Chronicles Of The Crafting Hero [REMASTERED]

In the base's tent, Serena stood behind the counter, staring at the woman across from her. Silver hair spilled over the sides of the woman’s head, framing young, delicate skin that looked almost fragile, despite the aura she projected. She was beautiful, likely the same age as Serena herself.

But she was frowning. A commanding presence hung around her, heavy enough to make Serena feel physically stiff. The woman finished signing the contract, her piercing silver eyes meeting Serena’s emerald green ones for a fleeting, cold moment. Serena reached into the drawer behind the counter and pulled out the quest flyer. "You should know that if you don't complete the quest, your contract will expire within—"

"I know." The young woman cut her off before she could finish. She was already moving, walking out of the tent with a level of confidence in her stride that Serena couldn't help but watch. Serena sighed, a strange sense of relief washing over her. *Is she C-Rank plus? She took a C-plus quest without a second of hesitation. I wonder what level she really is.*

Curiosity burned in Serena's mind. She tapped her finger against the wooden counter, then pulled the drawer open to check the signature on the flyer. Written in sharp, clear letters was the name:Rebecca Sharp.

"Huh... That's new. I don't think she's ever hunted here before." Serena looked toward the open, rolled-up exit of the tent, watching the woman disappear into the distance. "Does she even know where each monster's territories are?"

Rebecca walked on, passing the exit of the base. *It's been so long since I've hunted here. Looks like they hired another clerk. She looks around my age.* Her quiver shifted against her back, rhythmically hitting the leather bag strapped to her waist. Entering the tree line of the monster zones, she reached back and slipped her bow off her shoulder, the string leaving her arm. She drew an arrow, nocked it, and kept walking.

*I wonder how long it'll take to find it. It's definitely beyond the river. I think it'll take at least several more quests of the same rank to afford the weapon I'm looking for.* She looked down at her bow; it was worn, the wood marred by deep scratches. *This old thing looks like it'll break any time. Plus, my arrows aren't hitting with the same power as they used to. I can't keep repairing and replacing the string.* "I need a new bow," she muttered under her breath.

Up ahead, she spotted a male and a female hunter, both carrying one-handed axes, walking several yards in front of her. She slowed her step. *A weapon first. Then I'll start hunting for real. I need to level up faster. As fast as possible. And then...* Her eyes narrowed with a fierce, cold determination. *Then I'll be ready.*

After several minutes, her pace slowed further, almost becoming hesitant. *But... can I really do this alone?* A sharp, wet chirping sound snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked to the left just as a blue slime launched itself from the brush, mid-air and lunging straight for her.

*Dammit, I got distracted.*She threw herself forward, the slime missing her by an inch as it hit the dirt. She spun, drew her arrow back, and loosed it.

The shaft pierced the slime while it was still grounded. The creature let out a pained, warbling chirp before disintegrating into a cloud of blue dust, leaving its dark gray, round core behind. Rebecca walked over, bending down to retrieve the core. It filled the center of her palm. *Must have been an E-Rank plus...* She studied the object for a moment before dropping it into her leather bag. *I need to focus. I'll think about the rest later.*

"Aaaahhh!" A raw scream tore through the forest.

"Huh?" Rebecca twisted instantly toward the sound. "What the hell was that?"

"Stop!" the voice yelled again.

*That's a person. Are they in danger?*

"Please stop!!!" The shouting felt far off, but the desperation in it carried. Rebecca's brow furrowed. She activated her skill: Perception.

Her eyes ignited with a silver-gray glow. The world in front of her became hyper-detailed; the distant trees seemed to rush toward her, as if the forest itself were approaching her to reveal its secrets. She could see far now. Her vision locked onto a young man with short black hair, clutching his head and stumbling in tight circles.

*A hunter,* she thought. But as she looked at the young man's neck, her eyes widened. There was no necklace. No badge at all. Then she saw another man run toward him. He had a brown chain around his neck, though she couldn't see the pendant. *That one is a hunter.*

*But the other one. What the hell are they thinking?* She blinked, her eyes returning to their natural state as she exhaled. *This might be my chance. I need to use every opportunity I can get.*

She launched forward, her speed picking up like a ball fired from a cannon. Her legs became a blur, and every branch she passed shook from the sheer wind of her momentum. Her silver hair whipped back as she tore through the brush. The world around her dissolved into a chaotic smear of emerald and brown, the trunks of ancient trees flickering past her peripheral vision like strobe lights.

Despite the exhilarating rush, her mind remained a block of ice.

