"..."
Shuku stands in front of the Guild Building, the place the receptionist guided him to. From the outside, it looks like any ordinary building, with white brick walls, probably limestone, and dark green decorations like standing umbrellas, doors, and mats scattered around.
The building's massive width, combined with the muffled noise of people bustling inside, makes it clear this is a busy public office.
People walk past him, going in and out of the building, confirming he is in the right place. But as he keeps standing there, unmoving, lost in his own thoughts and worries, they begin to glance at him with puzzled looks.
It is true that he hesitates, wondering if it is a good idea to go in. Not because of social anxiety. After everything he has gone through, he doubts he even has any left. It is because of the kind of work people do here.
From what he learned through anime, manga, and light novels, a "guild" in another world is usually where "adventurers" gather, take on jobs, and get paid. These jobs often require special skills, talent, and experience, because they are dangerous and risky. Clearing dungeons, fighting monsters, and other things normal people cannot handle.
If this world is anything like what Japanese media taught him, becoming an adventurer should not be a problem. However, ever since he left the apartment, a single word keeps echoing in his mind, refusing to leave, making him hesitate the moment he reaches the Guild Building.
"Manhunter..."
Is it true? Is there really a job in this world that lets a human kill another for money? If so, then he is in deeper trouble than he thought. He is already exhausted from all the brutal fighting, the endless killing, and the long travels. He feels drained, inside and out. For now, he wishes for peace, not more violence or dirty work, at least for a few months.
And there is also the risk of the job itself. He has not even decided whether he would take it, if it does exist. Yet, he already imagines every possible horrible scenario, trying to figure out how he would survive in each one.
Simply put, there are too many things running through his head, too many questions. But none of them will be answered if he just stands here, hesitating. Every fear and doubt he has will only be cleared once he steps inside. So, without wasting any more time, he begins walking into the Guild Building, slowly.
As he opens the glass door and steps into the mildly cool lobby, he starts looking around, searching for anyone or anything that could help him figure out where to go.
From what he can see, the lobby has two main areas. To the right is the cafeteria, a cluster of tables and chairs arranged neatly, with a bar and a small restaurant hybrid serving drinks and snacks. It looks like a place where customers wait for their paperwork.
In front of him is a long desk piled with papers. On either side of it, people are talking and working. It seems to be the reception desk, with all the receptionists, all women, dressed in black dresses and probably white shirts underneath. Without hesitation, he knows exactly where to go and walks toward one of the receptionists, who has just finished with a "customer" and is now waiting for the next one.
"...How can I help you, sir?"
The receptionist asks as Shuku arrives, and for a moment, he freezes. Even though he has become a battle-hardened warrior and a cold-blooded genocidal maniac, Shuku still can't help but feel a little shy when talking to girls, especially a stranger. After all, he's still a teenager, with no experience in talking to girls or dealing with love.
So, standing directly in front of the blonde receptionist, with her cute and attractive face suited for the job, he freezes.
"...Uhhhh..." he stutters. "I heard I can get a job here. Can you help me?" He forces a strained smile. "Ama...?" He reads her nametag, trying to make it less awkward.
Ama, the receptionist, feels a bit awkward at first but quickly gets used to him.
"...Okay, so you want to be a freelancer, right?"
"??? Freelancers??"
"Yes? Is there a problem, sir?"
"No, nothing! I just thought it was called 'adventurers'?"
"Adventurers? What do you mean?" The receptionist looks confused.
"Like, you know... in those anime..." The receptionist's confusion deepens. "I mean, like... adventurers? People who go on quests for money...?"
"???"
The more he talks, the more confused the receptionist becomes, and soon enough, his voice starts to shrink as he grows more embarrassed.
"Like... never mind. There's not much to adventure for on this continent anyway. Just tell me about your freelance jobs!"
"Ummm... okay, it seems like you're new here. Are you from the countryside, sir?"
"...Maybe... yeah."
"Well then, no problem. I'll guide you through the process quickly." The receptionist says, bowing down to her desk as she pulls something out.
"Here's a list of the categories of tasks you can do," she says, handing him the paper menu she just retrieved. "Simply put, at the Guild, we recruit normal people to become 'freelancers'—people who can do a variety of tasks given by clients. These clients need someone, like a freelancer, to do things they can't do themselves. For example, a farmer might send us a request for help getting rid of pests on their farm, and we'll post the job on the quest board over there."
She points to the right, where a whiteboard on the wall is covered with pinned brown papers.
"Ohh, I see." Shuku feels a little less confused as he looks at the quest board, which seems to match what he knows from fantasy worlds in anime.
"...And then, anyone, as long as they are registered as a freelancer, can grab a quest from the board. When they complete one, they get the rewards written on the paper, most of which are $50 or more. The Guild acts as the middleman to ensure the freelancer won't get scammed and that the client gets what they want. Do you understand now, sir?"
"...I think I do."
"Great! Do you want me to help you register? It won't take long. All I need is your name, date of birth, and—"
"Wait, wait. I don't plan to become one yet."
"Yes, sir?!"
Shuku abruptly stops her and stares down at the paper menu the receptionist gave him.
"...Farming, Selling, Escorting, Building... none of these are related to murder or fighting..." he whispers to himself. "Did I come to the wrong place?"
"...Is there a problem, sir?"
"Ohh... nothing... I was just wondering if..."
"...If what, sir?"
"...I heard from an acquaintance that there's a job I could find here, called Manhunter... do you happen to know about that?"
"..."
The moment the word "Manhunter" is spoken, the receptionist's face immediately freezes. Her smiling, friendly expression abruptly shifts into a serious, frowning look.
