Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter's Hero Dream - Chapter 261

Chapter 261 Winner and Loser ②
Part 1
“His Majesty is very furious. Find that fox mask man, no matter what it takes! He must still be around, he must be captured by any means necessary! You are not going to show your incompetence to the rest of the world by letting someone who has been weakened so much by a single Hunter get away! Get Cleat to cooperate too, they disregarded our warnings! Even Her Highness Princess Murina has been attacked!” (Franz)

　Zebrudia embassy present in Cleat was now like a beehive that had been poked.

　Hearing Franz’s yell, the soldiers and clerks rushed out in a hurry. It had been a whole day since the incident at the Supreme Martial Arts Festival, and although they had been working tirelessly to investigate, no useful information had yet come to light. This fact makes Franz and his team impatient.

　That fox mask man was obviously seriously wounded. In that state, it would have been impossible for him to evade the attack of the War Emperor and disappear without leaving a single footprint despite being surrounded by numerous high-level hunters.

　That fox mask man was suffering from a lack of Magic power, the Key of the Earth has probably siphoned off his Magic from him. He could not use Magic in that state. The possibility that he escaped by flying in the air is almost nil.

　Does he have a collaborator or was there a hidden passageway? Regardless, if the “Fox (Kitsune)” was to escape in that state, Zebrudia would completely lose its reputation.

　We are not going to make an excuse for this by saying that it was because Cleat was in another country. They, head-on, picked a fight with Zebrudia.

　At a meeting to set their future policy. In the middle of negotiating with Cleat’s deputies. As we were hurriedly exchanging information, a subordinate came to report.

“”Commander (Dancho)” Franz, the retrieval of the remaining blood in the arena has been completed. We have enough for our needs――We can use divination with it.” (Soldier)

“Alright…… I don’t like the idea of relying on techniques with low accuracy, but――It can’t be helped.” (Franz)

　It was a blessing in disguise that the fox mask man left behind blood. If we have one piece of his body, we could have used divination to pinpoint his approximate location even if he completely escapes us.
　Once his general location is known, the Empire’s military power would be able to do a large-scale swiping operation.
　Of course, this would alert him. So this would have to be done as our last resort――.

　Then my subordinate said with a stiff look on his face.

“Also――The Alchemist who is a Party Member of 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 said she wants us to share some of the “Fox’s (Kitsune)” blood――” (Soldier)

“Tsk………………” (Franz)

　His unexpected words made Franz’s blood rush to his head for a moment, but he took a deep breath and repressed it.

“It is not like we can say no, he is one of the main contributors for this case. Divide it to the extent that it doesn’t interfere with the technique.” (Franz)

　I have had a lot of trouble due to 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 secrecy but an achievement is an achievement.
　I don’t know why the “Fox (Kitsune)” had the key, but as a result, the damage was limited to just one arena being destroyed, thanks to the efforts of 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》. Even in the analysis of the Empire’s analysts, they reported that the destruction caused by the Key of the Earth was greatly suppressed immediately after its outbreak.

　If 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 had not fainted, the “Fox (Kitsune)” might not have escaped, but it can be said that he is not human as he only fainted after him using this enormous power to suppress the destruction.

　After he took a rest, we must listen to what he has to say, but no matter how much the Empire places importance on Hunters, it would be dishonorable for the Empire to have a single Hunter carry us all the way.
　He is also cooperating with other Hunters, including Gark, the branch manager.

　If his companion asks for the blood we collected, we have to abide.

　While researchers affiliated with the government are probably not inferior in terms of research, the enhanced sense of an active Treasure Hunter is often frightening.

　Kill the “Fox (Kitsune)” by any means necessary. That was the order of the Emperor.

　In the not-so-distant future, it will be announced to each country in a formal statement. This has now become a war.

　Then Franz pressed his temples and changed his gear.

”
”
“What about the Fake Imperial Princess?” (Franz)

“She is currently being treated. She had been charred, but she has a terrifying vitality――So her life is probably not in danger, was what they said.” (Soldier)

“Is that so………… Her Imperial Princess, Murina, was concerned about her.” (Franz)

　I breathe a sigh of relief. That gentle Princess would have been very sad if her impostor died instead of her.

　One of the unexpected things that happened this time was that the “Fox (Kitsune)” attacked the fake Princess Murina.

　The fake Imperial Princess Murina should have been created by those fox mask men. It is such a pitiful story for them to attack her by mistake.
　There was a lot of discussion among the investigators of the Empire, but there is no doubt that the fox-masked assailants attacked the Fake Imperial Princess Murina, and that the Fake Imperial Princess turned the table on two of the assailants. There were three attackers, so it seems one escaped, but there was nothing we could do.

　It is possible that the “Fox (Kitsune)” side was also in a hurry. After all, that fox mask man had initially mistaken Kryhi Andrichhi for the real 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》.

　Anyway, that fake has in a way, saved our lives. Her fighting abilities have also been proven. We will have to discuss how to handle her when we return to the Empire.

　After all, she looks just like Her Imperial Princess Murina. We cannot let her go, nor can we kill her.

　Then my subordinate said with a stiff look on his face.

“And…… Actually, the Alchemist in 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 Party said she wants to diagnose the Fake Imperial Princess Murina――” (Soldier)

“………… What the hell is going on with that guy’s Party……” (Franz)

　Are they our enemies or our allies? Are they trying to disturb us, agitate us or is there a meaning behind what they are doing?

　I now owe him a terrible debt.

　Franz slammed the table with all his might in exasperation and gave his permission in a hushed voice.

§　§　§

　It was a crisis that the Boss, who had completed many difficult missions in the organization, had never experienced before.
　For the secretive “Fox (Kitsune)”, being captured is the thing they fear the most. At that moment when he was being pursued by the Previous War Emperor in the arena, the Boss was definitely cornered.

　His magical power was nearly exhausted, and he was also injured. Since it was a sudden operation, he did not establish an escape route in case of emergency.
　There were also many high-level Hunters around, so the chances of escaping were almost zero.

　――That is until a mysterious girl in a fox mask appeared.

　At best, she was a mysterious girl, at worst, she was a girl with an inhuman atmosphere around her. And above all, her face was covered with the same mask as the one the Boss was wearing.

　The Boss knows the other top executives very well. No one in the “Fox (Kitsune)” was that young.

　The young girl said to the Boss who was getting ready to fight the new opponent.

　She said 『I’ll let you go』.

　From that point forward, I don’t remember much. One thing I am sure of is that the girl’s power got the Boss out of Cleat without a struggle.

　I did not see the War Emperor who should have been chasing me, nor any of the soldiers who should have surrounded the arena――That was probably some kind of illusion.

　Moreover, it is a powerful illusion that can fool even high-level Hunters who are highly resistant to it.