Monster Hunter:Volume2 Chapter3

Chapter 3 - Aspiring to Become a Hero

Zeeg looked up at the raging sun, feeling its intense rays slowly burning his skin.

He felt like he had been in a long dream.

Could this be on top of a bed in a Minegarde guest house? No, the rooms there shouldn’t have been this exposed to the sun. Besides, the sunlight there isn’t even this strong. It’s like the desert-

The boy woke up immediately. Just as he started feeling the heaviness of his body once again, Zeeg noticed that he is currently in the process of falling to the ground.

(“My sword is gone!”)

Could he have let go of it when he was hit by the Monoblos’s horn flip attack? Realizing that his trusty Ravager Blade+, a weapon equal to a hunter’s life, is not in his hand, Zeeg sweated in fear.

For a brief instant, the sun was obscured.

Then, Zeeg saw it- Shaped like a wyvern’s jaw, the sword fell from the sky!

The sword, although heavier than its owner, had been knocked even higher up that Zeeg was. And right now, it’s dropping right after him.

(“I won’t miss!”)

Zeeg reached out with his hand while he was still ahead, successfully grabbing the sword’s handle just as it was about to pass his arm. However, that also resulted in his falling speed increasing. His arm was dragged with so much force that he thought his shoulder was going to dislodge.

(“Kuh-”)

Enduring the pain, Zeeg used the sword’s weight to shift his faced-up body upside-down. The sword was pointed downward, as Zeeg thought that it should be safe if he were to land in this position.

However, Zeeg soon realized that he was being naïve.

Below him, the Monoblis lay in wait. On its collar, bright red streaks were visible. It proves that the wyvern is currently in a fit of rage.

“Don’t pick a fight with an enraged wyvern.”

That was what Elmeria immediately taught him when he officially joined her team.

“Even a Yian Kut-Ku would become quite a bit more annoying when it’s enraged, right? But other wyverns are on a totally different level, you know? If they were to be enraged, it’s best to back away and wait until it’s calmed down- This is important.”

Zeeg tightened his hold on the great sword’s handle.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but the Monoblos’s horn, looking redder than before, raised up as if it was waiting to skewer its pitiful hunter who is about to fail his hunt. The Genpreys jumped around the Monoblos as if they were begging for a share of the spoils, maybe an arm or a slice of meat.

Wind howled close to Zeeg’s ears as the horn lunged in right before his eyes.

(“Damn it all!”)

Just before he was going to be impaled, Zeeg gathered all his strength and swung at the side of the horn. The impact numbed his hands, accompanied with a sound similar to branches breaking. Sky and land flipped around, disorienting him, with the only thing he knew was that he was no longer falling straight down.

The Monoblos screamed. Another faint voice was mixed in.

“-Close your eyes.”

That voice creeped into Zeeg’s ears. Without any questioning, the boy did as he heard. This could be his instincts as a hunter taking over.

The next moment, a flash of light burst out in the surrounding area, so bright that it got through Zeeg’s eyelids- It’s a Flash Bomb! Monoblos, Genpreys, and Vespoids- All out them let out their cries.

Then, Zeeg felt that he landed on something soft and flabby.

If it was in the spot that he had been sent flying to by the Monoblos, the impact could have broken a bone or two. But the feel of the surface is completely different.

“......Can you move?”

Hearing the voice clearly near his ears this time as opposed to a faint whisper, Zeeg opened his eyes.

His eyes met with a girl’s single eye.

Noticing that the girl has been carring him in her arms, Zeeg hurriedly jumped off. But then a sharp pain ran through his sprained ankle, causing the boy to collapse on his knees. Even so, he tried to support himself with his sword while looking at the girl.

Fully equipped with pale white armor, she sat on the ground as if she had been tripped over.

It didn’t take long for the boy to realize that it was because she caught him before hitting the ground.

On the girl’s head is a chain cap of sorts, with bandages wrapped around, maybe because she has injuries. An eyepatch covered one eye.

She stood up, grabbed Zeeg’s arm to get him up, then put it over her shoulders.

“H- Hey!”

“We’ll run while the Flash Bomb is still in effect- If you’d like, how about I carry you in my arms again?”

The girl looked at Zeeg with her open eye, causing the boy to turn red.

Although he’s angry, Zeeg is not so childish to not acknowledge that he’s currently unable to walk- and he hasn’t even got to give his thanks yet.

All he could do was let the girl support him without saying anything.

Limping away as fast as he could, Zeeg turned around to look as he reached the tunnel’s entrance.

Temporarily stripped off of its eyesight, the Monoblos swung its tail around in confusion. A few Genpreys were knocked away and hit the rock walls. One Genprey that tried to bite the Monoblos was crushed under the large monster’s foot.

Then, Zeeg saw it.

Half of the Monoblos’s horn had been snapped off.

(“I did that?”)

He most likely did. The strike he made while falling down- that was what broke the Crimson Horn off.

The Monoblos’s horn is considered to be a top quality material. An article of rarity that hunters can’t afford to ignore.

However, as Zeeg looked around for the horn’s whereabouts, he was met with an unacceptable scene.

Three Melynxes, black furred bipedal cat-like creatures, dug their way up from beneath the earth. They danced around while using their paw-shaped staffs to pull the Crimson Horn towards them, then quickly left with the item through the way they came before they were noticed by other monsters.

Contrary to their adorable appearance, Melynxes have a tendency to steal things, and they are hated by hunters as a result. Zeeg had also gotten his medicines stolen several times before.

However, the Crimson Horn was just too valuable compared to medicine. Regardless of the rightness or wrongness of doing so, he wanted to just get it back, but there was nothing he could do right now.

(“Dammit, I won’t forget this!”)

Shouting that statement in his stomach, Zeeg could only escape into the tunnel’s darkness.

After all, there is no precious article in this world that is worth losing one’s life over.

“Looks like we got away.”

After going through the entrance of the base camp’s tent, the girl sheathed her one handed sword onto her waist and spoke to Zeeg.

She is the kind of girl that gives off a soft, delicate aura with every single movement. Some of her silver hair slipped out of the bloody bandage wrapped around her head.

