In E rank arcane anomaly 'Wolf's den.'
Group of thirty hunters navigating path in dark maze of tunnels.They were clearing this gate for past five days and now finally facing boss monster.
"Get ready we are going in boss room. Boss is large werewolf with berserker build so remain high alert. Scouts did you marked our exist route? Activation time for restoration cycle is very short in this gate so we need to be quick on feet." Their captain Erik shouting orders in loud voice. He was tall, broad shoulder man.
Other members seems to used to it also they already all monsters in gate only boss is left.
Restoration cycle, it is period at which became temporary close. After killing all monsters and boss gate close within in specific time and open again after replenishing and restoring all monsters and traps.
Anomalies do it because after hunters kill all monsters and destroy hidden trap origin code became extremely vulnerable. Hunters generally had low chances of finding them because all these obstacles but without them all hunter had to flatten the gate and he will find origin code eventually.
"Boss, what will happen to someone if they didn't make it before gate closing?" A new member asked.
"I don't know as people struck just never make out to share anything. Now stop questioning and help others mutt head."
Captain speaks in disdainful tone and check last time all corpses and material their party collect.
Now no one was chattering as they entering boss room.
They are welcome with horrible sight of large werewolf with all his limbs twisted to unnatural degree. Blood was everywhere in room and boss monster's dead body lying in middle of this grosteque scenary with fearful expressions.
Captain face became pale, it was not just him but whole party were trembling in fear.
"From corpse condition and blood mark he must died approximate 7-8 hours." Vice captain speak hesitantly.
"All run towards exit now. Throw corpses and all things. Just run !!" Captain shouts in extremely scared tone.
Reason for such reaction was in nine hours after killing the boss this gate close and according his vice captain 7 to 8 hours already passed.
'Ha!!'
All of panting now and barely make to exit but was already nowhere to seen.
'Aahhhh!!!!!!'
"Fuck!! What wrong I did God??" Captain completely lose his mind and shout continuously while his teammates all crying and trembling in fear.
Five days ago
Lawrence in central region of city. A week pass since his awakening.
He was sitting in lobby of hunter headquarter. It was 24 story fancy building mainly for showoff and lodging foreign hunters who visit city.
Atlantis may use hunters as cannon fodders for their gate farming but not all cities and nations like them so lodging mainly for serving those independent hunters.
Despite being building was mostly for lodging but it also provides various services all hunters as long they pay the price and one of which Lawrence looking for today is teleportation directly to arcane gates.
Because there are various cases of hunters being sucked into nearby different gates. So teleporting directly to near specific gate is more convenient rather than using vehicles and throw into some random anomaly. Moreover as he was newbie, Lawrence is more vulnerable to it.
He may have high stats and master level other skills but main skills were still at level one. Moreover his support class can't help him if got unlucky and suck in C or B rank gate as D rank one still manageable for him.
Lawrence sitting here for last twenty minutes now stood up.
He goes to receptionist and do inquiry as it almost schedule timing provided to him. Then he and dozen of other hunters guided by staff to separate large floor.
At end of floor was three gigantic teleportars creating ripples of mana.
There are more than hundred of hunters waiting for their turns. Each One of teleportar transfer them to close to cluster of different anomalies. It is because theses teleportars are extremely expensive and hard maintenance that's why city has only ten teleportars.
Lawrence step in teleportar 'Alpha-4' and before he grasp it, he was greeted by barren land scorching sun.
In second he was teleported but his mind was still hazy and feeling nausea taking over him.
"Effect of using teleportar first time is literally severe than teacher warn me." He speaks after overcoming nauseaous feeling.
After regaining his composure and checking all his gears he walks towards clearance post.
While most of land here is barren without any large structures but various medium and small scale guild building and independent stores can seen time to time. He is well aware structures around here as in game he used to spend large amount grinding in gates.
'These shop are most of scams so let heads directly to gates.' He thought.
All F rank gates taken by government for continuously farming of monster cores and other materials as lowest rank gates they have low difficulty, easy clearing methods and particularly short restoration cycle.
So left for him was E rank gates.
Lawrence had towards gate named 'wolf's den.' He short listed this gate after long discussion with his both mentors as clearing method was killing the boss monster. He personally wants to challenge gates with mazes, solving mysteries as these clearing methods are useful for fast level up but both Andrew and Michael was against it because he then don't get chance to test all skills they teach him.
Now goes near the gate and show his hunter card to guard. Gate was large circle with dozens of meters in diameter suspended freely in sky. It was continuously changing colours and distorting space surrounding it.
As goes near gate itself he see over thirty people present their. As try to enter the gate, his path a tall, muscular man.
(Erik's POV)
"Did you check all supplies? Expedition take a week so I don't want any mistake." Erik shouts to his teammates.
As all his teammates checking weapons and supplies he look at young man approaching towards them.
