Chapter 57: A-Rank Dungeon: The True Monsters
[Unknown World.]
In a throne hall, a dark elf slowly opened his eyes, staring at the glowing gemstone before him in the dark hall. The air around the creature hummed with ancient, malicious energy, distorting the very shadows that clung to the pillars.
"I finally found you... For killing my son, I will kill you slowly, then devour you piece by piece." It said, stretching his finger towards the dark gemstone. The jewel pulsed like a beating heart, showing a faint, hazy reflection of a world entirely alien to this one.
"I should give you some cakes, Human." A grotesque, mocking grin stretched across the elf’s face, his twisted idea of hospitality carrying the promise of absolute agony.
___
[A-Rank Dungeon.]
[DING!]
[Welcome Player.]
Asher paused the moment he entered the dungeon, staring at the blue screen that appeared before him, it wasn’t the system screen; this was the screen given to every single Awakened after entering their first dungeon. It was the universal interface of the Awakened Association, a cold, digitized welcome to a world of blood and monsters.
’I should see my profile first.’ He thought, needing to gauge how his newfound Ancient Bloodline stats integrated with the standard dungeon metrics.
[Name: Asher Aetheldawn.]
[Rank: B-Rank.]
[Class: [Unknown].]
[Physique [2]: Sword Body - Celestial-Tier. Shadow-Body - Heaven-Tier.]
[Agility: 22,000.(+20,000).]
[Energy: 23,000.(+20,000).]
[Defense: 20,000.(+20,000).]
[Health Point: 23,000.(+20,000).]
[Physical Attack: 21,000.(+20,000).]
[Magical Attack: 21,000.(+20,000).]
[Skills: [Killing Intent] - Celestial-Tier. [Sword Of Proficiency] - Celestial-Tier. [Soul Defense] - Divine-Tier. [Judgement Strike] - Divine-Tier. [Sword Sovereign] - Divine-Tier. [Shadow Force] - Heaven-Tier. [Flash] - Heaven-Tier. [Soul Linked] - Heaven-Tier. [Shadow Merge] - Divine-Tier.]
’My curse dagger isn’t here, seems it truly locked. As for my stats, I think my physique added twenty thousand to all.’ Asher observed, his mind noting the discrepancy between his personal System and the Dungeon’s interface. But before he could ponder it further, the hostility he had anticipated arrived.
"Die you arrogant Pig!!!"
Without even thinking, ten men lunged towards him, their weapons raised, planning to catch the fish unprepared. They moved with the synchronized, desperate greed of bottom-feeders looking to score a quick bounty.
[Flash - Activated.]
BOOM!
Their weapons struck the empty ground, rising water, and shattered ice. They frowned, moving their gazes around, their momentary triumph instantly dissolving into confusion.
"Where is he?!!"
[Judgement Strike - Activated.]
WHOOSH!!
"Ahh!!!"
"I am dead!!"
"Same!!"
The ten men only saw a flash of Asher’s blade, and before they knew it, they all dropped on the ground, dead. The sheer velocity of the Celestial-Tier strike bypassed their armor, their auras, and their lives in a fraction of a second.
"Pathetic."
Asher stared at their bodies with an indifferent expression, what he had done to survive in the Starfire family was more disgusting and ruthless than this, he didn’t kill anyone, but he had done so many things, now his heart was as hard as a rock. The blood on his blade was just another necessary step to secure his family’s throne.
He slowly moved his gaze around, taking in his surroundings, just like the file said, this A-Rank Dungeon is a world with Zero temperature, the whole place was covered in ice. Glacial spikes jutted out from the frozen earth, and the howling wind bit at his overcoat.
’Dungeons are like a game world, Awakened are the players, and our job is to clear the monsters. Killing monsters will drop Evolution stones, and loots. Evolution stones can either be transferred into energy, or taken back... But killing other players, it gives nothing.’ He looked over his shoulder, as more people walked out from the gateway, then paused in shock, staring at him and the ten bodies. Their confident smirks vanished, replaced by sudden, heavy dread.
’Another thing about a dungeon, everyone will appear in the same location... Only a few dangerous dungeons randomly teleport awakened to different locations. This proves this A-Rank Dungeon isn’t dangerous.’
"How dare you kill people at the very start?!" A man yelled, drawing his double blades, attempting to claim the moral high ground to rally the stunned mercenaries.
