Free Web NovelChapter 216: _The Human Terminator
[WARNING: Spiders are between D and C-Ranks.]
Ambrose’s brows furrowed.
Ranks like that were fodder to him... but it was still mostly unexpected. Usually in dungeon Rifts, the only monster that’s of the same Rank as the dungeon it exists in would be the leader.
The final boss.
So why the fuck were they being faced with multiple C-Rank beasts in a C-Rank dungeon?
"C–Captain Killian." The female Esper’s voice trembled as the first of the spiders crawled onto the ground. "W–Why do some of these things feel more powerful than D-Rank?"
Killian—aka the B-Rank Esper—didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled out a sword, drawing it back in an offensive stance.
Ambrose watched closely as the man prepared his aether.
Then... one of the spiders moved in a blur, heading straight for Ambrose.
’Shit.’ His pupils blew wide while his fingers curled around the hilt of his frost dagger.
However, before it could get within six metres of him—hell broke loose. Hundreds of swords flew at it, slicing through its chitinous flesh.
It screeched as purple blood splattered out of it, painting the ground.
Ambrose glanced back at Captain Killian. ’He can make copies of his weapons?’ He got the system to scan the man’s abilities more keenly.
[Actually, the ability seems to let him manipulate the atomic properties of basically any form of matter. Allowing him to create copies of almost anything at all.]
Huh.
Now that looked like a handy power.
"You!" Killian barked at Ambrose just then. "Stay focused or you’ll be these things next meal."
With that, he charged, slicing off the legs of another spider about to attack another team member. Gradually, the others joined the captain, activating their abilities and drawing out weapons.
Ambrose didn’t slack either.
He drew out his frost dagger, gaze locking on a C-Rank spider. It lunged at him but he dodged with a quick leap, landing on its back.
One simple jab was all he needed to pierce through its skull. It cried out, thrashing around until it slammed into a cave wall.
Crystals, dust and stones shot out of the spot as Ambrose jumped away from it.
[C-Rank aether core acquired from target.]
A small grin crept up his lips as he darted for his next target.
[D-Rank core acquired.]
[D-Rank core acquired.]
[C-Rank core acquired.]
He made sure to use no Esper abilities, simply going from one spider to the other with nothing but his frost dagger. The weapon not only cut through flesh but also froze their blood from the inside out.
Meanwhile, as he slaughtered spiders like cleaving wheat from a field, Leon watched from a corner.
’Such... skills...’ he marvelled, following the way the so-called C-Rank Guide moved gracefully from one spider to the next. ’The speed. The stamina.’
The Guide did a backflip from one spider to the next, tricking them into charging at each other. In the ensuing chaos, he stabbed one through the head and another from its lower abdomen.
Leon—Loki—couldn’t stop themselves from smirking. ’Not just skilled but cunning in battle. He fights like a veteran who’s survived multiple high-risk raids.’
Across the cave, Ambrose, unaware that he was being monitored, kept his eyes pinned on the system screen rapidly shifting before him.
[Host has acquired 12 C-Rank cores and 13 D-Ranks.]
[You sure you don’t want to slow down? Compared to the others you’re walking around like a human terminator. I doubt even the B-Rank Captain has killed as much as you so far.]
’The whole point of battles like this is that most people would be too occupied to notice who did what.’ Ambrose narrowly dodged a spider’s pointy feet.
He eased into the shadows, huffing out a raspy breath. ’But you’re right. I’ll chill here for a bit.’
’How many seduction coins would all the cores combined give me?’
[Well, a C-Rank core is worth 500 coins. At the same time, a D-Rank core would be 100 coins. So, combined...]
[7300 seduction coins.]
[Host’s total seduction coins: 9050.]
His eyes glistened at those numbers.
Nine thousand seduction coins.
After facing that S-Rank pterodactyl in the prehistoric dungeon and barely coming out with his life and dignity, he’s been thinking about getting a new weapon.
An S-Rank weapon.
Of course it would be one he’d only use when necessary.
[The cheapest S-Rank weapons in the shop are 15000 seduction coins.]
Ugh.
Fucking killjoy.
★★★★★
After what felt like aeons, Killian and the other Hunters finished bringing down the remaining spiders. Their bodies littered the cave floor, their blood sparkling under the crystal lights.
"W–We did it." A C-Rank Guide mumbled, collapsing to the ground. He exhaled sharply, arching his head ceilingward. "Fuck, we actually did it."
"Are we sure that’s the last of them though?" Another chimed.
"For now. I reckon wherever the dungeon boss is there’d be more beasts."
"More? We barely survived these!"
"Who the fuck ranked this place as a C-Rank dungeon anyway?"
Captain Killian didn’t pay attention to his team’s bickering. A flick of his wrist made every copy of his sword he made crumble into nothingness.
Just when he was about to sheath the sword, his eyes slid to a corner of the cave. Away from the others stood that new C-Rank recruit.
There were a few blood stains on his Hunter outfit but other than that—he was completely untouched.
Even Killian sustained a few bruises as well as scratches on his Hunter outfit. So naturally, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Ambrose caught the man staring and immediately sensed trouble.
"Guide Ambrose," Killian called, his head tilting slowly. "Don’t tell me you’ve been hiding back there all this time."
Before Ambrose could even open his mouth to defend himself, one of the other Hunters sneered.
"Wait, what?"
"The captain is right. Look at how unharmed he is."
"Funny how you’re the only one without a scratch."
"You little piece of shit!" Someone got off the ground, squaring up like he was looking for a fight. "If you’re going to cower like a bug while we do all the dirty work, we’ll just report you to the Guild master."
"Yeah! He doesn’t deserve the Raid bonus."
"He doesn’t deserve being in the Guild at all."
Ambrose gawked speechlessly at them.
He’d imagined this outcome but actually seeing it play out?
"Enough." Captain Killian stopped the murmurs before things could escalate. "Let him explain himself. I’m sure—"
"He wasn’t hiding, Captain."
All heads turned to the source of the voice.
Leon stepped forward, using a rag to wipe off purple blood from a curved-bladed weapon. He shot Ambrose one last glance before continuing.
"Guide Ambrose participated actively in the fight. And I’m a witness."
Ambrose’s forehead creased.
Suddenly he had this unsettling feeling twisting deep in his stomach.
’How much did this guy see?’
