Rejecting Every Guild

The Magic Tower scout was bewildered by the direct order that had come from the Tower Lord himself.

What on earth was this instruction?

"Abandon Asha, Red Tower Lord?"

"I told you to discard that monster. Are your ears not working?"

"But, Tower Lord. That would..."

"A waste, you say? Yes, it's a waste. The time and resources poured into raising a monster that loses to a mere human is indeed a waste."

The unpleasant emotion radiating through the phone made the scout realize the Tower Lord was completely serious.

He had broken the unwritten rules of the tryouts by personally deploying a talent he had raised, only for it to end in failure. It made sense ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he would feel this way.

Even so, this was unacceptable.

Having come to that conclusion, the scout squeezed his eyes shut and dared to push back against the Red Tower Lord.

"I'm sorry, Tower Lord. I understand your disappointment in Asha, but if we do this, we'll end up handing her over to another guild."

"Yes. That would be the outcome."

Yet the Red Tower Lord refused to change his mind despite the scout's blunt words.

"Do you really think any guild could handle that bitch? The only ones who can manage those flames are us, the Red Magic Tower. If any other guild gets greedy and tries to touch her, that monster will simply burn them all to ash."

"I-is that so?"

"It is. In the end, she'll be abandoned again. And when that happens, she'll finally know her place and stop harboring any foolish ideas."

"Foolish... ideas?"

What did he mean by that?

Was the Tower Lord suggesting Asha had betrayed him?

When the scout showed confusion at his words, the Tower Lord clicked his tongue in clear irritation and muttered.

"The very fact that the monster lost is proof she harbored other thoughts."

"With all due respect, from what I observed, her weakness of only being able to burn fear was exploited and..."

"No! Even if that human couldn't burn fear, he shouldn't have been able to defeat the monstrous bird. The fear I carved into her wasn't nearly that weak. The fact that she still lost means something weakened that terror. Therefore, she must be broken again."

"Understood. I will carry out your orders."

"Good. And about that human."

"Yes? Do you have further instructions?"

"Instead of the monster, bring me that man. He possesses ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠quite an interesting mental image. He seems worth researching."

"Yes. Confirmed."

The scout couldn't fully grasp everything the Red Tower Lord had said, but he understood one thing clearly.

The human who had defeated Asha wasn't going to meet with a pleasant fate.

After ending the discussion, the Magic Tower scout waited for the naming ceremony when a voice that sounded like it was deliberately picking a fight reached him from afar.

"Oh. I see you had a pleasant trip to the bathroom?"

"...What do you want? If you're looking for a fight, I'm not in the mood right now."

"No, no. I just heard something interesting. Word is the Magic Tower is abandoning one of their promising talents."

A man with the distinctive beast ears of a beastman.

It was the Murim Alliance scout.

The Magic Tower scout had no idea where he'd heard the news, but the man began needling him as if he knew everything.

"You always call us barbaric beasts, but it looks like the real barbarians are you people? Isn't this treatment a bit much for a single mistake?"

"...This has nothing to do with you. It's an internal matter for the Tower."

"Not at all. If the Tower discards her, she might end up sharing the same pot of rice as us. Naturally, it's something we should pay attention to."

"......"

Look at him, fabricating stories just to provoke when he had zero intention of recruiting a mage.

The Magic Tower scout thought this to himself and tried to brush off the Murim Alliance scout's provocations, but what the man said next made his eyes widen.

"Well, to be honest, whether a mage gets thrown away or not isn't really our concern. I just wanted to give you some advice about that nasty habit of yours."

"Nasty habit?"

"That habit of yours where, whenever your pride takes a hit, you slink around in the shadows plotting something. For example, discarding your own promising talent and instead trying to recruit the human who defeated them."

"That's none of your business."

"It is when it concerns someone who might end up sharing our rice pot. Of course we should care."

Hearing the Murim Alliance scout's words, the Magic Tower scout finally understood what these beasts were after.

These bastards were planning to take that human just to screw with the Magic Tower.

"...Are you serious? If that's the case, aren't you doing the same thing by discarding your own promising talent?"

"Ah. Unfortunately for you, we happen to have one spot left. So we've decided to welcome a great hero who achieved incredible feats despite having the fragile body of a human."

