The Dark Rebirth of Pandora: Revenge of the Abyss

Chapter 139: A-rank or S-rank monster?

”Hey, pay attention, y’all, don’t get too relaxed. Remember where we are,” I say to my group, who is really relaxed about this mission. We’re currently in the Dead Mana Forest on a mission.

Our mission is a delivery. We need to obtain a [Bloody Fire Rose] that can be found in this forest.

”Boss, we’re an A-rank team and we’re in one of the easier parts of the forest. I don’t think it’s that bad to relax a little. Most of the monsters here are too cowardly to engage in direct combat,” says Allan, the tank of our team, as he puts his hands behind his head and stretches a bit.

”Haa...” I sigh at him.

”Ethan, do you agree with this?” I ask the mage of our team.

”...I have an alert spell with a 50-meter range. Hardly anything can approach without me knowing, so we shouldn’t have any problems relaxing a little,” he says.

”Yeah, Victor, we’ve been on high alert since we entered. We should also rest, and don’t forget what this place does to mana,” Audrey, the archer and rogue of the group, says to me with feigned exhaustion.

”...Okay, I guess we can take a break here...it’s also time to check the relics.” If these relics cause any trouble, we’re gonna die, even though we’re an A-rank team. There’s no way we can handle the problem that the mana in this place causes.

”Allan, could you patrol the perimeter? I’ll take a look at the relics,” I say to Allan, who nods his head.

I quickly grab the backpack and look at the relic, a purple-colored sphere. Its function is basically to disable the ambient mana, so only the person’s own mana can be used.

Anyone who comes to explore the Dead Mana Forest needs something that can protect them from the effects that the mana in this place has. There are various relics for this, and the one our budget allowed us to buy was this.

Although I still think we should have bought the rings. They’re easier to check, and there would be one for each of us instead of a sphere that does its job in a 300-meter area.

I start analyzing the artifact. It seems to have enough charge and hasn’t taken any damage. This artifact is fragile, but with all the barriers to protect it, it’s difficult to break. I put the relic back in the backpack.

’Something is watching us...Audrey seems to have noticed it too...’

”Hey, Allan, let’s chat like friends. Call Ethan too.” Allan looks at me confused, but he soon realizes what I’m trying to say and calls Ethan in a way that doesn’t raise suspicion. This is our secret code to gather the group without showing signs.

’Whatever is watching us is very strong...’ Ethan and Allan didn’t notice, and everyone here is A-rank, so this thing must have a very high ability to conceal itself and a high degree of intelligence.

The three of us approach and sit in a circle, while Audrey pretends to look at the supplies in her backpack. Soon, Ethan asks.

”Victor, how’s your wife?”

”...She’s doing badly. She’s sick, and the illness is kind of strange,” a code to warn that the enemy is strange.

If I were to measure it solely by the presence of mana, I’d say this monster is at most a B-class, maybe A-class. However, its stealth ability is absurd, and its aura is bizarre.

As this thing approached, I could feel its bloodlust. I can say that it’s on par with an S-class monster. In fact, even an S-class monster doesn’t usually show that much bloodlust.

Based on what I’ve observed, this monster is weaker than all of us. However, considering this ominous aura, this thing is clearly at the top of the A-class, and maybe even in the S-class.

Its bloodlust reminds me of the stories about calamity-class monsters.

”I see. I hope she gets better. What do you think about taking her to a doctor in the South?” Ethan says, using our code.

”No, I think I’ll take her to the North. There’s a doctor there named Los who’s very good,” I inform him that the thing is watching us from the North and that we’ll use a diamond formation against it.

”You know what, I think I’ll do that as soon as possible,” I say to Ethan, warning that the thing has started to move. The four of us prepare our weapons and stand up.

”Ethan and Allan, how about we look for a good place to sleep? I think it would be best to go to sleep soon, since it’s getting dark. Audrey, could you go get some firewood?” We’re changing the approach to the formation.

