The Rise of the Winter Wolf - Book 5 - Chapter 21 - A Hunter, a Dhampir, and a Chick (Patreon)

               Somewhere on the 184th floor of the Administrator Dungeon
                                                      Two days later

Crystal lets out a loud sigh as she slumps on the ground after finishing off the mini boss of the floor, the giant flaming fish’s corpse vanishing soon after. And she doesn’t bother getting up even after the mini boss’s chest appears at the center of the island located in the middle of a volcano.

That was a pain…

Throughout the entire fight with the creature, it simply refused to stay still or on the surface of the lava. Instead, she had to force it out by shooting arrows into the lava and having them explode. Which led to her more often than not missing and blowing up parts of the volcano instead.

She was finally starting to make some headway on Wolf, having narrowed down the floor gap to just about thirty floors. But even knowing that, she doesn’t feel much of a sense of accomplishment from it. Not when she also knows that he is facing much stronger enemies than she is.

When Crystal first saw the System Initialization notice appear, she was out hunting in the woods near her vacation home; a lovely cabin in the forest closer to the border of New Mexico and Texas. Somewhere she has always enjoyed going to when stressed.

And being sent to another world without a choice in the matter stung. More than it probably should have, considering her past with having choices taken away from her.

It didn’t help that she was sent to a Safe Zone with no one else nearby, because apparently being out in the middle of a forest by yourself with no one else anywhere nearby warrants that.

So when the System chose her as a participant for the Administrator Dungeon, she was relieved. Relieved that she didn’t have to deal with finding others or deal with making a city by herself. Relieved that all she had to do was fight. To hunt.

She even felt a little confident in winning.

Until she met Wolf.

Crystal sighs as she thinks of the man, simply staring up at the crimson sky, along with the few drakes flying past her seemingly uncaring of the woman down below.

No matter how many times she thinks about him, she still can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if she had teamed up with him early on. Not that he would’ve agreed to it. But she still wonders about it.

Several seconds pass in silence before she finally grunts as she climbs to her feet and stretches. Then she begins moving over towards the chest.

No use thinking about what could’ve been. I still need to catch up with Norbert.

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     Somewhere on the 191st floor of the Administrator Dungeon

Norbert stares straight ahead with a frown on his face, his red eyes locked on the chick in front of him. The creature is very clearly the immortal chick that used to follow Wolf around everywhere, but for some reason it’s now just perched on a large statue in front of one of the large temples of the twentieth floor theme.

Even the dhampir had to admit that watching this creature torment Wolf was amusing to watch, if nothing else.

The chick finally looks down at him before chirping once and flapping its wings, making it take off of the statue. Norbert’s eyes then widen as the creature decides to land on his head.

Seriously?

After several failed attempts at getting the chick off his head, Norbert gives up with a sigh and begins walking towards the entrance of the temple.

Ever since the Initialization happened, the dhampir has been far happier than he ever was before on his home planet. Because anywhere is better than being stuck under the thumb of the vampires to him. Even if it’s being in a dungeon full of monsters trying to kill him.

He did wish at first that he could go back to protect his father, but after his patron, Alastaraic, sent forces to deal with the vampires on Aegis, even that problem was solved. Which left him free to focus solely on the Dungeon.

No matter how hard he tried though, he could never catch up to Wolf. And while there are some people who believe part of his success came from his genes, Norbert knows otherwise. After all, most of those people haven’t spent any time with the man, unlike Norbert.

Norbert clenches his fist slightly as he remembers his duel with the man. Or rather, his duel with the man’s daughter who killed him before the man himself even attacked.

It was… the most embarrassing thing he had ever experienced in his entire life. Even more embarrassing than being forced by the vampires to clean their bath in the palace.

The dhampir glances up with a frown when the chick suddenly lowers its head over his face. But all the thing does is chirp a couple times before raising its head again, standing tall as if it were his owner.

I’m starting to see why Wolf hates this thing.

He tries to shake his head a little to get it to stop, but it just ignores him. And as he does this, he can’t help but notice that the thing doesn’t seem to interest his minor bloodthirst at all.

Dhampirs don’t have anywhere near the thirst for blood that vampires have, but they still have a small desire for it. And it makes them stronger to drink as well.

But Norbert can’t so much as smell the chick on his head, much less feel thirst to drink its blood.

His frown grows deeper at that realization, only to vanish as he lightly shakes his head.

Blood or no blood, the thing is annoying.

A beep echoes in his head, bringing his attention to the corner of his vision where he sees a message from Crystal asking what floor he’s on, as if she can’t figure it out herself.

Lazy as always.

He shakes his head again at that but answers anyways. Because no matter how antisocial he is, he does appreciate having people to talk to. And Wolf, Ariana, and Crystal have become probably the closest friends he’s ever had. If he can really call them friends.

After answering her, he focuses on the temple and enters the large structure.

Time to go back to killing golems.

The chick chirps on his head.

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