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Volume 1, Chapter 7: Orchid Argo Part 2
Undercover
E-Rantel
Pandora, Narberal, McCear, and Zara left the inn they were staying in at dawn and proceeded to go to the spot Narberal mentioned. Ever since they left the inn, Pandora noticed that Narberal and Zara have been awfully quiet with each other, with Zara actively avoiding Narberal's gaze.
Pandora couldn't help but wonder if something had happened between them. He exchanged a concerned glance with McCear, realizing that something seemed off. Worried about them, they decided to break the silence and ask if everything was alright.
"Narberal, Zara. Are you two alright? You have not spoken at all since this morning." Pandora asked both of them.
"Yeah. What happened to you two?" McCear asked, his brows furrowing with worry. He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at their unusual behavior.
"We're fine. We just had a lot of "girl talk" last night. Also, Zara is not feeling well, and I don't recommend heavy physical activity for her today," Narberal explained, trying to downplay the situation.
"Zara, if you're not up for it, you can go back to the inn and rest. We'll handle it for today." McCear offered, his voice filled with genuine concern. "Just make sure to take care of yourself and let us know if you need anything."
"No, I can still go," Zara insisted, shrugging off McCear's offer. "This much is nothing compared to what we've faced before. I'll be fine; don't worry."
"Are you sure? It might be too hard for... someone of your condition," Narberal said with sarcasm, her tone laced with sarcasm.
Pandora and McCear were feeling something off about the situation, sensing that Narberal continued to look at Zara with furrowed brows. They exchanged a worried glance, silently questioning if there was more to Zara's condition than she was letting on.
"Can we please not talk about it for now and focus on our mission?" Zara requested, trying to redirect the conversation away from her condition.
McCear was not buying Zara's attempt to change the subject. He could sense that something was off and felt it was necessary to address their concerns directly.
"Zara, I'm here for you," he said gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If there's something you need to talk about or if there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to let me know."
"McCear, just leave me alone, alright! I appreciate your concern, but I just need some time to sort things out on my own! Just give me some fucking space!" Zara exclaimed, pushing McCear's hand away.
"I... You're right. I'm sorry. I'll leave you be." McCear said softly, giving Zara a reassuring smile before slowly backing away and continuing to walk behind her.
They continued to walk towards the location in silence, the tension thick in the air. Zara's words lingered, weighing heavily on both of them.
"McCear..." Zara whispered after a few moments, her voice filled with remorse.
"No, it's okay... I understand why you need your space. We can talk about it later, when you're ready." McCear replied, his tone gentle and understanding.
"I don't mean to interrupt you, love birds, or anything," Pandora interjected in a calm tone, "but you two are still undercover; save your personal matters for later."
"Yes, sir. My apologies," McCear responded, casting a quick glance at Pandora before redirecting his attention back to Zara. "Let's focus on the mission for now and deal with this afterwards."
"Great, I need your heads in the game again," Pandora said, glancing towards McCear. "McCear, how many ears do you think we need?" McCear furrowed his brow, considering the question.
"Well, my lord, I saw one extermination quest yesterday, and the paper stated to kill at least 10 goblins and bring back proof for authentication. It didn't have a specific rank requirement, so I would assume that even a copper-ranked adventurer could take the job too. If we were to stick with our cover as experienced and battle-tested mercenaries, we would need to substantially increase the number of kills. Now, assuming the average mercenaries in this world are comparable to gold or platinum-ranked adventurers, our cover is more likely to be in the orichalcum or mithril range. This means that we would need to aim for a much higher kill count, perhaps about 60 goblins, a few ogres, and maybe an armored lizard too. I mean, it's pretty likely that the receptionist who registered us already informed the guild's guildmaster about our skill level and capabilities; no doubt he'd be expecting a much better result than most adventurers." McCear said confidently, adjusting his sword on his back.
"Seems about right, then we'll settle with that number." Pandora replied. "Let's continue; I want this to be done by midday."
They continued to walk towards the location in the woods outside the city, passing through the busy and crowded market street. As they made their way through the bustling market street, McCear couldn't help but notice the curious glances from the locals.
The bustling market street was filled with vendors selling a variety of goods, their voices blending together in a symphony of commerce. As they made their way through the crowd, McCear couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within him. He knew that the task ahead would require all of their skills and determination, but he was confident that they were up to the challenge.
The people of E-Rantel continued to look at their weird appearance, which stood out from the crowd, but they paid no mind and continued to walk in silence. They pay them no attention and keep walking until they pass the city gates and enter the woods.
After about an hour, they finally reached the clearing Narberal mentioned earlier. It was a small, tranquil space nestled amidst the dense forest, adorned with vibrant wildflowers and bathed in the warm glow of sunlight filtering through the canopy above, a small stream gently flowing through the center.
"You weren't kidding... this place is truly a hidden gem," Pandora commented, his eyes observing the beauty of the surroundings. "This should do; let's commence." Pandora's voice echoed through the clearing as he surveyed the area, searching for the perfect spot to begin their task.
With a nod of agreement, they get up on top of a rock in the middle of the water stream.
"Let's see," Pandora said, opening up a swirling black portal in front of them. He reached inside and pulled out a perfectly preserved goblin, an ogre, and a large rock-armored lizard and laid them on the rock they were standing on. The creatures appeared lifeless, frozen in time.
"McCear, decapitate the ogre's head. Narberal, you take the lizard's head." Pandora instructed, unsheathing one of his karambits and slicing off the goblin's left ear.
McCear followed suit; he unsheathed one of his swords, a glowing blue greatsword, and swiftly beheaded the ogre. Narberal conjured an energy ball in her hand and moved her finger; the lizard was pulled in the opposite direction by the two energy balls she was manipulating. With a loud crack, the lizard's head separated from its body, falling to the ground with a thud.
They put both severed heads next to the goblin ear and backed away a bit, giving Pandora some space. He closed his eyes and stretched his arms outward, channeling his inner magic.
"Duplicate, times 50.. Remodel, times 50, age, skin color, shape, size, marks.." Pandora said under his breath as he focused his energy.
The air around him began to shimmer and distort, and a wave of magic rippled through the space. Slowly, the goblin's ear multiplied into fifty different ears, each identical to the original.
Pandora's magic then transformed each ear, altering their appearance to match the specifications he had whispered. As the ears changed, they took on different skin colors, shapes, sizes, and even unique marks. The once singular goblin ear has now become a diverse collection of fifty distinct ears.
He moved his hand towards the ogre's head.
"Duplicate, times three.. Remodel, three times," Pandora chanted, his voice barely above a whisper.
With a wave of his hand, the ogre's head split into three identical copies, each with its own set of features and characteristics. One had a scar running across its forehead, another had a crooked nose, and the third had a prominent underbite. He stopped and observed the result, nodding in satisfaction.
"I think this'll do," he said, grabbing a burlap sack and handing it to McCear and Zara. "Bag them all up, and let's get out of here before anyone notices."
McCear and Zara quickly complied, carefully placing each ogre head and goblin ears into the sack. As they made their way towards the exit of the woods, Pandora sensed something far behind him, hiding in the treeline. He turned around, his eyes narrowing as he tried to catch a glimpse of the hidden presence. Narberal sensed Pandora's unease and followed his gaze, scanning the treeline for any signs of movement.
"What do you see?" Narberal whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. Pandora squinted his eyes.
"I'm not sure," he replied, his voice filled with uncertainty. "But I have a feeling we're not alone out here."
They continued to stand still, their senses heightened as they waited for any further signs of activity. The forest remained eerily silent, amplifying their unease. After a few moments, their senses began to lower as they realized that there might not be any immediate danger.
"Maybe it's just an animal passing by," Pandora suggested, trying to ease the tension. "Let's go; we're wasting time standing here." They cautiously resumed their walk, but the lingering feeling of being watched never fully dissipated.
"You think they see us?" Vividayne asked Davey, hiding behind the large tree they were standing on.
"Does it matter?" Davey replied, peering through the tree bark.
"Not really... they're going to die either way; it makes no difference to me whether it's now or later." Vividayne added a hint of coldness to her voice.
"A cold bitch you are," Davey muttered under his breath, his eyes still fixed on the figures in the distance. "But I guess that's why we make a good team."
"Aww, that's not a very nice thing to say to a girl." Vividayne pouted, crossing her arms.
"Don't act all sweet and cute on me. You might look cute on the outside, but you're sure as hell rotten to your very core," Davey retorted, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Am I, though? For all I know, you could be just as rotten as me," Vividayne shot back, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Unlike you, I don't go out at night molesting underage boys who aren't even old enough to know what sex is," Davey sneered, his words dripping with very obvious sarcasm.
"Everyone's got to have hobbies." Vividayne smirked, unfazed by Davey's remark.
"Whatever... Are you ready to unleash them or what?" Davey asked impatiently, his frustration evident in his voice. He had grown tired of their banter and was eager to move on to the task at hand.
"You are one lousy friend," Vividayne retorted, her glinting eyes narrowing with a hint of disappointment.
"We're not friends, you idiot. We're cousins; that's unfortunate enough for me." Davey shot back, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Fuck... you..." Vividayne said, pulling out a long staff from behind her back. The air turns heavy as she grips the staff tightly, a swirling red light emerging from its tip.
Davey opened up his satchel and reached inside, pulling out a small transparent tube-like canister with pointy tips and seven smaller cylinders inside it; each cylinder had a different color. Davey attached it to a headless arrow shaft and swiftly loaded it onto his crossbow.
Vividayne looked at the object Davey was preparing and raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Those things better work as intended," she remarked, her voice tinged with skepticism. "What even is that?" Davey grinned, his excitement evident in his eyes.
"Hell, if I know, I only saw Lord Barada fire it once... and the result is not what I expected," Davey replied with a chuckle. "But he said it's a special type of explosive ammunition from where Lady Harina hails. Supposedly, it's powerful enough to punch through... well, basically everything there is and whatever is behind it."
"Those tiny things could cause that much destruction?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Davey nodded enthusiastically.
"That's what Lord Barada said. Apparently, this particular ammunition was the most dangerous and destructive weapon a mortal could possess. Lady Harina gave Lord Barada her permission to take a closer look and improve upon the design, making it even deadlier."
"They better be able to crack their defenses, or else the three giant creeps wouldn't be enough to take the old bones' son and the "always-in-the-shadows" bastard's daughter." Vividayne said it with a hint of skepticism.
"Don't worry, if Lord Barada said this would suffice, then suffice it shall." Davey reassured Vividayne, his voice filled with confidence. "I'll weaken their shields; you beat their ass into oblivion." Vividayne smirked, her eyes gleaming like a predator ready to pounce.
"With fucking pleasure," she replied, cracking her neck and flexing her fingers. "Hey, Davey..."
"What?" Davey asked, raising an eyebrow at Vividayne's sudden change in tone.
"What did that Penviette chick say to us before we were leaving?" Vividayne asked, her curiosity evident in her voice. Davey paused for a moment, trying to recall the words their masters' trusted assistant had spoken.
"Oh, you mean the thing about our masters' rally cry? What did she say again?" Davey asked, furrowing his brow in concentration.
Vividayne nodded eagerly, her eyes fixed on Davey as he struggled to remember. After a moment, a lightbulb seemed to go off in his head.
"Oh, right... 'Quindecim negatae, quindecim maledicta, quindecim silentio ... Quindecim surgunt.', I think that's what she said," Davey finally recalled, a sense of triumph evident in his voice.
"And what does that mean?" Vividayne inquired, her curiosity piqued.
Davey paused for a moment, contemplating the meaning behind the words. He furrowed his brow, trying to decipher the cryptic message.
Finally, he spoke with a thoughtful expression: "I believe it translates to 'Fifteen denied, fifteen cursed, fifteen silenced... Fifteen shall rise.'. Why do you ask?" Davey asked.
