Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~-Chapter 445.1: Spirited Away ②

If there is something I am lacking, I just have to make up for it. I just have to grow stronger. If I had been alone, my heart would have been broken. But there are many who have endured an Infinite Trial and are still unbroken. I cannot accept the idea of being inferior to them.

I still don’t think that betting on 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 is a mistake. No matter how tough the path may be, it will surely lead to glory.

What is needed is a great achievement. If I achieved something great, “Commander Franz (Franz-dancho)” would allow me to be with 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》 again――.

I hold my head and raise my voice.

“………… Right. After that, I went into the city and…… I think………… I heard a rumor. Someone in the city said――There was a store where people who went in never came back.” (Hugh)

The role of the Zeroth Knight Order is not to maintain peace. However, doing nothing when asked for help is not something that a member of the glorious Zeroth Knight Order could tolerate. And more than anything, it is the 『Achievement』 that I was looking for at this moment. The smell of a problem. Of course, I was not conceited, thinking that I could solve a big case by myself. I intended to investigate the truth of the matter and ask for help if it seemed too much for me to handle. However, just reporting without doing anything would not be a credit to my achievement.

So I decided to do some research on my own――And decided to go to the store in question with the guidance of a citizen.

Gradually, my eyes became accustomed to the darkness. It seems to be a dungeon. Stone walls and stone floor. In the thick darkness, I can faintly see iron bars. There are handcuffs on the wall for restraints, but they do not seem to be attached. I don’t know how long it has been, but judging by my remaining stamina, it cannot have been that long. The sword I have been holding just in case hasn’t been taken away.

This is unnatural. It is normal procedure to confiscate weapons when capturing people.

This is most likely within the Imperial Capital’s grounds. I don’t want to imagine that the entry screening is so lax that they can take an unconscious Knight from the Zeroth Knight Order out of the Imperial Capital.

“An underground prison, huh. That doesn’t sound like something good…… I’m starting to get *zokuzoku* excited. I guess I got a bigger fish than I thought.” (Hugh)

This is good enough to be an achievement. But what worries me is that the citizen who was supposed to guide me is nowhere to be seen. If they are captured like me, I must rescue them.

There is also another problem. I don’t remember why I was unconscious. I *konkon* knock on the wall. The small sound echoes throughout the prison. It seems to be larger than expected.

“The Knight Order――Will probably not come for help. It was in an alleyway. And I didn’t even know there was a store in a place like that――” (Hugh)

It was a very suspicious store with an old and unreadable sign. I don’t know if it was even open and it is hard to believe that customers would even go there. I intended to share the information before breaking in, but I ended up not being able to do so. The reason for that was because the citizen who was guiding me quickly went inside the store. There was no time to stop them.

Really, being too greedy will come and bite you in your ass.

“Well, it’s perfect for getting the rust off my arms……” (Hugh)

I still have some leeway. Losing consciousness and being locked in a dungeon is nothing compared to what happened during the prophecy incident. I take a small breath, exhale a long one, and draw my sword.

A high-pitched metallic clang. The severed iron bars fall to the floor, making a rattling sound. The Zeroth Knight Order is the elite of the elite, so cutting through iron bars is a piece of cake. Although it is obviously impossible to cut through iron with a wooden sword like 《Thousand Swords (Senken)》 though――. I duck through the cut iron bars and go outside. There, I notice something.

I touch the iron door next to the iron bar I cut. The door slides open with a creaking sound.

This door――Is not locked? It is basically telling me to run away.

A sense of fear runs through my spine at the sheer impossibility of the situation. I raise my head and look out at the corridor outside the prison. My eyes are slowly getting used to the darkness, but I cannot see through the narrow passage.

I have a bad feeling. This strange atmosphere, which could swallow me up if I let my guard down, is not something you can experience in the Imperial Capital.

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Could it be that I have been captured by bandits?

The feeling that the world itself is hostile is not something that can be artificially created. No doubt about it. As a combat veteran, I have been there many times.

This is――A Treasure Shrine. At least, the type that should not exist anywhere near the Imperial Capital.

I break out into a cold sweat at the unusual situation and lick my lips.

“A Prison-type Treasure Shrine, huh? If I return and report it, it will be a big win. I’ll definitely get promoted.” (Hugh)

My voice echoes in the empty darkness. No one answered what I said. If my guess is correct, this is the type of Treasure Shrine that requires the most caution. Its distinctive features are its complex and mysterious internal structure and――Its wandering Phantoms. There are multiple types of powerful Phantoms in this kind of Treasure Shrine, and they will pursue anyone who tries to escape.

My know-how for conquering Treasure Shrines is quite general. The situation is very poor for an exploration based on intuition. I am also poorly equipped. I have a sword but no armor, and I don’t even have any potions. But I can see that if I don’t move forward, I will be exhausted and helpless.

