Duty or fame

It was a morning like any other when people were around the main street. Indeed, the hunters of the strongest guild in the city were returning from a mission. They had just successfully fought a battle against a high-ranking monster again and managed to close the rift that had opened earlier.

There were three of them. The strongest hunters in the world according to the latest survey. These two men and women were what one could call the high-tier trade and many young hunters dreamed of one day reaching their level.

They had everything, fame, money, and privileges. Nothing was denied them, in this society where the lives of humans are in the hands of hunters, the more important and strong a hunter is, the more people get down on their knees to lick their boots.

They may be at the service of the population, but it is they who are in charge.

The victorious hunters marched through the crowd under the flashes of photographers and hysterical people shouting at them how exceptional they were. The two grinning men raised their hands like celebrities on a red carpet and waved to the crowd with fake smiles.

You could see they were forcing themselves to do it. The woman behind was just walking with her head down not paying attention to the noises behind, it looked like she wished she were somewhere else.

They walked like this until a journalist stopped them to ask them questions.

"Dear Behemoth Guild members, how do you feel after fixing this rift?" The woman asked as the man she handed the microphone to shifted his face, his smile fading.

"A rift? Ah right… we just saved you again. I hope you at least are aware of it and that you will agree to the tax increase that the deputy has proposed. Help us help you, we are paid with this taxpayer" the man finished speaking, almost jostling the woman in passing while the other hunter ruminated.

"We are killing ourselves to save their fucking asses and for a simple tax increase, they want to burden. Pfft what stingy"

He grumbled before hearing the woman talking with them.

"Our current salaries are already outrageous. We are getting in a month what five people are getting in a year. Asking them to increase our salaries even further is exaggerated," she spoke as the first hunter, presumably the chief, walked and turned towards her.

"They are not risking their lives so the least they can do is pay"

He growled and the woman retorted.

"We had the favor of the God hunter system and not them, we owe them at least that, that's why we got our skills"

She growled and the other man snorted.

"Always bringing her back. Shut the fuck up. You should be proud to be among the elite and enjoy what these poor normal humans can't."

They left the woman brooding over her anger as she thought to herself that she was ashamed of what the hunters had become. A nice bunch of arrogant bastards who take advantage of privileges that have been given to them unfairly.

It's their job to fight monsters and demons.

She sighed before hearing screams behind

Turning to understand, she saw an explosion further away, then people started to flee in her direction.

" What is going on ?"

She held back a man who was running there and he told her the reason for this effervescence.

Another rift had been detected, and this was in the residential areas of Arcus.

The woman frowned, they had just taken care of a rift with an S-rank monster and now they had to fight again?

She looked at her teammates who had bored looks before scowling.

"Aren't you coming? I'm telling you that a rift has been detected", she pleaded and the men casually turned around continuing on their way.

"We're not the only hunters in this goddamn Arcus. The guild is going to send some second-rate bums to sort this out…. It's not like a higher-tier monster or a demon will come out of this."

The man finished speaking with a yawn as the woman gritted her teeth. It's their fucking job.

She ran towards the rift before receiving an urgent beep. Opening her system dialog, she discovers that this was not a normal rift.

The city had known several rifts for quite some time, the most dangerous being those with S-rank monsters. But this one was particularly feared because it had let loose not a mere S-rank monster, but a SS-rank, a dragon. Worst of all. They are not only powerful but wreak havoc wherever they go.

She looked at her teammates who were also reading their scorecards but no sooner did they read than they ignored continuing on their way.

"But what sons of bitches"

She gritted her teeth before turning to see a young man in hunter gear. His equipment seemed in poor condition and given his size, he was not a high-ranking hunter.

"What? Hey"

The boy didn't pay attention to her and ran toward the rift

"Shit if I don't do something, that fool is gonna get killed."