Chapter 138: Newbie Hunter (4)

Why is it?

The moment I saw that man in formal attire, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

However, even after thinking for a moment, I couldn’t figure out the identity of the déjà vu at all, so I faced the man in front of me for now.

“Did you know we would come?”

If I felt the opponent was an enemy, it would be normal to attack first, but I hadn’t grasped the opponent yet.

If I attacked first clumsily and there was an ambush in the temple, it would be a disaster.

“Only one ghost soldier deployed for the operation returned. Since traces were left on it, I knew this place would be discovered soon.”

“It sounds like you were digging a trap and waiting.”

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have revealed myself directly.”

I couldn’t know if those words were true or not, but at least one thing was certain.

“First, let me ask one thing.”

“Please speak.”

“Are you the Newbie Hunter?”

The man in formal attire seemed genuinely surprised as if that question was unexpected, but soon opened his lips.

“It’s a difficult matter to say cut and dry, but if you ask me to answer yes or no…… Yes. Correct. I am the Newbie Hunter.”

“……You admit it more readily than I thought.”

“Denying it in this situation wouldn’t be persuasive anyway.”

Luna intervened.

“Wait, but what do you mean it’s difficult to answer cut and dry? Aren’t you the Newbie Hunter?”

“Because there are plenty of people in the world who call themselves Newbie Hunters. From that perspective, I am indeed a Newbie Hunter, but at the same time, I am not.”

“What kind of……”

It wasn’t exactly wrong.

There was no rule that killing players made one a Newbie Hunter, and there were plenty of players targeting Ascension Stone Fragments.

“What is the reason you targeted us but waited quietly?”

“I judged that if it’s an opponent who not only blocked the ghosts’ surprise attack but also reverse-tracked us, it’s better to talk than to dig a clumsy trap. Fortunately, it seems that judgment was effective.”

Luna scoffed.

“What a joke. What if we had just attacked right away?”

“Then my judgment would have been wrong, and I would just have to accept the result.”

Luna, who scoffed at the Newbie Hunter’s all too calm words, looked at him as if asking what kind of guy this was.

“What is the reason you targeted us?”

“Does a Newbie Hunter need a reason to hunt players? I just did what I’ve always done.”

“For that, you don’t seem to have any intention of fighting us right now.”

“Because it wouldn’t be very good for me either if a disturbance occurs in the middle of the Imperial Capital. Of course, if you insist on causing a disturbance despite that, I have no intention of staying still either.”

“That makes sense.”

Certainly, if a disturbance occurred in the middle of the Imperial Capital, and at the Punishment Order’s temple at that, it wouldn’t be very good for us.

Since the Newbie Hunter also resides in the Imperial Capital, he wouldn’t want to attract unnecessary attention.

Above all…… the one calling himself the Newbie Hunter was strong.

If I resolved to fight, I would have to be prepared for death, so I didn’t want to fight a battle I could avoid.

In other words, at this moment, at least our interests in not fighting aligned.

I sat opposite the Newbie Hunter.

Of course, ready to unleash the Orb of Water and Akiro’s laws at any time.

I would avoid fighting if possible, but if a situation came where I couldn’t avoid it, I had no intention of dying quietly.

Luna stood still, unable to hide her tension, but he had no intention of offering her a seat.

“You said we would talk. So what do you have to say?”

“……I didn’t expect you to agree to talk so readily.”

“Aren’t you the one who suggested it first?”

“Well, that is true, but among the people I’ve met so far, there were few who readily agreed to talk. I didn’t know that people who eliminated all the ghost soldiers and reverse-tracked here would accept it, so it is unexpected.”

“Were there players other than us who reached this place?”

“Yes. In terms of numbers, there were quite a few. Although ghost soldiers are useful for ambush, they cannot be seen as tremendously threatening in themselves.”

It wasn’t exactly wrong.

If it were a normal player, maybe, but among the players in this world now, those who have absorbed fragments to a certain level can handle demonic energy.

It means they can subdue ghosts as much as they want even without the magic or holy relics needed to deal with Ghost types.

“Then what happened to all those who came?”

Despite the fact that not a few players must have visited this place, what does it mean that the Newbie Hunter is still alive?

The Newbie Hunter smiled faintly.

“Well. Since their behavioral patterns were so diverse, it’s difficult to say cut and dry. Still, there are some who just talked and returned without much trouble.”

“Unexpected.”

It was an honest impression.

Because it means a serial killer enough to be called a Newbie Hunter let his prey return quietly.

“Considering the rumors of the Newbie Hunter known to the public, I understand why you look at me with those eyes.”

“Are you trying to say it’s unfair?”

“No, it’s not like that. I definitely organized a ghost army and killed many players. That is an unchanging fact. That is why I admitted to being the Newbie Hunter myself.”

The Newbie Hunter smiled bitterly and said.