Looks like she’s not very good at applying them.

(“It’s the Khezu set...”)

Sitting on the bed, Zeeg noticed that the girl’s equipped full armor set is made from a material called Flabby Hide, carved from a unique wyvern called Khezu.

He had once seen the design during a production process at the Minegarde armory.

The squishy texture that he felt while being held by the girl was from those Flabby Hides.

Zeeg has heard that the Khezu’s skin is thicker compared to other wyverns’, causing those who wear its armor to look slightly more meaty than usual.

Even so, the girl’s figure still looks very well-proportioned except for her chest, which means the body under that armor must be quite thin.

Khezu skin is also good at circulating heat, making it convenient for hot areas such as deserts and volcanoes. Additionally, when one is injured, a type of liquid similar to potions seeps naturally from its skin, speeding up the wearer's recovery rate of wounds.

The girl knelt in front of Zeeg, removed the boy’s Ioprey Greaves, and held his ankle up before examining it.

The compress on his leg was applied by the girl, after she rubbed the injured area with herbs.

Zeeg moaned as his foot was being turned around lightly.

“Sprained. No broken bones. –Still, you’re better off giving up on it for now.”

“......I know.”

Zeeg spoke as if to spit those words out. With his foot in this state, he shouldn’t even be able to swing a sword. Going out to hunt in this body condition is just suicide.

Though he was able to break the Monoblos’s horn, he could not defeat it. Besides, that wound could cause it to go on an unstoppable rampage.

“You’re thinking that it could target the merchants again, right?”

While watching the girl take out a yellow-ish bandage from the bag on her waist then roll it around his ankle, Zeeg heard the girl’s question, and he responded in surprise, “Yeah”.

Bull’s eye.

The boy wondered if the Khezu armor set grants its wearer the ability to read minds, but he knew that it’s just nonsense.

If one is a hunter, it is not strange that they would know what’s happening in the area.

“If it’s that, things will be alright for a little while.”

The girl continued.

“With those injuries, it definitely won’t appear for some time. The horn is a Monoblos’s life. Until it is back to how it used to be, it’ll probably hide somewhere and rest. Until then, I think it’s safe to say that the trade route is useable.”

Zeeg felt relieved.

If what that girl said is true, then it’s good fortune in a misfortune.

Originally, the objective of this Monoblos hunt wasn’t for revenge. The goal of this hunt was to ensure safety of the trade route, nothing more than that.

Even if the safety is not permanent, at least part of the job was accomplished.

“Say, you... Err-”

“Freda.”

The girl raised her face. The eye not obscured by an eyepatch had a blue reflection like an oasis.

Being watched like this, the boy began to fell restless. Somehow, he had a feeling that he heard the girl’s name at some point, but couldn’t remember.

“Freda Esgrand.”

“R-right... Then, err... Freda, you know a lot about it?”

“Monoblos? I do, but not as much as the Royal Scriveners though.”

The girl who introduced herself as Freda stood up after she was done rolling the bandage, then moved away to lean on a wooden box placed inside the tent.

“With its horn broken that much, it will take about one month for it to be back.”

“One month, huh...”

Zeeg unintentionally let out a sigh, and Freda tilted her bandaged head slightly for some reason.

“......You- are you Zeeg, by any chance?”

Called by his name even though he never told her, Zeeg raised his face in surprise.

“Y-you know me?”

“As I thought. You don’t remember?”

Saying that, Freda slowly unwrapped the bandage on her head. Removing the bloody cloth, she then took off her chain cap. Her hair, now let down, covered her eyepatch and half of her face.

“Ah!”

Seeing that hairstyle, Zeeg finally remembered.

“Freda the Frowner!”

Blurting that out, Zeeg quickly covered his mouth.

Freda looked sad, but her expression showed that she also felt nostalgic for that nickname.

As if to dodge the awkward feeling, Zeeg scratched his head.

The girl used to visit the village often, because she was the daughter of a merchant who employed a fairly large trade caravan.

She didn’t speak much, constantly hugged her teddy bear, and would always have a troubled expression on her face.

Although she was two years older, Zeeg hadn’t minded it back then, as he and the other village kids would tease and play pranks on her.

Most of those pranks might as well be considered bullying.

Part of it was due to jealousy- Freda would always be together with her parents, and they seemed to be well off.

Children of hunters in Kokoto village usually live alone or with just their siblings for most of the year. It can’t be said that they are wealthy.

It was by no means Freda’s fault, but Zeeg and the other kids had thought that she had to compensate for the unfairness somehow.

Recalling all that, Zeeg felt like his face was going to burst into flames.

The boy thought that if he could go back in time, he would beat up his past self and those village kids and put them in their place.

“S-sorry...”

Still scratching his head, Zeeg made his apology.

“I was awful back then. Even so, you still saved me-”

“I don’t mind it.”

Freda replied.

“Not anymore, that is. I was sad, but it’s all in the past.”

“If you really mean that, then thanks.”

Zeeg felt relieved.

Looking at the girl again, he noticed that she still has the same face as when she was little.

Eyes welling up with tears, biting lips, eyebrows plunged into a frown- Those were what earned her the nickname “Freda the Frowner”.

That girl appearing before him as a hunter was not something Zeeg has never imagined.

(“A one-handed sword user...”)

Zeeg took a look at the sword sheathed on the girl’s waist.

He felt that he remembered seeing the sword at some point. Its handle looked like a pair of decorative wings. The blade looked so beautiful that he almost mistook it for a ceremonial sword.

The shield equipped on her left arm is equally fancy, with a pair of red and blue wyvern symbols painted on the surface, making it more fitting as a wall ornament than a hunting equipment.

They don’t even look durable enough to be used for combat. They’re more like decorations-

“Decorations...... Ah-!”

As Zeeg remembered a certain detail, his eyes opened wide.

“That- Don’t tell me it’s the Heroic Blade!? Wait, no- but......”

“............”

Freda touched the sword’s handle without saying anything.

Kokoto Village’s famous spot is a rock with a sword engraved in it, and it is said that the one-handed sword used to be wielded by the Hero of Kokoto.

The sword in the rock and the one on Freda’s waist share the exact same appearance.

