《F Rank Dungeon King》Enter the big fish's ocean (2)
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It all happened in an instant. The guards standing in front of the dungeon gate saw a figure coming out of it. They yelled at it to identify itself, but it simply ran away and while they could've run after it, they had to react quickly as the Japanese team came out of the dungeon next.
Everyone in the area gasped as the dungeon pulsed and slowly started to close itself. Wisps of magic crackled all around the gate as it shrunk. It took only a few seconds for the gate to completely disappear and for a yell of anguish to be heard.
"What happened?!" One of the staff members of the KHG yelled as he ran towards the Japanese team. The guards would've done so too, but the reporters immediately spun into action and tried to approach the hunters.
"We told you to stay away from the area! We won't tell you again!" The leader of the security team exclaimed as he pointed his handgun at one of the reporters. He then turned his head to one of his men and snapped at him.
"What are you doing you dumbass?! Go after that guy who left the dungeon first! He wasn't with those damn Japanese hunters! "
As chaos erupted all around the area, the leader of the hunter team could only punch the ground in frustration.
'I'll find you...Whoever you are.' She swore in her mind. One simply didn't ruin a dungeon that she had paid for with her own money, especially when she was already in an irritable mood before even entering the dungeon.
She snapped at her subordinates too.
"Go after him too!"
Meanwhile, Seneos was already using his years of moving through the streets of that corner of the city to escape as fast as he could. He knew a lot of the shady alleys and the places where they would never look for him.
He ran in one of those alleys and ended up slipping up on the wet ground. He hit his head on the concrete and held it in pain. He got up quickly and made a dash for an abandoned building that he had spotted many times during the last years. It was simply an apartment building that had been destroyed during a dungeon outbreak. Seneos hadn't been around that area during the outbreak, and he could only thank god, as he looked around and saw the damages that had been done to the building.
Dungeon outbreaks were quite infamous due to how much misery they brought. They were calamities and were easy to avoid which meant them even more annoying. Simply because everyone knew it was easy to prevent them, and yet in many situations, no one could stop them. It was quite frustrating, but Seneos didn't even know what made them so difficult to stop even though most people knew how to do it.
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However as he laid on an old couch and breathed a sigh of relief, he could only thank that specific dungeon outbreak in a burst of selfishness. No one would come looking for him here simply because it was so close to the playground that it seemed almost dumb to hide there.
He had learned that tactic from Jeol, to hide close to your enemy who would assume you tried to get as far away as possible. He really hoped it worked. The mere fact that the agents of the KHG pointed their guns at the reporters was a statement of how much authority the organization held. Or rather, how much power the hunters and everyone linked to them had.
Seneos looked down as he felt his phone vibrate in his left pocket. Taking it out, he saw that it was Jeol calling him and instantly answered. She always messaged him, so this time it was something important.
"What is it, Jeol ?" He asked before she could speak. He heard many voices in the background and furrowed his brows when he heard Jeol respond in a small voice.
"I'm in a meeting...A meeting with representatives of the Black Mamba Clan."
"WHAT?!"
Seneos jumped out of the catch and nearly dropped his phone in the process. He quickly secured it in his hands and blinked a few times.
"The black mamba clan? I'm pretty sure that's the name of one of Korea's top hunter's associations, right?" He asked her and heard her hum in response. Out of all the voices, he could hear in the background, he recognized Gumiho and gasped. What was Jeol doing with that creepy man?
Seneos wasn't exactly fond of the man who had left him feeling so uncomfortable. He was just too excited and friendly for someone with such an insidious smile. The problem must've come from the paranoia that Seneos had with powerful people. He just felt weird around them.
"That's right...I'm busy at the moment, so I'll tell you more after the meeting has ended. I received a notification though. There is a dungeon that opened nearby, a D-Rank battle type. So lots of enemies but it's just filled with goblins from what I heard. Those little green savages aren't that dangerous and there are already a lot of low-rank hunters on the case. You can go for...Well you know."
Jeol was surrounded so of course, she couldn't afford to say too much. However, Sen knew what she was talking about. She had been there when Vodka first explained his role as a Dungeon Overlord, so she wanted him to go in that dungeon and kill some goblins to later get them as his first soldiers.
As Sen pondered over this idea, he suddenly heard Gumiho who had taken the phone right from Jeol's hands.
