[ 🆙 LEVEL UP! ]
[ You have reached Level 3 ]
[ Strength +2 ]
[ Speed +2 ]
[ Agility +2 ]
[ Intelligence +2 ]
[ Dexterity +2 ]
[ Vitality +2 ]
[ Weapon Mastery +2 ]
[ Magical Abilities +2 ]
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Izik was no longer surprised when he managed to level up again. With how they had been fighting for what seemed to be forever he would be more surprised if he didn't level up or some shit.
He tried to not think too much of the predicament they were currently facing, however seeing the gatekeepers reformed for the third time was not really helping Izik's positivity.
Maybe they'll make it if they run? Xanthe could probably knock them all out and whatever time they have in between these gatekeepers reforming they could just run for the exit.
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[ Attribute Points +2 ]
[ Primal Instinct +1 ]
[ Danger Sense +1 ]
[ Basic Combat Skills +1 ]
[ Dagger Mastery +1 ]
[ Reflex +1 ]
[ Speed +1 ]
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As much as he appreciated all this leveling up that was happening, Izik had to admit that seeing the windows was quite annoying. He knew he was just not used to it thus he would unconsciously rub his eyes with the back of his hand.
The new Guide looked over his shoulder, watching as the land behind them was still collapsing slowly. The ground kept shaking every now and then. The trees were falling and there was just clouds of dust everywhere. Before everything falls into the infinite void like that screaming angel, they have to leave.
Izik turned to Xanthe who still stood pretty composed but he could now see the exhaustion in him. When a gatekeeper managed to slash the Crown Prince candidate's sleeve, Izik couldn't keep his eyes away from the glowing runes that decorated his skin.
Were those the limiting spells the system was talking about?
The warning window had also been more annoying. As if fighting a nearly immortal army wasn't taxing enough there was also the looming possibility that the strongest Hunter of Serene will fall.
Throughout the Empire's rich history there were numerous accounts of Fallens and Izik can confidently say that all of them were not good and even that was an understatement.
Jumping backward, Izik winced on his landing. The pain was also killing him. He was sure he had broken bones everywhere and his body will be decorated with bruises. Though he could feel that his skills were indeed leveling up, he had to withdraw from the battle every now and then unlike Xanthe who seemed to have the endurance to keep on fighting.
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[ 📣 EVENT ]
[ You only have 20 minutes to complete the event ]
[ EXIT × ]
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Ah, Izik wanted to just burn everything down. He's beyond annoyed.
They're not going anywhere if they're unable to pulverize these gatekeepers. They will continue to reform no matter what and it will be an endurance battle from then on. He doesn't even want to think of the possibility of fighting for YEARS.
Izik wanted to ask Xanthe to just explode them like what he did with the lions but seeing how the Hunter chose not to, he could only think it was because of the limiting spells. Thinking of it, that must be the reason why Xanthe chose to explode those gigantic lions... he can't use his magic for a long time.
Did the Imperial Palace put a limiting spell on him?
Xanthe Soleil might be a great asset being the strongest Hunter but he could understand that he can also be a liability. He could fall or worst, forcefully take over the throne. Someone like him... the Imperial Palace had to put a leash on him somehow.
Not to mention there's no single Guide that's compatible with him.
AAAHH!!
Why didn't he think of that?
Izik felt stupid. How come he never thought of that? Xanthe needed a Guide not to fall. Izik was a Guide and he wasn't just any Guide. He's a Class S Guide. He still hated the thought of being a Guide but being a Class S Guide sure has its benefits.
He decided to actively ignore the fact that he also heard even the most powerful Guides were not compatible with Xanthe.
Jumping, Izik kicked the gatekeepers to run toward Xanthe. "Can you make them fall back? I need time."
Xanthe turned to him with a glare. This man had always been short-tempered but right now Izik felt like it was on a different level. Suddenly, he felt like he was walking on a thin wire. "Are you fucking telling me what to do?" The bite on Xanthe's every word was enough to make one's knees shake.
Izik still find it amazing that Xanthe Soleil talk in such manner when he's supposed to be some dignified noble.
"Please, your highness," Izik might not die from all these gatekeepers after all but from one exhausted and clearly annoyed Crown Prince candidate. "I thought of something." His heart was pounding against his chest. If Xanthe Soleil decided that he should not live, there was no doubt he'll be able to kill Izik.
The thought that it may not also work makes Izik want to just scream.
