Several minutes had passed, and Yakeru was still sprawled out on the ground, his body steadily regaining its energy. He still found it unfathomable how he managed to take down two B-tier monsters—or perhaps one since one of them barely reacted to his presence.

'...what if that thing didn't lose its head?' he wondered, a chill climbing up his body from the thought of battling two B-tiers at once.

Just dealing with one was strenuous enough. If Fuyumi hadn't been there to remove one of their heads, he doubted he'd still be alive right now.

'That's right!' he remembered, turning to see Fuyumi still lying motionless against the wall.

A jolt of panic shot through him as he suddenly recalled the reason why he'd stayed behind in the first place. With his energy somewhat replenished he summoned what little strength he had and pushed himself up. He still couldn't muster the energy to stand but it was enough to drag his exhausted body to his unconscious ally.

"Please be okay, please be okay..." he prayed.

Her body a canvas of cuts and bruises but the subtle rising and falling of her chest reassured him.

"Thank goodness..." he relaxed, reaching into her pocket. As he did, he reflexively snapped his hand back as something sharp pricked his finger.

Noticing the green liquid dripping from her pocket, he assumed her elixir vial had shattered when she slammed into the wall. Pulling out his own elixir, he carefully cocked her head back and trickled the substance into her mouth.

He sat beside her as seconds bled into minutes. He could only kick himself for allowing the battle to drag on as long as it did. If he'd killed the two infected in a timely manner, he would've come to her aid sooner.

The only reason he decided to stay with her was because he'd noticed she had fewer bruises than before and her cuts slowly mended themselves, an indicator that the elixir was doing its job.

He thought to carry her out himself but that idea was quickly scrapped since his hands and knees failed to support his weight.

After what felt like an eternity, her bloodied fingers twitched. He knew she'd regain consciousness eventually but to see her eyes flutter open still filled him with an overwhelming sense of relief.

"Fuyumi! You're alr - owe!" His aching body reminded him that he was in no condition to act on excitement.

She surveyed the area, realizing that she was still in the crystal tomb. About thirty feet in front of her were the two infected she'd nearly died to. She swept the room, seeing no sign of the group she'd come with, until her eyes landed on Yakeru.

"Did you kill them yourself?" she asked, her voice still soft as a whisper.

"Yeah. The others are outside." he tried to stand again but his knees buckled in response.

She stared at him for a moment before pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. The soreness in his body still hindered his movements, even after resting for nearly 45 minutes. Thus, he got himself as comfortable as possible to recharge.

He wasn't expecting much from the ice queen except a verbal bashing for foolishly exhausting all his energy. So when his arm was gently slung over her shoulder, he recoiled. She slowly lifted him to his feet as he groaned, trying to ignore the pain.

He didn't think she was capable of such a kind gesture. Or perhaps it was more realistic to think she simply didn't want to owe a debt.

"You're an idiot," she said tersely as they made their way to the exit.

There it was. For a moment, he'd almost forgotten who this young lady was.

"I know."

At the mouth of the dungeon, Kenji, Vlad, and the other survivors waited anxiously. The sun had dyed the sky a vibrant orange and the fresh air danced between the trees.

The guards were conversing with each other on the opposite side of the entrance from Kenji, or at least pretending to. There was an obvious tension between them and the kid. They couldn't even will themselves to make eye contact with him.

He expected as much after they'd tried to abandon him. In his eyes, death could've been a good alternative for him as he didn't have much going for him back at home anyways.

'My old man's gonna bash me for this one.' he thought as if it was anything new.

He fidgeted with his staff for a time until he heard movement from within the dungeon. Turning his head, he expected find a stray vamp-crawler. After all, they were known to leave their dens after sundown though he thought it was still too early for that.

Nonetheless, he sprung to his feet, clutching onto his staff. Seeing how spooked the kid was, Vlad took his side with his sword drawn. Gazing into the dungeon, a faint light flickered through the darkness, growing brighter every second.

