Chapter 25: Training (2)

Leaving behind the regret of 100 points, when I entered the Union Guild, there were a few people who had come to work besides me.

With the thought that maybe I could gain even a little bit of points, I briefly looked around, but unfortunately, the hunters present at this time didn’t have much accumulated sexual desire.

Probably because at this early hour, most people are physically tired.

When the body is tired, sexual desire decreases that much, so it was natural that the point acquisition numbers of most female hunters were low.

To aim for the time when point acquisition is highest, probably around the afternoon or evening after finishing hunting would be the best. Or else, waiting for someone who has deliberately accumulated [desire] for a long time, like Cha Yuri, to visit was also one method.

Of course, the purpose of my visiting the guild today was not to build a physical relationship with a new female hunter, so as soon as I entered the guild, I immediately moved to the sixth counter for dungeon entry.

Right now, more than wasting time on other things, figuring out the extent of the strength I possess was the first priority. Searching for female hunters with many points was purely my secondary purpose for visiting the guild; it couldn’t be the main one.

“I’d like to apply for entry into Peregrine Plains.”

“…Peregrine Plains, you say?”

“Yes, Peregrine Plains.”

At the mention of Peregrine Plains, the attendant, who glanced at my face once, carefully shook their head and replied.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think we can permit entry into Peregrine Plains.”

“Huh? If it’s Peregrine Plains, isn’t it a C-class dungeon? Last time I went into the Grave of the Ancient Tree, I recall there were no restrictions on entry permission.”

“Yes. Generally, we permit entry for trainee hunters up to C-class dungeons, but in the case of male hunters, entry into some dungeons, including Peregrine Plains, is restricted.”

“…Why?”

“The monsters inhabiting Peregrine Plains are over 90% flying-type monsters. It’s a set regulation for the safety of male hunters.”

To put it simply, it meant ‘don’t charge at flying-type monsters without even having awakened abilities’.

Although male C-class hunters aren’t entirely non-existent, ultimately, they too would only fight by clashing purely with their own bodies, without awakened abilities.

Even without awakened abilities, wielding a sword and thrusting a spear are certainly possible, but using ranged attack methods like sword energy, or techniques like spear throwing to accurately throw a spear into the air and catch monsters, was ultimately impossible.

In reality, these were techniques whose operation itself was impossible without awakened abilities. Therefore, the attendant’s response, restricting my entry like this, was understandable in its own way.

Occasionally, there were male hunters using bows or crossbows, but the C-class monsters of this world couldn’t be taken down with the power of such weapons.

…Fortunately, I hadn’t attended Hunter Training High School while slacking off, so I had thoroughly memorized the methods for dealing with situations like this.

“In that case, I’ll write a waiver of responsibility and enter.”

Waiver of Responsibility.

It meant a waiver stating that even if I sustain any injury or lose my life inside the dungeon, I will never raise an issue with the guild.

Of course, when using dungeons, such terms are naturally implicitly agreed upon, but cases where entry is restricted due to internal regulations like this were not entirely non-existent.

Usually, this waiver of responsibility was used when entering dangerous dungeons, dungeons with many precautions, or dungeons of a higher level than one’s own rank.

“You wish to sign a waiver of responsibility…?”

“That’s correct.”

“…….”

Hearing my resolve, the attendant’s expression showed a hint of concern.

Perhaps this person too, in their own way, while working as a dungeon attendant, must have encountered many hunters who died or got injured inside dungeons. Especially, many male hunters, declaring they would break their limits and dreaming of becoming C-class hunters, must have perished, becoming prey for the C-class dungeons whose entry he managed.

Of course, if a waiver of responsibility is signed, entry must be permitted due to regulations, but they would want to minimize sacrifices as much as possible within the scope they could prevent.

So, it wasn’t unnatural that I didn’t understand that kind of feeling from this attendant at all, but regardless, that was the attendant’s situation, and I was simply doing what I had to do to become even a little stronger.

“I will sign the waiver of responsibility regarding dungeon entry. Then I can enter, right?”

“…Understood. Then, sign these documents…”

The attendant who said that took out a multi-page document and a pen from inside their counter and handed them over.

After receiving them, I finished signing each page without any hesitation, and returned them to the attendant along with the guild maintenance fee necessary for entry.

“One last confirmation. C-class dungeon, Peregrine Plains, correct?”

“That’s correct.”

“I wish you a safe return.”

Outside the mobile warp gate, after finishing the exchange with the attendant looking at me with a pitying expression as if giving a final farewell, I gently surrendered my senses to the white light enveloping my body.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

「C-class Dungeon. Peregrine Plains.」

As soon as I stepped out via the mobile warp gate, what I saw was flocks of more than ten Black-headed Eagles flying in a group in the sky above the plains.

This Peregrine Plains, despite its name, is a grassland; the monsters inhabiting it are mostly Black-headed Eagles or their subspecies.

Occasionally, small monsters crawling on the ground could be encountered, but it wasn’t particularly meaningful information. Anyway, in this dungeon, any creature crawling on the ground would end up being torn apart and eaten by that flock of Black-headed Eagles, without exception.

