As if he had heard the greatest joke ever, this man started fighting as if violence was his second nature. From the shadows Blackthorne shivered in fear and excitement as he witnessed an amazing battle. A person not wearing an ounce of armor, or …clothes, would run into the harm’s way willingly, get torn apart multiple times and then simply restore himself then attack again.
He was very much like the mechanical beings who somehow didn’t feel pain and continued with their attacks until they could move. He was different. He would get destroyed but still get back up and sometimes undo all damage on his body leaving behind not a single scratch.
What was this sorcery? How is he doing it? He is not even chanting any magic, no this is not magic, there is no mana around him.
Blackthorne was an assassin but in this world, you cannot be a good soldier, guard, assassin, healer, king, queen, a noble without a mana core or mana shell in your body. As a master assassin in Everhart Kingdom, Blackthorne was a High purple core mage. Apart from that, he also had beginner Orange secondary shell of aura user which was a rarity among rarity. Apart from that, he was also a level 240 human as per Galandrian church tablet. Which meant he was one of the most feared men to walk in the Kingdom. Of course, much of his information apart from his level were hidden from others.
People usually only knew level of people and higher the level, better they were recognized. Except for royalties. They were given special attention to raise their levels before they were even allowed a public appearance.
Blackthorne quickly started taking out some herbs and chemicals, as an assassin he had many skills from different professions under his belt and in order to gather information, he had to utilize alchemy in order to understand the level of power this man had.
After concocting a potion, he threw it towards the unsuspecting man. As soon as the vial collided with his head, a gray colored smoke came out of his mouth and grayish light also surround his body. The man at first dazed, noticed him almost immediately. He then smiled gesturing that he will deal with him later.
Instead of getting angry at his taunt, Blackthorne was more baffled with the color of smoke that he had exhaled. He quickly took out a note from his ring and read a color chart...
Gray (locked/common), green(awakened/inherited), blue(improved), purple(talented), orange(prodigy), silver(genius), gold(heroic), dark gold(legendary), black(dragon), white (Deity)
Gray is for locked cores and gray aura means he doesn’t even have active shell, so that proved he was neither a mage nor a knight.
That left with levels. He took out an artifact that looked like a magnifying glass. Only that its use case was different. As he peeped through it, he scanned the man, but nothing appeared. Amazed, he then focused on the princess who was standing by the smaller door along with her companions.
Level 75
He then scanned Elara.
Level 150
Concluding that it worked, he scanned the man again, but the result was the same. The artifact could not scan him.
It was a very useful artifact when it provided such important information. He was always relying on this tool whenever his instincts warned him, before ever picking a tough fight.
However, he was no helpless seeing that he can’t scan this new enemy. Just then, it occurred to him, why don’t he scan the enemies he is fighting with such ease. Especially the ones that are able to land a hit on him.
Level 590
His jaws dropped, then he scanned the boss with four arms.
Level 770
He quickly checked the ones he was able to defeat.
Level 100
What is this outrageous number? He questioned the validity of his oldest and most trustworthy companion, the artifact of identification. It was one of the treasures he had stolen from the S rank dungeon decades back. One of the reasons he rose many levels up and without which Blackthorne would not become Blackthorne, a source of fear and mystery in Kingdom of Everhart as well as other surrounding Kingdoms.
If he is able to go toe to toe with beings that are level 590 and 770, there is no room for a mere level 240 to butt in. Even Roland whom he thought he would join hands in clearing the dungeon was only level 250.
Gritting his teeth, he decided to change his location as he remained in shadows. He would need to wait and watch this battle come to conclusion and see for himself what the outcome would be.
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As the man threw a liquid on me, a system prompt appeared
Your information have been revealed
I squinted my eyes wondering how while coughing out gray smoke, similar color aura surrounded my whole body. Well I think I should first focus on enemies near me rather than that crafty fox, not sure what he is up to.
