Chapter 27: Go to dungeons to increase rank [5]
Chapter 27: Go to dungeons to increase rank [5]
Upon entering the dungeon, Leon perceived how the atmosphere changed completely. It did not correspond to the typical atmosphere of a low-ranking dungeon. Moreover, the sky was entirely veiled by dense black clouds, preventing the sun's rays from filtering through.
"This is what a dungeon looks like when an irregularity occurs."
Leon scanned around him, but all he could see were trees and bushes. Not a trace of monsters or animals that used to peek out from time to time in the dungeons.
Although he could not perceive anything concrete, Leon felt that someone was watching him from a distance. He decided to put that feeling aside for the moment and headed into the forest in the direction of the village that Erik had described to him.
As he walked deeper into the forest in the direction of the village, Leon noticed signs of a fierce battle: monster corpses and trees splattered with strange green blood.
"Looks like the monsters in this place didn't even get a chance to defend themselves. This kid is growing at an incredible rate."
Leon walked past the lifeless bodies of the goblins, who seemed unable to resist the attacks. Moreover, Leon was amazed at how quickly Erik was getting stronger. It had barely been less than a week since he had registered as a hunter and awakened his abilities.
This kind of progress was not normal, even for a prodigy. It was not conceivable for someone to get stronger so fast; it could be termed as truly monstrous.
"When I'm done here, I'll try to recruit him to my team. I can't allow a guild to miss out on such a talent."
Turning his face back, he felt an even more intense gaze land on him. Leon noticed that the monster Erik was referring to was getting closer and closer. However, he didn't stop and soon emerged from the forest, coming across the crater Violet had created with her new spell.
"It seems that this mage is also quite talented at casting this kind of spell at D rank."
Leon was surprised to see the extent of the damage caused to the village by the spell.
As for how he knew Violet was at rank D, it was quite simple. Being at a higher rank, he could easily discern the magical power she possessed. It was similar to what cultivators did, who being in higher realms could identify lower realms. However, this did not apply to Erik, who had no magical power, but End Energy.
For this reason, Leon could not determine what rank Erik was currently at. Since he possessed no magical power, he could not make that deduction. However, he was certain that Erik had experienced tremendous growth in less than a month since he awakened as a hunter.
Whispered, Whispered...
Leon, who was watching the crater, heard swift movements in the bushes behind him.
"Finally, you've decided to show yourself," he said with a smile plastered on his face. He was tired of feeling the monster's murderous stare ever since he arrived at the crater.
Smash!
One of the bushes behind him was destroyed and something completely dark shot towards his position at high speed.
Leon, who was already expecting it, didn't even blink. He simply adjusted his stance slightly, preparing for the monster's attack.
Boom!
There was a small explosion as the monster's attack hit Leon, who was covered by a layer of dust, hiding his current state.
After a few seconds, the dust began to dissipate, revealing that Leon was completely unharmed, only with a bit of dirt on his suit.
"You seem to have some strength. If it wasn't me, I would have sustained some injury," Leon commented calmly as he dusted off his suit. The attack had not affected him at all.
He looked up to observe the monster, which was completely black, with blood-red eyes and two horns on its forehead, protruding even the tips of its elbows.
"?Kiiieeekk!"
"This definitely doesn't look like a hobgoblin," Leon commented calmly as he observed what should be one. He stretched his joints, and his body was covered in silvery flashes.
"Phew... now it's my turn to attack. I need to release some pent-up stress from all the work these past two days."
He finished stretching and, in the blink of an eye, appeared in front of the monster with a wide grin, throwing a punch that left only a line of sparkles where he was stretching.
"Kieeeeeekkk!!!?"
The hobgoblin couldn't react to Leon's speed and could only take the punch squarely.
Boom!
The hobgoblin's body went flying into the forest, leaving a trail of black blood as it destroyed all the trees in its path. He tried to regain his balance in midair, but Leon was already on top of him with his right fist covered in silver lightning bolts.
"Wait, it's not over yet."
