“Ahh…”
My name is Motoko Sawaki. I am a former seeker, who started working in the Seeker Association after retiring from being a seeker.
A lot of people in the Seeker Association are former seekers, especially the ones dealing with the public. Seekers have different physical abilities than regular people, so we need a different level of physical abilities to deal with them when they get rowdy. Japan has harsh penalties for crimes committed by seekers, and there are a lot of restrictions, but there are always going to be incorrigible idiots who can’t think ahead. And so, dropouts such as myself tend to become employees.
But what worries me right now is not these stupid apes.
My problem is with a certain person, who would normally have his seeker privileges removed and would be sent back to civilian life.
Zenjurou Oonuki. A man with an F rank Storage skill and all F stats. A thirty-five year old man who only received what amounts to an invisible water bottle… He is most likely the weakest seeker, and definitely not suited to go to a dungeon.
And yet, on his fourth time exploring one by himself, he established a way to mine ether crystals, defeated a mega mana tarant and its minions, and took down a summon beast.
With his permission, I watched the footage that showed him defeating the summon beast, and saw him moving abnormally fast while using his Storage skill as a cannon to shoot the summon beast in the mouth with precision. What is this? Scary.
The AI analysis deemed that the person who summoned it must be level fifty. Summon beasts are as strong as the level of their summoner. Basically, this summon beast has the power equivalent of level fifty.
Mister Oonuki’s cannons dealt damage to the summon beast, but it could have handled that. A level nine like him would certainly lose against something like that in a normal fight. And…
“Good work today, Sawaki.”
“Chief Yoshida. Ahh…”
The chief talks to me in the break room.
Well, it’s not a coincidence.
Mister Oonuki… Or rather, his summon beast of unknown origin has left even the higher ups on edge, so I’m sure they want to hear what he’s like.
“That was a big sigh. That’s how happiness gets away.”
“If you think so, have someone else take over. This is too much for me.”
“You say that, but you are his handler. I will work behind the scenes, so please?”
“Behind the scenes. Did you find someone who could have failed as the owner of that summon beast?”
That is the problem. As I explained to Mister Oonuki, if a summoner is killed, a summon beast returns to a seal stone. And then it waits for its next master. That means if you want a summon beast, you can get one by killing its master… There have been many cases of summoners being targeted for this reason.
And Mister Oonuki is a level nine all F. If word of this gets out, people will see him as an easy mark. Not to mention that if the person who failed the summon is alive and not particularly virtuous, they could try to kill Mister Oonuki.
If information about Mister Oonuki is known, it could start leaking to other people, so I wanted to know the identity of the person who failed, so Mister Oonuki could be careful, but…
The chief shakes his head.
“It’s difficult. It would be one thing if the range was within the country, but a seeker with a level around fifty can work all over the world.”
“Of course…”
As he said, we would have information if it was in this country, and we should be able to find it unless it was suppressed. But when the scale turns worldwide, it’s a different story. There are many countries who don’t coordinate information in the first place, and a level fifty seeker is something countries would want for themselves. I doubt many would share detailed information.
“I went through it with a fine comb, but to be honest, we shouldn’t expect much. So how did the summoner take it? Was he scared?”
“I didn’t get that feeling.”
I think back to his expression, and he didn’t seem nervous when he left.
“I see. He just recently became a seeker. He must be pretty brash. What kind of aura do you feel from this Mister Oonuki?”
“Just a normal old man… He certainly doesn’t look like he fits his accomplishments, and in fact looks like he suits his F skill and stats. Someone who seems completely unrelated from violence.”
Yes, normal. Just a very normal old man. Apparently he worked for a company that had no relation to dungeons before he became a seeker, but he’s strange. Something really is strange about him. After all…
“He smiled.”
“Smiled?”
“Yes.”
“A smile formed on his face when he heard about the possibility of him being killed.”
A normal person would be taken aback or scared, but not him. I would say he was… Excited. Yes, and that’s why I think that man is outside the bounds of common sense.
The chief’s expression changes when he hears me and looks at me.
“Sawaki, what was his psychological evaluation like when he received his license?”
“B+. introverted, but not emotionally unstable. Of course, poor assertiveness is a drawback for a seeker, but there weren’t any issues.”
In a normal conversation, he was just a normal old man. That’s why it was odd.
“I see. Let’s just watch him for now. Continue observing him, since he might become a valuable player here. And not just because he’s a rare summoner. His achievements speak for themselves.”
“Yes. That is what I figured.”
The chief is right.
People don’t work as seekers forever. Once they earn a certain amount, they settle down, and retire when they have enough. Some die when they encounter a dangerous situation, or survive but are too scared to continue. That was what happened to me.
That’s why only very few reach the high rank. And as a former seeker, I would say they’re all crazy.
But they are also very valuable for the association, and being the handler of one of them is a path to moving up in life… But I feel like I have no idea what that man might do. Will someone else take over…
Well, that footage with the red panda was scary, but… I would like to meet it if he can summon it. It looked so fluffy…
Maybe I’ll try asking next time.
———————————
The man will return to that other world.
Even with the scythe of death at his neck, he cannot stop. The man is a seeker. He is drawn to danger, as one who challenges another world.
And the red devil will respond to his calling.
Mister Oonuki’s cannons dealt damage to the summon best, but it could have handled that
Beast* couldnt*
Thanks.