Then another prompt appeared
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Artifact of identification was applied on you. Would you like to reveal your information?
Yes
No
I mentally pressed No, believing it wouldn’t be wise to give away critical information about me to an enemy.
“System, can you capture the sample from the smoke, the aura and this identification attempt? I would like to replicate this”
Acknowledged, sample have been collected. Please be informed, system does not guarantee you will be able to replicate results.
“Do we have a means of identification?” I asked
No, I can only provide basic information about your surroundings, system would need to connect to datacenter to be able to access collected information. Facial recognition found no information on the individual you want to scan.
Sighing I continued to crush the robot army.
I started to target the ones that did most damage on me, yes the ones with laser guns. Then I noticed the giant one with a pair of laser cannons. My eyes sparkled, what a nice weapon it was. I quickly rushed towards the giant bot and started pulling wires from its joints. Cutting them clean like they were butter using the flaming hot lava swords I had snatched from med-tier bots.
After losing its limb again the giant guy started rolling around. It even started crushing its fellow bots. I shrugged, thank you for assist.
I picked up the cannon and started shooting every bot I could find. Soon, all except the giant remained, still rolling towards me in a linear path.
This one will be difficult; I need to find its processor. If I leave it be, it will repair itself and come after me again.
System, please scan this guy and find its processor as well as its power unit.
Acknowledged. Scanning…
Scanning…
Scanning…
Model number 76-T82 Generation 98. Designed to become a guardian of your tomb.
Further details not found; would you like to connect to datacenter to download information?
Yes
No
I pressed No, it was probably just a gut feeling, but I wanted to avoid it… for now.
I started slicing his outer parts, destroying anything that looked like a chip or battery. The bot soon, flinched. Started backing away as I chased it now.
After few minutes, there was only a chunk of metal that remained.
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As soon as the boss monster died, Blackthorne got excited. With this boss monster down, the dungeon would be cleared, and he would be able to make his escape.
However, to his surprise, no such prompt appeared.
He was baffled, nervous and started racing his brain to find the cause the dungeon was still active.
Realization then struck him, what if this man was the dungeon boss?
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After killing the giant bot, I headed back to the girl whose life I said, trying my best to communicate.
There was this person who calmly approached me and handed me some clothes. I came from a civilized world, naturally I understood the intentions and accepted the clothes wearing them right away.
The awkwardness in the air was reduced thankfully.
They then started using hand gestures in an attempt to understand, I directed my system to record and decipher.
Based on the system’s and mine comprehension, they said that they were being chased by that man who’s arm I had chopped off and that he was some dangerous criminal. While they were hiding, this facility’s security measures activated and they were stuck.
They then guided me to the entrance, where the people were stuck by an invisible wall. To my surprise, there was an old man who was standing on the other side of the wall. Visibly relieved seeing his partners were fine.
I asked the system to scan this situation but my system couldn’t really pick anything up.
I let my hands approach the said wall and proceeded further little by little to feel it, then I noticed the air getting thicker, but still nothing solid.
In my inability for patience, I just moved normally and then suddenly I was on the other side. Everyone’s eyes were wide as they were really surprised on how I could get past.
Then suddenly I started feeling a very different sensation.
The air, it felt different, though it was very-very mild but each time I breathed in, it felt like I was vaping?
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Seraphina was finally feeling comfortable now knowing that the person who somehow appeared in the dungeon was not a mindless hostile being or a demon. At least he looked human even though he was pale. Not only did he save her from Blackthorne’s attempt to kill her, he single handedly ended all monsters and guards that charged at him. His regeneration skill was seemingly a high level one. Which seemed to have shocked Albert most.
After collecting themselves from their deep thoughts, everyone decided to look for exit except for the princess that is. She kept observing others trying to wonder what everyone is planning. While exiting, she noticed Albert was scanning the environment, knowing full well that Blackthorne wouldn’t dare to attack them after losing a limb to this man but still he must be thinking to get outside as fast as they can.
