottomless pit at his feet.

He broke into cold sweat.

It was a different feeling from when he was facing wyverns, but he was scared of it all the same.

It reminded him that there's no way he could possibly stop.

That there's no other way of life he could possibly choose.

Stop being a hunter, and his life ends-- What's left is only an empty shell. It's way too soon for that. Move on as long as his body is able, and dying in exhaustion at the hunting grounds.

That was the boy's ideal life of a hunter.

("C'mon, this isn't the time and place to complain about being bored!")

If one thinks so, then it'd be better to look for the reason and deal away with it.

Zeeg scolded himself, feeling quite embarrassed for being an eighteen-year-old brat who thinks he already knows everything in the world.

Pulling himself together, the boy tried to find out since when did he think things are becoming boring, and soon realized that there was no need to go so far back.

Half a year ago, when he hunted the Monoblos all alone, he was very much satisfied with his life.

Even while recalling it, his heart pounded in excitement.

Which would mean the when he'd started to feel bored would be after that point.

And so Zeeg remembered.

It was around the time his team's hunts started to not go well.

Although the real failures were from the latest few times, there were also a few close calls before then.

Around the same time, he also started feeling annoyed that Elmeria's strategies were becoming cowardly.

Normally, Zeeg and Elmeria would frequently get into minor arguments, but recently, it escalated way beyond the point of being able to laugh off.

The topics also changed. Changed to things concerning their hunts. Things that must be given serious thought.

But no matter how much input Zeeg gave, Elmeria would never listen to him. Gannon would always take her side, of course, and Fradio would always be fine whichever way.

All Fradio cares about is playing around with Gypceros, to the point that he doesn't seem to even want new weapons and armor-- unless they're new models created from Gypceros's Rubbery Hides, which makes him likely to be unconcerned about the team's failures.

But Zeeg was different.

Most importantly, it felt like he'd been hit with Ioprey poison, not getting his suggestions accepted even though he thought things would go better that way.

Zeeg then suddenly recalled what Elmeria said back at the gathering hall, feeling that he has finally thought of a way.

--This isn't your party! It's mine!!

That's what she said.

It's a party led by Elmeria, so she's naturally the one who calls the shots.

She's the one who looks for requests, and the one who decides whether or not to accept them. Although she does accept everyone's opinions to an extent, she is still the one who makes the final decision.

And in the first place, Zeeg being added to her party was something which stemmed off from the Guild Master's personal intervention. It's only natural that the girl is the one who decides their strategies.

("Oh c'mon, isn't it so simple?")

Zeeg felt clear-headed, as if something that's been possessing him had finally slipped off. As if the fog in his head had instantly lifted.

It was actually so simple. If he isn't liking it, then he'd be better off bowing out. It's not like he's being bound by any legal force or formal contract.

And then, he could make a new party-- A party with him as the leader, hunting in the way he wants.

Zeeg stood up, unable to contain the excitement in his heart-- the excitement he hasn't felt in quite a while.

His own party-- those words sounded so enchanting.

The boy has an interest in making a name for his party by making it one with a specific hunting policy, like the Crimson Avian Wings who have mastered the art of hunting Yian Kut-Ku, or the Giant Spiders who hold the policy of fighting neopterons exclusively.

There are also those who are wildly enthusiastic about specific wyverns such as Khezu or Gypceros. As for Zeeg himself, the wyvern he considers to be his most worthy opponent would be Rathalos.

The Rathalos, the wyvern of wyverns. The boy strongly regarded it as such.

No matter how many times one has faced it, they run the risk of losing a limb or even their life if they let their guard down for even a moment. Only when Zeeg faced such an opponent would his lukewarm blood boil in excitement.

If that's what he's going to be satisfied with, then his party would have to be trained through numerous smaller quests. Not the training of each individual, but training to work together as a party. Still, that is also part of the fun.

Perhaps the same was true for what Elmeria had been striving for in her party.

It's unfortunate, but that was not the same as what the boy had been striving for. Or rather, they have ended up not being the same along the way.

Still, it is what it is.

And that is why the boy isn't feeling at home.

("Alright! I'll create a party of my very own! In the way that I want it to be!")

However, gathering new comerades in this city would prove to be difficult.

Elmeria's party is quite famous around these parts. Skilled hunters would be wary of joining up with the boy who had just left such a team.

It pains him to admit it, but it's only natural that one would want to join Elmeria's party over his.

Althought it's quite an annoying thing he's thinking about, the boy is perfectly calm. Could this be what they call becoming more like a hunter?

Zeeg picked up the leather bag that he had thrown at the wall, checking its contents. Luckily, no bottles had been broken. Though the only other things in it were a change of clothes and tools for equipment maintenance.

Materials obtained during the hunt are being transported back separately, but he's not in immediate need to use anything. Them being delivered a little later is no problem at all.

Taking out the necessary items out of the item box and packing them into the bag, Zeeg then opened up the Guild Handbook and looked up the information on the other cities.

The closer to Minegarde, the better.

That is because there are many good hunting grounds around these parts. Although not same hunting grounds as the ones managed by this city's guild, they are still in the region of fertile lands.

The boy then wondered if Elmeria would be disappointed in him for leaving, but he was also convinced that it would not be the case.

Zeeg shook his head, sat down cross-legged on the floor, then kept on reading the handbook with much enthusiasm.

Elmeria groaned as light pierced through her eyelids. She felt as if her head had been stabbed by sharp needles.

She tried to lift her arm, heavy as it it had was being held down by ten people, to block her eyes from the light.

As she slowly breathed out, she was assaulted by the terrible stink of alcohol.

It's as if she'd been thrown into a beer barrel. As if the blood in her body had been fermented into the golden fluid.

"Young Mistress, I think it is about time you woke up."

Today, even Gannon's perfectly soothing voice sounded like a hammer knocking on a metal basin. The sound rang from her head down to her stomach.

The girl knew full well how she ended up in such a state.

That is, she's had too much to drink last night.

After all, she had stayed at the gathering hall way up to dinnertime without even bathing, binge drinking until she had forgotten what came next.

She could not even recall how much she had drank. Nor what she had been doing and saying during the time.

Getting up, she noticed that her armor had been removed, but her dirty undershirt had been left on as is. Of course, even Gannon would not dare to remove the girl's clothes.

And Elmeria herself would definitely be opposed to let herself be seen naked, not even by a foster parent-- Or rather, especially a foster parent.

At any rate, right now, she is a total mess.

Her undershirt was all stained and reeked of beer, likely because she spilled them herself. This is definitely the reason she felt like she had been in a beer barrel when she first woke up.

There were also dark red stains, likely blood, but unknown whether they were of herself or other people. From the quantity, there was no way it was from a monster.

When the girl tried to sweep her hair up, something struck her fingers.

Stuck to her hair were dirt and dried alcohol-- and also some other thing she could not quite make out. It will take a lot of effort to get it back into shape-- The girl felt bored even thinking about the process.

Turning around to the window with swollen eyes, she could see Gannon in his usual dress suit, opening the curtains and tying them up with strings. His face was still wrapped in bandages, but it looks like they'd been replaced with new ones. The wrapping was neat and firm, unlike when Elmeria wrapped them for him.

"Would you like me to prepare some food?"

Only thinking about eating made the girl feel sick in her stomach, wanting to vomit out all the old stuff in there. But maybe because what she ate and drank last night had all digested, nothing came rushing out.

"No, I don't, but... Water..."

Whimpering out a hoarse voice that did not even seem like her own, Elmeria was shocked. She felt stringy on the inside of her mouth. Gannon brought with him a pitcher and a small cup, pouring the water into the cup before passing it to the girl. She drank it, feeling the coolness spread throughout her mouth, and another faint, strange taste in her throat.

"...What's wrong with me?"

The girl asked while she was poured another cup of water.

"Slight overconsumption of beer, I would presume. Your demeanor was... less than admirable."

"Sorry."

The girl apologized meekly. Normally, she would never forget to watch her drinking limit. She had been drinking moderately most of the time, even. But last night, she just could not stop. She would get riled up every time when thinking of Zeeg's attitude.

And of course, it was not that Elmeria does not care about the team's recent failures.

She might be seen as overly cautious from Zeeg's point of view, but for the girl, there was nothing better than ending things with nobody being injured.

For example, if the boy were to finish off the Rathian alone but lose an arm in the process, the victory would not be worth it.

It might have been worth the price if the hunt were something that happens only once in a lifetime, but not for hunters who need to keep on hunting.

If she had to overdo things to the point of losing parts of her body, she would rather choose failure.

It is her job, after all.

She wondered, why did he not get it? That was what grinded her gears, and before she knew it, she ended up trying to drink it off.

Passing her cup to Gannon, the girl let out a sigh.

After this, she most likely would need to talk it over with him. If she does not clearly tell Zeeg that she was not being a coward, he will get seriously hurt sooner or later. The girl decided to do so.

But before that, she would need to take a bath first.

There is no way she would go anywhere while reeking of alcohol like this. Especially going to confront Zeeg. No one knows what kind of jokes the boy would make-- Anyways, it is just unpleasant.

"Gannon, could you go heat up the bath?"

"Immediately."

Gannon bowed, then went out of the room, headed to meet the manager of the guest houses. Here, there is a separate bathroom for tenants of Queen Rooms to use, if they wish to do so.

Letting out another long sigh, Elmeria then turned around as she heard laughter from the direction of the window.

It was Fradio, in his usual equipment that gave off the impression of an executioner who is about to bring down the axe, crouching on the window frame like a monkey.

"I see that you're quite late to get up today."

"Got a little too much to drink, you see. I didn't even bathe... It's the worst."

"You're in quite the terrible shape, yes."

"I know, I know. You don't even have to tell me that."

Elmeria pouted.

While out on the last hunt, she did not get to properly clean her body either. She might have managed somehow if it was a hunt in places with clean water like the Forest and Hills, but the last hunt took place in the Jungle. The air was damp, the temperature was high, and the river water was far from clean.

"You alright there, Fradio?"

"Me? But of course. I didn't drink much, you see. I also took a bath and made sure to eat my breakfast. I had scrambled eggs and sliced sausages grilled in plenty of cheese--"

"W-- Wait-- Stop!"

Elmeria raised her hands in a panic. Even listening to just that explanation made her feel sick in the stomach. The girl searched her memory to see whether or not did Fradio really not drink much, but she came up with nothing.

By chance, he could still be suffering hangover, but with his face hidden under that helmet, no one would be able to read his expression.

Feeling her nausea subside somewhat, Elmeria licked her lips a few times.

"Oh, yeah-- ...Where's that guy, by the way?"

"That guy?"

Fradio's red eyes blinked, and his head under the helmet decorated with goat-like horns tilted slightly.

Elmeria felt irritated once again. He's definitely feigning ignorance when he should be knowing full well what she was talking about. The man is one who would always stand between Elmeria and other people, mediating their relationships, but on the other hand, he has quite a bad habit of finding enjoyment in people's reactions to him messing with them.

"...I was talking about Zeeg. He hasn't shown his face yet, but if he's reflected on his attitude and isn't coming because he's to embarrassed... Well, I guess I'll have no choice but to forgive him."

"If it's him, he already went out of town."

Elmeria blinked in confusion.

Although those words were clearly delivered to her ears, it took a while for her body to react and shape the contents together into something comprehensible.

Went out of town? What'd he mean, went out? Out for a walk or something? No, if that's the case, then Fradio wouldn't have said it in that manner--

"Wh-- What's the meaning of this!?"

Before she knew it, the girl was already standing right next to the window. Under the glossy, rubbery mask, the look in Fradio's red eyes suggested that he's finding amusement in the situation.

"He went away somewhere this morning, on the first departing carriage. It wasn't a Hunter's Guild carriage, so he might have just went back to his village..."

Fradio reached under his mask and scratched his chin.

Went out of town! --As those words finally sank in and were fully interpreted, Elmeria immediately rushed out of her room. In other words, that guy ran away!

"That-- That idiot--!"

Anger coiled around her chest like a wyvern's tail.

"Young Mistress, where--"

Ignoring the words of Gannon, whom she passed by at the room's entrance, Elmeria went out to the corridor. She ran on, rushing down the stairs heavily like a hunter knocking dirt off the soles of their shoes, then stopping at the Bishop Room Zeeg was renting.

She clenched her fist and knocked on the door, as if to smash it to pieces.

Although she knew full well that he had already left, she could not help but come check this place first because she had thought that he might have come back.

But there was no reply, as one would expect.

But perhaps he was in a hurry to come back and already fell asleep again. If so, then she would knock until he wakes up-- As Elmeria was about to raise her hand again, she was stopped by the manager, who came running upon hearing all the noise.

"If you're looking for the hunter who was using that room, he'd already moved out this morning!"

"Tell me where he went!"

Elmeria grabbed the manager by the collar of his shirt. The man's face immediately turned red, as if he had been left drying out in the desert. The girl was not even sure why she was this angry. All she knew was that she could not calm down.

"I-- I don't know! Wouldn't it be better to go ask Becky!? She's the one who manages the hunters going in and going out, not me!"

Clicking her tongue, Elmeria then let go of the manager, but in a manner closer to shoving him aside.

Although she had intended to do it lightly, she unintentionally exerted a little too much force. His back hitting the door, the man then moaned in pain as he laid there.

Turning her back on him, Elmeria then rushed down another flight of stairs. The lower-ranked hunters peeked out of their rooms to see what was going on, then promptly looked the other way as the girl turned to glare at them. And so, she exited the guest house.

As bright light shone down from the clear blue sky, as if to inform the girl that it was already past noon.

She felt dizziness and a streak of sharp pain as her head throbbed, as if there was another heart beating inside it. Although she would normally find the commotion in the market be likeable, right now those sounds only served to grate her ears. She plowed her way through the noise, putting up with them the best she could.

Her anger at Zeeg for leaving without saying a word, and the question of why he did so, were the things that kept her feet moving.

Elmeria swung open the gathering hall's door and went inside, then immediately felt like vomiting as she was hit with the stink of tobacco and alcohol.

All the daytime drinkers directed their lines of sight at the girl. Likely because her face was in a shambles. Although she herself had yet to look in the mirror, judging from the looks she got, she must have looked as broken as a corpse.

Heading straight to the counter, Becky waved her hand as she saw her. The woman's carefree attitude, too, was rubbing Elmeria the wrong way today.

Managing to limp her way there, the girl clung on to the counter and looked at Becky. The woman's expression suggested that she already knew what the girl wanted to ask.

"Sorry, but I can't tell you where Zeeg went."

"Why not!?"

As Elmeria slammed her fist on the shiny black countertop, the whole gathering hall fell silent, as if it was turned into a wyvern's lair. Becky was unfazed, only shugging her shoulders.

"Did Zeeg ask you not to...?"

The girl asked, for some reason, in a fearful voice. Becky thought about it for a while before saying yes.

Feeling strength draining from her knees, Elmeria felt like sitting down on the spot. She felt humiliated, that she was still barely standing only thanks to her hands clinging to the countertop. She felt a myriad of emotions, none of which were anger nor frustration, draining away the strength from her body.

"Now, I knew something was up when he left without saying a word, but I'm sure he thought it through."

Becky said, as she helped Elmeria stay up by grabbing her arm.

"It'd be quite hard for him to part ways with you guys otherwise, don't you think?"

"Then why'd he even go away in the first place!? Isn't that strange!?"

The girl just does not get it.

Sure, they did get into a big argument, so it was understandable that he would not want to meet her for the time being. But leaving the party without saying anything and going away from this city just like that was quite excessive.

"Without us, he would've been eaten by some monster already! I can't believe he's returning the favor by doing this! What a disgrace to the hunters' reputation of loyalty!"

Becky sighed.

"Now, I'm not saying I don't understand how you feel about all this, but Zeeg didn't violate any of the guild's regulations. Hunters team up for huts, remember? They're obligated by rule to stay during the hunt, but after the quest was done, the party is immediately considered dissolved by the guild. After that, it's up to each hunter to choose who they team up with next or where they go-- Well, that's speaking in a technical sense, of course."

Elmeria looked at Becky, in a manner closer to glaring.

Although the girl knew that venting it out on Becky wouldn't do any good, she couldn't help but feel annoyed at being taught something she already knew full well.

"Elmeria. Do you really not know why he did that?"

"...No, I don't."

She said that not because she was being stubborn, but because she truly did not know. Arguments were their daily routine. Those disagreements being the reason was, at this point, inconceivable. Not even what happened yesterday. After all, there had been worse instances before, including once when they stepped forward and proceeded to duke it out, which Gannon had to break up.

Becky leaned forward on the counter and shut her lips close. It was so that the other hunters would not hear what she was about to say.

"Yesterday, you said this to him, right? --That it's not his party, but yours?"

The girl had a feeling that she did.

But then she wondered, so what? Wasn't she just stating a fact?

That thought of hers must have leaked out somehow, seeing that Becky is having quite a troubled expression painted on her face.

"That's exactly why. Zeeg must have realized that he won't be able to hunt in the way he likes if he's going to stay in your party. The fight yesterday was because of this, too, wasn't it?"

The girl finally made the connection.

Lately, she was getting irritated at Zeeg for often doing things at his own accord. But now she understands that the boy was also getting irritated with her as well.

"...That guy just doesn't get it."

Elmeria said, as if spitting the words out. That's right. He just doesn't get it at all. What it means to be leading a party.

It means to shoulder the responsibility to the lives of others.

Hunters are still their own individuals, of course. They still are responsible for their own lives. But when teaming up for a hunt, the leader's decisions can also affect their lives as well.

Although the leader is not obligated to take responsibility for any deaths and injuries, the wound would still remain in their hearts. Zeeg still has no idea how deep that wound could be.

"I know what you're thinking, Elmeria. But I'm sure also know that you can't control how Zeeg feels, right? Any hunter would want a party of their own at some point. It's just that kind of time for Zeeg, that's all. Besides, I think it's better for you this way, at least for now."

"...What do you mean?"

"Well, aren't your recent failures a result of being too careful? --Being too careful about getting Zeeg into danger?"

Elmeria had goosebumps when those words entered her ears.

