Infinite Evolution: My Idle Evolution System

"Again… Why do the rewards stated by the System always seem more like punishments?"

Cassius was already carrying around several towns' worth of weight on his back. If it got any worse, then he might as well be slugging the entire world on his shoulders, with his Newbie Sword weighing as much as a planet.

Coincidentally…

*Ding!*

[When the Newbie Equipment Set and Sword advance to #10 of each, they will weigh approximately as much as planets in this universe! ^~^]

"...Gee, thanks for that information!" Cassius exclaimed, all smiles.

"...Sadistic bastard…" he mumbled underneath his breath.

[What was that? (¬⤙¬ )]

"Nothing, nothing. I was just mentioning how helpful and sweet you are. There are truly no others quite like you!"

[(,,¬﹏¬,,) You're making me blush, hihi~]

'Shove your hihi up your as, you dckhead…!' was what Cassius wanted to say, yet held his tongue out of fear of what sort of torture the System would make him endure next.

"Better to just get through the last of the Daily Quests and go on with my life. Haiz…"

Following a heavy sigh, he dropped down to the ground and started off the exercises with the classic. Push-up after push-up was performed by the stud muffin himself, with each one causing cracks to splinter through Mt. Fuji.

A few S-Rank Hunters residing within Central Honshu felt something off, yet couldn't pinpoint what exactly was making them feel this way.

However, as time passed, even A-Rank Hunters were beginning to notice something. They looked around with puzzled expressions, eventually meeting up with one another to discuss the constant shaking.

*Wham!*

An old Eastern-style screen door was slammed open inside of a massive Japanese mansion, its specific age likely numbering in the hundreds of years. A figure adorned in fire and flame patterns entered a room that had dozens of powerful presences gathered inside.

Most of them looked in the direction of the newcomer, then ignored him and returned to what they were doing. Discussions echoed out, each one slicing through the flame-adorned man like knives to his egotistical soul.

Luckily for the A-Rank Hunter known as 'Firecracker,' a few of the present Hunters paid him the attention he so dearly desired. Of course, none of them were above the A-Rank.

"What are you doing here, Firecracker, bro? I heard you were in Tokyo helping out one of the lower-ranking Earth Crusader Guild Parties. What happened to that gig?"

A man with a large frame and a hearty laugh walked toward the irksome Firecracker. The man wore a dark green kimono with a large, scary black dragon print stitched on the front.

'Goro, the Laughing Dragon, Takeda… Why does he have to be here as well??'

Firecracker came here as soon as he learned that the tremors were not a natural occurrence. However, he hadn't expected an annoying man like Goro, the A-Rank Hunter, to come, too.

Sighing, he said, "I got to Honshu a few days ago when the Earth Crusaders Guild announced that they found a new replacement for one of their S-Rank Hunter Parties."

"You got canned, huh?" Goro burst out in low laughter, enjoying every bit of the emotions currently being shown on his friend's face.

Fuming, Firecracker raised his voice and shouted, "I didn't get fired, you moron! They said I could return whenever a spot was made available—"

"Shut up!"

A stern voice entered Firecracker's ears, urging him to immediately shut his trap.

'Haruto, the Shadow Fang, is also here?? God, of course this S-Rank Hunter came to this gathering…!'

Despite his thoughts, Firecracker said, "Y-Yes, I'll shut up right away, sir!"

A cold snort sounded. Haruto dispersed his aura pressure on the presumptuous man, then began the official introduction to the pressing matter at hand.

"Over the past hour, an unnatural disturbance has attracted the attention of many powerful people in the Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures. This has led to all of our Guilds and affiliations receiving an enormous number of complaints. Now, your job is to…"

Haruto, the organizer for this gathering, continued his speech, making sure to cover all of the core points of the matter. However, in the background, there were a few inconspicuous A-Rank Hunters conversing with one another, utterly overlooking the entire speech.

"So after being canned, what do you plan to do next?" asked Goro, a wide smile plastered across his square-shaped face. "Are you going to return to that small city of… What was its name again? The one with only a single B-Rank Hunter? And not even a Hunter originally from that region. Haha!"

"Hoshito…"

"What was that??" Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

Ticked off, Firecracker smacked the big man on the arm.

"I said Hoshito, you dumb deaf bastard!"

"Hoshi—what? What sort of name is that? Say it again!" Goro requested in all seriousness.

"Gawddamnit! I said motherf*cking Hoshito, you id-iot!" Firecracker, no longer able to hold his temper, lashed out at the big oaf.

Everyone in the room shot their eyes in his direction.

"You're in for it now," said a short Brazilian man named Orlando. He chortled under his breath, finding the dread draining his friend's complexion to be ultra amusing.

"T-This is—" Firecracker tried to say in an attempt to defend himself, but was swiftly overshadowed by the icy voice of Haruto:

"Did I not tell you to shut up? Or do you think your voice matters more to the focal point of this discussion than mine?"

"O-Of course not, sir Haruto! I was just so awed by your excellent speech that I couldn't stop myself from getting a little excited!"

'What a kiss-ass…' Goro and Orlando thought in unison. They looked at the pathetic state of their long-time friend and felt some remorse.

'Oh, well. He'll get through this predicament and come out even tougher than before!'

Firecracker side-eyed the two people closest to him with hate in his gaze. And with every further word of reprimand that escaped Haruto's mouth, his scorn for his two 'friends' became all the greater.

'Just wait until we get out of this gathering, you back-stabbing bastards!' he indignantly thought while shamefully retaking his seat.