They would first join with Roland and then decide on whether to run away or take care of Blackthorne or this man.
Albert was the King’s shadow. He believed he would have defended the King if he had not entrusted him his daughter’s protection the night before the coup. For him, the decree of a King was final, and they were all raised in such a way from their childhood.
Now that she would become the Queen once the Goddess bestows her blessings and until then her companions must fulfil the King’s last commands.
She gritted her teeth in frustration, partly blaming her own weakness that she would need the King’s most trusted people to leave his side just to protect her, an incompetent brat.
As her mental fortitude was attacked by imposter syndrome, there was one party member who was just cheery.
Elara, as always, was more trusting than the others in her group. She immediately embraced the man who had protected her highness as one of her own. Her sense of camaraderie was at its peak, and after witnessing the man's battle prowess and incredible recovery skills, she believed that her group was now unstoppable.
She was a bit frustrated as why they were not hunting Blackthorne first before going outside, she couldn’t wait to show Sir Roland that they were able to defeat Blackthorne whom even the Royal Knights Commander avoided facing.
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Sir Roland's desperation knew no bounds as he pleaded with the invisible barrier, trying to break through it by any means possible. He struck it with all his might, but the unyielding obstruction remained unaffected. He even attacking nearby tree trunks uprooting them and walls of dungeon in hopes to find a path in but to no avail. With a heavy heart, he sank to his knees before the imposing dungeon, tears streaming down his cheeks.
The weight of the responsibility entrusted to him by the king weighed heavily on his shoulders. Not only was the princess's life in his hands, but the entire fate of the Kingdom rested on his success. The realization that those in power now were followers of the sinister black church, devoted to worshipping the dreaded demon god Vorothrax the Malevolent, added to his distress.
“She is the only rightful heir that the Goddess would recognize” he said. “If she dies, the Goddess will have no choice other than blessing the black church follower as the new Monarch” he added.
Of course, the background about him being a member of black church were mere rumors of facts without evidence to back them. The public oblivious of these facts and some had shown their approval to the coup shocking the royal family. Hence forcing them to flee the Kingdom for now.
Roland was regretting seeking rest in the dungeon; they should have left as soon as they noticed it was a dungeon.
As he was bashing his head in frustration, he soon saw few figures calmly walking towards him from within the dungeon. As soon as he saw the princess, he was relieved. All tension leaving his body, he quickly wiped his tears and faintly smiled at them.
He stood tall as if showing that he was strong this whole time, he had to show the princess that he had faith in her and that she would obviously come out of this situation unscathed.
He saw Albert as vigilant as always keeping his focus to the highest point and always looking at a certain spot from time to time. His daggers were always drawn out, but he didn’t attack whatever was on his focus.
Roland prepared himself of a possible battle as well. He noticed Elara cheerful as always, oblivious of any threat that Albert was wary of. The princess who was also observing everyone.
‘As expected of a future Monarch’ Roland thought after noticing the genius with stary eyes.
Then he noticed a very skinny man accompanying them. He wore some old-torn clothes that commoners in kingdom wore, but he looked too thin, and his hair was silver-gray with few strands of golden color.
Usually, he would think that he must have been a commoner who ventured in the jungle and got stuck in the dungeon but this dungeon was dormant and it was activated around when they were in it, which blocked the entrance, added to the fact that his features were nothing like what was common among commoners.
He had blue eyes; he was pale white and just thin. He looked like he could barely walk in those conditions. Is he perhaps one of his assailants who have joined the companions or is he the one who was sealed? Then realization struck Roland.
Before he could think further, he witnesses the man come forward and tear the invisible wall apart.
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As soon as the man from the contraption crossed the wall a sudden notification blocked everyone involved with the dungeon including Roland and Blackthorne’s view.
Divine revelation: This is a very important notice!!!
SSS+ Legendary Rank Dungeon Outbreak has occurred.
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