[Alisha’s PoV]
Swinging my sword, I manage to cut off one of the Guard Hound’s legs. Taking a few steps back to gain some distance from the hound, I took a glance in Alice’s direction to make sure she was okay. In horror I watch as Gerald stabs down into her chest and yanks his sword out. Anger nearly overwhelms me, causing me to bite on my lip till it bled. Desperately, I mentally called out to the System to display Alice’s details to check on her condition, but it failed to provide anything. No information, meaning that Alice is dead.
Once again biting down on my lip, I desperately hold back the sadness and anger welling up inside of me after seeing my friend killed by Gerald. At that moment, the only thought I had in mind was to find a way to defy this cruel fate that I was forcibly born into, and save as many of my brethren as I could. We were forced into this life, we didn’t want to become slaves to the humans. Turning my attention back to the monster in front of me in an attempt to rid myself of the image of Alice on the ground, I bring up the System’s information about the monster in front of me.
[Level 4 Guard Hound]
It stumbles towards me, with a bloodthirsty face, however my duty is finished. I’m not meant to kill any monsters, like I did when I tried to save Alice. I know I’ll be punished, at the very least I’d be thrown into an isolation cell, at worst killed. This was what Alice had taught me about the dungeons we were dragged into, and this was my first time being brought here.
Glancing around the dungeon, I see dozens of hybrids trying to fight off monsters, and were attempting to maim the Guard Hounds so the humans could take the kill. This is to ensure the human’s safety, or so they say, and they do not care if we don’t survive. In fact they are happy if we are near death as they will kill us themselves to ensure the experience goes to them.
The once grassy terrain turned battlefield has become a blood covered dirt field with very little grass left. I don’t know how long we’ve been here, I do know that at least twenty hours have passed, we haven’t stopped once. Looking further in, there is a dense forest with bushes and scrubs, and a path that leads to somewhere deeper into the dungeon. The humans never travel further than this grass terrain since monsters constantly appear here, so no one knows what lies beyond it.
[You’ve gained 10 exp!]
Noticing my System notifying me of the experience gain, I know Gerald has just finished killing my previous target. According to Alice, we only get a tenth of the experience from the monster. Since I did not land the killing blow, Gerald would receive the full one hundred experience from the kill, and I get a pittance in return. Looking back, I see Gerald glaring at me in anger, his stupid face twitching.
[Level 15 Human, Gerald]
“Number 32! How dare you kill a monster in front of me?! When we return you’ll be placed in an isolation cell!”
Shivering, I start regretting killing that monster. No, I shouldn’t regret it, I tried to save my friend. I know that being thrown into an isolation cell meant no light, food, water and being surrounded by hungry beasts and monsters, with no way of knowing how long we’d spend in there.
Spotting another Guard Hound, I move towards it. I need to distract these feelings of wanting to murder that man for killing Alice, even if I knew I couldn’t. I wouldn’t even scratch him because of his level, but if I don’t do something else to distract myself, I knew these feelings would overwhelm me.
Arriving in front of the Guard Hound, I brace myself and hold my sword diagonally to act as a shield. A technique taught to me by Alice, by doing this I can perhaps strike back quickly and do some form of damage. Charging, the Guard Hound swipes at me from above.As the finger-long claws approach me, I position myself and block, and taking advantage of the monster's surprise, I push back and move towards it..
Avoiding the iron-like spikes that cover the beast's back, I slash into the limb that tried to slash me, cutting it off. This is the most effective way to deal damage to Guard Hounds thanks to their simple thinking. A move that Alice had taught me and has served me well.
Panting, I move back again and look for another hound. Once the hound has lost a leg, it’s difficult for it to come after me as it struggles to walk. This is when our handlers feel it is safe enough to come and deal the final blow. Spotting another hound, I move my tired and exhausted body over, making sure not to reopen the wounds I have accumulated while fighting. Behind me, I hear the sound of a sword cutting into flesh and another notification from the System pops up in my mind.
[You gained 10 exp!]
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[You have leveled up to 3!]
Taking a breath, I mentally request my status screen quickly while moving towards my next target.
