A gruff voice echoed from the village entrance. The village head and the villagers lost their smiles. Sunny looked troubled. The village head hurried to the entrance, followed by the younger men.

“It’s not another monster attack, right? Who’s here?”

“…The mercenaries the village hired. They’ll be staying in the village again, starting today, for protection.”

Sunny explained, her usual cheerful demeanor gone.

(Mercenaries…)

Curious about who had arrived, Shoot decided to follow the village head.

“Ah…”

Sunny tried to stop him, but she seemed resigned and followed as well.

Near the village entrance stood two men: one large, one of average build. One carried a large sword on his back; the other, a staff with a crystal orb, wore a robe. They were the mercenaries regularly hired by Todd Village.

Their skill was considered mid-to-high within the mercenary guild; they could easily handle the Blood Wolf pack Shoot had just defeated.

However, they were known for their questionable behavior, leaving a bad impression on their clients. The villagers of Todd Village also disliked them.

“I thought no one would be around this early, but everyone seems pretty energetic. Did you all stay up drinking all night?”

“…Yet, everyone looks sober. What happened?”

“W-well, this morning, a pack of Blood Wolves attacked the village…”

The robed mercenary asked quietly, and the village head, with a respectful tone, explained the events.

“Blood Wolves attacked, huh? That means they’re gone now, right? Did you villagers manage to defeat them?”

“No, we villagers have no such strength. The monster pack was exterminated by a new mercenary who’d been staying in the village since last night.”

“…A new mercenary?”

The robed mercenary narrowed his eyes suspiciously, scanning the village. He entered and examined the area. Soon, they discovered the Blood Wolves’ corpses.

“This is quite surprising. He took down three Blood Wolves and several Red Dogs, all by himself!?”

“Where is this mercenary? Did he already leave the village?”

“That is…”

The village head hesitated, unsure whether to answer honestly, when—

“I exterminated that monster pack.”

Shoot stepped forward, identifying himself.

“What? You, a brat, did this?”

“…”

The swordsman eyed Shoot skeptically, while the robed mercenary silently stared at him.

“You said a new mercenary, right? Neither of us knows this kid. He clearly isn't registered with the guild.”

“Yeah, I don’t recognize him. Is he just some kid pretending to be a mercenary?”

The two mercenaries completely underestimated Shoot. Sunny and the others watched anxiously.

“Whether this kid defeated the monsters or not is irrelevant. The mercenaries in charge of this village are us. Therefore, the materials and ‘Strange Ore’ obtained from these monsters belong to us.”

The swordsman pointed to himself, claiming ownership of the Blood Wolves’ materials. “Strange Ore” was the same ore Shoot had called a magic stone, a valuable ore found in the bodies of monsters. Its size and value varied considerably depending on the monster's strength.

Meanwhile, Shoot judged that these mercenaries were not good people. While he hadn't struggled much, they were attempting to steal the fruits of his labor simply because they were supposedly in charge.

“Still, since you defeated so many, we’ll give you half. That’s a generous offer from us, right, Carona?”

“Hmph. Do as you wish.”

The swordsman made the proposal. Carona, the robed mercenary, remained indifferent.

(Now I understand why Sunny and the others were hesitant. It’s understandable to dislike having such people as bodyguards. They’re incredibly unpleasant.)

This was the third time Todd Village had hired these two mercenaries. The villagers’ dislike for them stemmed from financial constraints. Todd Village was relatively poor compared to other villages, limiting their budget for mercenaries.

The second reason was the mercenaries exploiting the village. They accepted a low fee for their services. In return, they demanded lodging, luxurious meals, and the company of young women during their stay.

Sunny had been forced to comply with their demands during the previous mission, increasing her aversion to them. While the mercenary guild forbade such demands for protection services, the village’s economic hardship left them no choice but to accept their terms.

“Three Blood Wolves, that's unexpected extra cash! After this mission, I’ll enjoy some fine liquor in the big city!”

As the mercenaries were about to begin looting, Shoot stepped forward.

“All the materials from these monsters are mine. I killed them all, so it's only natural.”

“What? What are you saying? You killed them all? You’re full of it!”

“Unbelievable? It’s not something an unregistered mercenary like you can do.”

“Even if you did, a mercenary not officially in charge of this village wouldn’t be entitled to the spoils!”

“Well, I’m not a mercenary, so I shouldn’t be bound by those guild rules, right?”

“Not a mercenary?”

Standing firm before the mercenaries, Shoot refused to yield. Sunny and the others watched, their faces pale. They all feared for his safety.

“This brat’s got a big mouth… It seems we need to teach this kid what a real mercenary is!”

“Hmph. Just don’t kill him.”

“Ha! That depends on the brat…”

Tension filled the air. The swordsman drew his weapon, brandishing it menacingly at Shoot.

This reminded Shoot of the high school delinquents from the previous night. He found the mercenaries just as unpleasant.

(These guys are the same. They’re just like those scums in the real world…)

Wielding the sword that had cut down so many monsters, Shoot accepted the challenge.

“Shoot-kun, don’t fight! Those two are strong enough to defeat a pack of Blood Wolves without breaking a sweat! It’s frustrating, but you should give them the monster materials…”

Sunny attempted to persuade him. The swordsman, sword in hand, charged at Shoot.

“It’s too late for apologies! I’m not going to let this go until you suffer!”

The mercenary roared, swinging his greatsword. Everyone in the village braced for the worst.

“The same mindless charge as the first wolf. Predictable.”

WHAM! “Gugh!?”

Having anticipated the attack, Shoot narrowly dodged the greatsword, then countered with a powerful punch to the mercenary's face, knocking him out cold.