"Try to count it with me," Vividayne suggested, her eyes closing as she began to mentally tally the numbers. "Lady Harina, Lord Barada, Lady Mearnt, Lord Meliore, Lord Cravure, Lord Reargant, Lady Eileen, Lady Nero, Lord Ernest, Lord Nyoptix, Lord Belligerce, Lady Tenctile... Penviette is just an assistant, so that's only twelve names. If the aforementioned message is referring to fifteen individuals, then... who the fuck are the other three?" Vividayne exclaimed, her frustration evident in her voice. She furrowed her brow, deep in thought, trying to piece together the missing names.
"I have no idea," he replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "But whoever they are, it seems like they hold significant importance if they were mentioned in that message."
"Yeah... knowing Lady Harina, she must've intentionally left out their names. She never did anything without a reason," Vividayne added, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Vividayne, why did you suddenly ask about this?" Davey asked, his curiosity piqued. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Vividayne hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting away, before she finally spoke.
"Remember the meeting they had a couple weeks ago? The one where Lady Mearnt and Lord Meliore were having an argument?" Vividayne asked, Davey recalling the incident. "After they were done, Lord Reargant asked me to clean up the room. There were fifteen seats around the table. The three unknowns that I just mentioned, well, their seats are warm too after the meeting; they must have attended as well."
"How do you know it's even a person? It could be their tea, for all we know." Davey suggested, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, just because their seats were warm doesn't necessarily mean they attended the meeting. They could have sat there earlier, or someone else could have used their seats temporarily."
"Because one of the seats smells like a cookie or a baked good, something chocolatey." Vividayne added, wrinkling her nose. "Our masters are a group of highly paranoid individuals, each with their own distinct quirks and obsessions, which makes them smell different. For example, Lady Mearnt always smells like bacon, while Lord Barada smells like rotten corpses, and I bet the chocolate scent that I smelled comes from one of the three unknowns."
"So you're saying that Lady Harina deliberately kept the other three masters a secret?" Davey asked, furrowing his brow.
"I don't know, man. She's a master of secrecy and manipulation," replied Vividayne, scratching her head. "It wouldn't surprise me if her secrets have secrets."
"And they're always watching everything and everyone in this world..." Davey turned his head towards the city of E-Rantel. Vividayne jumped to the armored-scale giant's shoulder behind her and scanned the city with her sharp eyes.
"Let's just go... We're not paid to know their secrets; we're just their willing pawns. Let's crush that city and move on to the next mission," Vividayne said.
Davey nodded in agreement, his grip tightening on the grip of his crossbow. He let out a whistle to signal their army waiting in the shadows. As the army emerged from the shadows, Davey and Vividayne glanced at each other, nodding in silent understanding.
They were ready to unleash chaos upon the unsuspecting city, their loyalty to their masters outweighing any moral qualms they may have had. With a shared determination, they led their army forward, prepared to fulfill their dark purpose and leave a trail of destruction in their wake.
"Prodigia, comploratus"
"Silens, oro"
"Regnet exitium"
Somewhere south-west of Slane Theocracy
"See? Told you those two would take the opportunity, even if they might die in the process." Barada said, his smug smile never leaving his face. "What's the bet again? Ahh yes... you let me have a crack at the thing you've been hiding in your sleeve."
"Fine," Mearnt reluctantly agreed, realizing that she had no other choice.
"Here..." she handed a small orb to Barada. He reached out to take it, but Mearnt pulled it back slightly and gave him a cold stare.
"BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL! I risk life and limb to obtain that orb," Mearnt warned. She didn't trust Barada's careless nature. "If anything happens to it, you'll regret it."
"I've been known to handle sensitive stuff; relax!" Barada replied with a smirk, trying to brush off Mearnt's warning. "Now give me the fucking orb, Mearnt; our timetable is not flexible."
Barada's nonchalant attitude irritated Mearnt even more, but she reluctantly handed over the orb, hoping that he would prove her wrong and handle it with the caution it deserved.
"Thank you, fucking worried ass," Barada muttered sarcastically as he took the orb from Mearnt's outstretched hand. "You'll see, I've got this under control."
"You better," Mearnt retorted, her voice laced with skepticism.
"Enough, you two," Harina interjected, her voice firm. "I swear, I might kill myself if I have to listen to any more of this bickering." Harina said it with a hint of exasperation.
"Barada, how soon can you begin experimenting with the orb?" She asked, her tone demanding a swift resolution to the matter.
"I'll start right away, but the result is not going to be immediate," Barada replied, his voice tinged with caution. "It will take time to properly perfect it to our satisfaction. I will need to conduct several trials and make adjustments as needed."
"Give me an estimation," Harina pressed, her impatience evident in her tone. Barada paused for a moment, carefully considering his response.
"I could maybe make the imperfect ready-to-use state in a few days, but I severely doubt it will be stable and powerful enough for someone with their caliber. Best case scenario, it might be just enough to render them temporarily incapacitated, definitely nowhere near enough to one-shot them," Barada finally replied.
Harina's frustration grew as she listened to Barada's cautious response. She knew that time was of the essence, but she also understood the importance of delivering an instant and effective solution.
"Alright then, make the imperfect version for Garrier to use; I have the perfect test subject." Harina said, a smile spreading across her face.
"Yeah? Who do you have in mind?" Barada asked, intrigued by Harina's confident demeanor.
"I've met all kinds of perverts in my entire life, but Peroroncino is just on a whole different level," Harina replied, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "His daughter is the perfect candidate for testing the imperfect version. She's by far the most annoying little shit I know, comparable to Mearnt in some ways."
"HEY! I'm right here, you know! I'm not annoying!" Mearnt protested, crossing her arms and pouting. Harina smirked and shrugged, not bothered by Mearnt's protest.
"That's your opinion, Mearnt," Harina retorted dismissively. "But trust me, once you meet Shalltear, you'll understand what I mean." Mearnt rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, unconvinced by Harina's words.
"Whatever, so... you're gonna send one of our bitches to face Shalltear, the daughter of Supreme Being Peroroncino, head-on? He might die, you know." Harina chuckled and shook her head.
"Under normal circumstances, then yes. But I have a feeling that Garrier, armed with the imperfect orb, could hold his own against her. Plus, it's not like we are going to stay in the shadows forever, Mearnt. We will bring the fight to their door eventually." Mearnt raised an eyebrow, still skeptical.
"But what if Garrier fails? What's our backup plan?" Harina's smile widened as she leaned in closer.
"I AM THE BACKUP PLAN," she whispered, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "Besides, if there is one person who would save her, it's Pandora. Cool your head, Mearnt; it's not that complicated."
Mearnt crossed her arms, her skepticism still evident in her expression. Her feet tapped impatiently on the ground as she considered Harina's words.
"Can't be that simple... Can it?" Mearnt asked with a hint of doubt.
"It's just... that... simple." Harina replied, her voice filled with unwavering certainty. "Trust me, Mearnt. We got this."
Intro song :
Makka
Metal Cover by Futakuchi Mana
Original by Yuyoyuppe & Natsuki Karin
Adventurer's Guild, E-Rantel
In the middle of the day, the adventurer's guild was bustling with activity as adventurers of all ranks gathered to complete quests and exchange information. The sound of lively conversations filled the air, accompanied by the clinking of glasses and the occasional cheer from victorious adventurers celebrating their successful missions.
Pandora opened the door, causing the chatter to momentarily die down as all eyes turned towards him and the three people he had brought with him. The room fell into a hushed silence as everyone saw them dragging four bloodied sacks behind them.
With fresh blood dripping from the sacks onto the floor, everyone in the lobby looked at them with a weird eye. Whispers filled the air as the onlookers exchanged puzzled glances, their curiosity mingling with a hint of unease.
They saw Pandora, and the three people with him walked to the receptionist's desk, their faces unreadable thanks to their helmets. The receptionist, taken aback by the unsettling sight, nervously cleared her throat and tried to maintain her professionalism.
As Pandora approached the desk, the receptionist's hands trembled slightly as she fumbled for her words. She mustered a polite smile, attempting to mask her unease, and asked how she could assist them.
"Good day to you; how may I help you today?" the receptionist asked, her voice quivering slightly.
Pandora put the bloodied sack he was holding in his hand on the counter, and the receptionist immediately covered her mouth, trying her best not to vomit at the sight. She quickly regained her composure and forced herself to focus on the task at hand, maintaining her professionalism despite the gruesome scene.
"I apologize for my reaction," she said, her voice still shaky. "Is there anything specific I can assist you with regarding this... situation?"
"Yes," Pandora said, putting a paper from yesterday's daily job update on the counter. "The quest is complete... and then some."
The woman glanced at the paper, reading it with a furrowed brow. It detailed the request for an extermination job, with the content highlighting the need for at least 10 goblin kills.
"I see... then I assume the content of these sacks is your proof of completing the quest?" the woman asked, gesturing towards the sacks Pandora had brought with him.
"Yes, ma'am," Pandora replied, nodding. "Unfortunately, the intel of the quest is laughably inaccurate. We were ambushed by their entire clan and had to put them all down too." The receptionist dropped her jaw in surprise.
"You mean to say that you not only completed the required 10 goblin kills, but you also took down their entire clan?" The receptionist asked with disbelief. Pandora chuckled at her reaction.
"Yes, that's correct," he confirmed. "You can find 50 goblin ears in these two sacks." Pandora gestured towards the sacks he had brought with him. "We made sure to collect proof of our victory."
The receptionist's eyes widened as she took the two sacks, heavy with the weight of the goblin ears. She furrowed her brows, curious about the other two bloodied sacks they hadn't mentioned.
"What about these other sacks? What do they contain?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Narberal and Zara put the other two sacks on the counter and left them unopened.
"These are, uhh... well, we don't really know what it is. These creatures ambushed us when we were exploring the forest, and we managed to defeat them, but since we don't know what they are, we just took their heads and the goblin ears as proof of our victory. We thought it would be best to bring the sacks back to the guild for further examination. Maybe someone there can identify them and determine if they hold any value."
"Okay," the receptionist said, untying the two sacks.
One sack revealed three severed heads of an orc, while the other sack revealed a head from an armored scale-covered lizard. The receptionist's eyes widened in surprise as she examined the contents of the sacks.
She carefully inspected the orc heads, noting their gruesome features and distinct markings. As she turned her attention to the lizard head, she furrowed her brow, intrigued by its unique scales and formidable armor.
"Is this enough for us to request a rank promotion exam?" Pandora asked the receptionist.
"Please... wait here for a moment." The receptionist replied, her voice filled with uncertainty.
She hurriedly made her way to the back room, leaving Pandora and his companions waiting anxiously. After a few tense minutes, she returned with a senior officer, who examined the contents of the sacks with a discerning eye.
"Allow me to introduce myself," the senior officer said. "I'm Malliea Ottoburns, the guild's chief zoologist. I heard from this lovely young lady that you brought fifty goblin ears, three orc heads, and an armored lizard's head—that's marvelous! How do you even manage to defeat an armored lizard of that size? Aren't you all copper-ranked? Most platinum-ranked adventurers struggle with such creatures. Your skills must be truly exceptional."
"We were experienced mercenaries back in the day," Pandora replied politely. "We were familiar with the tactics and weaknesses of various creatures; even with just one of us, eight armored lizards were not even a fair match."
"Then I suppose it's alright for you to take your rank promotion exam; after all, you did defeat those armored lizards with ease. Let me appoint a-"
Malliea didn't finish his word before the sound of a bell rang. Everyone in the lobby immediately stopped talking and stood up from their seats, weapons drawn, and their eyes fixed on the entrance.
"What's that bell for?" Pandora asked, his right hand on the handle of the sword on his back.
"Bad news... I'm afraid your examination would have to wait." Malliea said it with a grim expression.
A man came running inside the guild lobby, panting heavily and sweat pouring down his face. He ran towards the center of the room, gasping for breath as he tried to speak.
"Urgent news!" he gasped, catching his breath. "A horde of monsters is approaching E-Rantel! Everyone," the man tried to catch his breath, "there's too many of them."
