Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Return of the Calamity Star

Nomu Village, just an Ordinary little village in the White Birch Territory.

Before the plague at the beginning of the year, there were about fifty or sixty households here, totaling over three hundred people.

Unfortunately, a plague swept through. Between those who died and those who fled, only about half the population remained. To this day, the village still shows signs of decay.

The survivors, though grieving, were helpless to do anything about it.

After all, life had to go on. Those who farmed, farmed. Those who hunted, hunted.

People have to look forward.

But now, in the early winter, there were no fields to till, and no Hunter dared to venture into the snow-covered mountains to become wolf fodder. The idle men, with nothing to do, could only gather at the tavern by the village entrance.

The ones with money huddled by the fireplace, playing cards and gambling. The poor ones could only order a few mugs of weak, watered-down ale and crowd under the eaves by the door, chatting idly.

”Hey, did you hear? Six months ago, Viscount Hector from the neighboring Snow Pigeon Territory married Count Heta’s youngest daughter! The entire territory was exempt from a season’s taxes!”

”Tch! So what if I know? What’s that got to do with you? You should be more worried about how you’re going to survive this winter...”

”What do you mean, ’what’s it got to do with me’?”

Hearing someone question him, the bald man who had started the topic took a sip of his weak ale, his voice rising a notch.

”My sister married a man in Snow Pigeon Town. Her family is guaranteed to have surplus grain this year. I’ll just go over and borrow some food. Why would I need to worry about starving this winter?”

The others were still dismissive.

”You dare travel that far in this weather? You’re asking for death. You’ll probably get snatched up by a wolf halfway there~”

”Exactly... If the wolves don’t get you, the bandits will strip you naked and gut you!”

Being questioned repeatedly, the bald man started to lose face. His dark face flushed red as he argued his point.

He kept muttering odd things like, ”Why wouldn’t I dare...” and ”You guys don’t get it...” which only made the mood more cheerful at his expense.

But just as the crowd was laughing merrily, a short, stout man under the eaves, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

”Hey, someone’s coming.”

”Someone? Where?”

The rest of the men, bored out of their minds, were immediately interested.

”Look, over by the village entrance.”

The group of idlers immediately craned their necks to look in the direction the short, stout man was pointing.

It would have been better if they hadn’t looked. The moment they did, almost everyone frowned.

”Those tattered animal skins... Isn’t that...”

”It’s that ’Calamity Star’... What bad luck...”

”Damn it... Didn’t we tell him to get lost? How dare he come back to the village?”

But someone with sharp eyes noticed something subtly out of place.

”What’s that kid carrying on his back? A fox?”

”Get real! Who’s ever seen a fox that big?”

”Why not? A great snow fox!”

As soon as those words were spoken, the scene fell silent.

A Calamity Star, hunting a great snow fox in the mountains in early winter and bringing it back?

Was that even possible?

A few of the men exchanged glances, and the atmosphere began to turn strange.

The possibility was low, true.

But what if?

What if it really was a great snow fox?

GULP~

In the silence, the sound of someone swallowing was especially loud.

Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.

They saw the bald man, who had just been boasting about borrowing grain, with a greedy glint in his eyes, breathing as heavily as an ox.

”What’s there to be afraid of? Let’s go have a look and we’ll know for sure!”

”That kid doesn’t do a lick of work in the village. It’s about time he showed us some respect, right?”

He took the lead, standing up and striding toward the village entrance.

And where one leads, others naturally follow.

’That’s right, how could a mere Calamity Star have the skill to hunt a great snow fox?’

’It must have been come by through dishonest means! It should be confiscated!’

Several idle men, their intentions clearly hostile.

Some didn’t follow, just sighed helplessly.

In the face of group bullying, the voices of a few were simply too weak.

Even if they knew Jon was innocent, they didn’t dare speak up to help him.

Meanwhile, Jon, who had been walking for some time with the snow fox’s carcass on his back, had of course seen the whole process of the group gathering and approaching him.

But he wasn’t the least bit flustered. He just tightened his grip on the Mountain-Cutting Saber in his hand and kept walking forward.

