GILF Hunter

’Advance Defense Line 3.’

Following the signal, the soldiers moved forward slowly to establish a new defense line.

The encirclement surrounding the northern sector where the monsters had infiltrated slowly tightened toward the center.

Meanwhile, the cavalry, having finished driving the monsters in the opposite direction of the evacuation, gathered back at the intersections.

These cavalry units were tasked with patrolling the perimeter and guiding the monsters to ensure they didn’t spread to other sectors.

’One broke away!’

A cavalryman shouted while looking up at a roof.

One of the monsters had deviated from the intended path, scaling a wall and leaping onto the roof.

’Leave it!’

The cavalrymen watched the monster as it jumped over the roofs and fled elsewhere, then turned their heads back.

Their goal was strictly to flush out the monsters on the ground.

And from a short distance away, there were others watching the scene unfold.

’One came up.’

From a nearby watchtower, they spotted the monster that had leaped onto the roof.

Escaping the complex urban streets and jumping onto a roof with no cover made the monster an easy target from the watchtower.

The scout, who was tracking the movement of auras rising across the city, signaled.

’One target at 1 o’clock.’

The red aura of the monster on the roof was also visible to the prepared mercenary holding a bow.

The monster paused for a moment to survey its surroundings, perhaps looking for its next target, when an arrow immediately flew toward it.

A single blue line, like a flash of light, streaked across the sky of Labyrinth.

Archers were capable of increasing the power of their arrows indefinitely if they had sufficient time to prepare.

The arrow, which had been gathering mana while they waited, flew without a sound and lodged itself in the monster’s head before it could react.

Even with this much preparation, it would be difficult to take down a massive, mindless monster with a single shot, but fortunately, this was not that type of monster.

Perhaps because their bodies were light enough to scale walls, they didn’t seem particularly durable.

Pierced by the arrow, the monster fell from the roof instantly. Without even needing to confirm the kill, the red aura that had plummeted to the street soon flickered out.

The scout observing the scene relayed the message to the back and turned their gaze elsewhere.

’Target eliminated.’

Turning their eyes away from the kill, the mercenaries on the watchtower surveyed the streets once more. Red auras were moving throughout the noisy streets.

Meanwhile, the red aura visible to one mercenary grew faint and began to fade away.

The effect of the potion had worn off.

’My potion ran out.’

’Want to switch out?’

’No. I think I can go a few more rounds.’

The scout mercenary replied and pulled out another potion to drink.

Because they had taken several in a row, the duration was slightly shorter, but they still had plenty left thanks to having the potions processed for maximum duration for use during the invasion.

As they drank the potion, the fading red aura became vivid again.

Looking down from the watchtower, they could easily grasp exactly where the monsters were running wild in the city.

The mercenary who drank the potion looked down at the empty bottle and muttered.

’This. Even putting aside the fact that it’s a countermeasure for Stalkers, isn’t it an incredibly good potion?’

According to the included instructions, it reacted not only to monsters but also to traps set with hostile intent or dangerous items.

If that were true, it was a must-have item to carry at least a few bottles of on regular expeditions.

Countless troublesome situations that could be solved with this one potion came to mind.

Where on earth did they make this kind of potion? A question arose among the mercenaries.

Even if it were a small, unknown shop, if they had items like this, word would have definitely gotten out. If they had known earlier, they would have definitely bought it to carry around.

’Where do they sell this?’

’This is the first time I’ve seen it too.’

The mercenaries inspected the empty bottle and discovered a small engraving on the bottom.

The mercenary who read the engraving muttered.

’Where is the Louise Workshop?’

While everyone was shaking their heads at the unfamiliar name of the workshop, one person spoke up as if they remembered.

’Ah, that…. I think I heard people talking about it at the Guild.’

They hadn’t been very interested in where a new, unknown workshop was opening, but the location was so striking that it had stuck in their memory.

’The spot that was under new construction on Clock Tower Street. They said it was moving in there.’

’There? That’s an incredibly expensive spot.’

Well. If they developed a potion like this, it wouldn’t be an ordinary workshop.

Everyone nodded as if they understood. If it was a place that made this, there would surely be many more great items.

And the mercenaries made up their minds to visit on the very first day the shop opened.

＊ ＊ ＊

’This way, please!’

The vanguards of the standby unit, including Rin and Lia, ran through the streets with the soldiers, guiding the evacuating residents.

