Chapter 94 - Time Guardian
"I am ready now."
Looking at the small peak I had spent my whole month on, I mumbled.
I had already finished preparing for the raid of the boss and removing the camp.
"Time Guardian, huh? Certainly a tricky opponent."
A monster of a low rank-3 strength, physically. But, strange enough, its real strength didn't lie on his body but its time-related affinity. After all, even though most of the time, boss monsters' strength was determined by their mana wavelength and body, there were some special ones that were ranked higher thanks to their unique characteristics.
Time Guardian was one of them. If ranked according to the orthodox methods, it would be a low rank-three monster, but because of its uniqueness, it was ranked as low rank-4.
'Then, again. If you are prepared enough, nothing can stand in your way.'
Looking at the small pebbles that I had gathered while walking around and the arrowheads I made from those pebbles, I started checking everything one last time.
I double-checked my gear, making sure everything was set. The artifacts, potions, and supplies were all vital for what lay ahead. I thought about how far I'd come since I first arrived here. It felt like a different time.
My body was also all rested, and I had even taken a shower to feel refreshed. Everything was set in stone, and the only thing was left to confront the boss.
Stepping out into the grove, I blended in shadows, activating [Shadowborne].
Today was a cloudy and rainy day, even though just yesterday it was scorching hot. And according to my observations, it would stay like that for one more day.
With cautious steps, I moved deeper into the grove, alert to everything around me. The tension was high, knowing the final trial was approaching.
'There shouldn't be many monsters left.'
While training for the whole last month, my only object was not only to improve myself but also to trim the monsters in this place one by one.
I dragged the exploration, and since I am very good at stealth and range attacks, it was not that hard for me to trim their numbers, even when I was alone.
Therefore, I was sure that no monsters would stand in my way while I would be confronting the Time Guardian.
RUSTLE
As I ventured deeper, the shadows seemed to cling to me, providing a sense of concealment that was comforting.
And, just as I expected, eventually, I arrived at the heart of the Groove, where the boss monster awaited without encountering any other monsters inside the place.
FLINCH
The eerie presence of the boss sent shivers down my spine. Its flickering form made it hard to pin down a target, emphasizing its nature of time manipulation.
"Let's get this done."
TAP TAP TAP TAP
The rain continued to fall, setting a somber mood, fitting for the showdown ahead.
I carefully stepped forward, ready to confront the Time Guardian.
My senses heightened, every muscle prepared for the inevitable battle that would decide my fate within the Chrono Grove.
'The first stage should be relatively easy.'
I thought to myself, readying my bow as I looked at the boss monster before me.
The Time Guardian stood before me, a creature that defied conventional expectations.
Its form flickered and shifted, the spiritually-looking visage showcasing its affinity with the manipulation of time.
The boss resembled an ancient and mystical entity, its outlines blurred and the edges seeming to dissipate into the surrounding air. It was hard to pin down a specific shape as if it was in a perpetual state of transition.
In fact, it was later revealed that the Time Guardian was the ancestor of the [Eon Specters] and [Temporal Shifters]; both of them are the monsters habiting this place.
And because of that fact, the Time Guardian had the characteristics of both of them.
The creature's colors were a spectrum of blues of Eon Specters and silvers of Temporal Shifters, mirroring the shifting nature of time itself.
The hues swirled and mixed, resembling a whirlpool that drew the eye into its depths.
The Time Guardian emanated a subtle glow as the small sunlight passed through the clouds and refracted through a crystal, setting the atmosphere.
"Certainly, an incredible scene."
I muttered to myself, admiring its form while preparing for the impending clash. However, everything would meet its end in one way or another.
'Keen Eye.'
Activating my skill, I felt the mana moving into my eyes as my vision tunneled into the boss before me.
Even though the skill was supposed to show the weakness of the boss, since it was a low-rank skill, it wasn't doing its job properly. Even then, my eyes wandered around the boss, my trait [Perceptive Insight] doing its work.
I observed the monster and combined the information from the game with my observations.
I was still in the shadows, hiding from the boss, and the boss monster didn't make any move.
"Hooo…."
With a deep breath, I pulled an arrow from my quiver and nocked it onto my bowstring, eyes never leaving the flickering form of the Time Guardian.
'The pattern is like this.'
My heartbeat calmed down as the moment of confrontation approached. I was a hunter, not a warrior, and a hunter would never lose his cool.
I aimed carefully, judging the distorted figure of the boss, and released the arrow.
SWISH
It soared through the air, finding its mark as it collided with the Time Guardian's form.
However, instead of a satisfying thud, the arrow seemed to slow down, the boss's manipulation of time altering its trajectory.
The arrow lost speed, allowing the Time Guardian to shift its form just enough to let the arrow harmlessly pass through.
"This won't be easy,"
I muttered to myself, quickly moving to my next arrow, preparing to fire again.
'The time manipulation itself is changing the acceleration and its vectorial position.'
I adjusted my aim, predicting the time manipulation aspect of the boss's abilities. I needed to anticipate where it would be, not where it was.
The boss monster had yet to even awaken from its slumber; even its natural form was hard to attack.
Applying my green-colored mana to the arrow, I supplied the arrow with the mana. Since Green colored mana was the most stable one, it was my best bet.
SWISH THUD
Releasing the arrow, it hurtled towards the Time Guardian, and this time, I saw a slight waver in its form, a successful hit.
With my eyes, I could see the green tendrils forming in front of me, connecting my vision to the boss.
ROAR
But before I could celebrate, the boss retaliated, a ripple of distorted time lashing out in my direction. The speed of the attack was high, as it instantly accelerated right before my eyes.
'Dash.'
SWOOSH
I activated my skill, and I swiftly dodged, feeling the disturbance in the air as the ripple missed me by inches.
The Time Guardian's powers were formidable, and I couldn't afford to underestimate them. It was a battle of precision and timing.
However, the first arrow was the most important one. While I was training with [Temporal Shifters], I was trying to find ways to counter its form change, and I found one.