There are numerous stories detailing how the Hero of Kokoto wielded the sword.

The most famous story is that he threw the sword at the opposing dragon during his final battle, ending the hunt in a victory, but there was no one who could pull out the sword that had pierced the dragon’s forehead.

Of course, that was just some fairy tale. Everyone knows that stories of hunters’ battles were heavily dramatized by poets in order to entertain the nobles.

Because of that, Zeeg never thought the village’s sword in the rock was the real thing.

He used to think that someone made it up to draw in visitors, since the village’s name happened to be the same as the hero’s.

But now he knows that the Village Chief himself is the Hero of Kokoto, which means it is highly possible that the sword is the real deal.

And now, a sword that looks exactly the same is right before his eyes.

Zeeg wondered what the village’s rock looks like right now. He didn’t have the time to check, since he went straight to meet the Village Chief, then took the quest to subdue the Monoblos immediately after.

(“Did she steal it?”)

That was his first thought, but he remembered that it shouldn’t be that easy to pull out.

Although it’s just a story, it was said that the stone is actually the forehead of the dragon that the Kokoto Village Chief defeated. Zeeg has heard several times in songs sung by traveling bards asking for spare change that only ones who are acknowledged by the Hero of Kokoto can pull out the sword.

(“Then, is it a replica?”)

There are many hunters that live by the hero’s sample. There are ones who own Heroic Blades among those people, but they’re all replicas, ordered at armories after sketched images of the sword in Kokoto Village.

It is possible that the girl’s sword is also one of those.

“You’re thinking this one could be a fake?”

As if she could read the boy’s mind, Freda spoke up while touching the sword’s handle.

A vague smile appeared on Zeeg’s face.

Freda nodded, as if to agree with him.

“Right... it could be. The Chief also said it. That it’s not yet there. The sword has already lost its original sharpness. In order to turn this Heroic Blade back into the Master’s Blade, it has to be tempered while soaked in a mixture of fresh and fermented Monoblos blood- that was what the Chief taught me.”

“W-wait a second! Then that means it’s the real deal-”

Freda nodded.

“The one in the Kokoto Village’s stone.”

Zeeg could do nothing but stare at the girl in awe, his mouth opened wide.

Freda’s facial expression was unchanged, as if to say that she already got used to being looked at in that manner.

“That’s a surprise...”

Before long, Zeeg started to mutter while blinking in confusion.

“Ah- I didn’t mean any offense, alright? I wasn’t thinking why you were chosen- Wait no, that was part of it, but I was actually surprised that the sword is the real deal. I mean, I already tried it out, but it couldn’t even cut radish, you know?”

“The Chief polished the hardened dragon blood off the blade, restoring its cutting power. Right now, it’s sharper than any sword forged at armories. But it’s so sharp that it would cut too deep and bounce off the wyverns’ hard shells. The problem can be fixed by reforging it using two kinds of Monoblos blood.”

“So it wasn’t rusted after all...”

Zeeg thought that the sword in the stone had completely rusted, because its surface was covered in a layer of reddish brown dirt. To think it’s actually dragon blood-

“But... why? I’m surprised that you have the sword and all, but Freda... why’d you become a hunter? I thought you were going to be married to some aristocrat and live a fancy life in the royal capital.”

Hearing that, Freda’s eye turned gloomy.

“Yeah... That’s what papa and mama would have wanted.”

“I know, right? Your mom and dad would talk about it every time they came to the village. That probably was also why we were jealous and even hated that side of yours, causing us to always play pranks- no, I’d actually call it bullying...... But did you not like the life your parents planned out for you and became a hunter instead? I wonder why they let you go.”

“No. Papa and mama doesn’t know. And they’ll never know anymore. They’ve already died.”

“Eh......?”

“While traveling, we were attacked by monsters. I also-”

Freda tapped her finger on the eyepatch under her hair.

“Lost this eye during that time. I was luckily saved, but the goods were all lost and the insurance agency couldn’t cover for all of the damage. My family’s belongings, our house in the city, and also full rights to the trade caravan- all of them had to be sold off. And so I became a hunter.

“......You still have debts to pay?”

“I already paid them off.”

“Then, is it for revenge? To kill the monster that killed your parents?”

Freda shook her head.

“If it’s that, it’s already dead. The hunter that saved me hunted that monster- the Cephadrome.”

The sand wyvern Cephadrome! –These special wyverns can freely swim in the sand, but are not able to fly in the sky.

They have flat heads, and their dorsal fins contain paralyzing toxins. Commanding packs of Cephalos, small monsters of the same kind, they would approach trade caravans passing through the desert, attacking them without causing any sound.

The Cephadrome’s size may be comparable to the Rathalos, but they are not quite as fearsome.

However, they compensate by rushing down their enemies with sheer numbers.

It is not an easy task to fight against the Cephadrome while at the same time defending against the Cephalos’ hardened sand spit attacks from all four directions.

“Have you fought them, Zeeg?”

Zeeg answered her question with a nod. He had fought them several times alongside Elmeria’s party.

“I see.”

“Hey, Freda. With all that said, why’d you choose to become a hunter? Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but shouldn’t there be a lot of other things you can do? You’re not like me who grew up in Kokoto Village without knowing any other ways to live, after all. You should have some connections with other merchants, right?”

“Yeah. There were some people that offered to take me in, despite the hideous state of my face. Even though brothels would just turn me away when I showed up at the door.”

“But why? You’re still the same as back then... still beaut-”

Zeeg forced a cough in order to cover what he was going to say for the rest of his previous statement.

Another reason that the village kids bullied Freda was because she was beautiful, and so they wanted her attention. Not that it’s a passable excuse for bullying.

“About that, Zeeg. It’s because you haven’t seen my scars yet. Not that I plan on showing them to you though.”

Since the girl said that much, Zeeg couldn’t say anything to contradict her.

If he were to look, he would probably be speechless and hurt Freda’s feelings as a result.

“But...”, the girl continued, “I didn’t become a hunter out of desperation or self-abandonment. I chose to become a hunter because I wanted to inspire hope.”

“Hope?”

Freda nodded.

