Ch.22Hunting Quest

The Black Ox hunting quest is one of the few remaining adventurer jobs still maintaining its lifeline in this city, long after the pioneering boom has passed.

For several years after the completion of Oxville, Black Ox materials were supplied through hunting. However, due to legal regulations established to prevent indiscriminate Black Ox hunting and the completion of the Ambers Ranch, hunting Black Oxen for material sales gradually began to disappear.

But even though the distance from Ambers Ranch to Oxville is relatively short, the land between them is undeniably dangerous, exposed to the threats of black magic and monsters. Therefore, Black Ox transportation is carried out by teams of cowboys about once every few days, and even then, it’s frequently postponed for days when dangerous monster activity is reported.

In such cases, those who suffer are Oxville’s Black Ox product vendors, especially restaurants serving beef. Unlike leather or horns, meat cannot be stored for long periods, making it impossible to order and stockpile large quantities, and since it’s continuously consumed, transportation delays lead directly to inventory depletion.

The frustration of residents who had to close their businesses due to hunting regulations inevitably grew, especially when wild Black Oxen were leisurely roaming just beyond the fence.

“As a result, special measures were taken to exempt various regulations related to Black Ox hunting, but only in cases where such shops commissioned quests to adventurers.”

“So basically, a Black Ox hunting quest is a time-limited quest that shops with depleted inventory commission until the next transport day.”

“I want to try it! I’m confident in hunting animals!”

While examining the Black Ox hunting request posted on the central square bulletin board, Setty could barely contain her overflowing enthusiasm, and I couldn’t deny that I too was caught up in a strange excitement, though not as much as Setty.

Quest, what a wonderfully adventurer-like word!

“Let’s give it a try then. What do we need to do to participate?”

“Take down the request from the bulletin board and bring it to the staff at that reception counter over there.”

What Jessica pointed to was a small building resembling a ticket booth at an amusement park. And not even the main entrance booth, but a single-room small ticket booth for an unpopular attraction inside.

“…I thought these quest boards and reception counters would be inside impressive adventurer guild buildings with countless adventurers bustling about.”

“Yeah, that’s how it used to be, but after the pioneering boom passed and adventurers stopped coming… that barbershop over there is the old guild building.”

Did even the national guild have to sell off their building because they couldn’t cover maintenance costs? It feels like witnessing a sad flow of time, but I pull myself together and take the request to the reception counter that looks like a ticket booth.

“I’d like to accept this Black Ox hunting quest.”

“My goodness, someone’s already here to take it? It was only posted two hours ago!”

The person greeting me at the reception counter is a plump woman who appears to be in her late 30s. She’s less of a reception clerk and more like a motherly figure from a beef soup restaurant. Perhaps fitting for a city of beef?

“Write down your team size and each member’s name here. The target is one adult male ox. The reward will be determined by the condition of the materials, but severely damaged parts will be excluded from purchase, so you’ll need to be careful with the hunt.”

“What do we do with the ox after we catch it? Do we have to transport it back to the city?”

“I’ll come along and appraise it on site, then call for cart drivers to load and take it away.”

“That seems time-consuming. Is it okay for a guild receptionist to leave the counter for so long?”

“Hahaha, I’m not from the guild—I’m the wife of the stew shop owner. I’m expecting some good work from you, okay?”

She really was a stew shop auntie.

After completing the quest registration, we headed south of Oxville with the stew shop madam. We soon spotted a male Black Ox peacefully grazing near the river and immediately began our hunt.

“Will! The ox is trying to move toward the river!”

“Got it! Let’s drive it more to the left!”

The ranged attack methods available to our party aren’t particularly suitable for catching a large ox without damaging its hide or meat.

If Jessica’s stone bullet hit directly, it would leave a large hole, and it’s unclear how much damage my gun could inflict on a Black Ox. If the Black Ox possessed the vitality of monsters like the black panther or strike falcon we encountered on our way here, the quality of the hide and meat would deteriorate during multiple shots, so it would be best for Setty to pierce a vital spot with her spear in one strike.

“Bang! Bang!”

As the white magic bullets fired from my single-action revolver hit the ground ahead and to the side of the fleeing Black Ox, its escape route curves in the opposite direction. Setty, following at some distance behind, still has a relaxed expression on her face.

Though Setty, being a beastkin, could outrun the Black Ox at full speed, closing the distance from the start risks disrupting the prey’s escape direction. Right now, it’s important to give the Black Ox hope that it might eventually outrun us as we chase behind it.

“OK, keep driving it straight ahead! Jessica is hiding behind that large rock up front!”

“Got it!”

Setty and I were driving the Black Ox toward a path that would take it past a large rock on the hillside. Jessica was hiding behind that rock, and the plan was for her to activate a trap when the Black Ox tried to pass by. Setty slowed down to avoid getting caught in the trap herself, while I fired at the ground to the left and right of the Black Ox to keep it from changing direction.

– Sound Burst?

– Yes. It creates a loud explosive sound and shockwave that stuns any creature caught in it.

The strategy Jessica proposed before we started hunting the Black Ox involved using her area-effect magic.

According to her explanation, Sound Burst’s effect range is about 5 meters in radius around Jessica, and the stun effect lasts for several seconds depending on the target’s size and toughness—sufficient time for Setty to catch up and deliver the finishing blow to a herbivore like the Black Ox.

However, since it doesn’t produce visible phenomena like fire or light, it’s difficult to gauge the exact area of effect, and the stun naturally affects both enemies and allies, which is why she hadn’t had a chance to use it since joining me.

“Jessica, are you listening? I’ll count!”

“Three! Two! One! Now!”

“Sound Burst!”

‘BANG!!!’

After I gave the signal and Setty counted down to indicate when the Black Ox was close enough, Jessica, hidden behind the rock, used Sound Burst. A sound like a giant balloon popping echoed all around, and the Black Ox, caught in the effect range, lost its balance and speed, staggering and falling.

It’s a sound that makes you want to curl up even when you know it’s coming. I understand why she didn’t use this spell during our fights with the black panther or strike falcon—if used incorrectly with allies nearby, it could create a crisis.

“Finish it, Setty!”

“Yaaah!”

Setty, who had kept a safe distance to avoid being caught in the magic’s range, accelerated again and closed in on the Black Ox in an instant. With a great leap, Setty’s spear deeply pierced the ox’s neck, completely cutting off the breath of the Black Ox as its vital point was penetrated before it could even recover from the stunned state.

“We did it! Success!”

“It fell noisily, but the horns seem undamaged.”

“Hey~! The hunt is over!”

The stew shop madam, who had been hiding far away to avoid interfering with the hunt, approached after hearing my voice. She examined every corner of the hunted Black Ox’s body and gave a thumbs up.

“Excellent work! The hide, horns, and meat condition are perfect! I’ll buy it at the top price of 100 gold and pay you as soon as we get back.”

The stew shop madam took out a gun from her waist and fired it toward the sky. The bullet slowly rose about 10 meters before bursting like fireworks, emitting a brilliant light. After waiting about 5 minutes, several strong men arrived with a large cart and began loading the hunted ox.

Upon returning to Oxville and receiving our quest reward of 100 gold, we celebrated the success of our party’s first quest with a luxurious dinner full of various beef dishes. As a result, we couldn’t even lie down on our beds until digestion was complete, but I have no regrets.

Huh? A hot night with two beautiful women? Hahaha, don’t be ridiculous. A disaster would occur the moment pressure was applied to someone’s stomach.