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Alisha
Monster/Human Hybrid (Monster Species: Unknown)
Level 3
Experience: 0/200
Class: None
Class Level: Not Available
Experience: Ineligible
Skills: None
Magic: None
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With a thought, I dismiss the System and focus on the monster in front of me. Taking the same stance as before, I wait for the hound to charge at me. Taking the hit, I swing again as it twists its body, causing me to hit the spikes. Sword rebounding I quickly roll backwards, feeling claws scrap my back.
Knowing it’s a light injury, I ignore it and move in to swing again, this time cutting into its leg and cleanly cutting it off. Stumbling back, I look around to see there were no more hounds nearby, taking this chance I took a few deep breaths while looking around to appear like I’m not resting.
*ding ding ding*
Hearing the chime of a bell that signalled to return to the camp, which consists of tents for the humans and dirt beds for us, I knew this was the end of our time in the dungeon. Looking around, I can see some humans finishing off their monsters and a few hybrids still working on injuring their hounds.
I spot a young girl with silver hair, Sally, Number 14 to the humans, and under the same handler as myself, I quickly move myself to help her. Moving to the hound's blind spot, I aim my swing at its back leg. At the same time, Sally managed to get the front leg cut off, both of us moved back to allow Gerald to finish the beast off.
“Thank you” Muttering quietly to me, Sally quickly says this to me before turning towards the camp and walking away. Knowing how she can be quiet in front of others, I decide to follow behind keeping my head down to avoid getting in more trouble than I already was. I didn’t want to look around, as I knew from my glance before that a lot of hybrids, my brethren, had been slain today. Sighing, I sheathe my sword and continue to walk forward listening to the soft sounds of footsteps around me.
Arriving at the camp, I sit in the assigned spot of our handler. During the majority of the dungeon hunts, five hybrids will be assigned to a human, with fifty total hybrids and ten humans. Even with an advantage in numbers, we would stand no chance against the humans thanks to the difference in levels. Even just one of them would be able to slay many of us. No hybrid is allowed to level once they get to level 9, since they would be culled the moment they hit that level. We either die in dungeons due to our injuries or monsters, or we live long enough to become experience for humans.
After a few minutes, what remains of us returns. Of course, all ten humans are fine without any injuries, however over half of us haven’t returned. The corpses of the hybrids would not be collected, instead they would be left behind to lure monsters that spawn within this dungeon. Not even given true peace even in death. Keeping my head down while trying to force my sadness down, I overhear the conversation between the human group.
“Useless trash, too many died too quickly, we barely met our quota this time. Some of them died to the monsters before I could finish them off myself, a waste of bloody time raising them.”
“We’ll have to get a new batch which might take a few days. Looking over the numbers, we lost about thirty livestock. I lost four hybrids this time around, two of them died to monsters so I didn’t even get their experience.”
“Either way, we managed to make our quota. Lets round the healthy ones and leave the severely injured ones behind, they’ll only slow us down on the return trip. Make sure to kill them first.”
Hearing this conversation, I tremble with both fear and anger. They have enough medical kits and potions to help most of the injured, but they won’t even consider that. According to Alice, in the city of Crater male humans are mandated to breed with humanoid monsters to produce hybrids like me. This is for their safety, so they claim, and hybrids as a result are born at a very fast rate, however they are also killed very quickly. Losing thirty like today is not uncommon.
“Alright trash, on your feet, we’re leaving. Those of you who are severely injured are to stay behind. Don’t try and hide your injuries. If you slow us down even slightly, we will kill you on the spot.”
Getting up, I do my best to ignore the sounds of some of my brethren being killed behind me. Unable to hold back a few tears, I walk forward until I hear Gerald call me.
“Number 32! Get over here, don’t think I’ve forgotten about you.”
Hesitating for a second, I turn towards the voice while wiping away my tears and walk towards my handler. Reaching him, and before I know what happened, I feel a blow to my right cheek, sending me slamming into the ground, where I receive another blow to my stomach, twice, then my nose before I feel a foot slam down on my head.
“I should kill you here scum, be glad you’re still useful to us, if not I would have taken your life. Get up, slow us down and I’ll gladly put you to use before killing you.”
Not understanding what he means, I get up as quickly as possible and return to the group under my handler. As we continue to walk, my head throbs and my injuries from the dungeon feel worse. My wounds have all reopened causing me to feel light headed. I’ll survive, even without their help because of my heightened regeneration, but with the punishment of isolation, I will not rest easy. Looking up, I see the doors of the dungeon that leads out of this hell.