“When the monsters attacked our caravan of ten or so carriages, all I could do was watch our workers struggle in vain as the Cephalos pack dragged them under the sand and ate them up. The guard hunters we hired seemed to be inexperienced, as they were tossed around and eaten one by one. When the carriage I was on toppled, I was thrown out along with papa and mama, landing on the sand. I lost one eye because a Cephalos’s dorsal fin cut through it when it swam right below me.”

A grim, twisted expression appeared on Zeeg’s face as he imagined how painful it must have been.

“Worst of all, papa and mama were dragged into the sand right in front of my eyes. One of the employees immediately came to shield me, but everyone had already accepted death at that point. But then-”

For the first time, Freda’s face brightened up with warmth.

“That person appeared.”

Zeeg immediately knew that she was talking about the aforementioned hunter.

“A high-pitched explosion suddenly echoed- Now I know that it was a Sonic Bomb, but I didn’t know what it was back then- Those sand wyverns burst out of the sand and writhed in pain. That person then fought the Cephadrome while drawing its attention. The battle was intense. No matter how many times the Chephadrome tried to hide under the sand, that person’s sword wouldn’t let it.”

“............”

“No matter how many injuries and broken bones, that person fought on, and the image gave everyone the will to survive. They salvaged whatever they could find from the wreckage and fought together. It might have been a hindrance, but hope in living was surely restored. It was the same for me. Even if I were to survive by some miracle, if I hadn’t seen that battle, I would have given in to despair and died shortly after. That’s why- I wanted to be like that person. I wanted to be the kind of hunter that inspires the people living in remote regions, for them to cling to life with their hearts full of hope just by knowing that I’m there for them.”

Looks like Freda was dead serious.

But that would be the same as saying that she wanted to be the Hero of Kokoto.

Although the name had lost its inspirational effect for the people, during the time when there were not that many hunters, people fear the threat of monsters that ruled the world of nature. They kept reminding themselves that the Hero of Kokoto is there for them, and were able to overcome the harsh living conditions.

“...You’re awesome.”

Zeeg spoke up, and Freda raised her head.

“So you aspire to become a hero eh, Freda? I don’t even have any plans like that, you know? Right now I’m just an aimless hunter.”

“You’re the one who’s awesome, Zeeg. The Chief used to tell me. That an ideal hunter is a hunter that simply lives as a natural part of this world. It is harder for ones that have become skilled and famous to stay as a normal hunter- Just like the Chief’s past self. But the Chief also understood my beliefs. Hope is certainly what people need. But my decision wasn’t filled with happiness, because it was equal to offering myself as a sacrifice. The Chief then told me to talk to him again when I’m able to defeat a Rathalos by myself with my determination unchanged. I did as told and was granted the Heroic Blade.”

Freda drew the sword, held it up straight in front of herself, and silently stared at the blade.

(“Then, it really is the real deal...?”)

The current Zeeg knows that the Village Chief isn’t the kind of person to talk irresponsibly.

If he said that he’s passing on the real thing, then this Heroic Blade is certainly real.

However, Zeeg couldn’t understand how being a hero is equal to being a sacrifice.

The Village Chief- Hero of Kokoto is still widely respected by hunters, with his exploits being told in numerous stories. For Zeeg, the word “sacrifice” doesn’t fit anywhere in there at all.

“...You too?”

“Eh?”

“Were you also thinking why it’s me that was chosen?”

Up to this point, the girl has said those words countless times. One would think that she’s completely fine when they look at her face, but she was likely putting up a tough act. Although she doesn’t cry, the girl probably felt hurt- right from the very beginning.

“Nah.”

Zeeg gave an answer. A faint expression of doubt was painted on Freda’s face.

“It’s because I’m a great sword user, after all. If the Village Chief were to tell me ‘You’ve been chosen to be my successor!’ and hand me that sword, I would have declined. My body already fixed itself to the great sword fighting style. I’d never want to learn a new weapon from scratch.”

Freda cast down her eye slightly and sheathed her sword.

“......Thank you.”

“What I said was true, you know- Well, if your sword were to be the legendary anti-dragon great sword, the Dragon Massacre, I would have rolled on bed all night with jealousy though!”

It was intended as a joke, but doubt disappeared from Freda’s face as she nodded.

Zeeg let out a sigh in relief.

(“Wait, why am I being flustered by every little thing?”)

The boy couldn’t think of a reason. Was it the guilt from bullying her back then?

(“Still... she really is pale.”)

Maybe he remembered it from back then, but when Zeeg got to see Freda again, that detail was confirmed. The girl’s skin is very pale, even compared to the equipment made from the Khezu’s pale skin.

Freda re-wrapped the bandage on her head and put on her chain cap.

At first, Zeeg thought that it was the gunners’ Khezu Cap since she had an eyepatch, but it actually isn’t. The girl’s eyepatch serve to hide her scar, and the bandage is actually normal cloth, as opposed to thinned and flattened Khezu skin.

Looking more closely, she also has a scar on her neck. Looks like it is what remained of a large wound.

It also doesn’t look that old. Most likely a recent claw injury.

Including ones that are shown and not hidden, the girl probably has countless scars of various sizes on her body.

This also applies to all hunters.

One cannot avoid being injured when hunting alone. Having someone to watch one’s back, like Elmeria having Gannon’s protection, is considered to be very good luck.

After she was done applying her bandage, Freda curiously looked at Zeeg.

“What is it?”

“Eh!? N-nothing! Nothing at all...”

“Is that so. –I think the carriage will be coming to pick you up tomorrow morning. According to the contract made beforehand, that is. You’re going back to Kokoto Village, right?”

“Y-yeah...”

“If there’s anything in the tent that you can’t carry back now, just send someone else to retrieve it when you get back to the village. The Monoblos won’t turn up for a while, so make sure to report that the desert trade route is safe to traverse as of now.”

“Right... -Still, I really messed up. I didn’t expect it to be that tough.”

“It’s a wyvern that even gave the Hero of Kokoto trouble, you know. Being able to break its horn is still awesome.”

“Ah-!”

Reminded of a bad memory, Zeeg struck his palm with the other fist.