Ainzach, the guildmaster, stepped out of his office after hearing some commotion. He looked at the panicked man and walked up to him.
"What is going on, young man?" Ainzach asked, his voice calm and composed.
"Guildmaster! A horde—a giant horde of monsters is heading towards E-Rantel!" The man exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.
"Slow down, son. Take a deep breath and tell me exactly what you saw," Ainzach said, his eyes focused on the man.
"I was walking around the city walls, chatting with some of the guards... one of the guards on the tower rang his bell, and that's when I saw a massive swarm of monsters pouring out from the forest, like a never-ending tide. They were all sorts of creatures, big and small, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp fangs. It was a sight straight out of a nightmare." The man explained in a trembling voice, his hands still shaking.
Ainzach's expression turned grave as he realized the gravity of the situation. Everyone in the lobby began to talk in hushed whispers, exchanging worried glances. Panic started to spread among the crowd as they contemplated the imminent danger that awaited them.
"Everyone! We need to remain calm and act quickly," Ainzach shouted, his voice cutting through the rising panic. "I hereby issue an emergency protocol: all able-bodied individuals are to take arms and help protect the city. I want everyone to form teams and go to the city gates, ready for battle. All non-combatants help with the evacuation or tend to the wounded," he commanded.
The urgency in his voice compelled the crowd to snap out of their panic and start organizing themselves. People began to divide into groups, some grabbing weapons while others gathered supplies for the wounded.
"Let's not stand and gawk, you apes! We have a city to defend!" Ainzach bellowed, his words echoing through the crowd.
Ainzach walked to Pandora and his group, who still looked calm and unconcerned despite the chaos unfolding around them.
"You there... one of my employees at the reception desk told me about four experienced mercenaries registering. Am I correct to assume you four are whom she was referring to?" Ainzach asked, his voice laced with urgency. Pandora nodded to his question.
"Yes, that's us," he replied nonchalantly.
"I was hoping you would be willing to lend your expertise in defending the city," Ainzach continued, his eyes scanning Pandora and his group. "We are in desperate need of skilled fighters like yourselves to help us repel the impending attack."
"Sorry, guildmaster. But we have an exam to do, and we would like to up our rank before the end of the day," Pandora politely declined.
"Forget the rank promotion exam, dammit! Help us defend the city, and I'll see you promoted to platinum rank immediately," Ainzach pleaded, his voice filled with urgency.
"Adamantite." Narberal corrected, her voice cutting through the tension.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Ainzach asked, confusion evident in his voice.
"I say, Adamantite. You give us your word and promote us to adamantite, and we'll make sure the horde is cleaned out before the end of the day," Narberal stated firmly, her eyes locked with Ainzach's. "Anything below is not worth our time and effort."
Ainzach's brows furrowed as he considered Narberal's proposition. The weight of the city's safety rested on his decision, and he knew that promoting them to adamantite rank would be a risky move.
"What makes you so sure you can eliminate the horde with just the four of you? You might have been an experienced mercenary before, but even then, I highly doubt that you can handle such a massive threat alone." Ainzach voiced his concerns, his tone laced with skepticism.
"Mister Ainzach, I'm sure, as a guildmaster, you recognize quality when you see it," Narberal responded confidently. "Are you willing to let this one chance go? Besides, you can consider this our rank promotion exam, just on a different scale entirely."
Ainzach is worried that Narberal's confidence may be misplaced. He had seen many adventurers underestimate the power of a horde before, and it often led to disastrous consequences. However, he also couldn't deny the potential benefit that the four people in front of him could bring to the guild.
"This is too much for me to think about without enough time." Ainzach said it with a sigh.
"It's fairly simple, guildmaster: if we can defeat the horde and save the city, you promote us to adamantite. If not, don't. It's just that—nothing less, nothing more." Narberal explained confidently. "Go big or home."
Ainzach pondered Narberal's words, realizing that she had a point. The fate of the city hung in the balance, and promoting the four individuals to adamantite could potentially be the key to their success. A small price to pay for the possibility of saving countless lives and securing the future of the city. With a determined expression, Ainzach made up his mind.
"Very well... I will see you four as a new Adamantite adventurer team if you manage to defend E-Rantel from the horde. Now, can you please go out there with the others to defend the city?" Ainzach said, his voice filled with a mix of hope and urgency.
"Thank you, guildmaster. Give us an hour," Pandora said, leaning his head towards his group and whispering something with them.
"We don't have an hour." Ainzach replied, his tone firm. "The horde is already approaching the city gates. Every second counts."
"No disrespect, guildmaster. Even with our experience, these gears will not do; we just need some time to gather our... "heavy stuff". Trust me, with a horde that size, you're gonna need the help of our heavy hitters." Pandora said it calmly.
"Let us get in touch with our contact; they'll bring the stuff we need." Narberal said to Ainzach, her voice composed.
"Aren't you guys new to this town? How do you have a contact already? And who is this contact?" Ainzach asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"Someone who could provide us with weapons and tools of our specifications. Unfortunately, the guy is pretty elusive and prefers to remain anonymous. But don't worry; we've worked with him before, and he's always delivered top-notch gear." Narberal explained confidently. "As for being new to town, let's just say we have our ways of making connections quickly."
"I suppose it's okay if you vouch for him; just be quick; the guys at the front gates might not last too long." Ainzach responded, his voice tinged with concern.
"Don't worry, we need that rank promotion anyway." Pandora said calmly, walking away from Ainzach towards the door. Narberal, McCear, and Zara followed behind him.
Ainzach watched them leave, a sense of unease settling in his stomach. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to these newcomers than met the eye.
As the door closed behind them, he made a mental note to keep a close eye on their activities in town. The three receptionists who were at the desk had a concerned look etched on their faces as they walked to where Ainzach was standing.
"Guildmaster, are you sure we can trust them?" One of them asked, her voice laced with worry.
"Yeah, they look shady; I'm not sure promoting them to Adamantite would be a great idea, guildmaster." The other receptionist chimed in, her tone filled with skepticism.
Ainzach furrowed his brow, contemplating their words. It was true that something about these newcomers seemed off, but he couldn't ignore the potential they held.
"Call it a gut feeling, but I believe we should give them a chance," Ainzach finally replied, his voice firm. "I have a feeling this would be the best decision I've ever made in a while."
The other receptionist exchanged a doubtful glance with her colleague, unsure of Ainzach's decision. However, she respected his authority and remained silent, willing to see how things would unfold.
Ainzach's unwavering confidence in his gut feeling left the receptionists curious and intrigued, wondering what made these newcomers so special that the guildmaster was willing to take such a risk.
200 meters west of E-Rantel Main Gate
Everyone waited for the impending battle in front of the main gate with bated breath, their hearts pounding in anticipation.
Then they saw it. Large numbers of dangerous creatures emerged from the forest, their eyes glowing with malice and hunger.
Their number was far greater than they had anticipated, and a wave of uncertainty washed over the group.
"Hey, hey. Don't you think that this is too much for us to handle?" One of them whispered, doubt creeping into their voice.
"How in the hell are we supposed to take on all of them?" another added, panic evident in their tone.
"Oh shit, man. They completely outnumbered us; man, we're fucked! We need to come up with a plan, or else we won't stand a chance against them," someone exclaimed, desperation lacing their words.
"Maybe we should consider finding a way to retreat and regroup before it's too late," another suggested, the urgency in their voice reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Panic started to consume the group as they realized the overwhelming odds stacked against them. They knew that making a hasty decision could lead to their downfall, but time was running out, and they had to act quickly.
"Calm down, men! We may be outnumbered, but we have faced tough challenges before and come out victorious." A Mithril-ranked adventurer spoke, his voice steady and commanding.
"Let's focus on our strengths and strategize a plan that exploits their weaknesses. We will find a way to turn the tide in our favor."
Time seemed to slow down as the horde started their relentless charge towards E-Rantel. The adventurers tightened their grips on their weapons, readying themselves for the impending battle.
The horde is getting closer and closer with each passing second, their numbers seeming endless.
"ARCHERS, READY YOUR ARROWS!" The adventurer shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.
Every archer stationed on the city wall quickly nocked their arrows, their eyes focused on the approaching horde.
"DRAW YOUR BOWS!" The command echoed through the air, and the archers pulled back their bowstrings, their muscles tense with anticipation. The tension was palpable as they awaited the signal to release their arrows and unleash a storm of death upon the oncoming horde.
The horde now within their firing range was a terrifying sight to behold. The archers held their breath, their hearts pounding in their chests, as they aimed at the mass of enemies. Each archer carefully selected their targets, knowing that every shot had to count in order to hold back the impending doom.
"RELEASE THE ARROWS!" The commander's roar shattered the silence, and in an instant, the bowstrings were freed. The air filled with the symphony of whistling arrows as they soared through the sky, finding their marks.
The horde faltered under the barrage, their numbers thinning with every arrow that found its target. The archers, now caught in a dance of rapid reloads, battled against time to fend off the relentless advance.
The ground force, armed with swords and shields, moved forward in sync with the archers' assault. Their footsteps thundered as they closed in on the horde, their determination unwavering. The clash of steel against tough hide echoed through the battlefield as the ground force engaged in close combat with the relentless horde.
Despite the horde's sheer numbers, the ground force fought with unwavering resolve, their swords slashing and shields deflecting every attack. The air was filled with a symphony of battle cries and grunts as both sides fought tooth and nail for victory.
Blood spilled across the battlefield, staining the ground crimson and adding to the chaos of the fight. The ground force's unwavering determination fueled their adrenaline, pushing them to push back against the horde with even greater ferocity.
Everyone on the ground axes their swords, axes, and maces with relentless fury, cutting body parts and shattering bones. The clash of metal echoed through the air, creating a cacophony that drowned out all other sounds.
Despite the fatigue and exhaustion, the horde didn't seem to show any signs of retreat. They continued to surge forward, their sheer numbers overwhelming the ground force.
The adventurers fought valiantly, but their energy was waning, and the horde's relentless advance seemed unstoppable. Desperation filled the air as they realized that victory would only come at a great cost.
After a while, the adventurers start to weaken under the weight of the relentless onslaught. Their muscles ache and their movements become sluggish, making it increasingly difficult to fend off the horde.
Many new adventurers start to get killed, their inexperience and lack of training leaving them vulnerable to the horde's attacks. The seasoned adventurers try their best to protect the newcomers, but the overwhelming numbers make it nearly impossible to hold their ground.
The atmosphere becomes even more tense as the realization sinks in that they may not be able to withstand the horde's relentless advance for much longer.
"Bellote, how long do you think we can keep this up?" asked Moknach, his voice strained with exhaustion.
Bellote glanced at the dwindling supplies and weary faces around him.
Taking a deep breath, he replied, "Not much longer, Moknach. We need a plan or reinforcements soon if we want to survive."
"No shit. Just how is this going to end?" Moknach muttered, frustration evident in his voice. Bellote's eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of hope.
He finally spoke, his voice filled with determination: "We'll find a way, Moknach. We always have. We just need to hold on a little longer and trust that help will come."
"AAAAARGHHHH! Fucking monsters didn't seem to decrease in numbers at all! We've been fighting them for hours, and it feels like we're getting nowhere!" Moknach exclaimed, his anger boiling over.
Igvarge clenched his fists, feeling the weight of their desperate situation. "We can't give up now, Moknach. We have to keep fighting until we can't fight anymore. Our survival depends on it."
"There won't be any more of us left if this shit doesn't end soon," Bellote added, his voice filled with determination. "We have to find a way to push through this, no matter how long it takes. We'll keep fighting until we've defeated every last one of these monsters."
"Bellote, if I die here, I swear to the gods I'll torment you in hell for eternity," Moknach replied with a grim smile.
"Aye, then don't die then. You might get bored with me real fast," Bellote retorted, a hint of amusement in his voice. "But in all seriousness, we need something to turn the tide in our favor. We can't keep losing ground like this."
