SSS-Rank Hunter Reborn: Private Tutor to the Count's Bastard Son

It had already been three hours since entering the dungeon.

By time, it would be around 2 AM.

"Silvan must be asleep by now."

Ferda burst into laughter.

Then he quietly looked around. The swamp area had changed to a bluish color, unlike when he'd first entered the dungeon.

The reason was simple. Countless Toadmen had become corpses forming mountains. Blue blood that had seeped through between them had stained the swamp area.

But that scene didn't last long either.

Flash—

=====

[Notification]

*(38) Toadman corpses confirmed.

*Extra skill 'Equivalent Exchange' activates.

=====

Because with dazzling clusters of light, all the corpses transformed into items.

Among them, something caught Ferda's attention.

"As expected, this came out again."

A potion with blue liquid sloshing inside.

It was a magic power potion.

He'd consumed a considerable amount of magic power dealing with the Toadmen. Ferda drank the potion without hesitation.

Gulp gulp—

"Ugh, even if it tastes bad, the effect is outstanding."

If he had to describe it, it tasted like lukewarm milk mixed with toothpaste.

Meanwhile, his magic power recovered quickly. When his condition returned to normal, Ferda stared at the items scattered across the swamp area.

"There doesn't seem to be anything particularly useful..."

The most useful item he'd seen was the 'magic power potion,' so that said it all. But it was somewhat disappointing to leave them behind.

"Should I take everything for now?"

They say even dog shit has its uses in medicine, so there might be a use for them someday.

With that thought, he collected the items scattered across the swamp area. When his inventory was full of miscellaneous items.

=====

[Notification]: Analysis rate has reached a certain threshold.

*Current analysis rate: [50 / 100]

*Analysis result: [Dungeon name: Arcane Swamp]

=====

Was it thanks to hunting monsters non-stop for 3 hours?

The analysis rate had shot up to 50 percent. At the same time, the dungeon's name was revealed.

"Arcane Swamp..."

It wasn't a dungeon in his memory.

It probably wasn't a dungeon that had appeared on Earth. The Yggdrasil System also sent a message as if agreeing with Ferda's thoughts.

=====

[Hidden Achievement: Great First Step]

*Condition: First discovery of 'Dungeon [Arcane Swamp]'.

*Reward: Achievement Points [500]

=====

He shrugged along with news of achieving an accomplishment.

Though information was a bit lacking, he wasn't particularly worried.

"I'll find out eventually if I keep hunting."

He just needed to raise it another 50 percent.

In other words, he just needed to hunt as much as he had so far.

Ferda moved forward again.

Just then!

"Croaaak!"

A Toadman burst out from the undergrowth right next to him. It seemed to be attempting a surprise attack, but too bad. Because Ferda, who had already anticipated this, threw his dagger one step ahead.

Thud!

It was a dagger filled with plenty of magic power.

It wouldn't be strange to hear the sound of a head exploding.

But the problem was that it wasn't just the head that exploded.

Crack—

The dagger lodged in the Toadman's head developed cracks.

Its durability had probably been completely consumed in the process of hunting over a hundred Toadmen.

"Ah."

At the unexpected situation, Ferda muttered blankly.

After a moment, when he pulled out the dagger stuck in the Toadman's head, the blade crumbled away. Hey, is it okay for a blade to be this weak?

"This is a bit problematic."

Did he bring any other weapons?

He hastily opened his inventory. All he could see was an absurdly large greatsword, a chain scythe, and a whip. They were all weapons that wouldn't help Ferda, who mainly used daggers.

As Ferda frowned.

An unfamiliar voice suddenly came.

<Hey.>

As soon as he heard that voice, Ferda took out the chain scythe from his inventory. Though it was a weapon he wasn't familiar with, it would be better than bare hands.

More importantly, where did that voice come from?

As he looked around with sharp eyes.

<Hey you! Can't you hear me?>

The voice came again.