“Dammit, those damn Melynxes!”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Freda took out a set of BBQ Spit from the supply box, set a piece of raw meat on it, installed the handle, and then lit up a fire.

“They totally took away that horn, huh. Unfortunately, you should give up on it. At this point, the Felynes should have already taken it to one of the cities in order to trade it for food.”

“...Right.”

Zeeg sighed.

Felynes are white furred cat-like lynians. They live together with Melynxes in colonies.

As opposed to Melynxes that would get chased away if they were to approach towns and villages because of their tendency to steal things, there are Felynes that work and make trade dealings with humans.

“...Want some meat?”

Freda asked with her hand holding the handle, and Zeeg blinked in confusion.

“You’re grilling for me?”

“With your leg like that, it’ll be hard to even lift the BBQ Spit. I also have some raw meat left.”

“I’ll leave it to you, then.”

Freda nodded, then held the handle tightly before starting to turn it around while humming the BBQ Song.

“Trut truu trut truu... Trut truu truut...”

Zeeg used to hum while grilling just like that, and Elmeria would always roll on the floor in a burst of laughter. If she were to be here, would she be laughing at this girl as well?

Freda’s humming gave off a different feel from Zeeg’s humming as a timing indication. It felt more like some kind of prayer.

A prayer to show gratitude to life, and wishing for the grilling process to be successful.

Zeeg gulped down his saliva as he saw the meat juices drip down into the fire and the meat’s surface hardening, turning light brown.

Suddenly reminded that he hadn’t eaten anything for the whole day, the boy’s stomach grumbled in dissatisfaction.

The girl definitely heard that.

Freda glanced at Zeeg, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

(“This is embarrassing...”)

His face turning bright red, all Zeeg could do was lower his head and look away.

Before long, Freda’s voice echoed throughout the tent, as if she was communicating with something far away.

“-So tasty.”

“Check this out! Check this out, Zeeg!”

That was Elmeria’s first statement during the reunion after one month.

She put a giant lump of metal with a handle on the gathering hall table, causing Zeeg to hurriedly pick up his bowl of Mosswine Leg Stew so that it wouldn’t be knocked off.

Still, some of the soup spilled on Zeeg’s fingers, the boy narrowing his eyebrows in dissatisfaction as he licked them off.

(“What’s up with her? Jeez...”)

Raising his head, he could see Elmeria’s eyes sparkling with delight. As usual, the girl was equipped with Rathalos armor except for her head and body.

And as expected, Gannon was wearing his usual Diablos armor with Gravios equipment for the lower body, standing behind the girl like a sculpture.

Except when resting in guest houses, hunters would usually be fully armed.

Part of the reason was to prevent their precious equipment from being stolen, but the main reason was so that they could act immediately when an urgent quest was posted, since they would be available on a first come, first served basis.

Carriages have been prepared, ready to leave the city at any moment. That is because there were quite a lot of quests that could be accepted by multiple parties at once.

Among those quests, there were also ones with strange tasks like grilling as much meat as possible.

If one were to ask why, it is because freshly grilled meat is essential for banquets held in the royal capital.

Meat from monsters like Aptonoths are different from meat from livestock such as cows or pigs, because they won’t become more delicious after being marinated for a few days.

Monster meat spoil quickly, with their rotting process starting just a few hours after carving.

To counteract that, hunters would immediately preserve what they carve in salt buckets.

By doing so, the meat will be good for another day.

When they return to the base came afterwards, the meat would be smoked, extending the time by half a month or even a whole month depending on the length of the process, and they’ll be good to eat just by re-heating.

However, following this procedure worsens the taste.

If one wanted to eat truly delicious monster meat, they would have to capture the monsters alive and carve them up after bringing them to the city, or cook the meat until they were rare then transport them as fast as possible, re-heating them when they reach the destination.

For banquets at the royal capital, the latter method was usually chosen.

From what Zeeg heard, large lumps of meat would be grilled before being brought to the capital, where only the parts in the middle were cut off and used.

The remaining parts seemed to be kept by the chefs for their own meals.

As for the food made in Minegarde’s gathering hall, small monsters like Mosswines are captured alive and transported to the city before being butchered, but for larger ones like Aptonoths, their meat would be preserved in salt.

Putting that aside, these small details were the reason why hunters were always in full armor- It's so that they are always ready for urgent quests.

And of course, constantly carrying weapons around is also normal.

(“It’s a hammer... right?”)

Looks like it.

Looking at the head attached to the handle however, the weapon was asymmetrical, with one side being badly deformed, like it had been smashed out of shape.

As if it had been melted with intense heat and left to re-harden just like that.

Elmeria was making an extremely proud expression on her face. She seemed like a kid who had found a rare insect, proudly showing it off to her friends.

However, Zeeg could not understand what it is that she was being so proud of.

“Umm-”

Before Zeeg could ask what the thing is about, a bunch of other easily distracted hunters approached, their footsteps resounding loudly. They gathered around, all looking at the table.

Normally, Elmeria would immediately drive them away, but she doesn’t do so today for some reason.

“What’d you find- Whoa, this is awesome!”

A man standing in the very front of the crowd raised his voice.

That man is equipped with the standard Hunter’s armor set and is carrying the hammer weapon Iron Striker on his wide back.

His face turned red, probably from excitement. His eyes have also become bloodshot.

“Is- Is this the Breath Core?”

Saliva spit off his large, shivering lips as he spoke, causing Zeeg to shield his food bowl in a panic.

“Damn right it is?”

Elmeria spoke proudly, her chest puffed up with pride. “Whoa!”, unified shouts of astonishment echoed throughout, shaking the whole gathering hall.

“I- This is the first time I’ve seen it...”

As the man said that, other hammer wielders in the crowd nodded in agreement among themselves, looking at the hammer on the table as if they had been shown an irresistibly delicious looking treat.

The crowd caused a commotion, as if a material as rare as a Lao-Shan Lung’s Reverse Scale had been placed in front of them.

Zeeg recognized the eyes of those people, filled with thirst and greed.

Sometimes, the boy himself would unintentionally look jealously at high-ranked hunters carrying brilliant great swords. Perhaps it is also the case for the surrounding crowd.

