Location: Inside the Glitchy Gate (The Primeval Forest)
Date & Time: Unknown
The metallic scent of warm blood dripping from the first bear's carcass triggered a violent chain reaction within the suffocating darkness of the jungle.
The air grew heavy, almost solid. A faint tremor began in the earth, quickly escalating into a localized earthquake. From behind the curtain of fog and twisted undergrowth, dozens of crimson eyes ignited in the dark. Not one or two, but nearly 70 to 80 massive bears tore through the ancient trees, encircling the squad. Their iron-like hides and the wild, boiling mana radiating from them spiked the atmospheric pressure until breathing became a chore.
These were all C-Rank monsters. Each beast carried roughly 20,000 MP of raw, unrefined energy. Statistically, the appearance of such a massive concentration of C-Rank threats within a D-Rank gate was an impossibility—but this dimension no longer bowed to external logic.
"Get back, you fools!" the Peak C-Rank leader's voice thundered.
The fifty D-Rank Dungers were paralyzed, their minds blank with terror. They stumbled over one another, retreating in a chaotic mess, their Magitech blades rattling in their trembling hands. They knew the truth: their strikes wouldn't even leave a scratch on these reinforced hides, while a single swipe from a bear's claw would disembowel them instantly. Panic spread through the mob like a virus.
But they weren't given the chance to die.
One of the four C-Rankers stepped forward—a Fire Mage. With a cold, predatory smirk, he concentrated mana into his palms and thrust them forward. An intense, red-hot torrent of energy erupted from his hands.
BOOM! A twenty-foot Wall of Fire tore through the ground between the Dungers and the encroaching horde. The freezing dampness of the jungle was instantly replaced by a blistering, searing heat. The flames were so intense that the lead bears were incinerated where they stood. The stench of burning flesh and their agonizing roars shook the very foundations of the forest.
"D-Ranks! Hold your positions! Do not break the line!" the leader commanded, hoisting his heavy Magitech sword. "The rest of you—exterminate these vermin!"
It wasn't a battle. It was a pure, unadulterated massacre.
Behind the wall of flames, the Fire Mage began raining down explosive fireballs, each one screaming through the trees to detonate in the center of the horde. The other three C-Rankers and the leader plunged directly through the fire, diving into the thick of the monsters.
Their average mana ranged from 35,000 to 50,000 MP. To them, 20,000 MP monsters were mere statistics, not threats. The leader's Magitech blade sliced through the air, decapitating multiple bears in a single horizontal swing. Geysers of blood hissed as they hit the flames. Another C-Ranker, a speed-type specialist, moved like a blur, severing tendons and throats before the beasts could even register a target.
The animals fought with raw, primeval strength, but against the C-Rankers' speed, mana density, and Magitech weaponry, they stood no chance. It was a brutal, one-sided harvest.
In the midst of the roaring flames, the spray of blood, and the frantic shouting of the D-Rankers, no one noticed the shadow at the rear. Rudra stood in the darkness, observing the carnage with cold, detached eyes.
"The window is open," Ruin Soul's voice drifted through his mind, calm and calculating. "Their focus is entirely on the slaughter. There is no value in staying with this herd. Detach yourself."
Without a word, Rudra took a single step back. The matte-black fabric of his Scavenger's Skin allowed him to blend perfectly into the mist and shadows. The D-Rankers were so consumed by their own terror that they failed to notice the man behind them vanishing into the void. He discarded his dust-caked outer jacket, leaving it on the ground as he fully embraced the darkness.
Rudra reached a massive, ancient tree nearby. Utilizing his C-Rank physical attributes and the core strength of his 17,420 MP, he scaled the trunk without making a single leaf rustle, perching himself high upon a thick, hidden branch.
From his vantage point, the entire battlefield was laid bare. Below, the inferno raged, and the 80 bears were being systematically piled into corpses. The N.D.A.I. elites were flaunting their raw dominance, while the lower ranks shivered in their shadows.
"Wait here," Ruin Soul instructed, teaching him the art of the long game. "Those five rankers will clear the path and lead the Dungers forward. Let them leave. Once they vacate this area... the 80 C-Rank carcasses left behind will be yours alone to harvest. Devouring their energy will push your MP to an entirely new echelon."
Rudra gave a slight, imperceptible nod. The flickering orange light of the fire reflected in his eyes, but his gaze remained hollow, devoid of any excitement.
He was a phantom, waiting for his turn. The N.D.A.I. was doing the labor, wasting their mana and effort, while Rudra was perfectly positioned to reap the full rewards of their brutal work.
Chapter Summary
The Horde: The smell of blood attracts 70-80 C-Rank bears (20,000 MP each).
The Slaughter: The C-Rank elites (35k-50k MP) engage in a one-sided massacre, utilizing Fire Magic and Magitech weapons to clear the horde.
The Infiltration: Rudra uses the chaos to slip away from the squad, abandoning his disguise and hiding high in the canopy.
The Strategy: Ruin Soul advises patience—waiting for the squad to clear the area so Rudra can harvest 80 C-Rank cores and materials undisturbed.
Current Status:
Rank: C-Rank
MP: 17,420
Position: Hidden (Observing from the canopy).
Loot Potential: 80 C-Rank Corpses (Pending).