The beginning of the hunt

We stared at the heroes in the room, while they stared back. After being guided to the guest room, the heroes decided to compare their knowledge together... even with me.

Naofumi and Motoyasu sat on a luxurious bed, Ren sat on a chair, and I remained standing in my stance.

Wolf, being bored, started phasing threw the walls and floor, popping up every now and then.

"*Kuhum* well, lets start comparing our knowledge shall we? So, did we all come from the same Japan-?"

I once again tuned them out, since I already knew what they're talking about, and started planning. I'll leave once it's night, and start hunting for my next Mark, and will continue to do so until the Waves begin. Speaking of the Waves, I'll need absorb the sand in the Dragon Hourglass so I can check the timer, and be teleported to the Waves.

"So you know the game Brave Star Online, right? It's just like-"

I'll need to figure out of I can actually strengthen and upgrade my bow, and absorb its materials. Can I copy other bows, and change my bow? I think its in its permanent state, and can't change. But maybe I can use different abilities? Ah, right, there was the help button to. Maybe I should-

"So...Kindred? Where exactly are you from?"

I looked back up, and they stared at me with expressions of curiousity, anticipation, fear, and wonder?

"The world where we lived in-," I began to say.

"Was not unlike this place." Wolf finished, phasing out a wall and floated next to me.

"Though there was no such thing as status magic. That's all you need to know." I said with finality.

"Uh...alright? Thanks for sharing?" Naomi said with confusion.

"That's barely anything at all!" Motoyasu complained. "Oh, yes. how did you get here anyways? I kind of died...due to two women stabbing me..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

We all stared at Motoyasu, dumbfounded.

Ah yes, Motoyasu died by being a playboy. I forgot about that.

"I died trying to save my friend," Ren spoke up after a moment.

I remembered that. Ren died trying to save a friend, how noble.

"I came here just by reading a book, not as drastic as you guys," Naofumi said, sweating.

I shook my head.

"...We came here through a portal."

"Same as Naofumi, huh? Nothing too drastic."

"Well it's getting late, and we'll need to get up early to train and get our new party members," Ren stood up and walked out the door, the other two following him.

When they left, I turned to look out the window, looking at the moon rising.

Just a few more hours, then it'll become midnight.

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Footsteps were barely heard on the roofs of buildings.

We traveled through the night in blissful silence. Getting out of the castle, as well as getting across the buildings were quite easy. The only problem were the higher level adventurers, but they were unable to see me.

We made our way to the gate that leads out of the capital, guards lay ahead, watching out into the dark night. We also easily sneaked past them with swiftness, and finally made outside, and into a forest.

A perfect place for a hunt.

As we walked into the forest, Wolf sniffed out a scent in the forest.

Wolf, marked the creature in the forest excitedly, and he headed towards it swiftly, I following him closely.

"Hurry Lamb. Faster!" He urged.

He sped up, and I sped up after him. I landed on a branch above our prey. It was a porcupine of sorts, and it was sleeping. I quietly raised by bow, notched an arrow, and...

Twang!

It hit the porcupine, not doing enough damage to one-shot it. It squealed, and tried to flee into the forest, but Wolf was already chasing after it.

Snap!

[40 Exp gained!]

[1 Mark gained!]

He bit its nape, and crushed its spine. After he dropped it, I jumped down, and held its carcass onto my bow, willing for it to merge.

*Ting*

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Bow of the Hunter (Legendary Armament)

Attack: 15(+5) => 20

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I smiled beneath my mask. Though it seems like I can't change my weapon, we can at least gain stats. Since Wolf share my stats, we both get stronger at the same time. Although...

I looked at the skill that describes my 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸.

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𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 of the Kindred (1)

-Every marked gain increases their STR by (1) and DEX by (3).

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...That is pretty much a busted skill. I wondered if I can get more powerful than the heroes, even if they all shared their unique strengthening techniques. I opened my status.

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Kindred (Lamb and Wolf)

HP: 100/100

MP: 120/120

-𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Hero of the Bow Level 1 / The Eternal Hunters ???

STR: 19(1) => 20

VIT: 10

DEX: 50(3) => 53

INT: 12

LUC:15

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I smiled beneath my mask. Though it seems like I can't change my weapon, we can at least gain stats. Since Wolf share my stats, we both get stronger at the same time.