However, this time-

“How’s that, Zeeg?”

Elmeria looked down at Zeeg, as if to say, “You get it now, right?”

From the look in her eyes, she clearly wanted the boy to hurry up and show some jealousy.

It has been one year since Zeeg joined the party- And the boy thought that Elmeria has been gradually showing more of her childish side compared to when they first met.

“Even if you ask me that...”

He looked as hard as he could, but Zeeg could see it as noting but a lump of scrap metal.

Comparatively, if it’s the Finishing Hammer, made from a Diablos’s tail, he would see more value in it even from a glance.

If one asks why, it is because in addition to the weapon being powerful, it is also proof that the owner has defeated the Diablos multiple times.

Elmeria, seeing to be irritated by the boy’s unamused reaction-

“...What’s up with you! So boring!!”

The girl pouted and frowned her eyebrows.

Sensing that the girl is now in a bad mood, the hunter crowd hurriedly dispersed. They seemed to be fully aware of Elmeria’s violent tendencies.

Moreover, Fradio is not here to cool her down.

“Why don’t you understand!?”

“I just can’t understand what I can’t understand, you know. Isn’t this thing just some broken hammer?”

Having said that, Zeeg realized that he had incurred Elmeria’s imperial wrath.

The girl grabbed her hammer from the table, raising it overhead with all her strength.

Zeeg panickingly held on to his bowl of Mosswine Leg Stew. He knew that what would follow is surely going to be a swing from the girl’s hammer. However-

“Now~ That’s quite enough.”

The hammer raised overhead did not crush the table.

Out of nowhere, to Elmeria’s back stood a woman in a barmaid uniform who seemed to give off a cheerful aura. With strength that seemed to be impossible to attain with her thin arms, she was able to stop the hammer from swinging down just by grabbing it with one hand.

“Ah, Becky.”

Still holding his food bowl, Zeeg said his greetings, the woman responding with a sweet smile. She then shifted her sights to Elmeria’s face.

“Ellie, have you forgotten it again? Hunters do not point their weapons at people.”

“Of course I didn’t forget! I wasn’t even aiming to hit him!”

“That’s not the pro-! ...blem...”

As Zeeg said that in the heat of the moment, Elmeria glared at him with eyes as ferocious as a wyvern, causing the boy to gulp down his words.

“Still...”, Becky continued, “Smashing tables just like that is also a problem, you know? If you’re going to fight, then do it with your fists like any hunter would, alright? I’ll even gladly be your opponent in a fist fight- got it?”

Elmeria didn’t stop applying her strength at all. It’s obvious from her face, which has turned red. Even so, the girl couldn’t go against Becky’s strength as the woman held back the hammer, barehanded with an unconcerned expression on her face.

“G- Got it.”

Finally, Elmeria stopped trying to push through.

Becky took her hand off the hammer.

Elmeria panted heavily, turning around to give Becky a bitter look. She then put her hammer on the table as it she was throwing a tantrum and took a seat on a chair opposite to Zeeg’s. Gannon sat down beside her.

“Beer!”

Knocking on the table to call for attention, Elmeria loudly shouted out her order.

It’s unknown if that tome was intended for driving away Becky, but the woman made her way to the counter and passed on the order, then just stayed put.

After all, Becky isn’t the only waitress here.

Before long, a woman dressed in the same uniform as Becky brought out two mugs filled to the brim with beer, placing them in front of Elmeria and Gannon.

“Sorry for the wait. Enjoy.”

Becky said that as she smiled at the two.

In this gathering hall, the woman acts as a leader of the waitresses. Her uniform includes a red vest on top of a white blouse with puffy shoulders, white apron on top of a blue and light blue checkered skirt, and a white cap with red outlines. A beautiful woman, she is highly popular among hunters.

Although her clothes are exactly the same as the other waitresses, she is usually seen welcoming customers who sit at the bar, rarely coming out to serve food.

Her main job is not to serve food at tables, but to process requests for hunters, manage contract fees, withdraw reward money, and also offer news and information.

It was said that if Becky were to not be here for even a single day, the Minegarde Hunter’s Guild would cease to function.

She looks to be 20 years old, give or take a few, but nobody knows her actual age.

Age isn’t the only thing mysterious about her.

One thing is about her strength, able to stop Elmeria’s swing with one hand, even though the girl’s blow could have easily crushed the head of a Bullfango. The woman never lost her cool, even in a work environment surrounded by hunters with violent tendencies.

The kinds that would start a fight if alcohol drinks were to enter their mouths.

It is not just once that Zeeg sees Becky silencing hunters so drunk that they can’t distinguish front to back.

There were various rumors floating around, that she used to be a hunter before, or that she is the daughter of a renowned martial artist- But nobody knows the truth.

In her usual refreshing smile, Becky made her rounds, looking at all of the tables.

And as always, Zeeg started to feel restless when his eyes met with the Becky’s. She is beautiful and mature, after all.

Even after one year, the boy still could not get used to a beautiful woman’s smile.

For some reason, Elmeria seems to become increasingly unamused, and it shows on her face. The girl chugged down her beer then put her mug down violently as if to slap it one the table.

And for some reason, she gave the boy a dark look from the other side of the hammer.

“Wh- What now...”

“Shut up, you ignorant dimwit!”

“I said, what now!?”

“Hmph!”

With foam still sticking around her mouth, Elmeria chugged down her beer once again.

Next to her, Gannon seemed to be burning with tranquil fury, frightening the boy.

(“Did I mess something up again...?”)

Feeling that all this pressure has made him smaller, Zeeg continued munching on his Mosswine Legs. The food’s unique jelly-like texture is a favorite to the boy, but today, he couldn’t feel any taste from his meal anymore.

“Now... Good girls don’t make unreasonable demands... Right, Ellie?”

Becky smiled wryly as she spoke up to lubricate the table’s rough atmosphere.

“It’s natural for hunters to know their main weapons inside out but clueless on ones they don’t use, so it can’t be helped that Zeeg doesn’t know about it. Ellie too, you wouldn’t know if I asked you about the different types of great swords, right?”

