Grieving Souls

Light Novel

**Grieving Souls**  also known as "*Grievers*" is the topnotch, super elite, and strongest young party of treasure hunters in the Zebrudia. It is also the founder and pioneer of the First Steps.

## Information

### Origin

The six pioneer members of the Grievers are originally born and raise in a backwoods town. The history of their hometown is still unknown, but their childhood dream to become the level 10 hunters begins in this place.

Five years ago before the clan was established, Krai and his five childhood friends formed their own party, exclusively for the six of them. They were all started from the scratch, shared blood and sweat during their harsh training and explored the world by looking at each other's backs.

As they progress, they are still unsatisfied with their current status. Thus, every members, including Krai, begins to improve their skills and their career to the next level. The Grievers enters the schools related to their specified class. They literally encounters a bunch of different mentors, such as great, bad and ugly individuals. At first the young and motivated Krai Andrey literally enters all of the schools where each of his friend's enrolled, but these mentors frankly tell him that he has no raw talent in their field unlike his childhood friends. Eventually, he surrenders after he acknowledges his unfortunate position. So for a while, he decides to give his full support to his friends in the sidelines.

One of his friend proposes him to become their leader sincerely. Since Krai has no role in the group, the whole party members elects him as their party leader unanimously. Despite his confession that he's pretty useless, holding them back, and unmotivated to continue his adventure, they misinterpret his confession as a 'warning' that they are the group who is holding him back, and he is very disappointed at their performance during their first raid in the Level 1 Treasure Vault.

For quite sometime, the gang is coincidentally placed into difficult quests, dangerous situation, life and death events, and hellish struggles because of Krai's clumsiness of taking all of the most impossible quests that no one has ever accomplished. However despite this ludicrous activities, they miraculously survive, return alive loaded with pack of prestige, treasures, and they earn a lot of immeasurable and unbeatable achievements because of his random comments and commanding skills coincidentally helped them to achieve a decisive victory.

Their party leader's random commands -even he doesn't give any orders- help them to overcome, enhance, and develop their career growth. The whole gang commented before that Krai is an 'ultimate human being' that is always planned their raid ahead on time. Helping them to become strong and enjoy their adventure under the 'trial of fire'.

A few years later, their number increases to one. It happens during their expedition to a vault located in a desert when Krai encounters Eliza Peck by chance. She is scouted and invited her to become their member. But his ulterior motive is to make her his substitute since he will become too busy working to manage his clan at that time. Eliza politely plans to decline at first, but she is persuasively recruited. Afterward, she becomes the seventh member of their crew after Krai agree with her terms and conditions.

Later on, Tino Shade, who is a normal village girl in the Capital, shows an interest to join the party. The young Tino explicitly implores Krai to become his disciple. But her training is passed down to Liz Smart's responsibility.

Henceforth, his great knowledge, leadership, unpredictable tactics, and stern trial has greatly helped them to hone their skills and reached their level despite the fact he adamantly tells them it is just coincidence.

### Status

Krai Andrey is still the **absolute leader** of the party. He is their **mentor** in all aspects of their training.

Everyone holds a title on their head, the only party receives the highest titular records in history.

Every members are still alive and doing well. They are still together, explore and challenge the dangerous Treasure vaults higher than their level.

They blitz through the treasure vaults with ridiculous speed. They're brash to butt heads with the Empire from time to time. They earned fame and notoriety in no time at all. It is still remaining problem that's occurred in their side.

From that point, the society marks their group as a 'troublemakers' because of the aggressive, barbaric, dishonorable, and abnormal behavior of the members. Their reputation always receives a negative opinions of the nobles, public citizens, government officials, and other parties inside and outside of the capital.

Nevertheless, it doesn't stop the members to do their unorthodox activities. Their unrivaled achievements always attracts a lot of red party that puts everyone into life threatening situation especially their pitiful leader. All of the hostile people who died for attempted assassinations increases their popularity in the eyes of the public in negative way, however.

Despite the lack of numbers in their party, the high quality, standard and capabilities of everyone is still considered the most prominent among the capital.

Consequently, the reputation of their party is gradually improved after Krai creates an organization for the sake of his friends. It still remained divided with respect, envious and hatred by the many.

They are recorded as top party that hasn't lost a single member.

Liz stated everyone will retire once Krai decides to leave because it will become boring without him.

Every new generations wishes to join the group because of two things, they want to be belong with the strongest party and to get a chance to meet in person the one who upholds the highest authority, Thousand Tricks.

### Symbol

During pre-Golden Age era when everyone was still equal in power, Krai created the **reversed mask** known as **Laughing Bonehead**.

The unique design marks as the symbol of the party members. It has no holes to see through because Krai forgets to add some adjustments. Making his members mistakenly believe it as part of their training. Currently, only Krai's mask is gone because Liz destroys it for unexplained reason.

The **laughing bonehead** is also a symbol of awe for who those who know it.

This mask has similarities with the rest of other organic mask relics, but from the looks of it, it has more dreadful, intimidating aura and fearsome looks. This is one of the reason for the party to be mistaken by the many as a phantom and labels them as a notorious red party at first when they are still starting from the scratch.

According to Gark's perspective, the mask resembles a 'grieving soul' that is mocking the enemies' pride.

## **Rules**

All members should follow the creed of the party as of follows:

* Everyone should get along.
* Prohibition to touch the general citizens.
* Democracy

Note: If opinions are in disagreement, it will be decided by majority. Krai Andrey's vote is higher than them because his existence is valued of 5 votes.

## Reference

1. ↑ In webnovel, it is translated as Strange Grief.
2. ↑ In Japanese light novel, it is officially translated as Strange Grief.
3. ↑ In webnovel, it is translated as Stagri.
4. ↑ LN Grieving Souls Wants Retire Volume 1
Chapter 2 : The Hodgepodge
5. ↑ LN Grieving Souls Wants Retire Volume 9
Chapter 3 : The way of the Divine Tree
6. ↑ WN: Footprint of the Beginning