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With her spear in hand, Renn marched down the road toward Alma, eyes fixed on the horizon. Leaving Wendale behind felt strange; the quiet town, familiar faces, and the life she’d known since birth were now in the past. Yet, the thrill of adventure made each step lighter. This was her chance to prove herself, to find answers, and maybe even uncover more about the world beyond her tiny hometown.
Despite the townsfolk’s kind offers of money and provisions, Renn had politely refused. She wanted to make her own way, determined to fight monsters along the road and sell their parts for coin when she reached Alma. This journey was hers, and she intended to earn her keep.
It typically took five to seven hours to reach Alma on foot, depending on the pace. Renn kept close to the main road, choosing a brisk yet steady rhythm, careful not to stray into dangerous territory. The path meandered through rolling grassy plains and scattered patches of trees. Every now and then, distant echoes of battle reached her ears—likely hunters fending off monsters near the road.
At one point, a group of hunters spotted her walking alone. One of them, a grizzled man slashing at a large wolf-like creature, called out, “Need a hand with these beasts, miss?”
Renn grinned and waved them off. “No, but thanks!” she replied, appreciating the gesture. To her delight, they left a few of the weaker monsters for her to handle. It was a good chance to test her skills—and earn something useful for her efforts.
Her spear sliced through the air with swift, precise strikes, dispatching the smaller beasts. Within minutes, she had gathered a modest haul of monster parts, carefully cutting them free from the creatures. “Thanks for the assist,” she called to the hunters as they vanished into the distance.
Several hours later, fatigue began to creep into Renn’s muscles. The relentless pace had taken its toll, and the weight of the monster parts in her bag didn’t help. But just as her energy waned, Alma finally appeared on the horizon. The sight of its high walls and bustling streets rekindled her determination. Compared to Wendale, Alma was a bustling hub of activity. Hunters, merchants, and travelers filled the streets, and the towering alchemist workshop stood out like a beacon with its signature green-tinted windows gleaming in the midday sun.
Upon entering the city, Renn made a beeline for the general store. The sooner she could offload the monster parts, the better. Inside, the shopkeeper eyed her bag with interest, and after a bit of haggling, he handed her 1 gold coin and 8 silver coins. Renn felt a swell of pride at her first successful trade—it wasn’t a fortune, but it was more than enough to get by.
The Mainland’s currency system was straightforward: bronze, silver, and gold coins circulated in everyday transactions. One silver coin was worth ten bronze, while one gold was equivalent to one hundred bronze. Most common items were priced in silver, which made gold coins especially valuable. Renn knew she’d have to spend her earnings wisely, but for now, she felt good about her haul.
Her next stop was the mana weapon shop. Though her hopes weren’t high, she was eager to see how much these famed weapons really cost. With her spear still in hand, she stepped inside, eyes widening as she scanned the price tags.
“F-five hundred golds is the cheapest!?” Renn squeaked, disbelief plastered across her face.
The shopkeeper chuckled from behind the counter, clearly used to such reactions. “That’s right, miss. Mana weapons don’t come cheap. The process of infusing Mana into a weapon takes incredible skill, and the materials we use are top-notch. Even the lowest-grade weapon here is exceptional in quality.”
Renn groaned inwardly. There was no way she could afford something like that anytime soon. Her spear, which had served her well enough so far, would have to do. Gripping it tightly, she left the shop, feeling the weight of the challenge ahead sink in. Guess I’m stuck with this for a while.
As she strolled through the city, the noise of the bustling streets filled her ears. Vendors hawked their goods, and travelers chattered away about their adventures. But amid the lively atmosphere, her attention was drawn to a nearby group of townsfolk whispering to each other, their faces grim.
“Hey, did you hear?” one of them said in a low voice.
“What is it?” asked another.
“They say Romoel was attacked by a group of unknown hunters.”
Renn’s ears perked up. “Eh? You’re kidding.”
“I’m not. Some hunters who fled from there arrived in Alma a couple of days ago. They said the attackers were hunters themselves—and they had mana weapons.”
Renn’s brow furrowed. Romoel… that name rang a bell. Wasn’t that the town near Kaska? Aisha mentioned it before, when her father took pastries up north. Curiosity piqued, Renn stepped forward, interrupting the conversation. “Excuse me, where exactly is Romoel?”
