Though it was only temporary, Lancer's current mission was to hunt 'monsters'. Thus, right now, he was on a carriage heading toward—the desert.
Yes, literally riding a carriage.
The real world wasn't like the games, where you arrived instantly after a brief loading screen. Although the desert wasn't particularly far from the village, according to the carriage driver, it would take about five or six hours by the official road.
And naturally, during this time, Lancer chose—to pet cats!
That's right—petting cats!
Even though they were technically three Felynes, their everyday habits didn't differ much from ordinary housecats. After Lancer spent just 1 point to exchange for a big bag of dried fish from "Supplies", he smoothly established a friendly relationship with the three Meowstars.
The Felyne with a mostly white coat except for black spots on his paws and head was named "Al." He used bombs as his weapon, was the second easiest to befriend, and seemed to especially enjoy head pats.
The predominantly black-coated Felyne with white limbs was named "Jack." He wielded a Long Sword and looked exactly as aloof as his coloration suggested. He permitted Lancer to squeeze his paw pads but refused any attempt at smoothing his fur.
The easiest to befriend was the orange-and-white tabby named "Tiger." Contrary to his domineering name, he was a total foodie. Offer him dried fish and he'd happily let Lancer stroke his fur. Incidentally, though Lancer had only known him for an hour or so, he'd already discovered Tiger's favorite spot to be scratched—his back. Tiger's weapon, by the way, was the rarely seen Hunting Horn.
...
"Mr. Hunter, we've arrived at the desert… Mr. Hunter?"
Just after the carriage driver called out, a lazy-sounding voice replied from behind him.
"Ahh~! I'm awake, I'm awake."
Lancer, lying inside the carriage, rubbed his eyes and sat up. With his movement, Al—previously sprawled comfortably on his belly—also stretched lazily, stood up wobbling slightly, and went to put on his gear. Meanwhile, Tiger, who'd been dramatically lying belly-up on Lancer's arm, merely turned over, ready to resume sleeping. Jack, who'd been dozing against the side of the carriage, watched this scene in speechless disbelief. Only after Jack tugged insistently at Tiger did he reluctantly stand up.
Although still not entirely familiar with Jack, Lancer had already observed that beneath his cold exterior lay an extremely disciplined nature. At least he should cooperate well during the hunt.
Otherwise? Did you really think Lancer was trying to curry favor with Felynes solely to touch their paw pads? (Serious face!)
Unlike the game, where a "base camp" consisted merely of a tent and two boxes, an actual camp was significantly larger, bustling with numerous people.
Those responsible for healing, rescue, and managing supplies were all present.
Incidentally, the carriage Lancer arrived in also transported supplies.
When Lancer handed over his "Five-Star Mission Request," the veteran Hunter in charge of camp management stared at him in disbelief. After all, the real world wasn't like the game, where quests were infinitely repeatable and monsters respawned endlessly. In reality, Five-Star quests appeared only a few times per month at most.
But seeing Lancer's unfamiliar equipment (CCG's complimentary combat uniform plus protective armor), accompanied by no human teammates—only three Palicoes—and yet brimming with confidence (purely because this was his first real hunt), the veteran Hunter wisely refrained from further comment.
"These are your supplies. By the way, anything left unused should be placed here, here, or over there. Those are our default storage points. After completing the hunt, signal us with this green flare. And these three red flares are for your Palicoes—use them if rescue is required… Of course, I sincerely hope to see the green flare."
Real-world Hunters were much more practical. Naturally, the more supplies one could carry, the better. Some people even specialized in transporting supplies to certain hunting areas, and no one would recklessly waste resources. After all, no one wanted to discover the supply storage empty the next time they desperately needed something.
Only after enduring the veteran Hunter's repeatedly emphasized instructions did Lancer finally nod goodbye. Holding the map carefully, he then quietly placed it on the ground.
"Hey, you three… does anyone know the way?"
The three Palicoes seemed equally baffled by this strange partner. After an awkward moment, Jack finally reached out and took the map from Lancer.
If anyone had happened to encounter Lancer at that moment, they would surely witness an astonishing sight:
A tall young man wearing peculiar armor, with a black cat perched on his shoulder, holding a map and giving directions with a constant "meow-meow-meow," trailed by two other Palicoes…
...
Today, luck didn't seem to favor Lancer. He'd already visited two areas labeled as "most likely spots for the target" without even a glimpse. Eventually, he had no choice but to stop for lunch.
Perhaps the greatest difference between Lancer and other Hunters in this world lay in how much simpler his "supply logistics" were. Basic necessities like food and water required no advance preparation; 2 points summoned a pack of dried fish and a large bottle of water straight into his hands.
Thus, one human and three cats sat together in a circle, eating casually.
But clearly, heaven had no intention of letting Lancer eat in peace. Not long after they'd sat down, the three Palicoes simultaneously dropped their food, swiftly grabbed their weapons, and urgently began "meow-meow-meowing" at Lancer.
Although unable to understand Felyne language, he understood their warning clearly enough. Without hesitation, he tossed his supplies aside, swiftly grabbing the nearby supply box.
One human and three cats had just managed to hide behind a large rock when the sand beneath their feet began vibrating. Accompanied by a scraping "shaa-shaa" sound of shifting sand, a massive "shell" gradually emerged from the ground.
Yet, Lancer's eyes lit up immediately. That's right! This was exactly the target he was looking for—Daimyo Hermitaur!
After emerging from the sand, the monster made no further moves, merely resting quietly, seemingly only there to enjoy the moonlight.
Yet at that very moment—
Pa—!
With a sudden, strange splat, the peacefully resting Daimyo Hermitaur shuddered violently, turning toward whoever had dared disturb its relaxation.
Standing there was a strange human who'd just thrown a Paintball, accompanied by three Palicoes.
Our eyes met—it's someone I must kill!
"Sha-shaaa~!!"
Emitting a wildly exaggerated screech, the Daimyo Hermitaur brandished its giant pincers menacingly, charging sideways directly toward Lancer and his companions!