When Altaïr returned to his quarters in the Loc Lac Rangers' section with a small, simple backpack, the other two men sharing his room were already back.
Since Joda and Sajji had already given them a heads-up, they weren't surprised by Altaïr's arrival. In fact, they were quite enthusiastic.
"Nuri, 2★ Gunlance user." A young man who wasn't particularly tall but was very well-built, looking to be around twenty, proactively extended his hand for a shake.
To Altaïr's surprise, the Ranger's Armor this Gunlance user wore was a brilliant red.
He had never seen this color of Ranger uniform in the city. Did it have some special meaning?
As if noticing the surprise in his eyes, the Gunlance user named Nuri patted the weapon leaning against the wall and explained with a smile, "My weapon isn't suitable for use within the city, so daily patrol missions have nothing to do with me.
That's why the boss is a bit more lenient with us, allowing us to get our gear dyed by craftsmen.
I'm a vanguard, and red is the best color for attracting a Monster's attention, so I had it dyed this color."
Altaïr nodded in understanding and gave a simple self-introduction. "Altaïr, 1★ Hunter. It's a pleasure to be working with you, seniors."
"Likewise!"
The one who responded was the other person. He looked even younger, around eighteen or nineteen. The color of his armor was the standard issue, though it was a Gunner set.
Altaïr's gaze swept the room and, sure enough, he spotted a Heavy Bowgun on one of the beds.
That person also walked over and shook Altaïr's hand. "Asa, 1★ Heavy Bowgun user. Ugh, speaking of which, can we stop specifically mentioning the '1★' next time? It feels kinda lame."
Altaïr chuckled. This senior Heavy Bowgun user seemed to have a more lively personality than the senior Gunlance user, though not quite as talkative as that merchant, Karim.
"Nuri and Asa are biological brothers, meow," Sajji chimed in from his soft cushion. "Though they look nothing alike, meow."
Altaïr subconsciously compared the two's facial features. One had a flat nose, the other an aquiline nose; one had a square face, the other a sharp one. They really didn't look very similar.
"A lot of people say that," Nuri, the elder brother, said with a smile as he sat on his own bed.
Asa shrugged as well. "We also have a younger sister, and she doesn't look like either of us. That's a good thing, otherwise who would she marry in the future?
By the way, Altaïr, how old are you? You look so young."
"Seventeen in two months."
Asa couldn't help but stick out his tongue. "My god, a genius. You must not be from the Loc Lac Hunter Training Camp, otherwise there's no way we wouldn't have heard of you."
"No, I trained under my master."
"That's nice," Asa said, flopping onto his bed. "My brother and I didn't have the kind of talent that would make a skilled hunter take us on as disciples at first glance."
"Asa," Nuri chided with a frown.
"Ah, sorry, sorry!" Asa sat up and pressed his hands together. "This stupid mouth of mine never thinks before it speaks.
Actually, the training camp was pretty good. The instructors were strict, but we really learned a lot, and they even recommended us to the Loc Lac Rangers.
Haha, so it looks like we all ended up on the same path anyway!"
"Asa!"
"I'm sorry!" Asa raised his hands and shouted, "My apology is sincere!"
"..."
Altaïr was a little speechless. This senior Heavy Bowgun user was indeed a bit tactless. If he couldn't sense that there was no malice behind it, his words would have sounded like biting sarcasm.
"Alright, Boss Joda gave me a quest earlier and told me to complete it with you two. Little brother Altaïr, come take a look too." Fearing his foolish younger brother would say something else strange, Nuri quickly got down to business.
"This quest is quite dangerous, so Boss Joda told me to emphasize that your participation is entirely voluntary. Don't force yourselves. This isn't a 1★ level difficulty quest to begin with.
If you don't go, he'll just reassign more suitable people."
"Hey! Now that you've said that, doesn't it make it even more of a must-go?" Asa leaped up from the bed.