One of the men turned to her, startled for a moment before pointing north. “It’s far north, near Kaska.”
Her pulse quickened. “North? Really?” The excitement in her voice betrayed her thoughts—Kaska had always been one of the cities she wanted to visit, but this news complicated things. “Why was it attacked? Aren’t hunters supposed to protect towns, not destroy them?”
The man shrugged. “No idea. That’s just what I heard. If you want more details, try the alchemist workshop. I hear the hunters who escaped Romoel are staying there.”
Renn nodded, her resolve hardening. “Thanks!” With renewed purpose, she hurried toward the alchemist workshop, her thoughts racing. Something strange was happening up north, and she wanted to know exactly what it was.
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The alchemist workshop was a sprawling facility, a hive of activity with hunters, scholars, and curious travelers all gathered under one roof. Inside, the air buzzed with excited discussions about Mana research, recent monster hunts, and rumors from across the continent. Renn weaved through the crowd, her eyes scanning for any sign of the hunters who had fled Romoel.
After a few moments, she spotted a small group sitting quietly in the corner, their gear battered, faces grim. Their hushed conversation hinted at the horrors they had witnessed. This must be them, Renn thought, taking a breath to steady herself before approaching.
“Excuse me,” she started, drawing their attention. “I heard about what happened in Romoel. Can you tell me more?”
The blonde-haired man in heavy armor turned to face her, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “Oh, are you a hunter too, young miss?” he asked, still somewhat taken aback by her youth. “Well, we didn’t fight them head-on, but we saw enough. The town turned into chaos in minutes! In all my 12 years as a hunter, I’ve never seen mana weapons that powerful.”
Another hunter, a woman with a bow slung across her back, chimed in, her voice tense. “There were four of them. Each had some kind of incredible weapon, but the one that stood out… was the young guy with the purple lightning.”
Renn’s eyes widened in shock. Purple lightning? She’d heard stories about powerful mana weapons, but for just a small group to wreak such havoc on an entire town was hard to believe.
“Lightning powers?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
“Yeah,” the archer continued, glancing at the others as if to confirm what she’d seen. “Mana weapons can channel energy into all sorts of abilities, including elemental forces. But the weird part? I didn’t see him holding any weapon. He was just… firing lightning straight from his hands.”
Renn’s mind raced. How could someone use Mana like that without a weapon? Before she could think further, another man in the group, a burly hunter with a massive axe, spoke up.
“We didn’t believe it either at first. That kind of thing should be impossible without a weapon. It’s like…” He hesitated, searching for the words.
Renn, lost in thought, murmured, “The Seven Legendary Heroes…”
“Exactly!” the man exclaimed, nodding. “But that’s ancient history. There’s been no one able to use Mana like that without a weapon for centuries.”
The blonde man added, his tone more somber, “After the attack, most of the town’s people fled to Kaska. Kaska’s hunters were sent to help, but by the time they got there, those mysterious attackers were long gone.”
Renn frowned, the pieces of the puzzle still not fitting together. “But why would they attack Romoel? What were they after?”
“That’s the million-gold question,” the man with the axe replied, shaking his head slowly. “Here’s the strange part—no one was killed in the attack.”
Renn blinked in confusion. “That’s… good, right?”
The axe-wielder shrugged. “Yeah, it’s good, but it was no accident. It felt like those hunters weren’t trying to kill anyone. More like they wanted to scare people off. After we ran, no one knows what they did in the town.”
“Hmm…” Renn muttered, her thoughts drifting deeper into the mystery.
“The king of Kaska has already contacted the other kingdoms for aid,” the blonde man added, sounding slightly more hopeful. “And the alchemists are trying to figure out what kind of weapons those attackers were using. They might be able to track them down soon.”
Renn nodded, though her mind was still swirling with questions. “Thanks for sharing all this with me,” she said, bowing politely before turning to leave. Her steps were slow as she left the workshop, her thoughts racing.
Who were these mysterious hunters? What did they want? And more importantly, who was that person capable of wielding purple lightning without a weapon? The entire situation felt like a puzzle with too many missing pieces, and Renn couldn’t shake the feeling that she was only scratching the surface.
