I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter

It was natural for the gate to be guarded by a checkpoint.

 

[It looks like they were mining mana stones in the dungeon.]

 

“Yeah, exactly.”

 

As Beru had said, plenty of mining carts were lined up outside the gate. Seeing the carts filled with mana stones, it seemed like the miners had just finished their work and left for the day.

 

Typically, they wouldn’t have left so many mana stones lying around like that, but it was possible in a field-type dungeon.

 

‘Because there wouldn’t have expected any thieves sneaking around this mountain at night to steal some mana stones.’

 

But coincidentally, there was a thief here now.

 

Crunch, crunch.

 

[Wow, this place is a treasure trove of mana stones.]

 

Before anyone realized it, Beru had flown to the carts and started picking up and eating the mana stones. He had expressed disapproval initially, but now it seemed like he enjoyed eating the mana stones.

 

[They have a subtle and chewy taste.]

 

Beru chewed on the mana stones and looked around his surroundings. Then, after confirming that there was no sign of anyone around, Beru called out to Sooho.

 

[I guess everyone has gone home. Can’t even see a single ant larva.]

 

– Count properly. You’re the ant larva.

 

[Oh? My little king, is the handle of your sword a little too long? Should I take a bite to shorten it?

 

– Hmph. If you eat me, it will be difficult for you to find relics in the sanctuary, won’t it?

 

“That’s true. Stop drooling, Beru.”

 

[Burp. Understood.]

 

Beru replied casually and finished swallowing the remaining crumbs of mana stones.

 

In fact, eating Rakan’s Fang would have been much more energizing than eating a truckload of mana stones like this. But since Sooho finally had a weapon he could use after a long time, Beru couldn’t ask for it, so he had no choice but to eat the stones.

 

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.

 

– …

 

Rakan’s Fang trembled. Even as Beru chewed on the mana stones, he watched the sword with eyes dripping with regret. At this moment, Sooho’s hand holding it felt incredibly reliable.

 

– Now, go through the gate. There should be a sanctuary beyond.

 

“Wait a moment.”

 

At that moment, Sooho suddenly turned and hid behind the guard post. Then he narrowed his eyes and stared at the gate.

 

‘Somebody’s there.’

 

Just then, someone walked out from inside the gate, but it wasn’t just one or two people.

 

‘Have the miners not gone home yet?’

 

Unlikely.

 

Staying outside the field-type dungeon until it got this dark was too risky for the way out. Besides, there was no reason to work until this late, as mining didn’t require a day’s work.

 

So, in the end, they must be attack Hunters, but that was even stranger.

 

‘With all the magic beasts outside the gate, why would an attack team have anything to do inside the gate?’

 

At that moment, Beru quickly jumped onto Sooho’s shoulder and whispered in a small voice.

 

[Little King, something’s strange. I smell the scent of beasts from them.]

 

‘Beasts?’

 

And then.

 

“… Grrr.”

 

The faces of the Hunters who came out of the gate were revealed in the moonlight. But their appearance…

 

‘Werewolves?!’

 

Dirty fur covered their faces, and sharp fangs protruded from their mouths. Surprisingly, the Hunters were werewolves disguised in human clothing.

 

‘Is it a beast transformation skill?’

 

The first thing Sooho thought of was skill. There were various types of skills, and occasionally there were Hunters who could transform into non-human forms like that. But the probability of Hunters with the same skill gathering in one place like this was extremely low.

 

‘I wonder if it’s the White Tiger Guild, but…’

 

Even if it were the White Tiger Guild with many Hunters with beast transformation skills, it wouldn’t be possible for them to gather only the same type of beasts like this.

 

– They must have drunk the blood of our clan after all.

 

‘Blood?’

 

At those words, Sooho looked at Rakan’s Fang.

 

– The blood of the canine clan contains great power. Even mere humans can gain overwhelming strength by drinking a few drops of that blood.

 

“Like taking away their physical bodies when you touch them?”

 

– No, it’s actually the opposite. Those bastards didn’t have their bodies taken away but stole our clan’s power instead.

 

“Stole?”

 

– Yes. I don’t know which idiot from our clan fed them the blood, but their power would have decreased as much as the blood was taken from them.

 

Sooho was puzzled.

 

Drinking blood to gain a beast transformation skill? He had never heard of such a strange way to obtain skills apart from Rune Stones. But after the Great Cataclysm, which had only been two years ago, strange situations were bound to arise at any time.

 

– But I don’t understand.

 

Rakan’s Fang muttered in a voice that sounded somewhat displeased.

 

– Who on earth would go so far as to deplete their own power to create such mongrels… What the hell is happening inside?

 

Just after Rakan’s Fang expressed its puzzlement, something truly strange happened.

 

The werewolves entered the warehouse near the gate before coming out again, dragging people tightly bound with duct tape.

 

‘What?!’

 

Sooho’s eyes widened.

 

“Mph, mmph…!”

 

The people whose mouths were sealed with duct tape were trembling in fear.

 

The werewolves opened their mouths.

 

“Grr, we were bored waiting during the day.”

 

“Should we let you breathe comfortably for your last moments?”

 

“But be quiet about it, okay? We can’t stand the noise.”

 

Snap.

The duct tape was ripped off from the mouths of the people.

 

As if they had been waiting, desperate cries burst out from their mouths at that moment.

 

“P-please spare us!”

 

“Uhhhh! Please let us go home!”

 

“Oh, how noisy. Should we just eat them now?”

 

Thud.

 

At the werewolf’s words, the mouths of the people closed simultaneously.

 

Grit.

Sooho clenched his teeth, afraid that even his breath would give away his presence, but he couldn’t stop his teeth from grinding against each other.

 

“Right. How nice is it to be quiet?”

 

“We hate noise because our senses are sensitive.”

