Riley has reached the agency. He entered, his eyes panning over the luxurious interior. He walks through the building; there are various hunters. Most of them were in guilds. “Recruiting a ‘Crystal Miner’ for an E-rank portal!” Riley’s ears perked up at the sound. He looks around for the job; he finally spots them. “I am a ‘Crystal Miner.’ I am interested in your gig,” Riley said as he took out his license; the member analyzed his license.
“Alright! Just sign this and you’re set!” The leader said as he handed the contract to Riley; Riley looked at the contract. His eyes widened at the terms: 200 dollars for hard labor. It’s really low. He closed his eyes for a bit; he clenched the paper. He finally signed as he opened his eyes. This contract is such a joke! He handed it back to the leader. “I am John; this is Julia; and that’s Brock. We’re heading out. Don’t get in our way.” Riley’s eyes twitched; this leader, John, had switched up his personality. He silently nods as he follows the group.
After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached a blue swirling portal. This familiar feeling made Riley’s heart thump. He enters the portal; everything changes; it’s now dark and gloomy. He looked around; it was a cave. A dim, narrow cave. John, Julia, and Brock started to walk through the cave. Riley trailed behind, dropping drops of water onto the nearby jagged rocks. They kept walking through the cave; a few monsters popped up, but they were taken care of easily.
Riley looks at the pickaxe that John has given to him. He sighs; he looks at the dead monsters on the floor, most consisting of goblins. “We have reached the boss's room. Let’s go in, miner, you dig up the crystals in the room,” John ordered as he raised his sword. “Brock, protect Julia while she casts her spells. I’ll kill the boss,” John demanded as he clutched his sword. Brock and Julia nodded and entered the boss’s room.
John pushed the big wooden doors; a troll was waiting; it had a giant club laced with spikes. His green muscles are draped in rags. He stood up towering over all of them; he let out a cry as he rushed with his wooden club. Julia immediately casts a spell. “[Strength Buff],” Julia mumbled; John’s body started to glow a little. He rushes at the troll; a large crater forms as the club hits the floor. John’s body maneuvers the attacks; he slides the troll’s legs. The troll lets out a squeal of pain.
Riley watches from a distance with a blank expression. “You got to be kidding me. Is this how a C-rank fights?” Riley muttered; he continued his hard labor. Each hit chipped away the crystals; he didn’t care. All he wanted was his money. He suddenly heard a scream; his head jolted to the sound. His eyes widened; the troll was dead, but so was everyone else. He looked at the dead bodies; he looked at the monster who caused all of this. It was a Hellhound; it stepped closer to Riley. It bore his fangs while chewing John. Blood dripped from his fur as the ground shook from each step.
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“Hellhound? That’s an A-rank monster! Why the hell is it doing here?!” Riley muttered. He took a tentative step backward; he gripped his pickaxe. The beast growled as spit marked the ground. The hellhound charged; Riley’s eyes widened. Riley jumped out of the way; the hellhound destroyed his pickaxe. Riley started to book it out; no way he’d fight that beast, not in his current state. “Hey! Let’s be good pals and not attack each other,” Riley yelled as his legs continued to move; the hellhound growled in response as it sprinted towards Riley. He tripped over some vines on the ground.
“Gah! Who put that there?!” Riley exclaimed as his body tumbled on the floor; he slowly looked up to see the hellhound staring at him. The hellhound licked its face as it sauntered over. “I’m fucked, am I?” A stray teardrop slowly painted Riley’s face; the hellhound charged with its claws. Riley dodged out of the way; he started to run back to the boss’s room. He was gasping for air as he continued his run; the hellhound was catching up to him at an exponential rate. He reached the boss’s room; he quickly grabbed the jagged handle from the broken pickaxe. He looked at the hellhound directly in its eyes; he took a long, deep breath.
“Anything can be a blade,” Riley muttered as he closed his eyes; he steadied his breathing.
[One Slash, One Life]
Riley opened his eyes as he was on the opposite side of the hellhound. He looks at the jagged handle; it crumbles. “Oh…” Riley slowly turned around to see the hellhound; the hellhound turned around as well with no visible damage. The hellhound swipes its paws on Riley; Riley’s body crashes into the wall. Riley’s eyes rolled backward as blood slithered down his Adam’s apple. He slowly regains consciousness; he can’t go down like this. He can’t lose to a mere A-rank monster. He slowly rises to meet the hellhound’s gaze; he quickly runs towards the final piece of the pickaxe.
“Mrs. Rutherford! Mrs. Rutherford! There’s an incident about an E-ranked portal converting to an A-rank! The location is in the A-district by the mountains! There are hunters and a miner. Either they’re dead or alive, but we must recover their bodies!” A man barged into Rutherford’s office; Mrs. Rutherford's eyes widened at the information. “Take me to the portal, now!” Mrs. Rutherford demanded as she quickly gathered her things; the man nodded his head.
Blood slithers down Riley’s arm, his hand still clutching the pickaxe’s head. He let out heavy breathing as he narrowed his eyes at the hellhound, no matter what. This beast is impossible to win against. He looks at his dead teammates; not that it mattered to him; they were jerks. The hellhound sauntered over him; it bore its fang at him. Riley laughs maniacally; tears roll down his cheeks, and he suddenly rushes at the hellhound. “I am the ‘Mad Swordsman,' and I will not lose to a simple beast like—“
The hellhound sent Riley flying. Riley’s body rolls on the floor; the pickaxe’s head finally leaves his hand, and blood gushes down his face. He closes his eyes and waits for his demise. He died on the first day of his retirement; he was supposed to be old and happy. He’s now young and good as dead. He suddenly felt hot and warm all the sudden. He opened his eyes, and to his surprise, a young, beautiful woman arrived; she rocked red shoulder-length hair.