Skill Hunter -Kill Monsters, Acquire Skills, Ascend to the Highest Rank!

Ike wandered over, mingling with the crowd. He didn't want to draw the girl in the rose dress' attention, but at the same time, he was curious what she was doing with Silver. For that matter, why's she even in the Outpost? She should be up in the upper city, not out here on the very edge of the slums. If she wants to leave, she can just fly over the walls. Upper city immortals like her do it all the time.

The girl's two handmaidens flanked her, as usual, looking down at the crowd in pale green. Altogether, the three of them gave the effect of a rose, flanked with delicate leaves. They blocked Silver's path. The crowd circled loosely around the four of them, looking on from the edges. Ike pushed halfway through, then stopped, watching from the outside.

"I've offered you a great honor. Why won't you become my pet?" the rose girl asked, tilting her head at Silver.

Dumbfounded, Silver blinked at her. His brows furrowed, and he gave her a look of utter confusion and disapproval. He turned and tried to walk past.

The girl blocked his way. "You've had the honor of being addressed by me, and you dare not reply?"

Silver drew to a halt. He looked down his nose at her and narrowed his eyes.

"You dare look down on me?" the girl snarled.

He just doesn't know what to say. Ike started to step forward, then hesitated. Silver was in no real danger yet. Obnoxious as the girl was, she was stopping at just harassment. If he got involved, the girl would probably only make it worse for Silver. Unless he's backed against a wall, I'll let him handle this.

Silver turned away. He headed back toward the gate.

The girl's hand twitched, and thorny vines leaped from the ground to about knee-height, barring Silver's path forward. "Do not ignore me. I do not wish to take crude action, but if you force my hand, I will have no option."

The handmaidens to her sides exchanged glances. They drew closer to her protectively, eyeing Silver with trepidation.

Blocked by the vines, Silver paused, then went to walk around.

Ike looked the three of them over. The girl had a kind of pressure around her, the same unseen weight in the air he'd noticed around other experts. Her two handmaidens had a slight edge on her in terms of the pressure around them. Altogether, compared to the constrained, easy pressure Silver exuded, the three of them combined barely stacked up. If it came to a fight, he'd put his money on Silver.

So why's he letting her stop him?

"You dare to ignore the request of Rosamund Brightbriar?"

All around him, the crowd gasped. They exchanged looks, and murmurs rushed back and forth all around him. Ike listened in.

"Rosamund Brightbriar?"

"Of the Brightbriar clan?"

"She's Lord Brightbriar's daughter? The heir apparent of the city's lord?"

Ike raised his brows. The city lord? No wonder that name felt familiar. I don't pay much attention to the city, let alone the upper city, but…huh. And not only that, but the heir apparent? No wonder she acted so high-handed around me last time.

Wait, hold on. Does that mean I essentially stole a skill from the city lord? Ike swallowed, suddenly nervous. It might be time for me to leave the city permanently.

A moment later, his brow furrowed. He caught Silver's eye and frowned. Why's she harassing you?

Silver met his eye and shook his head, just a little bit.

"No? You won't talk to me, no matter what? Then you give me no choice." Rosamund lifted her hand with a flourish, revealing a small red crystal. The crystal flashed with a mysterious light, and Silver vanished.

The clatter of bone on cobblestone. Feathers drifted to the ground.

Ike blinked. Oh no.

The crowd gasped and pulled away. A beat too slow to step away, Ike shifted toward the front of the crowd.

Black fur. A slash of white across one gold eye. Silver, in his cat form, stood before Rosamund, a startled expression on his face.

"A monster?"

"Within the walls? How?"

"Kill it!"

Soothingly, Rosamund smiled at Silver. "The hunters can't tolerate your true form, but I can. I know better than these filthy common folk. You're far more valuable alive than dead. Come with me. You won't be a monster anymore. You'll be my treasured spirit beast."

Silver whipped around. Leaping the briars, he ran for the gate.

A wall of force materialized at the city's borders and bounced him back. He shook his head and stared up at it, confused.

Frowning, Ike stared too, at a loss. He can't go out? Why not? Silver had clearly entered just moments ago, and yet, he couldn't exit now.

