The street was finally quiet.
Rat corpses littered the pavement.
Guild workers were already beginning cleanup.
Maru stared at the dead monsters.
Then looked around.
Then looked around again.
"...Which ones did I kill?"
Sain glanced over.
A small snort escaped him.
"...Whichever ones are completely flattened."
Maru blinked.
Several corpses barely resembled rats anymore.
One looked like someone had dropped a wagon on it.
Another was mostly a stain.
"...Oh."
The realization didn't make him feel better.
His eyes slowly drifted downward.
The tails.
Proof of kill.
Payment.
The thing every hunter had to collect.
Maru tightened his grip on the small hunting knife hanging from his belt.
"...Right."
He crouched beside the nearest rat.
Immediately recoiled.
"Nope."
Sain was already working.
Keeping as much distance as physically possible.
Spear extended.
Careful.
Precise.
The tip slid down.
Slice.
One tail.
Slice.
Two.
Slice.
Three.
His expression remained blank.
But he never stepped closer than absolutely necessary.
Not once.
"...I hate this part most."
Maru watched him work.
Then glanced down at his own knife.
Then at the rats.
Then back at Sain.
"...Actually."
Sain kept cutting.
"...Hm?"
Maru scratched the back of his head.
"Can you maybe..."
A pause.
"...do mine too?"
Another pause.
"I'll give you some of my credits."
Sain stopped.
Looked at him.
Looked at the knife.
Looked back at him.
"...No."
Maru visibly deflated.
Then Sain returned to work.
"...I'll do it."
Maru blinked.
"...Really?"
"...Yes."
"...Then I'll split the credits."
"No."
Maru paused.
"...Why?"
Sain cut off another tail.
"...Me doing this with a spear is easier than you doing it with a knife."
A beat.
"...Besides."
Another tail dropped into the collection bag.
"...You're helping gather them."
Maru stared.
Then grinned.
"...You're actually pretty nice."
Sain immediately looked offended.
"...Don't spread that rumor."
Maru laughed.
For the first time since the attack, the tension eased.
A few minutes later, the collection bag was half full.
Maru cleared his throat.
"...Right."
Sain glanced over.
"...What?"
"I forgot to introduce myself."
A hand extended.
"...I'm Maru."
Sain looked at the offered hand.
Then shook it.
"...Sain."
Simple.
Awkward.
Done.
Maru seemed satisfied.
A strange feeling settled over the street.
The kind hunters developed quickly.
Being watched.
Sain noticed it first.
His shoulders straightened.
Subtly.
His eyes shifted toward the opposite sidewalk.
Ten figures stood there.
Watching.
Not hiding.
Watching.
Maru followed his gaze.
"...Friends of yours?"
"...No."
The answer came immediately.
One of the hunters stepped forward.
A woman.
Confident posture.
Relaxed smile.
Like she already expected the conversation to go well.
"Mind if we interrupt?"
Sain didn't answer.
Maru did.
"...Sure?"
The woman smiled.
"Thanks."
She gestured toward herself.
"Reva."
Then toward the others.
"My squad."
Most remained silent.
One large man folded his arms.
Another woman gave a small wave.
A pale hunter watched them with unsettling focus.
Maru suddenly felt underdressed.
Reva looked between them.
"You two hunt solo?"
Maru nodded.
"Yeah."
Sain spoke a second later.
"...For now."
Reva noticed the difference immediately.
Interesting.
"You ever considered joining a squad?"
Maru's eyes widened.
"A squad?"
One of the hunters laughed.
"You sound excited."
"I am excited."
The honesty earned a few smiles.
Even Sain looked mildly embarrassed on his behalf.
The conversation continued naturally.
No sales pitch.
No pressure.
Just hunters talking.
"Solo hunting gets exhausting."
"Medical bills get expensive."
"Having people watch your back helps."
"Information sharing helps even more."
Maru listened carefully.
Sain listened too.
Though he tried not to show it.
Eventually Reva turned toward him.
"What about you?"
Sain already knew the question.
"...My family comes first."
The street grew quieter.
He continued.
"...Always."
No hesitation.
No apology.
Just certainty.
Reva studied him.
Then nodded.
"...That's normal."
Sain blinked.
Apparently he had expected resistance.
The response caught him off guard.
The large hunter folded his arms.
"Most people here would say the same thing."
Another nodded.
"You're allowed to care about your family."
For a moment, Sain didn't know what to say.
So he didn't say anything.
Reva reached into her pocket.
Pulled out a contact card.
Held it out.
"No pressure."
Sain accepted it.
"Think about it."
A second card landed in Maru's hands.
He looked absurdly happy about it.
The squad began to leave.
Conversation already shifting elsewhere.
Business finished.
Reva stopped halfway down the street.
Looked back.
"We're meeting at Central Guild tomorrow."
She pointed at the cards.
"If you're interested."
Then she smiled.
"Come find us."
The group disappeared around the corner.
Silence.
Maru stared at the card.
Then at Sain.
Then back at the card.
Then back at Sain.
"...I'm joining."
Sain stared.
"...You decided in five minutes."
"They seem nice."
"...That's your criteria?"
"Shouldn't it be?"
Sain looked genuinely concerned.
"...That's how people get stabbed."
Maru blinked.
"...You think everyone is dangerous."
"I hunt monsters for a living."
"Fair point."
They started walking home.
The evening sun hung low over the city.
Maru glanced at the card again.
Then toward Sain.
"...You're coming tomorrow, right?"
Sain looked ahead.
Thinking.
Not answering immediately.
Finally—
"...Maybe."
Maru grinned.
Good enough.