Butcher of Bleeding Faithful 4
Authors Note:
This story has received a lot of attention, more than I expected. I ended up scrapping the first draft over quality concerns, but I didn't want to take too long rewriting it.
I did have another Danmachi fanfic that I hadn't yet posted publicly, but with my focus on this, it'll be on Hiatus. I'll also now be uploading this story to a few other sites, such as FFN, SV, QQ and AO3. I hope you all enjoy this one.
[ I ]
Six tapped his fingers on the UNSC Datapad in his hands, as he sat on the edge of a bed.
It was a specialised configuration, built specifically to meet the needs of Spartans in the field. It could connect directly to both his MJOLNIR and the Spartan Neural Interface chip embedded in his skull. The computing power wasn't anything to brag about, but with the crystal computer hardware underlining the gel layer in his suit of Mark V(B), he had enough power to run an AI.
In fact he did have an AI. A fragment of Auntie Dot was in his suits memory.
Dumb AIs were not quite as efficient as Smart AIs. While a Smart AI could conceivably operate at near full efficiency using the resources of the latest MJOLNIR variant, Dumb AIs just required too much calculation power.
Which limited his options greatly. He couldn't just ask Dot for a plan of action, it was barely operable in its current condition. So instead he cut off the unnecessary functions, ease of use, verbal communication, psychological analysis.
It was a kit bashed solution, and he just knew if Kat had ever seen it she'd have outright spat in disgust, but unfortunately he didn't have many options...
He looked to his left.
An energy dagger puncture, 27 plasma impacts, 12 needle punctures, and radiation exposure from plasma grenades and fuel rod explosions.
His suit of MJOLNIR was in tatters. Even if his body had now been fixed up by processes he couldn't yet comprehend, it didn't change that he was limited in options now.
He was a pretty good engineer, especially considering it wasn't his speciality, but without the tools and equipment...
Parts of his armour plating were outrighted half melted, the absorbent paint coating was scratched and worn away. Multiple components either barely functioning, damaged beyond repair or outright missing.
Worst of all. His eyes trailed over the left shoulder, it didn't match the footage or his memories, jarring him with a sense of cognitive dissonance. Yet the hole piercing right through the armour plating, nanoweave undersuit, gel layer, and finally the Polymerized lithium niobocene that made up the suits most important function. The physical enhancement.
The suits self-repair capabilities were good, but not this good. The armours Drop Shield capability did have some restorative functions for reasons that were yet to be understood, but they seemed to primarily affect biology not machinery.
He wished for just a moment, that the UNSC had been able to reverse engineer the Covenants nanomachine capabilities. For all that the UNSC had a mastery of fabrication and mass production, the Covenant had them beat in terms of self-sufficiency and ease of use.
It wasn't like cutting edge technology was just going to drop into his lap unfortunately.
A thought hit him then, striking with the ferocity of lightning.
'The Ship Master!'
In the Dungeon, 4 floors down, it's corpse still laid. He thought on it, mulling over the possibilities. He doubted this magic could easily unlock the Covenants secrets, but he knew now they hadn't been lying.
He looked at his hand, a wrench between his fingers.
He deftly tossed it in the air.
As it rose, time halted to a stop.
It moved glacially, slower than a snails pace.
For the first time, he could control 'Spartan Time' at will.
Time sped back up and he caught lightly.
He was curious about the full effects. He'd tested his augmentations heavily, sparring with comrades and performing all manner of exercises a long, long ten years prior.
Now he had another. The Falna.
If he wanted to secure the dead Sangheili's amour, he'd need a bag to hide it in. Carrying it openly would no doubt attract attention.
If he was going to the Dungeon however...
He moved to the gear laid out on the floor. Trained eyes scanned over his equipment with skill borne of over a decade of experience.
2 Plasma grenades, an Energy Sword and a Plasma Rifle.
His new MJOLNIR rated WD M11 combat knife, a few tools such as a wrench and a screwdriver.
A Covenant water container with 500milliletres, his own meagre supplies of food and water, a Utility pouch, an armoured backpack and finally his Datapad.
He couldn't openly use the Plasma weapons, from what Jacob had told him, attracting attention would be dangerous, and he couldn't recharge or replace them. He'd have to save them for emergencies.
His M11 knife, a new weapon built with Titanium B to match the needs of Spartan Operators, could easily handle anything up to the 4th floor. He wasn't certain, but he'd dismantled the Goblin on his way down with ease. That was in MJOLNIR, but the creature hadn't been an issue.
He strapped the M11 to his waist and grabbed the bag, then set off.
Behind the door, several of his fellow Familia members passed by. Two younger men, both in casual gear.
"....red, I genuinely thought that was it for us, those Irregulars gave me a real shock." A blonde haired man spoke to his junior, a younger man with dark hair.