Leon connected with a powerful punch to the hobgoblin's stomach...
"Kieeekkk!!!"
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed through the lonely forest, kicking up a large cloud of dust that rose up into the sky, followed by a strong breeze...
Swoosh!
Revealing the current state of the hobgoblin, who lay in the middle of a large crater completely lifeless.
"Ah... it only took two hits. I expected more, but what can I demand of a mere hobgoblin?" Leon spoke in a completely disappointed tone. He had expected the monster to withstand more blows. It had yet to release all of its stress.
"Phew..." Leon let out a sigh as he descended into the crater to retrieve the hobgoblin's limp body and carry it away for investigation.
With the hobgoblin corpse in his arms, Leon made his way towards the dungeon exit.
....
Minutes later, Leon emerged from the dungeon holding the hobgoblin's body, no longer over his shoulder. Everyone present who saw the monster gawked at the sight of the monster, except Erik, who seemed to anticipate something different about the hobgoblin.
"Sr. Leon, what is that?" asked Adrian, surprised, as he looked at the monster that presented a huge stomach wound.
"Hmm, as you can see, this is the boss monster, a hobgoblin," Leon said with apparent calm, though his voice hinted at a hint of disappointment as he remembered how the monster had fallen with only two hits.
"..."
Adrian, Violet, and the one guarding the dungeon were silent, completely dumbfounded to see that this completely dark mass was the lead hobgoblin. If they had been told it was a demon, they would have believed it, but there was no way that looked like a hobgoblin.
"Well, Adrian, let's go. Now we have a lot more work ahead of us," Leon said, placing the monster in the van that belonged to the man in charge of the dungeon.
The worker wanted to say something, but he couldn't because he was facing someone of a much higher rank. All that was left for him to do was inwardly lament.
"Can I borrow the keys to the vehicle? Don't worry, the association will provide you with a new one," said Leon after arranging the inert body of the monster well.
The worker handed over the keys and Leon together with Adrian left the place, leaving Erik and Violet contemplating everything in silence.
[You have completed the daily quest: 'Complete dungeons and hunt monsters!']
[The rewards have arrived for completing the daily quest: 'Complete dungeons and monster hunting!']
[Would you like to confirm?] (Y/N)
"Well, we're leaving too," Erik asked as he watched the notification windows.
Violet approached quietly, still shocked by what she had just witnessed, and the two of them headed toward the parking lot, leaving the worker alone.
Once they reached the parking lot, Violet asked, "Erik, how long have you known the leader of the hunter's association task force?"
"Well, I met him at the hospital when he came to ask me some questions," Erik answered without going into details.
"But how can you talk to him so casually?" Violet, remembered how Erik spoke so matter-of-factly to her.
"I guess he liked me," Erik said with a shrug, then asked curiously, "And what's Leon's rank?"
"Leon is S-ranked, one of the five in the city at the moment and also the strongest in the world."
"S-rank and the strongest in the world!" exclaimed Erik, surprised. He had not expected Leon to be so strong; he had imagined him to be A-rank at best, but it had never crossed his mind that he was S-rank and also the strongest in the world.
'So he's pretty strong, even if he doesn't look it.'
"I have a question, are we going to another dungeon or are we going home?" asked Violet. Honestly, she didn't want to go into any more dungeons after everything she had experienced today.
"Let's go, I don't want to do any more dungeons for today. I feel like something bad might happen, like what we just witnessed," Erik said with a tired expression.
"Do you want me to take you home to get your stuff?" asked Violet, now fully ready, as she got on the bike and handed him the helmet.
Erik shook his head, as he had everything he needed packed in his backpack, but he wasn't going to say that:
"I don't have a lot of stuff to pick up. What I need is in this backpack I brought," he said showing the bag where he kept the mana stones while putting on his helmet.
Violet didn't insist anymore and Erik climbed in. They both headed towards the place where Violet was currently living, and where Erik would stay for the time being, until he decided to move somewhere else.
.....