"Hey, Seneos! How is the best friend of my new assistant doing?!" The man exclaimed, making Sen recoil because of how loud he was. Before the poor hunter could answer, the eccentric man spoke again.
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"Actually never mind that, I just wanted to tell you something. No need to go to that dungeon. There are so many hunters who already accepted the job, you'll only get scraps. There is another dungeon though, in Gangbuk. I'll send you the detail via my dear assistant's phone!" The excited man said, and Seneos couldn't help but freeze. ( Gangbuk is a district of the city of Seoul, located north of the city. )
"...That's right at the other side of Seoul...And why are you giving me that information ?" His paranoia came with full force as he questioned the officiate of the KHG who merely laughed.
"Bah! The other officiates are all showing favoritism towards their favorite hunters! Dear Jeol over here doesn't go to dungeons, despite being a hunter. So instead I'm going to show favoritism towards you!"
"Uh....Alright...Thanks." Was Seneos' response. He couldn't very well process what was going on, and he was given the opportunity to when Gumiho suddenly giggled and hung up.
'.....That guy is so damn shady! As if I'm going to trust him!' Seneos told himself as he shook his head. He wasn't going to openly show his feelings towards the officiate, so as to not antagonize someone so powerful, but he also wasn't going to trust anything the man said.
In the end, Seneos was left to wonder if he should go to that goblin dungeon or not, and was given help in his thinking as Vodka's voices suddenly reached his ears.
Meanwhile, at the KHG's Headquarters, Jeol multiplied the niceties and small jokes as she talked with the representatives of the Black Mamba Clan. The clans were often either made by powerful families of hunters, like noble families of old, or by groups of hunters who wanted to consolidate their power.
They were in a chaotic state during their first decade, but nowadays they were immensely powerful and few were the people or organizations who could go against them.
Jeol knew she couldn't afford to offend anyone in that room, but she also needed to build relationships. Those people could get her to new heights if she played her card right. She could've definitely gotten into their favor faster if she had used her charms, and given some of the lustful stares she received she knew it would work, but she wasn't the type to do that.
Her thirst for power stopped where her honor started.
Yet, there was someone else whom she needed to get closer to, her self-proclaimed mentor Gumiho. She tried to get him into the conversation, but his own phone started to ring. He received unimpressed stares from the representatives who weren't too happy with him, however, Jeol could see that they held no power over the man. He was doing whatever he wanted, outright ignoring them and leaving all the work to Jeol. He had been talking to them while she was on the phone, but now he was simply acting as if he was alone in that small room. She was lucky to have trained in preparation, knowing how dangerous the political world was due to her years of spying on her superiors.
He laughed, small bursts of excitement being his trademark apparently, and answered his phone. From the other side, she could hear the voice of the middle-aged man who had previously chastised Gumiho.
"Oh, what do you want C ?"
"I received news about a dungeon in our district. Apparently, it's a battle type filled with goblins and the staff members there.....They said that there is a high risk of a dungeon outbreak."
If Jeol had to describe the tone of the man, she would say all the work he was doing could be heard in that raspy voice of his. He was tired beyond belief. Perhaps it was physical exhaustion, perhaps he was just done with the world.
Jeol could swear she saw Gumiho's smile drop for a second, his eyes gaining a sharp glint, but it came back right after.
"My, C, what are you talking about?! Those are goblins! Small green little shits who can't make clothes or even actual weapons! They won't cause an outbreak. The staff members must have just been scared because of their number. Goblins reproduce like crazy after all. Just tell them to change the dungeon rank...And also, go to Gangbuk. There is an interesting dungeon there." Gumiho said, changing the topic of the conversation. However, the man named C wouldn't have it.
"I'm going to see what's all the fuss about the goblin dungeon. I'm not going to the other side of the city just because there is an 'interesting' dungeon there. Just sell the rights for it to a clan or whatever...."
The man hung up and Gumiho's smile once again faltered.
"Pheww.....Well, you were talking about the Non-Human pact I presume ?" He asked, his attention finally returning to the people sitting in the room. He pinched his nose as the smoke released by all the cigarettes that had been lit hit him.
Jeol heard him and wanted to correct him, however, someone spoke before her. It was the only person in the room who hadn't spoken yet.
"Absolutely not, you horrendous fox." Came the powerful voice of a woman who straightened herself in her seat as she met Gumiho's eyes.
