“There are several Hunter levels within our guild. By completing missions, you earn a certain amount of credits, which accumulate to raise your Hunter level. A higher level grants access to more difficult missions and better rewards.”
*Credits can also be used to purchase items from the guild when money is insufficient or generally unusable.”
“Overall, our system is the same as the Adventurer’s Guild, except that we primarily focus on extermination tasks.”
The more Michael learned about the guilds, the more they reminded him of the Supers Association from his world, albeit with a few differences.
As for which system was better, he didn’t dwell on it.
What mattered was that it worked.
As several thoughts flashed through his mind, Michael continued listening to the receptionist.
“Like the Adventurer’s Guild, we have five Hunter levels, starting from Iron, then Bronze, Silver, Gold, and finally, Diamond.”
“As a newly registered Hunter, you’ll have to start at the Iron level, even if your strength surpasses it. However, if you want to rank up quickly, I recommend taking on tasks higher than your level.”
The receptionist then explained a few more details, which Michael made sure to pay close attention to—he didn’t want to miss anything important.
Once she was done, he moved on to the next phase of his plan.
Now that he was a Hunter, what could be more important than increasing his rank?
“What tasks can I take on right now?”
Upon hearing this, the receptionist pointed toward a section on the first floor where a wall was covered in posters.
Michael’s heart sank.
He couldn’t read.
Immediately, an idea struck him, and he acted on it without hesitation.
“Can you recommend a task for me? The best one, please.”
He was trying his luck.
This was how he interacted with Grace back in the real world, so he hoped this receptionist was just as competent.
Fortunately, she was—not only competent but willing to help.
“Seeing Sir Mic’s prowess just now, I believe I have a few suitable tasks for you. Please wait a moment,” she said, flipping through some papers in front of her before pulling out three.
Michael took the papers from the receptionist and glanced at them. The problem? He still couldn’t read.
Of course, he wasn’t about to admit that.
Instead, he acted as if he were carefully evaluating the missions, nodding slightly as if weighing his options.
Then, after a brief pause, he casually placed them back on the desk.
“Explain them to me,” he said, maintaining a composed expression. “I want to make sure I choose the most suitable one.”
The receptionist didn’t seem suspicious. She simply smiled and began explaining.
“The first task is a simple beast extermination mission in the nearby forest. A group of Iron-rank hunters reported an infestation of Razorback Boars. They’ve been attacking supply wagons, so the guild put out a request to thin their numbers.”
Michael didn’t react outwardly, but he quickly dismissed the first option. Killing some wild pigs? Even if they were beasts, this wouldn’t get him anywhere fast.
To be brutally honest, it wasn’t even interesting enough for him to consider.
From the receptionist’s words, this was an iron-ranked task, and judging by how she seemed to acknowledge his strength, it was likely meant for those far weaker than him.
A task involving weak monsters wouldn’t help him progress.
Still, despite deciding against it, Michael maintained a calm expression and continued listening attentively.
“The second task,” the receptionist continued, “is a subjugation mission. A notorious bandit group has been raiding villages along the trade routes. They aren’t particularly strong, but they’re cunning. The reward for taking them down is significant, but there’s a warning—the bandits are known for setting traps.”
‘We hunt humans too?’
Michael couldn’t help but think.
However….
This sounded better.
Michael didn’t have any problems dealing with humans, and taking out some bandits would probably bring in decent loot.
At least he was interested in human corpses.
One reason he was taking a task was because in a while his fault points would refresh and it would finally be time to see if 100 evolution points was enough to evolve a human.
“And the third?” Michael asked.
The receptionist hesitated before answering.
“The last mission is… unconventional. A noble’s caravan recently went missing on the outskirts of the capital. The last known reports suggest it was heading toward a place called The Hollow Woods. No bodies were found, only wreckage. The guild suspects a supernatural cause, but there’s no confirmation yet. It’s classified as a Bronze-rank mission, but…” She trailed off.
Michael raised an eyebrow. “But?”
She sighed. “Most hunters who took this mission never returned.”
That got his attention.
A dangerous mission, likely linked to the supernatural? That meant one thing—potential special corpses.
But Michael didn’t immediately jump at it.
Instead, he tapped the paper with the second mission. “Can I take this one instead?”
The receptionist looked surprised but quickly nodded. “Of course, Sir Mic. It’s a bit more challenging than the first, but nowhere near as dangerous as the third. Are you sure?”
Michael gave a short nod. “I’d rather not take unnecessary risks.”
It wasn’t fear that made him decide against the third mission. It was caution.
Michael had experienced firsthand what certain monsters were capable of, and there was no guarantee this mission wouldn’t throw something unexpected at him. Taking an unknown risk without proper information was a mistake he had no intention of making.
Or maybe it was fear.
The Land of Origin was said to resemble a game, but to Michael, it hardly felt like one.
His experiences, the people, and everything around him made it feel just as real as his own world—perhaps even more so. And when it came to death, this place seemed far more dangerous.
Michael wasn’t in the mood to take unnecessary risks, especially when he had no clue what he’d be walking into.
The receptionist stamped the paper and handed it to him. “A wise choice. Here’s the task details. Good luck, Sir Mic.”
Michael took the paper, glanced over it, and nodded. “Thanks.”
Just as Michael turned to leave, he suddenly paused.
A notification panel appeared in his vision.
[Quest: Subjugate the Bandit Group]
[Time Limit: 7 Days]
[Reward: 2,500 EXP]
Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly.
This was new.
At least for him, this was new.
*****
Please read author’s note!