Relic Hunter

After leaving the registration building, Modeus and Abigail headed towards the mission center, located at the heart of the Old World Network complex. This mission center was far busier than the main building, with relic hunters of all kinds milling about, discussing, and scanning holographic screens displaying the latest missions.

Abigail stopped in front of one of the screens and turned to Modeus. "Before we pick a mission, check your A.R.M.," he said. "Make sure everything's working and you know your status."

Modeus nodded and pulled out his A.R.M. With a swift motion, he activated the device. A transparent screen appeared before his eyes, showing his status:

Relic Hunter: Modeus Del Ferro 

Rank: Wanderer (Novice)

Modeus studied the information for a moment before looking back at Abigail. "What does Wanderer (Novice) mean? Is this the lowest rank?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.

Abigail gave a faint smile, as if he had anticipated the question. "Yes, it's the most basic rank for relic hunters. Wanderers are newcomers—people who are just starting out in relic hunting and don't have much experience yet."

Modeus continued to gaze at his A.R.M. screen. "And how many ranks are there beyond this?"

Abigail glanced at the mission screen for a moment before turning back to Modeus. "There are five main ranks for relic hunters," he explained. "First, there are Wanderers like you. These are beginners who usually take on easier or less risky missions. After that come Seekers, who are intermediate hunters—trusted with more dangerous missions."

Modeus nodded, listening intently. "And after Seekers?"

Abigail continued, his voice calm and knowledgeable. "Above Seekers are Scavengers. They're more experienced and often sent on more complex missions, like finding artifacts or gathering information from risky locations. Then there are Wardens—elite members who typically lead major operations or high-risk missions. And at the top are the Exemplaries. They're special, often working directly with the government or large organizations like the Aurelius or Cestisia kingdoms. They're rarely seen in the field."

Modeus looked at Abigail with curiosity. "So, what rank are you?"

Abigail smiled slightly and answered without hesitation. "I'm a Seeker."

"Seeker, huh?" Modeus nodded, reflecting for a moment. "So, you're ranked second. That's quite a leap from Wanderer."

Abigail shrugged. "I've spent a fair amount of time here, and thanks to missions from Mr. Eliphas, I've been able to advance quickly."

Modeus surveyed the mission room, filled with other relic hunters. Some of them looked far more experienced and were equipped with advanced gear, while others, like the Wanderers, appeared simpler—much like he did now. "So, what kinds of missions are available based on rank?"

Abigail turned to the nearby mission screen and began explaining. "There are three main types of missions here. The first is search/exploration missions. These usually involve locating missing relic hunters or retrieving their A.R.M. if they've died. These missions are often tough because you have to track their path and fight monsters that might have killed them."

Modeus nodded, understanding the difficulty of such missions.

"The second type is collection missions," Abigail continued. "These are the most common. You're sent to gather quantum artifacts or quantum stones scattered across Fertissio. Usually, the more difficult the location, the higher the pay."

Modeus seemed a bit surprised. "So there are a lot of stones and artifacts out there?"

"More than you can imagine," Abigail replied. "But that also means there are plenty of dangers. Many people try their luck, but not everyone comes back alive."

"What's the last type?" Modeus asked, growing more curious.

Abigail looked at him with a serious expression. "The last type is extermination missions. These involve clearing out dangerous monster nests or hordes. These monsters often hide in remote locations, and if left unchecked, they can cause significant damage. These missions are very risky, but the rewards are also substantial."

Modeus paused for a moment, processing the new information. "So, we can choose one of these three types of missions based on our rank?"

"Exactly," Abigail confirmed. "But for Wanderers like you, the available missions are usually simpler. Basic collection missions or searching for missing relic hunters in safer locations."

Modeus gave a small smile. "And what kind of missions can we take on together?"

Abigail looked at the holographic screen displaying the mission list. "We can tackle more challenging missions, since I'm a Seeker. With my rank, we could go for riskier collection missions or even extermination missions if you're feeling confident."

Modeus grinned. "I'm always up for a challenge. Let's go for the toughest mission."

Abigail chuckled softly. "We'll see what's available. But remember, extermination missions are never easy, and we need to carefully consider our choices before taking one on."