The Hunter didn't reply rather activated a skill that threw the gatekeepers to the ground, shattering them. Izik quickly moved, from that point on they only have 10s before they started reforming.
It may or may not work but Izik would rather it work. He never witnessed anyone do a guiding but he did manage to read books for it. Throwing away all his nerves, he held Xanthe's hand which surprised the Prince.
'Please work!' Izik shouted in his mind.
Soon, he began to feel something warm flowing over him, coursing in his veins. Closing his eyes, he concentrated more, unaware of the bright lights emitting on his body and the surprised look in Xanthe Soleil's eyes.
Izik staggered backward, catching his breath. Beads of cold sweat filled his forehead as he looked at Xanthe.
'Did it work?'
He watched the Hunter look at his own hands, flexing them. Izik felt like all his strength was sapped. Was guiding always that exhausting? According to the books he read, guiding was a way for Guides to use their mana path to balance the Hunters'. Apparently, using mana for combative purposes took away its purity and expose it to being corrupted.
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[ ⚠️ WARNING ]
[ Critical level reached. Huge risk of Falling. ]
[ EXIT × ]
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"Are you kidding me!?" Izik couldn't hold back his frustration. He concentrated and did his best to focus on guiding and it didn't work. He looked at Xanthe. He tried to reign his temper, telling himself that the Prince before him was a /special/ case.
Special case his ass. They need to get out of the dungeon.
Izik was busy stewing in annoyance when Xanthe spoke. "Get the kids," Izik met his blood-red eyes. "NOW." Just like that, the new Guide launched himself toward Inna and Sara. He lifted them in his arms. Xanthe appeared next to others as he picked the kids up. Izik looked at the reformed gatekeepers before them. He glanced at Xanthe from the corner of his eyes.
A window appeared.
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[ 📣 EVENT ]
[ You only have 15 minutes to complete the event ]
[ EXIT × ]
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"Run and don't ever stop until you reach the exit," Xanthe's voice was deadly serious. They felt like a finger tracing down his spine. It also doesn't help that the guy had a deep rich voice that paired really well with his face and built.
Izik nodded.
Lifting his hand, Xanth spoke, "Now!" Izik heard the sound of fingers snapping followed. The Guide gave his all and ran ignoring how the gatekeepers were exploding one by one. Their pieces were also being blasted until its nothing but ashes. Izik didn't stop, despite the fact that he was scared. Despite the fact that each blast almost made him jump. He kept running and running.
In no time he was at the dungeon's exit. Without thinking, even when he wanted to look back and check on Xanthe, Izik held Inna and Sara tight as he jumped to the exit.
He fell on the ground with a thud, rolling. He held Inna and Sara closed trying to protect them from the impact. He then heard shouting followed by footsteps. Warm thick blood crawled on the side of his cheek but he ignored it. Izik ignored all the pain as he stood up and shouted, "The Prince is still inside the dungeon!" There was a commotion over them but the new Guide push himself through even when people were trying to tell him to calm down.
The wash of relief that he felt almost made Izik fall when he saw Xanthe out of the dungeon, carrying the other three children. They may not have brought all of them out alive, but it comforted Izik to know that at least their body will reunite with their family.
"This one still has a pulse!" Someone shouted. Izik watched in disbelief as a Hunter carried Inigo to bring him to an Acolyte.
Xanthe turned to the dungeon gate. Izik looked at the dungeon gate and felt his throat tighten at its immense size. He had never seen such a huge dungeon gate before. Was this dungeon Class A or what?
Izik felt the ground vibrate as Xanthe released his mana. Slowly, the huge rip before them disintegrated into glowing embers. He's closing the gate, Izik whipped his head to watch the Crown Prince candidate close the whole thing.
He never witnessed a Hunter close a dungeon gate before... Izik didn't know that such a thing could be so... ethereal. The way the glowing embers surrounded Xanthe... was beautiful.
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[ ⚠️ WARNING ]
[ Critical level reached. Huge risk of Falling. ]
[ EXIT × ]
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As the dungeon gate was finally closed, Izik's vision bled into darkness. His body fell forward, his consciousness slipping.
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[ 📣 EVENT ]
[ Congratulations!
You successfully finished the event!
Here's your reward:
— PASSIVE SKILL: Heavenly Body
— ACTIVE SKILL: Heavenly Fire ]
[ CLAIM REWARDS → ]