GILF Hunter

A man with a massive frame walked out and stood before Ian.

He was so large that one had to tilt their head far back to look up at him. He felt like a bear of a mercenary.

The mercenary stared down at Ian without a word.

So the B-rank mercenary group that was supposed to be here was Hamel’s...

Seeing him, Ian could understand why Camilla had sent him here even though there was already a B-rank presence.

’You’re the Ian Mercenary Group that was supposed to join us from Labyrinth, right?’

A thin voice drifted from beside the large man who kept his mouth shut.

Because everyone’s attention was stolen by the massive man, no one had even noticed the small female mercenary standing with him.

Unlike the mercenary beside her, she had a tiny frame that required looking far down.

’We’re the Hamel Mercenary Group in charge of this subjugation force. I’m Hamel, the leader.’

’Nice to meet you, Leader Hamel.’

The small mercenary spoke to Ian, but Ian looked up at the large man and greeted him instead.

Lia, standing beside him, secretly poked Ian’s arm and whispered out of sight.

’Not that way, the person next to him...’

However, it seemed Lia’s voice had been heard, as it was impossible to hide it right in front of them.

The small mercenary shook her head and explained to Lia.

’Ah, no. I’m not the leader; this person here is Leader Hamel! I’m the vice-leader, Clea.’

’Pardon?’

The small mercenary, who introduced herself as Clea, pointed to her side.

Lia’s gaze followed the finger. Pointed at by Clea was the massive man looking down at Ian in silence.

As if confirming Clea’s words were true, the man called Hamel gave a single nod.

Clea, peeking her head out from a corner of Ian’s vision, added an explanation.

’Excuse us, but our leader can’t speak. So I’m saying what he wants to say instead!’

’Ah...’

Lia, who ended up interfering for nothing, retreated with a slightly flushed face.

’I-I’m sorry.’

’It’s okay! People meeting us for the first time usually don’t know... but how did Leader Ian know?’

’I... have heard stories about Leader Hamel before.’

Hearing Ian’s answer, Clea happily tapped Hamel beside her.

’Wow! You’re a very famous person, and he’s heard your name! I guess your name has become known, Leader!’

’...’

Hamel gave a very small nod with a stoic face.

Rumors of such a unique person would naturally spread, but the path Ian took to know him was not through rumors, but knowledge from the game.

While mercenaries and mercenary groups were basically randomly generated, mercenaries with specific roles appeared consistently.

NPCs with fixed roles like Chris or Rebecca from the Mercenary Guild were prime examples. And mercenaries like Hamel in front of him, or Frey who was A-rank, were among such cases.

Mercenary groups that occupied the top rankings of each grade. So to speak, Hamel was one of the top ten B-rank mercenary groups.

Entering the mercenary group rankings allowed for benefits like additional fame effects or special events.

However, if even these ranker groups were randomly generated, sometimes a very weak group would be in the rankings, or conversely, a group would be too strong to be dethroned.

The city’s defensive power also varied too much depending on how the mercenary groups were generated.

To prevent such situations, rankers were made into fixed teams that were then made to appear randomly within those constraints.

Among them, Hamel and Clea were a combination with quite unique personalities, so they were opponents who remained particularly well in memory among various mercenary groups.

’...’

Was it because he observed too intently while lost in thought? Hamel looked down at Ian with a very threatening gaze.

Clea, standing right beside him, spoke to Ian on behalf of the speechless Hamel.

’It’s nice to meet you, Leader Ian!’

’...’

...Is that really what he meant?

Receiving Hamel’s fierce gaze, everyone including Ian harbored doubts in their hearts.

But regardless of the truth, Hamel didn’t seem to have any intention of denying the interpretation Clea provided. Hamel silently held out his hand toward Ian.

Ian, staring at it for a moment, realized late that the opponent was requesting a handshake.

’...’

Ian carefully reached out and grasped Hamel’s large hand.

Everyone around watched with tense faces. The atmosphere was such that anyone would think a fight was about to break out.

Perhaps... the thought naturally arose that a struggle for dominance between B-rank mercenary groups might occur. If two B-ranks were included in the subjugation force, one would have to fall under the command of the other.

’I look forward to working with you.’

’...’

’Yes! Me too!’