"Ohhh....Well, let's talk about that then! I don't give a flying fuck about your boring talks of contracts.....Dear President of the Black Mambas~"
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I want to be Low-key
Raman, a successful police officer. A rising star who has solved many difficult cases. While solving a serial murder case he was shot to death. But whether his story ends or is it a new beginning. Check it out!
8 176My Hero Academia: Hollow Bones (MHA x Bleach)
A boy, ridden with pain and nightmares, figures out he has a Quirk after all. Though it comes with problems he does not know if he's ready for, namely a harsh, alternate personality. He'll just have to give it his best. Someone and something different enters the stage of heroes and villains, let's see how this turns out. (I write on fiction.live almost daily, for those that want to read along!) [https://fiction.live/stories/My-Hero-Academia-Hollow-Bones-MHA-x-Bleach-br-/75yNNew2QkBvw4e8M/home] Cover by Scott Ingram: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/103192496
8 283The Flame in the Forge (A Slice of Life Isekai LitRPG)
Thrown into a world he doesn’t recognise, Niall Vendra has to adapt, learn and fight to survive. Physically, emotionally, personally. If Niall wants to save his family, then the man he was needs to transform. Surrounded by Minotaurs, Fae and Magic, Niall will have to reinvent himself as both a warrior and an artisan. Growth won’t be fast and it won’t be easy, but with patience and hard work, Niall can earn the Skills, Abilities and Classes to battle his way to the top. The Flame In The Forge is a LitRPG Isekai/Portal fantasy. You should expect slice of life with conflict and an overarching mystery to be solved. Niall will be both a crafter (primarily, but not exclusively, as a blacksmith) and a fighter. There won’t be a harem. But don't worry, there will be both flames and forges! I should be clear that while this is very much LitRPG, it's story led and I have tried to make it feel believable. So, for example, the first blue box doesn't appear until chapter 6. I hope that the payoff is worth it. Compared to some LitRPGs you may find the pace rather gentle at times. There will be some periods where it feels like Niall is eking out every level and others when, for good reasons, he makes a significant leap. My goal though is to give you a satisfying story, so that dictates when and how Niall's stats and skills change. I can reassure you that I fully intend for Niall to become immensely powerful, but I want you to feel like he has earned every level in a realistic way.
8 178Thief of Time
[Participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] Book 1: The Legend of Tot Synopsis: Claud Primus, a self-declared master thief, has a simple goal. To live forever. It's a rather easy task, for miraculous objects called lifestones are able to extend one's lifespan. These lifestones are best found in the treasuries of nobles, lovely resorts that Claud pays a visit to every so often. Unfortunately, one of those nightly visits go awry, and Claud is forced to escape with just a single lifestone and a box in hand. Normally, that's when things die down. The guards yawn, the gates close, and the night continues. But this time, the night isn't that forgiving. A dozen schemes result in the murder of someone important, and with a convenient scapegoat — Claud — at hand, it doesn't take long for him to be framed as a heinous criminal, wanted for the indirect murder of someone high up...and it just gets worse from there. Book 2: The Moon Lords' Rise Synopsis: As ordered chaos sweeps across Licencia, Claud leaves for Julan Barony, intent on making some profits there. Accompanied by the erstwhile heiress of Julan, a fellow member of the Moon Lords, the two plot against the barony's wealth...as well as a promise to bring about its downfall. Meanwhile, back home, the Moon Lords have busied themselves with digesting their gains. Eyes, however, are beginning to turn to this proverbial fish in a small pond. The fishermen are coming. When they cast their hook, what will Dia and the others do? Book 3: Murders under the Moons Synopsis: In the sleepy town of Nachtville, where Claud and Lily are forced to stop at, a set of nasty murders occurs. Victims scream out in fright, before a spear falls from the sky to end their suffering. Cowed and cautious, the master thief and his partner slink in the shadows, their objective that of home... A new task, however, has fallen on Dia. With a trusty helper at her side, she has to set off towards Nachtville itself, to solve the mystery Claud had abandoned. Faced with an enemy whose sole skillset is geared towards killing, how will they succeed? And what dark secrets will they find? Book 4: In the Dark of the Moons Synopsis: The year has ended. The four months of the full moons will soon be followed by two months of the new moons. Duke Istrel's ascension is around the corner. Amidst this political upheaval, Count Nightfall, Licencia's strongest defender, has been called away. The Moon Lords' largest task yet — to protect Licencia in the absence of its ruler — has begun. And