Chapter 433 - Don't Make Him Angry (Patreon)

Croix’s crew faced a field filled with fissures and felled foes.

“We are too late,” Ciel knelt down and checked the ground. “Whoever fought here is long gone.”

Earlier, the group saw the two signals of a disqualification shooting up to the sky. Since it was relatively close, they decided to take a look.

“Master, do you think this is the work of a Rank 4?” Boram asked.

“Highly likely according to the degree of destruction,” Viers replied while looking at some red blood near his feet.

“Be on your guard everyone,” Croix said. “The closer we get to their main nest, the more perilous it will get.”

The other three agreed, not that they needed reminding. Viers sneaked a glance at their observer, Priest Breiz. He was more on guard than usual.

“Let’s move on,” Croix walked in front. “Ah…”

Another white firework was going up far away just now and it was near the swarm of bronze. Croix’s party was so far that they weren't affected.

“I bet it’s really chaotic in that direction,” Ciel smiled.

Viers agreed wholeheartedly. Such a showy display definitely attracted the attention of the monsters and contestants alike.

Croix’s red dragon snorted, exhaling a bit of fire in a certain direction.

“Falmerion senses another Power Spot that way,” Croix said.

“It’s good that Falmerion's nose is sharp,” Boram smiled.

The 93 groups started at the periphery of the Biome. To get more scores they had to seek and destroy the pests. The deeper they went into the Biome, the stronger and more numerous the pests were. However, like typical monster behavior, the roaches naturally congregated at the Power Spots, just like animals were drawn to the watering holes. Most groups didn't make a beeline towards the center but worked progressively and tackled these Power Spots along their way, as did Croix’s group. Those with greater investigative means had smoother progress.

Falmerion flapped his wings and took to the air. The red dragon preferred to fly than walk.

It would also give away the team’s position but it is what it is.

When they got to the Power Spot, there were already burning roaches scurrying about, the red dragon began early. As a pureblooded dragon, Falmerion was mighty. He belonged at the apex of the species. His scales were almost impenetrable; other monsters in the same Rank wouldn't be able to hurt him. Unless he was up against something at a higher power level, Falmerion had nothing to fear.

Only the Deva-class monsters and other special beings could match a pureblood dragon in a straight-up combat.

As he grew, the juvenile dragon became more and more confident. His flames, hotter.

With Falmerion raining fire from above, Croix group cleaned up the Power Spot with ease. There was a bit of burning here and there but the site was relatively intact.

After harvesting the Power Spot’s benefits and sharing it four ways, the group had a dilemma about how to proceed. There were two Power Spots on their path. After some discussion, they decided to split up. Croix and Ciel took one while Avel and Boram took the other. Avel’s group would waste the score of their kills but the benefit from the water-earth Power Spot that looked like a muddy marsh was more than worth it for the master-disciple pair.

Ciel went with Croix because she was the ‘strongest’, Level 4. Which perhaps wasn't untrue. She possessed a Divine Weapon after all. Viers saw no need to challenge that claim. The observer Breiz however objected because he had to stay with the team leader in case the group separated. It wasn't against the rules, but he was concerned for Avel and Boram’s well-being since he couldn't be around when something happened.

Avel and Boram assured the well-meant priest it was fine. Since Croix gave no objection, the group split up.

Just as planned, the master-disciple duo exterminated the pests polluting the Power Spot.

Just as planned times two, the fish had taken the bait.

“Boram!”

“I know!”

The two defend themselves against the sudden barrage of Arte projectiles. Viers and Boram were unharmed, but during the barrage, a shadow slipped in from behind and placed a sword at Viers’ neck.

“Master!”

Boram shouted, but Viers was not moving nor showing agitation.

“...This could have been quick and painless, but they chose the hard way, boys. The hard way it is,” someone spoke and showed himself along with three others. Counting the one behind Viers, a full group.

“Move a muscle, and I’ll slit your throat,” a guy whispered to Viers’ ear.

“Now then,” the leader of the opposition said confidently. “Thank you for making such a stupid decision and splitting up. With the dragon and the Level 4 Lady Valentine, the victory is slim at best. But you two, khukhukhu… Especially you, yes you. Avel was it? You should have used your head like you did during the Ball… Or did what little brain you had fell off from your ear at that time? Ahahahah!

Viers designated the youth as Trash Noble F in his mind. The guy didn't seem to realize Boram was filled with greater fury with each word coming out of his mouth. The disciple made a dent in the ground from his kick. When the sound reached everyone’s ears, Boram was already swinging down his hammer with all of his might. A big shadow of a giant slightly resembling Boram was floating behind his back, mimicking Boram’s exact posture. The expression on his face was as intense as the Niō statues. Trash Noble F and the other two on his side didn't even react.

A sound like a meteorite crushing a skyscraper spread through the air and earth.

“...Eh?”

