In Toriko With A Chat Group

[After a week of your relentless hunting, the outskirts of Arkantretia City have become significantly safer.]

[During this period, you not only hunted down dangerous monsters such as Newbie Killers, Giant Apes, Dire Wolves, Giant Pythons, Griffons, and Lesser Dragons, but you also cleared out all the lower-level quests.]

[Your strength has greatly increased, but you've also encountered a major problem!]

"Damn! Could it be that killing too many monsters has somehow created an invisible deterrent? Why is it that wherever I go, not a single monster shows up?!"

Kei looked at the quest form in his hand and, for the first time, felt troubled. Every time he stepped into a monster's territory, they would flee before he even got close.

"But I've clearly suppressed my aura and even learned stealth techniques from a thief. How is it still not working?"

Kei scratched his head in frustration. There was no way to complete the quest like this—every monster fled at the mere hint of his presence.

This was getting really annoying.

...

Inside the Guild.

"Can't complete this quest either."

Kei threw the quest forms on the counter and spoke to Leona, "Cancel these for me."

"Mr. Kei, your strength is just too overwhelming. You've killed so many high-level monsters that their scent has clung to you."

"Humans can't smell it, but monsters from a distance can detect it and sense the danger."

"It's an instinct they've developed over countless generations of evolution."

Although Leona wasn't an adventurer, as a guild receptionist, she had a good understanding of these kinds of things.

"Scent? But I take regular baths."

Kei sniffed his own clothes, but he couldn't smell anything unusual.

"Bathing won't remove this kind of scent. According to the guild's research, it can only fade away naturally over time."

"And during that time, you must avoid hunting monsters. If you continue, the scent won't dissipate—in fact, it'll only intensify."

Leona explained.

"What a hassle. But why don't others have this problem? Why is it only me?"

Kei looked at the other adventurers around him. He hadn't heard of anyone else having this issue.

"Because you're too strong. Most people take three to four days—or even longer—teaming up to hunt high-level monsters."

"The scent gets diluted among everyone involved, so it doesn't trigger the same effect. Plus, it fades relatively quickly."

"But you hunted a large number of high-level monsters on your own in a very short period, so naturally, the monsters marked you as a serious threat."

Leona got up and rummaged through some books behind the counter before placing one on the table. "This book explains it in detail."

"Monsters can sense things that humans can't. When faced with the overwhelming presence of powerful demons or other formidable creatures, they instinctively choose to flee."

"That's why lower-level monsters never appear where high-level monsters roam—it's a survival instinct."

"Look at this section where the author theorizes that after high-level monsters are killed, they might leave behind some kind of mark. Humans can't sense it, but other monsters can."

"When other monsters sense this mark, they immediately flee. It's likely an evolutionary adaptation to preserve the species."

Kei quickly finished reading the book and nodded in agreement. The author had conducted thorough research, offering reasonable hypotheses on phenomena that were otherwise hard to explain.

"Archmage Francis Fedoranell, Anzurlud Pumpen II... What a bizarre name."

Kei thought the strange naming style felt oddly familiar. "Wait a minute... Could this author be from the Crimson Demons?"

"Yes, he's indeed a great mage from the Crimson Demons. Though his name is odd, his knowledge is truly impressive."

Leona replied.

"The Crimson Demons are known for their exceptional magic and intelligence. Their most noticeable trait is their crimson eyes, and it's said that every member of the Crimson Demons is a master of magic."

"Hey, Mr. Kei, where are you going?"

"No more hunting quests for now. I'll see if anyone needs private commissions instead."

After figuring out why monsters were avoiding him, Kei left the guild to seek private work.

"Ah, I just don't get it. Mr. Kei has already made so much money. Why is he still working so hard on quests?"

Leona shook her head as she gathered the quest forms that Kei had returned.

"Hey, did you guys hear what Leona was saying to the Task King?"

"Yeah, the Task King hunted so many monsters that they're now too scared to even show themselves!"

"Honestly, it's good news for us. He won't be able to compete with us for quests anymore, so we can finally make some extra cash!"

"Don't be stupid. It's not like we could have completed those high-level hunting quests anyway."

The adventurers in the guild were always eager for gossip. Kei's problem with scaring off monsters quickly spread throughout Arkantretia.

...

While wandering through the city, Kei suddenly encountered a little creature.

"Whimper... Whimper..."

"No way... Even a dog sees me and doesn't dare to bark—just cowers in the corner and whimpers?"

Kei looked at the little dog trembling in the alley, confused. He hadn't done anything—he was just passing by.

"Shiro!"

"Don't bully Shiro!"

A dirty little girl ran over, immediately shielding the dog with her body.

"If you want to hit something, hit me! Don't bully Shiro!"

The child said defiantly.

"Seriously?"

"I was just passing by. And if you're protecting it, shouldn't you at least try to fight me? Why just lie down and wait to get hit?"

Kei looked at the child, suddenly realizing something strange. She didn't look entirely human—her left eye was blue, and her right eye was black.

She even had small horns on her head—definitely not human.

Seeing the child trembling on the ground, Kei could only shake his head helplessly and walk away.

"Looks like I've killed too many monsters... Now even kids get scared just seeing me."

Kei muttered as he left, planning to soak in a hot spring and relax a bit.

(End of Chapter)

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/zaelum]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]