yet, trouble is unrelenting. A distinguished personage, one that Claud fears, has been found dead in the county, his brains dug out and his body disemboweled. The inquisitors of the White Church have been dispatched to investigate and apprehend the murderer...as well as the person behind this puppet. Tormented by a call to fight, Claud directs his eyes out of the city, looking for the puppetmaster. Skulking in the shadows, the master thief will soon confront his greatest foe yet. A foe just like him. Book 5: Moonlit Tides and Darkened Seas Synopsis: A new era has begun. For the privileged, the sands of time dribble away for every passing moment, counting down to the arrival of a entity of mythical proportions. The night now harbours shadows and fog, and operatives of the Moons and the Dark clash in shadow. Claud, as usual, is investigating a spate of nasty disappearances in the city, but little does he know what these disappearances truly mean. And yet, a tide is coming. When it finally breaks, what will he do? Book 6: Secrets in Shadow Synopsis: The person behind a strike that would enter the annals of history flees his home, bringing with him the person closest to his heart into a new land and into a new world. Having left Istrel for the first time in his life, the two of them attempt to settle down in foreign lands, only to be caught in the middle of hostilities between two mighty powers grappling for dominion. Yet, none of that has anything to do with him. Following his desires, Claud eventually makes his way to the fabled Celestia Ruins, a fragment of another world. Bearing witness to truths he cannot yet comprehend, he returns from his exploration, a small break away from the machinations of destiny. One thing, however, is for certain. Destiny will not wait for him. Book 7: Reddest Rage Synopsis: Destiny churns on, heedless of mortal machinations, and Claud watches as the battlegrounds between the Moons and the Dark are drawn up. With the forces of the great Dark occupying Lostfon, Claud comes to a startling realisation — that he may have very well be a murderer of heinous proportions. Grappling with that realisation, he struggles to prepare for his Second Tutorial... Back in Istrel, Dia finds herself confronted with a perennial truth. Even in a time of writhing destiny, the machinations between nobles never cease to end — and unfortunately for her, the group once known as the Moon Lords are forced into dealing with a petty squabble between two counts. What they didn't account for, however, was the startling discovery they would soon make... And the shadow of the Red God's Holy Son behind it all. Book 8: Darkness Descends Synopsis: Nightmares haunt the horizon as Claud sinks and awakens from a seeming dream. What was once illusory begins to play out before him, in a way he cannot imagine. Dia, forced to wield arms, begins and ends a battle that opens her eyes to the vast dangers that lurk in this sundered world. Under the banner of humanity and divinity, she beholds the silent, forgotten protectors of Orb...but there is no forgetting the battle between the divinities. The Dark descends, the Moons writhe, and the horns of war blow once more. But this is not their battle. Not yet. Book 9: Moons Muster Synopsis: As more and more events fall into place, Claud finds himself desperate. Not for himself, but for the person who has turned into his world. Armed with the knowledge of a certain future, he approaches the only person that could possibly help him in his time of need, trading information for a promise of help. With that as solace, he returns to the grim task of understanding and seeking, revisiting an ancient, shattered fragment of another world...unleashing changes that he never knew was possible. Back in Istrel, Dia and the others must now navigate around a familiar spirit, who seeks to investigate the death of his master's Bearer. With them as prime suspects, the Seekers of Life must move carefully...but the Coloured Gods are not the only divinities eyeing them closely. The Moons, bristling from repeated defeats, are looking for new recruits, and the Seekers of Life are prime cannon fodder. Above all, destiny marches on, the unfeeling clock a warning to all. The Trial of Aeons will soon arrive. Book 10: Destiny Divine Synopsis: ??? Release frequency: one every few days or something, I guess. (This work is also being serialised on Webnovel under the name Revile as a trial run)
8 678The Hivemind Project: A Super Progression Adventure
A Hivemind is born into the chance of a lifetime, a Hero is desperate to better herself, and a social worker is trying to keep a dysfunctional nursing home working. Stress is not enough to describe the life of the modern world but all three will try their best to achieve their goals, no matter how much blood they have to walk through. The path to success was never an innocent one. Book 1 has been fully written and is being published. One chapter every day of the week. Typography by Astria. Art by Zyfran
8 232The Four...
Four beings gathered, they would- ah, whatever, when you are powerful why should you care?
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