-Hwi-iing!

With a sound cutting through the wind, the first Black-headed Eagle seen at the vanguard approached me.

Basically, attacking as a group is standard against female hunters who appear to have some level, and descending alone like that to attempt a hunt was an action taken only when unilaterally hunting lower-level monsters.

Moreover, I now had my greatsword stored in my subspace pocket, so they probably saw me as just a hunter who mistakenly entered the dungeon without any weapons.

Pretending not to notice deliberately, when the Black-headed Eagle charging towards me got as close as possible, I immediately took out my greatsword from my subspace pocket and swung it at it.

-Hwi-iing!

‘Kki-rook…!’

Seeing the shape of my weapon appearing belatedly, the approaching eagle urgently changed its wing beats, but it was already too late to escape the range of the long-reach greatsword.

Thus, the Black-headed Eagle became a victim of my iaijutsu for the crime of underestimating its opponent.

…And the remaining individuals were, roughly fourteen.

‘Kki-rook!’

‘Kki-rook! Kki-rook!’

Perhaps startled by the sudden death of their comrade, several Black-headed Eagles suddenly let out cries towards me overhead.

And this time, immediately from the sky above, three monsters formed a group and charged towards me all at once.

‘Kki-ru-ru-rook!’

At first glance, it looked like they were attacking in the same way as the first one, but these monsters, despite their weak durability, had a fitting reason for being C-class monsters.

That was precisely the fact that they learn by observing the death of a comrade, so it also meant they would invariably attack with different patterns in the first and second attacks.

-Hwi-iing!

‘Kki-rook!’

‘Kki-rook!’

Before I could even swing my sword, sensing the killing intent, the three Black-headed Eagles simultaneously dodged, so the swung greatsword, losing its direction, merely cut through the empty air.

And coinciding with the opening created immediately after I swung my sword, the three monsters charged in simultaneously.

If I didn’t have awakened abilities, I wouldn’t have been able to avoid the attacks of the charging Black-headed Eagles coinciding with the opening after the current move, and then I would have met my death, having pieces of flesh torn off everywhere by the swarming horde of over ten Black-headed Eagles.

…Yes, if I didn’t have awakened abilities.

‘Kki-rook…?!’

‘Kki…!!’

‘……!’

Unfortunately, they didn’t realize that simply creating distance wasn’t enough; they seemed to have failed to grasp that they needed to evade the attack properly.

The sword energy I used before when defeating goblinas flew through the air, even towards the monsters that dodged the initial attack, and by the slashes of that vacuum sword energy, the three Black-headed Eagles that were cut fell straight to the ground.

All three of them, writhing in pain from the deep wounds, writhed a little before dying.

…Now, the remaining ones were, eleven.

‘Kki-rook…?!’

‘Kki…!!’

‘……!’

As if enraged by the loss of four comrades already, they charged in all at once, letting out their respective cries, and under the full assault of the ones who entered with a proper formation, there were no blind spots.

For monsters, having quite strong camaraderie was a characteristic of these Black-headed Eagles, so charging in all at once for revenge when a certain number were defeated was already a widely known pattern.

It was a cooperative attack technique of C-class monsters charging in with the intent to kill the opponent no matter what, even if a few were sacrificed.

Not to mention ordinary male hunters, it wasn’t an easy attack to deal with even for typical B-class hunters, but for me right now, it was simply the perfect environment to use new techniques.

-Hwi-iiiiing!!

“Huryaaaaaaah!!”

Holding the greatsword, a technique that slashes in a circle around my body all at once.

Great Tempest.

Along with a swordsmanship technique generally usable only by B-class hunters, a vortex of blades raged around me.

‘Kki-rook?!’

‘Kki-geuk….’

‘Kkeu…kki-ik….’

Thus, the remaining monsters, for failing to properly grasp the opponent’s capabilities, were cut by the blades, creating a formation of corpses around me.

Some quick-witted ones seemed to have succeeded in pulling themselves out of the blade’s path, but ultimately, they only met a more painful death by the sword energy of the flying vacuum blade.

‘Kki, kki-rook…!!’

…There was still one left, huh.

Well, peculiar individuals are bound to exist wherever you go. Perhaps when the other comrades charged in all at once, one Black-headed Eagle hesitated and seemed to have joined a little late.

And after confirming the power of my sword and the fallen comrades, it immediately flew back into the sky and began to fly away.

As if having learned that charging at me alone would not save it from death, it spread its wings and flew high into the sky, and I, without hesitation, spread my palm and chanted the newly learned 2nd Circle fire magic.

“Fire Arrow!”

Although it was a bit far away, fortunately, Fire Arrow had a fairly long straight-line range.

It was enough to hit about one Black-headed Eagle flying into the air without issue.

-Hwa-reuk!

‘Kki-ru-ru-rook!!’

The last Black-headed Eagle hit by the fire arrow, becoming a black-bodied eagle with its whole body roasted, fell straight to the ground.

Even without the auxiliary tool, a staff, is this much power from using fire magic?

Certainly, learning it was a wise choice in many ways.