Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter 310.2: Dreadful Man

Ma-Master~ About those curses yesterday (Tino)

Aaaah It's right there, isn't it? Eliza took the jewel, tho' (Cry)

Master~ points at his desk. There, a black staff and a sword are placed in front of a teddy bear with a cross pendant on its neck. And on its arm is forcibly put the ring that Tino obtained inside Mimic-kun and presented it to him.

A 5-piece cursed equipment set! (Tino)

I will have to return the staff and sword I don't want them to tell me off. (Cry)

He is totally playing with the cursed items that caused a stir all over the Imperial Capital. It seems like the most dangerous curse item which is the Cursed Spirit Stone isn't there, but the other items cannot be underestimated. It may be a sign of his composure, but it is too bad for my heart to watch those from the sidelines. What are you going to do with Tino by making my heart *dokidoki* pound so much when it's already *dokidoki* pounding? 

And then Master~ looks at Tino as if he suddenly has an idea.

Ahhh, right. I wanted to talk with you Tino (Cry)

Y-Yes. What is it? (Tino)

My heartbeat, which I thought was at its limit, accelerates further. At this rate, it looks like I'm going to learn Onee-sama's Absolute Shadow (Zetsu Ei) move. That technique, which intentionally accelerates the heartbeat to gain explosive speed, is also a terrifying technique that can cause the heart to burst if not trained properly.

My body is hot. It's hot, but I am cold. I'm too nervous. Master~ opens his mouth to continue what he is saying while Tino is about to collapse at any moment. At that moment, the door to the Clan Master's office flung open.

Cry-chan, it's terrible! Come with me now! (Liz)

It was Onee-sama who burst into the room. I inadvertently shudder, but she doesn't even give Tino a glance and rushes over to Master~ at once. Onee-sama is always short-tempered, but it's unusual for her to be this agitated. Master~ is also staring in wonder.

D-Did something happen? (Cry)

Just come on, c'mon! (Liz)

Onee-sama grabs Master's~ hand and pulls him, and Master~ checks his surroundings in a hurry. He looks at Tino, but there is no way that Tino can stop Onee-sama when Master~ who is her childhood friend cannot stop her.

Okay, I'm coming! Follow us Tino. (Cry)

Eh? Ah, y-yes (Tino)

As if pushing it onto me, he hands me the staff he was holding. Is he telling me to bring it with me? I have a feeling that Onee-sama is only calling Master~ this time, but if he tells me to go with him, I can't say no.

Master~ followed with a troubled look on his face as Onee-sama pulled him by the hand. Tino held up the quite heavy staff and followed them quickly.

Led by Liz, who suddenly came to the Clan Master's office, we walked through the Imperial Capital, where the talk about the curse incidents is still overflowing. Luckily, it doesn't seem to be widely known that I was the initiator of the curse incidents. It would be a problem if it became known that a Level 8 Hunter had caused those incidents. However, I have left the incident cleanup to Eva, so it should be under control shortly. Only Eva can take care of these external problems.

Everyone was watching us as I walked while being dragged along. Behind me, Tino, caught up in my selfishness of not wanting to go alone, *watawata* wandered up to me with Round World in her arms.

Why are you bringing the staff? Isn't it heavy?

Liz pulled me to the Sword Saint's (Kensei) dojo, a place where I have been coming a lot lately.

For some reason, the half-destroyed gate is taped up off-limits, and the citizens are gathering there. Several knights are talking with serious expressions on their faces. Liz guides me inside as if pushing through them.

And thenI was at a loss for words when I saw the spectacle spread out in the spacious dojo.

In the spacious outdoor training area, countless stone statues dressed as swordsmen are lined up in a row. They are extremely elaborate stone statues of swordsmen that looked as if they would start moving at any moment. Tino lets out a small scream at the bizarre sight. Taking a deep breath, I fearfully approached one of them.

The expression on his face is stern and his eyes are wide open. The sword in his hand is not made of stone, but a real one. It is so well made, almost to the point of being in bad taste. Tino grabs my sleeve and says with a pale expression.

Do-Don't tell me, those are (Tino)ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ Noᴠelꜰire.nᴇt

H-Hey, those statues are quite well-made (Cry)

I feel like there wasn't any statue when I was being chased the other day, but is it just my imagination?

While *konkon* tapping on the stone statues, I check them out, one by one. Each statue is truly exquisite and no two are alike.

Heck, they were completely human. I don't really want to believe it, but even I can understand that much. Humans have turned to stone. So straaaange.

We-Well, I am sure, it is something that happens all the time. (Cry)

!? Eh!? Eeeeeh!? Th-This is something that happens all the time!? (Tino)

Tino opens her eyes and looks at me with beautiful *kirakira* sparkling eyes.

Well, you know It happens all the time, in myths

Somehow, I can imagine why it became like this. Well, it is because just the other day, I brought the cause of it with me.

Cry-chan, over here, over here! (Liz)

Liz beckons me over. I already feel like throwing up, but I head over there anyway. There are not just ten or twenty statues. I have been told that there are almost no casualties, but it is such a big lie.

There was a cage made of stone. Inside it is a statue of Luke, gripping the lattice and roaring with his mouth wide open. Nearby, a statue of the Sword Saint (Kensei) holding a sword with a grim expression on his face, is also placed in a set. I had an idea of what to expect, but when I actually see them with my own eyes, I momentarily choked up.

I stare at Luke Psycol's wide-opened eyes from a close distance. However, his eyes never focused on me.

C-Come to think of itThat curse said something about making him unable to wield a sword ever again.

Cry-chan, do you think Luke-chan's still alive~? (Liz)

F-For the time being, let's put a mask on him so dust doesn't accumulate in his mouth. (Cry)

Thanks for reading! A whole dojo being petrified, just an everyday event for Cry. And Cry's first reaction is to cover Luke's mouth

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