Apocalypse Hunter

While Ramphil was breaking the gang’s sign, Zin was visiting Dominator’s headquarters.

“They’re armed to the teeth…”

Dominator’s headquarter was a newly built brick building with troops stationed on site and a rooftop equipped with machine guns. They looked like a militant group doing monster hunting on the side rather than a place of monster-hunting business.

All armed with Odin Corporation’s weapons, they not only had simple firearms, but also high-powered, panoramic-ranged weapons, including the chipbusters.

“Can’t beat that.”

Trying to gain control over Dominator would be like trying to knock down a well-organized fortress. Zin judged that it would be impossible to fight them unless there was very good means and strategy.

Course explained, “We’re still at the point of using weapons to handle monsters. They’re effective in taking them down, but they lack the range of a professional.”

Dominator knew their inadequacies well.

“We also have a lot of employees who used to be hunters that are passing on their know-how in different areas, but it’s been difficult to systemize that. That’s why we don’t spare any money when recruiting workers with a hunter background.”

They were not just aggressively expanding, but they were also making an investment to increase efficiency. In fact, that was the natural course of action for a corporation with large capital. Course certainly seemed to be a high-ranking person within the company, as the guards saluted him vigorously when he passed through the entrance.

“We determine the size of the team based on the mission. At least two or more, and as many as five members. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m also thinking of setting up a tactical base to carry out a massive operation. Individual teams would come together to carry out a joint operation.”

“Hmm… systemized.”

At Zin’s words, Course nodded and smiled. It seemed like they were adding hunters’ techniques on top of the Wargrave’s. The headquarter was more like a city block rather than a building, and there was employee training in progress everywhere.

Course commented as he walked past each of the employee training sites, “Many were guards, so they’re not very good at dealing with monsters yet. That’s why all of the training is being done by those with a hunter background.”

That part was actually taken from Academy’s system at the Nest. As he toured Dominator’s headquarters, Zin couldn’t help but be impressed.

Unlike Nest’s freestyle, Dominator was perfectly systemized.

“These guys are serious…”

After all, hunters needed to complete the job, and it was the Academy that trained such people. To build a perfect system, Dominator remained humble and continually thought about the areas that needed improvement.

It was an organization that strove to operate perfectly without any fault. That was Zin’s assessment after touring Dominator’s headquarters.

The Red Dragon Nest would soon lose all monster hunting to them. They were impossible to beat in terms of capital, scale and structure.

“Come this way, please.”

After the tour, Course took Zin to the drawing room. The well-decorated drawing room smelled of dry paper, and for a simple meal, perfectly baked cookies were placed in front of them. The food prepared for the guests was quite generous, and that was also a show of their capital.

But Zin didn’t touch the cookies.

As he watched Zin, Course slowly started to discuss business.

“I wish you, Zin, would join Dominator. You’ll get the best accommodations, and our partnership with Odin Corporation gives you free access to all kinds of weapons and equipment. The salary is six hundred chips per week, and incentives would be provided based on the number of resolved cases.”

Assuming five weeks a month, the monthly payment would be an incredible 3,000 chips. That was how high of a value they were putting on Zin, the hunter.

“I get why hunters are abandoning Nest and coming here.”

As such, the goods offered by Dominator were enormous. Above all, all the services offered by Odin Corporation would be available for free or at a significantly reduced price.

Right away, the subway would be completely free.

“If you were to join hands with us, the first order of business would be to develop a training program rather than completing a mission. You’d also be involved in a very important project that we’re working on, which would provide you with more incentives.”

They needed his knowledge rather than his ability to hunt, so they intended to produce a hunting field training manual. When a training manual containing a number of real-life scenarios was produced, the educational system would become even more robust.

“Humm…”

But Zin shook his head after hearing all of the ideas.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m sorry. I don’t like being tied to something.”

No matter what the offer was, Zin had had no intention of accepting it. Course didn’t show any signs of disappointment, despite the fact that if Zin were to refuse the offer, he would have simply given him two thousand chips.

“I thought you’d say that. I didn’t think you were an ordinary hunter. Are you just passing by?

“Yes, I have somewhere to go.”

He acted as though he had anticipated Zin’s answer. Even hunters who liked money had limits. Dominators’ staff, Course, regarded Zin to be a hunter on another level.

He knew very well that such people could never be tied down. In that respect, Course was a pretty good negotiator.

“Then, I’ll suggest something else. Actually, a job proposal.”

Throw a heavy offer, followed by a slightly lighter one. And in this case, it wasn’t a contract but a referral. And it was closer to the main point.

“What is it?”

“It’s about the project I just told you about.” With a smile on his face, Course stared straight at Zin as he talked, “Soon, we’re going to destroy the Hive.”

There were many reasons for why they needed a true veteran hunter, but the most important reason was actually that.

“Please join us in the search-and-destroy operation.”

Zin winced at the words.

He hadn’t expected to hear that.

————

“I understand you have a friend. It looks like you two are working separately, but…”

“That’s true.”

“If he joins us, too, we’ll give you 2.5 times the amount I mentioned.”

Judging from the fact that Ramphil and Zin had appeared at the same time, they had even guessed that the two of them were together. However, they had to approach Zin first because Ramphil had gone out too early.

