The higher-ups of the Balse Hunter Guild listened to Hook's account with grim expressions.
When Hook finished his story, a deep, collective sigh escaped their lips.
"So you fledglings ventured into those ruins entirely on your own, using a pendant given to you by a man who couldn't be more suspicious...?"
Stroking his prized beard, a short but muscular man muttered in sheer exhaustion. His name was Ralph Excel—Guildmaster of the Hunter Guild in the town of Balse.
"And to make matters worse, you carelessly approached a mountain of gold..."
Covering his face with his right hand, one of the executives let out a low groan.
It was understandable. There was always a reason for anything placed inside a dungeon or ruin. There was simply no way a site would generously lay out treasure for anyone to take. No real treasure hunter would ever step into such an obvious trap.
"There is no use crying over what has already happened. More importantly, we must decide what to do next."
At Guildmaster Ralph's words, another question was promptly raised.
"Who could the mastermind behind giving that pendant to Raiga and his party be?"
A bob-haired executive gave voice to the question lingering in everyone's mind.
"Who knows—be it someone from the underworld or one of the demon race. Either way, it won't be anything good."
"Could their goal be the summoning of this entity called Pazuzu?"
An executive with a small mustache asked Ralph with a solemn look.
"Yeah, that would be the most natural conclusion. The whole thing reeks of danger. We cannot afford any more trouble. Search for any suspicious individuals in this town of Balse at once!"
"Understood! Issue orders to all hunters to search for suspicious persons! Leave no stone unturned!"
"Sir!"
At the mustached executive's command, a guild staff member trotted out of the room.
"So, Master, I have an exceedingly bad feeling about this situation. Shouldn't we immediately summon all hunters of C-rank and above?"
Ralph gave a firm nod at the executive's proposal.
"Indeed. Issue the summons immediately. Should we set the disaster level to city class?"
"Yes. Since Wolfman is currently in town, I believe we should be able to handle it without issue, but doing so just to be safe seems best."
One after another, the executives voiced their agreement with the Guildmaster's proposal.
Incidentally, the hunters' disaster levels were divided into six tiers, listed from lowest to highest threat:
- Multiple casualty class — Threat of casualties among multiple individuals.
- Localized city class — Threat of partial destruction to a city.
- City class — Threat of the total destruction of a single city.
- Regional class — Threat of the destruction of multiple cities.
- National class — A crisis that could decide the fall of a nation.
- Global class — A crisis threatening the very survival of the world.
This time, it was set to the third tier: city class. It meant a genuine threat of a single city's total destruction. It was proof that the guild was taking this with utmost seriousness.
Just then, a guild staff member came tumbling into the Guildmaster's office.
"D-D-Disaster!"
"What is all the commotion about?"
One of the guild executives furrowed his brow and asked, but without even meeting his eyes, the staff member rushed before the Guildmaster and pointed toward the eastern gate outside with a trembling right hand.
"A monster attack! What's more, they are monsters we've never seen before! Among them are even beasts identified from the Deep Zone!"
"Wh-What?!"
The executives leaped to their feet in unison, gasping in shock.
To begin with, one of the primary reasons exploration of the temple had stalled until now was the presence of monsters from the Deep Zone. After all, it was a well-known tale here in Balse that an entire expedition team of B-rank hunters had once been wiped out by a mere handful of Deep Zone monsters.
"A whole swarm of disaster-class monsters...? This is seriously no joke..."
One of the B-rank hunters present groaned, his face turning pale.
"This is an emergency! Upgrade the disaster level to [Regional Class]. Evacuation of the citizens is our top priority! Request Wolfman's cooperation immediately!"
The Guildmaster snapped off sharp, urgent orders.
"Wolfman has already deployed! Furthermore, Knight Captain Arnold of the Holy Amelia Kingdom is also assisting us!"
A wave of relief swept through the room.
The valor of the S-rank hunter, Wolfman, was known to every hunter alive.
Born half-beastfolk and half-human, he had initially faced severe discrimination, but he had overturned all prejudice purely through the strength of his own flesh and blood. Countless crises had been averted by his hands. For someone who had heard his numerous legends ever since her rookie days, the mere knowledge that he was taking the field brought an overwhelming sense of reassurance.
What was more, Knight Captain Arnold—famed as the strongest swordsman in the kingdom—was also present this time. He was an individual said to rival an S-rank hunter.
It was nothing short of miraculous good fortune that both of them happened to be in Balse at the same time.