Altaïr, however, didn't immediately state his position. Instead, he walked over to Nuri's side. The three of them and the cat huddled together, reading the crumpled quest sheet.
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Subjugation Quest: Things That Swim in the Sand (2★)
Quest Details: Subjugate 5 Cephalos
Location: Desert northwest of Loc Lac
Time Limit: 7 days
Reward: 2000z
Possible Monsters: Cephadrome, Genprey, Delex
From the Leader of the Loc Lac Rangers: Recently, a group of Cephalos has migrated near Loc Lac, severely disrupting the trade routes to the northwest and causing casualties.
After an assessment by the Guild, it has been decided to subjugate this group of Cephalos.
Warning! A Cephadrome is present among this group of Cephalos. It is not an opponent you can handle. Other hunters will be arranged to hunt the Cephadrome. You only need to focus on reducing the number of Cephalos.
If the Cephadrome appears, retreat immediately and ensure your own safety.
---------------
"A 2★ quest?" Altaïr was a bit puzzled. "Putting our willingness aside, is it even allowed by the Guild for two 1★ Hunters like us to participate in a 2★ quest?"
Nuri smiled and explained, "Oh, that. I was a little confused about it at first, too. I only understood after Boss Joda explained it to me.
About ten or twenty years ago, the continent went through a period of chaos. Monster rampages were frequent, so to speed up the training of their forces, the Guild increased investment in all areas and relaxed some restrictions.
In the beginning, the heads of the various Guild branches could grant certain privileges to hunters they favored.
For example, Altaïr, you're a 1★ Hunter. If our Loc Lac Guildmaster thinks you have great potential, he can stamp a hollow star on the cover of your notes, like this."
Nuri drew a '☆' on the paper.
"This way, when you add it to the original star that symbolizes your rank, doesn't it look like two stars?"
Nuri added a few strokes to the paper, drawing a '★'.
"This is commonly known as a 'half-star.' A hunter with this mark is allowed to participate in quests one rank higher than their own hunter rank, provided they are led by someone.
Just like how I'm 2★, so I can take you, a 'one-and-a-half-star,' on a 2★ quest."
Altaïr, Asa, and Sajji gathered around Nuri's bed, nodding along as if listening to a story.
"Later, the Guild's upper management discovered that while there were risks, having young hunters participate in quests slightly beyond their skill level under the guidance of a senior was an effective way to accelerate their growth. There's even a saying that goes, 'Try to run before you learn to walk,' which many ambitious young hunters have adopted as a maxim."
"That makes so much sense! I'm making that my motto from now on!" Asa exclaimed, clapping his hands excitedly.
Nuri made a 'quiet' gesture to his younger brother and continued, "Now, the whole 'half-star' system has been abolished. In its place is an unwritten rule.
As long as they get permission from the local guild, hunters can join quests one star above their own hunter rank, provided they are led by a senior hunter.
This is also why Boss Joda allowed me to bring you two along for this 2★ quest."
"Why have I never heard of a rule like that?" Asa couldn't help but ask.
Altaïr was also puzzled. "I've never heard of it either."
Nuri spread his hands. "Because if anything goes wrong, the local guild that approved the quest will be held accountable by the Guild Headquarters.
So from the local guild's perspective, they naturally wouldn't publicize something like this. Even if you specifically apply for it, it might not get approved.
I only found out after Boss Joda told me. He also told me to remind you not to go around talking about it."
The two boys and the cat nodded repeatedly.
"So, are you joining this quest? I'll emphasize it again, it's voluntary. There are risks, so don't force yourselves."
"Of course we're going!" Asa answered readily.
Altaïr, however, thought a little deeper.
Since it required the local guild's approval, Boss Joda's word alone shouldn't be enough. Someone higher up must have approved this.
Who could it be? It didn't seem too hard to guess.
The image of a figure riding a Mosswine, his little mustache twitching, bounced around in his mind.
"I'll go too."