— Balse Hunter Guildhouse
"With this, the preparations are complete."
Looking at the mountain of expedition gear piled high on the table, B-rank hunter Ilza Harnish broke into a satisfied smile.
The investigation team had come together quickly. Every member was at least B-rank, and the two A-ranks specializing in combat were among the most capable fighters in the town of Balse.
She had also invited Wolfman, an S-rank hunter based in Balse, but he had politely turned her down. Well, Wolfman was a lone wolf by nature. Teaming up with anyone was practically out of the question for him, so she had known he would refuse from the start. Besides, considering the possibility of a powerful monster wandering into Balse if Ilza's team made a mistake, having him stay behind might actually be for the best.
"Now, all that's left is him, huh?"
The linchpin of the entire operation. According to her intel, he was currently competing in the Sacred Martial Arts Tournament held in Luzahal.
This circumstance was more than favorable for Ilza.
A minimum headcount was vital for exploring the ruins, and Ilza had managed to convince the other hunters by promising that Kai Heinemann would place within the top three at the Sacred Martial Arts Tournament.
Though skeptical at first, the hunters had agreed to join the expedition team on the condition that he met that requirement.
While the Sacred Martial Arts Tournament was a domestic contest within the Holy Amelia Kingdom, its massive cash prize and the promise of Amelian nobility drew skilled fighters from across the country every year. Placing in the top three at such an event served as undeniable proof of strength. For high-ranking hunters, it presented a golden scouting opportunity. Their reasoning was pragmatic and predictable.
Of course, the most critical step—persuading Kai Heinemann himself—remained, but she intended to get him on board whatever it took. She had plenty of hard-earned savings and rare items tucked away, and if that wasn't enough, she wasn't above using her own body as leverage. Ilza was an Amazoness. Among her people, individuals born without a Gift appeared far more frequently than among the human race. Whatever his Gift might be, it wouldn't cause her a shred of hesitation about spending a night in bed with him. In fact, she would love nothing more than to bear the child of a warrior as strong as Kai Heinemann.
Well, whether he would accept her was another question entirely, but Ilza was confident enough in her looks to believe things would work out.
"Are you sure about buying all of this?"
Her close friend Mia, a guild receptionist, walked over to the table and asked with concern.
"Well, yeah. It was a bit pricey, but we're heading out on a life-or-death expedition. It'd be stupid to pinch pennies only to get killed out there."
"No, that's not what I mean. Can you really go through with it? I mean, the whole condition for the expedition was that he places in the top three at the Sacred Martial Arts Tournament, right?"
By all conventional wisdom, there was no way a Gift Holder cursed with the "world's most incompetent" Gift could place in the top three at the prestigious Sacred Martial Arts Tournament. Mia's doubts were natural for any sensible Amelian. But those doubts only stemmed from not knowing Kai Heinemann's sheer, extraordinary power.
"Yeah. Unless he gets bored and drops out halfway through, he'll probably win the whole thing."
In truth, that was her biggest worry.
According to her sources, Kai Heinemann seemed to be traveling with a pink-haired woman. Given his abilities, it was likely an escort job for a high-ranking noble lady. His entry into the Sacred Martial Arts Tournament was probably just a diversion while accompanying her on a sightseeing trip to Luzahal, meaning he might not care much about winning at all. Forfeiting along the way was a very real possibility.
Well, if that happened, she would just have to trim the team down even further and push forward with the expedition regardless.
"Dropping out because it's a bother...? Are you serious?"
"Dead serious. More importantly, want to grab a drink? I just finished getting everything ready, so all that's left is to go recruit Kai Heinemann."
With the local groundwork and preparations out of the way, she planned to head for Luzahal as early as tomorrow to recruit him.
"Sure, sounds good. My shift is almost over, so just give me a minute."
Mia shrugged and nodded with her usual refreshing smile.
"All right."
Just then, the guildhouse doors burst open, and two men came tumbling inside.
And then—
"W-We went to that ruin—to that temple! Then we heard this bizarre voice, and everyone else got eaten alive!!"
A tall, sharp-eyed blonde man began raving hysterically at the top of his lungs.
His hair was a tangled mess, and he was covered from head to toe in mud.
If she remembered correctly, they belonged to a rookie party featuring promising prospects Raiga and Hook. They had previously begged to join the expedition team, but the quest was still too heavy a burden for them. She had turned them down this time, though she had planned on welcoming them into the fold for future quests.
"I need to speak with the guildmaster! Something terrible has happened!"
The short, dark-haired man beside him staggered forward toward the reception desk. Though trembling, his voice carried a sharp, desperate edge as he cried out to Mia.
"S-Something terrible?! What happened?!"
Mia asked, her face draining of color.
"We were... we were probably set up! We have to speak to the guildmaster right away! Please, you have to get us in to see him!!"
Tears streaming down his contorted face, Hook grabbed Mia by the shoulders and pleaded desperately.
"A-All right! Just please, try to calm down!"
Mia guided the sobbing Hook into a chair before rushing toward the back.