"Ha, great hero? You'll just work him to the bone with that survival-of-the-fittest logic, and if he can't endure it, you'll throw him away too."

"The strong survive. The weak perish. Is there a problem?"

"This is exactly why you beast bastards..."

As the Murim Alliance scout and Magic Tower scout glared at each other, the scouts from the Academy and Reverse Factory arrived as well.

The two groups put on a show of maintaining dignity in front of the newcomers. Then the Academy scout, who looked like an old man wearing a school uniform, declared boldly.

"The final survivor of this tryout will be admitted as a special scholarship student to the Academy. Keep that in mind."

"What?"

"Oh?"

The Academy had no reason to be interested in that human. Why?

The Magic Tower scout was thrown into confusion by the sudden recruitment declaration.

Why were these closed-off, sinister people suddenly pushing for external recruitment?

The Academy scout obviously wasn't going to explain his reasons, so the Magic Tower scout remained lost in confusion.

"Ah. I'm sorry, but that won't be possible."

"Hm?"

"The final survivor is scheduled for special recruitment by us."

On top of that, even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Reverse Factory had thrown their hat into the ring.

Their declaration at least made sense.

They were probably after the gauntlet that had been on that human's hand. Those people weren't satisfied until they had every unique technology in their grasp.

Looking at it this way, the four major guilds were now competing to monopolize a single person.

When you factored in the rumor that the Hunter Guild had already made contact, it became a five-way battle.

Did that mean every guild with a notable name in this city had joined the fray?

"...Poor bastard. It's just him."

With the eyes of the entire city focused on him like this, no matter which guild he joined, he would never be treated well.

The situation had flipped so that human now held the advantage. From here on, this was a battle of pride.

No matter who he chose, the guilds left out would lose face.

Or so he thought.

"But I won't be joining any guild."

What kind of situation was this?

"I don't believe I need anyone's help to succeed in this city."

It was arrogant. It was insolent.

To reject every single one of these offers in a public place?

He couldn't possibly believe he could succeed alone in a city like Shion, could he?

It was called the City of Possibility, but that didn't mean everyone succeeded.

The possibility of failure, of falling to the very bottom and becoming food for the worms, was always open.

"...So the rumor that he rejected the Hunter Guild was true."

"Hah. A rookie hunter, was it? We probably won't be seeing his face next month."

"Being the final survivor has become a poison instead."

Everyone clicked their tongues at the arrogant declaration and predicted the human's downfall.

The Magic Tower scout thought the same, but one fact suddenly occurred to him.

With things as they were, all talk of battles of pride had vanished.

It was simply because that human had been arrogant.

Because a new example of a fool who had come chasing dreams in Shion had been added, no one spoke of the four major guilds anymore.

"...Perhaps."

If that rookie hunter somehow managed to survive in the city until next month.

Wouldn't choosing not to take any of the four major guilds' hands be the only option that avoided earning their grudge?

It was like refusing to take the hand of any of the four starving wolves and instead throwing himself off a cliff where none of them could reach.

Perhaps they would be hearing that hunter's name quite often from now on.

That was the thought that came to mind.

"...Hoo."

After finishing the naming ceremony and stepping outside, I let out a sigh mixed with various emotions.

It was a shame to kick away the recruitment offers from the four major guilds, but I had said those words to Estelle.

Once you say something, you have to follow through.

That's the basics of saving face.

My goal wasn't to succeed as a hunter in this city, but to get my sister back. There was no need to feel regret.

If I made full use of the Mother Box and future sight I'd obtained this time, I should be able to keep myself alive at least.

Yes, I had to believe that.

With that thought, I tried to slip out of the hall while avoiding the journalists' eyes, but...

"...They're completely camped out. Damn."

The reporters weren't giving any openings at all.

Well, if they could get an interview with the man who had rejected the courtship of all four—no, all five major guilds, the clickbait potential would be insane.

But I knew that fame without the strength to protect myself was poison, and that doing such an interview would earn me the full wrath of the guilds.

For now, not speaking to the reporters at all seemed like the best course of action.

But how was I supposed to get out of here without being noticed by them?

