Not A True Ally: Part I

Chapter 002:

You had entered a C-rank dungeon.

Clearing criteria:

Kill the Boss: Flying Blue Bat

Kill at least 90% of the monsters within the dungeon

This was the second time in a C-rank raid. My first was bad…

Ok, it was terrible. I barely managed to keep my head on my shoulders.

Normally, I wouldn't be qualified to enter a C-rank dungeon. But a lot of high-rank Assasins had been dispatched to an A-rank Golem Dungeon in Singapore.

They needed Assassins for their plan to down Blue Bat, so even an E-rank like me was recruited. Out of the 27 hunters, 10 of us were Assassins.

"There are five thousand monsters!" exclaimed one of the Healers.

"And with that annoying bat as the Boss, this is probably a C+ dungeon" replied a B-rank Assassin.

Each level of dungeon broke down into 4 difficulties: X-, Xo, X+, and X++.

An X++ is technically equivalent to the next level, but there were too few resources/mana to categorize as one. The level of a dungeon was determined by its Boss rank.

For a C-rank dungeon, the boss monster can't exceed B+. So a C++ dungeon might have a similar difficulty as a B- dungeon in terms of hunting, however, the Boss can't exceed a B+ rank.

"So we have to kill around 45 hundred monsters," added our party Leader. Jingmin Wei was one of the most skilled Assassins from the guild. Rumors had it that he killed over 200K monsters, an average of 300 monsters per dungeon. The global average was 75 monsters per dungeon. To simply put; he's a complete monster.

"So an average of 160+ monsters. But then again, some of us couldn't hunt as many as others. Either it's hard to hunt with their Class, like Healers. Or because they aren't skilled a hunter," Travis taunted. To this day, I still don't understand where Travis's animosity toward me comes from.

A few of the hunters snickered.

There was no point in saying "they" when the comment was directed toward me. Everyone in the guild probably knew who I am. The infamous Standstill Hunter.

I was a high F+ rank when I awoke as a Hunter. Since I didn't level up much, as a low E-rank hunter, I only raid with invoices in F and E-rank dungeons.

As a general protocol, hunters weren't allowed to join a dungeon of high rank than them. But no one really reinforced this, as more and more high-level dungeons spawned. The rate at which dungeons continue to appear was way faster than the rate at which hunter is awakened.

The look of contempt was shown on nearly everyone's face. It wasn't my fault that I was put into this raid; as one of the lower rank hunters in the guild, your opinion didn't necessarily matter.

"Sss… [Humans... kill the humans]"

"Ssss…[ Kill these monsters]"

The hissing sound came from the dark cave in front of us. It took a while to learn to ignore the monster's tongue. It was too creepy to know that I understand them. To learn of their hatred toward humans. They called us monsters and we called them monsters. So which one of us is the real monster?

Since this dungeon had a cave theme, there were fewer natural spawn torches. There was a tiny torch in every 10 meters or so.

Kannika, a B-rank Magician from Thailand summoned a firefly for each of the hunters. Firefly, a Blessed Skill that allowed hunters to summon a mana-infused firefly as the source of light. Although it was normally not needed, it is useful for cave dungeons. Each firefly hovering in front of a hunter, enough to light the area in front and not blinded any hunter's sight.

With a better source of lighting, we were finally able to see the group of snakes slithering on the ground.

"They are wounded," I muttered but it seemed like everyone was ignoring me.

"Ssss, ssss [humans... food. finally, find food]"

Most of the snakes were covered in wounds, some with part of their tail missing. Sharp razor-like marks were found all over their body. In the natural ecosystem, snakes are the predator of bats. Since the Boss was the strongest monster in the dungeon, these snakes should appear at least midway through the dungeon. They shouldn't be on the lowest of the food chain. Something wasn't right.

"Get ready into position, Tankers line up!" Jingmin commanded.

"Range hunters fire!"

Mana-powered arrows flew over our heads. While Magician shot condensed mana toward the snakes. Sounds of explosions echoed through the hall.

The snakes collided with our Tankers.

"All Dealers gets into position!"

With that, the fight began.

Assassin Sprint B+ has been activated.

Your speed has increased by 150%.