"Godamn it, Bellote, you always know how to lighten the mood," Moknach chuckled. "But you're right; we can't afford to keep losing. We need a game-changing strategy or-"
Moknach didn't finish his sentence as a loud explosion interrupted their conversation. The ground shook beneath them, and they quickly realized that the center of the horde was under attack.
Another blue light shot towards the horde, resulting in a massive explosion that sent bodies flying in all directions.
"What the fuck was that?" Moknach exclaimed, his voice filled with awe and disbelief.
"Again," Pandora said through his earpiece.
"Yes, sir. Cluster, high-ex, supersonic!" Zara said.
The mechanism in her quiver rotated and bolted one of the arrowheads to an arrow shaft. Zara nocked the arrow onto her bowstring, closing her right eye, and aimed at the mass of the horde.
She released it and watched as the arrow descended from the sky, passing through clouds and splitting into seven deadly projectiles. Each arrowhead turned into a light blue bolt of energy, streaking towards the approaching horde with incredible speed.
"LOOK!" a man shouted, pointing towards the sky.
Seven light blue bolts descended from above, each one striking a different section of the horde and bursting into a massive explosion. The shockwaves from the explosions rippled through the horde, causing chaos and confusion among the creatures.
They looked up towards the sky and could see four figures descending from the sky and dispersing in different directions, with two of them landing on the ground a little distance in front of the city gate, one female landing slightly behind the two, and the last one on top of the city walls.
The archers on top of the wall saw a female in a coat wielding a weird-looking bow jump to the wall in front of them. They had never seen her before, but her presence commanded attention. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly intensity, and her every movement exuded an air of confidence and power.
"I'm in position, engaging the enemy," she declared, her voice cutting through the chaos of battle.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?" one of the archers shouted, astonished by her sudden appearance.
"Backup," she responded curtly, not wasting any time on unnecessary explanations. With a swift motion, she notched an arrow and released it with deadly accuracy, exploding a small stray of creatures in a burst of flames.
"Roger, prioritizing high ex and airburst only." She spoke into her communication device as she nocked another arrow.
Every archer on the wall saw her tapping her finger to the ear piece she was wearing, indicating that she was communicating with someone.
Curiosity piqued, and the archers exchanged puzzled glances, wondering who could be assisting her in this seemingly impossible feat.
They couldn't help but wonder what kind of firepower she possessed and who exactly she was coordinating with. She then turned to look at them with glaring eyes.
"Well, don't just stand there, you idiots! Do something, anything; start shooting, dammit!"
The archers were taken aback by her sudden outburst, but her commanding tone left them with no choice but to obey. They quickly readied their bows, notched their arrows, and took aim, eager to see what this mysterious woman was capable of.
They saw her quiver rotate its internal mechanism and heard the distinct sound of arrows being loaded.
The archers exchanged glances, unsure of what just happened. She pulled an arrow, slightly fat-looking with a weird pointy tip, from her quiver, its gleaming surface reflecting the sunlight.
"P, M, N, firing white phosphorous arrows... now," she whispered under her breath.
With a steady hand, she notched the arrow onto her bowstring and drew it back, her eyes locked on a distant target.
"EVERYONE, RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the battlefield.
The archers watched in awe as she released the arrow, its trajectory swift and precise. The signal was clear: danger was imminent, and they had no choice but to heed her warning and flee for safety.
The arrow flew through the air towards the horde before bursting into a white smoke cloud midair and raining down white hot embers onto the enemy, setting the horde on fire.
The archers stood in amazement, their jaws dropping at the sight of the enemy engulfed in flames. The once menacing horde now scrambled frantically, desperately trying to extinguish the fire that consumed them.
"They're on fire. You are clear to move in and attack." She tapped her earpiece, activating her communication device.
The archers on the wall watched two male figures run towards the horde and the adventurers, while another female figure levitated off the ground, following behind them.
"Who are those people?" they asked, curiosity evident in their voices. The archers strained their eyes, trying to make out any distinguishing features or symbols on the figures' attire.
"They came with me. Just let them do their thing," she replied confidently.
The archers exchanged glances, unsure of whether to trust the woman's words. However, they decided to follow her command and continued to observe the newcomers cautiously.
"Lads, I think we're about to witness the birth of legends," one of the archers whispered, eyes wide with anticipation.
The newcomers moved with grace and skill that were unmatched; their every move was calculated and precise. It was clear that they were not ordinary fighters but warriors of extraordinary talent and experience.
As the battle raged on, the archers marveled at the newcomers' ability to effortlessly take down their opponents.
"The fuck are you doing just standing there?! Give me a fucking hand!" Zara shouted, her voice filled with frustration and urgency. The archers snapped out of their awe-struck state and quickly joined the fight, realizing that they needed to support their fellow warriors in order to turn the tide of battle.
Pandora, Narberal, and McCear quickly go to where the adventurers were engaged in combat. They swiftly assessed the situation and strategically positioned themselves to provide assistance.
"McCear, left flank. I'll take the right. Narberal, fire support from the rear," Pandora commanded over the chaos. He grabbed his twin kriegsmesser and charged at the creatures on his right flank.
"Got it," Narberal replied, her eyes narrowing as she pulled out her staff and channeled her magic. "Maximize magic, magic shield," she said, conjuring an ethereal shield for Pandora and McCear.
McCear unsheathed both his whipsword and his glowing blue bastard sword, his muscles tense and ready for battle. He scanned the area, his eyes trained on any potential threats that might approach from the left flank.
"Charon, play me that song," Pandora said.
"Yes, sir."
McCear bolts to the left, expertly dodging the incoming claws of a massive creature, while Narberal gracefully takes to the skies, casting a powerful barrier to protect herself and her allies.
Meanwhile, Pandora rushes to the right, swinging his twin Kriegsmesser in a whirlwind of deadly strikes, slicing through the thick hide of another beast. The clash of steel and roars of fury filled the air as the three of them continued their fierce battle against the horde of creatures.
The tired and weary adventurers watching these newly arrived, unknown strangers wearing copper plates were left in awe as they witnessed the incredible display of skill and bravery.
The strangers seemed to possess an otherworldly grace, effortlessly dispatching the beasts with each precise swing of their weapons. The sheer skill and coordination displayed by the trio was unlike anything they had ever witnessed before.
"Bellote, who the hell are these people?" Moknach shouted to him over the sounds of battle. Bellote shrugged, equally amazed and perplexed by the strangers' abilities.
"I have no idea," Bellote replied, his gaze fixed on the trio's relentless assault. "But one thing's for certain: they're not your average warriors."
"Well, what are you waiting for? These beasts are not going to take themselves down," Moknach yelled, unsheathing his sword and charging into the fray. Bellote nodded, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to join the battle alongside the extraordinary trio.
"Moknach! You go with the knight with the weird whip-like sword! I'll go with the other one with the two massive swords. Let's show these beasts what we're made of!" With a battle cry, Bellote and Moknach charged into the fray.
"Aye, stay alive. You still have an unpaid tab at the bar," Moknach called out with a smirk before sprinting towards the enemy.
Bellote couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that his friend's words were meant to lighten the tension. He quickly ran towards Pandora to assist him in taking down the wave of enemies.
"Hey, new guy. How the hell are you and your team still copper-ranked?" Bellote shouted over the chaos of the battle. "You fight like seasoned warriors!" Pandora grinned, decapitating an orc with his left sword.
"We just arrived yesterday and haven't had much time to climb the ranks. But don't worry, we'll be adamantite-ranked in no time!"
"Adamantite?! Hahaha, I like your confidence," Bellote laughed, dodging a fireball. "But it takes more than skill to reach that level. It requires strategy, teamwork, and a bit of luck."
"Well, lucky me then. I have everything I need to reach that level," Pandora replied, parrying a strike from a goblin. "Beers are on me once my team is promoted to adamantite."
"I'll hold you to that," Bellote said, grinning as he stabbed a goblin. "But until then, let's focus on surviving this horde; I don't plan on becoming a giant lizard's dinner anytime soon."
Pandora nodded, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any signs of reinforcements.
"Agreed. We'll celebrate our victory after we've dealt with these monsters."
McCear whipped his chainsword in a wide arc, slicing through the approaching goblins. Heads rolling across the ground as he continued to fight. With each passing moment, the horde seemed to grow larger, their numbers seemingly endless.
"Motherfucker. Y'all want a fight?! Well, you got it." McCear's voice echoed through the chaos as he swung his whipsword with precision and fury, cutting down goblins left and right.
Despite his relentless efforts, more goblins emerged from the shadows, joining the never-ending horde. McCear's muscles strained under the weight of exhaustion, but he kept pushing forward, refusing to give in to fatigue.
"Screw this!" McCear changed his grip into a reverse hold and held both swords in front of his chest in an X position. "Twin Maximize Magic, Sword Clone."
As McCear chanted the incantation, two ethereal swords that looked like his own materialized beside him, mirroring his every move.
"Come get some, you green-skinned bastards!" McCear shouted, his voice filled with defiance.
With the additional swords at his disposal, he became a whirlwind of destruction, cutting through the goblin horde with unmatched precision and skill.
The goblins, overwhelmed by McCear's ferocity and the sudden increase in his offensive capabilities, scrambled together and formed a desperate plan to try and overpower him. They worked together, coordinating their attacks and using their numbers to their advantage.
But even their sheer numbers alone couldn't compete with McCear's relentless assault. With each swing of his swords, he carved a path of devastation through the horde, their bodies falling like leaves in his wake.
The once relentless goblin horde was now reduced to mere scattered survivors as McCear stood amidst the chaos, triumphant and unscathed. Moknach watched in awe as McCear single-handedly decimated the goblin horde.
The warrior moved with an almost unnatural grace, his movements fluid and precise. Each swing of his sword was calculated and lethal, leaving no room for the goblins to counterattack. Moknach could hardly believe his eyes as McCear effortlessly dispatched goblins left and right.
It was as if he possessed an otherworldly power, his every strike finding its mark with deadly accuracy. The remaining goblins, now filled with fear and desperation, fled in all directions, their once formidable horde reduced to a mere memory.
"Hey, thanks for the backup." Moknach said, still in awe of McCear's skills. "I don't think I would have made it out of this alive without you." McCear simply nodded, his focus already shifting to the next potential threat.
"Don't mention it. Let's just finish this; the smell is killing me." McCear said, grimacing as he surveyed the aftermath of the battle.
The stench of blood and sweat hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the chaos they had just escaped. Moknach then saw McCear tap his ear and heard him mutter something into his communications device.
"Z... I think you should use "it", like right fucking now... Yes, the fucking thermobaric you blackmail Kater from." McCear said, his voice filled with urgency.
'What's a thermobaric?' Moknach's curiosity piqued as he awaited McCear's response.
"Excuse me, uhh... I didn't quite catch your name." Moknach asked politely, trying to gather more information about the situation.
"Oh yeah. I'm M, just M." McCear replied, keeping his tone guarded.
"I couldn't help but overhear you; what is a thermobaric?" Moknach inquired, hoping to gain a better understanding of the urgency in McCear's voice. He wondered if it was something dangerous or potentially life-threatening that he needed to be aware of.
"Oh, thermobaric is a type of explosive that uses oxygen from the surrounding air to create a high-pressure blast wave. It's highly destructive and can cause significant damage to structures and personnel within its range," McCear explained, his expression turning serious.
"I'm sorry, what?!" Moknach exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.
"In short, it's a powerful explosive weapon," McCear summarized. "You see that? Who knows how many thousands of them are still coming from the forest?" McCear continued, pointing towards the dense tree line. "See them, remember them; you ain't going to see them ever again."
"How do you even get such weapons?!" Moknach asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
"None of your concern; we have a reliable supplier." McCear shouted, his tone defiant.
Moknach's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, unsure of what McCear meant by "reliable supplier." He couldn't help but wonder if they were involved in some illicit activities to obtain such a dangerous weapon. However, he knew better than to pry further and decided to trust McCear's judgment for now.
