53 Chapter 51: A-rank Quest For D-ranks?! (1/2)
[ Death ] [ Violence and gore warning ]
.....
”D-rank!?” Ivery couldn't believe her eyes
”Tsk..” Luther looked at his adventurer's license with disappointment
”All adventurer's start off with D-rank adventurer licenses, if you complete high-level quests and bring back high-grade materials, you can get an upgraded adventurer rank.” Danya explained
”Oh...” Ivery sighed
”Well...how about we take on our first quest then.” Ivery looked at the two of them with a determined expression
”The quest-commission board is over there, once you see a quest you'd like to take, you take the commission paper off of the board.” Danya pointed at the giant board full of papers
Ivery walked over to the quest-commission board and slipped herself in between the crowding adventurers.
Ivery looked over the board and saw one quest-commission in particular that caught her attention.
She tore it off of the board and squeezed herself out of the crowd.
”We're doing this one.” Ivery held up the paper in front of them
”An A-Rank abyss quest?! Defeat the giant abysmal knights?” Danya went pale as she took the paper from Ivery's hands
”It seems like a fairly easy quest.” Ivery said
”F-Fairly easy?” Danya couldn't believe what Ivery was saying
”Do you know what the abysmal knights are!?” Danya shouted
”Not exactly..” Ivery shook her head
”They're the dark temple guardians, they guard an ancient demon lords weapon in the abyss, it's said to be called 'The Black Reaper'.” Danya explained
”Every adventurer that has tried to defeat the dark temple guardians, never came back...whether they're dead or alive...the abyss is a terrifying place to go for anything..that's why the abyss quests remain untouched..” Danya said
”Hey! You!” A deep voice shouted out
Ivery and Danya turned their heads and saw a tall red-haired man in bulky orange-tinted iron armor, standing behind them.
”I saw that you took the dark temple guardians quest, I was going to take that quest after I replenished my potions and repaired my armor.” The man said
”Well, now we're taking it since you didn't.” Ivery told him with a slight smirk
”How bold you are! May I see your adventurer ranks?” A bulging vein appeared on his forehead
”Why?” Luther narrowed his eyes
”Since you think you can defeat the dark temple guardians, you must be high ranking adventurers.” The man faked a smile
”I don't see how it's any of your concern regarding our ranks.” Ivery crossed her arms and coldly glared at him
”Alright then, how about we form a squad to take on the dark temple guardians together, my squad and yours.” The man offered
”We don't need help.” Ivery refused
”Reap the benefits fairly? Then that would mean that if we share this quest then my squad has to share the rewards and that makes it less for us to cash in when we'll be doing all of the work.” Ivery said
”The guardians aren't easy monsters, it's best not to get too cocky, not even a thousand soldiers can hope to make it out alive and unscathed, let alone just the three of you can't possibly hope to take on the guardians.” The man was losing his patience
”Then what makes you think your squad will offer much if it'll take that many people to hope to defeat the guardians?” Ivery asked
”....” The man ground his teeth together
”Ivery, just let his squad come with us...it'll be better for us...because he's right, the temple guardians aren't monsters to take lightly.” Danya whispered to Ivery
”.....” Ivery sighed
”Fine, your squad can share the quest with us..” Ivery said
”Good choice.” The man grinned
”But.”
”The squad that makes the kills get most of the rewards.” Ivery smiled
”Sounds fair enough.” The man smirked, obviously feeling confident
...
Ivery, Luther, and Danya waited beside the abyss portal, waiting for that man and his squad to arrive.
”I think that's them.” Danya pointed
Ivery turned her head and saw the man and three others walking towards them.
”So you're here after all.” The red-haired man stood in front of them
”What is that supposed to mean?” Ivery asked
”Don't get so defensive, most people tend to back out once the time arrives to do the quest.” The man answered
”Well, we're here...” Danya said
”Where's your armor?” A dark blue-haired woman carrying a staff, wearing turquoise tinted armor, asked them with a sneer
”We're already wearing armor.” Danya told her
”I surely can't see it.” A young short brown-haired man carrying dual swords, wearing black armor snickered
”Oh? I'll make sure you won't be able to see anything if you keep running those mouths of yours.” Luther grinned
”Now now, we're not here to joke around.” The man interrupted
”Since we're going to be working together, I think it's best to learn each other's names.” The man said
”I'm Harrisen.” The red-haired man told them
”Fenila.” The dark blue-haired woman said her name
”Ternold.” The young brown-haired man said
”Ernis.” A white-haired woman carrying a giant spiked iron hammer, wearing slightly revealing purple-tinted armor said
”I'm Danya.” Danya introduced herself
”Ivery...” Ivery didn't know if she even wanted to go through with fighting alongside these people, they all gave off a bad vibe
”....” Luther didn't say anything
”Sir...how about you?” Harrisen said
”You'll be fine not knowing.” Luther's cold words felt like a winter breeze
”A..Alright then..” Harrisen wasn't going to pressure him..he wasn't interested in knowing these people personally...his only objective was to kill the dark temple guardians
”Let's stop wasting time talking and go.” Luther turned around and entered the portal with no hesitation
Ivery and Danya entered the portal after him.