Young man was wearing grey suit with black overcoat. Even he a fool in fashion can guess those clothes were custom tailored and highly expensive. In city if he see such person then it doesn't pique his interest much but here were all people are brutes, barbaric forget about fashion let alone basic clothing sometimes a rare sight.
He first thought man is high ranking officer but as he still walking towards them Erik sense his aura and daggers, hand guns under the overcoat.
"He is definitely a foreign hunter coming steal our gate." He spoke or rather shout.
He block the man's path trying to intimidate with twisted expression on his face but before Erik could say or do anything.
'Shhhh!'
A metallic blade touching his neck , he turn and look at blade it was cane man carrying just second ago and before he could process this Erik was come out of reverie with chilling voice.
"Move from my path low life. I had no time fuckers like you." Lawrence curse Erik and move forward.
"What do you call me now??" He roar like wild boar.
Erik was senior hunter with almost twenty years working in this field. Even if most of people don't like him much but still they show him basic respect and courtesy.
But this outsider not just causing trouble for him also swearing and looking down on him.
"Much better now! I need to deal with bunch of deaf people also. What retard you are meathead?" Lawrence speak sarcastically.
He try fight with Lawrence but stop by his vice captain.
"Boss guard is watching us. If you fight here then we get fine for sure." Vice captain warn him.
(Lawrence's POV)
'What a big fool he is! I bet he thinking of dealing with me in gate." He thought.
As he step inside the gate his mind feels quite numb and experience little headache. But his attention caught by a familiar strange voice.
[ For first time entering an arcane gate you gain EXP. ]
[ For first time entering E rank arcane gate you gain EXP. ]
He check the notifications and start to explore the gate. As name of gate it was labyrinth of underground tunnels and channels connecting all over place.
Lawrence already take different path than standard one as team also want to clear this gate for either guids or government who give them strict quota. He didn't like the tall guy but he also not want make things difficult for rest of people.
Tunnels were so much dark to see or navigate but after some distance there are small glowing crystals in all over tunnel. They quite helpful still he had depends on other senses more as crystal's light is only enough for looking roughly more than meter or two ahead.
There are footprint, feces of wolf's all over tunnel.
In darkness Lawrence see two frenzy eyes look at him. Then he heard system's voice in his head.
[ You encounter a regular wolf. ]
Status
Name : Regular wolf
Title : None
Level : 3
Race : Canis Lupus
Physique : None
Bloodline : None
Stats
Strength : 31
Endurance : 33
Agility : 35
Intelligence : 33
Vitality : 34
Mana : 29
Skills :
Precise vision (D), Sharpest claws (E), Berserk (E).
Lawrence glance at wolf's status and put his cane in inventory then take out a proper sword.
Wolf who was complete accessing him now lunge forward.
'Clang!!!'
His blade already pass through wolf's heart. It all happened in mere seconds as wolf was never match him as sheer gap between their stats so large.
"I would learn more other skills if I know they give much stats." He sighed and store the corpse in inventory.
Hunters here don't know about inventory. Most likely as Christian mentioned him awakener also hide it like rest of things and silence who finds about them. He was aware it because of game's mechanics or he needs carry to corpse on his back.
'Slash!!!' 'Bang!!!'
Tunnels echo with noise of sword and gunshots. He didn't even give wolf's time to react or cry in agony as they die in one or two slash.
Lawrence encounter only regular and elites wolfs and kill total 30 monsters in last six hours.
"System show me how much exp needs for level up." He asked as storing bodies in inventory.
[ 465(+15)/1000 ]
"So I get 10 exp from regular one and 15 from elites. Still same slow leveling up!" He spoke in sarcasm.
He only store elite wolf's corpses now and hastily move on to next tunnel as he was encountering less wolfs fromlast one hour so going nearby of boss room is best option. Because near the boss room there always a big pack of three to four hundred wolfs always guarding the room.
"What happening here?" He question in confusion as roughly only half of pack members was there. Then as bell ring in his head and decide to check party who came after him.
Medium size party like them move with slow pace and they must hunting not so distant from entrance.
Lawrence easily reach them in twenty minutes without sweat as his current stats match to level twenty hunter. As he spy on them from some distance he see that whole part of tunnel litter with pile of corpses. Also Lawrence glazes fix on marks of explosives on broken wall.
"Fools! They are thirty people still don't even one have courage to face me so stealing all my kills and here I am thinking about them."
His face turns cold as he speak. While he was not most kindest or innocent soul out there but Andrew teaches being polite and thoughtful enough to others so he can maintain atleast his few shreds of sanity.
As in Erik's case, he got gist of his character from earlier guard's warning him about party's captain being short tempered, cocky and expressions on his face not tell any different story as meet face to face.
While he respects his mentor's teaching and try to apply them. But he also don't like wasting time and energy on an idiots like Erik.
That's why he not give any face from start.
By witnessing all his precious exp being taken by those scoundrel for few moments silently then he speaks.
"Since you guys like to creating trouble for others so much then let me give you some and that will really big ones." He complete the sentence with large devious smile.