[Sahuagin - Sea Devil Lv1]
The Sage training wasn't all about building strength and learning how to hack and slash. The candidates had all been taught basic skills such as [Appraisal], and lectured on the different kinds of dark creatures they were likely to come across, along with their habitats.
So the Sahuagin—often called Sea Devils—weren't all new to them.
"There's only three of them—probably a scout unit. We can't let them alert the others." Michael informed with his enhanced eyesight in the dark, a benefit of his assassin-type class system.
"Michael, scout forward. Felix, Ballista, don't let them get away." Aaron ordered in all seriousness.
Michael quickly blended with the darkness and disappeared from the spot. No footsteps. No ripples.
While Felix and Ballista charged forward with their weapons.
When Ballista suddenly cried out in pain and tripped in the knee-deep water, struggling with something unseen below the water.
Felix was about to stop to assist him, before he changed his mind and kept charging forward. They all knew what it was—or at least they hoped they did. Damn sharks. And Felix knew Ballista should be able to take care of himself and was just caught off guard.
He quickly arrived before the first Sahuagin, which was raising its harpoon-like weapon to impale him, and drew his sword across its chest before it could even make a move, then impaled its chest with seamless grace.
[Ding! You have killed Lv1 Sahuagin]
[+0.5 Agi…]
Swiftly pulling out his sword without sparing it a second glance, he quickly bolted after the other, who was now retreating into one of the tunnels.
The Sahuagin looked over its shoulder to see it was being pursued by Felix, and with a bloody grin which showcased its nasty rows of razor-sharp teeth, it quickly dived headfirst into one of the many water tunnels.
The knee-deep water was indeed a hindrance which greatly decreased one's speed, but Felix wasn't letting it get away. Not after taunting him.
"Felix, don't!" Aaron shouted, already knowing what Felix might be thinking and predicting what his next move would be.
But it was too late.
Felix quickly let himself low, sliding into the small water tunnel after the Sahuagin and was carried away by the current.
"Fuck! Maintain your positions," Aaron ordered.
"Shouldn't we go after her?" Chelsey asked with a frown.
"No. We stick to the plan."
"The nonexistent one?" Athenae asked sarcastically.
"Will she be okay?" Lucy asked in concern from where she was healing Ballista's injured leg.
"I'd rather be with her than the lots of you." Athenae commented nonchalantly.
"Let's move out." Aaron silenced them.
...
A few seconds into sliding into the water tunnel and Felix knew he was lost and would likely have to meet the rest of the team at the boss room—if they made it that far, that is. Not him.
They had made different detours as the tunnel had branches leading to different locations in the dungeon. But he was currently still chasing after the Sahuagin on the run, which he chose not to kill—which would be a pretty dumb thing to do, knowing he wasn't familiar with the place and could likely end up in an endless loop of the tunnel labyrinth.
So till it showed him the way out—definitely somewhere it had allies to gang up on him—he won't be attacking it till then.
Speaking of water slides, this was actually Felix's first time riding one—modern or primal.
His first time was supposed to be on the fateful day he'd bowled his eyes out like the spoilt brat he once was just so he could spend some time with his parents. He hated it at his grandparents' where they'd dropped him off for the time being because they were too busy running the company, and couldn't even spend any time with him when they were back late because Felix had blatantly rejected every nanny they hired for him.
So they decided to cancel all their plans for the day and take him to a fun park, which happened to be the same day one of the biggest outbursts ever recorded in the history of mankind happened. His father being one of the many casualties, sacrificing his own life to protect that of his, and his mother, and many others.
He wasn't a Sage, but he put up a good fight and died a hero in the eyes of many... but a coward in the eyes of Felix.
Felix felt his chest tighten and a knot form in his throat.
All because of him. His selfishness. His stupidity. His...
And that marked the beginning of the downfall of the Thomasville family.
Splash!
At that moment, they slid out an exit to the water tunnel and fell into another murky pond. This one even deeper and the cavern wider.
Here, there were many Sea Devils who were instantly drawn to the hostile presence of the land dweller that remained on all fours in the water, with its hair not so white anymore having been grayed by the unclean water.
The Sahuagin Felix was after quickly made some gap between them and began shouting something in their guttural language. Probably alerting them on the enemy who slew their brother and the many more on their way.
But it was mostly talking to the mutated Sahuagin that from the looks of it, looked to be the elites with an even brutal razor-sharp teeth and had extra pairs of arms. There were two of them.
The group quickly dived into the water, circling Felix and surrounding him from all directions. Except for the two elite Sahuagins who remained seated as they watched from the high rocks.
The Sahuagin who Felix had chased to that point took the lead as it approached Felix's crouched figure with its signature grin and the others bickering in their guttural language.
But it suddenly froze before the eyes of its brethren as a thin red line slowly formed around it from the top of its head to its groin covered in rags, and it fell apart in a bloody half.
Then Felix slowly stood up and raised his head for them to see a stone-cold face as a sword seemingly materialized floating before him.
The Sahuagins became even noisier in their guttural language and the elites stood up with one shouting an order to the rest.
"Take your numbers." Felix whispered coldly.
And they all charged at him as one with their weapons ready.