*This is dangerous. I should be ready for anything.* She skidded to a stop and activated Perception once more. She saw the man holding his sword, facing down two Gloomfangs. They were growling, coiled to strike. But something was wrong. Through her Perception, she could see the man’s stance was completely exhausted. He looked drained.

*What is wrong with him? He looks like an amateur.*

She crouched low behind the bushes, concealing her presence entirely. *Maybe I should just let the wolves kill them. I can handle the wolves after. Then I'll take whatever money they have on them.* Then, a new thought struck her. Her eyes widened. *Wait. That guy, he isn't even holding a weapon. Did he lose it? Or maybe he's being guarded. Some people always pay hunters to help them level up.* She inhaled sharply through her nose. *I could take all that money for myself.*

She frowned, the wheels turning. *The only problem is, they usually leave the money at the base and pay once it's done. But I might be wrong.*

The wolves launched toward the man. *Should I help?* She clenched her teeth. *If that's not it, I'll just use the missing badge against them.* As the lead wolf leaped for the man's chest, she stood up and released her arrow. It struck the beast mid-air, pinning it to the dirt.

She crouched again, nocking another arrow and activating: Frost Arrow. The tip encased itself in jagged frost. She loosed the shot, burying it in the second wolf's eye. The beast died instantly, encased in ice before shattering into glittering shards. She watched as the man panicked, but as he turned to run, his necklace swung out from beneath his leather armor.

Rebecca stared, surprised. It was a D-Rank pendant. *His rank... he's lower than me. He isn't a threat.*

The morning sun spilled through the canopy in jagged streaks, catching the silver glow of the pendant hanging from James's neck. From her vantage point, Rebecca’s eyes locked onto it instantly. *Silver. He’s a Knight class.* Her mind moved with cold, mechanical efficiency. *D-Rank. No long-range skills. He can't touch me from this distance. But why would a non-combatant hire a D-Rank? Is he that broke?*

She rose fully from the brush, her movements fluid and silent. She drew another arrow from her quiver, nocking it with a practiced click. Pulling the string halfway to her cheek, she began a slow, measured walk toward James. He was still on the ground, his hands trembling as he shook Tyler.

*What is that?* Rebecca’s gaze dropped to the puddle forming beneath Tyler's head head. A viscous, ink-black liquid was weeping steadily from his eyes and mouth, pooling in the dirt like a shadow come to life. His eyes remained shut, his face a mask of pale exhaustion.

James looked up, his breath catching as he saw her. The bow was leveled, the arrow a silver sliver pointed at his heart. *So that's the archer,* he thought, his stomach dropping.

"What happened to him?" Rebecca asked. Her voice was low, soft, and terrifyingly calm.

James looked back at Tyler, his mind racing for a cover story. "I don't know. We were just hunting... he fainted out of nowhere."

"I heard screams," she countered, her silver eyes never wavering. "So he wasn't attacked by a monster?"

"No," James said shortly.

"Huh." Rebecca tilted her head, a gesture of mock confusion that didn't reach her eyes. She kept her distance, the arrow still taut. "What’s wrong with *you*, then? Those wolves were low-rank, but you looked like you were ready to die if I hadn't stepped in."

"I was fine," James lied, the words grating in his throat. *If I show her how weak I am, she’ll tear us apart.* He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and forced himself upward. His muscles screamed, his tendons feeling like they were made of glass. He let out a low, muffled grunt as he finally managed to stand, his legs shaking violently.

"Don't lie to me," Rebecca said, her voice dropping an octave. "You can barely keep your feet."

"I can stand just fine," James spat.

Rebecca’s gaze drifted back to Tyler. Her eyes narrowed into slits of disgust. "That black stuff coming out of him... it’s revolting. What is it?" She gestured toward the fluid with the tip of her arrow.

"I told you, I don't know! We were just walking and this happened."

"Turn him over," she commanded.

"What?" James stammered, his heart hammering against his ribs.

"I said turn him over."

James froze. *If I flip him, she’ll see his chest. She’ll see there’s no badge. She’ll report us.* "It’s fine," he said, his voice rising in panic. "We shouldn't move him. We might risk hurting him more."

Rebecca didn't argue. She simply pulled the bowstring to full draw, the wood groaning under the tension as the arrowhead aligned perfectly with James’s throat. "Turn. Him. Over. Now."

James dropped back to a crouch, his spirit breaking under the pressure. *Shit.* He reached down and rolled Tyler onto his back. His head lolled to the side, a ragged cough escaping his lungs as more black ink streaked his chin. "Tyler," James whispered, giving him a desperate shake. "He’s alive," he muttered, more to himself than her.