My throat is dry with tension. I sharpen my mind and am on guard against attacks from all directions.

The layout of the prison is very similar to modern prisons. Multiple cells and steel bars――An old style that doesn’t exist in the Empire, of course, but the concept remains the same.

Capture, oppress, and don’t let go.

However, a Treasure Shrine is not structured in a chaotic way. If this is an underground Prison-type Treasure Shrine, I should be able to find an exit by heading above ground.

As you continue exploring, the area lined with prisons soon ends, and I enter a corridor.

I kill my presence, move forward carefully so as to not make any sound with my footsteps. Without letting my voice out, I silently encourage myself.

Hugh LeGrand is strong. Not just anyone could transport the cursed item――The 『Cursed Spirit Stone』 that exuded an extremely malevolent aura. At the very least, that Level 8 Hunter recognized me as worthy enough to undergo his trial.

Whatever emerged from this unknown Treasure Shrine could never be more vicious than the 『Cursed Spirit Stone』. After all, according to legends, that curse had destroyed multiple countries.

Just as I am thinking this, I suddenly smell a pungent smell like rotting meat coming from the direction I am heading. The cool air turns to something lukewarm, and I hear the sound of something damp hitting the floor.

I take a small breath and glare in the direction of the sound.

A smell that makes your nose curl. It is very close. No…… Too close. Something feels off. This strong presence――My senses should have noticed it before they got this close.

However, there seems to be no time to think about it. In the darkness, a shadow appears around the corner of the corridor, standing at about two meters tall.

That is――A humanoid creature. It is a Phantom I have never seen before, but if I have to say, it is――A goblin. However, it is no ordinary goblin. Glowing crimson eyes. Over two meters tall. Its belly is probably three times my size, but its exposed flesh is half melted and dripping, and smoke is rising from the cobblestones it touched.

Could this be the cause of the putrid smell?

In its right hand, it holds a bloody axe, and in its left hand――Countless human heads are hanging from the chains.

What a hideous sight. Its blazing eyes catch my figure, and its thick lips form an ugly smile as it discovers a new prey. It appears to be rotting, but it doesn’t seem to be in any particular pain.

“Foungd…… Gyou…………” (Goblin)

“!? So it can talk…………” (Hugh)

The monster roars, raises its axe, and rushes forward. At the force of its attack, I take a step back and ready my sword. I focus. Could the blood dripping from that axe, the head in his left hand, be that of a victim who had arrived here earlier? No――.

The monster’s eyes widen for a moment as I take a waiting stance. Just before the axe is about to come down, at around 2 meters away, I strongly step forward.

The monster moves are fast, but I am even faster. Before the axe could be swung down, I lower myself and step forward, slashing it as I pass by. At that moment, my eyes meet with the head hanging in the monster’s left hand. The neck is hung with a chain that goes through the top of the head. The eyes are gouged out and the head has a look of agony on its face. The moment it meets my eyes, the half-open mouth undoubtedly forms a grin.

It is not that easy to pierce the skull and hang it.

In other words, this is not a victim.

It is just an accessory. The blood that soaks the axe is probably not real either. Phantoms, beings manifested from the past, are often born with these characteristics.

That said, it is not like it is not dangerous. If you are hit by an axe, your head would crack open, and if you are exposed to its melted flesh and blood, it would cause you damage.

However, if it is only this much, there is nothing to be afraid of.

The monster is completely unable to respond to my quick slash. It probably had not been in a lot of fights in the era in which it existed. It was probably an apex predator. But that is not the case in the current era.

If it is only this powerful, I can win!

I smile, confident of my victory.

However, the slash I unleash with the intention of slicing it away, doesn’t hit anything.

“Hh!?” (Hugh)

The blow that is supposed to slice it misses and I stumble. I hurriedly adjust my posture and turn around.

There is nothing there. There is no trace of the putrid stench, the strange footsteps, or, of course, the hideous giant――Not even a shadow of it.

Phantoms are supposed to disappear once defeated, but this is different. I haven’t defeated it yet.

It vanished in an instant, just as it had appeared.

“Impossible………… What was that just now……” (Hugh)

A chill runs down my spine. I check my surroundings, but there is no trace of the monster’s existence. Even the rotting flesh that had dripped onto the floor had vanished.

I don’t understand, it doesn’t make any sense. I have no idea what is going on, but I cannot afford to stand still.

I take a breath, wipe the cold sweat from my face, and once again begin walking through the darkness.

§

Thanks for reading! Hugh ends up in a new Infinite Trial right after leaving the hospital. Looks like Cry isn’t done with him, he really is unlucky.

Will he get some achievement or will he be just another victim!? You will discover it in the next episode of Hugh’s misfortune adventure! XD

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