Free Web NovelChapter 35: _Another S-Rank Rift?
Norfolk, Virginia.
The coastal city was around one hundred miles away from Aurelia city. At this time, nightlife had already begun in full swing.
A young man stood on a yacht with a wide grin. He wore a white outfit including a pair of white shorts. Placing a hand over his eyes while staring into the ocean ahead, he sighed.
This man was an Esper—an A-Rank at that. And standing beside him was a woman around his age, his permanent Guide who equally had a smile of her own.
"Are you sure your uncle said we can borrow his yacht?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulders. "The last thing I want is trouble with that man."
The young man sniggered, leaning in for a kiss on the Guide’s neck. Then he proceeded to spank her ass, causing a few crew members walking around with boxes of items to redden with embarrassment.
’Such a lewd young master.’ most of them thought.
"Relax, sugar buns," the A-rank tapped his chest boldly. "I took his permission. Besides, the guy is always so busy with Hunter work in Aurelia to care about one yacht all the way here."
The young woman, still flustered after the spank, nodded. "Y–You make a good point. He should be occupied with that fancy gala tonight." Then she paused. "Speaking of which... why didn’t we go to the Phoenix-Talon gala?"
That made the young man shrug. "I figured an event like that would be boring as hell. Why would they be handing out medals for a raid that claimed lives?"
In reality, he didn’t really care much for any lives. He was just jealous of the idea of seeing his uncle receive so much recognition while his career as a Hunter was mostly stagnant.
"Mr Ferguson," a male voice behind them, made them both spin around. The boat’s captain, who was in his forties, walked up to them, taking off a hat and placing it on his chest. "We’re ready to leave the harbour now."
The woman clapped excitedly. "I heard we can find some aether-touched swordfish if we go far enough into the waters."
"Yes, ma’am. But they’re a protected species so it’s best—"
"Today is our anniversary." The woman announced that like that was supposed to mean something to the older man. "I deserve a good fishing experience. Don’t I?"
"I didn’t say you didn’t, ma’am—" the captain’s words died in his chest.
A sudden influx of wind from the west made all their heads turn in that direction. It was cold. Stayed active for several seconds until everyone on the harbour was forced to either shield their faces or squint.
Then—
—The wind ceased faster than it came.
"What was that?" The A-rank Esper asked. "I thought the weather today was supposed to be clear?"
"Does this mean we can’t go tonight?" His fiancée grumbled. "Ugh, I knew we should’ve done this earlier in the afternoon."
Meanwhile, the ocean waters around the harbour stilled. No waves. No shaking boats or ripples. Just silence like it was holding its breath.
That’s when it happened.
A tear through space time leaking with a blinding white light appeared over the ocean some couple of hundred meters away from dry land. The Rift was massive, tens of meters high and wide enough to fit a ship.
The captain’s hat slipped from his hand as his jaw fell at the marvel before them. "Heaven have mercy..."
Murmurs and panicked shouts spread through the people in the harbour. Those enjoying seafood in open restaurants rushed to the shore to get a better view.
"Christ, that’s a lot of aether energy," the A-rank’s fiancée laughed nervously. "It might be an A-Rank dungeon Rift at least. Just when I thought tonight couldn’t get any worse."
As if the universe were trying to mock her, the Rift reversed. Instead of expelling energy, it sucked in air and water spouts into its jagged form. Like a black hole.
Then its colour started shifting. From white to a dark shade of purple. And finally... pitch black. Something darker than night itself.
Ocean waters spreading for several meters around the Rift began changing rapidly into a black colour as well. Fishes rose up, all dying in seconds as the blackness seeped further until it was close to the harbour.
"What kind of Riftis is that?" The Esper’s eyes bulged as he placed a protective arm in front of his fiancée. He thundered as loud as he could. "Everyone! Stay away from the water!"
He pushed back his fiancée and the captain, pointing at the dock behind the yacht. For an escape.
Too late.
Two fishing boats floating to the yacht’s right got caught in the black water. Nothing happened at first. It wasn’t corrosive like the Esper had imagined.
"We should alert the local Guilds of this." The female Guide’s previous playful demeanour disappeared. "That Rift should be at least S-Rank."
"Another S-Rank Rift?" The captain couldn’t believe it. "Opening just three days after one was closed."
The A-rank’s eyes narrowed.
Yeah.
Something was definitely wrong here.
Reaching for his phone, he decided to ring his uncle. If there was anyone who had experience dealing with dungeon rifts, it was Devon Ferguson.
However, just when he was about to dial the number—
SCREEEEEK!
An air rattling screech exploded from the spatial rift, sending small waves at the harbour. As if that wasn’t enough, dark figures emerged from the Rift, humanoid but twisted.
They plopped into the water, their heads peaking out as big blue eyes glowed on them. About ten of these creatures were in the water now, swimming toward the harbour.
"Dungeon beasts!" Someone screamed.
"It’s... It’s a dungeon break!"
"Everyone leave the harbour!"
People turned and evacuated for their lives. Or at least, they tried to.
In a matter of seconds, the creatures had landed. One of them burst through a boat, completely wrecking it into nothing but splinters. Others landed on the harbour, bringing chaos in their wake.
One of these beasts shot out of the water, landing on the yacht. The boat shook erratically but the A-rank kept his footing, eyes fixed on the dark figure in front of them.
Eel-like body. Reptilian scales that acted like an exoskeleton. Two large arms ending in claws. And probably standing at least ten feet tall.
"L–Leo?" The Guide inched back with horror as the beast loomed over them.
Leo’s hands ignited with red flames, his gaze never leaving the beast. Behind them, Norfolk’s alert sirens begun to scream.
The creature tilted its head.
Its glowing blue eyes locked onto the captain standing behind Leo.
Then it moved in a blur.
The captain didn’t even have time to scream.
One claw shot forward and punched straight through his chest. Blood exploded across the deck.
The captain’s body hung in the air for a brief second, impaled like a rag doll. The creature’s head tilted again.
Then it ripped him in half.
The Guide screamed as Leo roared and lunged forward with flames blazing in both hands.
But before he could strike, another screech erupted from the Rift.
And something far larger began pushing its way through the black tear in space.
★★★★★
Back in Aurelia City, at the Phoenix–Talon gala.
Devon’s phone vibrated.
He glanced down at the emergency alert flashing across the screen.
His expression froze. Then slowly hardened.
NORFOLK COASTAL ALERT:
UNIDENTIFIED RIFT ACTIVITY DETECTED.