Soon, they lowered their guards when Yakeru and Fuyumi emerged from the shadows.

"You're okay!" Kenji exclaimed, sprinting up to them as Yakeru extinguished the light emitting from a dagger, returning it to Fuyumi.

"Thankfully," Yakeru replied as Vlad and Kenji supported him on either side.

"At least this time you're still conscious." Kenji jabbed as Yakeru let out a sheepish laugh before filling them in on what happened.

*****

The villagers were overjoyed to see their triumphant return. The rangers noticed quite a few familiar faces from before they departed as if they'd stayed at the gate.

The kids couldn't contain their excitement and bolted towards their fathers and latched onto them with a tight embrace. The adults watched in relief as Vlad and the others walked back through the north gate. Unfortunately, some of the villagers didn't share the same reaction as they saw that some faces were missing from the group.

They did a headcount, desperately hoping that they'd somehow missed their loved ones. Anxiety welled up in their chests as Vlad approached them. He wasn't sure how to give his condolences with children present but it seemed his gloomy expression told the parents everything that needed to know. Their hands shot to their mouths, shock locking them in place, though the kids weren't too quick to pick up on it. The others sensed the shift in the atmosphere, the air filling with stifled sniffles through the otherwise moment of silence.

News of their return had also reached Dajuan hence why he took the liberty of preparing rooms for the injured. Vlad and the rangers were treated together while the others were monitored elsewhere.

According to Dajuan, Vlad's neck had suffered irreversible damage at this point. Though the elixirs improved his condition, they weren't enough as he'd have to live with a harsh cough for the rest of his days. Besides the doctor having to fetch special herbs to soothe his irritated throat, he was stable.

Kenji had only suffered minor injuries from his tumble in the 'boss room', nothing a low-quality elixir couldn't fix.

Yakeru's body was on the verge of giving out once more by the time they returned to Hanataru, regardless of having two shoulders to lean on. Fortunately, Dajuan had stamina elixirs lying around in his inventory. He had the kid drink health elixirs as well to mend his cuts. What he needed now was rest. Although he was merely performing his duty, Dajuan couldn't help but feel slightly irritated after this boy landed himself in his infirmary a second time, almost 24 hours after he'd been discharged.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Despite being the strongest of the group, Fuyumi's condition demanded more attention than the others. Underestimating those infected guards had caused her to reflect on herself. She'd tried using a maneuver she implemented against mere forest lurkers. Now she realized how foolish that was. Though she was a high rank, that didn't translate to experience on the field.

A chilling thought came to her mind. If the examination was designed to gauge your strength and coordination with others, one could be granted a high rank regardless of experience. She wondered how many past high-ranking rangers fell due to this overlooked flaw. She couldn't allow herself to act too hastily.

Vlad suddenly swung his legs over the edge of his bed to approach the conjurer.

"Kenji," Vlad said tersely before bowing his head. "On behalf of my men, I want to apologize."

"Huh? For what, sir?" Kenji wondered with a confused expression.

"They were fully prepared to leave you behind in that dungeon to save themselves. Now they can't face you for what they did, so I will. I'm sorry."

"N-No that's not necessary. You don't have to apologize for them." he frantically waved his hands. "I'm not very strong, so I understand why they did it."

Although Kenji's words held true, anger still bubbled up inside him. However, it wasn't directed towards the ones who'd abandoned him but rather toward himself for his lack of strength.

"They'll be hearing a mouthful once we're discharged," Vlad assured before the door to their room swung open.

"Dad!"

Kaneki and his mother rushed to his side. While Vlad's wife scolded him for being too careless on their raid, his son was thankful. After all, he was one of the lucky few to see his old man return. While Kaneki demanded details from their raid, Vlad didn't go into depth to spare his wife.

Since their injuries weren't as severe, Dajuan discharged them the next day, though, not after giving Yakeru a stern warning.