"Roger that, M. Thermobaric explosive is coming up." Zara said to her communication device as she pressed a button on her bow to rotate her quiver's inner mechanism, select a thermobaric arrowhead, and prime it.
[Warning. You have selected thermobaric ammunition, a highly destructive weapon that releases a cloud of flammable gas upon detonation. It is designed to create massive explosions and cause maximum damage to its target. Extreme caution is advised when handling and deploying thermobaric munitions due to their volatile nature.]
"Yeah, yeah. I know the risks; just give me the damn arrow," she muttered impatiently. She had trained extensively with thermobaric ammunition and was confident in her ability to handle it safely.
The arrow loaded with the thermobaric tip was then ejected from her quiver, and she pulled it out to nock it onto her bowstring. Zara glanced at the archers, watching her new arrow with curiosity.
"You might want to hold your breath and duck for cover," she warned, knowing the devastating impact the thermobaric explosion could have on anyone nearby.
The archers were confused by Zara's statement, unsure of what she meant by "thermobaric" and how powerful the arrow really was. They exchanged puzzled glances, but they decided to heed her warning and duck for cover just in case.
Zara pulled the bowstring taut, feeling the tension build in her arm. With a steady hand, she aimed at the target in the distance and released the arrow, watching as it soared through the air with incredible speed.
"I've always wanted to use this! FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Zara shouted, her excitement evident in her voice.
As the arrow reached its target, a deafening explosion erupted, sending shockwaves through the air and leaving behind a trail of destruction. The sheer power of the thermobaric arrow left them in awe, realizing they had witnessed something truly extraordinary.
Every creature in the horde caught in the blast was instantly obliterated, their bodies disintegrating into a cloud of ash. The once formidable horde now lay in ruins, a testament to the devastating force of the thermobaric arrow.
The archers could only stand in stunned silence, their faces pale with disbelief as they surveyed the aftermath. The landscape was unrecognizable, with scorched earth and smoldering remains stretching as far as the eye could see.
The archers exchanged glances, knowing that they had just witnessed the destructive power of a weapon unlike anything they had ever encountered.
They then turned their heads towards Zara, who stood at the forefront of the destruction. She didn't seem bothered by the devastation she had caused, instead wearing a satisfied smirk on her face.
"Well, I guess that's it then. The horde is secured. and the city is secured." One of the archers remarked, breaking the stunned silence. The others nodded in agreement, grateful for Zara's intervention.
"You guys go on; I'm going to rejoin my team and make sure everything is secure on the outskirts of the city; we'll make sure we-"
"Warning! Warning! Detecting three life forms measuring at threat level lower 7!" Charon said this in Zara's earpiece, interrupting her sentence.
"OH, COME ON!" Zara exclaimed in frustration, realizing that their victory celebration would have to be put on hold once again.
Her eyes start scanning the forest entrance, looking for any signs of movement or disturbance. Birds started to fly outward from the trees, their wings flapping frantically, indicating a disturbance in the otherwise peaceful surroundings.
Her eyes squinted as she strained to see through the dense foliage before widening in recognition as she caught a glimpse of a figure emerging from the shadows. Three giant, monstrous creatures stepped out of the thick forest, their massive bodies causing the ground to tremble with each step.
"You gotta be shitting me..." she whispered under her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. The creatures were unlike anything she had ever seen before, with their grotesque features and intimidating presence.
"Dear gods, what is that?" One of the archers exclaimed, his voice filled with fear and disbelief.
"Man, we're doomed, man. We're fucked!" Another archer chimed in, his voice trembling with panic. The realization of the imminent danger sent a wave of despair through them, their hopes of survival fading rapidly.
"ALL OF YOU, RETREAT! NOW!" Zara yelled at the archers on the wall, her voice commanding and filled with urgency.
The archers, shaken by the sight of the creatures and her authoritative tone, scrambled to obey her orders, their hearts pounding in their chests. As they hastily retreated from the wall, they could hear the thunderous footsteps of the approaching enemy growing louder.
Fear gripped them tightly, their minds racing with thoughts of what would happen if they couldn't escape in time. With every step they took, their desperation to find safety intensified, and their breaths became shallow and ragged.
The archers knew that their lives depended on reaching a secure location away from the impending danger. They darted through narrow alleyways, their eyes scanning for any sign of shelter. The sound of arrows whizzing past them only fueled their urgency, pushing them to push their bodies to the limit.
Everyone fighting on the ground immediately looked at the three giant abominations walking towards them.
"Oh my god," one of the adventurers whispered, his voice filled with terror.
"Wh-What the fuck is that?"
"Bullshit..."
"Hey, hey, hey, isn't this just unfair?"
The adventurers couldn't believe their eyes as they stared at the towering creatures. Their disbelief quickly turned to anger and frustration.
"This is completely unfair!" one of them exclaimed, his voice dripping with indignation. "How are we supposed to fight against something like that?"
"Everyone retreat." Pandora walked slowly towards the three giant abominations, as if he were completely unfazed by their presence. "We'll deal with them." He pointed his left sword towards the creatures.
"Like he said, run." McCear shouted at the adventurers. "Don't you want to live forever?"
The adventurers hesitated for a moment, torn between their disbelief and fear of the seemingly invincible abominations. But ultimately, their survival instincts kicked in, and they turned on their heels, sprinting away from the terrifying creatures.
They see a female figure jump down from the city walls and run towards Pandora and McCear, joining their sides in the face of danger. The adventurers kept running as fast as their legs could carry them, grateful for the unexpected reinforcement.
They finally reached the city, retreating behind its walls and shutting the gates tightly behind them. As they caught their breath, they glanced back at the abominations, relieved to see that they had stopped their pursuit.
They see two men and two women walk slowly, approaching the three gigantic creatures. The newcomers, dressed in all black and carrying strange weapons, seemed unafraid as they calmly assessed the situation.
"Who the hell are those four?" The adventurers whispered amongst themselves, curious about the mysterious newcomers.
"Why aren't they retreating?" Another adventurer questioned, his voice filled with confusion.
"All of you who are still capable of fighting, man the walls immediately," a voice commanded from behind the adventurers. They turned to see their guildmaster standing tall, his eyes fixed on the newcomers.
"Guildmaster, who are they?" One adventurer asked with a hint of concern in his voice.
"Help; let them do their work," Ainzach replied firmly. "I made a deal with them."
The adventurers exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of what deal their guildmaster had struck with the mysterious newcomers. However, they trusted Ainzach's judgment and reluctantly obeyed his command to let them carry out their work. Curiosity gnawed at them as they watched the newcomers proceed with their tasks.
"Charon, scan them." Pandora ordered, his eyes fixed on the three humongous creatures.
"Creature A, detecting mixed DNA from a bovine and a reptile. The creature stands at 40 meters tall and has an approximate weight of 1844 tons. Detecting muscle structure and skeletal systems optimized for immense strength and durability, as well as biological kinetic energy absorbers, assuming the creature is capable of redirecting it for offensive purposes."
"Ceature B, height 26 meters, weight 613 tons, lightweight bones, and elongated limbs suggest agility and speed. Detecting acid sacs in the creature's saliva indicates a potential ability to spit acid as a defensive mechanism. The creature's sharp claws and teeth suggest it may possess predatory instincts and hunting capabilities. The creature also possesses three segmented tails with spear-like protrusions at the ends, which could be used for both defense and offense. Detecting light refraction in the creature's skin suggests the ability to camouflage itself in its surroundings, possibly for hunting or evading predators."
"Creature C, human DNA, and extreme genetic modification were detected. Height 35 meters with a whopping 6,500 tons of weight. Creature's skin is genetically modified and transormed into hardened plate-like scales, forming protective armor. Extreme durability and force exertion are indicated by the creature's massive size and weight. This suggests that the creature possesses immense strength and could potentially deliver devastating blows in both defensive and offensive situations."
"Scan for their weaknesses; I want to know if there are any vulnerabilities we can exploit," Pandora commanded, his eyes focused on the holographic display.
"Will do, sir. Warning! Detecting two additional humans approaching from behind the creatures, detecting a massive amount of magic reserve that is extremely unlikely to be natural. They might be controlling or manipulating the creatures somehow."
Pandora, Narberal, McCear, and Zara glanced at a man and woman stepping out calmly from the forest and towards the creatures. The creatures lowered their hands when the woman made a subtle gesture, as if she were commanding them. Pandora narrowed his eyes, realizing that these two newcomers were indeed controlling the creatures.
"Well, well, well, look who we got here. The son of Momonga and the daughter of Nishikienrai look like I hit the jackpot." The woman said it with a smug grin, her voice dripping with arrogance.
"Who are you?" Narberal asked, her voice laced with suspicion. Pandora watched as the woman's grin widened, revealing a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"I... am Vividayne, one of the six descendants of the Six Great Gods. I heard that you and your pal were looking for us; well, you found two of us." Vividayne said, her tone filled with a mix of pride and amusement.
"Enough, you bloody cunt; we are not here to chitchat with them." The man interrupted, his voice laced with impatience and a hint of aggression. Vividayne's grin faltered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure we can find some time for a little chat," she replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"My apologies; I'm Davey, also one of the descendants of the Six Great Gods. I'm here to make sure this bitch sticks to the plan and NOT deviate from it like she always does." Davey's words were sharp and filled with resentment. Vividayne's eyes narrowed, her smile disappearing completely.
"Fuck you, Davey," she spat, her voice laced with venom. "I don't need your babysitting. I've been handling things just fine on my own."
"This is no joke, you stupid pedo! Lady Harina will chew you up and spit you out if you don't follow the plan," Davey retorted, his anger boiling over.
'Harina? Where have I heard that name before?' Pandora thought to himself as he tried to recall where he had come across the name "Harina" before.
It felt like a distant memory, buried deep within his subconscious. The mention of her name seemed to trigger a sense of unease, as if Pandora had stumbled upon a long-forgotten secret.
"I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. Now I'm fucked." Davey muttered under his breath, accidentally name-dropping someone he shouldn't have.
"Ohhhhhhhh, you're fucked, Davey; you are utterly fucked." Vividayne chuckled, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Your ass is grass, my guy."
"Whatever, my point is that we are here to bring E-Rantel flat to the ground. Those people over there," Davey gestured towards the city. "Ashes and ruins will be all that's left of it, and you four are the only thing standing in our way."
"Sorry, Davey." Pandora calmly interjected, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Not gonna happen, buddy. We need to claim an adamantite plate later today."
"Pfft, typical Supreme Being's child, always thinks they can just get whatever they want," Davey scoffed.
"Supreme Being's child or not, we won't let you destroy this city," Pandora replied defiantly. "So why don't you take your business somewhere else?"
"No, you see, my masters have made it very clear that E-Rantel will be a ruble by the end of the day," Davey sneered. "And there's nothing you can do to stop it."
Davey snapped his finger, and his body began to emit a dark, ominous aura. An ethereal skeletal ribcage materialized around him, completely encasing his form. The ground beneath him cracked and trembled as he unleashed a powerful surge of energy.
One of the giants lowered its hand. Vividayne climbed on top all the way to his neck, and she stood on his shoulder, her eyes fixed on Narberal. A wicked smile spread across her face as she raised her staff, summoning a swirling vortex of magic.
"Vividayne, you take Narberal," Davey said as he unsheathed his sword. "Your three freaks handle the two insignificants beside them. I'll handle Momonga's son myself."
"My genuine pleasure," Vividayne replied with a sly grin, her voice dripping with malice. "You three... dispose of those two," she gestured towards McCear and Zara.
"Also, let's make things interesting," Davey said, pulling out a small ball-like object from his pocket. "I've got a little surprise for you, Momonga's son; let's see you fighting without your precious A.I." he said, tossing the object towards him. The ball exploded into a wave of electromagnetic energy, crackling with a blinding blue light.
"Warning! EMP hit detected... Unauthorized external access detected... Unable to... "
Charon's voice trailed off as the electromagnetic pulse disrupted the communication systems.