"Ah, it's the new guy. Hello there, I'm Kevin, this is Morrel. Pleasure to meet ya."
Six nodded back. "Likewise."
The man eyed his bag and knife, "Going somewhere? The celebration is in a couple hours."
He'd tried to wave off Finns offer to join them, but the man had pointed out it was a great chance for him to get to know his new comrades. "I forgot something in the Dungeon, I'm retrieving it."
"Ah? Is that so? Well, you'd best hurry up. We won't keep ya." The man nodded back, and turned away, continuing his chat.
Six quickly made his way to Twilight Manors entrance, and the guards let him through. Though on the way out, he couldn't help but notice a number of eyes, some curious, some less kind.
[ I ]
After promptly making his way through Orario and descending into the Dungeon entrance, he found himself on the first floor once again.
It was quiet no, barely any adventurers left inside.
His mind went over the skills his Falna now granted.
'Demon
It was apparently odd even by the local standards, it increased the number of enemies when in combat. He'd have to watch out for that. However, it didn't just do that. It also made him more powerful when outnumbered, and when facing a certain number of enemies, would hasten their terror.
He moved quickly, having memorised his route up with Tiona and Tione.
Then he heard a loud cracking sound.
He turned, drawing his knife and lowering his stance, all in one swift motion.
Prepared, he watched as the Monster was born from the Dungeon walls.
Jacob had told him that some said the Dungeon wanted them dead, that it wasn't just alive, but thinking too.
He wasn't certain if it was true, but at this point, it was hardly the strangest thing he'd seen.
The Monster wasn't a goblin this time. It's body was instead furred, and its head that of a wolf.
He didn't know what these were called, but it hardly mattered. It's red eyes were just the same. They narrowed in a fierce glare as it growled.
Then it charged at him.
Time slowed.
It still moved surprisingly fast. Going by an estimate, it was moving faster than the average Spartan could, despite being on the first floor.
That said, just like the Goblin from before.
He leaned forward and sprung, his knife swung from his right hand, cutting straight through it's throat.
It didn't react in time, perhaps it didn't even see his movement.
His knife didn't stop however, instead going right through the neckbone, decapitating it entirely.
He was certain he had moved faster than ever before, even faster than he could in MJOLNIR. Perhaps the Falna's affect on his speed was greater because he didn't have the added mass of his armour 600 kilogram bulk?
He shook off the distraction as cracks sounded off down the hallway.
He'd need to focus. Instead of standing still again, he instead dashed down the hall.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
One of his skills, [Lone Wolf], helped him deal with pain and fatigue.
The monsters chased after him as he dashed round the corner.
He kept going.
A Goblin appeared to his left, and it's skull was split by a front kick.
Several more of the wolf headed creatures blocked his way.
He quickly stabbed one, rushed past the second and tripped the last, before picking it up by the leg and throwing it behind him.
Finally, he reached the stairways to the 2nd floor.
He surveyed it quickly, then positioned himself around the corner. The large staircase wasn't a great chokepoint, being wide enough for carriages. The cover was still useful though.
Then the horde came.
He leaped into the fray.
Normally, he wouldn't have been so reckless. But against Monsters he'd already found to be no challenge?
Well, he had skills that improved his capabilities when outnumbered, so he'd surely be fine.
He moved quickly, finding his speed and strength had improved from before. The effects of his Skill no doubt.
He stayed on the move, cutting a path through them, using their terror and confusion to his advantage.
Once he was in the middle of the horde, Goblins and wolf-heads trampling each other underfoot to get at him, he jumped and leaped off the walls, bouncing to the top of the stairs.
Then he turned.
Now with the benefit of the high ground, taking them apart would be easy.
However, it was not to be. He heard a cracking noise from behind.
'Even more Monsters?'
He changed plans, rushing down and cutting apart the Monsters as fast as he could. If he was pinned, he'd take far too long to finish them all off. He couldn't be late for the celebrations planned later.
Quickly he made his way to Floor 2. But as he stepped onto the floor he heard a sound from behind.
He twisted out of the way of the large mass of brown scales.
It was a large brown lizard. Easily 90 kilos, perhaps more.
He jumped onto it's back, grabbed it's skull with an iron fist, and cut its throat open.
Then the horde was upon him.
He'd expected a challenge, but this Skill was proving to be more of a hurdle than predicted.
He made his way through floor 2, where the number of Monsters increased dramatically, more lizards appeared and he had to take care not to be ambushed by them again.
He was tempted to use one of his Skills to make passing through easier, but decided better of it.
Trump cards were meant as a last resort. If the Dungeon really could think, and wanted him dead, better not to let it know what he could do.