My green-colored mana countered the monster, marking its 'real' part that hadn't disconnected from this dimension.
Thanks to that, from the moment my first arrow landed, the following was going to be easy.
SWISH SWISH
I continued to fire arrows, each shot a careful calculation of the boss's probable position and its time-altering abilities.
My eyes constantly wandered around the space, observing every bit of little ripples in the environment.
It was a habit I had acquired while spending my time in this ever-changing space, and I learned one thing.
'Never make sure of something; always be ready for something to change.'
At this point, the shadows were practically useless, and I was expecting that. The boss monsters have a higher sensitivity to mana; thus, from the moment I started attacking using my mana, it was going to locate me easily.
Therefore, rather than moving in between shadows, I moved alongside the groove with my skill [Dash] active, constantly changing my location.
TAP TAP TAP
The sound of rain and my steps amongst the mud echoed in my ears,
The battle had just begun, and this was only the initial dance, a dance of ranged attacks and evasive maneuvers.
ROAR!
With a loud shout, the Time Guardian started throwing a bunch of rocks to me. However, if one thing was different, then it was the speed of the rocks.
SWOOSH SWOOSH, BOOM! BOOM!
Thanks to its ability to manipulate time, in fact, the Time Guardian has the ability to narrow the interval of time where the rock would reach a certain speed. And, thanks to that, the rock would have a higher acceleration, resulting in a narrower interval for me to dodge.
'Dash.'
However, my skill [Dash] came in handy as my body moved around the place, dodging the rocks thrown at me.
THUD CRACK
"Arghk….."
Even then, it was impossible to dodge every attack. A rock hit me from my leg, and a groan left my mouth, my body shaking in pain as I staggered.
'My bone is broken.'
I immediately assessed the wound.
CRUNCH
And, without wasting any second, I instantly crunched the pill I hid in my mouth for the sake of such situations.
HEAL
Feeling the potion entering my mouth, I forced myself to move, as I could feel another bunch of arrows coming my way.
Just like I was adapting myself, Time Guardian was also adapting itself to my attacks, and thanks to its unique eye, he could see my movements clearly.
Then, again, this was within my expectations.
'It should be happening soon.'
Just at that moment, as the Time Guardian seemed to be growing accustomed to my strategy, the environment threw in a new variable.
'There it is.'
Gravity, already erratic in this place, seemed to shift suddenly, altering the trajectory of both the raindrops and my arrows, as well as the rocks thrown at me.
As the raindrops defied gravity, falling sideways or upwards, I took a moment to observe and adapt. I had been studying this place and preparing for the raid, and now I was getting the results of it.
I adjusted my aim, taking advantage of the odd gravity to fire my arrows at unconventional angles.
In my head, I simply imagined the trajectory of the arrows according to my observations and modeled the fight.
SWISH
The arrows curved and twisted, following the bizarre paths set by the distorted gravity.
And because of that, the Time Guardian struggled to anticipate and evade these unpredictable shots.
'This is why you are a mindless beast.'
SWISH SWISH
My arrows found their marks, and the Time Guardian roared in pain, its form destabilizing. Each hit weakened the creature, green-colored liquid dripping from the wounds.
However, just like every other type of monster, this one also had its own trump card.
ROAR
In frustration, the Time Guardian released a huge roar, its effects sending ripples through the space.
SWOOSH
I was thrown out as an aftereffect, as I felt my body getting pushed, as well as a weird-looking barrier covering the place where the time guardian was.
'The second stage starts.'
Chapter 95 - Time Guardian (2)
When the word 'boss' is mentioned, if you are a gamer who was immersed in the world of games, the first thing that would appear in your mind would be the long huge HP bar that fills a part of the screen.
However, if you are a person who sought the path of 'git-gud,' then you would know every boss monster has the potential to be reborn or enter a new phase.
Either their HP bar would be filled, or their attacks would take a new form. And, the way they do it would mostly be a cutscene.
We, as a player, would see a cutscene where the boss monster would either power up, scream, roar, or speak some words.
This was the same with the Time Guardian.
Considering the game Legacy of Shadows: The Hunter's Destiny was inspired by the souls-like games, it was no wonder that was the case.
The second phase would start with a loud roar, where the monster would release a scream filled with time attribute mana.
However, this roar had a special attribute, as with that huge roar, a zone would be formed by the Boss, trapping the player and empowering itself.
But that was not the only thing that zone did.
The borders of the zone had a small property.
The attacks coming out of that zone would be nullified since the time and space mana would disturb the attack and render the kinetic energy to zero.
How does it do that, some of you may ask?
The idea is simple and could only be explained thanks to the term 'mana.'
Basically, what it does is increase the amount of time the projectile takes to travel from outside of the zone to inside.
The distance between the outside of the zone and the inside of the zone may look thin, but the time it takes for an arrow or any other projectile to travel that distance is widened thanks to the effects of time mana inside.
This is what makes it impossible to attack the monster from outside of the barrier since the projectiles would lose their kinetic energy, which means losing their strength to attack.
This is the way the boss monster would force the range players to approach the monster, and that was the reason why I was saying if I were Ethan, I would be able to beat it without batting an eye.
Since, for close-range combatants, it isn't much.
However, no matter what it is, those who played the soul-like games would know every boss monster would at least have a way to get cheesed.
The developers of Legacy of Shadows: The Hunter's Destiny liked putting easter eggs and small details into their games.
And they did it for this part as well.
'Time-immune stones.'
While I was playing the game, I wondered, in this place where time mana is frequent and dense, how come the trees and the environment are not directly affected, like the climate?
The corrosion rate should have been high as the chaos ensued in this place, but the rocks, earth, and dirt weren't directly affected by it, different from the equipment I had used here.
The cups and plates I used to eat were all eroded over the course of one month, which should have taken at least two years, and that was also the case in the game.
This showed the time mana was affecting the materials, but how come it wasn't affecting me, monsters, or this place itself directly?