Rebecca stepped closer, her eyes scanning Tyler's leather armor. "Why doesn't he have a hunter's badge?"

"He... he lost it," James said, the lie sounding pathetic even to his own ears.

"You're lying." Rebecca’s voice sharpened, the calm finally cracking into a jagged edge. "You know he’d be charged for that. A hunter never loses their badge, they'll have to pay an insane amount to get another. Don't lie to me again."

"He just—"

An arrow hissed past James’s ear, the fletching brushing against his skin with a stinging heat. It buried itself deep into the tree trunk behind him with a resonant thud. Before James could even gasp, Rebecca had another arrow nocked and drawn.

"The next one goes through your skull," she said, her silver eyes burning. "Answer me."

James felt the sting on his earlobe. He looked at the arrow vibrating in the wood, then back at the girl who looked ready to execute them both. "Yes... he's not a hunter."

"Thought as much." Rebecca let out a slow breath. "If I report this right now, you're both spending a long time behind bars."

A heavy silence fell over the clearing, broken only by Tyler’s ragged breathing.

"Unless," Rebecca continued, her gaze dropping to the unconscious man. "Unless you pay me to keep my mouth shut. I just saved your life, and I don't work for free."

"We don't have any money," James said, his voice hollow.

"Then I guess I'll just kill you."

She activated her skill: Frost Arrow. The air around the arrowhead turned frigid, crystallizing into a layer of jagged, glowing frost that encased the tip. The temperature in the clearing seemed to plummet.

"Starting with him." She shifted her aim, the frozen arrow now leveled directly at Tyler’s heart.

Tyler’s eyelids fluttered open, the ambient light stinging his vision. He pushed his palms against the ground, hoisting his upper body upright. "Uh... My head." A heavy numbness weighed down his limbs. The muscles in his forearms strained with a dull ache as he supported his weight. Several meters away, the woman's posture shifted, her eyes widening slightly at his movement.

"You're awake..." James murmured, his voice rough.

Tyler dragged his gaze from James to the woman standing at a distance. The metal tip of a nocked arrow pointed squarely at them. "What's going on?"

"I saved you," Rebecca cut in before James could open his mouth. "Your old man over here was about to get attacked by wolves."

Tyler turned his head. In the distance, dark pools of blood spread beneath the motionless bodies of the gloomfangs. Beside them, another of the beasts lay shattered, its remains encased entirely in jagged blocks of solid ice. His eyebrows shot up, the skin of his forehead pulling tight. *What the hell?*

"Give me all the coins you have," Rebecca demanded.

Tyler turned to James. "What? Wasn't she helping us?"

"Give it to me or I'll kill you," she said, her grip on the bow tightening.

James dragged his bag onto his lap, his fingers slowly working the flap open. "Alright." He drew out a heavy cloth pouch, the coins inside shifting against each other with a heavy clinking weight. With a sharp grunt, he hurled it through the air. The pouch struck the ground directly at her boots.

"You keep your mouth shut," James said.

Rebecca lowered herself into a slow crouch, her eyes never leaving them, and snatched the pouch from the earth. She tossed it lightly in her palm, weighing the metal inside, before sliding it into her own bag. "I promise to keep my word." She pulled the drawstrings tight. "You're a fool, though. What's stopping me from putting an arrow in you anyway?"

"You would have done it already," James replied.

"Fair enough."

"It's not that she wouldn't kill us. She's just being practical."

"Your sword," Rebecca added.

"What about it?"

"Toss it here."

"But it's the only weapon that we have," James said, his jaw clenching. "What if we get attacked?"

"Not my problem. The coin pays for your lives. The sword buys my silence. Toss it."

"Damn it." James grabbed the leather straps of his sheath and unbuckled them with sharp, rigid movements. He heaved the heavy blade forward with a grunt. It landed on the ground midway between them. Rebecca knelt, snatching the hilt from the earth while keeping her unblinking gaze locked on James. She slid the long blade down into her quiver, the metal scraping against the wooden shafts of her arrows. "Good."

Tyler’s lips pressed together into a hard line. *She just took James's sword. I wish I could stop her. Maybe I can use the hand cannon. But I'll be too slow. My whole body aches. Even if James rushed her, she'd drop him before he got close.*

Rebecca let out a slow breath, her shoulders dropping a fraction. "This will do."

She took a measured step backward. "Lets hope we don't meet again." With a swift turn, she slipped into the dense brush of the undergrowth. The rapid rhythm of her fading footfalls carried through the air, leaving Tyler and James in silence as she disappeared.