She'd never thought about it that way. The girl tried to laugh it off, but she could feel her head stiffening up. The look on her face suggested that it's nothing like that, but her body language, on the other hand, seemed to confirm what Becky just said as the truth.

Becky gently patted Elmeria's hand, as if trying to console her.

"Now, it's not like you won't get to meet him ever again. But since things are still pretty awkward, I'd say that you shouldn't try to contact him for a while. I think this is an important time for him to spend on his own, too."

The girl understood what Becky wanted to say.

What she meant was, if Zeeg truly wants to have a party of his own, it'd be better for Elmeria not to oppose him. This is so that he wouldn't do things recklessly out of spite.

She understood it well.

But even though she understood, it did not mean she could calm herself down. And so, instead of giving any response, Elmeria ordered some beer, binge drinking right there until it went dark.

Chapter 3 - Interviews

Zeeg stepped down from the carriage and found himself honestly disappointed by the scenery. It had not changed for the better - in fact, it hadn't changed much if at all.

Two days had passed, jostled about on the road from Minegarde. Now, with his backside aching, he finally laid eyes on the city of Nusti - and it looked so much like Minegarde that it gave him the strange, unsettling feeling of having traveled in a wide circle, only to arrive back where he had started.

Passing through a crowded marketplace bathed in the blood-red light of sunset, he found the same familiar layout: the workshop and gathering hall lined up along the edge of a cliff, a narrow road leading off to what looked like a guest house beyond.

For a hunter's first job in a new city, guild registration was a must. Pushing open the gathering hall door, Zeeg was immediately assaulted by the thick, heady air - a stench of alcohol and the body heat of too many people packed together. Even someone like Zeeg, who usually didn't flinch at much, felt lightheaded from it.

If all the dew of the jungle were made from liquor, he thought, it might smell like this.

No one stopped their drinking, but he could feel their eyes on him. Judging him, measuring him up by the look of his armor and weapons.

The gathering hall was dim even during the day, but the flickering candlelight caught on the crimson carapace of Zeeg's Rathalos armor, setting it aglow. The Lacerator Blade+ slung across his back, its blade stained a dark, bloodlike red, threw back the light in a way that made a few of the hunters squint against the glare.

He headed straight for the counter. As he approached, a woman seated behind it abruptly rose to her feet, surprising him.

She stood at least a head taller than him.

Her face was sharply beautiful, her nose a clean, straight line - but one of her eyes was a dull, lifeless orb. A prosthetic, he realized at once. Her body was solidly built, sturdy enough that the maid uniform she wore seemed almost comical on her. Zeeg wisely kept that opinion to himself.

"Nice gear," she said bluntly, not even bothering to properly look at him. "First time in a city guild?"

"No," Zeeg replied shortly.

He dug into his bag and pulled out the résumé Becky had prepared for him, sliding it across the counter. It bore the guild's official seal; with this, his Hunter Rank would carry over without the need to re-earn it from scratch.

The woman took the document, scanned it with barely a flicker of expression, and handed it back without so much as a nod.

It was a résumé that listed no small number of accomplishments - or so Zeeg thought. But judging from the woman's indifferent expression, it might as well have been a list of trash.

She scribbled something into the guild ledger, closed it with a snap, and dashed off a few strokes onto a small card before tossing it carelessly onto the counter. His guild registration card. Without it, he wouldn't be able to accept even a single quest.

"...Thanks," Zeeg muttered, giving a slight bow as he stepped away from the counter.

The woman didn't respond. She had already opened her book again, utterly uninterested.

What a cold-hearted woman, Zeeg thought with a grimace.

For a moment, Becky's warm smile flashed in his mind, and a wave of homesickness for Minegarde washed over him. Zeeg shook his head fiercely. He couldn't afford to get sentimental - not when he was about to form his own hunting party.

Steeling himself, he made his way to the bulletin board set up next to the counter. It held two types of postings: available quests, and notices recruiting companions for already accepted ones.

The system was exactly the same as back in Minegarde.

Zeeg scanned the list of quests. There were plenty to choose from - likely because Nusti was still a relatively new city, and the hunting grounds under its jurisdiction hadn't yet been thoroughly tamed.

("Guess I'll take this one.")

He chose a Basarios hunt and tore the quest sheet from the board.

Basarios, the Rock Wyvern, was a juvenile form of the Gravios. Though its shell could be carved into tough armor and hammers, it didn't have much practical use for those uninterested. Still, Basarios were known to cause trouble by mimicking rocks, lying in wait along trade routes.

This time was no different. A merchant caravan had reported a Basarios nesting along a volcanic pass.

It would be a good test of any potential party members.

Zeeg judged Basarios to be about the next level of threat after a Yian Kut-Ku - tough, sure, but not overwhelmingly dangerous. Its movements were sluggish, and as long as they avoided a direct hit from its fiery attacks, it wasn't anything to fear.

If a hunter struggled against a Basarios, they weren't someone Zeeg wanted in his party.

("Last time we fought two at once. One should be easy.")

Clutching the quest slip, Zeeg returned to the counter and slapped it down - loudly enough to make sure he was noticed.

The woman sighed heavily, clearly irritated, and shut her book with a thump before turning to him. Curious, Zeeg caught a glimpse of the book's cover: Bestiary of the Hunt, embossed in gold lettering.

"What is it?"

"I want to recruit partners for this quest," Zeeg said, "and I need a guest house room, too."

The woman skimmed the quest sheet, gave him a brief, disinterested look, and stamped it with the guild's official seal before shoving it back at him. Without a word, she flipped open the ledger again, checked something, and muttered,

"...Bishop Thirty-Five."

Then, without another glance, she returned to her book.

Zeeg knew the procedure well enough, but it still grated on him. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he stomped back to the bulletin board, pinned the quest sheet to the recruitment section, and scribbled underneath his room's number and a message:

"Seeking long-term hunting partners! From Kokoto Village!"

Mentioning Kokoto Village - and by extension its legendary village chief - was a gamble.

It might attract opportunists looking to ride his coattails, but just maybe, it would draw serious, skilled hunters worthy of the name.

"...Alright," Zeeg muttered.

Hoisting his bag onto his shoulder, he left the gathering hall behind.

By the time he was making his way toward the guest house, his mind buzzing with thoughts of what kind of people might answer his call, the rude woman at the counter was already a forgotten annoyance.

"So, what now?" Fradio asked, breaking the heavy silence.

Elmeria, clearly in a foul mood, said nothing. Neither did Gannon, still wrapped in bandages. The noise of the gathering hall, thick with the clatter of utensils and lively conversation, wasn't enough to drown out their voices, but neither companion seemed inclined to speak.

It had been a week since Zeeg had left their party, and still Elmeria showed no sign of taking on a new quest. Fradio understood the reason well enough - she was holding out hope that Zeeg might return - but even so, his arms were beginning to itch for action.

If this standoff dragged on much longer, he thought, he might as well head out alone and enjoy a date with a Gypceros.

"We're not exactly hurting for money, but Sir Gannon's injuries are healing nicely," Fradio continued, trying to coax some response. "I'd say it's about time we got back to the hunt, wouldn't you?"

Gannon turned his unbandaged eye toward Elmeria. She, however, only stared into the blood-dark surface of the wine pooled in her goblet, unmoving.

She looked thinner than before, the soft curve of her cheeks having hollowed out slightly. Fradio hoped she hadn't started losing muscle mass. Lifting the edge of his mask just enough to drink, he sipped his own wine, savoring the rich flavor of the fruit sharpened by a pleasant astringency. He waited, but Elmeria said nothing.

It wasn't sorrow he saw in her. No, the emotion simmering just beneath the surface was anger - anger directed at herself for misspeaking, and at Zeeg for leaving without a word.

Zeeg's departure had been clumsy, to say the least. If they had been nothing more than a temporary hunting party assembled for a single mission, a silent farewell over a mug of beer might have sufficed.

But they had been together since Zeeg had first arrived in Minegarde. After so much time, he owed them at least a proper goodbye, no matter how awkward.

"Still sulking, Ellie?"

The teasing voice floated down along with a clatter of dishes. Fradio turned to see Becky standing there, smiling mischievously.

"I'm not sulking," Elmeria snapped.

She reached out, grabbed a freshly-served skewer of grilled Aptonoth meat, and bit into it savagely. Juices dripped from the seared flesh, and she hissed a quick "Hot!" as she licked the sizzling fat from her lips.

Fradio helped himself to a skewer as well, stripping the meat from the stick and neatly cutting it into small pieces with his knife and fork before slipping a bite beneath his mask. The meat was rich, the spice blend mingling perfectly with the sweet, fatty edge of the skin.

The slight toughness betrayed the fact that it had come from a wild Aptonoth, but that only added to its flavor.

"C'mon, no need to act tough," Becky said, her voice light with mockery.

Elmeria shot her a glare, her eyes faintly glassy from the wine. Her appetite had dwindled, but her drinking had certainly increased.

"Shut up," Elmeria muttered. "I'm not pretending. If anything, I'm glad he's gone. It's thanks to him we've been screwing up so much lately."

"So you're still planning to keep hunting?" Becky pressed.

"Of course I am!"

Snatching up her goblet, Elmeria drained it in one go and refilled it without hesitation.

"I'm just saying, none of the current quests look worth taking. I'm not going to waste my time hunting Yian Kut-Ku or gathering Special Mushrooms. And as for a Khezu-"

Fradio shook his head.

He had once been swallowed whole by one of those grotesque, sightless wyverns, and the memory still made his skin crawl. Compared to the vibrant, delicate beauty of a Gypceros, a Khezu - with its pallid skin and preference for damp, shadowy places - was nothing but an abomination.

"Yeah. He's in no shape for it," Elmeria continued, "And besides, maybe it's not a bad thing to take it easy once in a while. Unless you have something interesting lined up?"

"Well..." Becky said, placing a single sheet of paper onto the table, "maybe I do."

Fradio leaned in alongside Elmeria to read it.

"...Meat Grill Festival?" Elmeria echoed incredulously.

Sure enough, the paper read, "Calling All Hunters! Grand Opening! The 18th Annual Meat Grill Festival!!"

Elmeria gave Becky an exasperated look.

"What the hell is this?"

"Exactly what it says," Becky replied brightly. "It's a competition to see who can grill the most Well-Done Steaks. Raw meat must be gathered on-site, of course. The winner gets a special prize: a piece of King Meat! Doesn't that sound perfect for you, Ellie?"

"King Meat, huh..."

Elmeria frowned, considering.

It was, admittedly, a tempting prize - for a hammer user. King Meat was a key material used to craft the Enormous Ham, a weapon both whimsical and sought-after.

Elmeria already possessed a Breath Core and didn't need the Enormous Ham, and the crafting costs were steep - but King Meat was rare enough that simply having it would be worth bragging about.

Besides, Fradio could always meet up with his beloved Gypceros later.

The Meat Grill Festival, on the other hand, wouldn't come around again until next year.

"It does sound like fun," Fradio said, earning Elmeria's groan. "Come now, there's no other quest we're excited about anyway. Besides, grilling meat is one of a hunter's basic skills. Maybe it's a good time to go back to basics and sharpen our instincts. Sir Gannon's not fully recovered, either - we could use some easy targets like Aptonoth or Bullfango to ease back into things, yes?"

Elmeria turned to Gannon.

The large man, his face still heavily bandaged, gave her a solemn nod.

She might not realize it, but Fradio had noticed - Gannon had lost weight since being poisoned by the Rathian.

The poison itself shouldn't have lingered; Rathian toxins didn't stay in the body long.

No, this was a result of a deeper issue - a wound to the spirit.

Failing to dodge that poisonous tail strike had shaken him badly.

It was said that the moment one became conscious of their own aging, they truly began to grow old.

And Gannon, after all, was already sixty.

By rights, he should have retired to a peaceful village, regaling the local children with tales of his exploits.

Yet here he was, still fighting.

"You know what," Elmeria said at last. "Let's do it."

She grabbed the paper and waved it at Becky.

"As Fradio said, there's nothing else worth doing right now. I'll come kill some time. Besides, carrying around an Enormous Ham would be hilarious."

Becky's smile widened. Without missing a beat, she turned toward the bustling gathering hall, raised her voice, and declared,

"Attention, everyone! Elmeria Franport - pride and joy of Minegarde - will be participating in the Meat Grill Festival! Who else wants to join? Especially hammer users - you won't want to miss out on the fabulous prize: the King Meat, perfect for crafting your very own Enormous Ham!"

Realizing she had just been used for promotional purposes, Elmeria's eyes widened.

Becky shot her a mischievous grin before turning back toward the counter, ready to register the flood of eager participants now waving their arms.

"...Now that is stage presence," Fradio muttered.

He took a deep drink of wine and speared another piece of juicy Aptonoth meat with his fork, chuckling as the hot juices burst free.

Zeeg watched the departing hunter's back disappear beyond the door, then slumped heavily into a chair with a long, exhausted sigh.

That made fifteen now. Fifteen interviews, and not a single one had resulted in a new comrade. There had been a few who looked capable enough, but not one he could truly call a partner.

The trip to the Volcano was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. If he couldn't find anyone by then, he would have no choice but to set out alone.

Against a Basarios, he could probably manage if he fought cautiously. But that wasn't the point - he hadn't come all the way to this town just to do everything by himself.

Still, Zeeg found himself surprised by just how draining these interviews had been.

He could get a rough sense of a hunter's skill from their equipment, sure, but so far not a single applicant had shown up wearing Rathalos or Rathian gear.

The best-equipped hunter he'd seen wore a full set of Cephalos armor, made from the scales of sand-dwelling monsters - but she'd made it quite clear she intended to lead the team herself. He had politely shown her the door.

Maybe it was my age after all, he thought with a wry grimace.

Most hunters with real ability were well into their late twenties or older.

Hunters like himself, Elmeria, or Freda - who had managed to earn wyvern gear while still in their teens - were rare.

Not that he was arrogant enough to think himself some prodigy.

Maybe once, in the past. But now he understood all too well - without the help of his comrades, he never would have made it this far.

Luck might let him take down one monster, maybe two. But to hunt enough for a full set of weapons and armor - that took something more tangible.

Even so, Zeeg didn't feel any desire to partner with hunters much older than himself. If they were like Gannon - silent and watchful - that would be fine. But if they started barking orders, well... he might as well stick with Elmeria.

Maybe trying to find someone around his own age, willing to take on a Basarios, had been setting the bar too high from the start.

It might be smarter to treat this hunt as a one-off. Afterward, he could lower the difficulty - take a quest for a Yian Kut-Ku or something - and try recruiting again.

A sharp pain twinged in his stomach, and he remembered he hadn't eaten all morning.

The first applicant had shown up before breakfast, and there had been no break since.

Rubbing his aching temple, Zeeg rose from his chair.

When he'd joined Elmeria's party, it had been by the Guild Master's recommendation - there had been no formal interview like this.

Still, she must have gone through something similar at some point. Was she still doing it even now? The thought brushed across his mind like a cold wind, but he shook it off.

In any case, he needed food. The guest house would prepare a special meal if he asked, but it came at a steep price.

With most of his money earmarked for a new weapon, he couldn't afford luxuries right now.

It would be cheaper to roast some raw meat himself.

He fished his BBQ Spit out of his pack and turned toward the balcony to set it up...

"Excuse me!"

...Only to freeze as a voice spoke from beyond the door, startlingly close.

Zeeg almost dropped the spit on his foot.

Usually, he could sense when someone approached, even before they knocked - but this time, he had noticed nothing.

As he hesitated, the voice came again.

"Forgive the intrusion! Might this be the room of Sir Zeeg Grandest? I saw the notice on the board and wished to speak with you."

The speaker's voice was low, distinctly male, and oddly formal - but Zeeg managed to catch the gist.

Another applicant, apparently.

"Ah - yeah!"

Setting the BBQ Spit hurriedly on the table, Zeeg checked his gear.

Something about the man's voice demanded it.

He always conducted interviews in full armor, and expected the same of his applicants.

It was the quickest way to judge a hunter's ability outside the field.

His Lacerator Blade+ was hanging on the wall nearby.

Usually, hunters carried their weapons too.

Someone who skimped on weaponry in favor of flashy armor tended to be overly cautious. And the reverse - Zeeg winced, remembering his younger self - suggested reckless impatience.

"So - uh, yeah. Come in!"

He deliberately used a slightly rough tone.

Better to establish from the outset who would be leading the party.

If someone couldn't handle a little bluntness, they wouldn't survive working with him.

"Excuse me," the voice repeated - and the door swung open.

The man who entered was tall, with dark skin and a lithe build, moving without so much as a whisper of footsteps.

Even a wyvern would struggle to notice someone like that.

He stopped a good distance inside the room, standing casually - but there was not a single gap in his stance.

His hair, a muted gray, was slicked back and tied behind him, much like Zeeg's own.

His one open eye was blue and ringed with strange concentric lines rather than a vertical slit - and the other was closed, perhaps the mark of an old wound.

His armor... if it could even be called that, was strange.

He wore plain white clothes, reinforced only in vulnerable spots like the shoulders, elbows, throat, and waist, with thin plates that looked more decorative than functional.

His loose, ballooning trousers were tucked into black boots, and strange patterns were painted along the hems.

But what truly drew the eye was the weapon on his back.

It resembled a wyvern's talon - a pair of talons, in fact.

They looked almost like twin one-handed swords, but distinct from any weapon Zeeg knew.

"You've noticed my blades," the man said smoothly, a thin sprig of some herb clamped between his lips.

He smiled faintly, his expression calm and easygoing, and Zeeg guessed he was in his mid-twenties.

"Those aren't... sword-and-shield, are they?" Zeeg asked cautiously.

"Indeed not," the man replied, nodding as if approving the question. "These are my beloved blades - Zanki. I am a wielder of dual blades."

"Dual blades...?"

"Just so - Youth's ignorance blooms; no shame in the mind's pure soil; learning comes with time - as the saying goes."

The peculiar rhythm of the words made Zeeg blink.

Was he being insulted just now? It was hard to tell.

"That was a senryū," the man explained, his open eye narrowing.

Zeeg was even more confused.

Did he just say ryū - dragon?

