~~~Lee~~~

The prospect of hunting more humans was not at all what Lee wanted to do. He even argued with himself about whether he should care or risk his life for more strangers. Stanley needed him to stay alive. This was an unnecessary risk.

"How are you, Lee?" Alejandro's voice lacked his usual enthusiasm, and his hand alighted gently on Lee's shoulder. "You did a good thing here. Remember that. You protected us, and that's all that matters."

Lee nodded.

"We're going after the rest of them, but you've done enough for..."

"I'm in," Lee interrupted. Alejandro was a fool if he thought Lee would leave him alone for the coming fight. Not only had the man saved his life more than once, but Maria might kill him if Alejandro didn't come back...

More than a few of the guards were not up to the challenge, with most of those even hesitant to strip the dead bodies before them. Alejandro didn't complain or force the issue, only taking those that were willing when they set out. Time was of the essence, and they needed to reach the other camp before anyone started wondering where their dead fellows were.

Before they set off, Lee had one more thing to do. He went through the cores and set aside one skill for himself. The rest he passed around to those willing to join the expedition. Not for free, but they got first dibs, and Lee was willing to wait for payment until they returned. Jake did the same with his share, and Lee finally got to see the other skills that had dropped, though he was fairly certain the man had held a few back as well.

There was a risk that he wouldn't get paid if they died on the trip... but he could always take the cores they dropped... Almost everyone absorbed a skill then and there, including Saira, then they headed into the night. Lee was curious which skill she'd chosen, but his mind was still in turmoil and he didn't feel like asking.

The trip was uneventful, with so many of the monsters now hiding in lairs, and with Jake spotting and killing any that approached. It was only when they neared the target location that things changed, and not in a small way.

You have been conscripted into the Minor Dungeon: [Howling Swarm]

Invaders are coming. Prepare your defenses. Fight.

That was new.

"Anyone know what that means?" Lee asked the suddenly frozen group, though he had a bad feeling…

No one had seen it before.

"Do we fall back?" Alejandro whispered.

"That's no longer an option," Jake said, walking a few paces back the way they'd come. He stretched his hand out as he walked, as if expecting to run into an invisible wall. Which he did, only it wasn't invisible. The blue wall shimmered into view as he approached until he stopped with a hand resting on its surface.

Lee followed, and after only a few steps, saw something he'd never seen before. His Mana Mind was no longer a sphere. He could see the glowing wall, layered with more mana than anything to date, but nothing seemed to exist beyond. He could see the world past the barrier, but his Mana Mind said the world ended at that line. Then he touched it.

[Dungeon Perimeter] No Dungeon Entities may cross the perimeter until all Invaders or defenders are defeated.

The message left him frozen. Not because they'd just gotten trapped by it, but because of what its existence meant. Stanley… are you trapped in one of these?

It made so much sense now. The reason Stanley felt no closer than he had since this started. How he was nearly dying over and over. He literally couldn't come back!

Then the reality of the situation settled in. They were now also trapped in the same thing. Though the message was pretty clear on how to get out. They just needed to defeat the invaders. The small issue of how long Stanley had remained trapped didn't inspire confidence in their own chances, but he couldn't have asked for a better bunch at his back.

The next question was what did they do about the humans they'd come here to hunt down? They might actually need them if these invaders were very strong, assuming it worked the same way as the Lair Trial... which seemed plausible.

That was the ongoing discussion Lee was missing as he grappled with the new revelations about Stanley.

"We don't know if there are innocents in there, so can't just leave them to their fate," Alejandro said. "And depending on how dangerous the monsters are, we might need whatever fortifications they have to defend ourselves."

Jake chimed in. "So you want to put armed and known killers at our backs while we fight against an unknown threat? Assuming they let us in and we don't end up fighting on two fronts. I say we hide out until whatever it is shows up, then attack the monsters from the rear. Or sneak into the human's base if they're winning already."

Lee liked that plan. "I'm with…" He trailed off when a point of light appeared in the distance. The point extended upward into a straight line, then the line split and spread apart into a square, then a rectangle, then further. It was still expanding across the ground when the dark shapes began swarming into view from within the bright outline. Time's up.