"All right, then divide the hunters into three groups: a search team for suspicious persons, a civilian evacuation team, and an enemy subjugation team! However, the subjugation team will be limited strictly to B-rank hunters and above! Finally, the first floor of this guildhouse will serve as our emergency command headquarters for this incident!"
Sending low-rank hunters against Deep Zone monsters would only result in a mountain of corpses. It was a reasonable call.
"Sir!"
The executives placed their hands over their chests and turned to leave, but—
"Th-There is something else that is hard to believe, but..."
"We have no time! State your business quickly!"
As the guild staff member hesitated, the Guildmaster barked a reprimand. He was by no means the type of person who usually raised his voice like this. It was clear the Guildmaster was under extreme pressure as well.
"A message from Knight Captain Arnold! He requests that Princess Rosemary's Royal Guard, Kai Heinemann, be recalled from Luzahal immediately!"
The room erupted into an instant uproar.
"Hey! Ilza, isn't Kai Heinemann that rookie hunter participating in the Sacred Martial Arts Tournament?! Was he really Princess Rose's Royal Guard?!"
An A-rank hunter closed in on Ilza, raising his voice.
"I-I have no idea! That's news to me, too!"
Kai Heinemann was Princess Rosemary's Royal Guard? If that was the case, then was that pink-haired woman traveling with him Her Royal Highness Princess Rosemary herself?
No, even before that, being a royal's Royal Guard required one to be a fighter of the absolute highest caliber while also possessing the unwavering trust of that royal. No matter how skilled he might be, appointing a boy with a useless Gift and not a single achievement to his name as a Royal Guard was utterly absurd. There was no way anyone could have foreseen it.
"Such minor details do not matter right now! Is Kai Heinemann truly that strong?"
"Knight Captain Arnold said that he is overwhelmingly stronger than himself!"
The guild staff member answered without hesitation, sending the room into a fresh wave of clamor.
"I agree with Knight Captain Arnold. I saw him fight once, and he was on a completely different level."
"B-But his power rating is only 1!"
Mia spoke up in an intensely anxious voice. It seemed Mia had grown quite attached to Kai Heinemann. Well, at a glance, he had an appearance that looked weak and made you want to protect him, so it had probably struck a direct chord with her. Though his true nature was the complete opposite.
"He most likely possesses an item or something that restricts his abilities. Having that level of martial prowess with a power rating of 1 is far too unnatural. Knight Captain Arnold must have come to the same conclusion as me."
"The grandson of that Elm, is it...?"
Guildmaster Ralph muttered to himself, arms crossed and eyes closed, before he suddenly shot up from his seat and bellowed an order.
"Send someone acquainted with Kai Heinemann at once!"
"In that case, I'll—"
Ilza moved to volunteer instinctively, but—
"Fool! You are a vital fighting force for the subjugation unit. No matter how strong Kai Heinemann may be, it means nothing if this city falls first!"
"That may be true, but who else can go? Someone who knows him..."
"Please let us go!!"
Raiga and Hook fell to their knees, pressing their foreheads against the floor.
"Hmm, you two?"
"We will definitely bring him back! Our companions died because of me! Any more... Any more than this—I'm sick of just standing around trembling!!"
It was a difficult situation. Kai Heinemann certainly didn't have a favorable impression of Raiga, to put it mildly. If they failed to bring him back, hunters and citizens who didn't need to die might be slaughtered in the worst-case scenario. That was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
"Guildmaster, as I thought, I should—"
"Very well. I leave it to you two. Head out at once!"
Damn it! The Guildmaster didn't understand the bad blood between them. Raiga had publicly insulted Kai Heinemann, and in a particularly malicious way at that. What kind of softhearted fool would casually take the word of someone like that?!
"Raiga, Hook, we're counting on you!"
The Guildmaster fixed his gaze on the two of them, knitting his brows and shouting in dead earnest.
"Yes, sir!"
"Without fail!"
Though tears streamed down their faces, the two sprang up with vigor and dashed out the door.
Of course, she could guess how the Guildmaster felt, and she understood that the two of them would be finished as hunters if things were left like this. However, the very fate of Balse was on the line here.
"Guildmaster, right now—"
"I know. My apologies. Mia, could you accompany them? We need insurance, after all."
"Yes! Of course!"
As expected of the Guildmaster. He had seen right through Ilza's concerns. If that was the case, she had no complaints.
"We're counting on you, Mia!"
"Right!"
Mia, too, left the room with a look on her face as if stepping forward to confront destiny itself.
"Everyone, move out immediately!!"
At the Guildmaster's rousing shout, Ilza and the others rushed out of the room all at once.