"Charon? Charon? Shit.. Charon is fried; we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way." Pandora said, disabling their artificial intelligence interface.
"Vapor!" Vividayne called out. "Eat the girl with the bow however you want. Bowery and Quansa... take the guy with the shield, but don't damage him too much. He'd make a good sex slave." Vividayne smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief.
Davey blitzed towards Pandora; he swung his sword horizontally with all his might, aiming to strike him down. However, Pandora swiftly pulled both of his swords from his back, blocking Davey's attack. The blow resulted in a shockwave that reverberated through the air, with a powerful gust of wind sending debris flying in all directions.
Vividayne pointed her staff at Narberal, and a red swirling energy formed around her. With a flick of her wrist, the energy shot towards Narberal but deflected off an invisible barrier that Narberal had erected. The impact created a dazzling display of sparks, illuminating the battlefield momentarily.
"Bugger." Vividayne muttered under her breath, realizing that her attack had been thwarted. She levitates and flies towards Narberal, pursuing her around the battlefield.
Both men locked eyes, their swords still connected in a fierce clash of steel. Davey smirked at Pandora and chuckled lightly, confident in his abilities.
"What? Surprised, aren't you? A mere mortal logically shouldn't be able to go toe to toe with a Supreme Being's offspring, but here I am... proving you wrong," Davey taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance.
"Herr Davey, I assure you, you haven't seen everything the universe has to offer." Pandora replied calmly.
He swiftly disengaged their swords, and with a lightning-fast move, he spun his body around and swung his left sword towards Davey, catching him off guard. The clash of metal echoed through the air as Davey barely managed to block the attack, and Pandora let go of that sword and delivered a punch to his stomach, causing him to stagger back.
'A feint?!' Davey thought as he regained his balance.
"You little-" Davey didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Pandora interrupted him with a slap to the face using the flat side of his sword. The force of the blow sent Davey sprawling to the ground, his vision momentarily blurred.
"Never take your eyes off your opponent... Anfänger." Pandora's voice dripped with disdain as he taunted Davey. "Dullkopf."
Vividayne, pursuing Narberal in a heated dogfight through the skies, traded spells after spells, the sky illuminated with bursts of colorful magic. From lightning to energy spheres to streams of light and back again, the two mages battled with relentless intensity. Each spell was met with a counterattack, creating a dazzling display of magical prowess.
"Come on! Give me a challenge!" Vividayne shouted, her voice filled with exhilaration, as she traded spells with Narberal.
"Be careful what you wish for, insolent insect." Narberal's voice dripped with disdain as she effortlessly deflected Vividayne's next spell. The clash of their powers intensified, shaking the very air around them.
Narberal conjured thirty-two spheres of pure energy, forming a floating orbital behind her. Each sphere cracked with raw power, and she sent them hurtling towards Vividayne with lightning speed. The orbs weaved through the air, leaving trails of vibrant energy in their wake, as if painting a mesmerizing picture of destruction.
"Let's see you parry this, you filthy..." Narberal taunted, her voice dripping with disdain.
Vividayne's eyes widened in fear as she desperately tried to conjure a shield to deflect the incoming onslaught. With each shield she summoned, the orbs crashed against it, causing it to crack and shatter under the immense force.
"What the fuck..." Vividayne muttered under her breath, her panic escalating as each shield dissipated before she could even fully form it.
She frantically tried to shield herself from Narberal's relentless attacks, but her efforts were in vain. After the last spheres collided with her shield, she was thrown back, crashing into the ground with a thud. Gasping for breath, Vividayne stood back up, her body aching from the impact.
"Bitch, I'll fucking-" Vividayne didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as she was pulled to the ground and her limbs held in place by an unseen force, pinning her down.
"Stay the hell down," Narberal hissed, her voice dripping with malice.
Vividayne struggled against the invisible restraints, gritting her teeth in frustration. The more she fought, the tighter the grip became, causing sharp pains to shoot through her limbs.
"FUCKING MOVE, YOU IDIOTS!" Vividayne shouted at the three massive creatures under her command.
The three giants, down on their stances like predators, were ready to pounce. All three of them charged forward with thunderous footsteps, their massive fists clenched tightly. The ground shook beneath their weight as they closed in on McCear and Zara, their eyes filled with a hunger for destruction.
Creature B moved at an incredible speed, darting towards McCear and Zara. It swipes its three spear-like tails at them; they managed to dodge the first two, but the third hits McCear's shield, slightly cracking it.
"Son of a bitch!" McCear gritted his teeth in pain as he staggered back, clutching his cracked shield. "Triple Fire Cutter!" McCear roared, retaliating with a powerful attack.
Flames erupted from his sword as he swung it towards Creature B, aiming to strike its vulnerable spots. The creature simply moved its head slightly to the right, dodging it; he left out a small chuckle at his attempt.
"McCear, that thing is built for speed and agility; you need to-" Zara didn't finish her sentence as Creature C lunged its right fist forward, hitting Zara, who luckily managed to activate a shield just in time. The impact sent her flying backward, crashing into a nearby tree.
"Fucker!" McCear shouted, rushing to the massive armored creature.
He pressed a button on his sword's handle, and it separated into eight segments. A thin cable unfurled from each segment, connecting them all together to form a whip-like weapon. McCear swung the segmented sword towards the creature, but its thick plate-like armor easily deflected the attack.
The creature retaliated with a powerful punch with its armored knuckle; it connected to McCear's great shield with a thunderous impact. The force of the blow sent McCear sprawling backward, his greatshield barely holding up against the sheer strength of the creature.
"Damn, what is that thing made of?" McCear muttered as he struggled to regain his footing.
Zara got back on her feet after being thrown back by the creature's attack and spit out a mouthful of blood. She quickly assessed the situation, noticing a vulnerable spot on the creature's underbelly. With a swift motion, she retrieved her bow and pulled a high-explosive arrow from her quiver.
"Yeah?! How about this, asshole?!" Zara yelled defiantly as she aimed the explosive arrow at the armored creature.
Her arrow whizzed through the air, hitting the creature's chest area, but it didn't even leave a scratch. The creature let out a chuckle of amusement, seemingly unfazed by Zara's attempt to harm it.
"Shit. McCear, regular high-explosive arrows aren't going to work on this thing," Zara shouted.
"Try armor-piercing, shaped-charged, anything you got in that quiver of yours!" McCear yelled back, evading the creature's stomp.
Zara quickly pulled out her bow extension kit and attached it to her compound bow. The bow locked into place, transforming into a powerful crossbow with the box holding the magnifying lens on the side of the grip facing up.
Zara pressed the button on the side of the grip, activating the quiver's rotating mechanism, and a specialized armor-piercing-tipped arrowhead loaded with a special anti-armor explosive bolted to an empty arrow shaft emerged.
She took aim at the creature once again, who, despite its immense size, was surprisingly nimble and able to keep up with McCear's much smaller frame, actively chasing him.
"Goddammit, McCear, keep the damn thing in place! Stay the fuck still!" Zara shouted in frustration as she struggled to line up her shot. McCear darted and weaved, doing his best to evade the creature's relentless pursuit.
"What do you think I've been trying to do?" McCear yelled back, his voice strained with exertion.
"This thing packs a punch, idiot! It's either going to hit him or you; either way, one is going to have a hole in their chest." Zara yelled over the chaos of their chase.
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she desperately tried to steady her aim. After a few more seconds of McCear and the creature engaging in a dangerous dance of evasion and pursuit, Zara finally found her opening.
'That's it... Lights out, ugly motherf-' Zara muttered under her breath as she aimed. Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, a chilling sensation creeping down her spine.
She turned her head and saw one of the three creatures attacking them before darting towards her, deactivating its camouflage ability and expanding its mouth from the carapace to reveal rows of sharp teeth.
She quickly adjusted her stance and took aim at the creature, pulling the trigger and launching the arrow intended for the armored creature. The creature easily dodged the arrow, its agility surprising her.
It lunged its head forward, and a burst of acid spewed from its mouth, narrowly missing Zara by inches. The acidic substance sizzled and burned the ground where she had been standing just moments before.
"Shit! Fucking acid breath!" Zara cursed, her heart racing as she scrambled to find cover. "McCear, we got a spitter!" Zara quickly shouted to McCear, who's still busy with the armored creature.
"I'm kinda in the middle of something here, Zara!" McCear yelled back, his voice strained. "Deal with it yourself for now!"
"Fuck!" Zara muttered to herself as she continued to fire a rapid succession of airburst explosive arrows at the spitter, which the creature avoided with surprising agility.
The airburst explosive arrows exploded around the spitter, creating a cloud of smoke and debris as it moved around with ease, making it difficult for Zara to land a direct hit.
The creature's acidic saliva continued to spit its acidic saliva at Zara, narrowly missing her with each attempt. She rolled and shot, and rolled and shot again, trying to find a way to incapacitate the spitter.
"Ahh, fuck it... Let's up this a notch." Zara muttered under her breath, frustration evident in her voice.
She swiftly reached into her quiver and pulled out an arrow with a quadruple split tip. With a quick motion, she notched the arrow onto her bowstring and took aim at the spitter's leg.
She released the arrow, and it whizzed through the air, splitting into four different directions and wrapping its leg like a vice with one of the projectiles swinging around it few more times before anchored to the ground.
The spitter let out a piercing screech as it struggled to free itself from the cable, thrashing its body wildly. The arrow's unique design proved to be highly effective, immobilizing the spitter and giving Zara an opportunity to approach safely.
"Works like a charm everytime!" Zara grinned triumphantly, nocking another arrow onto her bowstring. "Dodge this, you ugly bitch!"
Zara released the arrow with precision, and it stuck to the spitter's other leg. After a second, the arrow explodes, with bits of the spitter's flesh and acidic blood splattering in all directions. The creature let out a final screech of agony before collapsing to the ground, still alive and unable to move.
Zara reached for her quiver and pulled out the same anti-armor arrow she had used earlier. She carefully aimed at the armored creature McCear had been fighting, taking a deep breath to steady her trembling hands.
"McCear, shield up!" Zara released the arrow, watching as it soared through the air towards the creature.
The creature tried to block it using its armored hand, but the arrow struck and exploded on impact, shattering the armor on its hand and sending shards flying in all directions. The creature let out a deafening roar of pain as it lost one of its hand.
McCear seized the opportunity and jumped forward, his sword raised high above his head.
"Mach Severer!" McCear shouted his magic incantation, channeling his energy into the blade.
The sword glowed with a purple light as McCear swung it down towards the creature. The creature raised its other hand in a feeble attempt to defend itself, but the enchanted blade sliced through its armor-protected skin, cracking its hard exoskeleton.
The creature let out a guttural shriek, staggering back in agony as it lost both arms. The creature now only has its torso, still covered in hard armor, and no hands, leaving it vulnerable and defenseless. Zara pulled another arrow from her quiver and notched it onto her bowstring.
"Finish it, Zara." McCear shouted over the creature's shrieks of pain.
Zara took a deep breath, her eyes focused on the vulnerable creature before her. With steady hands, she released the arrow, aiming for the creature's neck.
The arrow struck its neck area, exploding upon impact and sending shards of armor flying in all directions. The creature's head disconnected from its body, falling to the ground with a thud, followed by its lifeless body, the ground quaking under its weight.
The four-armed, half-bovine, half-reptile giant creature stood far in the distance, watching its two fallen comrades with a serene expression. Its glowing red eyes surveyed the scene, assessing the situation before making its next move.
It slowly walked towards the downed, very much still alive spitter. The spitter creature writhed in pain, and looking up at the approaching giant, it let out a desperate screech for help.
The giant hybrid creature, unmoved by the plea, raised one of its massive reptilian legs and brought it down with a thunderous force, crushing the spitter creature's head into a pulpy mess. The giant creature's expression remained unchanged as it turned away from the lifeless body, continuing its walk towards McCear and Zara.
"Heads up, here it comes," McCear whispered to Zara, gripping his weapon tightly.