You do not meet the requirement to use the full extent of your skill.

Your speed has increased by 10.5% for the next 30 seconds.

Assassin Sprint is a unique branch of Sprint, allowing Assassin to fully conceal their presence when they are at their optimal speed.

This optimal speed occurs at the last half of the Skill duration before the cooldown. If I were a normal hunter and can use the full extent of my skills, I would be able to maintain complete invisibility for the last 15 seconds.

Sprint duration normally lasted from 3 to 10 seconds. The longest duration of this Skill was tied between two hunters. Me and of one of the Ten. Except nobody knew about this, especially when my speed increased by 10 damn percent!

I rushed toward the nearest snake to my right. My firefly leading the way.

Seven percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

I slashed the nearest snake, but it didn't do that much damage. I tried to attack different areas of its head but there was no avail

The snake opened its mouth, aiming at my head. With my current speed, I managed to dodge but not without a would. Its teeth gashed my left should, leaving a sting sensation.

You have been healed.

You have been buffed for the next 5 minutes. All skills have increased by 100%

Your speed has increased by 21%.

I headed toward the snake once again, this time slightly faster and slightly stronger.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

I slashed the snake twice, before evading. Then headed toward it gain.

"sss...[died human]"

"sss.... [I will eat you]"

Assassin Sprint is now cool down. 15 minutes before you can reactivate.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

You have been healed.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

14 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

You have been healed.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

.

.

.

.

.

7 percent of your damage prowess is being applied.

You killed a cave snake.

250 XP has been dropped.

2 Karma has been added. You do not meet the requirement to accept Karma.

With your skill, Empathy for the Dead, 18 XP is added to your advancement.

"Thank you." I turned toward Kannika, the buff was extremely helpful.

"Hm," she nodded in acknowledgment.

"Thank you" I muttered toward Dac Kien.

"You are welcome," he responded with a smile.

Healers are a completely different species. I probably got healed more times than the rest of the hunters combined, yet he didn't mention anything.

I have always been a burden to Healers with my slow speed. Many, who aren't familiar with me, thought that I didn't have Sprint.

"Let's go! 83 snakes!"

Clearing criteria:

Kill the Boss: Flying Blue Bat - Incomplete

Kill 90% of 5017 monsters. 83/4616 - Incomplete

"Let's move forward. And watch where you stepping, there might be potential snake dens," Jingmin warned.

We met with two more waves of snakes. Like the first, all these snakes were wounded. Maybe even more injured than the first group as I managed to kill 3 and 2 snakes in the second and third wave respectively.

During the fights, the snakes kept hissing about their wounds and hunger. Will there be a secondary boss? The one hurting the snakes?

Clearing criteria:

Kill the Boss: Flying Blue Bat - Incomplete

Kill 90% of 5017 monsters. 362/4616 - Incomplete

"I can sense the presence of monsters to the right," said Travis, a C- combat Detector. He was a Swordman, but due to the rarity of Blessed Skilled: Detective, we created a special title for those who acquired this Skill.

Travis headed toward the location where he sensed the presence, as I was the closest I headed right behind him.

As soon as he got two meters to the wall, the ground beneath and in front of him fell.

It happened in a flash. A moment I was standing right behind him, at the edge of the falling surface, and the next I was pulled toward. Falling down with the ground.

My head was blank. I watched as a chuck of the rock hit my firefly, killing it. Ah… Kannika's mana was being deducted. How much does each of these fireflies cost her?

I hit the ground hard, or should I say piles of rock. The hissing sound of pain was heard in the darkness, mixing with my whimper. All their voices combines into one, I couldn't comprehend their words even with Linguist. It looked like I fall on a pile of snakes at the bottom of the pit.

Ding. You have been betrayed.

This was the second time this notification had popped up. The first happened during the testing for joining the Mercenary Guild 3 years ago. A group of invoices raiding an F-rank dungeon together, based on survival and hunting skills will determine if they can be part of the guild. At that time an Archer had used me as a meatshield.

So this was calculated, Travis wasn't panicking and accidentally grabbed me. He had used me as leverage to push himself toward the safe zone.

You can use 70% of your Skills for the rest of the raid.