The question of assigning David tasks actually gave Fernandes quite a headache. In fact, there were very few first-tier hunters stationed in the imperial capital among the Order.
This was the imperial capital of the Goliath Empire, one of the safest places in the entire empire. If problems appeared in the capital, they definitely weren't things first-tier hunters could solve.
So generally speaking, most newly promoted hunters would be deployed elsewhere to perform tasks, or directly join the frontier hunters' guild.
Like Veronica—she'd gone southwest with other hunters during this time.
But David's background was a bit special. He was a guy the Fourth Prince specifically wanted to stay in the capital, so Fernandes had basically no work for him to do...
Send a proper supernatural being to handle catching thieves and investigating cases?
That was police work. If the Order interfered, it would be overstepping... Unless dark forces' shadows appeared.
Like various restless evil god cultists hiding in the capital's underground.
This "intelligence" David brought actually precisely pointed out that a warehouse at the docks was a cult hideout. This got Fernandes very excited. He'd been suffering trying to find those rats for a long time.
"Is your intelligence reliable?"
"Reliable." David nodded.
"Mm... Very good. I need to make arrangements." The old man set the intelligence aside, planning to have other hunters look at it too.
As for David, looking at how idle he was, probably no stopping him from getting involved. Whatever, letting him tag along wouldn't hurt.
"Your advancement ritual still needs the bishop's approval, but I can give you the ritual materials list in advance. There's one material you need to find yourself—the Church's warehouse doesn't store it. It must be fresh... This time the Church won't provide the ritual for free. You'll also need to pay a certain fee."
Saying this, he wrote some things on a paper and handed it to David.
David first saw that "fee" and secretly gasped. It was a number even he, a "noble," found expensive.
"Looks like I'll need to borrow some from His Highness the Prince..."
Actually, hunters could receive bounties based on task performance after completing Order missions, but David had no tasks, so naturally he'd never earned money.
This month he'd been spending his own savings. Never thought he'd start worrying about money so soon.
...
The "intelligence" handed to Fernandes actually came from that Shattered Church priest who appeared in the Shattered Temple—Efnathis.
This was also part of the plan.
Before officially issuing the mission, Fernandes needed to gather other high-tier hunters, so he had David temporarily stay at the Church and wait.
He took advantage of this time to visit the workshop and find the gunsmith, bald Cage.
Heavy Hammer was lost in the sewers, along with the sword. Now David had no weapons on him. Although this wasn't a big deal for him with three special arms, he still missed that feeling of pouring out destructive power with Heavy Hammer...
He'd found Cage before, not only praising the Heavy Hammer he made but also proposing a suggestion—make an even more reckless, wilder weapon.
When the bald man heard David's "demonic proposal," it was like a door to a new world opened. His whole bald head lit up.
Right now, he looked at David like seeing a kindred spirit.
"Mr. David, to be honest, your words that day reminded me. After that, I designed another masterpiece I'm proud of!"
He eagerly pulled David into the warehouse, then placed an exquisite short-barreled "cannon" before David.
"'Heavy Hammer Enhanced Version'! Its basic shooting power is about the same as Heavy Hammer, but it has more 'flexible' options. Just inject double the psychic energy or life energy into it, and it can fire blood bullets with double the power!"
Cage truly didn't disappoint David. His genius design ability was on full display pursuing destructive power...
David picked up the Heavy Hammer Enhanced Version, loving it, his smile downright wild.
But he immediately said apologetically to the bald man: "Sorry, Cage. The previous Heavy Hammer got lost in a very dangerous place due to some unavoidable circumstances. I lost it..."
Cage froze for a moment, then broke into a grin. "In that case, you can take this Enhanced Heavy Hammer right now."
He smiled very happily, not at all sad about Heavy Hammer's demise. Anyway, no one but David would appreciate his wild creations. Same went for this Heavy Hammer Enhanced Version.
As a gunsmith, having his weapons used by someone was the happiest thing.
This gun—undoubtedly only David Frank would use it. This was a terrifying weapon custom-made for him.
...
David left the warehouse satisfied with his gun.
Before leaving the workshop, he also wanted to apply for a new silver sword. Bald Cage's eyes shifted and he pulled him aside again.
"Mr. David, actually I wanted to introduce you to a colleague who's also 'wild school'..."
The person Cage mentioned was a blacksmith named Hans. Unfortunately, Hans wasn't around. Hearing David wanted to get a silver sword, Cage, who had a good relationship with Hans, took it upon himself to pull David in front of a sword.
But this sword was different from David's original light silver sword. It was a great sword with an exaggerated design...
"Truly worthy of the wild school."
David examined that great sword. Its blade was two palms wide. Standing on the ground, the hilt's end could reach David's shoulder height. And it was very heavy—regular people couldn't even lift it.
This was also a significant burden for David's body strengthened by vast life energy, but if it was the Hand of Monster, it could easily wield this powerful great sword...
Unlike the unpopular "wild school" gunsmith Cage, Hans's wild creations were very popular with high-tier hunters.
Quite a few hunters strengthened multiple times by demonization potions could easily use this kind of beautiful giant weapon, making it a sharp blade for slaying giant monsters.
As a wild school fan, David also liked this sword, but after considering his own strength, he temporarily gave up the idea.
Using the Hand of Monster to wield the great sword was actually more loss than gain, and he himself couldn't easily use the great sword. It was just too heavy.
Better wait until he became a high-tier hunter with enough strength to consider it.
Before that, he still needed to research demonization potion configurations well and perform at least two rituals to have the conditions for using demonization potions to strengthen his body.
...
David left the workshop with the Heavy Hammer Enhanced Version, planning to test the gun at the underground shooting range.
He came here often and knew his way around. Usually there was no one else at the range—currently only David, this rookie, still needed gun practice in the Order.
Right then, two people approached from the other end of the tunnel. Before they appeared, David heard their conversation.
"...Lucio, your frame is too fragile. As a doctor, I advise you to pay more attention to training your bones and muscles. Maybe you could come to my clinic..."
"Get lost. Who'd want to go to your man-eating clinic!"
"Sigh, Lucio, your arrogance will get you killed one day."
Two men in hunter gear entered the range. Interestingly, David had seen both of them. One was the mustachioed hunter Lucio, the other was Freud who'd pulled him up at the sewer exit yesterday.
These two seemed pretty close, joking as they walked. When they saw David, Freud was first to greet him.
"Hey, isn't this Mr. Frank? What a coincidence, we were just looking for you."
David coldly pressed down his hat brim as a response.
Lucio silently nodded.
David left a deep impression on him. After that abandoned factory incident, he never dared underestimate this country noble again.
"Mr. Fernandes said you're also our partner for the next mission. Let me introduce myself again—I'm Freud, Order third-tier hunter."
Freud smiled and took off his hat. "Hope we work together well..."
As expected, Fernandes reacted quickly. Looked like he also really cared about those cult movements.
David broke into a grin, not because of his two new partners, but because he'd already completed the first step of his plan.
Next, he'd personally go to the dock district to obtain that Hand of Divine Corpse from the Shattered Church.
The second Hand of Divine Corpse!