Zin didn’t answer right away, returning to Nest instead. In addition to the tour, Zin roamed about Dominator’s headquarters freely. Though not perfect, the training to reach near perfection was quite impressive to him.

Dominator was in the process of infiltrating the market with its overwhelming capital, and it was making quite an investment to offer contracts to hunters.

The amount they had offered Zin was literally enormous. It was no more and no less than ten thousand chips.

If it were a single request, paying such amount would make no sense. Even with Zin’s long hunting history, he could count only a few that were for this level of compensation .

And, if he were to work with Ramphil, it would be twenty-five thousand chips. Although he had long journey ahead, that kind of request was certainly enticing.

“If I include the chips I could get from the monsters in the Hive… it would be even more.”

In fact, the reward would be greater if one considered the chips extracted from the monsters. But there was something that Zin just couldn’t understand.

“Why are they trying to destroy the Hive?”

The monsters pouring out as hybrids were definitely a threat. But threats were good for the hunting business. The possibility of destroying the Hive aside, once the Hive was destroyed, the source of regular work in the big city would disappear.

In the long run, Dominator would be carrying out the operation that would slice its own throat.

As Zin was organizing his thoughts, Ramphil returned to the room.

“Did bounty hunting go well?”

“Well, I couldn’t close the case, but it doesn’t matter because I earned some money, right?”

Ramphil pulled a chipbox out, and Zin, who checked the number of chips, frowned.

“… You didn’t rob the financial sector, did you?”

In front of Zin, the chip box was showing exactly how much energy it had. If it weren’t a Wargrave chip box, it would not have been big enough to fit everything in it. Zin wondered if Ramphil had attacked a place and robbed someone’s personal safe.

[13,629 Chips]

Ramphil had made thirteen thousand chips in a day.

“I put the three organizations in order”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I got them under my control and then asked if they’d like for me to collect their rewards when they were dead or if they’d like to pay me more than that now. They all chose the latter.”

“…”

He had neutralized three large gangs in the city and told them that they would live if they coughed up more money than they had on their necks. Of course, since their lives were more valuable than precious chips, the heads of the gangs had opened their safes and offered their chips.

As if he were popping a cork, Ramphil had pulled a ridiculous feat and emptied the gang’s pockets. With his hands on his forehead, Zin pondered whether he should praise Ramphil or what.

“I guess there are about eight more of them. I can finish collecting by the day after tomorrow.”

“Um…”

Zin was even more troubled when he spoke as if he were collecting money owed to him. Because they had to earn an absurd amount of money, it seemed like Ramphil had lost his good sense.

Zin replied nervously, looking at Ramphil who was staring at him with a sour look, as if to say, ‘What’s wrong?’

“Well… Good job.”

Zin had no intention of fighting Dominator, but his belief that they would inevitably lose had to be changed to some extent.

If there was a monster ahead, anything was possible.

It had been fifteen days since they came to the big city, and the amount of chips they had collected was now approaching thirty thousand.

—————–

‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’

“Hoo-hoo…”

After shooting, Leona exhaled and checked her gun.

“You certainly have a talent for shooting.”

“Really?”

“Yes, you’re very calm and cautious. And most of all, you know how to shoot depending on the situation.”

The instructor looked at Leona and praised her, and the other children admired Leona’s accuracy. The children were shooting for the first time there, but Leona had already shot in real combat.

In essence, she was relearning something she had learned out in the field, so she was fundamentally different from other children.

“Thank you, sir.”

Leona smiled, the instructor smiled back and then went away to teach the other children. That day’s schedule was over, and it was getting late. Leona waved when she saw Zin waiting outside the shooting range.

“Mr. Hunter! Did everything go well?”

“Yes, you know the drill.”

Ramphil had also waited standing next to Zin. Both had been watching Leona from afar, and Leona felt something when she saw Zin and Ramphil waiting for her.

She didn’t know what it was, but it was her first time experiencing that warm feeling in her heart, which was filling her with happiness at the same time.

Leona walked beside Zin. “Let’s eat. I’m hungry.”

Zin nodded at Leona’s words.

“Yes. For now, we have somewhere to go.”

Once Zin had picked up Leona, they had something to do first. The place Zin went to was none other than the Dean’s office. The Dean rose from his seat when Zin entered.

“Oh, Zin, what brings you here?”

“I have something to discuss.”

“Please, have a seat here.”

Leona, Ramphil and Zin sat down, one after the other on the seats the Dean had suggested, and the Dean took a seat opposite of them. In actuality, the Dean was in charge of the Academy, so he didn’t really interfere with the hunters’ work. So, except for the first day of their visit to the Nest, they had not seen each other much.

Only Leona had, on occasion, been in a class taught by the Dean.

He spoke to Zin as if he knew what he was about to say, “I think it’s about Dominator, right?”

“You are well informed.”

“Now that you’re here, I thought you’d find out by now.”

With a look of anxiety, he heaved a deep sigh.

“Is Nest not taking any measures?”

“… No. Unlike the Fenriar incident, Dominator does not have direct contact with us.”

So, the hunters had no cause to rally.