At the considerably louder sound than before, Ferda's gaze turned.

It definitely came from far away, the middle of the swamp area. Since it might be a monster mimicking human voices, he carefully moved forward.

<How strange.>

The voice muttered briefly.

At the same time, Ferda also arrived at the middle of the swamp area.

<I thought anyone who could come here would surely be a high-level guy.>

High-level guy?

He had some doubts, but now wasn't the time to worry about that. He'd arrived at the middle of the swamp area, but there was no one who seemed to be the owner of the voice.

But then, the voice came again.

<You don't seem to hear my voice either, so maybe you're just an ignorant fool who came in without even knowing where this is?>

This time he definitely identified the location.

It was right near Ferda's feet. But near his feet was all swamp area, so where exactly was it coming from?

Meanwhile, his complexion hardened for a moment.

'Could it be...'

Was there something under the swamp area?

Looking closely, there were areas that looked somewhat deep nearby. When he threw a stick to measure, it seemed like it would go up to about knee-deep.

While making a dubious expression, the voice came again.

<Sigh, of course. My luck was bad in the old days, so there's no way it would get better in my final years, right? I was stupid to have expectations.>

As if confirming his guess was correct, the voice came from deep in the swamp.

As soon as he realized this, Ferda was caught in deep conflict.

'What should I do.'

Should I take a look? Or just ignore it and pass by?

As he was pondering, a voice filled with lamentation came.

<Ah, I'll finally meet my end here.>

A tone that sounded half-resigned.

Hearing this, Ferda clenched his fists. Honestly, he could ignore it and pass by. But hearing that muttering, strangely his feet wouldn't move.

'Let's try it once.'

If it's an enemy, I'll just eliminate it.

Once he made up his mind, Ferda filled his fist with plenty of magic power. Then he approached close to where the voice came from and struck down hard.

Thwap—!

Sticky mud splashing in all directions.

When he repeated that crude action several times, the bottom of the swamp area gradually became visible. Then 'something' that had been deeply embedded in the bottom also came into view.

'That's...'

Something covered in mud.

A familiar appearance.

As Ferda narrowed his eyes, the 'something' muttered again.

<Lucian Arcdute, that bad guy! I treated him so well, how could he do this to me. He promised he'd come get me soon... sob!>

This time the voice came more clearly.

He quickly reached out and snatched the 'something.' No, tried to snatch it.

But it wouldn't come out.

"...Ugh!"

Meanwhile, he could see the mud that had spread outward returning to its original place. If he delayed like this, he'd be submerged in the swamp and it would be hard to get out.

Determination settled in his eyes.

'If it comes to this...'

He had no choice but to pull it out with all his strength, as quickly as possible.

Ferda concentrated all his remaining magic power in his hands. Then he began pulling the 'something' with all his might.

Grr— Grrrrr—!

It was like a tree that had rooted itself in all directions.

It stubbornly wouldn't come out.

But Ferda wasn't to be underestimated either. When his magic power was depleted, he took out potions from his inventory and drank them immediately. Just before the swamp filled up again!

Pop—!

With a refreshing sound, he succeeded in extracting the 'something.'

<Wah, my poor fate. What kind of suffering is this in my final years... Uwah!>

A voice screaming quite surprised.

Meanwhile, Ferda cleanly wiped the mud off the 'something' with leaves scattered around. Then a jet-black blade revealed itself.

The identity of the 'something' was a sword.

<Wh-what? How did I get outside?>

Meanwhile, the 'sword' in Ferda's hand muttered in a dumbfounded tone.

But instead of answering that question, Ferda sent a bit of magic power into the sword.

It was to check information.

=====

[Name]: Magic Sword Series NO. 3

[Grade]: Legend

[Type]: Weapon

-A magic sword estimated to have been made very long ago. It once contained enormous nether magic power, but currently, all of it is presumed to have leaked out. A sword spirit dwells within.

=====

'A magic sword.'