The answer was simple.
This place was constructed with materials that are immune to the time mana. Because of this fact, I came up with the idea of using the stones in this place to craft stone-headed arrows and use them against the Time Guardian.
And, now, here we were.
'Keen Eye.'
My eyes, filled with mana, were observing the monster inside with wounds around its body.
"You think you are safe now?"
The monster was also looking at me from inside the barrier as if saying that I wouldn't be able to attack him from a distance no more.
"Let's see how long you can keep that up."
Knocking the arrow, I started measuring the distance.
'The distance from here to Boss Monster is around 100 meters.'
And then, I referred to my results while I was firing my arrows.
'This arrow will fly around the speed of 100 km/h, which means it will travel 27 meters in one second. It will cover a distance of around 3.7 seconds. This should be sufficient enough.'
The average speed of my arrows was around 150 km/h. However, the arrow I was going to use is not the perfect arrow designed for aerodynamics but something I crafted on my own.
And, because the arrow was not the perfect arrow, it was going to be very hard for the arrow to damage the boss.
Normally.
Pulling the string, I relaxed my breath and focused on my senses, my eyes locked on the monster.
My mana moved like tendrils entering the small segment of the arrow on its body. That part was where a surprise was waiting for the monster.
'This amount of mana is perfect.'
SWISH
With that thought, I released the arrow, watching it pierce through the barrier, defying the time-altering properties.
'And then….'
'Bam.'
BOOM!
The moment the arrow connected with the Time Guardian, it triggered a concealed explosive mechanism within the arrowhead, a property I had embedded using my mana.
The explosion rippled through the boss, causing severe damage and leaving a visible mark of victory.
I knew the head made from a stone wouldn't pierce its skin, and it wasn't even my intention. I bought several bodies of explosive arrows without heads for this purpose alone.
The moment the arrow appeared in front of the monster, it exploded since the mana supplying the mechanism was depleted, making the trigger activated.
Since the monster wasn't expecting an attack to come from outside, it was in a state with its guard lowered, and this was going to cost him his life.
And just as I intended, the explosion erupted within the Time Guardian, leaving it reeling from the unexpected assault.
SWISH SWISH SWISH
The force of the blast threw the monster off balance, and I seized this opportunity to fire more arrows, each finding its mark and causing further damage.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The unique arrowheads I had crafted were not only explosive but also infused with a poison that was going to bleed the boss from the inside.
It was not a high-quality poison, but it was something that would work, and that was all I needed. After all, the boss monster can't go anywhere, and I have enough time.
ROAR!
The boss let out a resounding roar of agony, struggling to regain control and retaliate.
My continuous onslaught didn't give it a moment's respite. The poison was working its way through the monster's body, sapping its strength and causing its movements to slow down.
SWISH SWISH SWISH
As the boss weakened, I pushed forward, moving closer to the barrier the Time Guardian had set up.
The zone was a double-edged sword, protecting the monster but also restricting its movement. In this world, nothing came without a price, and utilizing the zone meant he was compressing his powers inside the barrier.
Even though the Time Guardian changed the trajectory of the arrows from time to time, even then, the explosions were still close enough to it.
It was desperate, confined to a smaller space, unable to fully utilize its time manipulation powers.
ROAR!
He tried to protect his body by changing dimensions, but by doing so, he used a lot more mana.
Also the poison was building up its effects one by one, making the monster more desperate to attack me.
SWISH
'This is the last one.'
Of course, my supply of arrows was also limited, and at some point, it was bound to reach its end.
But that didn't mean I didn't have any other weapon.
I did two more and a bunch of supporting.
GULP
Grabbing a potion from my inventory, I gulped it immediately and felt the strength returning to my body.
GULP
Gulping another one, I felt my mana refilled.
CRUNCH
And gulping the last pill, I felt my heart throbbing. The strength coursed through my body as I felt pumped up.
SWOOSH
With confidence surging through me, I took a deep breath, activating my skill [Dash], and sprinted towards the monster.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
My feet splashed through the muddy ground as I closed the distance, my eyes fixed on the weakened boss.
Sweat mixed with rain dripped down my forehead, my heartbeat drumming loudly in my ears. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I prepared for the final stage of the battle.
ROAR!
The Time Guardian roared loudly as it also rushed at me, with its form turning blank and phantom from time to time.
It unleashed a desperate attack, but my reflexes were honed, and I dodged the attack by a hair's breadth thanks to the pill I had taken.
I leaped into the air, high above the boss, and with all my might, my gun was pointing at the monster from above.
At that moment, time seemed to slow down as I could see the boss monster form slowly turning transparent, just like the [Temporal Shifters].
'I won't let you.'
I immediately reached for the bell on my belt. My movements felt slowed, probably thanks to the monster, but it was not enough.
RING!
As I rang the bell, I could feel the mana around us getting disturbed as the transparent form of the monster returned to normal.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
As I pulled the trigger rapidly three times in one second, three bullets left the gun.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
And that was what marked my leap in the air, as my mana-imbued bullets pierced right through his head.
SPURT
Blood spurted from its head as the monster's skull was cracked open.
ROAR!
However, the monster was yet to die, as a heaven-defying roar echoed around the surroundings.
-CRASH!
I was blasted off by the roar as I crashed the rock before me.
"Kurgh-!"
Blood poured from my body as I felt my bones and rib cage were broken.
"Grr….."
However, I needed to press through right now. I knew the monster wouldn't die from bullets alone.
Pulling my daggers from my belt, I imbued my crimson-colored mana into them.
My vision turned crimson as I felt like I was slowly losing my sanity.
My eyes locked on the monster before me.
SWOOSH
I dashed to the monster, in my eyes, the same figure of my dreams playing.
Onslaught of the Crimson Moon.
It was time to end this fight.
Chapter 96 - Time Guardian (3)
Onslaught of the Crimson Moon.
As I recited the movements of that figure, I remembered the sensations of that time while I was training against PhantomGlide Dummy.