Modeus nodded and glanced at the holographic screen. "Alright. Let's see what's on offer."

They both stared at the screen, weighing their options. Whatever mission they chose, they knew that Fertissio was a place where luck and danger walked hand in hand, and only the strongest would survive.

As Modeus and Abigail were about to leave the elite district for their mission, Modeus's attention was caught by a woman exiting one of the heavy equipment shops on the street. The woman was wearing a tight augmented suit with a large rifle slung over her back. However, Modeus quickly realized that the suit wasn't a quantum artifact, just a standard augmented suit. What caught his interest more was the shop she had just come out of—it was full of large firearms and high-explosive missiles.

Curious, Modeus suddenly veered off course and started heading towards the shop. Abigail, initially puzzled, furrowed his brow and quickly followed.

"Why the sudden interest in this place?" Abigail asked in a flat tone, though there was a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Modeus shrugged and replied, "Just wanted to check it out."

They entered the shop, which was packed with various heavy weapons. There were rows of large automatic rifles, rocket launchers, and bullets shimmering with quantum energy. The air was thick with the scent of gun oil and steel. Behind the counter stood a woman with long hair tied neatly back. Her athletic build was almost too perfect, but both Modeus and Abigail, with their focused demeanor, showed little interest beyond the items around them.

The shopkeeper greeted them with a smile as they approached. "Welcome to Iron Fang Armory. You two are relic hunters, right?"

Modeus raised an eyebrow, surprised by her immediate deduction. "How did you know?"

With a wider smile, the woman pointed at them with a simple gesture. "Your outfits and A.R.Ms. Regular folks around here don't use gear like that. You have the typical relic hunter aura. Still a Wanderer, I see?"

Abigail glanced at Modeus briefly, clearly impressed by the accuracy of the guess. Modeus, unfamiliar with this kind of insight, simply nodded but remained alert.

"You look like a beginner relic hunter," the shopkeeper continued, her eyes assessing Modeus with a sharp gaze. Her expression shifted when she noticed the sword strapped to his belt. She frowned and asked, "It's unusual to see someone with a sword here. Most people prefer firearms, especially those using quantum ammo."

Modeus looked at his sword, then asked with curiosity, "Is it really uncommon to use swords here?"

The shopkeeper laughed softly, her voice gentle yet firm. "Indeed. In Fertissio, with the threat of monsters and demons, firearms are more practical. Quantum ammunition is the only thing that can truly injure or kill demons. Swords, unless specially made, aren't very effective."

Modeus furrowed his brow. "Quantum materials? What makes them so important?"

The shopkeeper stepped a little closer and began explaining with a more serious tone, though a faint smile remained on her face. "Consider this a special briefing for beginners like you. Quantum materials are the only things that can really hurt creatures like demons. They're resistant to ordinary weapons, and magic often just slows them down rather than destroying them completely. However, since quantum materials are very expensive and rare, most people can only afford quantum ammo and use it with standard firearms."

Abigail, standing beside Modeus, added, "That's why so many relic hunters rely on firearms rather than swords."

The shopkeeper smiled wider, clearly pleased with how quickly Abigail grasped the explanation. "Exactly. A single quantum bullet can be very expensive, but it's more effective than thousands of regular bullets. Here, we offer a range of weapons modified to fire quantum ammunition. Some customers come here solely to buy these weapons and ammo to ensure their survival."

Modeus touched the hilt of his sword, still unsure if he needed to change his combat style. "I'm used to swords and magic. I haven't really gotten into firearms."

The shopkeeper shrugged, seemingly unfazed by his attitude. "Swords can also be effective if you know how to properly channel quantum materials. Some relic hunters here have modified their swords to channel quantum energy directly into their strikes. If you're interested, we also offer modification services."

Modeus looked surprised. "Modifying swords, huh?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. But, of course, it's not cheap."

Abigail cut in with a cold tone, "We don't have time for that right now. We have a mission to complete."

Modeus nodded in agreement, though his eyes still lingered on some of the weapons displayed. The shopkeeper gave them a friendly smile, understanding their urgency.

"When you return from your mission, you might want to consider checking out the weapons here. Who knows, you might become a regular at Iron Fang Armory."