'Kill me.' a voice whispered in their minds, filled with despair and resignation.
McCear and Zara exchanged a quick glance, confused by the unexpected voice in their heads. They couldn't comprehend where it was coming from or how someone could be communicating with them telepathically.
'Please, make it stop. Please, kill me now.' the voice pleaded, growing more desperate. McCear and Zara felt a surge of empathy as they realized the voice belonged to the giant hybrid creature walking toward them.
"Is it you?" Zara shouted over the sound of the creature's heavy footsteps. The creature didn't nod and kept walking towards them.
'Yes.' The voice echoed in their minds, filled with anguish and pain. 'I can't stand it anymore. Please, I beg of you, end my suffering.' The creature's voice resonated with a haunting sadness that pierced McCear and Zara's hearts.
The creature raised all four arms and smashed the ground, causing tremors that shook the earth beneath their feet. McCear and Zara take to the skies and hover above the creature, keeping a safe distance.
'Please, you have to kill me.. I can't control this acursed body of mine.' The creature whispered in their minds.
The creature let out a guttural roar that echoed through the air, sending a powerful shockwave towards McCear and Zara at an alarming speed. They quickly maneuvered to avoid the shockwave, feeling the force of it as it passed by.
"I'm putting it down," Zara said firmly, nocking an arrow in her bow.
The creature clawed the ground forward, sending chunks of dirt and debris flying towards McCear and Zara. McCear raised his shield, deflecting the incoming projectiles, while Zara took aim, but the creature blitzed towards them in the air with incredible speed.
"Look out!" McCear shouted and flew in front of Zara with his shield raised, blocking the creature's attack. The impact sent both McCear and Zara to the ground, resulting in a small crater where they landed, knocking them unconscious.
Pandora pins Davey to the ground with his chokehold, and Narberal successfully chains Vividayne, preventing her from using her magic.
"You're done, insects." Narberal taunted with a sinister smile, tightening her grip on Vividayne's chains. The helpless duo just laughed at Narberal's taunt.
"Yes, we are.. But, so are your underlings." Vividayne smirked, gesturing towards the giant hybrid creature in the distance, jumping towards the air, and punching McCear and Zara to the ground.
"Those two... they are humans, aren't they? Do you think they stand a chance against that hulking, mindless beast?" Vividayne questioned, cackling with amusement. Narberal's smile faltered for a moment as she watched the scene unfold before her.
"You stay right here, you bitch!" Narberal snarled, waving her hands and the chains holding Vividayne anchored to the ground. Pandora pulled out a stake and jammed it through Davey's thigh to the ground, causing him to scream in pain.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," Pandora warned sternly. "You pull that out, and you'll bleed out in seconds."
"You two fucks will pay for this!" Davey spat out angrily, his face contorted with rage.
"Go ahead, pull the stake out; I dare you." Pandora said as he walked away from Davey.
Narberal flew towards McCear and Zara, with Pandora following close behind. As she reached them, Narberal pulled out the gauss rifle she'd been hiding in her cloak and aimed it directly at the hybrid creature. She fired a single shot, piercing through the air with a deafening crack.
The bullet hit its mark, striking the creature's chest, but despite its speed, it didn't penetrate deep enough to cause any significant damage. The creature let out a guttural roar, seemingly unfazed by the attack.
The creature clapped its massive hands together, creating a shockwave that sent Narberal and Pandora flying backward. They quickly adjusted their positions, regaining their balance and preparing for the creature's next move.
Pandora grabbed both of his swords and connected them together, forming a powerful double-bladed weapon. Narberal conjured a protective barrier around herself and Pandora and also conjured a giant magic circle behind her, electrified with crackling energy. The creature, sensing their heightened defenses, let out a low growl before lunging forward with incredible speed and force.
Pandora launched himself at the creature's fist and moved around it in a corkscrew motion, slashing at its exposed arm with the double-bladed weapon.
Narberal seized the opportunity and threw both rifles in the air, levitating them midair in front of her and supercharging them with the magic circle behind her. Six streams of light flowed from the magic circle into both rifles, infusing them with immense power.
With a swift motion, she flicked her staff forward, and the two supercharged rifles fired simultaneously, unleashing a barrage of powerful energy projectiles towards the creature. The energy projectiles streaked through the air, leaving behind trails of vibrant colors as they closed in on their target.
The creature let out a deafening roar as the projectiles struck its two lower arms, severing them cleanly from its body. The creature stumbled back, writhing in pain as dark, viscous blood oozed from its wounds. The severed arms fell to the ground with a thud, causing the earth to tremble beneath them.
'YES! NOW GO FOR MY HEAD!' A voice spoke to Pandora in his mind.
'Narberal, hold on, something's not right.' Pandora said this to Narberal telepathically. Pandora looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice.
'What do you mean, something's not right?' Narberal replied, her voice filled with concern.
'Something or someone just entered my mind and spoke to me. It wasn't you, Narberal.' Pandora's eyes darted around, but only the hybrid creature remained in sight. The voice continued to echo in Pandora's mind, growing louder and more desperate.
'No way... I think it's him.' Pandora whispered, glancing at the writhing hybrid creature.
'How is that even possible? Are you sure it's him?' Narberal asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
'Only one way to find out.' Pandora took a deep breath and focused his thoughts, attempting to establish a mental connection with the mysterious voice.
'Hello... is anyone there?' Pandora called out tentatively, hoping for a response.
The hybrid creature clutched its severed limb, emitting a blood-curdling screech that echoed through the battlefield.
'YES. I AM HERE,' a deep, resonating voice replied, causing Pandora's heart to skip a beat. 'Please... you have to kill me! I can't control this body anymore. It's too dangerous. I beg of you, end my suffering.'
'How do you still have your mind intact after transforming into whatever you've become?'
'I do not know exactly how, but the last thing I remember was being subjected to inhumane experiments by that mad man... I prayed to the 41 for a quick and merciful death, but instead, my body was transformed into this monstrous form. I can feel the darkness consuming me, and I fear that I may lose control completely if something is not done soon. Please, I implore you, end my torment before it's too late.'
'Hold on, who do you mean by he? The mad man you mentioned earlier, who is he?' Pandora asked in his mind.
'I don't know! He has a mask that covers his face, and he never revealed his true identity. All I know is that he had a twisted fascination with experimenting on innocent people like me. The two monstrous... things your men fought earlier are just like me. Innocent victims of his sadistic experiments. I killed her, the spitter, because I don't want her to suffer anymore. Our minds are connected like a hive, and I could feel her pain and torment. She couldn't bear it any longer, and I couldn't let her suffer in that way. Now I'm the only one left, and I'm afraid I can't keep my mind for much longer. I can feel the madness creeping in, consuming me bit by bit. The fear of losing control is overwhelming, and I don't know how much longer I can hold on. You're wasting your time! Please, kill me now!' The words echoed in their minds.
Pandora glanced at Narberal, unsure of what to do to the creature. Narberal nodded in understanding, her eyes filled with sympathy. She knew that they couldn't ignore the plea for release, but she also understood the weight of taking a life.
With a heavy heart, Narberal stretches her hands outward, and the magic circle behind her recharges the rifles. Pandora followed suit, gripping his own weapon tightly. He infused his sword with dark energy, and the blade turned a sinister shade of black.
The creature let out a loud, growling roar, with red, glowing lines forming on its body. The creature opened its jaw, and a glowing red light can be seen emanating from within. The intensity of the light grew stronger, illuminating the surrounding area with an eerie crimson glow.
The creature shoots out a beam of pure energy from its mouth, aimed directly at Pandora. The beam travels with incredible speed, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake as it hurtles towards him. Pandora threw his sword towards the creature; the double-bladed sword, infused with dark energy spinning through the air, went through the beam, negating its devastating power.
The sword kept spinning towards the creature through the intense beam, completely unaffected by its destructive force. As the sword neared the creature, Pandora moved his hands, controlling the sword's trajectory and guiding it with precision towards the creature's forehead.
Narberal finally shot a powerful blast from the two supercharged rifles, and the blast collided with Pandora's sword stuck to the creature's forehead. It pushed the sword through the creature's skull and came out on the other side.
Brain matter, bits of flesh, and bone fragments splattered in all directions, painting a gruesome scene. The creature let out low groans before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. The surrounding area was now eerily silent, the only sound being the soft crackling of flames from the aftermath of the battle.
McCear and Zara finally regain their consciousness, their bodies aching and covered in dirt and blood. They looked around and saw the aftermath. McCear stood up first and helped Zara to her feet. They both took a moment to catch their breath, their minds still reeling from the intensity of the fight.
"Holy shit," McCear muttered, his voice barely audible. "Lord Pandora and Lady Narberal ain't playing around," he continued, his eyes scanning the destruction that surrounded them.
"You two alright?" Pandora asked as he approached them.
"Yes, my lord." Zara replied, cracking her voice. "Just a few bruises and scratches, but nothing serious." McCear nodded in agreement, his gaze still fixed on the devastation. "Let's go; we have a prisoner to interrogate." Narberal said it firmly. "I was itching to get an answer from those two."
"So many questions, so little time." Pandora snarked as he turned to follow Narberal. McCear and Zara followed closely behind, their bodies still tense from the recent battle.
Vividayne, still magically chained to the ground by Narberal, let out a frustrated sigh.
"ABOUT FUCKING TIME!" Vividayne exclaimed, her voice filled with both relief and impatience. "One more second, and I would have gone insane from waiting." She glared at Narberal, her eyes burning with anger.
"Relax; your impatience won't change anything," Narberal replied coolly, unaffected by Vividayne's glare. "We have more pressing matters to attend to."
They look at Vividayne, still chained to the ground, with Davey nowhere to be found. A metal stake broken in two pieces and a pool of blood surrounding it were the only evidence of a struggle.
"Charon... Restart system/." Pandora ordered.
"Initiating restart sequence... restart complete. All systems operational. Terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Lord Pandora; the EMP attack seems to have caused some temporary malfunctions. However, we have successfully restored full functionality now."
"No need to worry, Charon; no harm done." Pandora replied with a sigh of relief. "Excuse us for a sec." Pandora and Narberal turned to Vividayne, who had been listening them silently.
"Where is your buddy?" Narberal asked, her face holding back her anger. "You were here the entire time, Vividayne. Tell me where he is, or I swear, in the name of all things holy, the only identifiable part of you will be your ashes." Vividayne cackled like a madwoman, her eyes glinting with mischief.
"Hehehe... Nope, you can go fuck yourself." Vividayne responded defiantly, her voice dripping with contempt.
Narberal grabbed her rifle by the barrel and swung it towards Vividayne, hitting her face with the butt of the gun. Vividayne spat blood from her mouth and continued to laugh.
"I think it's safe to say that you, Narberal, lack hospitality." Vividayne taunted, wiping the blood from her lips with a twisted grin.
"I guess I should've shown you how I treat guests from other worlds first." Narberal replied, swinging her rifle again and hitting Vividayne's jaw with a sickening crack. The force of the blow knocked Vividayne to the ground, but she quickly regained her composure and smirked up at Narberal.
"You know, I was under the impression that a Supreme Being's child would have hit harder... Pity, maybe I expect too much." Vividayne taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She slowly rose to her feet, ignoring the pain in her jaw.
"Like this?" Narberal swung her rifle again, hitting Vividayne's face again, and a tooth flew out, causing blood to spurt from her mouth.
"Or like this?" Narberal clapped her two rifles together, sandwiching Vividayne's head between them. Blood dripped from Vividayne's ear, and she let out a pained groan. Despite the brutal assault, Vividayne managed to maintain a defiant smirk on her face, refusing to show any signs of weakness.
"You would save us a hell lot of time if you just gave us what we need to know now," Narberal sneered, tightening her grip on the rifles. Vividayne winced in pain but managed to muster a weak chuckle.
"You forgot to say 'please'... bitch." Vividayne retorted, her voice strained but filled with defiance.
