The Plaza #2

"Little sister, oh my dear little sister."

"...."

"Are you not even going to answer when your big sister calls anymore? You're becoming no fun at all~"

It wasn't that she was acting out of defiance; it was simply because she lacked the energy to do anything else.

Their world.

Having returned to the tribe that served the Black Dragon, Rakia Belz was, as usual, in the middle of a grueling training session with her older sister.

Unlike Doyun, who sought his own growth with the help of the Gallery, every single experience of this training was crucial for her.

No, it was more like a privilege that only she could enjoy.

"You should know that you've been raised quite preciously, our youngest. Where else would you find a Hunter belonging to the Upper Council personally overseeing your training?"

"I know... that."

"Oh my. Do you still have the energy to speak?"

Like a giant beast playing with a small animal.

For a fleeting moment, her sister, eyes filled with interest, looked down at Rakia Belz.

'Has she grown more than last time?'

Since the last cycle.

Her sister, Rakia Serbel, the Great Warrior of the tribe, had been secretly satisfied with the visibly growing figure of her youngest sister.

The exact turning point had been when she finally learned to properly utilize the power of her special trait.

'How did you realize it? Huh? Huh?'

No matter how persistently she asked, Rakia Belz would just blush like a teenage girl and refuse to open her mouth, even if it killed her.

"Are you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠still not going to tell me about your special trait?"

"...."

"Fine~ My heart is very upset, but the important thing is that our youngest has become stronger."

And so, she let go of her lingering attachment with ease.

Whatever the process, all that mattered was that she had become stronger.

However, there was one thing Rakia Belz was overlooking.

"So, you've really set your sights on that man this time, haven't you?"

"....!!"

Her sister had already traversed countless battlefields.

The senses and instincts born from such experiences allowed her to exert transcendental abilities in gauging and guessing the will of others.

"Doyun. I still remember the name, too. It’s a name that always comes up whenever I have meetings with those annoying people."

"...Does his name come up often?"

"Look at this. You're suddenly interested and asking, even though you've kept your mouth shut until now."

Struck right in the heart, Rakia Belz held her tongue once again.

Rakia Serbel, finding that sight quite unfamiliar, stroked the back of her neck and pondered.

'This is completely...'

From her perspective, this wasn't the typical attitude of someone who had found a male they liked.

Rather, it was more like she was in a state where she was so thoroughly hooked by that male that she couldn't keep her head straight.

"Little sister."

"...What."

"I don't have the experience to say for sure, but I've seen and heard enough to know how things work~"

"...What is it you want to say."

"Just grab him. If you're going to grab him."

There was no need to beat around ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the bush.

Clearly.

Rakia Serbel, who took pride in her tribe, pointed out her youngest sister's pathetic state.

Instead of hesitating, she told her to claim that man faster than anyone else.

-Grind.

Feeling frustrated by those words, Rakia Belz gritted her teeth.

Instead of an answer, she chose action.

Pushing herself up on trembling knees, she glared straight at her sister.

"Ho."

Her spirit was definitely much better than before.

'Is it from interacting with that man?'

What on earth did she do?

Or perhaps, did he seduce and incite our cute youngest without even realizing it?

There were still many things she needed to know.

"Good, alright. Let's go again."

Responding to her sister's spirit, the Great Warrior of the tribe wore a satisfied smile.

-Kiek!

A murderous intent, unusual in its nature, was felt from the flank.

Stained with green blood.

Doyun reacted to that killing intent immediately.

Blue mana shimmered in his wide-open eyes.

-Swish!

Leaving behind traces of magic like afterimages, his curved blade was swung instantly.

Two of them.

The horrific monsters that had been attacking in a pack had already met their end, turning into mana.

They gave off a somewhat malicious aura, but it wasn't a level Doyun couldn't handle.

"It's over!"

"Yeah."

Aira helped him assess the situation.

Doyun caught his breath for a moment.

-Click!

He took a photo of the monsters' corpses before they could disappear.

It was to report them to the Gallery.

The answer came back immediately.

Parasite Mimic.

Just as he had felt at first, they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were said to have the habit of hunting victims by imitating the voices or traces of the fallen.

At that, Doyun immediately scanned the Gallery list.

"Shit."

At that horrific photo, Doyun immediately spat out a word of high praise.

Found it.

Between the background roughly visible in the photo and the nature of the plant growing on top of it.

It was undoubtedly the plant Boss Mob that Doyun had been dealing with, and the one the Gallery mobs were talking about.

The mob, who had been assigned a nickname in an instant, reacted.

VoiceVillain.

From Doyun's perspective, there couldn't be a more perfect nickname.

It was because the sight of it luring victims while imitating their voices still remained vividly in his mind.

VoiceVillain, who was giving terrifying appearances names that didn't match at all.

Naturally, other mobs stepped in to stop such eccentric behavior.

"I'm getting dizzy."

Of course, he had no choice but to feel dizzy.

Because from a human perspective, there were more than one or two bizarre points.

"Commercial district."

Fortunately, it was an area marked on the map.

After asking a few more times, he got an answer from VoiceVillain that matched Doyun's thoughts.

"Good."

Doyun immediately moved to find the 12th-floor Boss Room.

For now, the goal was the commercial district.

"P-please, save me..!"

"Gyaaaak!"

"Save me! Please save me!"

He tried his best to ignore the bizarre groans heard from here and there.

Because avoiding unnecessary battles was the best policy.

'I can't even level up anyway.'

He knew roughly by now.

That it was difficult to expect experience points from catching small mobs.

While walking through the streets of the abandoned village like that, a familiar figure began to be seen in the distance.

"...."

Dressed entirely in black.

A being wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a coat, and a long sword and crossbow that looked like they belonged in the Middle Ages.

It was a Demon Hunter.

"Are you one tainted by madness?"

"No."

"No, in my eyes... huh?"

The Demon Hunter, who had concluded as much and was about to draw his weapon, belatedly checked what was hanging on Doyun's chest.

A reliable badge he had acquired while clearing the linked quests.

At the sight of that proof of identity, the Demon Hunter immediately lowered his spirit.

"I almost acted rudely to a benefactor."

"If you didn't, then it's fine."

"I am grateful for your mercy."

The Demon Hunter, who greeted him by raising a fist to his chest.

He was starting to feel a sense of affection for that appearance.

"Beyond this is the den of monsters that mimic voices."

"I know."

"Is that so. Knowing everything, are you going to sacrifice your life to bring peace to the village?"

As he listened to the cringey flowery language, the Demon Hunter moved aside on his own.

"If so, I will not stop you. May there be blessings on your path."

"Thank you."

Doyun, who nodded roughly, walked past him.

Just then.

"Ah, but it would be best to be careful. Not all Demon Hunters will be like me..."

"....?"

"We are all beings carrying a single fate. Please bring rest yourself to those already tainted by madness."

A quest as a bonus.

'Nice.'

Doyun nodded at the Demon Hunter's words and moved on to the next area.