Modeus and Abigail said their goodbyes and left the store with new insights into the importance of quantum materials. Modeus still felt a bit out of place with the advanced weaponry of this world, but he now understood the crucial role of this technology in Fertissio. Just before they continued their journey, Abigail glanced at Modeus, scrutinizing him closely.

"Are you interested in weapon technology now?" he asked.

Modeus smiled slightly. "Maybe. But for now, my sword is more than enough."

Abigail sighed deeply as they continued their trek towards the mission coordinates, their preparations and strategies in place.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange, Modeus grumbled as he kicked a small stone down the path. "Do we really have to walk all this way? We've been at it for hours and still have a long way to go. If we had a vehicle, we'd be there by now."

Abigail, walking beside him with a calm demeanor, glanced over briefly. "We don't have enough money for a vehicle. Besides, renting one in Fertissio is quite expensive. We need to save up for that."

Modeus grumbled, "It's always about money."

"That's how it is, Modeus," Abigail replied flatly. "Everything requires planning, especially if we want to stay here longer."

As night fell and the chill of the desert wind enveloped them, they decided to stop and set up camp. Abigail, more organized, pulled out a portable tent from his bag and quickly began setting it up. Modeus sat nearby, arms crossed, still grumbling about the long journey.

Once the tent was up, Abigail handed Modeus some dried food from his pack. Modeus looked at the food with a disgruntled expression. "More dried food? It's tasteless and always the same."

Abigail sighed, used to Modeus's complaints. "It's not about taste; it's about survival. We need to be frugal. Our money has to last us at least a week, so we can't afford to waste it on luxuries."

Modeus grumbled as he tore open the package and began eating reluctantly. "Easy for you to say. You must be used to it by now."

Abigail gave a faint smile as he watched Modeus. "Surviving isn't about comfort, Modeus. Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices. Otherwise, we won't achieve what we're after."

After they finished eating, the small campfire in front of them began to fade. The night sky over the Fertissio desert stretched out, filled with bright, twinkling stars. In the quiet of the night, Modeus started a more serious conversation.

"By the way, about our last fight... You mentioned quantum magic. Do you think we really need to buy quantum weapons or ammo when we can use magic like that ourselves?" Modeus asked.

Abigail stared at the fire for a moment before responding, his voice calm and wise. "Quantum magic can be a very powerful tool, and we can use it more efficiently than most. But that doesn't mean we should rely on it all the time. The world here is full of spies and observers. If we use quantum magic too frequently, especially on a large scale, we might draw unwanted attention."

Modeus tilted his head, still not fully understanding. "But you can easily kill demons with your demonic magic, right? Isn't that supposed to be more than enough?"

Abigail nodded. "That's true. My demonic magic, or more precisely, one of the ancient hero magic, is far more powerful than ordinary magic. But that's exactly why it's too risky to use here. We still don't fully understand the situation in the Old World Network. Many people are involved in behind-the-scenes political games, including high-ranking officials from Aurelius, who have a strong hatred for demons."

Modeus fell silent for a moment, processing Abigail's words. He knew the world was full of intrigue and politics, but it all seemed too complicated for him.

"What happens if they find out we can use such magic?" Modeus finally asked.

Abigail gazed at the stars for a moment before answering, "It's hard to say what they might do, but it could be very bad. They might try to exploit us, or worse, eliminate us if they see us as a threat."

Modeus nodded slowly, beginning to understand. "So we need to be cautious."

"Exactly," Abigail confirmed. "We can use our magic on a large scale only if we're truly cornered. As much as possible, we need to stay low profile until we're sure who we can trust here."

Modeus sighed again, but this time it wasn't from exhaustion or frustration. "Alright. I'll follow your advice."

Abigail smiled faintly, appreciating Modeus's understanding. "That's a wise decision."

With their conversation coming to an end, the night grew darker, and the campfire began to die out. Modeus and Abigail settled in for the night, preparing for the mission that awaited them the next morning. The dangerous and mysterious world of Fertissio still lay ahead, and though their journey was tough, they held a quiet confidence in their hearts that they would make it through—so long as they stayed cautious and smart.

***