CHAPTER 269: A SHAME

"Are you really sure you want to do this? This place I’m sending you isn’t a Dungeon. The Dungeon already broke a long time ago, and the boss monster has already carved a place for itself there." Drayth looked at them doubtfully.

He wanted to send them to a normal area to test them. After all, he wasn’t looking to kill them off. But their leader insisted that they would prove themselves only in a dangerous place.

Vacuse nodded. "I’m sure."

In fact, he had made preparations toward it. All the hunters he picked were in the third circle, including the Soulbearers. Only he, Vacuse, was officially in the second stage. Even Harkon and Kagerou were not involved, as he asked them to look after Lady Slave after he was gone.

Drayth looked at Vacuse with narrowed eyes. "And why are you even going along? You might be the leader, but the place is tagged as dangerous and marked only for third circle hunters. Even then, most hunters don’t dare to go there! You’re only at the second circle!"

Vacuse nodded. "It’s just as you say. But the monsters might be dangerous—what about their worth? Are they worth all the trouble?"

To be honest, Vacuse didn’t want to engage in something that wouldn’t be worth it in the end. What was the use of all the fighting then?

Drayth grinned. "It’s definitely worth it, and if not for the regulations set in place, I would have gotten a team of fourth circle hunters to take care of them. Why, hunters stage hunts just to kill some of the low-rank members of the Mind Stalk Ape monsters."

Vacuse frowned. "They’re that valuable? What are they used for?"

Drayth laughed loudly. "Ah! Every part of their body is a natural aphrodisiac!"

Vacuse was stunned. "Wait, what? That’s the reason they’re so valuable? Why?"

Drayth laughed. "Business, of course. Business! A lot of the finished magical goods are consumed by mortals. They are the biggest consumers due to sheer numbers. And aphrodisiacs are best-selling products!"

Vacuse silently took that in. Oftentimes—no, most times—he overlooked mortals because they always looked for powerful people to protect them. But now that he thought about it, they were the ones who formed the backbone of any kingdom or empire, right? In fact, it was their population that made it possible to call a location a kingdom, an empire, or a town.

"I see," Vacuse said after some time. "Then we’ll be sure to bring back lots of Mind Stalk Apes. Wait, I hope their powers are not related to aphrodisiacs?"

Drayth laughed and looked a little wistful. "If only that were possible... but no. Their mental attack is usually tied to directly attacking the mind. Honestly though, you should be careful. We don’t have a standard note on them since they were never worth the trouble to hunters."

Vacuse breathed a sigh of relief when he heard it. What sort of awkward situation would it turn out to be if the monsters’ power was aphrodisiac-related?

"We’ll get going then. Don’t forget, seventy-thirty when we bring you thirty heads of the monsters, right?"

"If you bring them back." Drayth didn’t hold back on the emphasis as he reminded them. He gestured, and they followed him toward the portal he pointed out. "Remember, you should return immediately when it gets too tough."

Vacuse shrugged but didn’t answer as he led his men into the portal.

Drayth watched them leave with a slight frown on his face. One of his workers beside him said, "Are you really sure it was okay to let them go like that? They probably won’t return, and if they do, they might not want to hunt for a long, long time."

Drayth grimaced. "I’ve read about them. That Captain Amros seems as if he has a good head on his shoulders compared to that arrogant boy. He will likely turn them back when they realize what they’re up against. Mind monsters are the worst to fight, even mind resistance magic won’t save them. And the Mind Stalk Apes are the worst you’ll find in class three."

Drayth watched the portal for a while and then sighed. "Start preparations to find hunting groups for the hunters who will leave the Dragon Hunters. You should try your best to get them on our side. I would love to have veterans like them working for me."

"Alright, sir!"

Drayth shook his head. "What a shame."

☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆

When Vacuse and the others came out of the portal, they found themselves in a building that was warded against monsters. At least that was the intention behind the building they found themselves in, but the runes were not working anymore.

The ground was covered in dust and cobwebs. Thick white webs decorated the room, and they had to first clear the cobwebs with fire and kill the little spider monsters.

"Are we heading out now?" Captain Amros asked.

They were all looking at the Magus in front of Vacuse. The Magus was skinny, without any hint that he had combat powers. And he had none, yet his powers were valuable enough to take him with them. He was also in the third circle.

His name was Linthicu.

Magus Linthicu was one of the Magi that worked for Kagerou, and his power let him create small energy constructs that he could send far from himself to spy.

"The immediate areas around us are safe. It seems what the regulations said are true—no monsters would want to live near the Mind Stalk Apes."

And with that information, they left their hideout and came out into the Dark Wilderness.

The other hunters had entered the Dark Wilderness numerous times already, but it was Vacuse’s first time, and he froze when he first touched the forest floor.

Magus Arch beside him smiled. "It’s strange, isn’t it? The idea that something is looking at you."

Vacuse blinked and then slowly nodded. "Yes. I... it is strange."

But that wasn’t what Vacuse was feeling. The first thing he felt was anxiety from Rith, and then the sensation as if someone was looking for him but couldn’t find him.

What the...?