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed through the workshop, cutting through the hum of conversation and causing everyone to freeze. It was an announcement siren, shrill and demanding attention. A moment later, a young female voice crackled through the speakers mounted on the walls.
“Ahem! Attention all hunters, please listen carefully!” The voice was energetic but slightly unprofessional, like she wasn’t used to making public announcements. “In about an hour, we alchemists will be holding a meeting to discuss the recent… uh, what was it called again?”
The voice trailed off as the announcer seemed to whisper to someone off-mic. “Oh, right! The incoming threat of mysterious hunters who attacked Romoel in the north!”
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd. The hunters Renn had spoken to earlier visibly stiffened, their eyes wide with alarm. Others, who hadn’t heard about the attack yet, looked around in confusion.
“Wait, Romoel got attacked?”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
The voice over the speaker continued, unfazed by the commotion. “So! In the next hour, all hunters of Alma, please gather here in the workshop~.”
The announcement ended with a crackle, leaving the room in an awkward, heavy silence. Everyone exchanged glances, either lost in thought or visibly unnerved. The mood had shifted drastically, tension now hanging thick in the air.
Renn stood still, her mind racing. What was that all about? The mysterious hunters, the attack on Romoel—this situation was far more complicated than she had first thought.
Her eyes scanned the room, catching the anxious faces of those around her. The meeting might hold the answers she needed, or at the very least, more clues about what was happening.
She made her decision. It was best to stick around and see what the alchemists had to say.
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An hour passed, and the workshop had filled to capacity with hunters and curious onlookers, all eagerly awaiting answers. The noise was overwhelming, a steady hum of voices as hunters debated the mysterious announcement. Tension buzzed in the air, making it nearly impossible to have a proper conversation.
Renn stood near the back of the workshop, surrounded by the same group of hunters who had been involved in the Romoel incident.
“Seriously, what’s going on here?!” the blonde man growled, frustration clear as he folded his arms across his chest.
“They did say it was an ‘incoming threat,’ right?” the archer woman responded, brow furrowed in thought as she watched the growing crowd.
Before anyone could say more, the large man with the axe pointed to the center of the room. “Look, the alchemists.”
Descending from a set of stairs were several figures, their green-toned robes setting them apart from the crowd of hunters. They moved in two coordinated lines, one from each side, and immediately commanded attention as they reached the center of the room.
The alchemist workshops, like this one, were built in triangular designs. The first floor acted as a hub where hunters could gather, check the bulletin board for job postings, or ask the receptionist behind the counter for information. Stairs led up to the alchemists’ workspaces on the upper floors, with facilities ranging in size depending on the city. Alma’s workshop, being relatively small, housed only twelve alchemists, and all of them were now descending the stairs.
Renn’s eyes tracked the group, noting the variety of individuals—some older, some younger—but one in particular caught her attention. A petite girl, seemingly around her own age, with medium-length dark hair and sharp purple eyes that gleamed behind a pair of glasses. She was noticeably shorter than most of the alchemists, but something about her confident, studious appearance drew Renn’s gaze.
In the girl’s hand was a strange device Renn had never seen before. What’s that for? Renn wondered, her curiosity piqued.
The alchemists gathered in front of the central counter, and the crowd fell silent. From the group, a familiar, cheerful voice cut through the quiet.
“Hi there! I hope everyone’s doing well~”
Renn immediately recognized the voice—it was the same one from the earlier announcement. The bubbly tone was unmistakable.
The girl was a tall, curvy alchemist with medium-length pink hair tied back and bright blue eyes. She looked just a little older than Renn, and her energy was contagious.
“Sorry for the sudden meeting,” the girl continued, her voice light and carefree. “It was Velle’s decision to get this started quickly.”
She gestured toward the girl with glasses, and Renn’s curiosity deepened. So that’s Velle… she thought, studying the alchemist more closely.
Velle stepped forward, her movements calm and deliberate, and adjusted her glasses before addressing the crowd. Her tone was a stark contrast to her colleague’s—measured, composed, and serious.