ROAR!
The beast released another painful roar as my bullets had just pierced its eyes, the organ that it was using and was mostly reliant on.
Its body was filled with poison, and wounds were now taking a toll on it. The pain it was feeling seemed to be unbearable, and I was going to use that fact to my own advantage.
My mana surged forward as I felt like the patterns of attack I needed to do replayed before my eyes.
Where I needed to attack, where I needed to move, where I needed to slash.
The boss became a simple object for me to perform surgery on, and I was the surgeon now.
SWOOSH!
With a primal and unrelenting fury, I assaulted the Time Guardian, my crimson mana-infused daggers slashing through the air with relentless precision.
The taste of bloodlust coursed through me, fueling each strike; my sanity slipped in with each attack.
My attacks were ferocious and murderous, targeting the boss monster's every vulnerable point.
SLASH!
My daggers danced in a blur of motion, creating a lethal storm of strikes.
SLASH!
The monster attempted to defend itself, but the frenzied onslaught of mine left little room for its time manipulation tricks to be effective.
SLASH!
A feeling that I got while sparring against the PhantomGlide Dummy drove me forward, carving through the monster's form with unstoppable feelings—Anger and Bloodlust.
Slash after slash, the monster weakened.
Its once mountain-like build started to crumble under my onslaught.
SPURT!
Blood splattered and mixed with the rain, painting a gruesome tableau of battle.
ROAR!
The roars of the Time Guardian filled the air, even though no word left my mouth. The monster was now my target, and I felt like I couldn't stop until it was dead.
'This is the end.'
As I could feel my mana tendrils and the mana prints I had left while slashing around the boss were complete, I could finally finish this fight.
There were several wounds I got while ignoring its attacks, but even then, I wasn't feeling any pain at all.
There was only one thought in my head, and that was to kill the beast before me.
SWISH!
With a smooth move, I rushed backward, increasing the distance.
CLENCH!
And clenched my hand.
Cage of the Crimson Moon.
With my gesture, the tendrils of crimson mana imprints I had on the monster slowly closed down.
-ROAR!
Like a beast inside the cage, the monster roared, feeling one of the most primal feelings any living being feels.
The fear of death.
For it, death was approaching, and the monster could feel it.
SPURT!
As the threads closed down, they started piercing the monster from all around its body. I clenched my hand harder as I supplied more and more mana into tendrils.
CLENCH!
And with one last clench of my hand, I pushed the last remaining mana I had into the tendrils.
TAP TAP
The boss monster shuddered, its form destabilizing. The rain seemed to weep for it, mixing with its final cries.
"ROAAAAAAAR!"
SPURT! SPLASH!
The monster let out a desperate roar, a last defiant breath, and then it shattered into fragments of flesh as the threads finally closed down.
The battle was won, as the keeper of this place had reached its demise.
DRIP
In the aftermath of the battle, I stood amidst the rain-soaked battlefield, my daggers still dripping with the monster's ichor.
PAT! PAT! PAT!
The rain continued its relentless fall, washing away the remnants of the fight.
The silence that followed was deafening, a stark contrast to the ferocious battle cries that had echoed moments before.
"Haaaaaah... Haaah…."
As the adrenaline slowly eased, I could feel my sanity slowly returning, with the clear aftereffects of the fight.
The red haze that had clouded my mind during the battle began to dissipate, leaving me feeling a mix of exhaustion and a strange sense of clarity. My body, which was once again pushed to its limits by simply being forced to eat all those potions, was now returned to its normal state.
"Grit….."
The pain from the wounds I got while fighting the time guardian slowly crept up as I gritted my teeth.
And then, suddenly, a gentle light washed over me, emanating from the shattered remains of the Time Guardian.
It was a soothing glow, warm and comforting. The light seemed to seep into my very being, infusing me with a sense of accomplishment and triumph.
I felt a surge of energy, and a new sensation blossomed within me—a skill awakening in response to my victory.
'It is finally here.'
It was the main reason why I went to this extent, entering this place and fighting with monsters way stronger than me.
[Timegaze]
A rush of emotions and memories surged through my mind as the knowledge of this newfound skill unfolded before me; just like the times of the past, the way to use this skill was imprinted on my mind.
The contents of the skill seemed like they were the same as it was in the game.
However, as the memory of the skill came into my head one by one, I could feel its contents changing from the game, as there were some things that were different.
It was a skill that allowed the player to perceive and interact with the time-altering energies, practically making the time flow slower. It would enable players to simply dodge the attacks better while giving them a little more time to make decisions.
However, it was now different. From my memory alone, I could now gaze into the flow of time, granting me insights and advantages in combat and exploration.
And the reason for that was simple.
"The skill [Timegaze] must have been merged with [Keen Eye]."
In the game, there was a mechanic that enabled players to merge similar types of skills to create a stronger and higher-ranked skill. It was mostly because it would be hard to assign special keys to each skill and use them unless such a thing existed.
As the realization of what I had achieved in this grueling trial began to sink in, the name also came to my mind.
[Eyes of Hourglass]
The name of the skill was as such. Though this skill was not in the game, the name was evident.
'Status.'
I called the status in my head, and immediately I could see the panel before me.
There, the skill [Eyes of Hourglass] was registered in the section of
----------------------------------------
Skill: Eyes of Hourglass
Rarity: Rare
Description: A rare-grade skill that provides the user with an extraordinary perception of time and their environment. By infusing mana, the user can manipulate their time perception, making events appear to unfold at a slower pace relative to their actions and thoughts.
Output: Depending on the mana supplied for the skill
------------------------------------------
As the tab appeared before me, I could see the effects of the skill, and just as I had expected, the rarity had increased.
The rarity of the skill meant its grade. Just like materials, the higher the grade a skill was and the stronger it was, the rarer it would get.
This logic applied to the skills as well.
"It was worth all the effort."
To explain the skills briefly, the [Eyes of Hourglass] skill is a rare-grade ability that offers the user an unparalleled perception of time and their surroundings, as well as an increased range of sight.