Probably because that statement his the mark, Elmeria’s lips pouted.

Becky smiled as if she was taking care of an adorable little sister, then turned her attention to Zeeg.

“Still, knowing the properties of your comrades’ weapons is common sense for hunters, you know? When your friends use weapons with status effects to attack monsters, you wouldn’t want to get caught in friendly fire because you were careless, right?”

“Y- Yeah...”

“You’re a good boy, Zeeg.”

Becky laughed gently, then stroked the hammer on the table.

Although the boy did take offense at being treated like a child, those negative feelings all melted away when met with her smile.

“This is the Breath Core. As you can see, it’s a metallic hammer, but it’s also a precious relic created from a special metal that is impossible to refine with current technology. It’s not as heavy as the Gravios Shell Hammer, the Graviton hammer, but its destructive power is on a whole different level. Even the armory hasn’t worked out the reason, but the only thing known about this hammer is that if you swing it hard enough, upon impact, the weapon would release a mysterious force that destroys its target from the inside. The reason half of the head was left broken like that is because we don’t have the technology to fix it.”

Zeeg took another look at the hammer.

However, he just couldn’t see the hammer as something that awesome.

The boy also has his doubts.

“If it can’t be created, then how’d you get it, Elmeria?”

That was what Zeeg asked.

In order to obtain weapons, there are generally two methods.

The first and the more popular way is by manufacturing raw materials gathered by oneself.

As the weapons are custom-made by order, this method is mostly chosen by hunters and people who decide to start their career as one.

The other method is to buy ready-made goods from shops.

Not requiring materials, one would easily get a weapon in their hands as long as they had the money, but the price is higher than order-made goods, and it is also possible that one would not be able to find a weapon they are comfortable with.

However, as far as Zeeg knows, there was no weapon with the name “Breath Core” in armory’s list.

Wiping off beer foam with her palm, Elmeria looked at Zeeg.

“That’s easy, it’s dug up.”

“Dug up?”

“Right. There’s this rock at the volcano area that I’ve been keeping an eye on, so I went together with Gannon and mined it over and over and over again until this came out.”

Elmeria went on to explain about how some volcanoes in the Kingdom of Schrade weren’t created naturally but rather by an ancient war, and how there’s a possibility that weapons from that time still remain.

“Then, after ten or so trips, we finally dug this up.”

The girl’s tone returned to normal.

“You had to be lucky to even dig up this thing in the first place, but then you’d still need a ridiculous amount of abrasive minerals- Earth Crystals. All those saved up again and again, used up all in one go!! Not just the crystals, but money as well!!”

“Huh... Well, how much did it cost you?”

She was just exaggerating things- thought Zeeg as he munched on his Mosswine Leg.

“For the crystals, 120 of them. Money, a grand total of 96,000 Zenny.”

Immediately as the boy heard that, his whole body shivered, the Mosswine Leg slipped off his hand. It landed in the soup with a splash, but Zeeg paid it no heed.

“H- 120 Crystals!? N- 96,000 Zenny!?”

An overwhelming quantity, and a price so high that he could faint.

There weren’t many places where one could mine Earth Crystals from, and one mining trip would yield only a few.

Requiring 120 of that scarce of a material!

Same deal for the money used up. From a single Rathian subjugation quest, each member would receive a reward of 5,000 Zenny, and even then, quests of that level do not come around often.

Besides, there are also tools, supplies, and everyday living expenses. While not comparable to all those Earth Crystals in value, 96,000 Zenny is still a large sum of money.

Finally, a smile filled with pride spread wide on Elmeria’s face.

“Finally get it? Well?”

“Th- That’s awesome...”

That was an honest opinion. As Zeeg gave it another thought, he recalled hearing rumors about the existence of ancient weapons.

The great sword used in times of antiquity to slay dragons, the Ancient Blade- the boy believed it to be a myth, but now he is unsure. After all, a real ancient hammer is right here.

He felt envious.

The boy wanted to head to the volcano and get mining just about now. But-

(“Even if I actually find it, I still won’t have the crystals and money...”)

That’s the problem.

Of what little Earth Crystals he dug up, he had spent most of them in upgrading his great sword to the Ravager Blade+.

Although the quantity of Earth Crystals needed for the Ancient Blade is unknown, it should be around 120, the amount needed for the Breath Core, so high that it would take years of collecting from here onwards.

“You really worked on collecting them, huh...”

The boy muttered unintentionally, Elmeria tilted her head in response.

“What, the Earth Crystals? Of course I did. After all, right when I chose to wield the hammer, I planned to absolutely have it in my hands, so I’ve been collecting Earth Crystals all this time.”

“Huh...”

Zeeg felt nothing but admiration. He never thought that making armor and weapons would need that much forward planning. Of course, the boy does think of efficiency and balance.

But that’s just planning accordingly for the hunt at hand. Unlike Elmeria, who looks to the future.

(“Future, huh...”)

This is the second time Zeeg was reminded that he needs to think about what he wants to do in the future.

“There’s no need to worry about it that much, Zeeg.”

Given a light pat on the shoulder from Becky, Zeeg raised his face.

“Ellie’s efficiency in actions is from Mr. Gannon’s guidance. Everyone gets stronger by learning from trial-and-error, so you’ll be fine. It’s bad to speed things up too fast, alright?”

Being told that, the boy felt slightly relieved. Elmeria, feeling like she had been splashed with water at the peak of her excitement, made a slightly unamused facial expression.

“......Thank you, Becky.”

Zeeg said that, the woman answering the boy with a gentle smile. And then-

“What’s that!? Huh!?”

An angry voice raised from one of the other tables, looking closer, two men stood up, looking to start a fist fight. Immediately, a crowd formed around them, cheering in amusement. Nobody stepped forward to stop them. This kind of scene is a common occurrence in a gathering hall filled with strangers.

“It can’t be helped, seriously...”

Although Becky was just keeping watch at first, the woman assessed that more fights would break out as a result of the excitement that has been raised up like raging flames, so she broke off from the table and headed to the counter.

“Heave-ho-!”

Something was dragged up from behind the counter.

Zeeg doubted his eyes.

However, there was no mistake on what he saw.