“Among those I talked with, there were those who agreed with my thoughts, but there were also those who talked just to avoid a fight. I also don’t really prefer fights risking lives.”

“Is that why you used ghost soldiers?”

“Hmm…… the reason I utilized ghost soldiers was because of the characteristics possessed by ghost soldiers, but thinking about it now, I guess you could say so. Anyway, it is true that using ghost soldiers has less risk for me too.”

“Excessively honest.”

“Because there is no need to deny obvious facts.”

Tension was evident in Luna who was watching the conversation.

It was a brief conversation, but at least unless we attacked first, it didn’t seem like the Newbie Hunter would attack us.

Of course, I had no intention of letting go of the tension, but I felt we could talk a little more.

“Being able to do such things in the middle of the Imperial Capital, did you join hands with the Imperial Household after all?”

“Yes. Because players, that is, travelers, were subjects of considerable wariness for the Empire as well.”

“You persuaded them well with just that much reason.”

“Although they possess great military power, players are those who merely wander without proper affiliation mostly, and if such people were to unite, it could be a great threat to the Empire as well, so persuading the Imperial Household wasn’t that difficult.”

The Newbie Hunter saw through the anxiety the Empire secretly harbored.

Players are dangerous beings.

That fact is clear not only to the Empire but to all nations existing in the Lagna Continent.

Nevertheless, the reason they couldn’t openly discriminate against or suppress players, that is, travelers, until now is, as expected, because of the power they possess.

Players are strong.

Not only their numbers, but the exceptional ones among them are beings capable of overthrowing a nation alone.

Since he said he could kill such beings with minimal risk, the Imperial Household wouldn’t have had a reason to refuse.

Even if things go wrong later, they just have to deny the relationship with the Newbie Hunter.

“What is the goal of killing players to that extent?”

“Because it is necessary work.”

Necessary work.

Truly many things were contained in those words.

“Are fragments the goal?”

“They are, and they are not. To speak precisely, I hope the fragments do not fall into anyone’s hands. I wish for them to disappear from this world entirely.”

One who excludes fragments.

With that, what the Newbie Hunter aimed for was narrowed down.

“Are you Bellerophon?”

The Newbie Hunter smiled bitterly.

“Bellerophon…… Although their goals and ideologies align with mine to some extent, ultimately, what we aim for is different. Therefore, I am not Bellerophon.”

“Then what are you?”

“Well. If you ask for my identity, you could say I am the Newbie Hunter itself.”

“Funny words. If it’s warning about the danger of fragments, it doesn’t seem much different from Bellerophon.”

“If I were to explain the difference, it could be said to lie in the purpose. Bellerophon is wary of the demonic energy dwelling in the fragments, but what I wish to exclude is not something like demonic energy.”

“Strange words. You sound as if you know what the fragments are.”

Instead of answering that question, the Newbie Hunter threw another question.

“Do you know why I am here?”

“Well. Did you intend to use the prisoners detained by the Punishment Order?”

“That isn’t wrong either, but the real reason is separate.”

The Newbie Hunter looked at the statue of the Goddess of Punishment on the wall of the grand conference room and said.

“I received a revelation.”

A piousness I hadn’t seen until now was imbued in the Newbie Hunter’s eyes.

“From the Goddess of Punishment who does not forgive sins.”

“……What?”

Since I didn’t expect the Newbie Hunter to spout such nonsense, not only I but also Luna couldn’t hide our shock.

“……What are you talking about right now? Goddess of Punishment? You believe in that now?”

Luna said as if dumbfounded.

“Yes. I believe. Is that not allowed?”

Even at Luna’s words, the Newbie Hunter spoke rather confidently.

His attitude was so confident that Luna, who raised the question, was rather at a loss for words.

“He’s just a crazy guy……”

Even knowing that this world was once a game world, can one truly believe in the god of that world?

Until now, I had an absolutely negative view on that part, but now a counterexample appeared before my eyes.

“Unbelievable. Can I think you’re just saying in a roundabout way that you’re purely crazy?”

“Of course, it is natural for you to think so. I understand that reaction. But my words are definitely true.”

“Ha……”

Not only I but also Luna had no choice but to shake our heads sincerely at the Newbie Hunter’s words.

Was he just a crazy guy?

Did we just waste time pretending to have a conversation?

When such thoughts were creeping up, the Newbie Hunter’s mouth opened.

“You asked what the reason I kill players is.”

“I did.”

“In the revelation, I saw. What lies beyond that sky.”

That was something I could never just pass over, even if it were the words of a madman.

Beyond the sky.

Because that was the phrase harboring the biggest secret of the Ascension Stone Fragments.

“You saw beyond the sky?”

“Yes. That is why I am telling you. The fragments must not fall into anyone’s hands. And……”

The Newbie Hunter calmly explained the true reason for the work he had done so far.

“The fragments must be destroyed.”

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