Trash Noble F was unharmed, only battered by the Arte glow and dust wind. His brain was still catching up with the events. A man was blocking Boram’s hammerstrike. It was the other team’s observer from the Church.

“Elod Brixton, you are disqualified,” the priest said. “Since the leader has fallen, the whole group is also retiring. Proceed through the exit.”

“Wha-!? Wait a second, there’s no way that I’ll get defeated by this filthy slave dog-”

“SILENCE!!”

A portal appeared and the priest shoved Trash Noble F through it, but not before he grabbed the badge he was wearing. He did it with one hand. The hand that he used for blocking Boram didn't move a muscle.

“Misjudgement! Incompetent! My father will hear about this!”

Trash Noble F let out those words before he passed through the exit.

“Gwaaaahh!!”

A scream brought everyone’s attention to the source. It was the man with the sword at Viers’ neck. The sword had fallen from his hand because that hand looked like a mummy. Shriveled to the shoulder. The pain must be extraordinary.

“You- You!” The guy looked at Viers while holding his arm.

“Hmph!”

The observer opened his Imaginary Domain. They suddenly found themselves at a mountaintop, clouds as far as they could see.

A second later, the Domain was no more and the scenery returned to normal, but the shock value remained.

“That was not necessary,” the observer said to Viers.

“My apologies, automatic response… It’s just so dangerous to be near me when you’re an enemy,” Viers said without an inch of remorse.

Arte - Dehydration.

Viers removed the water from the man’s arm and turned it into a husk. If he was serious, he could have applied the Arte to the entire body.

At Level 3 peak, using Unreality Field during battle was just common sense and didn’t need mentioning, like wearing footwear when going out. It wasn't the guy being careless, Viers’ strength was simply overwhelming.

The two beside Trash Noble F, the unharmed ones, standing so close to the humongous aura of Boram, started to realize how outclassed they were and the prey and hunter roles were actually reversed.

“Oi,” Boram said to them. “Those who insult my Master will answer to me. Tell that to your leader. This time… he got lucky.”

The warning was a stake driven through the heart. No longer capable of mustering any fighting spirit, the three obediently walked out of the Biome through the portal.

The observer then shot four signals to the sky and gave Viers the badge.

“Good fortune in the tournament.”

“Thank you,” Viers took the badge and gave him a small bottle, one of Clarissa’s potions. Very effective.

“For the fractures. Good day, Mr. Priest,” Viers left after a slight bow.

“I’m sorry for hitting you so hard,” Boram similarly bowed and apologized to the priest. He wasn't who Boram wanted to smack.

Naturally, the priest's intervention was the right call. If he had not intervened Trash Noble F’s brain would be splattered on the ground by now.

Seeing the two who went back to seeking epiphany on the Power Spot, the observer sighed. A sigh like someone arrived at home after a hard day's work. He had been a Level 4 for more than ten years and the fifteen-year-old Level 3 had just fractured his arm.

And there were many stronger than him roaming about.

His colleagues would have their hands full and his sympathies went with them. For him though, he had an arm injury to tend to.

***

“Submit.”

A young man said emotionlessly to the woman he was currently choking. The young woman’s feet were not touching the ground.

“I… refuse…” She said with some difficulty.

“This is not a request but an establishment of fact. Your opinion is inconsequential.”

The man in high-class attire released his grip and the young woman collapsed on the ground. A magical mark resembling a chain collar appeared on her neck.

“Irene!” Another woman a few years older came to her aid. She was her teammate. She too had the collar mark on her neck.

The two girls were tossed into a round cage along with their two other team members. All four had suffered damage from battle. They were low in health and stamina.

There was another cage nearby. This was also filled with four people from other teams. The cage was connected to a giant, fearsome snake.

“Irene, are you okay?”

“I’ll be… The others?”

“Bruce and Norman’s wounds are deep but not life-threatening.”

“I see…” Irene sighed for the silver lining. She wondered why the guy hadn't taken their team’s badge yet and captured them instead.

If Viers were here, he would have recognized these four. They were the Rising Fortune adventurer group. Viers had the occasion to group up with them for some adventure in the past. They were a long way from home here.

Since they were not in mortal danger or dying, the observer didn't act.

Irene had no intention of giving up but she was in no condition to attempt a prison break. Meanwhile, she heard the conversion of the highborn.

“Where should we go next, Prince Cassian?”

The prince looked toward the swarm of locusts to his right.

“It’s an eyesore. Forward.”

“As your will.”

The prince’s team went towards the swarm of uncountable locusts without fear. The giant snake followed, dragging two cages behind it.

-

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[The Rising Fortune adventurer group. Bruce the swordsman and leader, Will the scout, Norman the tank, Sandra the mage, and Irene the archer. They got robbed by Viers first, then got grouped together at the next city to combat a marine monster tide, not knowing Viers robbed them. Since then they got a little screen time here and there. Irene knew Avel was a fake identity.]