"That is… a lot," Saira whispered after they all crouched lower in the scrub. It was a lot, and they were still coming.

"I won't leave them to die," Alejandro said, half rising as if to charge the still unknown monsters.

"Wait for the attack," Jake told him. "We strike the back lines and it will take pressure off the defenders. You can't help anyone if you're dead."

Lee could see his hand clenching on the sword hilt, but Alejandro didn't charge off like a crazy person. Not yet. Not this time...

Jake didn't wait for him to take the lead, and started issuing orders to the guard members that'd come along, setting up a formation and getting them into place. Saira went into the center, Mar at her back and carrying a few bundles of bushes for emergency healing. Bundles that vanished with her...

Lee took point with Alejandro right as the last monster ran through the wide… portal? That was the only way to describe what they were seeing. Even if it felt wrong that it had corners and was far too wide. If he could only get close enough... what would his Mana Mind see in there?

Then it vanished in a reverse of how it had appeared.

The last monster stood out from the others, by dint of being much larger and not blindly charging ahead like the rest of its fellows.

"I call dibs on that one," Jake whispered.

No one objected.

What they could see in the moonlight wasn't pleasant. Lee wanted to say lizard… or reptile. Moon light glinted off their bodies in a way that made him think of scales. While most of them ran low to the ground, and fast too, they would occasionally stop and stand upright, as if getting a good look around. The last one had to reach ten feet high when it did the same. Oh, and they were really fast.

It seemed that they went unnoticed because the monsters all headed for the same gymnasium Lee had seen the other group of humans emerge from earlier that day. How they knew to go there, he did not know. Though it could have been the faint light shining through the high windows...

They eventually had to run when the monsters rapidly outpaced them. Jake took the lead, but stayed out to the side. He waited until they reached the building with bursts of light, screams, and loud... howls. The lizards howled…

Jake led the attack with his signature exploding arrow. Targeted directly at the big one.

He missed. Or rather, the monster dodged, and the arrow flew past to explode in the ranks of its army. So it wasn't a total loss. The fleeting light cast over the monster also confirmed Lee's earlier guess of them being reptilian. He couldn't tell the actual color in the blue light, but it was definitely lizard-like as its head swiveled to the new threat.

Instead of charging them, it ran away. Ducking low and straight into the mob of its smaller fellows. Meanwhile, the entire back line of the horde did the opposite and charged toward Lee and company.

Lee could see the leader's head popping up repeatedly from within the horde, and he could have sworn it was looking right at him. He didn't have time to consider that though, because more and more of the mob was turning on them. Even Alejandro didn't keep charging into the growing swarm. "Fall back!"

Now Lee found himself at the rear of their group as they all sprinted away while Jake and another of their group peppered the attackers with arrows and bolts of ice. Both attacks blew holes in the lines, but otherwise did little more than illuminate just how many monsters were chasing them. It was starting to feel like the entire force had bailed on the building in favor of hunting them down.

The way he kept spotting the leader's head popping up, always brief enough to dodge Jake's arrows, gave Lee a bad feeling. He tested his suspicions by abruptly veering away from the others.

Every monster turned in a straight line with his new route. He turned further, and they followed again.

Lee thought about all the times it felt like he was singled out. How monsters seemed drawn to him. He always assumed it was the Mana Well, but that theory didn't quite track out here. It also meant he was fucked. There was no way to survive this swarm if they all wanted to eat him and only him. Even Alejandro and Jake wouldn't be enough, assuming they didn't get overrun in the process. The monsters were still catching up, too.

Alejandro yelled for the others to follow Lee's route, and Lee stopped him. "Run the other way! They're after me!"

"You can't possibly…"

"Get to the base," Lee yelled. "Deal with them. I have a plan!" He did too. A plan that primarily hinged on the skill shard he'd kept earlier.

Skill Shard[F-Grade]

Fire Ball (Uncommon)

Launch a Fire Ball that explodes on impact.