Was this Zanki weapon crafted from some monster he'd never heard of?

The man seemed to catch his bewilderment and chuckled softly.

"Heh... Though I say ryū, I do not speak of wyverns. Senryū is a form of wordplay from my homeland."

"I... see?"

The man straightened and gave a formal, shallow bow.

"Forgive my late introduction. I am Entarō. If it pleases you, call me Enta."

"Huh... yeah, sure..."

Zeeg found himself a little overwhelmed.

Even Entarō's name had a unique ring to it.

Still, for all the man's flowery phrasing, his words were clear enough, and Zeeg had no trouble understanding him.

"Uh, well... why don't you have a seat?"

Zeeg, desperate to regain control of the conversation, gestured toward a chair. But Enta merely raised a hand.

"Nay, I shall decline."

At first, Zeeg thought he meant to remain standing, but instead, the man - who had introduced himself as Enta - sat cross-legged directly on the floor. Somehow, the way he settled there fit so naturally, he looked less like a man and more like a bronze statue that had stood there for years, untouched by time.

Feeling awkward about being the only one sitting properly, Zeeg followed suit, lowering himself to the floor as well. It was uncomfortable; whenever he took breaks out on a hunt, he always used a folding chair that came with his BBQ Spit kit. Sitting on the bare ground felt foreign.

"So, uh... you saw the notice on the board, right?" Zeeg asked.

"Indeed," Enta replied with a courteous nod.

"Getting right to it... what's your Hunter Rank?"

"My rank is Samurai. And yourself?"

For a moment, Zeeg thought he saw the gleam of a blade flash in Enta's open eye, and he swallowed hard. The sheer pressure coming off the man made it feel like a wrong answer might literally cost him his head.

"M-me? I'm a Strider..."

"Oh-ho!"

With a sudden spark of enthusiasm, Enta's lone eye widened. Startled, Zeeg nearly reached for his greatsword on the wall. Was the man trying to startle him, just to enjoy the reaction?

But Enta merely shook his head slowly and said,

"To think that one so young surpasses even I in rank! I am most impressed."

Still seated cross-legged, he bent low in a deep, skillful bow.

And he stayed there.

After a long, awkward silence, Zeeg began to wonder if the man had fallen asleep, but just as he was about to check, Enta finally lifted his head once more.

Trying to keep his balance in this strange conversation, Zeeg felt slightly dizzy.

"A-anyway," he tried, "you said 'young' - but do you even know how old I am?"

"I do not, but I venture to guess... eighteen years?"

Dead on.

Sure, nobody looking at him would mistake him for forty or fifty, but to peg his age exactly was still impressive. Maybe it was just a lucky guess... or maybe not.

"And you?" Zeeg asked. "How old are you?"

"This year, I have reached twenty-five," Enta declared. "Five years ago, I drifted to this land, learned of the way of hunters, and was immediately captivated. It is the perfect vocation for my training."

"Training?" Zeeg parroted.

"Indeed. I strive to hone my blade and become a peerless swordmaster. In these peaceful times, there are precious few places where one can engage in honest, life-or-death battle. Yet in the life of a hunter, that spirit endures. There is no better arena for perfecting one's skill."

"But then, why'd you want to form a party? Wouldn't solo hunting fit your training better?"

"An astute question," Enta said, folding his arms and nodding. He then leaned forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially.

Zeeg, caught by the sudden shift, leaned forward too.

"...In truth, I have another ambition. Forming a party is but a means to that end - I wish to spread the glory of dual blades far and wide."

Zeeg straightened up in surprise. That wasn't exactly something anyone needed to whisper about. If anything, he could have shouted it from the rooftops.

But Enta, oblivious to Zeeg's thoughts, nodded emphatically to himself.

"The best way is to show others firsthand the brilliance of the dual blades! Especially the younger hunters like yourself - once you witness their magnificence, you too will surely be tempted to wield them!"

Even with that passionate speech, Zeeg remained unconvinced. He had no intention of abandoning the greatsword he had wielded since before he officially became a hunter.

Besides, dual blades... weren't they just two small swords?

Worse, they had no shield. Greatswords and heavy bowguns could block with their massive frames, and even hammers could compensate for their lack of defense with overwhelming power.

But dual blades - their cutting edge didn't seem particularly impressive, nor did they offer any means of defense. Zeeg couldn't imagine they were easy to use at all.

As if reading his mind, Enta fixed him with a sharp gaze and chuckled.

"Heh... I know exactly what you are thinking - Two blades side by side; yet both are weak, unrefined; a pair, not the best - That is what every hunter thinks... Until they see my technique for themselves!"

With a loud slap to his knee, Enta beamed.

"Once you see me slicing through Basarios's rock-hard hide like it were sashimi, you'll be singing a different tune! You'll envy the dual blades, mark my words! Behold! Witness the blade dance of a demon!"

Suddenly, without rising from his cross-legged position, Enta drew both swords from the sheaths strapped to his back. Their polished blades gleamed menacingly under the light.

"H-hey! What the hell are you doing!?" Zeeg cried, jolting back.

Snapped from his theatrics, Enta blinked his lone eye, mumbled an apology, and hastily resheathed his weapons.

This was no laughing matter.

Had Zeeg not spoken up, he might have been the one carved into neat little slices, not Basarios. There was a dangerous aura about Enta, no doubt about it. A strange one, too.

"...Right. So, uh, your résumé?" Zeeg prompted, trying to regain focus.

"Here it is."

From within his robes, Enta produced a folded sheet of paper and handed it over.

It bore the official seal of the Hunter's Guild. Listed on it were records of all the quests Enta had undertaken - monster hunts, transport missions, and the like. The entries weren't arranged chronologically but by category: wyvern species and their respective numbers hunted, goods delivered for transport requests, and the tallies of successes and failures.

A quick scan was enough to tell Zeeg that Enta was no slouch. His record against wyverns in particular was impressive - far beyond what an average hunter could boast.

Still, something felt off.

Judging by the list, Enta had likely been bouncing between different parties, focusing almost exclusively on wyvern hunts.

That wasn't what Zeeg had in mind for his group. He had made that clear with the notice on the guild board.

But Enta had probably applied because this mission involved a wyvern - specifically, a Basarios.

Turning him away would be simple enough. But Zeeg hesitated. He had only just been thinking that maybe, this time, the group would be a one-shot team - handle the mission and disband.

Unlike when he had joined Elmeria's team, this group would be full of first-timers working together. No telling what their real skills were like.

Jumping straight into a wyvern hunt under those circumstances... maybe it was reckless after all.

Still, canceling the quest outright would leave a bad impression with the Guild. If word got around that he had pulled out without a good reason, future requests might dry up - especially important ones.

And Enta's résumé - it even showed prior hunts against Basarios. Five of them.

That wasn't a huge number compared to his other quarry, but it was enough to earn respect.

Zeeg steeled himself, folding the résumé and handing it back to Enta.

"Alright. I'll be counting on you," he said.

"Understood," Enta replied.

Taking the résumé, Enta tucked it away inside his robes. Zeeg then pulled out the contract for the Basarios hunt. Every member of the hunting party had to sign it before submitting it to the Guild - only then could they officially depart.

Producing a brush-like writing tool, Enta scrawled a strange set of characters beneath Zeeg's signature: 炎太郎.

"Is that your name?" Zeeg asked, tilting his head.

"It is written in a script not used in Schrade," Enta explained, stowing the brush once more. "The Guild has permitted us to use our own country's writing, so I choose to do so. 炎 for 'En,' 太 for 'Ta,' and 郎 for 'Rō'."

"Huh..." Zeeg muttered, staring intently at the signature. It looked more like a drawing than a name. He had heard stories that the world stretched far beyond the Kingdom of Schrade, but this was his first time encountering a piece of it with his own eyes.

"So then," Enta said, glancing about the room, "where are the other hunters?"

"Ah, well... there aren't any yet. You're the first," Zeeg admitted.

"Ah, I see. In that case, allow me to assist in selecting the others. It is a matter of life and death, after all."

"Uh, wait, that's-"

Zeeg faltered. Enta quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Was that unwelcome?" he asked, his voice calm but probing.

"No, it's not that," Zeeg said quickly, hesitated a moment, then added, "It's just... Well, I don't mean to ignore your opinion, but this is my party. I want to choose the members myself."

"I see... That is understandable. I shall leave the final decision to you."

"Yeah. I appreciate it."

Zeeg felt a relief far deeper than words could express. He had made his choice - he didn't want to have it overturned and be forced to start all over again. Now, just two more members to find.

The weight on his shoulders lessened a little. Part of it was simply having found one companion already, but more importantly, he had decided that this party was only for this hunt. If they got along, they could continue together. If not, no harm done.

Seeking a long-term team from the outset had been a mistake.

Thinking back, even when he had joined Elmeria's party, it had been intended as a one-time learning experience. After that hunt - where he had contributed almost nothing - and a morning of a strange incident, she had invited him to join her again. Their long association afterward had been the exception, not the rule.

Feeling clearer, Zeeg was about to fold up the contract when he sensed a presence outside the door. Unlike Enta's arrival, this was someone more... normal. The presence halted in front of the door - and stayed there. No knock came.

("What the...?") Zeeg tilted his head. At that instant, Enta, still seated cross-legged, drew something from his coat and flicked it over his shoulder without even turning around.

There was a dull thud, then a sharp cry from beyond the door. A small dagger, its blade oddly shaped to fit a keyhole, was now embedded in the lock.

If he had aimed for that, his skill was terrifying.

"Peeking is a shameful habit," Enta said, sounding for all the world like he was the master of the room.

Zeeg swallowed the complaint rising to his lips. If this was an applicant, it wouldn't do to start off with an argument - no hunter would want to join a party that looked like it was about to fall apart.

"...Come in," Zeeg called, sitting up straight.

Enta rose soundlessly to his feet, positioning himself behind Zeeg with his hands clasped behind his back. Zeeg caught a glimpse of the twin swords at Enta's back but chose to ignore them for now.

The door creaked open hesitantly.

The figure that entered was more boy than man, his face still round with youth. Yet he was tall - taller than Zeeg by the width of a fist, by his quick reckoning. His brown eyes were half-lidded, giving him a perpetually drowsy look, and his short brown hair stuck up wildly, as if he'd just rolled out of bed.

One glance at his equipment, and Zeeg pegged him for a rookie.

His armor was crafted entirely from Velociprey and Velocidrome materials - tough but basic blue-scaled gear, from helm to greaves. When Zeeg had first arrived in town, he had worn even shabbier armor - but he had at least splurged on a decent weapon.

This boy, however, had a plain bone sword at his waist - a one-handed blade that looked more like a jagged saw than a weapon. A Bone Pick, or perhaps a Bone Spike, if Zeeg remembered the name correctly.

The boy glanced at Zeeg, then at Enta looming behind him, and hunched his shoulders before giving a timid bow.

"Um... is this the place recruiting for the Basarios hunt...?" he asked, voice so faint it seemed ready to vanish.

"Yeah-"

"It is indeed," Enta said, cutting off Zeeg without a hint of shame.

Zeeg shot him a look over his shoulder. Enta met his gaze, and nodded as if to say "Ah, right," but offered no apology.

Suppressing a sigh, Zeeg turned back to the boy.

He was still standing awkwardly by the door, clearly reluctant to approach. Zeeg understood - he must have been intimidated by their gear. After all, the Rathalos set Zeeg wore was no easy prize.

"Come on. Have a seat," Zeeg said, patting the floor in front of him. There was no point dragging out a chair at this stage.

The boy approached as if expecting a Velociprey to lunge from the shadows at any moment. He settled where Enta had been sitting before, back stiff, eyes briefly meeting Zeeg's before darting down to the floor.

Behind him, Enta exhaled softly through his nose.

Zeeg felt much the same. This boy wasn't necessarily cowardly, but he lacked confidence. That hesitation, that self-doubt - it could prove fatal in the hunt, where a moment's indecision could mean death.

If this were a simple Velociprey cull or a mushroom gathering quest, it would be another matter.

But this was a wyvern hunt. A Basarios. And if one of them faltered, it could cost them all their lives.

Just as Zeeg opened his mouth to refuse, the boy pulled a folded sheet of paper from the pouch at his waist, placed it on the floor, and pushed it toward him.

("A résumé?") Zeeg thought, but on closer look, it didn't seem like one.

Curious, he picked it up, broke the wax seal, and unfolded it. A quick glance told him it was a letter of introduction, issued by the Guild itself, requesting that Zeeg take charge of training a new recruit.

He couldn't fathom why the request had come to him, of all people. He had yet to accomplish anything noteworthy. Puzzled, he took a closer look - and noticed the seal stamped at the bottom. It wasn't from this city. It belonged to the Hunter's Guild of Minegarde.

"...Um, Miss Becky told me to bring this to you," the boy said hesitantly. "She said... it would be a great learning experience."

"Becky?" Zeeg repeated, raising an eyebrow. He glanced back down at the letter.

The wording was stiff and formal, just what he'd expect from official Guild correspondence - but at the very end, almost like an afterthought, there was a single casual line: "Take good care of him, okay?" The handwriting was unmistakably Becky's.

Memories stirred within him: the day he first arrived in Minegarde. Had the Guild Master not vouched for him back then, he never would have joined Elmeria's party - and without that chance, he doubted he'd have grown strong enough to be clad in Rathalos armor so soon.

Thinking on it, refusing would be the easy path. But could he live with that? Becky had gone out of her way to support him more times than he could count. To turn away now - to betray the trust she was placing in him - felt wrong.

"...Got a résumé?" Zeeg asked, lifting his gaze from the letter. It was only fair to at least take a look.

One couldn't judge a hunter by their armor alone. Some made it a point of pride to hunt wyverns in mediocre gear. This boy hardly seemed the type, but there was always a chance he had some hidden skill.

The boy nodded and produced a second sheet of paper. Zeeg accepted it and unfolded it.

This time, it really was a résumé.

A quick scan was enough to see that the boy's record was nearly blank. He had taken down a few Yian Kut-Ku solo, but those were more bird wyverns than true wyverns. Dangerous if underestimated, yes - but hardly a match for the real heavyweights.

Still, thinking back to his own record when he first came to Minegarde, Zeeg couldn't say the boy was any worse. If he could handle a Yian Kut-Ku alone, he might not be much help against a Basarios, but at least he wouldn't get in the way.

He checked the boy's name: Brass Lagoon. Hailing from Piniq, one of the small frontier villages near Minegarde. Zeeg had never been there himself, but he'd heard it was founded by retired hunters.

His eyes drifted to the age listed beneath the name - and widened in surprise.

Sixteen.

He had pegged the boy for older at first glance, but now that he knew, Brass suddenly seemed much younger, his expressions more boyish.

There weren't many who came to the city at that age. Zeeg himself had, but it was rare. Elmeria, he recalled, had been registered with the Guild even younger, though she'd had Gannon, her retainer, at her side.

Coming alone at sixteen, with no one to back him up - that took guts.

And at least on the surface, Brass seemed like a good-natured kid.

Hunters tended to be a rough bunch. There were plenty of good men and women among them, but there were just as many who would think nothing of exploiting rookies - gathering up greenhorns to use as bait, feeding their fiery spirits into easy victories.

Such types were despised, of course, but there was another school of thought: that the Guild was no place for amateurs, and those too naïve to survive deserved what they got.

True, the Guild sometimes smoothed the path for beginners - as it had for Zeeg - but that protection ended quickly. After that, a hunter's life and death were their own responsibility.

Looking at Brass now, he resembled nothing so much as an Aptanoth wandering haplessly into a hungry hunter's path. No wonder Becky had chased Zeeg all the way to Nusti to hand him this task. She expected him to return the favor she'd once shown him.

If Brass could make it through this first trial, the Guild would gain another capable hunter - and Becky had always said they could never have too many.

("But...") Zeeg frowned inwardly, looking at the weapon he carried: a sword and shield.

Fast enough, sure - but against wyverns, not exactly reliable.

A Yian Kut-Ku was one thing; one could get by with a basic weapon. But anything tougher, and it became a question of whether the blade could even pierce the hide.

If it were the Master Blade from Kokoto Village, the one Freda carried, even Rathalos shell could be split. But with something like a Bone Spike... most likely, the blade would bounce harmlessly off.

As he glanced back down at the résumé, Zeeg noticed a small notation he had missed before. Under Special Skills, in faint letters: Combining (Advanced).

It was a skill often overlooked in hunts, but when used well, it could transform the entire field into an arsenal. Having someone adept at combining on a team was no small advantage.

Still, what to do...

Before he could make up his mind, a voice spoke from behind.

"I have no objection," Enta said.

Zeeg had planned to ask for his opinion, but being preempted like this left a sour taste. He gave a vague nod, folded up the résumé, and handed it back to Brass.

The boy accepted it carefully, almost reverently.

"Welcome aboard," Zeeg said, extending a hand.

Brass blinked, startled, then quickly grabbed Zeeg's gauntleted hand with his own, their armor clinking faintly.

"Th-thank you very much! I'll do my best!"

"No need to push yourself too hard," Zeeg said, giving him a small, reassuring smile. "The Basarios isn't an opponent you can afford to underestimate, but both its poison and sleep gases come with obvious tells before they spew. As long as you don't miss the signs, it's not something to fear. Handle it right, and it's easier than a Kut-Ku."

"R-really?"

Brass's wide-eyed disbelief was almost comical. Zeeg nodded firmly.

"It's tough, sure - but that's all. Just one thing... your Bone Pick might not cut through its hide. You're good at combining, right? I'll be counting on you for that too."

"Y-yes, sir!"

The boy's face lit up, cheeks flushing with excitement. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears, and he nodded so hard it seemed his helmet might topple off.

How long that enthusiasm would last, Zeeg couldn't say. Basarios was no Rathalos - but it was still a wyvern, through and through.

Zeeg produced the contract and handed it over for a signature.

Brass - who, by all appearances, was no rugged or battle-hardened youth - was an unknown quantity when it came to facing a true wyvern, hatchling or not. He might well freeze up... or worse, take a charge straight to the chest.

Keeping a firm hold on the boy's hand, Zeeg rose to his feet and helped Brass to stand. With how Brass stood taller than him, the sword and shield strapped to his back looked almost comically small, more like a dagger than a proper weapon. With a frame like his, a greatsword or a lance would surely suit him better. Still, switching weapons now would only hinder their hunt, so Zeeg decided to leave well enough alone.

"That makes three of us, then," Enta said, arms crossed, sweeping his lone eye over the group. "A greatsword, a sword-and-shield, and dual blades. All close-range fighters... Will we be adding one more to our ranks?"

Zeeg nodded. With this setup, what they really needed was a bowgunner. They could, of course, simply charge in like a pack of Velociprey, relying on brute force - but having a gunner would expand their tactical options considerably. A skilled hunter covering their backs would allow the frontliners to focus solely on the target ahead.

"Let's head to the gathering hall," Zeeg said, jabbing a thumb at the door. "We'll need to update the posting. One more - Bowgun users only."

"A ranged fighter, hmm..." Enta narrowed his lone eye. "I don't much care for them, but if it's your decision, I shall abide - Though shame may arise; silence falls upon the heart; peace in quiet reigns."

"Bowgun... I'll do my best," Brass murmured vaguely, clenching his fist for reasons known only to himself.

Zeeg was tempted to ask what exactly he meant to "do his best" at - but decided against it as he grabbed his greatsword from against the wall. Better not to give the impression that every little thing had to be discussed and agreed upon. When the moment came, he didn't want Brass getting any ideas about second-guessing orders. They needed a bowgunner; if Brass had a problem with that, he was free to leave.

Completely unaware of Zeeg's silent calculus, Brass hurried after him and Enta.

They descended the stairs, passing a few hunters on the way down, but none of the faces were familiar. That wasn't surprising - both Zeeg and Brass were newcomers to town. Even Enta, it seemed, was not acquainted with anyone here, exchanging no greetings as they passed.

The moment they stepped out of the guest house, the unrelenting sun struck them with full force, searing their skin. The weather was too good - almost obnoxiously so.

As they made their way downhill toward the gathering hall, Zeeg caught sight of an odd figure loitering by the entrance. A girl, clad in a skirt flared wide in black and white, stood beneath a black parasol trimmed in white lace. At a glance, she might have passed for a tavern maid on an errand - if not for the battered, oversized travel case she carried in her free hand. The scuffed and dirty leather suggested a life spent constantly on the move.

Something about her tugged at Zeeg's memory. He slowed, frowning, trying to place the familiarity. That outfit... he had seen it somewhere before.

As he watched, the girl folded her parasol and disappeared into the gathering hall. He caught a glimpse of her profile - just a fleeting glance - but it was enough to notice the glint of glasses perched on her nose.

"Is something the matter?" Enta asked.

"Huh? No... it's nothing."

Zeeg shook his head. If he couldn't place it, it probably wasn't important. He brushed the thought aside and motioned for the others to move on. As they pushed open the gathering hall doors, the familiar crush of alcohol, smoke, and humanity washed over them. They waded through it, making for the bulletin board.

At the counter, Zeeg spotted the girl again, speaking with the guild receptionist - the one with the prosthetic eye. Maybe she was trying to get hired as a server.

At the board, Zeeg began searching for the notice he had posted earlier. It wasn't unusual for hunters to take down postings they were interested in, so it didn't surprise him that it wasn't exactly where he had left it.

"I think it was around here," Brass said, pointing.

Following his indication, Zeeg found the notice buried halfway down a thick stack of overlapping papers. It was barely visible - left untouched, surely no one else would show up today. Just retrieving it made the trip worthwhile.

Using the bulletin board itself as a writing surface, Zeeg crossed out the old posting and updated the notes section:

"Seeking one more! Bowgun users only!"

He pinned it back up, making sure to place it in the most prominent spot - right at the very top. There was just one day left before the deadline. If they didn't find a fourth by then, they would have to set out as a trio.

Against a Basarios, three hunters would still manage... probably.

Just as Zeeg secured the paper, something black flickered past. Before he could even register what had happened, the notice was plucked from the board and sent fluttering through the air - deftly caught by a gloved hand.

Neither Zeeg nor Enta had sensed the approach. Enta reacted instinctively, leaping back a full table's length, hands flashing toward his weapons. Brass, startled out of his wits, fell flat on his rear.

Zeeg turned sharply, just in time to see the fluttering paper land neatly in the left hand of the girl from outside. She balanced her black parasol on her right shoulder, moving with a fluid, almost dancer-like grace.

She read the notice, her blue eyes - magnified behind her glasses - scanning the words with a sharp, gleaming intensity. Her long black hair, curled into vertical rolls on either side of her head, swayed slightly as she read.

She looked to be around Zeeg's age. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak-

"...This posting - yours?" she asked, her voice hard and clear, like machalite struck against stone.

In that instant, it hit him: he remembered where he had seen her.

"You were at Kokoto-" he blurted.

At his words, her eyes flickered - a slight, unmistakable recognition.

So it was her.

Back when Zeeg had returned to Kokoto, bored while Elmeria was off mining for the Breath Core in the volcanic zones, he had seen this girl working at the village gathering hall. If he recalled correctly, the village chief had called her Vivi.

And she was a hunter, too.

He remembered now - when the Monoblos had reappeared near the village, there had been a frantic scramble among the hunters to claim the kill. Zeeg had gotten the mark, but it had simply been luck of patrol routes - not a matter of skill.

"Vivienne Sharon, at your service," the girl said, speaking both names like a formal introduction. "How fortunate - I was just looking for a quest I could join immediately. I don't know your companions, but you... I know you're someone I can serve without worry."

"S-serve...?" Zeeg stammered. "Listen, we're just looking for a Bowgun user-"

"Precisely why I am the perfect candidate," Vivi interrupted. "From the looks of you all, you're nothing but frontliners. Surely, the bowgunner you're seeking is someone meant to support the party - a light bowgun user, yes?"

"Well, yeah, that's true," Zeeg admitted, frowning. "But where's your bowgun, then?"

"Why, right here," Vivi said, as if the answer were obvious.

Without missing a beat, she extended the handle of her parasol. With a soft click, the tip opened up, revealing a gun barrel glinting from within. The frilled black parasol - ornate and delicate - was, astonishingly, a bowgun. Even Enta, witnessing it for the first time, let out a low hum of admiration.

"This is the Dark Parasol. It cannot use piercing or cluster shots, but in exchange, it can handle every type of support ammo."

As she spoke, she set down the battered travel case she had been carrying, unlatched it, and produced a folded piece of paper, which she offered to Zeeg. Taking it, he unfolded it to find a neatly written résumé - one that made her skill immediately clear.

Given the nature of the light bowgun, it was unlikely she'd worked many solo hunts, yet even so, the list was impressive: ten Rathalos, seven Plesioth, three Khezu - and, remarkably, two Monoblos.

The Monoblos, the One-Horned Wyvern, never appeared in guild-sanctioned hunting grounds where teams were permitted. In other words, these two were solo kills - taken down single-handedly, and with a light bowgun at that.

"Is there a problem?" Vivi asked.

There was none. Hunters of her caliber were not easy to come by, even if one went looking with a contract in hand. And even if their previous encounter had been brief, there was a certain comfort in having a familiar face from his home village.

"You're in," Zeeg said decisively, producing the contract and handing it to her.

Vivi collapsed the Dark Parasol with an elegant motion, accepted the document, and after scribbling her name at the bottom, pushed up the bridge of her glasses with two fingers. Her lips curved into a smile - so perfectly poised it seemed almost artificial - as she said,

"Pleased to serve you, Master."

Chapter 4 - Land of the Rock Wyvern

Standing at the mouth of the ravine that led from base camp into Area 2, Zeeg could only let out a silent groan as he looked up at the massive black boulder planted squarely in their path.

According to the guild cart driver who had brought them to this volcanic region, a minor eruption just a few days prior had triggered a landslide that collapsed part of the cliff and blocked off the direct route into Area 2.

From the map, their only remaining option was a roundabout detour through a lava-filled cave - far from ideal.

The Basarios were known to inhabit Areas 2 and 3, with the majority of sightings reported in Area 2. The job details even stated that the trade caravan had been attacked in that very spot - which made this a hassle.

If the path were open, they could have dashed back to camp for treatment if they were poisoned - but a detour would render that tactic useless. They had brought some antidotes, of course, but they'd planned under the assumption that camp would be within quick reach. Their supply wasn't bottomless.

The obvious solution was not to get poisoned at all - but unexpected things happened. Especially - Zeeg glanced at Brass - the problem was this boy.

From the outset, Brass had been lugging around a pack stuffed to bursting with all manner of tools. The most egregious offenders were three books - not novels or anything trivial, but Books of Combos. Zeeg himself had one, though he'd left it at the guest house. Brass claimed to have memorized the contents, yet insisted on bringing all three, calling them his lucky charms - said they made his mixing more successful just by being there.

Hunters were a superstitious bunch, to be fair. Zeeg still wore an ornament he'd made from a shard of the first Yian Kut-Ku scale he'd ever broken. He understood the sentiment. But three volumes were, in his view, plain excessive.

Brass hadn't forgotten anything else, either - he had pickaxes for mining, and even bug nets. Not just one of each, either - he'd brought as many as he could carry, and his pack bulged so much he was already out of breath after a short walk.

"Perhaps we could break open this path..." said Enta as he stepped forward and rapped the boulder with the back of his fist. The glossy black surface rang out with a clear note, echoing high into the cliffs above their camp. It was dense. Maybe a Large Barrel Bomb would do the trick... but using a precious item like that on a hunch didn't sit right with Zeeg.

"...Shall I give it a try?"

Enta's hands drifted to the dual blades at his waist.

Zeeg raised a hand. "Don't. If the blades chip, we'll be in trouble when the real fight starts. A slash won't even leave a scratch on rocks that color and tone."

"...Point taken," Enta replied, lips curving into a faint grin as he withdrew his hand in a fluid, almost theatrical motion.

Zeeg narrowed his eyes. He'd been tested.

Enta had known the rock wouldn't budge. The display had been for Zeeg's benefit - to see how he'd react. Within a hunting party, it made sense to size up one's allies' judgment. Rank and paperwork never told the whole story. Still, knowing didn't make it any less irritating.

Zeeg swallowed his annoyance and unrolled the map against the rough stone so everyone could see. He pointed to the area where the cliff had collapsed.

"...With the path to Area 2 blocked, we've got no choice but to go through the cave. Fortunately, we've got Cool Drinks in the supply box, so heatstroke shouldn't be a problem. First, though, let's check Area 3 - see if the Basarios wandered over there."

"A reasonable plan," Enta said with a nod, though his tone was so neutral Zeeg couldn't tell whether he meant it or was mocking him.

Zeeg kept his expression unreadable, but he caught himself thinking - No, that won't do. He was wound too tight. Too focused on making this work. Pressure like that could cloud his judgment - and in the field, that led to one outcome: death.

He folded the map and tucked it into the flap of his boot, then turned to Brass.

The boy straightened as Zeeg's gaze landed on him. Standing tall like that, he was actually a bit taller than Zeeg. His armor - a full set of the blue-scaled Velociprey gear - looked fragile for a fight against a flying wyvern. And with all those tools weighing him down...

Zeeg sighed softly, jerking his chin toward the overstuffed pack.

"Brass. You'll have to leave some of your stuff behind."

"H-huh!?" The boy's expression was a portrait of shock. Zeeg had to stifle a snort. It's not like he'd told him to leave his sword behind. "B-but, without my tools, how would I-"

"I didn't say everything. Ditch the pickaxes and bug nets - you won't have time for gathering. You'd be better off watching how we fight. I mean, you weren't supposed to even be on this quest, really - the only reason you're here is because the Guild in Minegarde put in a word for you. Don't waste the opportunity."

"Th-then! What about my Book of Combos!? I-I need those! Without them, I-I wouldn't know what to do!"

"Bring one."

"Just one!?"

"They're bulky. What's the point of hunting if you don't have space to carry anything you carve out? Would you be willing to trash the books then?"

Brass shook his head violently and hunched protectively over his pack, as if Zeeg might rip the books away by force. Zeeg didn't correct him. If fear got the boy to leave the extra volumes behind, then all the better.

"Go on. Drop it off."

With a resigned nod, Brass shuffled back toward the tent, slumping to his knees beside his pack and digging through it with exaggerated care.

Hunters came in all kinds. Most hunted to make a living, but some found meaning in collecting rare insects or discovering new species. Others became obsessed with acquiring every single piece of gear the world had to offer.

Brass would probably grow into one of those.

("Now, then...")

Zeeg used the lull to draw on his memory - trying to map out a plan for dealing with the Basarios. He'd previously faced the monster both solo and with a team - and now, the latter was far more relevant.

Back when he'd hunted with Elmeria's party, Gannon always acted as the decoy. Zeeg and Elmeria would slip through the opening he created, striking hard, while Fradio kept any other monsters from interfering. That had been their usual formation. Fradio's weapon, the Tankmage, couldn't fire support ammo like Antidote rounds, so it was vital for the team to read the Basarios' tells and avoid its poisonous attacks altogether.

But this time, there would be no decoy.

Zeeg's greatsword could be used like a shield in a pinch, but that wasn't its intended purpose. Enta's dual blades offered no defensive utility, and while Brass was the only one with a shield, pushing him straight into a flying wyvern's path was out of the question.

Vivi wielded a light bowgun - the Dark Parasol - capable of using support ammo Fradio couldn't, but in exchange, its attack power was relatively low. She couldn't be relied upon to deal with the smaller monsters that would inevitably scavenge the leftovers from a wounded Basarios.

In effect, it would be up to Zeeg and Enta to handle the hunt. Zeeg accepted that. He hadn't yet seen how Enta fought, but the way the man moved - swift, almost gliding - gave him a hunch. If he could rely on Enta for hit-and-run tactics, sweeping up stragglers and pulling the monster's focus, Zeeg could close in beneath the Basarios' legs, strike when the opening came, and retreat at the first sign of a windup. Once the poison had cleared, he'd go back in and repeat. A simple rhythm, but one that worked.

As for Vivi, she could stay back and provide recovery ammo to anyone injured. She might even help with crowd control, using paralysis, sleep, or poison rounds to tip the scales. Her weapon was high-spec, able to load nearly every type of ammo save for Water, Thunder, and Pierce rounds.

Before they departed, Zeeg had asked her to bring extra Antidote rounds. If she'd done as asked, it would make the hunt far more manageable. They wouldn't need to waste time dodging every poison cloud - he could just keep swinging.

"How many Antidote rounds do you have, Vivi?"

"I brought twenty, if that's enough," she replied.

More than enough. If they needed more than that, they had no business calling themselves hunters of their current rank - and the hunt would likely fail anyway.

Before long, Brass returned with slumped shoulders. Zeeg waited for him, then started forward without a word. Brass's pack was still bulging - he might've sneaked a second book in. Zeeg could have scolded him and made him leave it behind, but decided against it. Being too strict might snuff out what motivation Becky had instilled in the boy before entrusting him to them.

With Zeeg in the lead, they set out from the base camp, taking the right-hand path toward Area 1 with the river behind them. Their boots crunched over the gray soil as they moved, alert to their surroundings. The gravel near camp made too much noise - a frequent cause of unwanted attention - but at least there wasn't enough open ground for a wyvern to land nearby.

They filed down the narrow trail, emerging into a barren, ash-colored expanse. Legend had it this place had turned gray from years of volcanic ash raining down, seeping into the earth over countless generations.

A blot of red appeared in that colorless landscape - not lava, not flowers, but living muscle. Red-scaled, carnivorous Ioprey. Zeeg's brow twitched at the memory their appearance brought to mind: his last hunt with Elmeria's party.

"...Five of them," Enta murmured behind him, voice taut as a drawn bowstring. His tone made his message clear: We'll be coming back this way. Better to clear them out now.

That was understandable. If the Basarios was holed up in Area 3, this would be their fallback route. Trying to retreat through an Ioprey pack while wounded would be a death sentence. They weren't just fast and vicious - they leaped like hellspawn and spat poison to boot.

"Be on guard," Enta said with a glint in his eye, "Crimson swarm draws near; flames flow in the broken land; the first clash begins."

He turned to Brass. His look said - Ready?

Brass stiffened. His eyes widened, and for a moment, it seemed he would shake his head - then he stopped himself.

Strange kid, Zeeg thought. Coming on a hunt and trying to avoid a fight.

"No one said you'd be doing it alone," he said dryly.

He tore open the wrapping on one of their rations - a whole hunk of meat or a proper meal would've been ideal, but supply meals like these were far more efficient - and devoured it in one bite. The boost to stamina and fullness would carry him through the hunt. Enta and Vivi followed suit. Brass hesitated, then with trembling hands, unwrapped his own and forced it down, visibly struggling to swallow.

It would take a few seconds for the nutrients to kick in. Zeeg turned back to scan the Ioprey pack... and nearly choked.

Enta was already moving. No stealth. No caution. Just striding toward the Ioprey as if he hadn't a care in the world. Zeeg reached out instinctively - but it was too late.

One of the Ioprey noticed him and shrieked, its shrill cry tearing through the air.

("Seriously!?")

Zeeg cursed under his breath, dropped the visor on his Rathalos Helm, and burst from cover. As he ran, he called to Brass-

"Let's go!"

-And drew his Lacerator Blade+, gripping the handle tight.

Enta drew his dual blades from his hips and stepped forward, his speed unreal for a motion that still looked like a walk. Zeeg was running, yet couldn't catch up - a disorienting feeling.

Before he could reach him, Enta was surrounded. Five Ioprey, all teeth and claws. There was no escape. Zeeg would have to carve a path in - if he made it in time.

A crack rang out behind him - the pop of igniting gunpowder - and a breeze coiled past his ear.

One of the Ioprey jerked as a neat hole appeared in the ridge above its eye. Flesh ruptured, blood sprayed, and the creature crumpled as though struck by an invisible hammer. Zeeg didn't need to turn around - Vivi's cover fire, sharp and precise as expected.

But one down meant four remained - still more than enough to tear Enta apart. The man wore the Shinobi armor series - sleek and light, but offering almost no real protection. Against Ioprey fangs and claws, it might as well have been paper.