Asher stood still, backing them, waiting for their number to increase. He didn’t offer excuses or justifications; wolves didn’t explain themselves to sheep.
"Are you deaf!! Brothers, and Sisters! Let’s kill this bastard and get the rewards, who is in with me!" The man yelled, his blood boiling in rage, and excitement, letting greed overpower his survival instincts.
"Yes!!!"
The 69 behind him yelled in unison, and charged towards Asher, a tidal wave of varied weapons, elemental spells, and killing intent surging across the ice.
’I won’t be able to do anything if this continues.’ He grabbed the space-splitting sword, his eyes cold and devoid of any mercy. If he let them swarm, it would just waste his time.
[Sword Sovereign - Activated.]
[Cooldown - 30 Mins.]
BOOM!
A wave of energy burst out from him, and struck the whole 70 awakened, reducing their speed by 90%. The overwhelming gravitational pressure of a Divine-Tier skill slammed into the vanguard, as the air grew suffocatingly heavy.
"What is this?"
"Is this a curse?" Panic erupted among the ranks as their bodies refused to obey their commands.
WHOOSH!!!
Asher moved again. He became a blur of absolute destruction, weaving through the artificially slowed crowd like a reaper in a field of wheat.
[Judgement Strike - Activated.]
[Physical Damage Given: -23,000.] 70x
He stopped some distance from the corpses, watching as their blood mixed with the snow on the ground, turning it red. A gruesome, steaming crimson carpet now covered the entrance of the dungeon.
’That makes 80... Where are the strongest ones, these are only A-Rank below.’ He thought, staring at the gateway, his blade dripping steadily onto the ice.
’I will kill all of you, right here.’
His body dissolved, and he vanished completely, melding seamlessly into the shadows cast by the glacial pillars.
[Shadow Merge - Activated.]
[Notice Player!]
[Due to your continuous killing, you gained a new Title.]
[Title: Newbie Killer.]
[Restriction: Energy: [-5%].]
[Energy: 21,850.]
Asher stared at the screen, a small frown appearing on his face: ’So there are penalties for killing people in dungeons? This is new information.’ He thought, recalibrating his combat strategy, as the main characters of the mission finally walked out of the swirling vortex.
"....?!"
They stared at one another, then at the bodies all over the place. The absolute massacre laid bare before them was a chilling testament to their target’s actual capabilities.
"Hahahaha!! Our target is strong! Even stronger than A-Rank, I am getting excited!" The guy with the broadsword yelled, a wide smirk on his face, clearly unhinged and eager to test his blade against a worthy opponent.
"These guys died without resistance, is he that strong?" The second dressed in a suit asked, his hands tucked away in his pockets, his eyes scanning the precise, identical fatal wounds on every single corpse.
"Who cares if he is strong or not! Our goal here is him, I don’t care about any other thing." The lady said, walking towards the bodies, entirely unbothered by the slaughter, and took a necklace from a dead lady.
"At least we get their equipment." She muttered, casually looting the dead like they were just abandoned luggage.
The kid stared at the 29 adults, the remaining elites of this twisted hit squad, then turned to the dead bodies. He didn’t speak, his eyes hollow and devoid of any childish warmth. He raised one finger, and pointed it at them.
BAM!!
".....?!"
The scar-faced Awakened quickly leaped back from the body, dropping the necklace, as the woman’s eyes snapped opened again, glowing with a vile, unnatural light.
"....?!!"
Everyone, Including Asher was stunned, as all the 80 corpses stood up, some missing their heads, and legs, but they were somehow still seeing and standing. The sickening sound of breaking bones and tearing flesh echoed through the cavern as the dead righted themselves.
’What sort of crazy ability does this kid have.’ Asher thought in shock, staring at the kid from the safety of the shadows. The boy hadn’t even chanted a spell.
[Target player concealed his profile.]
He raised an eyebrow, and checked with the system, but instead of a profile, it showed him the ability directly, bypassing the dungeon’s standard restrictions.
{Dead Puppet: Attach invisible chains on dead bodies, turning them into undead. Undead have double the full stats when alive, and will always locate the ones who killed them. Celestial-Tier.}
’Damn It!!’ Asher cursed inwardly. The massacre he had just orchestrated hadn’t thinned the herd; he had just handed Luna’s SSS-Rank dog an army of supercharged, vengeful zombies.