Live for Style, Die for Style
We accepted a quest to hunt down a group of wandering Raiders who'd looted several villages...
But by the time we arrived, they'd already bolted.
What do we do now?
Hehe! Captain, don't tell me you forgot who you're with?
I'm Trish, Arcelus Association's top-tier hunter!
Which means tracking prey is my specialty. Hahaha!
No matter how well they run, they always leave something behind.
Look here. Black ash gathered under this tree stump. Seems like it was a campfire.
It's still dry, so they were here until at least this morning.
They covered their tracks. One of them is smarter than average.
They even wiped the footprints to throw us off their trail.
But... hehehe! I've got ways around that.
Captain, just follow me. Let's move.
In her element, Trish took the lead. And before long, we spotted the Raiders.
Shh. Quiet.
Krrk! How long we gotta keep movin'?
Hungry! Warrior no fight on an empty stomach.
Krrrk. Little longer!
We stole human goods. Humans come chasing.
Need to cover trail before strong humans catch up.
We cross the river down there.
River?! I no swim! Cliff too high to climb down!
Kekeke! That's why I brought rope.
We tie ourselves together and go down cliff, then cross river.
Then ones who can't swim can cross too!
Krrrk... You, genius?
...Didn't expect Raiders with actual brainpower.
Captain. If they cross that river, we'll lose them.
I'll handle them. Wait here!
Be careful. That cliff's steep.
Hahaha! Don't worry.
I'll swoop in and clean this up in a flash.
Just sit back and watch me pull off the coolest hunt you've ever seen!
Let's gooo!
Trish leapt out light as air and instantly had the panicking Raiders backed into a corner.
Krrrk! Human! Fight!
H-how human get here?!
The way of the hunter! Once they're prey, chase them to the ends of Lavistar!
Krrrk! Negotiate! Negotiate, human!
We split loot, half-half!
The way of the hunter! Kill all and take all rather than splitting it!
Krrrk! Human. Crueler than us...!
Krawr!
Just as Trish leapt off a tree trunk for the finishing blow after toying with the Raiders...
Uh-oh...?
She put too much force into the jump and was flying straight over the cliff's edge.
At this rate... She was going to fall down the cliff!
Watch out...!
I bolted forward and dove with everything I had, barely grabbing Trish's hand in time.
Whew... That was close.
Thanks, Captain!
...That could've ended badly.
But I looked cool, didn't I?
The way of the hunter! Better to die cool than live like a loser!
I couldn't hold back seeing her brush it off so easily, so I flicked her right on the forehead.
*Thwack*
Oww...! That hurt! D-did you just hit me?!
Don't ever joke about dying like that again.
...Ugh! I didn't mean it like that! It's just a figure of speech!
I told you it was dangerous.
I-I heard you, but I thought I could handle—
Handle what?
...Fine. I get it.
If it really looks dangerous next time, I'll be more careful. Deal?
But don't tell me how to fight. That's not up for discussion.
When hunting, fight with flair!
No matter how mad you get, I'm not budging on that.
...Why are you so obsessed with being cool, anyway?
Do I need a reason to like being cool?
It's just what I want—
Cut the excuses. Tell me the real reason.
...The real reason?
Because I'm sick of living a miserable life!
I'm nothing like my family who are content living a shabby life in some mountain village.
There's so much out there that's delicious, exciting, and cool!
Shabby life? What are you talking about?
*Sigh* Well... I'm not from the city.
I lived in a place so remote, backwater would be putting it nicely.
You've got no idea what my days used to look like, Captain. You couldn't even imagine.
They were painfully dull. Miserable. Embarrassing, even.
Same farm chores every day. Same stiff bed, same jokes, same dry, flavorless potatoes every night...
Wake up. Repeat. Next day? Repeat again!
Sometimes we'd head to the next village to barter food, and people would look at us like beggars...
My clothes were all hand-me-down rags, stained and yellowed. And my hands were always filthy! Honestly, who could blame them?
I didn't want to live like that. That's why I left for the city.
To live a life that's flashy and bold—not grimy and pathetic.
And you admitted it yourself, remember? Flashy and bold is fun.
It's true. That carefree day I spent with Trish, splurging left and right, had been undeniably fun.
Maybe treating yourself once in a while really is just a matter of personal values.
But...
Living like that every single day is the problem...
What's so wrong with that?
Is sacrificing the present really the right answer, just for the sake of the future?
Who even knows what tomorrow will bring?
There was a time a rich man visited us and offered to buy the land for a factory.
But those fools I call my family just said no, even after I begged them.
And guess what happened? That precious house and field of theirs got completely flooded!
Flooded?
Yeah. Some huge fight broke out between monsters and Saviors upstream by the dam.
The dam cracked. Then it couldn't take the pressure and BOOM! Burst wide open.
No one got hurt, thank goodness. But where our house used to be? It's a lake now.
Honestly, it worked out for the better. It finally gave me a reason to leave.
With a sour look, Trish brushed the dirt off her pants.
You asked why I'm so fixated on being cool, right?
You're right—I won't deny it. I love cool stuff.
If I'm gonna do something, I want to believe it looks cool.
Why do I blow through money? No real reason. It just looks cool, that's all.
About that excuse I gave you before...
I... only said that because the truth was nothing like being cool.
But no matter what you say, I probably won't change.
Because this is just how I live.
Whew! Feels good to let it all out!
Thanks, Captain.
I didn't want to talk about it since it felt kinda uncool, but now that I have? Feels great.
Let's head back!
Trish's reasons for obsessing over being cool, fighting like she's performing acrobatics, and spending money like it grows on trees...
I think I'm beginning to understand her a little.
But the cool she's chasing still felt a little off.
There has to be some way to help her realize that on her own...