The frost mage looked beneath her as she sprinted in the air, using ice as a foothold with every step. Hunters devoured by Rodents due to carelessness and ignorance, humans slashed through fiends with gusto to ensure their survival and demonstrate their superiority in power; it was an exchange of blows between opposing forces.
Reina lifted her hand and produced four huge clumps of ice crystal, encircling her.
"Scatter!"
By her command, the crystals exploded, turning into ice shards and impaling all the fiends she targeted. It paved the way for civilians who were not able to evacuate and fellow hunters to have room to breathe.
"T-thank you!"
"Tch! What a show-off."
Of course, saving someone doesn't mean one would get good graces. The ones who felt that they were protected exclaimed their thanks as they ran away to safety, and the ones whose pride was as vast as the sea spat out their venom to the hands of the one who helped them.
Nevertheless, the frost mage was only doing what she could to give aid. In her mind, people are not always unified, and they often hold separate thoughts about a particular matter. She paid no heed to the malice and waved her hand to the evacuees as she continued tracking the rare Rodent.
"Almost there," she murmured.
Rodents soon came at her direction and launched themselves into the air. It was not surprising, as she read in a certain guide that a Rodent has powerful limbs. Doing this kind of jump is normal.
"You just made yourselves easy targets."
Reina turned her focus on the platform she was standing on. It glowed slightly, and from it came forth multiple ice needles, piercing unfortunate victims. She canceled her attack, and all of the dead fiends fell with a thud. A bit of silence prevailed before another group of Rodents appeared.
She frowned.
"If I were to stay any longer, forget the mutant, the casualties would rise to an insane quantity."
Reina had no choice but to count on the other mid-tier hunters. As for the low-tier hunters, she softly whispered her hope that there were hunters who were levelheaded.
___
"Thank you for calming him, Miss…?"
"You're welcome, and you can call me Tessah."
I shook the hand of one of the medics as he took a breather. They managed to patch up all those who were injured and were waiting for anyone who might seek medical attention. This is their own battlefield, and I could see that they're nearly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks before now. Far from us, I could hear the clashing of blades and squeaks of the Rodents. Some hunters were stationed here to protect the relief center, which helped alleviate the worries of civilians.
"I wonder when it will end?"
A sigh escaped my lips as I heard the medical staff's question. I wonder as well. All we could do was wait. Rodents are pesky in nature, and with that rare variant, the problem raised its level thrice. I happened to eavesdrop on a conversation between two public figures in this city, saying that the high-tier hunter that was supposed to stay here was away. With that, it's guaranteed that the three middle-tier hunters will work harder than expected.
I watched as the low-tier hunters "surveyed" the area. I emphasized the word survey; was it really a survey? That was the sloppiest crap I've ever seen. They're chatting with one another, not really paying attention to the surroundings.
Which is why a Rodent successfully ambushed one of them.
It's not my first time seeing overconfident hunters getting ambushed. Serves them right, I thought to myself.
"Tessah...please, go. You must survive!"
I shook my head as a ghastly voice reverberated inside my head. I turned my head to one of the hunters on standby and narrowed my eyes. Why, they're supposed to be supporting the front line, not stare at them like statues. Why? Weren't they trained for this?
It's just like what my late senior used to say. The quality of hunters is in sharp decline. Save for some fiend hunters whom I know are genuine, of course.
It might be weird for someone to stay calm, but if I were to compare things, this situation is pale in comparison to what I experienced back when I was still with my previous workplace.
"Excuse me, Mister. Is that handgun meant for general use?" I asked as I tapped one frightened hunter's shoulder. With a trembling voice, he meekly responded positively.
Common firearms can be utilized by anyone, while customized ones may feature a "bound by blood" contract, preventing others from using them. Additionally, custom-made weapons may underperform when in the wrong hands.
I'm glad that it's not customized. I yanked it off his hands. While he was about to raise a complaint, I casually held onto it before returning it to the owner, asking him to shoot the Rodent.
"[Howl]." I softly uttered.
This world has magic users. They utilize mana in their bodies, and either by using a tool or not, they shoot magic attacks. Once their magic power is depleted, they won't be able to cast for a period of time. But some people could do wonders without the use of magic powers. Though not as powerful as mages and quasi-mages, they can perform actions beyond the norm. They're called brokers. With a price, they can perform the ability they have.
And I'm one of them. As much as I hated the accident when I got this ability, I was able to hold on my own during information gathering, whether it be materials or fiends.
"Just pull the trigger. Trust me," I nonchalantly said. He hesitantly obliged, aiming at the Rodent. I wondered if that shaky aiming would hit the target.
At least, my worries were for naught.
With a bang, the magic bullet pierced through the Rodent's abdomen with unprecedented speed and might. The hunters took the chance and finished the task. After a brief moment of staring at the now lifeless fiend, they cranked their heads in our direction.
"That was a good shot."
"H-how?" He glanced at his gun, dumbfounded. Of course, average weapons like his gun can't do such a feat. Normally, the bullets it could give can produce a shallow wound, but not go through and get out to the other side.
The downside of this great achievement, however...
"Now then, might I reimburse the cost of that weapon? I know how much it was, exactly."
The gun disintegrated from his very eyes.
[Howl]. An ability that allows the maximization of anything I can touch. However, it will become something meant for one-time use.
"C-can you send it to my bank account?" he asked, teary-eyed, still flabbergasted by what had happened.