Range of explosion and damage based on Intelligence and Skill Level.

Skill Level Effects (Novice)

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

+1% Effective Intelligence

-1% Mana Cost

Requirements:

Mana Core/Channels [Requirement Not Met][N/A](Adaptable)

Fire Aspect Mana [Requirement Not Met][N/A](Adaptable)

Adapting to this Skill will require -50% Adaptation and may alter your Class Affinity.

Adapting this Skill to your Class will require -1% Adaptation but may drastically alter the Skill.

Adapt Yourself and Learn Skill: Y/N?

Adapt Skill: Y/N?

Obviously, he would not adapt to the skill, but he wanted a ranged option and decided that it might be worth the -1% Adaptation to see what happened. He'd talked to others who already tried both options. Best case, he'd gain a new powerful ranged spell, and worst case, he'd waste the 1% and end up with a useless skill. If that happened... he would have to use Liquid Mana Blast again.

Mental fingers crossed, Lee accepted the second option.

-1% Adaptable

Adapting Skill: Fire Ball

Liquid Mana Detected.

No Fire Aspect Detected.

Skill Adaptation Successful.

New Non-Class Skill Learned: (2/3)

Liquid Mana-Flame Inferno (Epic)

User unleashes a raging inferno of Liquid Mana-Flame with the user at the center. Effect will expand in every direction until all Liquid Mana has been depleted.

Skill Level Effects (Novice)

+1% Effective Mind Attributes

+1% Liquid Mana Channel Capacity

It wasn’t quite what he’d hoped for, but about what he’d feared. He hadn't forgotten the line in his class description that mentioned 'highly volatile Liquid Mana' and how it had to be contained with his soul. Just like his mana blast, this new skill didn't use his soul.

Though the new skill might actually be better in this situation. Especially if he could dump enough mana before casting it. Which he'd already started doing by sawing his blade against his shield.

The runes on both items fought each other and drained their charge in the process. Lee dumped mana into both and kept at it. He still had some time until the monsters caught up, and he could run full speed until his hunger grew too high. He would need every second to drain his mana if the new skill worked as he expected it to. Which was exactly the same as his Liquid Mana Blast.

Mercifully, Alejandro did as asked, leading the rest of the group in a looping turn away from the monsters and back toward the gymnasium. Well, most of the group. "Does your plan involve the skill you held onto earlier?" Jake asked, keeping pace beside him easily.

Nosy ass hunter… but he might be useful. "It does. Don't suppose you can carry me faster than this?"

"Not enough to matter." Jake leaped forward, spinning while in midair and sending an exploding arrow into the pack behind them. "Few seconds is the best I can buy you… so what's the plan? And why are you dumping mana… Oh." He laughed. "This is going to be good, isn't it?"

How the man knew he was dumping mana… "I think it will work, but I wouldn't mind you pulling my ass out of the fire if it doesn't." Maybe a literal fire... considering the skill description.

"I can't wait to see this!"

"Just run when I tell you to," Lee said. "In fact, you should run." Jake grinned and bounded away while sending another shot into the swarm.

Lee sawed faster. His mana dropped below the halfway mark.

He ran as long as he could, draining mana with every step and cursing his increased pool with every other step. He ran until the monsters were nipping at his heels. Then he slid to a stop as monster claws and jaws loomed, and triggered the skill.

It wasn't exactly like his mana blast. The skill knowledge he'd gained upon learning the skill was enough to tell him that. It and the actual skill description told him what to expect, but he was wrong. He knew it would spread out in every direction, but unlike what he'd imagined and the skill description implied, it didn't roll out in a steady wave.

It exploded out in a single fiery burst of heat, light, and pain.

One second monsters were bearing down on him, and the next a sea of blue fire had engulfed the area and turned them to ashes. All of them. As far as he could see. Which admittedly wasn't far; the flames were too bright and even the sky glowed with ascending fire.

Also, the pain.

He had a moment where he worried that he himself had been caught up in the blast, with how badly it burned.