"Haizz... here we go again," she whispers to herself.
"???"
"Yes... I know about that, sir. I know it very well... Are you sure you want to do it?" She speaks hesitantly.
"...Yeah. Maybe. If you know about it, just tell me. I'm here for any job. What's the worst thing that could happen?"
"Very well then," she says, taking the job menu from him and replacing it with another, more detailed one.
"Allow me to reintroduce the Guild System," she says, pointing to the paper. "In the Guild Organization, there are two types of workers people can choose from. The first is Freelancers. These are people who take on any quest given by clients, as they like, just like we talked about earlier."
"Uh-huh." He nods.
"But then," she moves her finger upward on the paper, "the second type, similar to the first one, but much more versatile and dangerous, is Manhunters. These people specialize in hunting down criminals, dissidents, or anyone with a bounty on their head, dead or alive, depending on the quest requirements."
As she explains, she pauses to give him a moment to absorb the information.
"As you can see, both tiers are quite similar, as both involve going after quests or missions given directly to them, and then getting paid upon completion."
"...Okay... can you tell me more about it? What if I want to become a Manhunter? And why does this kind of job even exist?"
'Have you been living under a rock?' The receptionist thinks to herself.
"Eh hem!" She clears her throat, quickly pushing away her rude thought, and returns to the conversation.
"It seems like you're very new here. Simply put, this country doesn't have a police or security system for the majority of people, like the one in North Apomis. This country was built by the order of King Apomis to be a refuge for dissidents, so it's extremely hard for a normal police force to handle people who possess magical abilities."
To make her point clearer, she continues,
"For example, take the Ferno House. It's a powerful family, and almost every member possesses Flame powers. It would be hard, if not impossible, to arrest any of them if one of them breaks the law. The entire house would burn anyone who tried to arrest them, especially if it's a normal human, and especially if the police force is centralized in a country of mostly normal humans."
She pauses, letting that sink in, then adds,
"The same goes for every other individual with powerful magical abilities in this country. It's like the law doesn't apply to them, creating a system where only the strongest in magic will rule everyone else. A normal police force can't do anything against these individuals or groups without risking their own lives. And most of the time, corruption and bribery only makes it worse.
Therefore, to deal with this, the Guild System was created. And Manhunters are the ones who actually keep this country stable and secure. Instead of a police force, the Manhunter System places responsibility not on any specific group, but on everyone within the borders of South Apomis."
Shuku listens with growing interest.
"Instead of creating a centralized target for criminals, the Guild turns powerful individuals against each other. By simply placing a bounty and stripping the legal rights of anyone who breaks the law, it makes even the strongest magic users hesitate before doing anything vicious. No matter how rich or powerful they are, the moment a bounty is placed on their head, everyone in the country can turn on them. Other Manhunters, people with strong magical powers, will then hunt them down until they're captured, or killed, for the reward. That's the core of the Guild's Manhunter System. Do you understand now, sir?"
"...I think so," Shuku replies, still a bit unsure.
"Good. Now, about becoming a Manhunter," she says, moving her hands to pull out a piece of paper. "There are a few rules and requirements."
She hands him the paper as she continues her explanation. As Shuku skims through the page, covered in dozens of words, the titles alone are enough to give him a clear idea of what it is.
"Manhunter Registration Contract."
As Shuku reads the title, his eyes move down to the dense text below. He begins reading through the job's description, rules, and requirements, while also listening to the receptionist's explanation.
"First of all, anyone can become a Manhunter. The only requirements are that you must be human and at least 15 years old, which I believe you qualify for."
"Uh-huh," he nods.
"Secondly, the rules.
Rule number one: A Manhunter is not allowed to kill anyone considered innocent. The only exceptions are other Manhunters and individuals listed for hunting.
This means that, aside from criminals listed on the quest boards, Manhunters are also allowed to kill other Manhunters without facing any punishment. Beyond that, Manhunters must follow the law like any normal citizen. If they commit an extreme crime, like murdering an innocent person, they are immediately excommunicated from the Guild. Their rights are removed, their license is cancelled, and a bounty is placed on their head based on the severity of their crimes."
"Ooooh..."
"Rule number two: The Guild is not responsible for any actions taken by Manhunters, nor for anything that happens to them. Whether they're injured, killed, tortured, or even... worse, the Guild will not interfere. Its only role is to manage and provide business services for Manhunters. Unlike Freelancers, whose rights and well-being are protected by the Guild, Manhunters are completely on their own."
"..."He continues to nod silently.
"And finally, rule number three: No harm or dangerous activities are allowed within Guild-designated areas. That includes fighting or murder of any kind, even between Manhunters or against wanted criminals.
This means that inside Guild property, like this building, violence is strictly forbidden. Even if a wanted person is hiding here, or two Manhunters are in conflict, they are not allowed to fight. If a Manhunter is caught breaking this rule, their license may be suspended or permanently cancelled, depending on the severity. In some cases, they may even be excommunicated and hunted down themselves.
Other actions like damaging furniture, harassing staff, or poisoning others are treated the same way.
That's all three rules you need to know, sir. If you agree to them, sign the contract, and we'll register a license for you. But please, consider it carefully. Once you become a Manhunter, you're on your own. No one will step in to help if another Manhunter targets you, or if your quarry turns out to be stronger than expected.
Even though this is one of the highest-paying jobs in the Guild... but most rookies who sign up don't last more than a few months. Overconfidence gets them killed. And believe me, I've seen it happen far too many times. So please, make your decision carefully, sir."