When mana is channeled into this skill, it enables the individual to effectively control their perception of time, making it seem as if events are happening at a significantly slower pace compared to their own actions and thoughts while also, according to their wishes, the user can also increase the range of their sights.
This temporal manipulation becomes more pronounced with increased mana input. This part comes from the skill [Timegaze].
On the other hand, in essence, the user also gains the ability to stretch fleeting moments, giving them a heightened awareness of their environment and the events taking place within it while also increasing the range of the environment they could observe. This comes from the skill [Keen Eye].
This enhanced perception of time facilitates precise decision-making and allows the user to react swiftly and with great accuracy.
'A tailor-tailed skill for a ranger like me.'
People who played the shooter games would know the term 'Bullet Time.' From the start of the Wild West stories, the idea of bullet time was something every player had at least dreamed of once.
'Now, I have such a skill in my arsenal.'
Now that I have such a skill, this increased my overall combat capability quite a lot. No matter how fast a person could think, the process of sending the signals to your body and getting recognition from it would still be delayed, thanks to the small stamps of time.
But, with this skill, I could now fire a lot of bullets rapidly.
With that, as the exhilaration of victory settled within me, I realized my body bore the marks of battle.
The adrenaline finally ceased to exist, giving way to aching muscles and fatigue. It was time to tend to my wounds and recover.
I reached for my spatial bracelet, where I held a collection of healing potions.
GULP!
Swiftly, I uncorked a few vials and downed the contents, feeling the soothing effects spread through my body. The potions worked their magic, mending my wounds and rejuvenating my energy.
With a sigh of relief, I began to make my way out of the battlefield, intending to find a safe spot to rest and recuperate. But just as I took a few steps, I felt a strange sensation, as if the ground beneath me was shifting.
WOOSH! WROOM!
Before I could react, the ground seemed to give way, and I was pulled into a swirling vortex. It was a sensation akin to being sucked into a whirlpool, disorienting and unsettling.
Everything around me blurred and twisted, the rain and the grove fading away. In the midst of this disorienting whirl, I could only brace myself for what was to come.
The sensation of movement was surreal, like being caught in a maelstrom. My surroundings shifted and twisted, colors blending into a kaleidoscope of nausea. Even then, it was a feeling I was familiar with.
And following that, just as abruptly as it began, the movement ceased.
THUD
I stumbled forward, disoriented and slightly off balance, trying to regain my balance.
I found myself standing in an unfamiliar place, the Chrono Grove and the Time Guardian seemingly left far behind. The surroundings were alien, a stark contrast to the eerie familiarity of the dungeon.
Before me lay an open plain, bathed in the soft light of a setting sun. It was a tranquil and serene landscape, a far cry from the trials I had just faced.
The realization hit me— I had been transported out of the dungeon, out of the Chrono Grove, no, out of the [Rain Forest].
"For me, it had been 30 days, but right here, just a day must have passed."
I mumbled as I looked at the landscape before me.
Though before I could speak any further, suddenly, I heard a voice.
"Someone just got out….."
Chapter 97 - Afterwards
While Astron was far away doing his own thing, the life inside the dungeon wasn't that easy for the rest of the party.
The party was able to overcome the Putrid Embertree Spirit and the Sylvans, but they almost lost their lives in the process.
It was thanks to the fact that Fred wasn't healing that but rather disturbing their conditions and setting debuffs to the party.
Because of all those small acts, the raid, which was supposed to go smoothly, didn't go as expected.
SWOOSH SPURT
"This is the last one."
As with the one last slash, the monster's head fell to the ground; the party was finally able to take a breather.
"Haaaaah…..You all fought well…." The captain of the party, Anya, spoke between heavy breaths. Her clothes and armor were ragged, wounds were all around her body, as well as some pieces of her skin turned slightly dark.
"Captain, are you okay?" Coming near to her, Hari asked, looking at her captain and the one she fought alongside. In this fight, the one who took the most damage and endured the most pain was undoubtedly Anya, as even with her shield down, she put her body first.
"I am fine, I am fine….You don't need to worry."
"Really?"
"Yes. Thanks to someone, we were able to turn this situation off."
"Right? I wasn't expecting him to be this strong either. Certainly, the Hartley Family lives up to their name."
The reason why the party was able to complete the raid swiftly without any injuries was because of a certain rising star in the party.
"Ethan."
The boy with blue hair had blood splattered all around his body. But that blood wasn't his own but rather the monsters he had just massacred.
"Ethan, can you hear me?" Standing beside her was a young girl with brown hair. "You need to rest; you have been overworking yourself." She said, looking at Ethan.
"Haah…..We need to find him…." However, the boy's eyes were elsewhere as he was looking into the fog.
As the party caught their breath and tended to their injuries, the urgency to find Astron weighed heavy on their minds. They knew time was of the essence.
Anya wiped the sweat off her brow, her eyes scanning the vicinity. "Ethan, we'll find him. But we need to regroup and ensure everyone is in a condition to move."
Ethan nodded, albeit reluctantly. He understood the practicality of the situation, even if his heart urged him to rush in search of Astron.
Even though they had cleared the dungeon, there was a possibility of other monsters still residing there, and most importantly, Fred might have done something on the path.
He knew that just by rushing, he wouldn't do any good.
"Understood." Ethan nodded his head as he reached his own spatial artifact, his watch. Grabbing a high-grade stamina potion and a healing potion from there, he gulped them immediately.
As the party rested while tending their wounds, Ethan was the first to finish regaining his strength.
"I will look after him now. We shouldn't waste any more time." For him, the time was tickling, and he didn't want to waste any more time. Ethan knew even though Astron must have had a potion of his own; he wasn't strong enough to go against all those monsters wandering around the place.
Also, thanks to what Fred did, the monsters must have also started rampaging, and this would make it even harder for a weak hunter like Astron to resist.