Deeper in the streets, there were still residents who hadn’t finished evacuating within the danger zone.

Meanwhile, Lia, who was guarding the perimeter at the very back, spotted a red aura approaching.

’Rin. Coming!’

Lia turned her head and signaled toward Rin.

Rin, who was helping with the evacuation, shouted urgently to the residents.

’It’s dangerous, so don’t move!’

’What’s coming?’

’Stay right where you are!’

In the meantime, a Stalker poked its head out from an alley and was drawing near.

Muffling its footsteps, slowly.

The Stalker raised its claws, targeting Lia who was furthest ahead.

It didn’t seem to realize yet that Lia could see it.

Lia stood still, waiting for the Stalker to approach while pretending she couldn’t see it.

She had heard that they flee immediately if their concealment is blown. Lia waited quietly for her chance.

The Stalker, having approached right in front of Lia, swung its claws.

Just before the Stalker’s attack connected, Lia moved a step to evade it and immediately lunged with her sword.

Lia’s counterattack pierced the chest of the defenseless Stalker.

At the same time, Rin’s attack flew in from behind.

They had been sufficiently briefed by Ian on what kind of creature a Stalker was, as well as its weaknesses and vital points.

Rin’s sword accurately cut off the Stalker’s breath.

The monster’s short screech rang out.

With a death rattle, the Stalker collapsed to the ground.

Soon, the dead Stalker’s concealment wore off, and its hidden form was revealed.

The residents watched the two people swinging swords at the air with curious eyes, only to be horrified when a monster’s corpse suddenly appeared.

A great commotion broke out among the evacuating residents.

’It appeared out of nowhere….’

’There’s an invisible monster!’

’Is there another one nearby?’

As the existence of invisible monsters became known, a sudden wave of fear began to spread among the residents.

’Calm down!’

Rin shouted at the panicked residents.

It would be a bigger problem if people started breaking rank and fleeing in terror.

’We can see where they are! It’s okay because there are none nearby right now!’

These were the words of the very people who had personally dealt with the invisible monster.

Perhaps because it was quite a persuasive argument, the chaos among the residents was barely calmed by Rin’s shout.

’What on earth is happening….’

One resident muttered while scanning the surroundings with anxious eyes.

It was an emergency alert they had almost forgotten existed, as they couldn’t remember the last time it had rung.

They had started evacuating today because they were told monsters had entered the streets out of the blue, but no monsters were visible at all, and it didn’t even seem like combat was taking place.

But to think that invisible monsters were roaming around.

Only then did a heavy atmosphere spread as everyone realized how dangerous the situation had become.

’How many more of those are there?’

A resident asked Rin.

Rin checked the surroundings and stole a glance at the city. Although they were being picked off one by one…. there were still an immense number of red auras right now.

But, honestly… I shouldn’t say that, right?

Rin thought as much and spoke with a face that suggested everything was fine.

’Not many! We’ve caught almost all of them!’

They were far from clearing all of those out.

Lia, who was beside her, kept her mouth shut.

Among the soldiers, there were a few who had received potions and could see the auras, but they similarly remained silent.

’By the way.’

One person stepped forward from among the residents and spoke to Rin.

A middle-aged resident who was lightly armed with a sword. He was a militia member who had been helping the soldiers bring out and evacuate the residents.

The middle-aged militia member asked Rin with a curious face.

’How are you seeing them? The invisible monsters.’

’Ah, that’s because we have potions….’

Rin answered the question reflexively.

The Crisis Detection Potion. It was thanks to a special potion prepared for today that allowed them to see invisible hazards with their eyes.

’There’s a potion like that?’

’Can we see them too if we have that?’

At the mention of a potion that allowed them to see invisible monsters, the gazes of the trembling residents all turned toward Rin at once.

Rin backed away hesitantly with a flustered face.

’I’m sorry, but we have to use them, so we can’t give them to you….’

’Who said anything about asking for one.’

The middle-aged man spoke as if he were dumbfounded by Rin’s flustered reaction.

It wasn’t like they had lived here for just a day or two. Did she think they would demand defense force supplies?

What they wanted now was different information.

’Where do they sell it, that thing.’

’Exactly. If such a thing existed, we would have bought it long ago….’

’Um….’

After hesitating and looking around, Rin spoke cautiously.

’It’s made by a place called the Louise Workshop….’

The Louise Workshop in Clock Tower Square.

By tomorrow, rumors were expected to spread to all the residents.