He reached the stairs quicker this time, aided by the effects of his Skill. Floor 3 however was much larger, and he spent a good 20 minutes fighting his way through.
It also felt like the Monsters were slightly tougher. Not by much, but enough to notice. Even still, the difference between him was too much for them to surpass. It was similar to fighting the Covenants lesser races, Jackals and Grunts in close quarter combat.
They were no match for a Spartan.
Eventually, he reached the stairs.
Finally, he was on floor 4, and not even an hour had passed.
He retraced his steps quickly, careful to not let the Monsters assault distract him, before he reached the spot where the Minotaur corpses... had been?
Nearly all of them were gone.
All that was left was the one he had tricked into tripping over the alien corpse, it's red body hung over it like a sack.
And above that body was... a Minotaur.
[ I ]
Interesting. He'd be teen told that Minotaurs didn't usually come down this far. Loki familia had even apologised to him about it.
Yet something... was off.
The Minotaur wasn't looking... wasn't glaring at him, like every other monster he'd encountered.
Instead, it was holding the dead Minotaur up and looking at the headless Elite.
How intriguing. A Monster with a mind behind it.
Dangerous.
He activated his skill then.
This Skill, [The Unseen Assailant] was a simple one. It granted him perfect invisibility.
He'd tested it before, and it had fooled even Finns eyes. Apparently 'Pallums' had better vision than other races?
It did have a few drawbacks though. It cost his stamina to use, and heightened his fear and excitement. Things that could be a complication for any soldier.
He felt his emotions shift, and within the Dungeon, the effect was far greater than before. It was an unnerving sensation, but he resisted with willpower forged in battle.
The Minotaur finally looked up, as a horde of Goblins, Brown Lizards and Wolf-headed men all attacked, roaring at the Minotaur as if it was another adventurer.
This was getting stranger by the second.
The Minotaur picked up a short spear with a long blade coloured red, just like his skin.
Then it howled, the sound chilling even him.
It charged, swinging it's weapon like a club.
It was unskilled, but its strength...
He'd been able to tell the Minotaurs were unnaturally strong before, but this helped him picture it.
With a single swing, the Minotaur sent a dozen Monsters flying, their bodies breaking as they impacted the walls.
It was ferocious. For all that it showed intelligence before, the way it fought was like a wild animal.
With him not fighting, his skill 'Demon
He was tempted to deactivate [The Unseen Assailant] and open a dialogue. On one hand, nobody had mentioned anything like intelligent monsters. It would have seemed like an important thing to mention.
That said, he wasn't actually supposed to be in the Dungeon right now. Finn had asked him to register at the guild with his deputy, Raul Nord. So it wasn't impossible this was a common thing.
Then the Minotaur did something else that surprised him.
It torn open one of the corpses, and ate the magic stone inside.
Hadn't Finn warned them leaving magic stones uncollected would result in Irregulars?
He deactivated his skill.
Then he cleared his throat.
The great beast was larger than the other Minotaurs he'd fought. It was just an inch shorter than his own height of 6 foot 9 inches.
It's mouth opened, and then another surprise came.
"You're... not going to attack?" It's voice was gravelly and deep, and laced with confusion and apprehension.
It could speak as well? This day really was full of surprises.
"Are you?" He answered with his own question.
When the Minotaur shook its head, now looking at him curiously he started wondering if adventurers didn't know of intelligent monsters after all.
"I wasn't aware there were Monsters with a mind. Are there others like you?"
The alien creature looked down, humming in thought.
"I have not met any, but the other Monsters started attacking me when I first awoke. Perhaps they are simply dead."
Awoke? Not born?
"Were you asleep before that?" He asked.
The Minotaur chuckled, its laugh deep and cheery.
"In a sense. But no, my memories before I gained this light are dull. I have died in this Dungeon many times. It is only now I have this gift. Or perhaps it is a curse? Hated by adventurers and monsters both, is it not amusing?"
He felt a bit of sympathy hearing that. The ferocious monster from before was gone, and instead was a dejected creature.
"I'm Six, do you have a name?"
The Minotaur shook it's head.
"Then how does Turuk sound?" It was the name of a character from a book he'd read.
The Minotaur raised his head, his mouth moving silently as if tasting the name.
"Turuk... Turuk, I think I like it." He bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you Six, this one shall treasure his name."
It was odd in a way. Meeting an inhuman creature like this, not as enemies. He'd fought the Covenant for so long, and many among his allies hated them with blood driven furore. This was a novel experience, but then wasn't everything he'd seen today new?
"Why are you up this high? I heard that Minotaurs appear much further down, on the 15th floor."
Turuk simply raised a hand, and pointed at a bloodstained spot on the ground.
"That, was where I last died."
His voice was solemn.