"Okay..." Narberal said, her voice dripping with venom. "If that's how you want to play it, we can do this the hard way."
She snapped her finger, and a swirling black portal appeared behind her. From within the portal emerged a slender, beautiful woman wearing a crop top and shorts, munching a jar of cookies. Vividayne lost her smirk for a second, smelling something absolutely wrong about the woman.
"Who the fuck is she?!" Vividayne exclaimed. "Something doesn't smell right about her!" Narberal smirked, relishing in Vividayne's unease.
"Meet my dear friend, Neuronist Painkill... or just Neuro if you didn't feel like pronouncing the whole name," Narberal replied, chuckling. "She's our, uhh.. torturer." Neuro winked mischievously at Vividayne, her eyes glinting with a sinister delight.
"No, no... Something's not right about her! She's not just a torturer," Vividayne protested, her voice trembling with fear. "There's something absolutely wrong about her; I can feel it."
"Narberal, honey. Sometimes I forget to thank you for bringing me these kinds of humans." Neuro smiled devilishly, her lips curling into a wicked grin. "As for you, my dear, I hope you have a nerve of steel, because my place is not for the faint of heart."
"You can do what you want with me, you bitch, but I'll never talk." Vividayne stared defiantly into Neuro's eyes.
"Ohh? Are you sure about that?" Neuro's voice dripped with a chilling menace as she leaned in closer to Vividayne, her breath cold against her skin. "You have experienced torture, no doubt, but what I do... is on a whole... new... level..." Neuro whispered, her voice trailing off as she trailed a finger along Vividayne's trembling jawline.
"Oyaa? What's this I smell? Why do I smell a scent of sperm from you?" Neuro asked, sniffing Vividayne's hair and cheeks. "Your breath smells the same too... Did you just blow someone before coming here?" Neuro's eyes narrowed, her tone filled with both curiosity and sadistic pleasure.
"None of your fucking business!" Vividayne spat, her voice laced with defiance.
"No need to get defensive," Neuro chuckled, her finger tracing a teasing path down Vividayne's neck. "A girl's got her need after all... however inappropriate it may be."
"Neuro, just get her over to your place and extract whatever information you can out of her." Narberal cuts her off, her voice firm and commanding. "We don't have time for games."
"Alright, alright. But considering the damage you caused to her, which still proved to be not enough, I'm asking for level 5 torture clearance this time. I might need to open up her skull if she wants to keep playing games," Neuro responds, a sinister smile forming on her face.
"Sure, I gave you the green light; go crazy." Pandora replies, his tone filled with indifference. "Just make sure you get the information we need quickly."
"Also... I want to borrow your novel again; I haven't finished reading it last time. Fucking cliffhanger got me rolling on my bed, unable to sleep." Neuro adds, her voice shifting from menacing to playful.
"Sure!" Pandora replied, exasperated.
"Atta boy! Pleasure doing business with you," Neuro says, her smile widening.
Neuro raised her hand up, and a glowing orange collar on a chain shot from within the portal. She caught it with a graceful flick of her wrist and put it around Vividayne's neck. Vividayne winced as the collar tightened around her neck, feeling the scorching heat of the chain against her skin. Neuro's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she watched Vividayne struggle to breathe, a twisted grin forming on her face.
"Girls, take her away." Neuro shouted towards the portal, and the chains started to retract, pulling Vividayne towards the swirling vortex. With each step, Vividayne's protests grew fainter until she disappeared completely into the portal.
"I'll see you two around... Buhh bye." Neuro waved her hand at Pandora and Narberal as she walked away through the portal.
Two days later, Adventurer's Guild, E-Rantel
After the devastating attack on the city, the Adventurer's Guild was bustling with activity. The survivors gathered to share their stories and offer assistance in any way they could.
The team of enigmatic saviors stepped into the guild building and were immediately met with cheers and applause from the grateful crowd.
The heroes' presence brought a glimmer of hope to the desolate atmosphere, as they were hailed as the ones who had bravely defended the city against the unknown threat.
The guild members eagerly approached them, eager to express their gratitude and seek guidance on how to rebuild and prepare for any future attacks.
The guild master walked towards the team and extended a hand in gratitude, thanking them for their heroic efforts.
"Welcome back. I was wondering when you guys would show up," he said with a relieved smile. "The city owes you a great debt, and we are forever grateful for your bravery. I've consulted with some of the city's leaders, and we've agreed to promote your team to the highest rank, the Adamantite rank, effective immediately. Congratulations."
Every adventurer in the guild dropped their jaws in awe of the unexpected promotion. They couldn't believe their ears when the guild master announced the news.
The Adamantite rank was reserved for only the most exceptional and accomplished adventurers, a true testament to their skills and dedication.
It was a moment of triumph that would forever be etched into the history of the team, and they not only witnessed the birth of a new Adamantite-ranked adventurer team but also fought alongside them before they reached such heights.
Then a receptionist stepped out from behind the counter with a smile on her face. She congratulated the new team on their achievement and handed them their official Adamantite-ranked adventurer plate.
"Guildmaster Ainzach, unfortunately, we haven't engraved their plate with the name of their team yet. Could you please provide me with the team's name so that we can complete the engraving?" The receptionist asked politely, holding out a pen and paper in her hands.
"Oh yeah, now that I remember it. You guys kept your team name blank when you registered for the adventurer's guild. What name did you have in mind for your team?" Ainzach inquired, glancing at Pandora and his team. Pandora looked up at the ceiling and pondered for a moment.
"Call us... 'Orchid Argo'. Yes, that would be our team's name from now on." The receptionist nodded and quickly jotted down the team name.
"Orchid Argo," she repeated, a smile forming on her face. "That's a unique and memorable name. I'm sure it will stand out among the other teams."
"Orchid Argo, huh? Mind telling me the inspiration behind that name?" Ainzach asked, curious to know the reasoning behind Pandora's choice. Pandora paused for a moment, considering how much to reveal.
"Well," he began, "how should I put it? You could say that the name is actually taken from a train from where we come from."
"What's a train?" Ainzach asked, his curiosity piqued. Pandora chuckled softly, realizing that not everyone may be familiar with the concept.
"Essentially, it's just a really big, long cart like the one you used in mines. Except that it's for transporting people, not coal and diamonds, and they're crazy fast—like, 'oh, shit' kind of fast."
"What a fascinating concept!" Ainzach exclaimed, his eyes widening with intrigue. "But why use the train's name?"
"Hmm, I guess all four of us just have a sentimental attachment to that particular train," Pandora mused. "N and I even worked on it once."
"And how is this particular 'train' named Orchid Argo?" Ainzach asked, leaning in closer to hear the answer. "Is there a special meaning behind the name?"
"Not really; most trains are just named after a location from which we come. Like a mountain, a famous folklore character, and sometimes even something that doesn't even make any sense." Pandora explained, chuckling. "But Orchid Argo is different. It's named after the beautiful orchids that bloom around a mountain in our homeland." Pandora paused for a moment, reminiscing about the breathtaking sight of the orchids.
"We wanted a name that would capture people's attention and leave them curious about our team. It's all about creating an aura of enigma and allure, drawing others in to uncover the hidden depths within us. Besides, it's always fun to keep our opponents guessing, isn't it?" The rest of his team nodded, sharing Pandora's sentiment.
"Heheheh. You people are truly one of a kind. Then, as of today, I, Pluton Ainzach, the guild master of the adventurer's guild of E-Rantel, officially promoted the team, Orchid Argo, to the rank of Adamantite. May their adventures be filled with excitement and triumph as they continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in this vast and unpredictable world."
The room erupted into cheers and applause as the team members of Orchid Argo stood tall, the adventurers raising their glasses in celebration.
Somewhere southwest of Slane Theocracy
In the darkness of her room, Harina sat alone while a music player on her desk played her favorite melancholic tunes.
The haunting melodies of downtuned, distorted 8-string guitars, bass, and drums created an atmosphere of introspection and reflection.
Harina closed her eyes, her feet kicking the double pedal below her chair as she lost herself in the rhythm. The music transported her to a different world, where she could escape the pressures and responsibilities of her everyday life.
In this moment, she found solace and a sense of freedom, allowing her thoughts to wander and her emotions to flow freely.
Suddenly, her doors were thrown open as Davey ran inside, his face bloody and his clothes dirty.
"Lady Harina! I managed to escape, but Vividay-" Davey was cut off as Harina raised her index finger in front of her mouth to silence him. She continued to kick the pedals, playing along with the song played in the background.
"You're disturbing me, Davey. And you know what I did to those who disturbed me," Harina said, her voice dripping with a mix of warning and menace. Davey's eyes widened in fear as he nodded, understanding the consequences of interrupting her.
"Contrary to popular belief, this song is actually not a triplet. The bass drum is actually playing a syncopated rhythm, giving it a unique groove," Harina explained, her eyes focused on the intricate patterns her feet were creating on the pedals.
"It's practically a double, then a single, then back to a double kick pattern. The right foot does most of the work." Harina paused for a moment, her gaze shifting towards Davey.
"So what's with your pulped face? This better be worth my time." Harina asked, her tone laced with a hint of annoyance.
"My lady, in the confrontation, we lost, and they've taken Vividayne. I'm really sorry." Davey apologized, his voice filled with regret. Harina looked unconcerned as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.
"Well, then the plan has gone accordingly." Harina said, unhinged by the news of Vividayne's capture.
"My lady, what do you mea-" Davey interjected, his confusion evident in his voice. Harina interrupted him with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I mean, Vividayne's capture was part of our plan all along," she explained, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"What?" Davey exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. "But why would we want Vividayne to be captured?" he asked, struggling to understand Harina's motives.
"Do you really think I'm that stupid to want Vividayne to be captured without a reason?" Harina retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Vividayne's capture is just the first step in our larger scheme. Consider it like placing a worm on a hook to lure in a bigger fish."
"I don't underst-"
"It means that I'm placing a mark on Vividayne so that we can track her movements and gather valuable information," Harina interrupted, her voice filled with determination. "Once we're ready, we're dropping the hammer on Nazarick, and Vividayne's capture is the key to unlocking their secrets and weakening their defenses. It may seem stupid on the surface, but it's a strategic move that will ultimately benefit us in the long run."
"I see. Sorry for my stupidity, my lady." Davey apologized, his voice tinged with embarrassment. "I just didn't understand the bigger picture."
"Now, if you're done here, get out and close the door behind you. I want to rest before our next move." Davey nodded, quickly exiting the room and closing the door behind him, leaving Harina to her thoughts.
"Every goddamn time," Harina muttered to herself, frustration evident in her voice.
The music continued to play in the background as she sank into the plush armchair, her mind racing with plans and strategies.
She knew that every decision she made now would have a significant impact on their next move.
As the melodies of the music filled the room, Harina closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment of respite before diving back into the chaos that awaited her.
"Heheheh, I guess there's no rest for the wicked," she chuckled, her laughter carrying a hint of exhaustion.
"Heed, it commands, heed my will..." Harina sang the lyrics in a soft, haunting melody, her voice blending seamlessly with the music. "Bleed, it says, bleed you will..."
Outro song :
The Masquerade
CANTERVICE
Author's note :
Sorry for the wait; I watched too many YouTube videos about cartels, executions, and stuff... Shout out to channels like DeathDoor, Disturbed Reality, Muerto, and Crime Dynasty.
I got curious and ended up watching sickening and disturbing content that I shouldn't have. It was a dark rabbit hole that I regret going down.
NEVER EVER EVER LOOK FOR A CARTEL EXECUTIONS VIDEO!
The amount of violence and brutality depicted in those videos is beyond comprehension. Remember the Saw movies? Yeah, those are nothing compared to the real-life horrors I stumbled upon. The images and sounds still haunt me, and I strongly advise against seeking out such content.
Anyway...
I'm going to start focusing on Chapter 8, which I think would be the longest chapter of the first volume, aside from Chapter 10, which I already foresaw as being quite lengthy considering it's the final chapter of Volume 1.