"Sigh….Okay….We are finished as well." With those words, Anya also stood up. Since her strength and rank were higher than others, and she was a tanker, she had a regenerative skill in her arsenal; she also gathered her strength fast.
"Let's go, everyone…." With a wave of her hand, the rest of the party members started looking for the clues around the dungeon, trying to find where the Astron was.
They first passed the second stage but couldn't find any clues about Astron. On the way, they killed a bunch of rampaging Sylvans, but it was no longer hard for them.
Then they reached the first stage, where the fog was not around, and the rain was pouring down endlessly.
Since the first stage covered a slightly bigger area, they decided to split up and look for clues.
As Ethan was walking around in the direction of the entrance, suddenly, he smelled something.
"This…..Blood?"
He sensed something ominous. His intuition, which was something he was proud of, was now screaming at him at the fact that something had happened here.
The air felt slightly scruffy and evil.
"Demonic Energy."
He easily identified the source. Hartley Family was known for their martial prowess, but they were also good at killing those who sold themselves to demons.
"Frey."
There was only one person in this dungeon who could have utilized the demonic energy, and that person was the bastard he swore to take his vengeance.
"Don't tell me?"
As he approached the scene, he could see the blood splattered all around. The ear in Ethan's eyes grew. His mind was racing, and every possible scenario played out before him. He couldn't shake the dread that had settled deep within him.
"Astron... no..." he whispered to himself, the words heavy with anguish.
He examined the scene carefully, fear gripping his heart as he found Astron's blood scattered on the ground. "No, this can't be," he thought, his mind unable to comprehend the possibility. "Astron was talented, but he's not as strong as Fred. Did he fall here?"
In his mind, even though Astron was a talented Hunter, he was still weak. He himself had witnessed his strength firsthand countless times, and he knew how fragile Astron was.
"What is this?"
However, as he wandered around a little bit more, he came across a small little metal piece.
"Bullet?"
It was a bullet from a gun. He was not an expert in terms of bullets, but that one was slightly eroded as if it was subjected to an energy.
His brain racked a little while, but he couldn't comprehend where this bullet came from.
'This might be Fred.'
He thought it belonged to Fred since he didn't think Astron had the gun. Guns with mana-enhanced bullets were expensive and hard to manufacture, and Ethan knew Astron wasn't that rich. He was an orphan with no parents; how could he afford to use that expensive weapon?
Just as he was about to walk a little more and wander around, suddenly, he felt walky-talky vibrating.
"Hmm?"
It was a simple device to communicate inside the dungeon. Since the dungeon was a different dimension and space, it was impossible to use smartwatches and phones where the signal should be sent to a satellite and antenna in a different world.
Therefore, most of the hunters used mana frequencies to communicate inside the dungeon, and this walkie-talkie did so.
"What is it?" he asked as he looked at the space.
"Come to the entrance of the dungeon now." He heard Anya's voice from the other side, taken aback in response.
"Why?"
"We need to talk."
"What happened?"
"You will see."
As he heard this, even though he wanted to look around a little more, Ethan knew he had found as many clues as he could find right now.
There were no traces of bodies, and aside from blood and some bullets, there was nothing much. So, in the end, he gave up and walked to the side of the entrance after putting the bullets into his pockets.
*******
"What do you mean by that captain?"
"I mean what I said."
In front of the entrance of the dungeon, the five members of the party stood up, looking at each other.
Anya gestured to the gate that would take them to the dungeon and started speaking. "The moment we finished this raid, we should have been spitted out by the dungeon, and the dungeon gate should be closed."
This was a fact that is known by almost every Hunter in the industry, and Anya was also familiar with that fact. Even though she had forgotten it in the heat of the moment at the start, after some time had passed, she realized this and called everyone immediately.
"However, it didn't happen," Hari added as she also looked at the dungeon.
"Indeed, it didn't happen." Anya continued. "This is out of the norm and should not have happened."
As she spoke, her face got more serious. "This means either this dungeon is not supposed to close or-"
"Or something is blocking it." Ethan completed her sentence as he also looked into the gate. "You are saying someone had tempered the gate."
"Yes."
"Then, it must be Fred."
"Indeed. It must be him. He probably did it in order to safely escape from the dungeon without killing the boss. It should have been his intention from the start."
"I see." Ethan looked downwards as he started pondering. "Then, this means staying inside the dungeon is also dangerous."
"That is correct. We can't predict what is going to happen inside the dungeon anymore since that bastard had played with the gate."
"….." Just as Anya said, everything made sense. The concept of gates and dungeons was still an enigma to humans; therefore, Ethan easily understood her decision, but at the same time, he didn't want to understand it.
Because it simply meant abandoning him inside there, and he was against that idea.
"I know you don't want to leave him there, but Ethan, you need to understand that we already looked everywhere and couldn't find anything about him. No traces, nobody. Nothing. I don't want to say it, but either he has already left, or he is-"
"Don't say it."
Refusing to hear what Anya was about to say, Ethan raised his head and looked at the gate.
"Okay….." Anya realized Ethan refused to accept that as she looked into the rest of the party. "I had already contacted the association. They will soon send a team to investigate this issue. The officer said we should stay here for a while and secure the gate for the possibility of any dungeon leak."
With those words, everyone started waiting. The wait for the investigation team felt like an eternity for the party as they still couldn't relax. For Emily and her guild members, this exploration was a very important one since the future of their guild was related to it, but for Ethan he was mostly concerned about Astron.
WROOM!
Finally, the hum of approaching vehicles broke the tension in the air. The Hunter Association's team arrived, a group of professionals equipped to handle mysterious dungeon occurrences.
"Azure Crest Guild?"
"Yes. I am Anya Guzzman; here is my license." After confirming the identity of the members one by one, they immediately set to work, analyzing the gate and the surrounding area.
Anya briefed the team about their raid, Astron's disappearance, and the suspicion surrounding Fred's involvement. The investigators scoured the dungeon entrance, meticulously examining the gate and its mechanisms for any tampering.