As they agreed, the rangers were rewarded a fraction of the gems. After gathering their belongings, the rangers met Kaneki as he said his goodbyes to his parents.

"So what'll you do now, dad?" he wondered.

"Some of the villagers, including myself, have volunteered to help build a memorial for those who didn't make it out," Vlad responded, a slightly gloomy note in his voice.

"I see. I understand."

Vlad approached Yakeru and the others, bowing his head in appreciation.

"Thank you for everything that you've done. Your reward isn't nearly enough to repay your kindness."

"We were happy to help, sir." Yakeru smiled.

Kaneki embraced his parents once more before heading off with his ranger escort.

"Make sure he gets back safe." Vlad waved.

"He will," Yakeru replied as Kaneki waved back before they disappeared into the forest.

The hike back was the same as before until they'd reached the suspension bridge, or rather where it used to be. Since the bridge was out, they had to take a detour which delayed them by about an hour.

The few lurkers and rabids they'd encountered didn't stand a chance. Especially with a few days of experience under their belt. After Yakeru's tussle with the bear and infected guards, E and D-tier monsters were a cakewalk in comparison.

Arriving at Kaneki's farmhouse, a choir of birds perched up on his wooden fence welcomed them with a symphony of hymns. Kaneki turned back to the rangers with a hint of sadness on his face.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then." he sighed.

"Yeah, it was eventful, to say the least," Yakeru responded.

"Yeah. If I get the chance, I'll put in a good word for you guys at the guild."

"Thanks, we could use it."

After exchanging their final goodbyes, Kaneki retired to his home while the Rangers set off back to the capital.

Fuyumi impatiently walked ahead of her colleagues while the boys strolled side by side. Kenji was noticeably quieter than usual, staring at the dirt path as they walked. Now that Yakeru thought about it, he hadn't said much during their journey back to the farmhouse.

"You okay?" he asked his conjurer friend.

There was a delay before his question had registered, gradually pulling Kenji out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm good." Kenji made a poor attempt at lying leaving Yakeru more skeptical than before.

This was the second time he'd brushed him off. His behavior mirrored that of Fuyumi lately. He thought he'd grown close to Kenji but it seemed like he still didn't trust him with whatever was going on in that big brain of his.

"...If you say so," Yakeru muttered before changing the subject. "So what do you plan on doing with your gems?"

"Well, there are some things I need to take care of at home so I'll probably use the money for that. And you?"

"I was thinking of grabbing some light armor. Maybe it'll help with prolonged fights."

"Yeah, getting injured is becoming a trend for you."

Kenji's words dripped with sarcasm.

"Very funny." Yakeru retorted, looking forward at their female companion. "What about you, Fuyumi?"

"That's none of your business," she replied coldly without looking back.

He sighed after his sly attempt to slip past her impenetrable defense had failed.

'Still as prickly as ever...' he huffed in his head.

Yakeru tried having small talk with Kenji but, again, he didn't seem very interested. He prayed he wasn't picking up Fuyumi's 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 aloof nature. He was perfectly content with one of her.

Further along the path they pass by another group of three. The nicks and dents in their expensive-looking armor were a testament to their experience. One of them had a hiked with a staff in hand while others had melee weapons strapped to their hips; a longsword and dagger respectively.

Although the newbies didn't know their ranks, they assumed they were high-ranking rangers.

"You folks hunting too?" the older swordsman of their party asked curiously, catching them off guard.

"Hunting? No, we're heading back to the guild." Yakeru replied.

"Come on, Mitch. We don't have much time." his party member called out from behind him.

The man named Mitch glanced back at Yakeru and his party.

"I see. Well, stay safe then. He could be anywhere." he gave an ominous warning.

Mitch walked off to join his party, leaving Yakeru and the others confused.

'He?' Yakeru wondered.