Debuff: [Mana Burn]

Or it might have been that. Either way, it was over in that same instant. His mana was empty, and it felt… Well, it was hard to nail down the sensation with his entire body burning from the mana, but it wasn't a good feeling. He found himself on his knees amid the brilliant field of blue.

It took a moment to recognize that part of the strange feeling was his lack of Mana Mind. Or rather, the complete lack of range. All he could see was his own head… though it was spreading slowly outward. He also remembered that the skill would punish him for low mana... but it was regenerating.

"Fucking fantastic," Jake's voice came from beside him and Lee lifted his head enough to look at the other man. "And you're not even unconscious!"

"Did… did I get them all?" Lee asked, struggling to his feet.

"Yep. Stole my dibs, too."

"Snooze, you lose." Lee took a step into the blue, and Jake stopped him.

"Might want to wait a sec. Singed my feet on the way in. Don't worry. I checked on Alejandro while you blew everything up. He can handle what's left." Lee chose to believe him and fell on his ass in the tiny patch of unscorched ground below his feet.

Invaders Defeated. Victory! Contributions Earned. Distributing Rewards. Minor Dungeon Area Protected from Invasion(71:59:59)

For achieving the highest contributions, you receive: [Minor Dungeon Key]

A glowing old school looking key appeared in front of him and fell into his lap. As good a sign of success as he could ask for. So Lee took the reprieve to check what he was most worried about.

[Mana Burn](23:59:15)

It wasn't ideal, but so much better than he'd feared. The good news helped him ignore the burn as he climbed to his feet. "I'm good. Let's catch up."

Jake laughed again. "Fine, fine. But I want to know what the fuck is up with your new skill. The only skill shard I saw even close to that was fireball, and that was not a fireball."

"You know what? Sure." Lee started jogging. "I told you about the Mana Well, right?" Jake nodded. "What I didn't mention is that it's actually a Liquid Mana Well..."

He explained what he knew as they walked and then jogged through the scorched field of death, including his newest observations about its volatility. His information was limited, both by the fact that everything was new to everyone right now, and because he couldn't actually compare it to normal mana. Since he'd never used it. Along the way, Lee collected his cores from the ashes, the only thing not destroyed by his skill.

Jake took it all in stride. Even contemplating on what different skills might turn into if Lee absorbed them. As for the dungeon key; he'd seen it before. "I got one from the lair fight and just took the stats."

Lee had seen the notification when he touched the key, and he checked it again.

Minor Dungeon Key(F-grade)

Effects:

May open a Minor Dungeon Gate to a random Dungeon World of equal grade to User or Key. Whichever is lowest.

Consume Key to create Outpost.

Consume Key to Upgrade Sapient Lair or Outpost into Fort.

Consume Key to gain +20 All Base Attributes.

"You could have mentioned the other options..." Lee grumbled. "I bet you could have traded it... maybe even for more stats than it offered."

"Too much work. Besides, the stats are worth a lot more when you get closer to E-grade. It would have been way more cores than you think. At least double, if not more. I highly recommend you hang onto that until at least after you have all your attributes past fifty. Or ideally, wait until you're at seventy-nine."

"E-grade?" Lee stared at the man, both with his eyes and Mana Mind. "You're not..." He felt like he would have noticed something if that was the case.

"It's the hundred mark," Jake said, not seeming at all concerned with sharing the information. "It's also not as easy to reach as F-grade. I'm stuck at ninety-nine across the board."

"What are you talking about?"

"Cores start giving you fewer attributes after you pass the fifty point threshold. Something you should know by now... Hell, if my estimates are right, you should be capped out as well."

"Yea, yea. You obviously know that I'm not getting the full stats. It's part of how I regenerate so fast." Lee had told the other man so much already, might as well let him in on this too.

"Figured." Jake nodded. "That shit is broken. I'm honestly a little jealous."

"It's a trait," Lee added. Just in case the guy was jealous enough to kill.

"I'd assumed." Jake laughed. "Did you think I would kill you if it was a skill you might drop?"

"Seriously? I would consider it if I was in your shoes."