Rosamund stepped forward delicately, kneeling a little to offer her hand to Silver's back. In her other hand, she held the crystal. "Come now, no need for this undignified scramble. Become my pet. I'll feed you the best monsters, and give you the purest mana. You'll be able to grow much faster as my pet than as a wild monster. We all win today."

Ike's eyes widened. He looked from Silver to the wall, then back again, thinking about the wall wraiths, the Salamander's tail on his back. Monsters can't cross the wall, but in human form, Silver could. Is it because he's in his monster form? But why hasn't he… He turned. Rosamund kept the crystal trained on him. That strange reddish light still bathed Silver's body.

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On either side of Silver, the guards advanced. A few hunters stepped out of the crowd, pulling their weapons out. Panicked, Silver clawed at the gate more desperately.

There's no time to waste. Ike jumped forward and threw himself into Rosamund's arm, knocking her hand to the side for a split second. "Turn back!"

The second the red light no longer fell on silver, he tensed, and his body whirled. He took on human form for a split second, just long enough to step through the gate, then turned back into a panther and darted into the forest.

Frustrated, Rosamund chased after him, all propriety forgotten for a moment. "Get back here! You're my pet!"

Before she crossed the gate's threshold, her handmaidens rushed forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Young lady, no!"

"Don't be foolish! You'll never catch up!"

"I would if I had Lightning Dash!" Rosamund fumed. She stomped her foot, then spun to face Ike. "You!"

The guards and hunters looked at him as well. Murmurs spread through the crowd. "Why'd he tell it to escape?" "That thing probably had some good skills." "Wonder if he's a monster colluder." "What, one of those protect-the-monsters freaks?"

"Why did you let it go?" Rosamund demanded, on the verge of tears.

Ike looked at her and forced a smile. Loud enough the crowd could hear it, too, he explained himself. "A dangerous monster was inside the wall. The quickest and safest way to resolve it, without endangering the civilians who live here, was to set it free."

She scowled at him, then blinked. She looked him up and down, her brows furrowing, and then a light sparked behind her eyes. Her finger jabbed into his face. "You again? You stole my Lightning Dash, and now you've stolen my pet! Are you determined to steal everything that belongs to me?"

Taken aback, Ike stared at her, his jaw dropped. With some effort, he closed it. "Silver…that monster didn't belong to you."

She looked down her nose at him. "Everything within and without the walls is under my purview. If I want a monster, it's as good as mine. Unless some filthy commoner snatches it out from under my fingertips, just like he stole my skill."

Ike eyed her silently. What a brat.

"Young lady! They haven't found the person who stole Lightning Dash. This man has already been checked. Please don't accuse people without proof! You know your words carry weight," one of the handmaidens reminded her.

"That's right. Young lady, please remember your father's propriety when you're using your father's name! Righteous, upright, and even-handed!" the other handmaiden chimed in.

"Right. Innocent until proven guilty." Rosamund made a face as though she was sucking on a lemon. Hoisting herself back to stand upright and square her shoulders, she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.

Completely guilty, Ike grinned a little, nervous. He went to leave.

Rosamund caught him by the arm. "Don't you dare go anywhere. I came here for you. I just had the fortune to encounter such a valuable specimen on my way."

Ike stared at her, lost, then quickly snapped upright, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders. He searched his brain. What do you say to nobility? Uh… "It's an honor…?" Ike tried.

"Indeed. It's good someone realizes." She pointed at Ike. "You're coming with me."

Ike blinked. "Why?"

"I need a hunting guide, and you seemed like a good one," she declared.

Ike frowned. What kind of nonsensical declaration is that? I've been hunting for weeks. I'm barely a hunter at all, especially when compared to Orin or—

"Oh dear. If a guide is what you're after, may I offer instead?" a gentle voice asked.

They turned.

Cara approached them, a small smile on her face. Although she wore trousers instead of a skirt, she curtseyed to Rosamund. "Cara. Rank 3. Twenty years' experience as a hunting guide. I specialize in light domain and healing spells."

Rosamund lifted her lip in a sneer. Forcibly, she repressed whatever she wanted to say. Instead, she said, "There is no need. I'll take this boy instead."

"Oh? But he barely knows anything about hunting. Are you sure, your highness?"