He pondered on what the ranger said for a while, trying to understand the meaning behind it. Perhaps he was reading too much into it and that ranger named Mitch strangely refers to monsters as "he" and "she" instead of "it". After coming to a satisfied conclusion, they continued on.

After an hour's walk, they'd finally returned to the bustling streets of the capital. While Fuyumi's expression barely changed, the boys were visibly relieved to return to a familiar setting. They didn't think traveling would drain them, not only physically, but mentally. Of course, battling monsters had also put some strain on them, especially since they were still new to their profession.

Maneuvering through pedestrians as they normally would to get to the guild, something caught their eye. Plastered to the wall of a nearby building was an image of a red-haired woman with the bolded word "missing" above her photo.

On the same wall was another missing person poster, this time of a middle-aged bald man. Turning their heads, they could see another string of posters along a wall across the street. In fact, it was getting progressively harder to find a wall or light post without a missing person poster on it.

"What happened when we were gone?" Kenji muttered to himself.

Weaving through the crowd, they finally made it back to the guild.

They waited in line to give their report on their original mission. Before arriving, they had a prior agreement not to mention their little dungeon raid. Although it was a mere side gig, they didn't want to have to deal with potential consequences. Since the dungeon was just outside the inner rim anyway, Kenji might face repercussions because of his rank.

As they got closer to the receptionist, the sheets on the mission board became more legible, but a particular mission sheet grabbed their attention. Unlike the other types - hunting, escorts, dungeon raids, nest exterminations, explorations, etc. - this one resembled something of a wanted poster.

"Oh, hey!" the receptionist greeted them with a smile. "I was worried something might've happened to you three. How was your first mission?"

Yakeru and Kenji gave their report as Fuyumi stood idly by, staring at the mission board.

"Oh wow, I hope you weren't injured too badly, Yakeru..."

"I'm alright. The villagers were nice enough to lend their aid."

She clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Well, that's good to hear." she reached under the counter and placed a pouch of silver coins before them. Here's your compensation. Good work everyone!"

Yakeru was rather surprised when presented with a single pouch of mere silver coins. Even after the suspension bridge collapsed, even after his near-death experience, none of it was a factor. They'd only receive compensation if the mission was completed. Another realization came to light as he pondered this.

Missions offered a set reward which would be split among the participants. Therefore the more rangers there were, the less they'd earn for that mission.

This fact alone would make it challenging for low-ranking rangers to make a profit if their party was too big. On the other end of the spectrum, higher-ranking rangers most likely wouldn't have this issue since high-ranking missions netted a more handsome salary anyways.

If it weren't for the gems they were rewarded with from Hanataru, Yakeru would've been tempted to chance it, revealing details of their raid in hopes of a better reward.

As the newbies split their earnings, Fuyumi asked,

"What's with the wanted mission?"

"Oh, it's a public mission. Of course, your standard mission would be private but that particular mission is open to everyone." the receptionist explained.

"Why's that?" Yakeru asked curiously.

"You three haven't been around for a while so it's understandable why you wouldn't know...there have been rangers going missing and bodies reported in the mid to outer rim. So the guild has issued a wanted mission to catch the culprit as quickly as possible," she said somberly, her head lowered.

"I see," Kenji said as it all started to make sense.

Though they'd never ventured into the outer rim, it was common knowledge that those uncharted lands were home to some of the most powerful monsters. Couple that with unfamiliar territory and the guild was bound to have casualties here and there. Though the way she phrased it made it sound as if it was one monster giving them trouble.

"This monster must be pretty sneaky to avoid capture." Kenji figured.

"Actually, according to eyewitness testimonies, it isn't a monster at all that's responsible but rather a person."

Their eyes widened as they went speechless for a moment. Why a human would hunt other humans in some of the most dangerous parts of the world was beyond them.

"A...person?" Yakeru stuttered, wondering if he'd heard correctly.

"Yes...rangers that have encountered him usually don't return but those that do have dubbed him 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘳."