Core Fragment

Ethan was inside the F-Rank dungeon. Ethan was actually inside a cave. He already has an idea about the dungeon but still his heartbeat doesn't even look like it will calm down any second.

When he entered, the guard around dungeon confirmed with him if he is at right place. They even confirm from IT department of academy if there is any mistake or not.

It actually made him slightly nervous. Even though he had prepared himself it seems too early to go through this.

Ethan went ahead and comes out. He was standing in a valley. Other side of valley is closed and he can see a cave at the top of it. That indicates the boss monster lair. There were many caves form on the both sides of slopes. Ethan looked at the closest cave and move toward it. All caves are interconnected to each other. He can just enter one and make his way to boss cave.

Ethan enters the cave and looked around. It was actually spacious and ceiling was as high as ten meter. He was using his Art to hide his presence. He didn't learn it perfectly but it still is usable to some extent.

Ethan was moving inside but cave was getting darker and darker. He was able to see it but it won't be for too long. He halt on his steps and made a decision. It won't work if he went inside. The monster inside is Steel-tooth Wolves. This monster has amazing agility and stealth.

There are jaws are also strong. If they bite once, they can rip the arm of creature if they are on same level. Ethan wants avoid giving them any more advantage them they already have.

He took out a mana bomb and throws it inside with as much strength as possible. He had light stick that glow up the cave but he doesn't want to use them now.

Mana Bombs explodes and the power it gave shock the whole cave together. It power was at the peak of F-Rank. He is surprised himself even though it's not the first time for him to see.

He had left them in constant pressure over a large time. He had started with one and keeps its timing on his mind. He made it so that it will be verge of explode and put it inside his storage that stops the time of object. He just withdraws it and threw it over at the fixed time.

He is genuinely prayed for the one who gave him this storage space. He hopes that person will get laid in heaven…

Ethan starts running backward with light steps. Wolves will be coming out and he wants to drag them in light as much as possible.

Ethan turns around when he noticed that he was able to perceive everything fine by his eyes. Two pairs of red gems seem to be moving toward him with wary steps and a growl of wolf resounds in the cave. Two pair of wolves comes out and divides their way in a circular manner.

Both wolves stand in left flanks and right flanks respectively. Ethan can estimate that they are only at G-Rank. F-Rank monster must be in deeper part of cave. Ethan pulls prepare the gun and sword in his both hands.

Both wolves charged toward him from both flanks. Ethan pulls the gun and aimed at the left one. He aims at the legs of monster. He can't aim for vitals spots as wolf's beast instinct will force him to dodge so he go after limbs first.

Bang. Bang.

He fired two and hit around its front knee. It staggered and its speed lowers. Ethan backed off and prepared for other one.

Other wolf charges toward him but Ethan dodge it to his side and slash forward but it also dodges in same manner. Ethan aims the handgun at wolf but injured one makes his toward him. Ethan dodges it and attacks the previous one with his sword but it backs off again.

His danger sense warns him about the attack from behind and dodges it at right moment by jumping to his side and wolf slides on the ground by its own momentum.

Ethan aimed at his head and attacked it from the side. Bullets pierced through its brain from the side and it dies.

It would have dodge if it was in prepared but it is impossible for wolfs to dodge it otherwise. Only one wolf, it looks at Ethan and howl.

Ahoo…

Ethan stared at it somewhat expecting it. Wolfs are creature that lives and hunts in groups. Ethan didn't wait for too long for other wolves to come. He didn't attack the wolf because he knows it will only dodge and that will be a waste of resources…

Three wolves come with one of them being slightly bigger and have darker skin. It jaws also looked like made-up of metal spikes. Ethan gulped the air as he looked at it. It's the F-Rank monster he was waiting for all this! It's his first F-Rank Monster.

Ethan prepared with his gun and swords. If he throws the mana bombs know it will only end up with him it being missed. He need to wait for correct time when it won't be able to dodged it and died by only one of them. It should be possible as long as it explode it 1m range of it.

There are total four wolves standing in front of him. The F- Rank one was hiding behind the three of them who were growling at him like they can't wait to tear him apart but he had no intention to in the first place.

He dashes forward and three wolves in front also charges toward him. The F- Rank one seems to be standing behind and watch the fight but he knows that it is waiting for right moment to ambush him. So he is…

Ethan regularly dodges the wolf as they tried to bite off his limbs and head. He was dodging it barely and was giving plenty chances but F- Rank wolf doesn't seem to be buying it.

Ethan gritted his teeth and threw away the caution. He put the gun back into storage and withdraws a modified mana bomb. He dodged the wolf and instead of attacking it. He used it as a ladder to push himself up. He jumped and used his mana to strengthen his jump. He was so high that he was more than half to ceiling.

F- Rank wolf finally made his move and jump toward him while skipping some steps. Ethan threw the mana bomb over the wolf as it opens it mouth wide to attack him with his steel jaw. Mana Bomb reaches its mouth and explodes right inside his mouth. Its open mouth was blasted back with explosion.

Ethan wraps his arms around him as bomb explodes. He was also pushed back by the explosion but instead he use it as force to propel himself further up. His feet touch the roof and his knees bent outside. Ethan pushed himself back to ground with everything onto particular direction.

An unsuspected was standing there, looking around trying to find the human but suddenly his whole body pressed down and his head was cut off from his body. Ethan had hacked his head to death by using all the force he had accumulated above.

Ethan withdraws his gun and looked at remaining two wolves. It's only matter of time to kill the remaining wolves. Ethan kills them both and walks toward the F- Rank corpse. Ethan rips open his wound and gutted its chest. There was shining white shard glowing dimly with white light.

It's called Core Fragment. All monsters had a mana core inside their body. It actually continuously supplies mana to their body. Monsters don't control mana freely but their body is always augmented by it. This core does that job. It exists in all monsters but G-Rank monsters are too small and they vanished along with their life.

F-Rank or above monsters had their mana cores conc. slightly so when they dies. They left the core fragments in their body that can be sold for higher price than the body. They body and core fragments will total sells for 1000C in term of SP it will be 10SP. But sad part is… Mana bombs also cost the same amount.

G-Rank Mana Bomb and a whole corpse of F-Rank monsters amount the same. That is why Mana Bombs are efficient and should only be used in emergency. Ethan had been struggling with this problem quite a lot but thanks to him being a part of Class A. He was able to go by until now…

Ethan took the corpse and follows the path to cave of dungeon boss. Ethan already had a map for it. He had memorized it already and it wouldn't a trouble to navigate through these caves.

He stumbled into another group of one F- Rank wolf and five G- Rank wolf. He threw light sticks around to lighten up the cave. He was not too worried about the other wolves as they tend to not interfere with other caves.

Ethan fights head on with his gun and sword. He hit their limbs with his bullets and if he gets the chance, he uses his sword to give a heavy injury. Ethan had been getting experienced in dealing with wolves. Now he can predict their four-legged movement by his eyes and attack with sword or bullet precisely.

Ethan secretly withdraws a mana bombs and rolls in the certain direction. Wolfs attack him from two direction but and his sword slips through his hands due to one attacks and F- Rank wolf with its steel jaws charges toward him.

Boom…

In its mid-way, an explosion occurs on the ground, right below the F- Rank wolf's foot. Ethan smirked at the explosion and his face gets brightens up by the explosion. He leave himself open from a certain direction because he know steel jaw wolf will attack from that direction.

Whoosh.

A bloodied long mouth comes out from the explosion. Ethan hurriedly side steps as his vision in itself got slow down. It was moving toward him in slow motion so he was able to dodge it.

Wolf passes by him. Its and his eyes meet and Ethan slowly raised his arm with handgun and fires a bullet in his eyes. Its head got tilted and it feels down on the same.

Ethan hurriedly creates distance between from his previous place. It was too fast. If his recall didn't happen automatically then he would have died right away! There is a saying that there is nothing certain in this world. It can't be more right!

Ethan collects himself and took care of other wolfs. It didn't take long for him to deal with other G-Rank wolves. He collected the core essence and corpse. He starts exploring the cave further while killing all of them in its path. Ethan went more cautious and create more careful and precise planned to hit the wolf with concentrated explosion.

This way of fighting is fun. Ethan had made its way to the cave of the boss monster. He throws the light sticks in depth of the cave and move forward. He had been picking up the same light sticks and throwing it forward whenever he passes that area.

Ethan was closed to the caves of elite monsters… at the least he believes. Ethan put the sword back. He doesn't want to break his sword again. He switched the spatial bracelet on the other hand and prepares himself for upcoming battles. A Handgun and mana bombs… he can only rely on these two. Ethan also switch empty magazine around his wrist with filled ones. He is fully prepared now!

Ethan went deeper into his path and finally meet the multiple red eyes and teeth grinding… it actually sound more like a metal grinding, resounded inside the caves. Ethan resolves himself for upcoming battles.