"There's no need to call me that. In any case, he knows enough. I only wish to undertake a short and simple hunt," Rosamund said firmly.

"Young love," Cara sighed, a smile on her face.

Ike made eye contact with her and raised his brows. What part of this looks like young love to you?

Likewise, Rosamund let out a disgusted harrumph.

"Are you sure, then, young miss? There's nothing I can do to help if you turn me down now," Cara said, tilting her head.

"I'm quite sure. This boy will suffice," Rosamund said, nodding.

Ike cut his eyes at her. If she turned down Cara, she doesn't actually want a hunting guide…not that I thought she did from the start. He remembered their earlier encounter and grimaced. She remembers that I insulted her, and wants to get her petty revenge, doesn't she? That's what this is actually all about. Holding a grudge for this long over something so small. How petty can you be?

I'd love to say no and escape, but I don't have that option, do I? She's the city lord's daughter. She'll find a way to pressure me. Better to go along while she's playing nice, rather than fight it, and force her to play dirty.

It sucks, but that's the best way to get this over with. Plus, if she watches me fight without the skill, I might even be able to convince her I'm truly Innocent.

Cara looked at Ike. "Will you be able to handle it?"

"Probably?" Ike asked. He eyed the three of them. All three were stronger than him, based on their auras. Forgetting strength, he couldn't harm Rosamund without inciting the city lord's anger, and bringing down a city lord's wrath on his head was suicide. There was no future in attacking them, or even fending off their attacks. Any action that came close to harming the trio would put his neck on the line. He'd have to grin and bear whatever they wanted to do to him, but he'd been there before, and he'd survived it then, too. It all depends on how petty she's going to be. This is a nightmare, but it's a nightmare I can survive.

On the upside, they are all stronger than me. If we hunt something, they should be able to help meaningfully.

Cara nodded. She retreated. "I'll tell Orin. Good luck."

Turning to Rosamund, Ike put on his customer service smile. "What do you want to hunt?"

"I don't know. Isn't that your job?" Rosamund asked, looking down at him.

Uh…no? Pretty sure people usually decide what they want to hunt, then find a guide. A moment later, Ike shoved those feelings down. This was an advantage, so he might as well use it. "You're correct, young mistress. Of course. I have a wonderful quarry picked out for us. Do you have all your gear with you already?"

"Naturally," Rosamund said, flipping her hair.

Ike resisted the urge to roll his eyes. None of the three seemed to be carrying any luggage, but internally, he shrugged. If they want to sleep under the stars and fight monsters bare-handed, that's their problem.

"And how much will you be paying me?" Ike asked, still smiling.

Rosamund tossed her hair. She waved one of the handmaids forward. The handmaid held out a small pouch to Ike. Ike took it.

Immediately, the weight of the pouch struck Ike. His hand almost dropped from the unexpected weight. He peered inside. Gold glittered back at him, blindingly bright.

Holy shit.

"Is that enough?" Rosamund harrumphed.

"Half now, half when I return," Ike said, pocketing the pouch.

Rosamund twisted her upper lip, but didn't fight it.

Damn. And it's nothing to her. She's really...a different kind of person. Ike shook his head internally. Externally, he smiled. "Good, good. Let's move out, then! Plenty of daylight right now. No point waiting around."

"Indeed," Rosamund agreed. She gestured for Ike to take the lead.

He stepped forward, heading for the gate.

"Wait."

Ike looked over his shoulder.

Rosamund looked down at him. "If I find another pet, you are not allowed to interfere with the capturing process. Otherwise, I'll be forced to take measures."

A chill wind trickled down Ike's spine. He nodded. "Understood, young mistress."

As expected, she's treating this as an opportunity to punish me. Anything she finds, she will use against me. I'll have to be on my best behavior.

But that's fine. I'll simply show her a hunt, then leave. That's all.

The only difficult part is that I won't be able to use any of my Lightning Dash-based skills. After all, that's handing her everything she needs to demand my head. But I just learned a sword technique. I have Salamander Healing. I have my supplies.

That girl can watch my every move, but she'll find nothing.

Resolve in his heart, he strode out the gate and into the forest. Rosamund and her handmaidens hurried after him.

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