However, the thing everyone was worried about did not happen.

Hamel, who was already B-rank, didn’t try any childish attempts at intimidation. He wasn’t the type for that anyway.

The handshake with Hamel, who carefully gripped Ian’s hand, ended safely.

After the greetings, Ian and his members followed the guidance of the Hamel Mercenary Group, who had arrived first, into the subjugation camp.

Since it was a very large farm with many employees, there were plenty of huts left for Ian and his members to use.

’Those from the Ian Mercenary Group can use this side! The place where we stay is over there, and meetings will be held in the largest place over there!’

’Okay. Then let’s leave our luggage and meet in a bit.’

Ian put his luggage and equipment into a nearby hut.

After entrusting Tanya with the rest of the organizing, Ian headed to the largest hut in the center that he had heard about from Clea. It was the place said to be used as the command headquarters because it was the widest.

When he opened the door and entered, Hamel and Clea were already waiting.

’You’re here early! Please sit here!’

’...’

The expressionless Hamel stared down at Ian, and Clea beside him interpreted the meaning.

He didn’t know how such an interpretation could come from that expression. Regardless, Ian sat in the seat Clea offered.

A large map was spread out on the big table in the center.

It was a map of the surrounding area centered on this farm, and the scale was immense.

He wondered if this was the only map available, but pieces were placed even in corner areas far from the farm.

’Is the search area this wide?’

’The monsters’ activity range is huge!’

’I saw evacuation flags standing all the way outside the forest leading to the farm... don’t tell me everything from there to here?’

Clea and Hamel nodded at the same time.

Hamel silently pointed a finger at a spot on the map.

...His finger was so thick he didn’t know exactly where it was pointing, but anyway, it was a place far from the farm.

’While Leader Ian was coming, we searched the vicinity a bit, and it seems they’ve settled in this forest over here.’

’What kind of monster is it...’

Ian asked that, and seeing the massive activity range, several monsters came to mind.

There weren’t many monsters that acted this far out.

’It’s Stingers!’

’As expected, it’s Stingers.’

Stingers, a monster that looked like a wasp.

They were monsters that traveled immense distances centered on where they nested, attacking and taking away prey.

They had likely settled in a deep forest quite far away, but unfortunately, this farm seemed to fall within their activity radius.

The farm probably conducted regular patrols of the nearby forest, but they wouldn’t have been able to prepare for a Stinger nest created at such a distance. It was bad luck.

’It seems a queen has newly settled nearby.’

’Yes! It’s probably somewhere deep, but we still haven’t discovered the location.’

On the map, several pieces were placed signifying that searches were finished, but compared to the width of the forest, the number was nowhere near enough.

’We found out a while ago and sent a request for support to the guild... but it seems we missed Leader Ian. I’m sorry, but we can’t go out for the subjugation right now.’

’I suppose so. Since we have to find the nest’s location first.’

If the subjugation force entered such a vast forest without even knowing where the nest was, they would just wander inside and end up as the monsters’ stockpiled food for the winter.

Hamel stared at Ian’s face and poked Clea, who was preoccupied with the map while explaining.

’Eh? What’s wrong, Hamel...’

Was it because she was distracted while giving Ian the briefing?

When Clea spoke casually as if in private, Hamel’s finger flicked Clea’s forehead.

-Thwack!

’─!!!’

Clea let out a silent scream, clutched her forehead, and collapsed onto the table with a thud.

...Is she dead?

For a moment, the strike was so clean that even Ian had such a thought.

’Ow, ow...’

From the side, it was a blow that seemed certain to be fatal.

But there was no way a B-rank like Hamel would fail such simple strength control, and as a B-rank group member, Clea’s level was also quite high.

Clea raised her head a few seconds later while rubbing her forehead.

’Ah... right. I have to ask that.’

Clea, who exchanged glances with Hamel for a moment, spoke with an embarrassed expression to Ian, who had been watching the whole scene.

’Leader Ian. I’m sorry, but if you have members who can enter the forest, could you help us search for the nest? We only have two teams that can enter right now, so the search is too slow.’

’...Yes. Of course.’

The subjugation would end quickly only if the nest’s location was found before additional support forces from Labyrinth arrived.

Ian glanced at the immense map and nodded.