“For those of you who don’t know, Romoel was attacked and nearly destroyed a few days ago by a group of hunters wielding incredibly powerful mana weapons.”
A murmur of concern spread through the room, but Velle continued before it could turn into a full uproar.
“No one was killed in the attack,” she said, raising a hand to quiet the crowd. “But don’t let that make you feel safe. Witnesses reported something far more alarming. One of the attackers displayed the ability to control lightning… without a mana weapon.”
A wave of shocked whispers rippled through the gathered hunters. The tension in the room skyrocketed as the implications of her words set in. Next to Renn, the blonde man raised his hand, cutting through the murmurs with a sharp question.
“So what’s the point of this meeting? What do you want from us?”
His question hung in the air, and nearby hunters turned to listen more closely, including those in his own group.
Velle remained unflustered. “I’m glad you asked,” she said, adjusting her glasses again. “We alchemists have long studied the legends of Neona, the Seven Heroes, the ancient beasts, and the origins of Mana. We don’t know exactly what those hunters did in Romoel, but we believe we have a lead on what they’re after.”
“And what’s that?” the blonde man asked, his impatience growing.
Velle’s expression didn’t change as she responded, her tone cool and steady. “The graves of the Seven Legendary Heroes.”
The room exploded with gasps and startled whispers.
“As you may know,” Velle continued over the noise, “the bodies of the legendary heroes have long since decomposed. However, their Mana remains, absorbed into the earth where they were buried. There were attempts in the past to extract this Mana, but the technology required to do so has never been advanced enough.”
She paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. “Extracting Mana from a tree takes days, and even then, it’s a fraction of what the heroes possessed.”
One of the hunters near the front of the room raised their voice. “So does that mean you’ve figured out how to collect their Mana now?”
Velle shook her head. “No. We’re still far from achieving that level of precision.”
“Then how—”
“That’s exactly the issue,” Velle interrupted smoothly. “How did these hunters collect the Mana of Axel, one of the Seven Heroes who controlled purple lightning? And not only did they collect it—they wielded it.”
The room erupted into chaos. Voices clashed, questions flying from every corner, hunters debating and trying to make sense of the impossible. Renn’s heart raced. If what Velle said was true, then the lightning that struck Romoel had been the legendary power of Axel.
Velle raised her voice, cutting through the noise like a sharp blade. “Now, onto the main reason I’ve called you all here.”
She held up the strange device in her hand, lifting it high for everyone to see.
“This is our latest invention: a Mana scanner, designed to detect and analyze Mana waves.”
“M-Mana waves?” a hunter stammered from the crowd, confusion evident in his voice.
Velle nodded, her expression calm and composed. “Yes. Each of us has a small amount of Mana within us, and just like fingerprints, no two Mana signatures are the same. We refer to these unique signatures as ‘Mana waves.’”
The hunters exchanged puzzled glances as Velle continued. “Normally, this wouldn’t be relevant to hunters. It’s something we alchemists focus on when infusing Mana into items. But now, with these mysterious hunters wielding the heroes’ powers, we believe there may be individuals with Mana waves similar to those of the Seven Legendary Heroes.”
“So what are you saying?” someone called out. “That one of us could have their powers?”
Velle nodded firmly. “Yes. We believe there are descendants of the Seven Heroes, and those individuals might have the potential to harness their ancestors’ Mana. If your Mana wave matches a hero’s, you might be able to wield their power.”
The crowd fell into a stunned silence, the weight of her words sinking in.
Velle lifted the scanner higher. “We’ll be scanning for anyone whose Mana wave resembles the heroes’. If we find someone, you could be the key to stopping these mysterious hunters.”
The scanning process moved along at a steady pace, with multiple Mana scanners in operation. Each scan took a few minutes as the alchemists checked the hunters’ Mana waves against those of the Seven Legendary Heroes. The room buzzed with quiet anticipation, tension thick in the air as each hunter waited for their turn.
Eventually, it was the turn of the hunters who had escaped Romoel. Velle approached the large man from their group, her scanner already in hand. She worked efficiently, her movements quick but precise as the scanner hummed with energy.
The big man furrowed his brow as the scan finished. “Uh, young miss, you only scanned me four times?” he asked, scratching his head in confusion.
