Argus grinned. "Maria. She said that you have experience working as a porter after I asked her to recommend someone to me. She pointed at you. That's why I went up to you to recruit you."
Arlo's mind flashed back to the receptionist's face when he had gone to register under Argus's party.
'So that's why she looked so happy when I went to register under his party! That girl... I know she saw my details in the system, but doesn't she know that you shouldn't leak a hunter's information without their permission!'
"Look, I know I agreed to join your party, but this changes things..." Arlo muttered, his head lowered as he contemplated his next move. "I don't know if I'm ready to take on a C-rank Labyrinth."
Cold sweat trickled down Arlo's face, his heart racing as he tried to find a way out of this predicament.
'I won't be able to use magic or an ability. Even though I've increased my stats by a few points, I doubt I'll be able to survive entering a C-rank Labyrinth... I should quit while I still can... That's what my experience as a porter is telling me, but... at this point, I don't have another choice.'
Arlo's grasped his head, desperately searching for an alternative solution. 'Is there really no other way I can enter a gate without joining a party? I doubt I'll be able to find a party to join as easily as this one... but I believe private guilds are authorized to deal with gates. However, I doubt some guild is going to recruit or let a random nobody like me take on a gate on my own.'
Within the hunter association, guilds existed as independent organizations often established by hunters or sponsors. These guilds not only had access to certain gates but also had the autonomy to handle them as they saw fit, as long as they successfully cleared them.
Starting a guild was no easy feat, so joining one seemed like a viable option for Arlo. If he managed to join a guild, they might allow him to clear a gate on his own if he desired.
However, joining a guild was equally challenging. For an F-rank hunter with no connections, it was virtually impossible to gain entry into any reputable guild. Even if Arlo somehow found one willing to accept him, it would likely be a shady organization that would force him to sign an exploitative contract.
'Do I really have no choice...? Damn it!' Veins bulged on Arlo's forehead as he buried his face in his hands, frustration overwhelming him. 'Stupid party rule! This would all be so much easier if I was on my own!' he screamed inwardly, his hands clenching into tight fists.
"Look, if he's having second thoughts about joining us, why bother?" Arlene scoffed. "I mean, sure, he might have experience, but he's weak as hell. An F-rank without an ability? That's the lowest of the low. Not to mention, he's wearing a tracksuit and doesn't even look like he can afford armor. Why bother with someone like him?"
Veins bulged on Arlo's forehead as he looked up and stared at her, his smile twitching and eyes narrowing.
'C-Calm down, Arlo... She's right in a way. Don't let what she says get to you. You have to stay polite when dealing with others... You don't want to be hated, right? If you're kind and polite, others will respond in the same way... Just stay calm… just like always…'
Liam attempted to intervene. "Arlene, that's going too far. You should apologize-"
But Arlene cut him off, her words sharp and unrelenting. "Apologize for what? He's not saying anything because he knows I'm right. Let's stop the car and look for another guy. I'm sure there are plenty of people here who can replace him! Don't you think there's a reason he's not in a party? What kind of party would be stupid enough to recruit a guy like him—"
Something snapped inside Arlo, and before he realized it, the words tumbled out of his mouth.
"Oi, you bitch! What's with that attitude?! You think I asked to be here?! Your leader was the one who invited me! Maybe the reason he's looking for another member in the first place is because your stuck-up ass was too difficult to deal with!"
Arlo's chest heaved as he finished his outburst, his eyes locked on Arlene, who seemed taken aback by his sudden retaliation. The other two party members facepalmed themselves while sighing.
As the weight of his words sank in, Arlo's heart plummeted, realizing the gravity of what he had just said.
"...Ah."
"B-B-Bitch... You really just called me a b-b-bitch, didn't you..." Arlene repeated, her voice trembling as she lowered her head, a unsettling giggle escaping her lips, as if she couldn't believe the words that had just been uttered.
'Shit… she mentioned party so I lost my cool for a second—'
Arlo's thoughts were abruptly interrupted as her fist suddenly grazed past his face, stopping mere inches beside it.
A thin trickle of blood ran down Arlo's cheek as he slowly turned to look at the fist before shifting his gaze back to Arlene, who was grinning with a menacing expression.
'She's a healer, right...? Is a healer normally able to punch that fast?'
"F-rank or not, it appears that you have some backbone, haha..." Arlene continued. "Okay then, I'll allow you to join the party... But you better not hold us back after saying all that shit. Otherwise, I'll make sure that if it's in the labyrinth, no one will find your body when I kill you, haha..." Her laughter echoed in the confined space of the car, sending a chill down Arlo's spine.
"...B-Bring it on..." Arlo responded, forcing a nervous grin as he averted his eyes.
"Humph," Arlene huffed, turning away from him and staring out the window, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery.
'I don't like her, she acts like a spoiled brat even though she looks to be the same age as me. That being said, this is obviously a dangerous idea, but it's not like I have another choice, worse case scenario I'll use magic and worry about the consequences after...' Arlo thought to himself as he tried rubbing the cut on his cheek.
Upon doing so his eyes widened when he noticed that there wasn't a cut or drop of blood there.
'Huh? I thought it was bleeding after her punch grazed me, did I imagine it? Or maybe… she healed me?' He wondered as he glanced at her.
The girl was silently gazing out of the window with an annoyed look on her face.
'If she really did heal me then she might not be so bad… No, I still don't like her.' Arlo thought to himself as the car engine hummed in the background, propelling them towards their destination—the gate.
Suddenly, a notification appeared before Arlo's eyes, its contents causing his heart to sink.
[Unique Quest Unlocked.]
You've got to be kidding me...' Arlo groaned inwardly, his eyes reflecting the details of the quest notification that had unexpectedly materialized before him.