Overpowered Reincarnation Perks! - Chapter 10.4
I didn’t want to disregard those with goodwill towards others just because they lacked outstanding abilities.
After all, I was the same.
“Arvan. Even though a small group might be easier for infiltration, we’ll be at a huge disadvantage once the fighting starts. Don’t we need more firepower?”
Setting aside the number of people, the central palace is full of armed soldiers. Rushing in recklessly would only result in total annihilation.
“Actually, I got a message from another source. Among the criminals exiled from the castle, there’s one who became a monster hunter.”
“A monster hunter?”
My heart suddenly fluttered at the familiar term.
While I hesitated, others started to share information one by one.
“Durak, that was his name, right?”
“We thought he died after being exiled, but we got a message from him last winter, didn’t we?”
“Seems he connected with other monster hunters through the magic stone exchange. He said he could lend us his strength.”
The magic stone exchange is something like a free guild, I was told, sharing information to prevent hunters’ activity areas from overlapping. Sometimes they gather people to raid monster habitats, and it seems they also take on external requests like this.
‘Maybe Callion or Senes too?’
Having been hunters for a long time, there might be hunters who know about them. They said they couldn’t enter the castle, but if we could bring them, there’d be no one better suited to train people.
“When does that hunter arrive?”
“Next week.”
“Then I want to go meet him too.”
***
Outsiders generally can’t enter the castle, but guards don’t always man the castle gates.
The gate guards have a brief shift change at midnight, and we got information that the gatekeeper on duty Friday nights is lazy, slacking off for almost two hours.
It was surprising that such neglect of the most crucial castle gate was tolerated. Apparently, since the gate could only be opened from the inside, word of his abandonment of duty spread through unofficial channels, yet he faced no punishment.
Thanks to that, his laziness continues to this day.
“I plan to secretly open the gate and guide them in during his absence.”
“But they say only the gatekeeper can open the gate because the method is complicated.”
“Mr. Valt used to be a wall guard. He knows how to open the gate.”
Mr. Valt is the middle-aged man living next door. I thought he had retired early to enjoy an eco-friendly herb-growing lifestyle, but it turns out he was originally a gatekeeper.
“He was a castle soldier, yet Arvan managed to persuade him.”
“It’s the guards’ job to exile criminals outside the castle. Some of those unjustly accused and expelled were his friends.”
Ah, I see. He must have joined our side later, feeling the unfairness of the tyranny inside the castle. Understood.
“Who’s this person who became a monster hunter?”
“He was a colleague living in the same district. He worked with me to save intruders, but was caught when he stood in for me one night.”
For the people inside the castle, the unknown world outside must have been more terrifying than the immediate gallows, so the command used him as an example and exiled him.
‘But he survived and evolved, no, changed jobs to become a monster hunter.’
Creeak.
As the castle gate opened, a man wrapped in a dark gray robe swiftly entered.
“Durak!”
“Hahaha! I’ve returned alive! Have you all been well?”
He was boisterous, befitting someone who survived exile to become a monster hunter. A cheerful personality is good, but I wish he’d refrain from greeting so loudly when we don’t know who might be around.
“Are those behind you the monster hunters you brought?”
“That’s right, twenty of them. I brought quite a few, didn’t I?”
“Twenty? Wasn’t it originally thirty?”
“Ten dropped out midway. Seems they moved to a better-paying job.”
To lose a third like that. This doesn’t bode well from the start.
“But don’t worry! There’s one with definite skill.”
At Durak’s gesture, the robed monster hunters began entering through the castle gate one by one.
“That guy, Number 310! He’s really skilled.”
Number 310? What kind of name is that?
‘Ah. Is it because he’s an outsider without permission?’
Even monster hunters need to visit villages periodically for supplies, and it would be troublesome if the castle’s investigators distributed wanted posters in the villages they’re dispatched to.
It must be to avoid exposing their identities if things go wrong. For a short-term mission, using numbers would be more convenient than aliases.
“Come on, make way!”
As the hunters reeking of sweat passed by, a man in a white robe, a head taller than the others, strode in from behind.
‘Huh?’
Although his hood was pulled down deep enough to cover half his face, I could recognize who he was. I couldn’t help but recognize him.
‘Callion!’
“Calli…!”
I was about to call out to him, but quickly covered my mouth.
Callion is hiding his identity. I shouldn’t call out his name.
‘Number 310… Wait.’
This isn’t just a meaningless number assigned to hide his identity.
‘It’s my room number, isn’t it?’
The room where Callion and I first had a relationship, parted, met again, and parted once more.
The place of our shared memories.
‘Is he using that number to remember me?’
A number to commemorate the dead me. Realizing this made my heart flutter intensely. I wanted to run and jump into his arms.
I’m not dead. I’m alive, right here.
I wanted to tell him that. Surely he would be surprised and happy.
“……”
Callion stared blankly in this direction before turning his head away again.
Because I was wearing the magic stone glasses, he couldn’t recognize me. Even though I couldn’t acknowledge him in front of others anyway, I nervously fiddled with my fingers for no reason.
‘Callion, you look so tired.’
His face shadowed deeply under the hood, looked haggard.
‘Has hunting not been going well lately? Or are there lingering wounds from that monster collective attack?’
I wanted to approach and ask if he was okay, but Callion seemed to avoid people coming near him, turning his head away immediately if he made eye contact with anyone.
“Hey, don’t get too close. Number 310 has difficulty talking to people. But don’t worry, we can pass on instructions through notes, so it won’t affect mission performance.”
The man called Durak mediated, but Callion paid no attention and kept his eyes half-closed. His face was dark.
‘If Callion is sick, I should be the one to heal him.’
The healing skill can only be used on party members, but because he didn’t recognize me, no party invitation came.
‘Why can’t I send a party invitation from my side?’
This system just won’t move according to my will.
“Come on, let’s get moving. If we dawdle and get caught by the guards, it’ll be troublesome.”
Although there’s a gap in the shift change, we can’t be too careful as unexpected incidents could occur anytime, anywhere.
‘Come to think of it, I don’t see Senes.’
They usually hunt separately, but since I heard they recruited several monster hunters, I had hoped Senes might be among them, but he wasn’t.
‘Well, given Senes’ personality, he doesn’t seem like the type to volunteer for helping people.’
Those who returned to the 12th district under the cover of night decided to each take one of the monster hunters, including Durak, to their homes.
They announced that they would infiltrate the central palace in two days, with detailed instructions to be given separately after everyone returned home.