Velle didn’t look up from the device, her tone matter-of-fact. “Of course. We already know Axel’s power has been taken.”
“But… what about the other two heroes?” His puzzled expression deepened.
Velle paused, then tilted her head slightly as if the answer was too obvious to need explanation. “We’ve already found their descendants. That’s why.”
The blonde man, overhearing the conversation, jumped in, his eyes wide with curiosity. “Wait, what?! Who is it? Who are they?”
Velle didn’t miss a beat, her voice as calm as ever. “Sorry, that’s confidential information.”
The blonde man groaned in frustration, throwing his hands up. “Ugh…”
With the big man done, Velle turned her attention to Renn. Her eyes flicked to Renn’s spear, a glint of curiosity flashing across her face as she quickly sized her up.
“A new hunter?” Velle asked, her voice laced with mild curiosity, though her focus remained on the scanner.
“Oh, y-yeah!” Renn stammered, suddenly feeling small under the alchemist’s sharp gaze.
“Figured,” Velle remarked, a smirk playing at her lips. “You don’t even have a mana weapon.”
Renn bristled, her cheeks flushing at the jab. “Excuse me, you little—”
Before she could fire back, another alchemist—the one who had made the earlier announcement—called out from across the room, her sing-song voice breaking the tension.
“Velle~! I’m done with this half! No one with a Mana wave above thirty!”
Velle clicked her tongue, clearly irritated. “Not even thirty? Tch…” she muttered under her breath, barely concealing her disappointment. Her attention returned to Renn, and she continued the scan without further comment, her face now set in a more serious expression.
“You! What was that about, huh?” Renn blurted out, still simmering over the earlier comment.
“Oh, be quiet. You’re so noisy,” Velle replied, her eyes glued to the scanner. She worked quickly, dismissing Renn’s annoyance with a wave of her hand.
Renn huffed in frustration, but her irritation quickly turned to curiosity as Velle’s brow furrowed. Her eyes lingered on the scanner’s screen longer than usual, a hint of surprise creeping into her otherwise composed expression.
“Hello? Am I good to go now?” Renn asked, crossing her arms, her patience wearing thin.
Velle blinked, snapping out of her momentary daze. “Oh, yes. We’re done scanning.” Her voice was casual again, as if nothing had happened.
Renn let out a sigh of relief, but before she could fully relax, Velle spoke again, this time with a sly tone. “Since you’re a new hunter, how about I give you something nice?”
The sudden offer threw Renn off balance. Her mood flipped instantly from frustration to excitement. “Eh?! Really?! What is it?”
Velle glanced at her, the corner of her lips curling into a small smile. “Come to the center counter after this.” She paused, her tone shifting to something more secretive. “Come alone.”
Renn blinked in confusion, wanting to ask more, but before she could, Velle had already turned away, striding toward the stairs with her usual cool confidence.
“I’m done with the other half!” Velle called out to the room, her tone clipped and businesslike. “…No one interesting.”
The alchemist from earlier, who had been scanning the other half of the room, looked taken aback by Velle’s remark. She hesitated, scanning the crowd with furrowed brows, as though second-guessing her colleague’s work. But after a moment, she gave up, her shoulders slumping before she hurried back upstairs, the scanning process finally concluded.
The room of hunters erupted into murmurs, speculation rippling through the crowd. Some exchanged knowing looks, while others whispered anxiously, their voices a low hum of uncertainty. Renn, though, was only half-listening. Her thoughts were entirely focused on Velle’s cryptic offer.
She glanced toward the center counter, her heart pounding in her chest. What could Velle possibly want? And why did she want Renn to come alone?
As the hunters began to thin out from the facility, Renn waved goodbye to the group from Romoel, her thoughts still swirling around what Velle might have in store for her. Curiosity tugged at her as she made her way to the center counter.
“Excuse me! That Velle girl said she wanted to give me something,” Renn said, hoping for some clarity.
The receptionist glanced up, noting her hunter gear, and smiled warmly. “Oh, it’s you! Please, head upstairs.”
“Upstairs?” Renn blinked. “But I thought hunters weren’t allowed up there.”