"Of my memories before, only that fight is so vivid. I faced an adventurer, unlike any before. He was slow, yet skilled beyond measure, and strong. I was with five of my siblings, yet none of us landed so much as glancing blow. I fear him, but I was too curious. Perhaps too curious for my own good."
Six nodded. Was this what Finn had meant by Irregular then? But he'd told him afterwards that Irregulars were monsters that could eat magic stones to grow stronger? Although that wasn't actually mutually exclusive.
Bizarre.
Perhaps he should tell Turuk that it was him? Then again, there was no need. He was running out of time as is.
"I have to go, I'm taking that."
He pointed at the Sangheili's body.
Turuk followed his finger, then blinked at him.
"Do you know what it is?"
"It's an alien warrior. One from a place far away from here."
"I've remember dying so many times, fighting so many people. Yet... not once have I seen this. How far do you speak of Six?"
That was... more than he'd expected. How long had adventurers explored the Dungeon?
"Beyond the skies." Was his terse reply.
Turuk nodded. "Very well, then take it. I have no use for it. The armour wouldn't fit anyway."
He moved over to the corpse quickly, shoving the Minotaur away.
Normally, when a Covenant warrior died, their armour and weapons self-destructed to prevent the UNSC getting their hands on it.
However, as the UNSC had gotten their hands on Covenant technology later in the war, this seemingly fell out of practice, perhaps to allow their armies to scavenge weapons and equipment from the dead. It was still used by most of the Covenant, but on such a high ranking Elite, the countermeasure would serve little purpose.
If their armour was destroyed, then they wouldn't ever be able to uncover what threat had killed such a valuable warrior. They would lose valuable information for little gain. Even the Covenant only had so many commanders.
He pressed a few buttons on the back of the combat harness, near the Pinch Fusion Reactor, and a few lights lit up over the white nanolaminate.
Fortunately he was able to deactivate the armour. With that done, he stripped it from the cold corpse efficiently, and packed it all into the bag. It wasn't as heavy as he'd expected, feeling light in his hands. As he had thought, the Falna was an amazing gift.
Finished, he nodded to the Minotaur, and left down the hallway.
[ I ]
Even encumbered, getting back to the 1st floor wasn't difficult, just time consuming.
By the time he returned to Twilight Manor, only an hour and a half had passed.
The guards didn't pay any mind, but several adventurers had looked oddly at the bloodstains in his clothes.
He placed his things in his room, then cleaned up. Wiping off the sweat and blood with a wet cloth, he changed his clothes for the upcoming social event.
Then he went to his Datapad and started recording what he'd learned in a secure file.
The Dungeon, gods, adventurers and monsters now.
All of it was an enigma. He still hadn't yet seen the magic Tiona had spoken of before.
Jacob Lees info had been immensely valuable, he'd not expected sharing his food to grant such a boon, but it was welcome all the same.
And finally of course, was his Falna, and incredible abilities it had provided him, many of which he had yet to understand.
[ I ]
Lv. 1
Strength: I0
Endurance: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0
[?]
Demon
- They called you Demon on a hundred battlefields, so you slaughtered them to the last on a hundred battlefields.
- Increases the number of enemy combatants relative to recent kills. Reduces chance of frightened enemies running away. If combating a group larger than 100, automatically inflicts fear on all enemies and raises all parameters.
Δ
[Spirit of Vengeance]
- When activated, increases attack power against any enemy recognised by Spartans as an enemy of humanity.
[Survivor of Dying Worlds]
- When in enemy territory, reduces all needs such as rest, food, water and breathing.
[Spartans Never Die]
- Provides the Developmental Abilities: [Healing Power] and [Abnormal Resistance].
- Effect improves according to Level.
[One Man Army]
- Increases Growth when fighting a numerically or qualitatively superior foe.
Δ
[Paragon Nova]
- When in a dangerous situation can temporarily become invulnerable and gain a boost to all parameters, causes excessive fatigue and pain after use.
[Noble Constellation]
- Increases Attack Power of allies when fighting as part of a Unit.
[Lone Wolf]
- Nullifies penalties from pain or fatigue.
- Provides the Developmental Abilities: [Luck] and [Hunter].
- Hunter's effects are expanded to any targets of [Spirit of Vengeance].
- Effect improves according to Level.
[Hyper Lethal]
- Increases damage from all wounds inflicted on enemies, inflicted wounds are slower to heal.
Δ
[The Unseen Assailant]
- Allows perfect invisibility, disabled when dealing or taking damage.
- Uses up stamina when active, and increases feelings of fear and excitement.
[Grim Reaper]
- Improves all stealth abilities and skills to a supernatural level. Improves parameters when fear is inflicted on enemies.
Dominion
- Effects unknown.
[ I ]