As I was pondering this, a familiar voice called out.

"Hey."

"Whoa?! What the—Drake?"

"...What's with that reaction?"

"No, it's nothing. Just Drake."

Why had this guy come looking for me?

I responded apathetically to the appearance of someone I didn't particularly want to get involved with right now. Drake let out a sigh at my reaction.

Then...

"...Thank you."

"Huh?"

I doubted my own ears.

Those weren't words that should come from the guy who had tried to kill me in the exam hall.

Ah, was it because I'd killed Asha for him?

That's what I thought, but Drake's following words were completely unexpected.

"Thank you for rejecting the recruitment offers for our sake."

"...Huh?"

He was thanking me for rejecting the offers?

What was he talking about?

While I stared at him with wide eyes, Drake continued his one-sided expression of gratitude.

"If you had accepted that offer, one of us would have been thrown out onto the streets. Thank you for preventing that."

"Are you guys close with the promising talents?"

"We are. How could we not be?"

"Well. If you're thanking me, that's good. Then..."

To Drake, who was expressing gratitude, I confidently held out my hand.

"Um...?"

"Give me the money. You promised to pay me if I won, remember?"

"...Yes, I suppose I did make that promise."

At my bold attitude, Drake gave a bitter smile and nodded.

"Fine. You did declare it, and you won, plus you helped us. I should at least do this much."

"Oh. For real? I honestly thought you wouldn't."

"...Did you see me as a petty man who breaks his promises?"

"Yeah. Honestly."

If a guy who asks someone to drop a fellow member of his own tower isn't a petty man, then what is he?

Seeming to realize this himself, Drake cleared his throat and held out his phone to me.

"I'll transfer it right now."

"Oh. Thanks. This makes things a lot easier."

As soon as I held up my phone, the money transferred straight into my account.

When I whistled and expressed my thanks, Drake waved his hand as if our business was concluded and walked away.

"Well then. We'll consider the debt paid. See you around."

If he had ignored my words, I was planning to run straight to the reporters with the recording, but I was glad that wasn't necessary.

"Yeah. It'd be nice if we meet again."

I didn't remember him appearing in the original work, so I probably wouldn't see his face again.

After parting with Drake, a familiar voice called out from behind me once more.

"Are you done with your business?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't want to be doing this either, but it's Lady Estelle's order. I'll escort you to the back door."

"Estelle?"

"It's Lady Estelle."

"Lady Estelle."

Elly's glare looked like it could kill a person, so I quickly corrected myself.

With her expression softening, Elly sighed and grabbed my arm.

At the same time, mist enveloped me.

"Whoa."

I was now at the back door behind the Hunter Guild building.

She had brought me here to avoid the reporters?

I was truly grateful to Estelle.

"Thanks. You saved me back there."

When I bowed my head in thanks, Elly immediately started grumbling again.

"Good. At least you have some shame. You know how to say thank you when you're grateful."

She really had a personality that made you not want to get close to her.

While thinking this and glancing at her, Elly held out her phone to me.

"...?"

When I tilted my head at the action whose intention I couldn't read, Elly shouted as if it was the most unpleasant thing in the world.

"I don't want to know your number either, okay? I'm only doing this because Lady Estelle told me to get it, so don't get any weird ideas!"

"Ah. Now that you mention it."

Come to think of it, she had said it would be good to see each other at the cafe again.

"She said she'll contact you tomorrow, so make sure you keep your schedule open. If you waste her time, I won't forgive you."

After giving me that warning, Elly disappeared into the mist.

The only proof that Elly had come to see me was the newly added contacts on my phone.

Well, no one else was going to come looking for me, so I should find a place to sleep before it got any later.

I took out the brochure I'd picked up in the Hunter Guild lobby and was checking the city map to find my way when...

"Excuse me."

Someone spoke to me again.

Anyone watching would think I'd suddenly become popular.

I turned my head with a sigh mixed with exhaustion.

Who was it this time?

Was it Hwa-ryeong?

But the person standing behind me was completely unexpected.

"Asha?"

Asha was the one calling out to me right in front of my face.

What was this?

Was she trying to settle a grudge?

After all, I had killed her, and because of me, she'd been kicked out of her guild.