Harrisen's squad all took deep breaths and entered the portal.
....
Ivery looked around.
Under their feet were bones, human bones. The sky was pure black and the atmosphere was so foggy that she could barely see 2 feet in front of her.
It was dark but they were still able to at least see each other..
The oxygen was very thin, just being in the abyss was dangerous alone.
They had just arrived and it was already getting harder to breathe every minute.
”Ivery....why'd you have to go and take this quest..?” Danya hid behind Ivery
”The rewards for completion are a lot.” Ivery said
”Don't get scared now, it's too late to turn back.” Harrisen said to Danya
”I'm not scared...” Danya stepped away from Ivery
”Then let's go!” Ternold started walking
”I don't think you should aimlessly walk off in this place without being able to see your surroundings...” Ivery spoke to Ternold
”What? We can't just stand here and do nothing.” Ternold looked annoyed
”Do you think you can find the dark temple just by walking around? I'm assuming the abyss is a vast place.” Ivery raised an eyebrow
”We have a greater chance of finding it if we walk around, don't get in our way.” Ernis told Ivery
”Let them go, we didn't want to do this quest with them anyway.” Luther told Ivery
”You're right.” Ivery nodded
Harrisen's team slowly walked further into the abyss.
....
”But still, how are we going to find the dark temple in such a dark place?” Danya asked
”Hm..” Ivery thought about it
”Lutris...call Erebus..” Ivery looked at Luther
”Alright?” Luther wondered why she wanted Erebus to be summoned
”Erebus.” Luther said out
”What is it?” Erebus appeared beside Luther
”A-Another talking cat?!” Danya couldn't believe it
”Why are you guys in the abyss?” Erebus looked around and recognized his surroundings
”Do you know your way around?” Ivery asked
”I do, I've been here one too many times.” Erebus said
”How about the dark temple? Do you know where it is?” Luther asked him
”Oh, that place with the guardians? I know where that is...but it's a little far from here though.” Erebus's night vision activated
”Can you take us there?” Danya asked him
”Sure.” Erebus nodded
..
”Ghouls!”
Ivery, Luther, and Danya turned their heads at the sound of Harrisen's voice.
Emerging from the darkness, crowds of ghouls surrounded them all.
”Ghouls, corpses that were reanimated by the vengeful souls that died here in the abyss.” Erebus said
”I guess that means I have a reason to put this thing to use.” Luther held out his hand and a dark mist swirled around his arms and to his hand
The mist transformed into a katana sheath. Luther pulled the katana out of the sheath and a long black katana with a golden handle slid out of it.
The katana dripped with a blood-red liquid although it hadn't made contact with anything yet.
”Then I finally get to try out the 'mountain cutting fan'.” In Ivery's right hand a light blue folding fan with a golden monture materialized
Ivery flicked the fan open and she saw that beautiful cherry blossoms were painted onto it and painted behind the cherry blossoms was snowy mountains.
As the ghouls walked closer to them, Luther swung his sword in a horizontal motion.
A purple light spiraled through the air and in an instant, the heads of several approaching ghouls were sliced clean off.
”It's decent.” Luther looked at the katana, not all that impressed with it
”Decent?” Danya's eyes stretched wide...
He just took out almost thirty ghouls at once with the katana...and that was considered 'decent' to him?!
The moment Ivery waved her fan, a powerful wind gathered all of the ghouls and blew all of the ghouls around them upwards.
As the ghouls soared in the air, Ivery waved her fan once more and their bodies were cut into several chunks.
Harrisen's group were shocked as they saw chunks of ghoul parts raining down from the sky.
”This fan is quite impressive..” Ivery smiled
”Quite impressive...?” Danya couldn't believe her ears...
Who were these people!?
..
”Now that we're done with that, Erebus can you lead the way?” Ivery asked
”Of course..but just so you don't lose me..” A large cloud of black mist surrounded the area
A tall handsome man with long black hair stood in front of them, dressed in a long black silk robe made out of an odd texture. His eyes were a mix of green and violet,
He gave off a wicked aura.
”So that's your human form?” Luther looked at Erebus
”Correction, this is my god form...I wasn't and have never been human.” Erebus smiled
”Oh right, you're a fallen god.” Luther smirked
”Hm...I feel like you're making fun of me in your head...” Erebus narrowed his eyes at Luther
”Hurry up and take us there, it's getting harder to breathe here.” Luther ordered
”Right..” Erebus started walking
...
”Where did this man come from...?” Danya whispered to Ivery
”He's the cat.” Ivery smiled
”Huh!?” Danya didn't understand
”Let's go.” Ivery grabbed Danya's hand
Ivery, Danya, and Luther followed Erebus
..
”Where are they going?” Fenila asked
”I'm not sure..but we should follow them just in case they know where to go...we need to kill the temple guardian's first..or else, they'll get all of the rewards.” Harrisen told his squad
Harrisen and his squad followed Ivery's.
..