Jake smiled wider. "I knew you weren't as dumb as you looked." Then his smile turned sinister. "What if Alejandro had the skill? Or Maria? Or one of the kids?"

"I wouldn't kill a kid!"

"But their parents are fair game?"

"I didn't say that..." Lee thought about it, though. Would he actually do that to someone? It was a powerful ability... probably the main reason he was still alive. But to kill a friend over it... and not even have a guarantee of getting the skill? "No, I wouldn't do it. Better to keep them... close." Of course, that only opened up a new line of thought about loyalty and friends...

Jake was nodding as if he'd read his mind. "Keep that hamster running in there and you just might survive long enough to find out who your real friends are."

"Ha. Ha."

"I wouldn't worry about Alejandro," Jake said, chuckling. "He's got as much subtlety as a brick to the face."

"How very kind of you..." Lee held up the key after a moment of thought. "You want it?" While Jake wasn't the most loyal or committed ally he had, he was still an ally. Having him at E-grade would undoubtedly make everyone safer. Just how much stronger would he become... "You stick around until I hit E-grade, and it's yours."

Jake shot down his daydream of safety. "Won't work. I need E-grade cores to go any further."

That was... bad news. Lee said as much.

"It is kinda fucked up," Jake agreed. "Even the damn hawk was only F-grade."

"So you're just stuck? What's the point of hunting anymore?" And how bad would it get for him once he was nearing the cap? Would he need a hundred cores for one point?

"Skills can still level up, so it's not a total waste. It's also why I've been roaming further away. The untouched lairs out there are growing faster. Some are even spilling back out into the world. From what I've seen, the lair monsters don't need cores to level and I'm guessing only a few more days before we get some E-grades appearing. Probably won't be long after that until Earth becomes an E-grade dungeon as well."

Lee shivered. He wasn't looking forward to that... though how much easier would it be to raise his attributes if he had E-grade cores? Or would it even be better? The F-grades hadn't changed in value when he was Ungraded... Though if they needed them to grade up, then they had to be better, right? The whole thing would depend on just how dangerous E-grades were...

The other pressing issue was if the key would give him the attributes straight up or if his trait would take nine-tenths off the top. Even if it didn't, should he still take the stats? The key didn't elaborate on what a 'Fort' was, but it had to be beneficial, right?

Any further contemplation was put on hold when they finally reached the rest of their party and found them in a standoff with the enemy forces inside the gymnasium.

"For fuck's sake," Jake muttered upon seeing the situation. "Alejandro's even worse than you..." He eyed Lee. "Ready to kill them all? I'm almost positive they've got prisoners in there who definitely aren't having a good time."

"Almost positive?" Lee eyed him right back.

"Nothing in life is certain. But come on! That guy we interrogated was shady as hell and lied to my face about it. Especially when I asked about women and children. He was definitely hiding something fucked up. Sex slaves is my first thought, and that's definitely happening all over, even if not right here. Now if they brought children into that..." Jake's tone shifted on that note and his eyes glowed brighter.

Lee could feel the murderous vibes from the man and finally understood what he meant by 'killing edge' earlier. He also felt safer, oddly enough. The hunter was scary, deadly, and didn't seem to have any issue with killing whoever got in his way. But knowing there were lines even he wouldn't cross... was reassuring. Jake might be a cold-blooded killer when he felt like it, but he wasn't a monster… at least, not a bad one.

"So, do we go in hot, or make sure first?"

Jake grinned again. "Take lead. I bet you're not keeping that key for yourself. I bet you're going to make a Fort and try to protect more than just yourself."

Lee frowned back. Jake was right. He had been considering the option... and he didn't like that the other man could read him so well. Or that he was pushing him into another confrontation. "Can't you just do your Jake thing and terrify them all into surrendering?"

"I could... but you got this. Don't worry, I'll snoop while you do that. If they're real scum, you'll hear the screams." The last thing Lee saw was Jake's grin as the man faded into the darkness.

"I hate you," Lee said under his breath before heading toward the shouting voices. Why did he have to deal with people? Monsters were so much easier...