The thing that Becky dragged out- That is, a giant teddy bear.

She embraced it in her arms, approaching the crowd of hunters. They immediately made way for her to pass through. However, those engaged in the fist fight didn’t seem to notice the woman even though she was already standing next to them.

“Hah.”

Becky raised the teddy bear up, striking the brawling hunters, the bear making a squeaky sound.

What happened next was that the hunters, who wouldn’t even change their facial expression after taking a Kelbi’s kick, had fainted in a blink of an eye.

“Wait, what...?”

Zeeg looked at the scene, dumbfounded. What the strike did to those hunters is unknown, but they started to snore loudly.

“H- Hey, Elmeria... What was that...”

“I- I’m not sure about it either...”

She didn’t seem to be feigning ignorance. Elmeria was also genuinely surprised. As expected- Becky still has more mysteries surrounding her.

Then-

“That’s the Sleepy Bear.”

That girl, who had been with the group all along, spoke up.

Elmeria turned around, her expression showing that she had just noticed that a person was there.

To Zeeg’s side, the girl had been sitting there this whole time, eating her Special Mushroom and Pin Tuna Grilled Pie.

Zeeg knew that she was there, of course. It was only natural. After all, the two of them had come to the city together, heading to this gathering hall immediately after they had arrived.

The girl- Freda, put down her knife and fork, then wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“That teddy bear is stuffed with Novacrystals and Lightcrystals. Those two types of crystals have a special reaction on impact, resonating with hypnotizing energy over a short distance... It’s a type of hammer.”

“......Who’re you?”

Elmeria looked at the girl, squinting her eyes in dissatisfaction. Zeeg assessed that she was unamused by the fact that she had to be taught about hammers by someone else.

“Th- This is Freda!”

Zeeg hurriedly put himself between those two, speaking up loudly to interrupt them.

“We met in the desert, and then, well... I got hurt a little, you see. On top of saving me, she also came along to see me off...”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Freda spoke in a refreshing tone as she sipped wine from her glass.

“I just thought that if you were to encounter monsters on the way, you wouldn’t be able to fight with your foot in that condition. Wielding the great sword puts a lot of stress on the ankles, after all.”

“You were injured, Zeeg?”

Maybe it was just his imagination, but the boy could feel some uneasiness echoing from Elmeria’s voice.

At any rate, Zeeg denied it by shaking his head.

“It’s nothing much, really! Well, you see... I fought a Monoblos and got thrown into the air, then my ankle just got sprained when I landed. It’s all good now.”

That was the truth. The injury did hurt for about two days, but the boy doesn’t feel a thing anymore.

Rather, the boy was more hurt by the fact that he couldn’t fulfill the Village Chief’s request.

Of course, he knew full well that he wasn’t a full-grown adult yet.

But the Village Chief probably entrusted the Zeeg with the hunt because he thought the boy could do it. Not being able to answer to the elder’s expectations, the boy felt disappointed in himself.

In the end, he was taught the lesson that going against the Monoblos with equipment on the Kut-Ku set’s level is like going at it naked, and more importantly, he felt bitter that his great sword is still lacking in power.

(“Looks like going at it with a just a lump of refined ores isn’t going to be enough...”)

That was what the boy thought.

Elmeria’s freshly obtained Breath Core, Gannon’s Diablo Spear, and Freda’s Heroic Blade.

Although they were all crafted, those weapons were not made by manufacturing ores alone.

From now on, there are two options for upgrading the Ravager Blade+.

One path requires Machalite Ores and Fire Wyvern Claws of both types to create a great sword of reasonably good sharpness- A sword of the Lacerator Blade production line.

Another option uses a large quantity of Fire Wyvern Claws and a type of medicine called Mega Demondrug, resulting in a great sword as sharp as the Lao-Shan Lung’s claws- the Tactical Blade.

However, on top of the materials, it also costs a large sum of money to upgrade to a Tactical Blade.

(“If I remember correctly, it’s 48,000 Zenny...”)

Although it is not comparable to the 96,000 Zenny Elmeria had to pay, it is a large amount nonetheless.

“Zeeg, are you alright?”

As Freda softly touched his hand, Zeeg came to his senses.

“You made a scary face. Does your ankle hurt?”

“I- I’m fine!”

Zeeg tried to pull his hand away but failed, as Freda has pressed it down with her strong grip.

Feeling that he was being looked at, the boy turned to see Elmeria in an expression that he has never seen up until now, staring coldly at his hand.

Elmeria’s mood should have been all better by now, but for some reason, it has suddenly became way worse. Somehow, it felt like she was out for blood.

Maybe because Freda also noticed it, and maybe because she was also scared, the girl’s hand, wrapped in Khezu Vambrace, tightened its grip.

His throat feeling dry from all the nervousness, Zeeg gulped down his saliva.

Then-

“Seriously, can’t they drink their alcohol peacefully- Huh? What’s the matter?”

Becky returned, and upon seeing the table in an unusual state, she took a look at everyone present.

“......Nothing at all.”

Elmeria spoke in a totally unconvincing tone, then drank up all of the remaining beer in her mug.

Freda let go of Zeeg’s hand and continued sipping wine from her glass.

“Is that so? Then that’s good.”

Becky put down the large teddy bear on a chair next to her, then took out a memo pad from her skirt pocket, as if she had remembered something.

“Listen, do any of you guys happen to know where Fradio has gone? There’s a request we want him to take care of, but he’s nowhere to be found.”

“Is- Isn’t he supposed to be at the jungle?”

Seeing a chance to change the topic, Zeeg promptly spoke up.

“He said something about it, right?”

“Yeah, it looks like he did go to the jungle. There was a notice from the guild sub-branch in a nearby village that he rented a base camp for personal use. Problem is, he hasn’t returned yet.”

Gannon moved his body to stand up, his armor shaking slightly.

Although Zeeg thought that the man was simply having too much fun with Gypceros, his whereabouts being unknown is just not normal.

“I wonder if anyone is going to go out and search for him... Free of charge, that is.”

Becky glanced at Zeeg and the others, frowning her eyebrows as if to show how troubled she’s feeling right now.

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