“You’re Velle’s guest, so it’s an exception. Go right ahead!”
“Oh, uh, okay. Thanks…” Renn replied, still a little surprised.
She cautiously made her way upstairs, her heart racing as she entered the alchemists’ workspace. The moment her foot crossed the threshold onto the second floor, heads turned. The alchemists stopped what they were doing, eyes widening in surprise. Some whispered amongst themselves, while others began approaching her, extending hands and introducing themselves as though she were some sort of celebrity.
Renn felt her stomach knot. Why are they all acting like this? She shifted uncomfortably, glancing around for any sign of Velle.
“Oh, Miss Renn,” one of the alchemists called out, noticing her confused expression. “If you’re looking for Velle, she’s on the third floor.”
Renn nodded, grateful for the direction. “Thanks…”
Climbing the stairs, she reached the third floor to find Velle busy with a stack of documents at a long table. Beside her stood the same alchemist who had made the announcement earlier, her posture practically buzzing with excitement.
“Ah, Velle, she’s here! She’s here!” the excitable alchemist exclaimed, her voice full of energy.
“I know, Mint. Calm down,” Velle replied, not even looking up from her papers. Her tone carried a familiar impatience.
Mint, however, had no such restraint. Without warning, she rushed at Renn, grabbing both of her hands and shaking them vigorously.
“Hi, my name’s Mint!”
“N-nice to meet you. M-my name’s R-Renn…” Renn stammered, caught off guard by the enthusiastic handshake.
“At first, I thought Velle had made a mistake when she used the codename, you know?” Mint continued, not letting go of Renn’s hands. “I thought she really meant no one matched the Mana wave of the heroes!”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Velle chimed in, her eyes still on the documents. “I made the codename. There’s no way I’d use it wrong.”
Finally, Velle set the papers down and turned to face Renn, her gaze sharp and composed. “Welcome—”
“Where’s the stuff you were gonna give me?” Renn interrupted, her mind laser-focused on the promised gift.
Velle’s expression didn’t change as she replied bluntly, “I lied.”
“What?!” Renn’s eyes went wide in disbelief.
“I figured you’d realize by the time you got up here,” Velle said with a shrug, utterly unfazed by Renn’s reaction.
“But… I thought—”
“Aw, don’t be sad! Here’s a candy,” Mint chimed in, pulling a small piece of candy from her pocket and handing it to Renn with a cheerful grin.
“Ooh, thanks, sister!” Renn said, her mood unexpectedly lifting as she unwrapped the candy.
“Aww, she called me sister!” Mint beamed, practically glowing with joy. “See, Velle? You should take notes from her!”
Velle rolled her eyes. “Never. And stop treating her like a child. She’s going to be working with us now, remember?”
Renn’s head snapped up at the mention of work. “Wait, what? What are you talking about?”
Velle sighed, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she stepped closer. “Do I really have to spell it out for you? Fine. Renn, you’re a direct descendant of one of the seven legendary heroes—Garland Veledot.”
The room seemed to spin for a moment as Renn blinked, trying to process the words. “Huh?”
“The scanner showed a 92% match between your Mana wave and Garland’s. That’s the highest match we’ve ever found.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.” Renn held up her hands, feeling like the ground was slipping out from under her. “You’re saying I’m… what? A hero’s descendant?”
“Yes, exactly. And whether you like it or not, you’ll be joining us to fight this mysterious hunter group. It’s your duty now.”
Renn’s mind reeled. “But I’m just… me. I don’t care about fighting some mystery hunters! I just want to travel and find my real parents…”
Velle’s gaze softened, just a fraction, as she adjusted her glasses once more. “You’ll get to travel, that’s for sure. But maybe not for the reasons you’d planned. And since this involves your lineage, we’ll assist you in finding your real parents as well.”
The offer hit Renn hard, her earlier resistance crumbling at the mention of her family. They’d help me find my real parents? The weight of the promise sank in, her heart pounding in her chest.
“Deal,” Renn said, her voice steady and sure. If this was her path to the answers she’d been searching for, then she was ready to walk it.
“Wow, that was quick!” Mint exclaimed, her face lighting up as she noticed Renn’s sudden resolve.
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