I tensed up at the thought, but the words that came from Asha weren't ones of resentment.

"Thank you."

"Th-thank you? For what?"

"For letting me see something wonderful. Thanks to you, I feel like I can try harder."

"Huh?"

"Well then. See you next time."

After leaving behind those incomprehensible words of gratitude, Asha disappeared into the back alley.

During the practical exam she had looked precarious, but the sight of Asha's back as she disappeared into the alley now looked resolute.

I was a little worried, but what was a 1-star hunter doing worrying about a 4-star hunter?

If anyone needed worrying about, it was me.

I had to find a place to sleep tonight, after all.

"Let's see. Lodging..."

As I looked at the map for a decent place to stay, something interesting caught my eye.

"Sleeping Street?"

The district was named Sleeping Street?

Thinking it was a unique name, I read the description.

So it was named that because it was a street packed with nothing but lodging?

For now, it didn't seem like a bad place to secure a room immediately.

There was even a bus route that connected directly from Central Street where the Hunter Guild was located, so I hurried toward Sleeping Street.

"Getting off."

When I got off the bus and entered Sleeping Street, the night sky greeted me before I knew it.

It looked like a street from the Middle Ages had been transplanted here, yet the crooked buildings scattered throughout made it feel like a scene from a fairy tale.

True to its name, unlike Central Street which had been full of people's vitality, this street was quiet.

It felt as if the entire district was asleep.

Finding lodging wasn't particularly difficult.

That was because every building around me was a lodging facility.

I naturally realized that this wasn't a street where lodgings were gathered, but rather a street created by gathering lodgings.

Still, I couldn't just walk into any place.

If I picked a strange lodging, it would be worse than not finding one at all.

I figured a place on the main road would be safer than a back alley, so I was walking along the main street in a daze when...

"Time stop...? Zero gravity?"

Strange services that made me mutter to myself without realizing it.

Who would pay the price of citizenship for a single night's sleep?

Or rather, if you thought of it as buying eight hours, was it actually cheap?

From the outside they all looked like similar lodgings, but each one offered completely different services.

"......"

Of course, there were quite a few lodgings that looked suspicious.

If I chose the wrong one, it felt like something truly terrible might happen.

I was wandering the street for a long time, worrying about where to go, when...

"Hm?"

A somehow familiar name caught my eye.

Where had I seen this name before?

That's right, I remembered now.

It was a name that frequently appeared in the official Last Shion comic that had been posted on the bulletin board.

It was the place where the protagonist and the playable characters often gathered.

If so, it probably wasn't a dangerous place, right?

Thinking that, I quickly entered Matthew's Cabin.

A blunt-looking man greeted me.

"Welcome."

"Do you have a room available?"

"Alone?"

"Yes, I'm by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠myself."

"9,000,000 credits per night."

"9,000,000?"

9,000,000 credits for one night?

Wasn't this a rip-off?

When I was taken aback by the price that surpassed imagination, the blunt man spoke as if he couldn't care less.

"It's cheaper than reviving for 10,000,000 credits, isn't it?"

"...It's definitely safe, right?"

"Of course. I guarantee it on the Queen's name."

The man pointed to a certificate hanging on the wall as if to say this place was fine.

It was a bit expensive, but it was better than picking some strange lodging and waking up with my stomach cut open in the middle of the night.

I nodded, paid the money, and got a room. What came out was a room that wasn't particularly bad or particularly good.

It just felt like an ordinary room.

"Hoo."

Once I entered the room, I finally felt like I'd overcome a huge mountain.

From now on, I just needed to steadily get stronger until the original story began.

If I continued helping the protagonist once the original work started, maybe I could even take first place in the popularity poll?

While running such happy circuits in my mind, I flopped down on the bed and checked the bulletin board that I hadn't had time to look at before.

I wondered if there was any useful information as I looked through the posts, but the atmosphere felt off.

"...Huh?"

It looked like something big had happened to the game.

Users were expressing strong dissatisfaction and setting the bulletin board on fire.

What was going on? Wasn't this the game that was praised as a god-tier game?

What had happened right before the Korean server opened?

I looked through the posts to find out what had happened.

"Ah."

Ah, this was because of me.