Vivi's next shot would take time to aim. It wouldn't come fast enough.

The remaining Ioprey hunched low - then sprang into the air. Vivi managed to drop one mid-leap - but the other three came crashing down as a single mass of red onto Enta, threatening to crush him beneath their weight.

Zeeg's skin prickled with goosebumps, the sensation sharp enough to make him want to say aloud - No way!

He's dead, was his first thought.

Anger came before grief.

What the hell's with the dual blades bravado? All that big talk - and he goes and dies on our first damn hunt together!?

A crushing weight pressed onto Zeeg's shoulders, though he knew full well he wasn't the one to blame. Enta had charged ahead without coordination. He told himself that, and repeated it in his mind. This isn't your fault. Enta brought it on himself.

But the guilt didn't dissipate. It felt as though Enta's ghost was hanging from his arm, dragging him down. Still, he couldn't stop now. If he hesitated, if he didn't lift his sword and keep fighting, more of his party might end up dead.

Bowgun users were vulnerable up close. Brass was not safe, either - maybe he'd fought Ioprey before, but the ones in a random field and the ones in the Guild's designated hunting zones were in a different league entirely.

Gritting his teeth, Zeeg raised his Lacerator Blade+... and froze.

The Ioprey that had landed on Enta weren't moving. Not a twitch. They weren't tearing into him, nor preparing to strike again. They lay piled atop one another as though they'd been doused in sleeping gas.

Then, with a wet, slipping sound, the topmost Ioprey slid off its kin and hit the ground.

The other two followed, slumping over lifelessly. From beneath the collapsed carcasses, Enta emerged - kneeling, his dual blades crossed before his chest. He rose to his feet as if nothing had happened. At a glance, he bore no visible injuries. With a single elegant motion, he swung his blades once and sheathed them behind his back, folding his arms.

Zeeg stared, momentarily awestruck.

But the moment passed. The awe gave way to a fresh surge of rage.

This bastard... After prompting Brass to get ready, he charges in without a damn word!?

In a party hunt, coordination was everything. Everyone's specialty had to be used in harmony. And Enta, with his light armor, was not built for headlong assaults.

"Hey!" Zeeg barked, slinging his greatsword back over his shoulder and striding toward Enta with long, furious steps.

Relief - cold and fleeting - washed away the weight on his shoulders the moment he realized Enta was alive. But if he let that reckless behavior slide, the same thing could happen again. Zeeg wasn't about to take responsibility for a man who threw his own life away on a whim. Even if he had to beat some sense into him. Age didn't matter. Rank didn't matter.

But as that thought settled, his fury began to ebb.

That's me, he realized. That was me.

No, he hadn't been that reckless. On his last hunt with Elmeria, he had followed her strategy. Well - until the end, when he'd challenged her plans and tried to act on his own.

Still... was it really so different?

If he had rushed in alone against that Rathian and died, Elmeria would've blamed herself. Even if she said otherwise, she would have regretted failing to stop him.

And maybe it wasn't just about sparing her that burden. Maybe it was about acknowledging that his own actions had put her in that position to begin with.

But that didn't mean Enta should get a free pass. Zeeg drew in a deep breath and steadied himself. Then, stepping over the Ioprey corpses, he came to a stop in front of Enta.

The man's single eye didn't smirk or shine with pride. There was no arrogance in the curve of his lips - no air of self-congratulation. He was short, lean, and composed. Zeeg stared into that single eye, feeling its weight.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Zeeg said, forcing the remnants of his anger into the words.

At his feet, the Ioprey he'd slain first had already begun to dissolve, its fluids bubbling up with the stench of rot.

Ioprey, Velociprey, Genprey - they all shared the same biological quirk. Upon death, their internal fluids reacted with air, hastening decomposition. Time was critical for carving materials, but if he stopped to scold Enta after harvesting, it would turn into a joke.

"You trying to get yourself killed? Just because they're Ioprey doesn't mean-"

"I had no such intention," Enta cut in flatly. "I acted because I was able. Nothing more. A mere five Ioprey are no threat to me. And... I wished to see your capabilities for myself."

"What?" Zeeg said, blinking.

"If you hadn't become angry at my actions, it would've meant you lacked the foresight to lead. But you did get angry - therefore, I trust you have the bigger picture in mind." Enta slowly uncrossed his arms. "One's true nature cannot be observed without hunting alongside them. Interviews and paperwork say next to nothing."

So it wasn't just Enta being judged - he had been testing Zeeg as well.

Obvious, in hindsight. Zeeg had thought he was the only one sizing others up, but that had never been the case.

He exhaled slowly. With the breath, the heat left his head, and clarity returned.

Did I do the same to Elmeria?

Was he constantly measuring her as a leader? Did she ever feel that?

Maybe.

If she had become cautious over time, that would've made sense - but that didn't excuse everything. Being too cautious was just as dangerous as being reckless. One couldn't avoid risk and expect to succeed in a hunt. What mattered was knowing where the line between life and death truly was.

"I get what you're saying," Zeeg said.

Enta's pupil contracted slightly, as if to say - Oh?

"But this doesn't happen again. If you go rogue like that, it throws the rest of us off. I get it - you're fast. But if we don't coordinate, we won't survive against a flying wyvern. Not even you can think you'll take one down solo in a Guild-assigned hunt, right?"

"If ordered, I would do it," Enta replied. His gaze didn't waver. He wasn't boasting. His eye said the same message: I can, and if I must, I will. "...But I understand. I will follow your lead - as long as I do not believe your strategy to be foolish."

"Well, you don't mince words, do you?"

"Politeness helps no one in the field - Lips sealed in shadow; what's buried rots in the dark; no one knows your truth - That is the way of things."

"...Yeah, sure."

At last, Zeeg found it in himself to smile - even if only a wry one.

Enta was right.

Nothing would ever be understood if left unsaid. Assuming others would understand without words was nothing more than wishful thinking - convenient fiction to ease one's own conscience. Some might insist otherwise, but that only meant they thought they'd been understood, not that they truly had.

In everyday life, such misunderstandings could sometimes smooth things over. But out in the field, in the hunt, assumptions only doubled the danger.

That, Zeeg thought, was the core of what Enta was trying to say... even if he could be wrong about that, too.

"...Still. That was some impressive marksmanship," Enta said suddenly, shifting the conversation without warning as he looked down at two of the fallen Ioprey.

Zeeg knew exactly who he meant. Vivi.

Her shot had been flawless - striking the skull, instantly killing the creatures. The Ioprey hadn't been stationary either; one had even been lunging straight for Enta when she'd fired, nailing it right between the eyes.

If Fradio's heavy bowgun was a spear, then Vivi's light bowgun was a needle. With her precision, she could shoot in the thick of battle without ever worrying about friendly fire, no matter how wild the melee.

"She's clearly had intensive training," Enta added, nodding slightly.

"You think so?" Zeeg replied.

"At that age, such skill doesn't come without discipline. I'd wager she had a bowgun in her hands before she could read - raised for it, like you, perhaps. What do they call that - gifted upbringing?"

Zeeg let out a dry breath. "If she was 'raised' for anything, I doubt it was a blessing. More likely she just didn't have a choice. Hunting was probably the only way forward."

Enta tilted his head. "The same goes for you?"

"Yeah," Zeeg said quietly. He looked down at the Ioprey as they crumbled completely, the wind scattering the remnants across the gray ash. "My village's whole livelihood revolves around hunting. Most people pick up a blade because they have to. There's no other path. I figure she's the same."

Elmeria, raised a hunter, was the weird one out, he thought - but even that, he wasn't so sure about anymore.

He'd always believed Elmeria was shaped by Gannon's guidance - what Enta might've called "gifted upbringing" - becoming a fearsome hunter at an age most were still swinging sticks at dummies. But the life of a hunter was harsh - perilous beyond measure. And Gannon had claimed to be indebted to her supposed father. If he had truly wanted to protect Elmeria, why had he led her into this life?

Sure, maybe Gannon had no other trade to pass on. But with his skill, he could've made enough to raise her safely without sending her into the jaws of death. He didn't have to turn her into a hunter.

"Compared to Lady Vivi, then, what do you make of that?"

Enta's voice trailed in with a faint chuckle, snapping Zeeg out of his thoughts. He shouldn't waste time mulling over Elmeria. It wasn't like they'd be crossing paths again anytime soon - nor did he plan to.

"Huh? Make of what?"

Enta pointed behind Zeeg.

Zeeg turned - and was greeted by the sight of a backside poking out from behind a boulder. Loose, dark pants, a long waist-cloth swaying slightly - that was the Velociprey Tassets. Of course it was. There wasn't anyone else it could be. That backside belonged to Brass. Resting just above it were his sword - the Bone Spike - and shield, both still strapped to his back, untouched.

("So he turned tail on the Ioprey? Unbelievable...")

Zeeg stared, dumbfounded.

They weren't the easiest foes, true, but compared to a Yian Kut-Ku or a real wyvern, they were fodder. For Brass to cower behind a rock like that - without even drawing his sword - was pathetic. Zeeg couldn't imagine how this boy had ever taken down a Kut-Ku. He doubted the Guild would've been fooled, but still - it made him wonder if that résumé had been polished a little too hard.

Nearby, Vivi calmly maintained her Dark Parasol, seemingly unconcerned by Brass's retreat. She offered no reprimand, no judgment - just silence. That, too, struck Zeeg as a bit of a problem.

Zeeg walked over to the boulder and called out, "Hey."

Brass jumped, his backside twitching before he scrambled upright and peeked around the rock.

"Ah... I-it's over already...?" he said meekly.

His complexion was pale, his voice sheepish. Zeeg could also see a faint trace of lingering tension in his posture. And then, he noticed something - Brass was holding something in his hand.

"What's that you've got there?"

"Oh, this...?" Brass opened his palm without protest.

A cluster of hard, round plants sat in his hand - Huskberries.

Zeeg's eyes narrowed. Seriously? This kid was gathering materials while Enta and Vivi were fighting?

"They're Huskberries," Brass said quickly, as if sensing the incoming scolding. "I... I thought I wouldn't be any help in the fight, so I figured I could at least collect some of these..."

Zeeg nearly dropped his jaw in disbelief.

Sure, Enta had stolen the spotlight with that display, leaving no room for interference - but still. To not even try drawing his blade and instead go gathering during combat? He'd never seen a hunter like this before.

"And what exactly were you planning to do with those?" Zeeg asked, still half in disbelief.

"Well... make ammo for Miss Vivi, of course," Brass said, blinking in confusion. "With some fluids from the fish near base camp, I can mix up Level 2 Pierce and Level 1 Crag shots..."

Zeeg had no idea. He knew what Huskberries were, of course, but he always discarded them the moment he picked them up. The only things he ever mixed were potions and bombs. He wasn't a gunner. Ammo synthesis had never even crossed his mind.

"Interesting," came Enta's voice, suddenly beside them - silent as a shadow. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So you assessed the situation, saw where you could contribute, and acted accordingly... In other words, not cowardice."

"Well... I was scared," Brass admitted, flashing a stiff, nervous grin.

Zeeg could tell what the boy had been trying to do, at least. In that moment, with those monsters bearing down on Enta, even if Brass had drawn his weapon, it wouldn't have made a difference. Zeeg himself hadn't made it in time, and he was far more experienced. Worst case, Brass might've just gotten in Vivi's line of fire.

"Mixing's fine and all," Zeeg said, "But save it for when there aren't monsters around. You never know when we'll need your hands. If someone calls for a potion and you're elbow-deep in gathering, that's no help to anyone."

"...I'm sorry," Brass mumbled, head drooping.

Zeeg wasn't one for lectures - never had been - but this was part of mentoring a rookie. They were risking their lives together. That meant facing the ugly parts too. If Brass were hunting solo, Zeeg wouldn't have cared if he paused to forage mid-battle or tried to fish while a wyvern circled overhead. But in a hunting party, one person's careless move could get someone else killed.

"You better mean it. We're counting on you."

He gave Brass a light pat on the shoulder, then turned to head down the path leading into Area 3. According to the map, the narrow canyon ahead would open into a wide basin - the likely nesting ground of the Basarios they were tracking.

Glancing back over his shoulder, Zeeg spotted Brass shuffling behind with his back hunched, scanning the area like he still hoped to spot something worth gathering. Enta walked beside him with a stiff, almost mechanical grace, hardly moving his upper body. Trailing behind them was Vivi, twirling her open Dark Parasol like an actual parasol, the frilled edges swaying gently with each step.

It looked like some bizarre field trip.

Zeeg fought the urge to clutch his temples and tilted his face toward the sulfur-tinged sky, that high expanse of pale blue hanging overhead. He let out a silent sigh, barely more than a breath.

"SO TASTY!"

The shout rang out beneath the high blue sky, and a judge hurried over to the hunter who had called. He scrutinized the massive hunk of spit-roasted meat - bone-in and dripping with juices - then poked it with a finger, gave it a sniff, and gave a decisive nod.

"SO TASTY!"

He echoed the words with ceremonial flair, raising his flag. An attendant came sprinting in with a large metal platter, received the perfectly grilled Well-Done Steak, and hurried back toward base camp. The judge, without missing a beat, stamped the card hanging from the hunter's neck.

"SO TASTY!"

Another call echoed from somewhere else, and the judge turned on his heel and made for the next participant.

The hunter who had just completed his delivery took another hunk of Raw Meat from a nearby stack and set it on the Gourmet BBQ Spit, sliding it onto the rotating rod. He fitted the handle into place and immediately began turning it with a serious expression.

"...Young Mistress."

"Huh? Ah-!"

By the time Gannon's voice reached Elmeria, it was already too late. She hastily lifted the handle, but the meat was charred black, belching out a thick plume of smoke. The outside had carbonized completely, and the burnt crust flaked off the moment she shook it.

Sighing in defeat, Elmeria laid the Burnt Meat onto the cloth spread beside her. It was not the first piece to meet such a fate. More than ten others already lay there, forming a small mountain of failure.

She had joined the Meat Grill Festival in hopes of lifting her spirits. But far from cheering her up, the activity only deepened the gloom in her heart. Every time she grilled meat, her mind unavoidably drifted back to Zeeg. Even now, she could remember it all too clearly.

It had been during a Rathalos hunt - something she'd reluctantly agreed to take him on at the request of the Minegarde Guild Master. With little else for him to do, she had told Zeeg to grill some meat. He had spun the handle of the spit while humming the BBQ Song - the very first tune every novice hunter learns.

Not that it had actual lyrics. The song was more of a rhythmic hum that trained a hunter's body to recognize the perfect moment to lift the meat from the fire. The catchy tune was popular in taverns, where hunters would sling arms over shoulders and belt out their own nonsense verses, but no one actually sang it on the field.

Or so Elmeria had thought - until she met Zeeg.

Years had passed since then, and yet he never stopped singing that off-key song. She had told him to drop it at first - after all, making noise during a hunt could alert monsters to their presence - but in time, she gave up. Odd as it was, his tuneless humming had a way of easing the tension in the air.

And now she would never hear it again.

The realization struck her more heavily than she had expected. How had she not noticed until now? That even at a simple festival, the absence of that ridiculous song could leave her so hollow?

Another sigh escaped her lips. She slumped forward, letting the breath drain the last of her willpower. There was no point in grilling meat in this mood - no way it would ever come out well done like this.

Beside her, Gannon had also stopped turning his spit. From the corner of her eye, she saw him remove a still-rare piece of meat from the rod.

"...Don't let me stop you," she said. "Go ahead and grill."

"No need. I was... not particularly eager to do it anyway."

"...Right."

Another sigh built up in her chest, and this time she didn't fight it. As the breath left her, so did her resolve. A strange lethargy took hold, and even the hammer strapped to her back felt unbearably heavy.

"...Hey, Gannon." She stared into the flames of the makeshift campfire, voice little more than a murmur. "Do you think I've become... cowardly?"

"Are you still troubled by what Zeeg said?"

"...Honestly, yeah. I knew I'd been making mistakes lately. I can understand why he was frustrated. But - was I wrong? Please. Be honest."

Gannon fiddled silently with the spit handle he'd removed from the bone. There had been a time when he would've scolded her for even asking. Lately, though, he hardly offered his opinions at all. She had once thought that meant he'd come to recognize her as a fully-fledged hunter.

Now, she wasn't so sure.

Throughout her career, she had dismissed people from her party - but no one had ever cast her out.

"...You were not necessarily wrong, Young Mistress." His words were carefully measured. "However... your views and his have grown apart. That is all. Every hunter draws the line somewhere - how far to push, when to retreat. Zeeg had started to feel confident. After slaying a Monoblos and upgrading to Rathalos armor, he likely began to think he would not go down so easily. That outlook... clashed with your own. You believed in returning from a hunt unscathed. But Zeeg - he wanted to finish the job, even if it meant breaking a bone."

"...That's inefficient. Break a bone and you're out for months. Muscle loss, less training - it's no different from that Khezu girl with her hero complex."

"It is something many greenhorns go through."

"Wait. Are you saying Zeeg is still one, after all this time?"

Gannon, his fingers clasped together, his neck thick as a log, gave a slow nod. His face was still partially wrapped in bandages. The Rathian poison had reached his optic nerves and still hadn't completely left his system. According to the Guild's in-house doctors, full recovery was uncertain.

"But... he took down a Monoblos."

"Hunters are not judged by the size or species of the monsters they have hunted. The Guild's Hunter Rank might reflect skill level - but it does not define whether someone is truly seasoned or not. Are you familiar with the party called Crimson Avian Wings?"

Of course she was. Four men, all close to fifty, known for hunting practically nothing but Yian Kut-Ku.

They'd been in the trade a long time, yet still wore full Kut-Ku armor - a production line without a helmet. None of them ever substituted helmets from other wyvern sets, either.

Their weapons told a similar story. The two greatsword users wielded the Iron Gospel katana. The lance wielder used a Babel Spear. The bowgunner carried a Grenade Launcher. All weapons crafted without a single flying wyvern part.

Many hunters mocked them for going after nothing but Kut-Ku.