Looking up, Wolf marked another creature and dashed towards it into the dark forest.

Time to start another hunt.

...

Dawn came, the sun rising into the sky.

Birds began to chirp, animals began to wake up and climb out of their homes.

I was looking at the sky on top of a tall tree, standing on one leg.

Wolf was busy eating leftover carcasses from our recent hunts, I already absorbed some of them into my weapon.

It turns out I can't absorb the same types of species, so I have to absorb each new species we found, like yellow and blue balloons.

Yes, balloons. Wolf can even eat them to.

We had a long hunt, and we never get tired physically from it, as we are spirits. Mentally, though, is a different story. We do enjoy taking several naps, and the same goes with eating.

Hunting tirelessly through the night, we got stronger each and every hunt and kill. I checked the status on my marks.

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𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 of the Kindred (7)

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Wolf always places a 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 on random creatures, and we have to dash back and forth in the forest. Why? Well, Wolf said it makes it more fun. For me though, it's very troublesome. Still, we get stronger every hunt.

We managed to level up 4 times in a single night. Not too bad, as we didn't manage to find the stronger monsters. Turns out each level up, we get an (+1) to all stats, (+2) going into STR and DEX. Guess being the Bow Hero has its advantages.

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Kindred (Lamb and Wolf)

HP: 140/140

MP: 140/140

-𝐎𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Hero of the Bow Level 5 / The Eternal Hunters ???

STR: 20(7)(+10) => 37

VIT: 10(+4) => 14

DEX: 53(21)(+10) => 84

INT: 10(+4) => 14

LUC:15(+4) => 19

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...The skill is actually broken. In terms of the average hero stats, the 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 of the Kindred is seriously broken, since it doesn't have a limit. We'll have to continue to power ourselves up, until at least the boss can barely hurt me with my weak VIT. Even then I would be at a distance away, Wolf protecting me from monsters who get too close.

The sun rose higher as I contemplated on my stats and plan.

Since its morning...that means the three heroes are going to be getting their new teammates. If it's like how I read it will be, I'm seriously happy that I'll stay away from it. I have Wolf as my eternal companion, that's all I need

"I smell prey!" Wolf finished eating the carcass, sniffed another scent, marked it, and began flying away.

Yes, Wolf is the only companion I need.

Now then, it's time to continue our relentless hunt.

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[Aultcray] POV

"She's what!" I yelled at a guard, who was kneeling and cowering.

It was early in the morning, and I had just heard that demi-no, spirit- Kindred has disappeared from their room. But how!? I had the entire capital secured, yet they managed to hide or sneak out!

Preposterous! I put a hand on my face, sighing.

Though looking at this situation, I realized I really do need better guards

I gestured for him to leave, which he did gladly, bowing his way out.

At least I still have the other three heroes.

I snickered. The spear and sword hero as companions, while that devil of a shield...hehehe.

I can't wait to watch his face once he realized he's alone in this kingdom.

Settling down on my throne, I called out to several guards in the throne room.

"Call for the heroes!"

It's time for them to meet their new comrades.

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[Lamb] POV

Later in the day, while we were hunting, Wolf sniffed into the air, and snarled.

"Those weaklings are finally coming out."

Ah, it's about time they did. They finally made their parties, leaving Naofumi only with 1, a devil in disguise.

In this country, Melromarc is pro-human, and views demihumans as slaves. The Shield Hero is a hero to the demihumans, so it makes sense that most of the entire matriarchy doesn't like the shield.

Did I mention matriarchy? Yes, the queen is the absolute ruler, the king being second. Where is she now? She's a diplomat trying to dissolve the tension between her country and the others, due to the heroes all being summoned in one spot, Melromarc.

The heroes were suppose to be summoned seperately in several other countries, not all in the same one. That's why the queen is not here, unfortunately. Anyways, it's not really my problem, at least not yet.

As a mark appears, we'll hunt down the marked, and grow stronger each time we hunt.

Until the Waves of Calamity arrives.

We went back to our hunt, not bothering to get close to the other heroes.

As one of the marked was running away, a dire rabbit, Wolf flew after it.

"Yes! Yes! Run! Fear makes the chase more fun!"

I chased after him. I'll fire my arrows at those who stood to fight, and Wolf will hunt down those who run from death.

"Those who run from death, stood still in life."