 

“So, if you keep making a noise like before, we might be surprised and bite your necks. Grr.”

 

Clank.

 

The last words were not a joke at all, and the people’s faces turned pale.

 

One of the werewolves said patronizingly, as if satisfied with their reactions, “Okay. It seems like you have a lot to say after being held captive for a few days, so I’ll listen to your final words. But you better speak slowly.”

 

At those words, a middle-aged office worker among the captives hastily said, “E-excuse me! If you need money, I can do something to help…!”

 

“Tsk.”

 

“Oh no! Just listen to me for a second! If you just tell me what you want, I can…!”

 

The werewolf looked annoyed and glared at his subordinate with an impatient expression. “Hey. Just kill that one.”

 

“Should I?”

 

“Even if it’s annoying, let’s take at least one guy ourselves.”

 

“Grr.”

 

With a startled cry, the office worker looked at the approaching werewolf and shouted in panic, “No, wait! This is a crime…! Ugh?!”

 

“Oh, seriously.” The werewolf’s face, holding the office worker’s throat with one hand, was filled with annoyance. “I told you I hate noise.” Then, with skillful precision, the werewolf drew a dagger from its waist and stabbed it into the office worker’s throat.

 

Chrak!

 

“…?”

 

However.

 

Something was strange.

 

Thunk-

 

 

It was actually the werewolf’s neck that was severed.

 

A sudden flying axe had separated the werewolf’s head from its body.

 

“Hiiiyy…!” The office worker, who narrowly escaped death, looked at the werewolf’s severed head in front of him and wet his pants.

 

“Grrr?!”

 

The startled werewolves bristled their fur and drew their weapons.

 

“Who is it?!”

 

“Who dares to…!”

 

At that moment, stealthy assassins hidden in the darkness approached and slashed at their legs with sharp claws.

 

Chyaahh!

 

“Uwaagh!”

 

 

[Shadow Leopard Lv.1]

Normal Grade

 

“R-Razan?!”

 

The eyes of the werewolves widened in surprise after confirming the identity of their enemies.

 

Black Shadow Razan was one of the most dangerous beasts in this forest. However, due to its aversion to light, it rarely ventured near the gate where torches were lit.

 

“Why is Razan here!?”

 

“No, it looks different from normal Razan…!”

 

They had no time to chat casually.

 

[Gyaooo!]

 

The Shadow Leopards lunged at them ferociously.

 

“What the fuck!? Just kill them for now!”

 

“Don’t panic! There’s only five of them!”

 

Clank! Clank! Clank!

 

Though taken aback by the sudden ambush, the werewolves were veteran hunters who had spent a whole year there. How could they give up their lives to a mere five monsters?

 

However, they didn’t know that there was someone behind those five monsters, eagerly hoping for their deaths.

 

Rustle.

 

The axe that had fallen to the ground after slitting the first werewolf’s neck suddenly rose again.

 

And…

 

Squeaaaak- Thunk!

 

“… Ugh.”

 

Another werewolf’s neck was separated from its body.

 

The werewolves opened their eyes wide in shock.

 

“This is insane!”

 

“What kind of axe is that!?”

 

The stone axe that had beheaded their comrades twice spun like a boomerang, aiming for their own throats!

 

“It’s a skill! It must be a skill!”

 

“Where are you!? Who is the coward hiding behind…!”

 

But the owner of the axe had no intention of continuing to hide.

 

“In this situation…” The eyes of Sooho, whose face was covered by a hood and a black mask, were reflected in the chilly moonlight. “Let’s save the civilians first before thinking of the aftermath.”

 

[Truly words of a seasoned Hunter.]

 

Hwaaak!

 

A tremendous aura erupted from Rakan’s Fang.

 

 

[Use ‘Skill: Contempt for the Weak’.]

 

 

“…!”

 

At that moment, the bodies of the werewolves temporarily stiffened.

 

 

[‘Effect: Fear’ has been activated.]

 

[All targets’ stats are reduced by 50% for 1 minute.]

 

 

“Grrrr!”

 

Some of the werewolves shook off the fear with roars.

 

 

[‘Effect: Fear’ is canceled.]

 

 

But that momentary gap was enough.

 

[Gyaooo!]

 

Splat!

 

The Shadow Leopards slashed the werewolves’ Achilles tendons.

 

Squeaaaak- Thunk!

 

The axe wielded by Ruler’s Authority pierced their hearts.

 

And.

 

– You pathetic mutts.

 

Sooho’s swords sliced through their necks.

 

“Grrrr…!”

 

The werewolves who still had some life left in them glared at Sooho and bared their teeth.

 

“He’s just one person!”

 

“Die! Grrrr!”

 

Their savage energy, resembling beasts, focused on Sooho.

 

At that moment.

 

Ding.

 

 

[An emergency quest has been activated.]

 

 

A quest window opened in front of Sooho’s eyes.

 

 

[Emergency Quest: Defeat the Enemies!]

 

There are individuals with hostility toward the ‘Player’ nearby. Eliminate them to secure safety.

 

Number of enemies to defeat: 10

 

Number of enemies defeated: 5

 

 

The quest had already started with almost half of the enemies taken care of.

 

[What a gain.]

 

Slash, slash, slash.

 

Meanwhile, Beru, who had been diligently chewing on mana stones in a corner, was letting out a satisfied chuckle.

 

[Oh, I can’t stop eating. Why are the mana concentrations of the stones here so high? Is it because this is a sanctuary?]

 

Unfortunately, there was no one to answer his question. Everyone was too busy.

 

But then, at that moment.

 

[…!]

 

Beru’s eyes, which had been gleefully wandering, suddenly narrowed as he focused on the gate.

 

[This smell…]

 

Someone with a scent similar to the Beast Monarch’s was walking out of the gate.

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