Elmeria understood the sentiment - after all, she'd spent years hunting alongside Fradio, who was much the same. He always went after Gypceros when hunting solo. She didn't see it as something to deride; it was simply another way of doing things. That said, Fradio could take on other flying wyverns when he chose to. Which made him a different case entirely.

But Gannon - he saw things differently. He recognized their worth.

"...There are hunters who call them cowards, but they are not. They chose Yian Kut-Ku after long years of hunting. It is not that they can not hunt other wyverns. They simply would not. Very few know this, but it is the truth - those men were instrumental in repelling the Lao-Shan Lung time and time again. Even during the chaos in Minegarde, they fought valiantly, though few noticed. They are, in every sense of the word, seasoned hunters. It is not enough to just slay wyverns and chase a higher Hunter Rank. That sort of mindset leads to a short life. You, Young Mistress, may not be fully aware of it - but I believe you have sensed that truth, and that is why you have grown more cautious lately, yes?"

Had she? She wasn't sure. It was her own heart she was talking about, and yet she couldn't quite grasp it.

There was no doubt, however, that she didn't want Zeeg getting hurt.

She remembered shouting at him once, when he'd brushed off a fractured bone like it was a mere scrape. It angered her - because it felt like he truly believed that. Like he saw broken bones as no more than splinters.

Maybe that was why she'd pulled on the reins whenever he acted recklessly. Maybe. But it wasn't the whole picture - surely not. She just didn't want to look too closely at what else might be there.

"...So," Elmeria said quietly, "you don't think I've gone soft? That I've stopped being a real hunter?"

"Not at all, Young Mistress," Gannon replied. "Zeeg still has a long way to go, but he too is a hunter. His life - or death - is his own to choose. You are not responsible for that. On the contrary, as a fellow hunter, you should respect his decisions."

A nearby hunter's cheerful voice rang out: "SO TASTY!"

Elmeria sighed as the smell of meat drifted over.

"...I know that. I know, logically. But still - if someone dies because I made the wrong call, I do feel responsible."

It wasn't as though no one had ever died on a hunt with her. True, Gannon had assured her she'd never lost someone due to a clear mistake in judgment. But even so - when death came, it came. And Elmeria had never forgotten any of them.

"At least when it comes to me, you don't need to worry."

She turned at the sound of Fradio's voice. He stood nearby, shoulders burdened with a mountain of raw meat. The scent of blood and gunpowder clung to him, strong and acrid. Judging by the thickness of the bones jutting from the slabs, it was raw Aptonoth meat. Their supplies must've run dry, and he'd gone out hunting to replenish them.

"If things really go south, I'll be the first to run," he said casually. "Well, unless it's a Gypceros. In that case, I'll die happily at her feet..."

Ugh, not me, Elmeria thought, though she didn't say it aloud. People had different tastes, sure, but she couldn't, for the life of her, see that thing as beautiful. The idea of being crushed beneath its feet or dying in agony from its poison made her stomach turn.

Whether Fradio failed to notice her revulsion or simply didn't care, he casually mounted a slab of meat on a Gourmet BBQ Spit, fitted the handle, and began turning it slowly over the flame.

"If words aren't enough to ease your worry, there's a simple solution," he said. "Go on a hunt. Bring someone else along if you like. Or go as the three of us used to. That'll show you how you truly feel - ah, SO TASTY!"

Fradio raised the perfectly grilled meat, crisped and golden, and waved for the appraiser.

A moment later, the judge flew in to examine it, throat audibly gulping.

"P-PERFECT!!"

The shout was met with cheers and murmurs from the hunters nearby. "Perfect, huh?" someone echoed with a laugh. A perfectly grilled slab of meat was fittingly called Gourmet Steak - and folks had taken to giving it the PERFECT! call as an honorary mark of excellence when the cook hit it just right.

Fradio handed over the steak for delivery and received five stamps on the card that hung against his bare chest, then grabbed another cut of raw meat.

"If you want my opinion," he said, "you should go hunt a wyvern. There's no better way to see if you've lost your nerve. They're terrifying even on a normal day - if you're still sharp, you'll know it the moment you face one."

He was right.

Brooding wouldn't bring her answers, and no one else could hand her one on a platter. It was her issue. If she really had turned into a coward... she'd know the moment she stood before a wyvern.

("That's all it is,") she told herself. ("Just getting back to the way things were.")

That was all.

There was no need to think about Zeeg doing something reckless and dying. He had a clever streak, and he wasn't one to get swept up in some misguided sense of justice. If things got truly dangerous, he'd fall back. Just like Gannon had said - their standards were simply different. She didn't even want to imagine him dying.

Elmeria picked up a cut of raw meat, mounted it on the spit, and locked it into place. She pumped the bellows with her foot, fanning the flames into a steady roar.

As the fire licked at the surface of the meat, searing it to perfection, she slowly turned the handle - and, for the first time in what felt like ages, she softly began to hum the BBQ Song.

Having passed through the sweltering cavern, Zeeg and the party emerged once more beneath the blue sky and into the gray, sun-baked expanse beyond.

They were struck speechless by the sight before them.

Just as they'd suspected, the Basarios was nowhere to be found in Area 3. Instead, a horde of Bullfango greeted them.

These boar-like monsters, each armed with massive tusks, were no threat alone - but en masse, they became dangerous. Dodge one charge, and another would blindside them. Before one could rise or even draw their weapon, they'd be trampled into the dirt.

If a wyvern showed up in the middle of that, it was practically a death sentence. Which was why every seasoned hunter knew to take the boars out first.

Zeeg and his comrades followed that logic.

Even Brass unsheathed his sword this time and managed to take one down. But it was Zeeg and Enta who did the bulk of the work.

Afterward, the party began inspecting each of the jagged rocks jutting from the ground, one by one.

Basarios, the monster they sought, was also known as the Invisible Wyvern. The name came from its habit of hiding beneath the earth, its basalt-like shell mimicking the volcanic stones that littered the area.

Though Basarios was hardly agile, it used this camouflage to ambush prey. When something approached, it would sense the vibrations and erupt from the ground in a sudden, violent assault. To draw one out, all a hunter needed was to toss a rock or sprint nearby - either would suffice to provoke a reaction.

Fortunately, the area was strewn with loose stones, so they could conserve their energy. Unfortunately, every outcropping they examined turned out to be nothing more than ordinary rock.

Reluctantly, they dragged Brass - who was still distracted by his desire to dig for ore - away from the spot and made their way through a lava-flooded cave. If not for that obstructive boulder, they would've reached Area 2 without issue.

What they found there stopped them cold.

"...What the hell is this...?"

It was the first thing Zeeg managed to say after the shock had passed.

There, sprawled across the ashen earth, was the massive corpse of a Basarios. It wasn't asleep. Its tiny eyes were lifeless, and its thick tongue lolled out of its mouth, discolored to a blackened crimson. The ground surrounding its body had been soaked not in the usual dull gray, but in dark red tinged with a venomous purple.

Blood - no doubt. And judging by the smell and the discoloration, fluids from the ruptured poison sacs in its body as well.

"It's dead, that much is clear," Enta said, stating the obvious. Anyone could see that. The real question was - who had killed it?

None of the local monsters - be they Ioprey or the herbivorous, turtle-like Apceros - could've done this. Neither species attacked flying wyverns to begin with. Ioprey venom had no effect on Basarios, and neither their fangs nor claws could pierce its thick shell. Apceros had powerful tails, akin to sledgehammers, but not powerful enough to bring down a beast like this.

Zeeg cautiously approached the corpse, wary of any lingering toxins. When he smelled no more, he circled the body, inspecting it closely - and then noticed something strange.

Part of the shell had been deliberately stripped away. The edges were clean, as though someone had slipped a sharp tool between the plates and peeled them away with precision.

No - he didn't want to believe it, but there was no other explanation.

Someone had carved this monster.

And it wasn't the work of Ioprey or Apceros. No beast could perform such delicate work. Only humans - no, only hunters - could do this. But as far as Zeeg knew, their team was the only one dispatched here from the Hunter's Guild out of Nusti.

("...A drifter?")

Some hunters operated independently of the Guild, taking contracts without oversight. His hometown, Kokoto Village, was like that - though the Guild knew of it, the village itself wasn't under Guild control.

Still, few would risk hunting unsupervised in Guild-sanctioned territories. Doing so could provoke the Guild into sending Guild Knights.

Those private enforcers were surrounded by dark rumors. Hunters were sworn never to raise weapons against humans. But the Guild Knights - they were said to hunt people.

Even if those were just rumors, what hunter would willingly risk becoming their target?

And yet, here the Basarios lay - dead, its body mutilated, its shell harvested.

"These are hammer strikes," Enta muttered, brushing a hand along one of the crushed wing membranes. The film had been thoroughly pulped, torn apart - not with blades like greatswords or sword-and-shield, but with sheer blunt force.

"This wound here was caused by a Crag round," Vivi said from where she crouched near the beast's massive head. She brought her nose close and sniffed with precision. "A direct hit to the eye socket. The shell fractured from the inside out - the explosive must've detonated after penetration. I can smell blood, charred flesh, and gunpowder. No mistake."

There was no longer any doubt. Hunters had done this.

Brass, apparently unaware of the seriousness of the situation, circled the corpse with childlike fascination, gawking at the immense body of the juvenile Gravios.

"Well now - We arrived quite late; the wyvern lies still, cold stone; its breath had long gone, eh?" Enta quipped.

"Now's not the time for jokes," Zeeg snapped.

"What do you mean? The contract is fulfilled. There's no issue."

"Are you serious?" Zeeg turned to him, astonished, but Enta's face betrayed nothing. "We didn't hunt this thing."

"But the client only requested that the Basarios be culled, yes? They didn't specify who had to do the culling." With that, Enta unsheathed his carving knife and slid it smoothly between two of the beast's remaining shells, popping a piece free with ease. "This is proof enough. Sadly, it seems the rare ores were taken already. Such is life."

"Wait - are you really planning to take credit for this!?"

"Wasn't our kill stolen? Whoever they were, this Basarios was our quarry. They stole the carve - and now you would have us give up the reward as well?"

Zeeg had no answer. Enta was right. They had been robbed - of the materials and possibly the payout. If this was deemed a failed hunt, they'd get neither reward nor even their upfront fee. That was hard to swallow.

However-

"I get your point. I really do. But if we report this as our kill, we'd be lying to the Guild. That's dangerous."

No amount of Zenny was worth ending up on the Guild Knights' hit list.

"Then what do you suggest?"

"We report exactly what we found. We take the Basarios shell as evidence, submit our findings, and leave the decision to the Guild. If they refuse to pay, I'll cover the reward myself."

"...You're admirably straightforward," Enta chuckled, handing him the carved shell.

Zeeg accepted it without a word. Though he didn't show it on his face, a deep breath of relief stirred quietly in his chest. A fight breaking out here would've been disastrous - especially with the long trek back to base camp still ahead of them.

Only now, as they turned to leave, did Zeeg recall that moment in the jungle - the bitter words exchanged with Elmeria, and the unease she'd worn so clearly on her face...

("What the hell was I even paying attention to then...?")

With a sigh, Zeeg tucked the shell under his arm and turned back toward the cave entrance, where molten lava cast an ominous glow. His feet felt heavier than they should have.

Chapter 5 - Blossoming Pink, Blazing Azure

"How goes the explanations?" Enta spoke before Zeeg even reached the table.

Zeeg's brow twitched slightly as he resumed his action, placing four hefty coin pouches down in front of the party. The clinking of Zenny should have stirred excitement in any typical hunter, but the others seated at the table showed little reaction.

Enta looked straight at Zeeg, not the money. Vivi sat upright, reading from a book without so much as glancing up. Brass, preoccupied with mixing ingredients, merely shot a disapproving glare at the vibration caused by the pouches hitting the table.

Zeeg took a seat. A server promptly arrived, placing mugs of beer before the four of them. He wasn't sure if Brass drank, but it was tradition to share a drink after returning from a hunt.

Before raising his mug, Zeeg distributed the pouches. He kept the bulging one for himself - it held the refund of the contract fee. The rest of the reward was split evenly.

The group proceeded to offer a half-hearted toast and each took a drink. Enta drained his mug in one go. Vivi didn't seem to mind the taste either. Brass took a tentative lick, like he was sampling medicine.

Wiping foam from his lip, Enta leaned forward. "Well?"

"They're looking into it," Zeeg replied, gesturing toward the counter with a tilt of his chin.

The Guild's one-eyed receptionist had said only that in response to his report. If they knew anything more, they weren't sharing. In the end, all Zeeg had learned was that the Guild was just as in the dark.

He'd expected some argument over the reward. But, just as Enta had interpreted, the client's request had been exactly as written: the Basarios needed to be eliminated. It didn't matter who delivered the finishing blow. The Guild had paid out without protest.

And more than that - they'd offered a little something extra.

Zeeg slid a sheet of paper onto the table.

"And what's this?" Enta asked.

"A quest form." Zeeg waited for them to lean in before elaborating. "It's the Guild's way of apologizing for the mess. We're being given priority on this one. Only thing is... the targets are no joke."

Enta narrowed his single eye, studying the paper with suspicion. Vivi's expression remained unreadable. Brass, however, widened his eyes in shock and looked around helplessly. Of course he was rattled. This wasn't a quest someone of his rank was ever meant to touch.

The targets were a mated pair: Rathalos and Rathian.

"They've nested near a ranch..." Enta observed.

"Yeah." Zeeg picked up the quest form again, skimming it once more. "A couple weeks ago, a Rathalos was sighted near a ranch situated between Nusti and Minegarde. Not long after, a Rathian was spotted in the nearby forest. Looks like they're nesting. Normally, the Guild wouldn't authorize a hunt during the mating period - but livestock are being killed, and if they run out of prey, there's a good chance they'll move into the city. That's why the Guild's making an exception."

"A Rathalos and a Rathian..." Enta said with a grin. "A tempting challenge."

"...You can't be serious..." Brass's large frame quivered like a soaked puppy. "Even just one of them is terrifying... but both, at once? A mated pair? There's no way we stand a chance..."

"It's not impossible."

Zeeg waited until the server had quietly laid out their meal before continuing. All at once, forks reached forward, spearing through thick slices of grilled Aptonoth meat layered with root vegetables and melting cheese.

He paused to eat, letting the sizzling juices and creamy cheese fill his mouth, wiping his fingers clean on a napkin before catching Brass's expectant gaze.

"Well, sure. Neither Rathalos nor Rathian are your average wyverns. If it's sheer size you're talking, Plesioth is bigger. For toughness, Gravios can't be topped. But when it comes to aggression, cunning, and the sheer instinct to kill... nothing beats a Rathalos. It's the flagship of the flying wyverns for a reason. Rathian's slightly weaker, but her venomous tail makes her even more of a headache. And they both get nastier during mating season."

Brass gave a helpless look, as if to say - See? I told you so.

"But they can be hunted," Zeeg said firmly. "Taking them on together would be suicidal. So what do we do? Easy. We split them up. Mated pairs usually leave defense to the Rathalos. We exploit that instinct - bait him out alone and take him down first."

"Divide and conquer," Enta said, nodding as he popped a roasted yam into his mouth without even peeling it. "If we chip away at him bit by bit, just like carving meat off a bone, even the fiercest monsters are no worse than a herd of Aptonoth. Nothing to fear. I have no objection to accepting this quest. What say you, Lady Vivi?"

"I shall do as the Master wishes," she spoke without lifting her gaze, swallowing a neatly sliced piece of meat with ladylike grace behind her glasses.

No matter how many times he heard it, Zeeg still wasn't used to being addressed as Master. He'd asked her to stop, once. Her reply had been curt, unequivocal - I must decline.

Enta nodded once, then turned to Zeeg.

"What say you, Sir Zeeg?"

The idea had appeal. He wanted to try. But sending Brass up against the likes of a Rathalos and Rathian pair right from the start - that was far too much. Zeeg wouldn't have the luxury of watching over him. The answer, then, was obvious. He turned to the boy.

"...Brass, I'm sorry, but you'll have to-"

"I-I want to go too!" Brass interrupted, his voice ringing loud across the table. He must have known what was coming.

It wasn't what Zeeg had expected, but then again, the boy had never seen a Rathalos up close. That had to be it. He was only speaking out of ignorance. Once he laid eyes on one, heard that thunderous roar, saw the beast charge - he'd freeze up. Just like Zeeg had, his first time. He hadn't run, but he'd been paralyzed by fear, unable to do a thing.

"I won't get in the way! Please, just take me with you!"

"Look, this isn't-"

"Why not let him come?"

At Enta's words, Brass lit up with hope, while Zeeg furrowed his brow. But the one-eyed hunter remained unbothered, gesturing with a root vegetable soaked through with meat juices.

"If he's to be a hunter, he must face such foes eventually. It's a path no one can avoid. And it's our duty, as those ahead of him, to lead by example. The three of us should be more than enough. They don't appear to be anything more than a standard pair."

That was true. Some monsters were classified as Master Rank, a designation for those who had grown stronger through surviving countless hunts - learning traps, adapting to tactics, and passing that knowledge to their offspring. Such monsters were far more dangerous, even among the same species. But this particular Rathalos and Rathian weren't noted as Master Rank in the quest listing.

Zeeg looked back at Brass.

The boy's eyes trembled, but there was no sign of retreat. He wouldn't back down. If that was a decision made as a hunter, then it deserved respect. After all, it was only because Elmeria had once taken Zeeg along for a special Rathalos hunt that he was here now.

"Alright, fine."

Brass's face lit up - but Zeeg wasn't about to let the matter drop just yet.

"However! Don't get in our way. Don't expect us to protect you, either - we won't have the time. You're responsible for your own life. If you can handle that, you can come."

"Yes, sir!" Brass replied with such spirit that he seemed to think the matter was settled. He immediately dove into his meal, biting into it with gusto.

Watching him, Zeeg felt his own appetite shrivel. He set down his fork and forced himself to drink his beer - never a favorite of his - hoping it would help settle the weight growing in his gut.

This thing was good for one thing only - getting a laugh. Elmeria stared down at the freshly - forged hammer, the Enormous Ham, and let out a sigh.