It wasn't the first time he'd seen one. He'd seen them several times when he was a hunter.

But it was his first time seeing a talking magic sword.

'Is it because there's something called a sword spirit?'

That was the only assumption he could make currently.

At the same time, he became curious. About why it was in such a place, and whether there was someone who had visited this place before.

So Ferda gripped the magic sword tightly and opened his mouth. He planned to extract information through direct conversation.

But the magic sword muttered first.

<Ugh, suddenly where is this magic power coming from... Huh? You're that ignorant fool from earlier!>

Who's calling who an ignorant fool? Wrinkles formed on his brow.

Meanwhile, the magic sword still shouted in a surprised voice.

<Co-could it be you can hear my voice? Really? Tr-truly?>

A faintly trembling voice.

Ferda quietly nodded.

"Yeah. I have some things I want to ask..."

<Waaaaaaah!>

"First, about why you're in a place like this..."

<Hooraaaaay!>

The conversation wasn't working.

Most importantly, the voice came even more clearly than when it was stuck in the swamp bottom, which was annoying. It was like someone shouting directly into his ear.

"...Shout one more time and I'll abandon you and leave."

<I'm aliiiive- hep!>

While shouting energetically, the magic sword hastily shut its mouth. It seemed it didn't want to be abandoned. However, seeing the blade still trembling, it would take some time to calm down from its excitement.

Ferda let out a quiet sigh.

***

About twenty minutes later.

<Ahem! First, let me introduce myself.>

The magic sword, having escaped its excited state, cleared its throat.

Then it continued in a calmed tone.

<I'm Prücide Langdal. A magic sword born from the hands of a great craftsman. You can call me Prang. Originally, only contractors can call me by a nickname, but since you're a human I've seen after a long time, I'll specially allow...>

"What's the reason you were stuck here?"

Ferda cut off Prang's words like a blade. He wasn't interested in useless information. Then Prang trembled its blade and muttered in a sulky tone.

<How rude to interrupt mid-sentence. But I'll forgive you. Because I'm known among the magic sword series as having the gentlest and most generous nature...>

"Say one more useless thing and I'll really abandon you and leave."

<Hiiing, but it's been so long since I talked to someone.>

Though Prang made crying sounds, there was no change in Ferda's attitude.

Sighing, he asked again in a stern tone.

"I'll ask again. What's the reason you were here?"

<Well, I made a pact with my former contractor.>

"Former contractor?"

<Lucian Arcdute. A very wicked guy! When we made the contract, he coaxed me with sweet words, then stuck me in this smelly place and left?! I'll curse him for generations! I'll curse him... Ah!>

Did he realize his words had gotten long again?

Prang hastily covered its mouth. As if reading Ferda's mood.

But Ferda wasn't particularly interested in Prang.

'Lucian Arcdute.'

Come to think of it, he seemed to have heard it briefly when pulling out the sword earlier.

Also, thinking about it, he was someone mentioned in a few lines in the novel.

"...The kingdom has had countless knights who have made their names known. Among them, the story of the great knight who founded the Count Arcdute household, 'Lucian Arcdute,' cannot be left out. If we were to tell the tales of his martial prowess, with his natural talent for swordsmanship and tremendous elemental affinity..."

Simply put, he was the first head of the Arcdute family.

Considering when the Count Arcdute household was established, Lucian Arcdute was a figure from about three hundred years ago.

Finishing his recollection, Ferda looked back at Prang.

"What's this pact about?"

<Guarding this place.>

"Guarding?"

<Yeah, there's something sealed here.>

At the word seal, anxiety suddenly struck. So he was about to ask what was sealed.

But Prang's words came first.

<But you know. Actually, I've been feeling it bit by bit since earlier...>

A faintly trembling voice.

Then it continued in a somewhat stiffened tone.

<That sealed thing seems like it's about to wake up.>

Why do ominous predictions never miss the mark?

Ferda's face contorted greatly.