The sun hung high above, glaring down on the miners below.
Kael sat in the shade, eating what could barely be called breakfast, even though it was already afternoon. His eyes drifted toward the miners still hard at work, hammering away at the rocks for scraps of metal.
He felt a faint sense of pity… but quickly brushed it off.
To him, this was the life they deserved as members of the lower class.
Moments later, three cavalrymen rode in from different directions, dismounting to rest beneath the trees. Their horses snorted softly as they were tied to the shade, and one of the men began unloading hay from the wagon for them to eat.
A few minutes later, the miners finally laid down their tools, gathering to drink water and eat. Kael had already finished his meal and was preparing to take a nap in the shadow of the wagon—
when a sudden vibration tingled against his back.
He straightened, opening the [ECHO System].
[ Refined Iron – Completed ]
Kael quietly got to his feet, walking toward a nearby tree as if to relieve himself. Once hidden behind the trunk, he opened his inventory and tapped on the small glowing icon.
[ 2kg Refined Iron ]
A faint grin crossed his lips. "Good," he muttered under his breath.
Now, all that was left was leather. Just ten grams of refined leather, and his next craft would be complete.
He spent hours wandering through the jungle in search of any animal—any life at all—but the forest was eerily silent, as if nothing had ever existed there.
With no other option, Kael concluded he would have to buy hide from a merchant in the middle district.
By the time the expedition ended, the sun had begun to sink. The returning hunters carried their catches toward the arena while officers called out names, marking attendance. For new hunters, this daily record was everything—it determined their honor and standing in the guild.
After the count was finished, Kael walked straight home.
The inn's owner greeted him at the door with a grin that looked a bit too expectant.
"Ah, young hunter! I've found a solution to your firewood problem," the man said cheerfully. "There's someone who can deliver a sack of logs every day. You'll only need to pay him two silver coins per month."
Kael, still weary from the expedition, found the man's grin more irritating than kind.
"Fine," he said curtly. "Tell him to collect the money at the end of the month."
The owner nodded and shuffled back behind the counter.
Kael washed off the day's grime, changed into warm clothes, and went out again. He was hungry, but his real goal was to find that merchant who sold hides. Unfortunately, even after searching through the middle district, the man was nowhere to be found.
Resigned, Kael returned to a nearby restaurant. He ordered a simple meal—a bowl of boiled chicken and vegetables—and left with a satisfied stomach.
Three days passed. The merchant never appeared again.
Kael's days fell into a dull rhythm. For three straight days, all he did was head out beyond the walls, return to the arena, report attendance, then go back home to rest and check the system before sleeping.
He opened the familiar blue window before him.
[ Inventory ]
[ 2kg Refined Iron ]
[ 190g Refined Leather ]
It wasn't much, but to Kael, every bit of progress counted.
That evening, he ordered another simple dish, this time beef. As he chewed the tender meat, a thought crossed his mind.
'If this is beef, then there must be a butcher nearby. The merchant probably bought his hides from there to resell outside the district. If I deal directly with the butcher, I could get some hide myself…'
Kael's eyes glinted with quiet resolve.
After finishing his meal, Kael approached the counter.
"This beef was really good," he said, setting down his plate. "I'd like to get some for home—where do you usually get your meat from?"
The owner smiled proudly. "Ah, young man, you can find his shop near the upper-class wall—on the west side of the middle district."
Kael nodded, hiding the satisfaction in his heart.
"Thank you, sir."
"Come back for another meal!" the owner called out as Kael left.
Kael didn't bother to turn back—he simply raised his left hand and gave a brief wave over his shoulder before walking off.
Tomorrow would be another expedition day. He dreaded the fatigue, but being a hunter was the only path he had—it was the reason he'd survived this long.
The next morning, he woke early, dressed, and made his way to the arena. Hours later, the team returned from beyond the walls without casualties.
It was Kael's fifth expedition in a row, and exhaustion was written all over his face.
"ATTENTION!" an officer's voice boomed across the arena.
Kael and the other hunters immediately straightened. The man before them wore the same brown hunter's uniform as everyone else, but unlike the rest, he bore no armor. His muscular frame and calm authority made armor unnecessary. A thick mustache framed his stern face.
"I will now call out names," he announced, his tone sharp and deep.
He read from his list—twelve names in total, Kael's among them.
"These hunters have completed five consecutive expeditions," he declared. "You are granted two days of rest."
A collective sigh of relief spread through the group. Kael wasn't the only one exhausted.
"Understood?" the officer barked.
"Yes, sir!" the hunters replied in unison.
Dismissed, Kael returned home. Despite the fatigue, the promise of rest filled him with new energy. After washing up in cold water and lighting his fireplace, he headed back out—toward the west side of the middle district.
Along the way, he stopped passersby to ask for directions. Everyone treated him kindly, smiling as they answered. It was the badge pinned to his chest—the Hunter's Batch.
The silver engraving of his name drew respect. Those with copper badges, on the other hand, were treated like ordinary citizens.
Eventually, he reached the western edge, where a tall stone wall and a guarded gate marked the entrance to the upper-class district.
As he approached, the wind carried a sharp metallic scent.
Kael stopped and took a deep breath.
"I smell blood…" he murmured, his lips curving faintly.
"The butcher must be close."