She hadn't won any awards at the Meat Grill Festival, in the end. But Fradio, who had taken a prize, was generous enough to hand over his winnings - a slab of King Meat. With that and a few spare BBQ Tickets left in her stash, she figured, why not? The result, however... wasn't exactly practical.

Theoretically, the sheer weight of the smoked meat attached to the handle might be enough to cave in a Mosswine's skull. But against a wyvern, she'd be lucky not to have it eaten out of her hands. Maybe, just maybe, it could work as a distraction in a tight spot. But, realistically, it was more suited for drawing a laugh - or for a weapon collector with a sense of humor.

Sure enough, the moment she stepped into the gathering hall, all eyes turned her way.

"Oi, what in the world is that!?" someone shouted, laughter erupting.

Well, of course they laughed. The Enormous Ham looked exactly like a giant bone-in ham. She shot a grin in the direction of the voice and called back, "Mind your business!" Laughing as she did, her mood lightened just a little. Maybe making the thing wasn't such a waste after all.

She approached the counter, where Becky looked up from her ledger. Her usual smile was there, but Elmeria could see the fatigue etched around her eyes. With the Guild Master still away, it was clear she'd been handling everything herself.

"What's the occasion?" Elmeria asked, bracing herself against the counter.

Becky glanced at the Enormous Ham on Elmeria's back, but said nothing. Normally, she would've made some quip by now, but there wasn't much room for humor on her face today.

"I've got a request," she said quietly, sliding a piece of paper across the counter. The red stamp on it read: URGENT.

Emergency quests like this gave little time to prepare. They were risky, demanding, and usually the kind that others had already turned down. Elmeria picked up the paper, and soon Fradio and Gannon were peering over her shoulders to read.

"Eliminate a pair of Rathalos and Rathian..." Elmeria murmured.

The request detailed sightings of the wyvern pair attempting to nest in the forest near the ranchlands. Livestock had already begun to vanish. If nothing was done, the damage could easily spread to the city.

When a mated pair prepared to breed, their territory often expanded. If they chose to nest, the nearby settlement would fall squarely within range.

It was likely the Guild had tried to drive them off first. But once a wyvern picked a nesting ground, it rarely gave it up easily. This emergency quest was their last resort.

It was a fitting challenge - and, Elmeria realized, the perfect opportunity to prove whether she was still afraid or not.

She turned to Fradio and Gannon, lifting the quest paper. "I'm thinking of taking it. What do you two say?"

"No objections here," Fradio replied, chuckling deep in his throat. "Rathalos and Rathian - excellent. Not the same one, but I still owe that queen a favor."

Elmeria looked to Gannon. "You?"

"...Should we bring a fourth? Or go as three?"

"Huh, now that you mention it..."

They'd been running as a four-hunter team lately - filling the vacancy could make coordination easier. But bringing someone unfamiliar into a fight like this, against a pair of powerful wyverns, was just asking for disaster. They might hinder more than help.

"Actually, no," Elmeria decided. "The three of us will handle it. We'll split them up and take them down one at a time. That should be enough." With that, she turned back to Becky and slapped the request down onto the counter. "Quest's ours."

"Alright. Your name here," Becky said, offering a fountain pen.

Elmeria signed, then passed the paper to Gannon and Fradio to do the same. Once all three signatures were on the page, Becky nodded.

"You're all set. Departure's in an hour. Oh, and... are you actually using that?"

She pointed to the Enormous Ham, and Elmeria promptly shrugged and shook her head.

"Are you kidding? Of course not! I just brought it along to show it off. I mean, I went through the trouble of making it - it'd be a waste not to give it a debut. You know what, how about you buy it off me? Imagine that - Local Ninja Brains Hunter With Hunk'a Ham! Everyone's gonna retell that story for years!"

"Hmm..."

Becky tapped a finger to her chin, head tilted. She looked like she was actually considering it.

"Well, if you want it, let me know. I'll give you priority."

"Sure thing," Becky said with her usual smile.

Elmeria gave her a wave then turned on her heel. No need to eat - no time, either. For once, she'd had a full breakfast and wasn't hungry in the slightest.

("Since we're up against Rathalos and Rathian, we'd better pack as many Flash Bombs as we can...")

Weaving through the crowd of day-drunk hunters, Elmeria could feel her instincts waking up. She was thinking like a hunter again, and it made her feel alive.

Yes! This was who she really was - not the mopey shell she'd been since Zeeg's departure.

And this quest... this was her chance to make up for her earlier failures. To show Becky, who still believed in them, that her trust hadn't been misplaced.

("...Alright. Time to hunt!")

She drew a length of cord from her pouch, reached behind her, and tied up her long hair at the nape of her neck - tight. Very tight.

Zeeg drew a deep breath as he watched the Guild boat disappear from the dock. The acrid stench of something burnt still lingered in the air. The base camp, hastily erected by the Guild in a secluded grove ringed by cliffs, now lay half-collapsed - its canvas tents scorched and crumbling.

The scent told him everything. This wasn't the aftermath of some ordinary fire - it had taken a direct hit from a fireball. The Guild burned repellents around the perimeter to keep flying wyverns away, but when they were agitated, those deterrents sometimes failed. Camps being attacked was practically unheard of - but it was said that wyverns grew especially volatile while nesting, and now Zeeg had seen the proof with his own eyes.

He placed their supplies where the fire hadn't reached and dropped to one knee, spreading the provided map on the ground in the center of the group. Wyvern nesting sites always shared certain topographical traits - so much so that they all started to feel carbon-copied. As with many times before, the likely den this time was a cave carved into the mountainside.

Area 1, just beyond the camp, and Area 8, known for its steep cliffs and vertical terrain, were unlikely to harbor the creatures. That left Areas 2 through 6, and Area 9 as probable hunting grounds. But before they could make any decisions, they needed to locate the targets first.

"...We search for Rathalos first," Zeeg said, sweeping his gaze across the team. "If we go after Rathian first, there's a chance he'll come looking for her - but the opposite doesn't happen."

The statement was basic knowledge for any seasoned hunter - but Zeeg hadn't said it for the veterans' sake. His eyes drifted to Brass, the youngest among them, and saw the boy nod solemnly. He understood.

"If we run into Rathian first, we back off. Focus on finding Rathalos. No lone wolf stunts - we move as a team. Once we find him, Vivi, hit him with a Paint shot."

Vivi adjusted her glasses and nodded, the black maid uniform she always wore fluttering slightly as she moved. Paint shots and Paintballs worked by tagging the wyvern with scent, but using them on multiple targets could scatter the scent trail, making it hard to track any one of them effectively.

"I'll draw his attention," Zeeg continued. "Enta, use that opening to strike. Vivi, you'll-"

"Hold," came Enta's voice - quiet, but impossible to ignore. Zeeg turned toward him. "Would it not be wiser to reverse our roles? Your armor is heavy. Add the weight of a greatsword and you're hardly built for evasion. It would be more efficient if I were the one to draw the wyvern's attention."

"Maybe, but if it taps you even once, you're done. That's too risky."

"This Shinobi armor I wear is not as fragile as it appears," Enta countered. "Light yet durable. Excellent fire resistance. I was made for disruption. Let me do my part. You stay ready to strike when the opening comes."

"Wait, no, listen." Zeeg raised a hand to stop him. "The most effective way to use a greatsword against a flying wyvern is to get under its belly and hit it hard. That kind of attack doesn't suit a skirmisher."

"Ah..." Enta stroked his chin. "...I hadn't considered that. Then we shall decide based on how the battle unfolds. The target is a living thing, after all. We must adapt to its movements, and to each other's. We both act as decoys and skirmishers - that is the best course."

Zeeg stifled a groan. Enta was clearly satisfied with his own reasoning. There was no time to argue further - if they were both set on playing bait, then so be it.

Turning to Brass, Zeeg found the boy pale with tension. No doubt the state of the ruined camp had rattled him.

"Hey, Brass," Zeeg called. The boy jolted, his broad shoulders trembling as he looked up. "...Don't engage. Not under any circumstances. I'm not trying to scare you - but if you charge a wyvern in that gear, you won't make it back. Whether it's Rathalos or Rathian, their fireballs are no joke. You've seen what one can do."

He gestured toward the charred remains of the tent, and Brass nodded silently. In a way, the attack had done them a favor - Zeeg no longer had to waste words convincing the boy to stay out of the fight. Then again, knowing Brass's personality, maybe it wouldn't have been necessary anyway.

"Back to the strategy - what do I do, Master?"

"Ah - right." Zeeg turned, sheepish. Enta's interruption had made him forget. He gave Vivi an apologetic glance.

"Vivi, you'll focus on support over offense. With your aim, I trust you can tag us with Recovery and Antidote shots even while we're dodging like hell."

Vivi nodded, and Zeeg folded up the map. Enta reached into his pack for the standard-issue rations, prompting Brass to scramble for his own. Zeeg tore into the bland, dry pack and forced it down with indifference.

Once everyone had eaten, Zeeg stood and licked the leftover grease from his lips.

"...Alright. Time to hunt!"

Not our lucky day today - that was all Elmeria could think.

The forest-and-hills region supposedly claimed by the Rathian and Rathalos pair was a newly opened hunting ground. No proper camp had been established yet. As a result, the ranch that had filed the request served as a temporary base, and getting to the hunting grounds meant crossing the river by boat.

She had declined the ranch's offered meal - something about a warm welcome - and instead wasted no time departing, boarding the waiting vessel. But something was off.

"...Gannon. You feel it too, don't you?"

The horned helm turned, and Gannon nodded silently.

I knew it, Elmeria mused, sweeping her eyes over the surroundings. She had sensed something was wrong even before crossing the river: there wasn't a single Aptonoth in sight.

The riverbank, usually lush with tender grass, made for an ideal feeding ground. It should have been teeming with the gentle herbivores. That there was none, was cause for concern.

And then there was the smell - Paintberry. Faint, but unmistakable.

They were supposed to be the only hunters assigned to this quest. So why the scent of a tracking item? Had a drifter slipped in to poach? If so, that was no small matter. If this rogue was working independently, that was one thing - but if the ranchers had hired them on the side, things could turn messy fast.

("But... if that were true, could they really have acted so naturally?")

The ranchers had greeted them with open arms, every bit the picture of a family eager for their arrival. If they'd been lying, they were masters of it - and Elmeria didn't think they were.

"Tch. What a nuisance..." she muttered, clicking her tongue.

Paintballs or Paint shots were only used when a wyvern had been spotted - someone had already made contact. And if worse came to worst, this could escalate into a clash between hunters.

Officially, raising a weapon against another hunter was forbidden. But that didn't mean they were about to stand there and watch someone steal your quarry. The proper response was to report the incident to the Guild and let them resolve it - but no one out in the field had the luxury of waiting for bureaucracy to catch up.

They reached the opposite shore. As Fradio disembarked and began tying off the boat, Elmeria inhaled deeply once more. That Paintberry scent was definitely coming from nearby.

Whether the local Aptonoth had been slaughtered by those trespassers or devoured by the wyverns themselves, the result was the same - no fresh meat to be gathered. They'd have to rely on what rations they'd brought and supplement the rest with fish.

Unfastening the pack at her waist, which swayed against the steel bustle of her armor like a blooming flower of iron, Elmeria pulled out the map and spread it open. From the markings, it seemed they were in what was referred to as Area 1.

Hunting grounds always looked the same after a while. Still, the scents riding the wind were coming from the right - opposite the forest. That was where the trail lay.

"It's awfully quiet, hmm?" Fradio spoke in a breezy tone, but the slitted eyes of his helmet narrowed as he scanned the horizon.

Indeed. Quiet. Far too quiet.

"...Let's go," Elmeria said.

A faint, smoldering sensation lit up deep in her chest. She slung her Breath Core over her back, then stepped onto the grassy slope - like a carpet rolled out by nature itself - and began ascending the path that led toward the hills.

Pushing through the lush forest where Felynes often wandered near a tranquil spring, Zeeg's party emerged onto a grassy plain atop a sheer cliff - only to stop dead in their tracks at the sudden boom that echoed across the air.

Then, a trailing arc of firelight blazed skyward. The scent of scorched air crept over them, acrid and familiar. Either a Rathalos or Rathian had unleashed a fireball.

But something didn't add up. The sound they'd heard just before - without question, that had been a bowgun. Which meant...

There were other hunters out here.

("Again!?")

Immediately before this, they'd run into a similar situation with that Basarios. What was Nusti's Guild even doing? Their party had secured the contract for this hunt fair and square. To be scooped like this - it was intolerable.

Zeeg glanced at Enta. The man's expression was rigid, jaw clenched. For all his easy words and measured calm, he clearly wasn't taking this theft-of-prey well. Vivi, too, had gone quiet, absently stroking the canopy of her Dark Parasol, a sharp glint simmering behind her glasses.

The fireball had risen from Area 4 - just beyond the presumed nesting ground.

Zeeg led the party up a slope between gouged cliffs, emerging into a wide clearing. Nothing was immediately visible. The path ahead twisted through Area 3 toward Area 4, but an enormous rock formation split the terrain like a trident, obstructing their view almost entirely.

The silence was unnatural.

After the gunshot and that fireball, there should've been chaos. But the forest was deathly still. Tensing, lowering their bodies, Zeeg and his comrades crept toward the rock and rounded it in silence, suppressing every hint of presence. They heard nothing - but the smell was there. The acrid sting of gunpowder. The scorched bite of burning grass. And... the stench of charred flesh.

There was no doubt. A wyvern was nearby.

Peering past the stone into the grove beyond, Zeeg felt the hairs on his arms rise. For a second, he thought his eyes had failed him. But no - he could feel it from the others, too. They were all seeing the same thing.

Two flying wyverns. A Rathalos and a Rathian.

And yet - they were wrong. Not just in the way light fell across their scales, but in the very nature of their appearance.

The Rathalos was sheathed in blue plates, like the depths of an ocean, gleaming like cut jewels in the sunlight - nothing like the familiar crimson shell of the species. Beside it, the Rathian's verdant green was gone, replaced by a delicate pink that bloomed across her body like a field of cherry blossoms before spring's full flush.

The term that leaped to Zeeg's mind: subspecies.

Occasionally, such mutations appeared in the wild. Though he'd never seen one himself, blue-scaled Yian Kut-Kus had been spotted in recent months. That was enough to make the rumors credible.

The two wyverns nuzzled each other's snouts, brushing together in a manner almost affectionate.

But when Zeeg lowered his eyes, his gut twisted into a cold, hard knot.

Hunters lay sprawled beneath the beasts, collapsed in tangled ruin.

He couldn't tell how many. Severed arms and legs lay strewn across the ground. Some bodies had been charred black. Nearby, a heavy bowgun - the Titan Launcher - was half-buried in the dirt. That must've been the source of the final shot.

A few paces off, he saw a shattered greatsword - likely an Iron Grace katana. Two hunters had died here. Perhaps more.

"Ahh!" A gasp - sharp, high-pitched - escaped someone behind him.

Zeeg clicked his tongue.

Brass.

The boy had never seen a corpse before.

("That idiot...!")

The wyverns reacted instantly. Twin gazes - pink and azure - snapped toward them.

Their cover had been blown.

Zeeg's hand flew to the handle of his Lacerator Blade+, and he charged from the undergrowth.

If either wyvern attacked first, Brass wouldn't survive the first blow.

The wyverns stared. A second later, a crack of igniting powder split the air - and a crimson splash erupted across Azure Rathalos' face. The stench of Paintberry spread.

The hunters who'd come before must've marked him, but the effect had long since faded.

A roar shook the very air. Zeeg felt his muscles lock up with primal fear - something no amount of training could ever dull.

With a quake of the earth, the Azure Rathalos surged forward.

Zeeg raised Lacerator Blade+ as a shield just in time. The impact tore through his arms and down his spine like a thunderbolt. The wyvern's momentum sent it sliding along the greatsword, glancing off and crashing over his head.

His arms were numb, but Zeeg forced life back into them, swinging upward.

The line of jagged blades caught the Rathalos' tail - only to bounce off, harmless.

("Damn it - it's tough!")

It wasn't his blade. He'd sharpened it just this morning, and it had cut through countless Rathalos hides. This subspecies... its shell was different. Unnaturally hard.

Another roar behind.

Zeeg whirled - and saw the Pink Rathian charging.

No time to guard.

He dove, rolling sideways as the pink blur thundered past.

With no sign of slowing, she slammed side-first into the Rathalos beside her. Sparks flew where the thorny protrusions of her jaw scraped against his blue-scaled hide.

The Azure Rathalos reared up on his hind legs and bellowed - rage incarnate.

His chest swelled, and blue scales around his throat began to shimmer.

The next instant, the world drew inward.

A moment of vacuum. Then a blinding glow behind the scales.

And then - flame.

The fireball streaked past, missing by inches. A tree was ripped from the ground and blown apart mid-air, its splinters burning as they fell.

Wind howled, a shockwave billowing through the clearing.

A cherry-pink shadow flew overhead. Dust and ash scattered.

Thud.

She landed behind the party, kicking up soil.

"Sir Zeeg!" Enta's voice rang out as he rushed to his side.

They stood back to back. Enta had already drawn his dual blades - the so-called Zanki - and held them in a cross-guard stance as he faced the Pink Rathian.

"We're in trouble..." Zeeg couldn't help but chuckle. It wasn't amusement. The laugh just came, unbidden. "This is the worst possible situation. We should fall back... but you think they're going to let us?"

"Not likely," Enta replied, grinning faintly. "If I may describe the stage on which we stand - Fierce petals of pink; spill from spring's hand, brightening; fields of waking green."

"Ehh, not as good as your other ones," Zeeg muttered.

He wasn't angry at the inappropriately-timed poetry. His heart thundered so hard it hurt. His throat was ready to scream. His knees nearly gave out.

But still - he didn't want to run. Even knowing there was no winning this fight, his mind already churned with possibilities, plans. How to take them down.

Zeeg licked his dry lips slowly, watching the warning lash of the wyverns' tails.

"This way!"

At the sound of gunfire followed by two distinctly different roars, Elmeria and her comrades sprinted across the clifftop meadow of Area 3. The once-fading scent of Paintberry grew sharp again - someone had fired a Paint shot. Whoever it was, stealing another hunter's prey was unacceptable.