This thing has changed its movements, making the diamond formation disadvantageous. So, I decided to lure it with bait. It still doesn’t know that we’re aware of its presence.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen intelligent and stealthy monsters. We didn’t get our A-rank for nothing. All of us here are strong enough to know that this thing shouldn’t be underestimated, especially because of the environment.

”Victor, how much wood do you want?” Audrey asks to know how I’m classifying the monster.

”I think 5 is good to make a fire, although maybe we’ll need 6,” I end up classifying it as an A-class monster that can become S-class. Everyone is on high alert.

”Got it, I’ll be right back,” Audrey says as she goes to serve as bait.

’I wonder if this thing will take the bait...’ I wait a moment, and after Audrey leaves, the thing goes after her, changing direction to avoid being detected. It’s moved far enough that I’ve lost sight of it.

But we know it went after Audrey. Even though this thing is good at concealing itself, its bloodlust is poorly contained, and its mana seems to have some kind of problem, causing it to leak.

If it weren’t for these two factors, I wouldn’t have detected this monster.

”Ethan and Allan, let’s follow Audrey, and Ethan, activate perception-altering and concealment spells,” I give the orders, and Ethan quickly gets to work.

After we’re concealed, we follow Audrey, and I soon sense the aura of that thing again. It seems to have gone around and is now in front of the area where Audrey is.

I make a hand signal to Ethan and Allan to stop, and we calmly observe as Audrey pretends to be collecting wood. She’s acting very well, and as an archer and rogue, she can escape more easily in case of attacks.

”!!!”

[Lightning Draw]

I activate my ability by pure reflex as I feel the danger, drawing my blade and striking quickly to the rear. For a moment, I saw something white, and as I heard the sound of the sword hitting something just as fast, the thing vanished.

The impact of my blade on something was like metal hitting metal.

”AUDREY, GET BACK TO FORMATION! WE’VE BEEN DISCOVERED!” I yell to Audrey, who quickly comes running towards us while grabbing her bow.

”Allan, activate the shield barrier, and Ethan, use detection magic.” That was close. This thing pretended to focus on Audrey, but as soon as it had the chance, it changed its target to me.

If I weren’t a veteran, this thing would have ripped my head off.

’This thing is fast...but I can catch it.’ I’m not sure how this thing changed position so quickly, but it’s clear that it was intentional.

”Victor, did you see what it was?” Audrey asks when she gets close, while Allan activates the artifact’s ability, which is a large silver shield. The shield’s ability is a barrier that covers a 15-meter radius.

This barrier can withstand attacks from B-class monsters without problems and even support A-class monster attacks.

”No, I’m not sure what I saw...it was too fast. As soon as my sword hit something, the monster vanished,” I reply.

”I noticed it by reflex, which made me draw my blade. In an instant, I felt the bloodlust on my back,” I report what happened.

”Ethan, can you find this thing with magic? I can’t feel it nearby anymore, but I doubt it’s gone. Monsters like this tend to be persistent and annoying.”

”Sorry, I couldn’t find anything...wait, I found it. This monster just entered the 150-meter range to the north and is approaching slowly, 12 meters above the ground, moving through the trees,” Ethan says.

”Audrey, it’s your turn,” I say. Audrey holds her bow, forming an enhanced magical long-range sight to observe the target.

”I can see it...it’s... a girl?...no, it has a strange tail and a red and black halo above its head, and it’s covered in blood. Its skin is very pale; it seems to be some kind of evolved monster,” Audrey begins to describe what she’s seeing.

”Great, another one of those abominations,” Allan says as he strengthens the barrier.

’An evolved monster...that explains the strength, but not the unusual bloodlust.’ I start to prepare myself.

”Audrey, report the situation,” I ask Audrey, who is the only one with visual information on the target.

”It seems to be preparing for a frontal attack,” Audrey responds while starting to form magical arrows.

”Okay...everyone, get ready. We need to eliminate this thing as soon as possible. We know well the damage that evolved monsters can cause if they reach their full potential. Let’s kill this thing,” I say as everyone enters a state of total alert.