Hours passed, and the investigators concluded their examination, shaking their heads. "There's no doubt. The gate was intentionally tampered with. Someone wanted it to stay open," one of them reported to Anya.
She nodded, her face grave. "Is there any way to fix it?"
"There is no need to fix anything. The mana seal used in order to keep the dungeon open will soon deplete. The dungeon will close itself immediately."
Ethan overheard the conversation as he approached the investigator. "What if someone is still inside there? What is going to happen, then?"
"If someone is still inside there, then it is very hard to predict what may happen there. Either they are going to be forced to get out of the dungeon, or they will be trapped inside."
"….."
Ethan clenched his fists, frustration welling up within him.
"However, you are not allowed to go inside there."
"What? Why?"
"This dungeon is currently under investigation and will be regulated according to the rules outlined in the 3rd section of the 9th article of the dungeon law. No other Hunter will be allowed to enter this dungeon aside from those permitted by the association."
"But-"
"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to reenter the dungeon," the lead investigator reiterated, maintaining a firm stance.
Ethan felt a surge of frustration and desperation. "You don't understand. My friend is in there, and time is running out. If we don't act quickly, we might lose him."
"I sympathize with your situation, but going back into a dungeon that's been compromised is against protocol and the law. It's too dangerous, not just for you but potentially for everyone involved," the investigator explained, her tone unwavering.
Anya stepped forward, attempting to mediate. "Is there nothing we can do? Surely there's an exception for situations like this."
The investigator sighed, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I wish there were, but we can't bend the rules on this. We'll work on sealing the dungeon as soon as possible, and in the meantime, we'll start a thorough search inside.
Hearing this, Ethan clenched his fists as he looked at the dungeon gate.
In the end, Ethan was left with only one option.
Waiting for the dungeon to force Astron out if he was there instead of trapping him….
And just like that, the members of the party were dismissed from the gate in the presence of the investigation scene…..
Chapter 98 - Afterwards (2)
THUD
"Someone just got out of the gate….."
As I heard the voice of the person right before me, I felt the cold breeze of the night.
"Hey!" The man who approached me was dressed in a crisp uniform with the emblem of the Hunter's Association emblazoned on it. His stern expression and steely eyes gave off an aura of authority. He looked me up and down, assessing me.
"State your name and Hunter ID," he demanded, a notepad in hand.
I took a moment to collect my thoughts before responding.
'He must be from the association. I guess others have already left, and this place is being referred to as the crime scene.'
Remembering the familiar scene from the game, I collected my thoughts.
"I'm Astron Natusalune, a student of the Arcadia Hunter Academy. Here you can see my ID."
He jotted down the information, then looked at me expectantly. "Cadet of Arcadia Hunter Academy, huh?" He seemed to have confirmed my identity as his gaze turned from squinting to understanding.
"You were inside the dungeon for quite some time. We need to debrief you regarding your experience."
As they escorted me to a waiting area, I started recounting what happened inside this place, starting from the betrayal of Fred and how I got swept off by the attack of the boss monster of the dungeon.
And then, I explained how I was suddenly sucked into another gate randomly and trapped in a different space than the environment of the dungeon, possibly giving them the definitions of the hidden stages.
Since that fact wasn't much known at this point in time, I didn't use the term 'Hidden Stage' but simply counted my experience inside.
The official listened intently, scribbling notes as I spoke. "Your encounter with the Time Guardian is quite unusual. The initial investigation teams have reported no signs of such a creature. We'll need to conduct a thorough analysis of the area."
Even though I could see him trying to cover it as an abnormality, I knew he was aware of the fact that this was a hidden stage.
"Then, what about Fred Niels? Have you encountered him inside there?"
Of course, I wasn't going to announce that I killed Fred there. I needed him to stay alive in the records of government for now. After all, giving my name would do more harm than good for now.
"No, I haven't. The moment I was swept off by the Embertree Spirit's attack, I hadn't encountered anything else."
The investigator leaned back, folding his hands in contemplation. His poker face was hard to read, giving away nothing of his thoughts. I could tell he was assessing my story, looking for any inconsistencies or signs of deceit.
"Your experience is indeed unique and raises some questions. We will thoroughly investigate this matter," he finally responded, his voice neutral.
I nodded simply without showing any signs of doubt or nervousness. "I'm willing to cooperate in any way I can to aid your investigation. I believe what I encountered in that dungeon is a significant deviation from the norm."
He nodded in acknowledgment. "Your cooperation is vital. We will conduct further inquiries and may need to debrief you again as the investigation progresses. For now, you are free to leave but remain available for further questioning."
"Understood," I replied, acknowledging his instructions. After all, for those who were in power, the thing they like the most is always seeing easily agreeing people.
As I left the waiting area of the investigation, a cab came and grabbed me, taking me to the academy.
Since we entered the dungeon Saturday and a whole day had passed in this world, now it was Sunday evening.
'I don't have much time.'
Just like that, I left the place and returned to the academy not long after, as the cab took me to the place.
*******
In the dimly lit office, the two officers exchanged a wary glance as Astron Natusalune exited the room.
"What do you make of this?" Officer A broke the silence.
"I'm not sure," replied Officer B. "The story is plausible, but something feels off."
Officer A activated a concealed device, tapping into an unusual ability. It glowed softly, processing the data from Astron's recent statements.
"He's not lying," Officer A announced, a perplexed frown marring his face. "Every indicator shows truthfulness."
Officer B frowned, leaning back in his chair. "Perhaps he's just a skilled liar, someone trained to deceive such devices."
Officer A shook his head, scrutinizing the data once more. "I've honed my abilities for years. It's highly unlikely for a cadet to fool me this easily."
"Regardless," Officer B said, "we need to report this to our superiors. And what about Fred Niels?"
Officer A sighed, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Fred's gone off the radar. We've searched every known location, but it's like he's vanished."