Charging up the slope between cliffs, Elmeria burst into the clearing marked on the map as an open plain - and froze. Crouching behind a rock was... a maid?

Why a maid!?

A girl was dressed in a black maid outfit, complete with a parasol trimmed in black frills. This was no picnic outing.

Nearby, a tall boy knelt, tending to something on the ground. Judging by his gear, he was a hunter, at least.

"Young Mistress - look," Gannon said, voice tense as he gripped her arm and pointed.

There, beyond a ridge of grass, was the sweeping tail of a wyvern. But not green, like a Rathian basking in dappled sunlight - this tail shimmered with the blush-pink hue of cherry blossoms.

"What an interesting discovery - here as well," Fradio called from the opposite path.

Glancing that way, Elmeria spotted another tail swaying back and forth - this one unmistakably Rathalos. But it gleamed in a deep blue.

What in the world...?

Neither Rathalos nor Rathian were supposed to come in those colors. Was this a sign of the mating season - temporary color shifts brought on by some biological state? Or were these entirely new subspecies?

"-Who are you people?"

The voice came from behind. Spinning around, Elmeria saw the black-clad maid standing tall, gazing straight at her. That parasol - no, now that she looked closely, it wasn't just that. It was a light bowgun.

She was a hunter too!

"I should be asking you that!" Elmeria snapped, keeping an eye on the unusually colored wyverns as she responded. "We're here on official assignment from the Hunter's Guild in Minegarde! Stand down and clear the area!"

But the maid shook her head.

"I'm afraid that won't do. We're here under a formal contract from the Hunter's Guild in Nusti. You're the ones who should retreat."

What?

Elmeria could make no sense of it. The girl's strange attire was baffling enough, but this - this was beyond reason.

A single hunting ground had always been the domain of a single Guild. She had never once heard of two Guilds being dispatched to the same site under separate contracts.

A roar shattered the moment. The Pink Rathian cried out, and a gust of wind tore through the narrow path.

"Whoaaa-!"

Amid the clamor, a voice reached her ears - one she couldn't ignore.

("Zeeg!?")

No... but she couldn't have misheard him. Elmeria's stomach twisted. She dashed over to the black maid and seized her puffy shoulder sleeve.

"...Is there a Zeeg Grandest among you!?"

The girl's black eyes narrowed behind her spectacles, studying her with intensity.

"There is. He's the one leading our hunting party."

Of course he is...

Another roar came, and a high-pitched metallic screech echoed across the plains. Then came the sound of rupturing air, and a wave of scorching heat filled the clearing. Flames surged, turning the skies crimson.

"Unhand me."

The maid yanked her arm free, flipped a grip affixed to the parasol's shaft, and pressed the butt of it to her shoulder. The moment she pulled the trigger, fire burst from the tip. She hadn't even aimed properly-

"Impressive," Fradio murmured. "You managed to make a light bowgun like the Dark Parasol hit so cleanly with such little preparation..."

So Zeeg's got himself a new team...

Seeing it with her own eyes - him, hunting with other comrades - it hit Elmeria harder than she'd expected. Even in the middle of a hunt, her resolve wavered.

Was it resentment? Betrayal? Maybe because, in some deep corner of her heart, she still thought of herself as the one who'd raised him.

"...Young Mistress." Gannon's voice was calm, grounded - as if he understood it all.

Elmeria blinked herself back to the moment.

Right.

This wasn't the time for feelings. She had to focus. Why were two Guilds given the same contract? They wouldn't find that answer here, bickering in the field.

There was only one thing a hunter should do now.

"Gannon! Fradio! Let's go! We're not letting them hog the quarry!"

Hand on the hilt of her Breath Core, Elmeria charged down the path to the left - where she glimpsed the Rathian's cherry-pink tail lashing through the air.

In midair, the Pink Rathian coiled like a whip and lashed out with her venomous tail. Zeeg took the hit on the flat of his Lacerator Blade+ and clicked his tongue.

She's strong.

Venom scattered like mist, shriveling the surrounding grass within seconds. The fumes alone stung his throat. Then, once the Pink Rathian landed, three fireballs came hurtling toward him. He deflected them with his broad blade, sending flames spraying out around him.

No room to strike back.

Behind him, Enta was faring no better.

The Azure Rathalos paralyzed its hunters' muscles with a roar, then rained fireballs from the sky. Any attempt to close the distance was met with a powerful tail sweep meant to keep them at bay.

Zeeg had never heard of Rathalos and Rathian hunting in concert, but there was no mistaking it now.

The Azure Rathalos wasn't going for the kill just yet - he was holding back, likely due to Vivi's precise suppressing fire. But Zeeg could feel it coming. The moment the pair rushed in from both flanks, even the Rathalos armor wouldn't hold up.

A roar tore through the air once more, paralyzing Zeeg where he stood.

Even in the grip of fear, sweat still clung to his skin. He fought to move, to wrench his body free of the unnatural stillness. The Pink Rathian crouched low, her frame tensed - her hind legs seemed thicker, swollen with power.

She was going to charge - no doubt the Rathalos from the rear would, as well.

A gunshot rang out - his one hope. But then came Enta's groan, and Zeeg understood. The shot hadn't stopped either monter. This was it.

He was going to die.

There was no bitterness in that thought. No despair. They had faced a monster of this caliber - such things were part of the life they'd chosen as hunters.

If he regretted anything, it was that he might never reconcile with Elmeria. They had parted on a fight.

("Seriously? That's the last thing I'm thinking about?")

A self-deprecating smile flickered on Zeeg's lips. And in that instant, as though the smirk had been some strange trigger, the earth behind the Azure Rathalos erupted in a spray of dirt. He could already picture how the spear-like tip of that extended jaw would pierce through him.

But then-!

"!?"

The Pink Rathian stumbled suddenly. She toppled onto her side, skidding across the ground as though shoved by an invisible force. The impact carved a deep scar in the earth before her body slammed into the cliffside. Her head snapped back in a violent jerk, and a shriek - not quite a roar - escaped her throat.

Behind him, Zeeg heard a deafening crack - but no gunfire. The explosion must have come from something else. The Azure Rathalos let out a pained, ragged roar.

Finally, Zeeg understood - Crag ammo. Of course. Vivi had fired a Crag shot. It didn't hit hard on impact - but after a brief delay, it exploded, tearing the target apart from within.

"Zeeg!"

He turned at the sound of that familiar voice, startled. A flash of metal and verdant green surged past him, charging straight toward the Pink Rathian. It was-

("Elmeria!?")

There was no mistaking her. A young Hunter clad in Rathian armor with the unmistakable Breath Core hammer on her back - there wasn't any other like her in the world.

And just beyond, he spotted another form: massive, horned, pushing the Pink Rathian's flank against the cliff to keep her pinned. That was Gannon!

"Talk later!" Elmeria shouted, holding her hammer at her side in a ready stance. "You go that way! We split the pay fifty-fifty!"

"Got it!"

The words came out naturally. Zeeg turned on his heel just in time to see Elmeria raise her Breath Core, aiming a vicious swing at the Pink Rathian's thrashing head.

"Enta!" He called out as he ran.

The Azure Rathalos was floundering, one wing shredded and struggling to take flight. It was a perfect opportunity.

Enta slipped into step beside him, his movements fluid as running water. He glanced briefly over his shoulder.

"...Who was that?"

"A friend! Leave the other one to them!"

"Understood."

With a sharp sidestep, Enta surged forward, swift as a river in flood. In the blink of an eye, he had outpaced Zeeg, slipping into the Rathalos's blind spot.

"Now is the time... to unleash the true power of dual blades!"

Shring - steel hissed as the twin blades scraped together. Enta opened his eyes wide, both of them - he wasn't one-eyed at all!

"Witness the swordplay of a demon!"

He danced.

No - he raged. The word dance barely captured it. His blades whirled like twin tempests, tearing into the Azure Rathalos's armored scales.

A wing talon came loose, severed, and crashed into the scorched earth. Blood gushed in violent bursts, staining the grass crimson - but not a drop touched Enta's white garb.

His swordsmanship was astonishing.

The Azure Rathalos bellowed and swung its tail in a blind frenzy. Enta leaped back, narrowly avoiding the blow. His breathing was ragged now, one eye closed once more. After all that motion, the fatigue was only natural.

("Now it's my turn!")

Zeeg charged straight for the Azure Rathalos' leg as it tried to rise. He swung his Lacerator Blade+ in a wide arc, the fang-like blades biting deep into the tender meat behind the knee.

This time, the wyvern screamed.

"O-over here!"

The cry was faint amid the roar, but Zeeg turned to see Brass at the end of a narrow path, pale-faced and half-hidden behind Vivi, motioning frantically for them to run.

For a heartbeat, Zeeg hesitated - but then the reason struck him, and he bolted.

"Enta!" He called out, and Enta seemed to grasp the plan immediately.

They sprinted together, the thundering footfalls of the enraged Azure Rathalos pursuing them.

That was exactly what they wanted. It had taken the bait.

A moment later, the roar of a collapsing pit filled the air, shaking the ground. Zeeg glanced back. The Azure Rathalos had fallen into a Pitfall Trap and was now thrashing helplessly.

Brass must've set it.

"Well done!" Zeeg called to the boy.

Without breaking stride, he and Enta charged back in. Lacerator Blade+ and Zanki struck in unison, tearing the trapped wyvern's scales to shreds!

"And now... the finálé," the calm, composed voice cut through the chaos.

A gunshot rang out. In the same instant, one of the Azure Rathalos' eyes burst - blood spraying as its head jerked back violently.

A beat later, its skull bulged grotesquely from within before rupturing in a thunderous explosion!

The Azure Rathalos wavered - then collapsed, its head slamming into the earth with a seismic thud. Blood poured from its nose and mouth, the Crag shot having detonated within its brain.

Off to the side, another death cry rang out - this one from the Pink Rathian. Elmeria's team had finished the job.

Zeeg let out a long breath and slid Lacerator Blade+ back onto his back. They'd made it.

If Elmeria and her group hadn't shown up, he would have died for sure. He had enough clarity to admit that.

But reflection could wait. For now-

Zeeg pulled a carving knife from his belt. Azure Rathalos. There would no doubt be rare materials to harvest - scales, shells, wing - his heart beat faster at the thought.

Enta, Vivi, and Brass all held their own carving knives, looking to Zeeg for the signal. Their eyes gleamed with expectation.

Zeeg gave a nod, and they knelt beside the slain wyvern, careful and deliberate with each stroke, wasting nothing.

"We hunt, and are prey; life turns on the endless wheel; a world without end..."

Enta's soft voice, like a eulogy, accompanied the rhythm of their blades as they carved into the Azure Rathalos' flesh.

Epilogue

"Sorry, everyone."

With her hands pressed together in apology, Becky gave a slight bow to the two groups of hunters in the Minegarde gathering hall - Zeeg's party of four and Elmeria's party of three.

"The Guild really messed up this time. It turned into a double - no, triple booking."

"What do you mean?" Elmeria asked, frowning.

Zeeg and Gannon looked equally interested, but the rest of their comrades were too busy digging into the extravagant dishes they'd ordered - courtesy of the Guild's tab - to pay much attention.

"Well," Becky began, "that hunting ground and the volcanic region to the west were being claimed by two other Guilds besides Minegarde. All of them wanted the rights to manage it. Our Guild Master had gone off to a coordination meeting to sort it all out, but in the middle of that, an emergency quest came through. By the time it reached me, I just assumed we'd been granted jurisdiction, so I went ahead and asked you to take the job..."

"So the other cities thought the same thing," Elmeria cut in, suspicion narrowing her eyes. "Becky, you didn't know we'd run into another hunting party on the job, did you?"

"Of course not!" Becky waved both hands frantically. "That would've been a disaster - I know that! I'd never... But honestly, I'm really glad it was Zeeg who took the quest from Nusti."

"...Thanks." Zeeg gave a small nod, then risked a glance at Elmeria.

They still hadn't exchanged a proper word since the hunt. The chance had come up more than once, yet every time they were face-to-face, nothing came out.

He knew what he needed to say. Now that he had a party of his own, he finally understood how much Elmeria had carried, how harsh his words had been when he hadn't known any better.

He should just say it - put his feelings into words and apologize. But it wasn't that easy. Embarrassment, guilt, awkwardness - all of it choked the words in his throat.

"But it's all settled now," Becky continued, flashing them a smile. "Those hunting grounds are officially under Minegarde jurisdiction. I guarantee nothing like that will happen again."

"You'd better," Elmeria muttered as she pulled a pouch toward her, its contents clinking faintly.

Becky gave a confident "Of course!" before stepping away to the counter, where a hunter had flagged her down - likely for a registration or quest contract. The pouch contained hush money, more or less - compensation to keep things quiet.

With Becky gone, the lively conversation at the table evaporated. Elmeria turned back to her food, not once looking Zeeg's way. Not that she wanted to. And that, more than anything, made it worse.

With nothing else to do, Zeeg focused on his meal. The food, at least, was excellent - Guild-grade apologies came with premium flavor - but he couldn't enjoy it.

To be honest, he wanted to team up with Elmeria's group again. But after what he'd said - and how he'd left, without a word - how could he possibly ask that now?

("No. I can't leave it like this.")

Zeeg clenched his fork. He owed her an apology, no matter what came after. If he couldn't even do that, he'd be no better than a child.

"E-Elmeria!"

The name came out louder than he'd intended. Every head at the table turned. He nearly said "Never mind," but he knew if he backed out now, it really would be over. He swallowed hard, along with his pride.

"I... I wanna say... sorry."

"For what?" she asked without looking up.

"For... leaving like that. Without saying anything."

"Hmph. I wasn't that bothered. But... I'll listen, since you're offering."

For a moment, Zeeg thought ("That's all?") But then he caught Fradio stifling a grin. That attitude - brushing it off like it was nothing - that was just Elmeria's way of covering up.

Zeeg felt a quiet relief settle over him.

"Yeah... I really am sorry."

He reached for a piece of grilled fish, forked off a tender bite slick with sauce, and tossed it into his mouth. There were things he'd learned from leading a party of his own - things he'd need to talk to her about. Whether or not they ever teamed up again, at least now they could talk.

"Well then..."

The first to rise was Enta.

They'd already introduced their new comrade earlier. It was clear from the carriage ride back to town that Elmeria's group had never seen dual blades in action before. They'd bombarded Enta with questions all the way, fascinated by his unusual form.

Enta, it turned out, kept one eye closed at all times - not out of habit, but as part of his training. It was a way to conserve strength, to build up for the Demonic Transformation, the technique that unleashed his full potential.

Of course, that didn't mean anyone could just copy him and expect the same results. Trying to fight with one eye closed would only wreck one's depth perception - and get them taken out before they even landed a hit.

"...I shall take my leave," Enta said with a polite bow and his usual formal tone.

Zeeg paused, his hand halfway to another bite. He hadn't expected that. They hadn't discussed what came next, exactly, but after two hunts together, he'd assumed they'd keep teaming up for a while.

"Intensive training awaits - for I have a student now."

"A student!?"

When Enta turned to his side, Brass offered a faint, sheepish smile in return. So that was it. Zeeg understood - he couldn't fault the feeling. Dual blades were, after all, a more advanced offshoot of the sword-and-shield. Anyone who had seen skill like that up close would feel inspired to try it themselves.

"Well, it's much sooner than expected, but I guess this is where we part ways, Brass."

"Uh... I'm sorry."

Brass bowed his head apologetically. Elmeria gave a casual wave with her fork.

"No need to be sorry," she said. "Unlike certain people, at least you're saying goodbye properly. Right?"

"...Tch."

Zeeg had no choice but to offer a wry smile. Still, with Brass leaving, they would need to recruit again. He hadn't yet asked what Vivi intended to do, but if she stayed, her skills would be a great help.

That said, he had no plans to return to Nusti to look for new companions. He much preferred Minegarde - the city he was already familiar with.

Ultimately, he wanted to form a party with Elmeria again, but that would make five. By long-standing tradition, a hunting party was capped at four members. A shame, but there was no way around it. He couldn't bring himself to push Vivi out just because he wanted to go back.

"Ah, this makes perfect timing..." Fradio suddenly commented.

Everyone turned to see his face partially hidden beneath the executioner-like visage of his Gypceros Cap.

"What do you mean?" Elmeria tilted her head.

"Well," Fradio began, "due to some rather stupid business, I'll be heading to the capital for a while. During my absence, I was wondering what to do about the empty slot in our group. Zeeg and the young lady - if you two are willing to step in, that would be most helpful."

"W-wait just a second! You didn't tell me any of this!"

"Indeed. I'm announcing this now - for the first time."

Elmeria faltered, letting out an exasperated sigh. "...Why are boys always like this?"

"Hehehe... So, what do you say? Zeeg? And you, young lady?"

"I'm fine with it... if Elmeria is," Zeeg replied, glancing toward her.

Vivi, seated beside him, dabbed the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief and looked at Elmeria through the glint of her glasses.

"I don't mind either. So, then, shall we say... she's my new Master?"

"P-please don't call me that - I mean, Master? Seriously!?"

"Don't mind me. It's merely a personal quirk."

"A... quirk?"

Elmeria gave her a bewildered look, clearly unsure how to respond.

"Hehehe..." Fradio chuckled. "Hunters truly are a strange breed."

"Like you're one to talk!"

Elmeria's lightning-quick retort left Zeeg in stitches. Brass chuckled as well, and even Gannon's rocky features cracked the faintest hint of a smile. Vivi, unsure what was so amusing, simply wore her usual impassive - or perhaps mildly annoyed - expression. A very Vivi reaction.

Wiping away a tear that had welled up despite himself, Zeeg felt his heart already leaping toward the next hunt. It was a shame to see Fradio go, but there were no hard feelings. No broken ties.

The road ahead was uncertain, but for now, he was simply glad to run the hunt again - side by side with Elmeria.

Enta crossed his arms and turned to Zeeg. And for the first time, he cracked a genuine smile.

"Parting winds may blow; yet every path once broken; curves back home again."

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