Soon, the distance between them closed enough to see each other’s faces clearly.

The lead bald man’s gaze was practically glued to the great snow fox’s corpse on Jon’s back, his greed completely undisguised.

But even a country bumpkin knows you need a plausible excuse for robbery and extortion.

So he shouted loudly.

”Hey! Kid! Stop! Didn’t I tell you last time? You’re not allowed in the village!”

”Yeah! How dare a Calamity Star like you come to the village? Get lost!”

Jon remained silent, just watching their performance quietly.

And in their eyes, this ”Silence” was undoubtedly a sign of ”cowardice.”

The bald man, emboldened, stepped closer, his coarse finger almost poking Jon in the nose.

”Can’t you hear? You plague-bringer! Get back to your broken-down shack! Don’t bring your bad luck into the village!”

”That’s right! You jinxed your adoptive parents to death, and your stench of misfortune is strong enough to choke a wolf. You still have the nerve to come back?”

A pointy-faced, monkey-cheeked idler next to him chimed in, though his eyes couldn’t stop darting to the bundle of pristine white fur on Jon’s back.

”The mountains are sealed by heavy snow. How could a Calamity Star like you possibly hunt a great snow fox? You must have stolen it from some Knight Lord!”

”That’s right! He must have stolen it!”

Often, a crowd only needs an excuse.

Once the pointy-faced man provided that excuse, the crowd immediately erupted into a noisy clamor.

”Yeah, he definitely stole it! The nerve of him!”

”Hand it over, quickly! We’ll take it to the village chief! Don’t bring disaster upon the village!”

”Hand it over! Hand it over! Hand it over!”

Urged on by the crowd’s shouting, a few of the men grew restless and pressed forward, their intentions obvious.

The muscles in Jon’s face tensed. ’How ridiculous,’ he thought.

’After all is said and done, they’re just after the snow fox pelt on my back!’

’I’ve seen plenty of these vile villagers’ ugly faces in the game!’

’It’s only because my predecessor was such an honest, obedient kid who didn’t know how to fight back. Otherwise, how would this bunch of idlers dare to bully an able-bodied young man?’

’Aren’t they afraid I’ll raise my saber and spill blood within five paces?’

’Of course, I have a better way of handling this now.’

Just as a short, stout man, trying to take advantage of the chaos, was about to touch the priceless snow fox tail with his grimy hand—

The young Warrior Apprentice took a sharp breath, his chest expanding like a bellows, and unleashed the full power of the excellent-grade Skill, [Frightening Roar], in a savage bellow!

”GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME—!!!”

A clap of thunder from a clear sky!

”AARGH—!”

”MAMA!”

The short, stout man closest to him bore the brunt of it. When the roar hit him, it was as if he’d been struck in the head by an invisible hammer!

The overwhelming wave of sound was mixed with a thick, bloody scent—a scent that was clearly coming from the young man before him!

Under the effects of [Frightening Roar], the stimuli of sight, smell, and sound were all infinitely amplified.

He seemed to see the bloodstained animal skins on Jon instantly transform into a man-eating beast, and those cold, sharp eyes became the pupils of a creature sent to claim his life!

The man’s legs went weak on the spot. He let out a strange, terrified cry and stumbled backward, his soul nearly scared out of his body.

The other idlers who were nearby fared no better, scattering one after another, clutching their heads and scurrying away like rats.

Shoving! Cries of alarm! Curses! The village entrance instantly descended into chaos!

Those backing away crashed into the gawkers craning their necks from behind. The ones who were knocked over lost their footing and tripped their companions who were trying to dodge.

The snowy ground was trampled into a mess by the chaotic footsteps. Mixed with the pained, panicked groans of those who had fallen, a few unlucky ones even tumbled into a heap, scrambling pathetically in the cold mud.

Their previous self-righteous arrogance was completely shattered by this one roar, which contained the Power of ”fear.”

A disorderly mob.

Jon snorted coldly, ignoring the small fry as he strode forward.

’So what if I’m a Calamity Star? If I’m a Calamity Star, then you’re the ones who should be afraid!’