"Notify the higher-ups that his whereabouts are unknown," Officer B suggested. "They'll have a plan in motion. As for the kid, we'll keep an eye on him. Something about his story doesn't sit right with me."
Officer A nodded in agreement, sending the encrypted message to their superiors. "Indeed, I feel the same. I am getting a weird vibe from that kid, something shadowed. That kid is even weirder than the ones inside the jails."
The tangled web of events had only grown more complex, and they needed to stay ahead of the game. The war between the Hunter Association and Demon Contractors was getting more and more intense with each passing time.
As for Officer B, he slowly tapped on his watch, pushed a small needle onto it, and started writing a message to his 'higher-ups.'
*******
After returning to the academy, the first thing I did was, of course, immediately reach out to my room and feel the place I had been missing for 30 days.
Since I spent a whole month inside the Chrono Groove, I felt like I was looking like a nomad. Even though I constantly cleaned myself and used the high-quality tent, nothing beat the feeling of being inside the home.
After taking a long and hot bath, I was left alone in my room, looking at my smartwatch.
No, especially the messages sent to me. A new and special entry was there, a person that I hadn't talked to before.
[Ethan: Astron, are you okay?"]
[Ethan: Hey, I am getting worried. Hey, are you okay?]
[Ethan: Please, Astron, respond. I'm starting to fear the worst.]
[Ethan: I should've been there with you. This is my fault.]
[Ethan: Maybe if I had been stronger, faster, I could've prevented all this.]
Looking at the messages, I couldn't help but feel that this guy was really suited to become a protagonist. Even though I was just a random person he knew from the academy, he still showed concern about me.
This fact was alone enough to show that this guy had the qualities to become a hero. Of course, just by simply looking at one's feelings, I can't determine if they are a hero or not, but at least he fulfilled one requirement for it.
But, even then, these messages were cringe.
'What the hell are you even writing? Are you a little kid?'
Slowly tapping on the keyboard, I started writing.
[Astron: I'm fine. Don't overthink it.]
Almost immediately, Ethan's reply popped up.
[Ethan: I'm just glad you're okay. If you need anything or want to talk...]
I didn't want to prolong the conversation, so I cut him off.
[Astron: I'm busy. Don't talk to me.]
It felt harsh, but it was not like I cared much. Even though Ethan showed kindness to people, that doesn't mean I need to let him enter my space.
Ethan didn't know me well enough to understand that, and I didn't have either the energy or the desire to explain.
[Ethan: Alright, if you need me...]
I put my phone away, cutting off any further messages. This message would be enough, as Ethan would soon contact the remaining party members, as well as Emily. I would get my payment for the raid and exploration, and I would also get a small entry to put on my profile.
The Hunter IDs and the site worked like CV and job opportunities, and putting your previous dungeon experiences into your Hunter Profiles would let people see it and would also increase your overall score inside the Hunter rankings.
This was how Hunters were ranked globally, as it was mostly related to their achievements rather than their individual strengths.
After posting the message and chilling in bed for a little longer, I went to sleep not long after, as I was already tired from all that constant fighting with the Time Guardian….
*******
After sleeping and resting, I woke up very early in the morning. Calling it morning would be wrong, in fact, since it was more like midnight. Since the sun had yet to rise up, there weren't many people around, so I just reached the training grounds and started my daily routine as usual.
Thanks to this last month, my muscles and my body were a lot more refined, though it cost me a lot, considering I was buying my own food all this time in the absence of Academy Cafeteria.
After training with my body and my archery inside the club rooms, I finished my morning routine as I returned to my room, getting ready for the classes of the day. If I remember correctly, soon, another dungeon exploration would happen, and it would be on Monday. Thus, it was better to be prepared.
After eating a good, hefty meal inside the academy cafeteria for breakfast, I headed to my first class.
However, this time, the hallways seemed different—whispers echoing louder than usual. It was as if the air carried a strange weight, and most importantly, I felt a lot of gazes on me while I was walking.
'What is this?'
In fact, I had been feeling a weird gaze for a while, but now the number of gazes seemed to increase. Since I was actually sensitive to the gazes of people around me, I knew something was not right.
As I approached my classroom, the usual hum of conversation grew louder. I couldn't ignore the whispers, more intense than usual. Gossip flowed freely, distorted, and twisted like a modern-day game of telephone.
"He's a criminal, for sure."
"I heard he was involved in some really shady stuff."
"...an adulterer, can you believe it?"
Their words contained quite a lot of exclamations about me, and to be honest, it was weird.
'Why is this happening all of a sudden?'
Of course, it wasn't that hard to understand that someone was spreading rumors about me. This was a pretty common tactic for bullying. People would always utilize this trait of general humans.
We are curious, jealous, egoist, attention-seeking, prideful, entertainment-chasing beings. Therefore, such things as dramas would always get the attention of people, especially those in the age of socializing.
"Heard he has a criminal record from a different city."
"...involved with some shady underworld organizations."
"...he's got connections; that's why nothing's happened to him yet."
"Of course, how can an orphan bastard join this academy unless he has connections."
The rumors spun out of control, crafting a narrative of deceit and danger around me. I heard them and their talks, but at this point, I couldn't do anything.
'Considering the way they are talking and the tone of their words, it was clear that most people had already taken a side.'
It was pretty normal since most people didn't have the required reasoning to confirm facts before believing something.
"He's dangerous, for real. I heard he threatened a fellow student once."
"...manipulating people to get his way."
"...cheated on every test since he came here."
I approached my desk and took my seat, greeted by a few sidelong glances and hushed conversations.
However, it was not my first time dealing with rumors or gazes. I was pretty familiar with this topic, and right now, the best course of action would be ignoring those, as an attempt to clarify them would backfire.
'The person who is targeting me won't stay idle when I try to clarify myself. I first need to find their identity.'
For now, the person responsible for all these rumors is unknown, and dealing with an unknown enemy is one of the hardest things.
Thus, I simply focused on preparing for the upcoming class, the rumors fading into the background like a distant storm.