Chapter 8 - The Fifth Year

Seth was resting in bed after such a horrible end to such a nice looking year. He had safely made it to his 20th year. His 5th year in the city since home... But it had a horrible end to it.

Everything leading up to it was great. Especially after getting all his Ancient ranked gear upgraded to Legendary Rank by Aichi and the Kudo family.

He then went to the guild yesterday happy with his efforts to grow as much as he could as a level 30 Hero. But he knew he was stuck until he could find a girl to love. He knew it was unlikely but he had new hope after meeting the Kudo smith family. He was especially hoping to meet any of his friends this upcoming year to see who would like to party with him. Or based on that notification all those years ago from Centorea and Kijo. Who would be willing to date him.

Then his mind wandered back to yesterdays emergency.

-- Yesterday --

Seth was grinning like a fool at his new gear and their growth to Legendary rank.

Seth Silverfang

Age: 20

Race: Human

Class: Hero (Soul curse)

Level: 30/30 (Rest of levels sealed)

HP: 1,500

MP: 750

Str: 330 (+450)

Agi: 330 (+480)

End: 330 (+300)

Magic: 330 (+360)

Skill: 330 (+360)

Equipment:

Heroes sword of legend (God rank): X5 users level added to str and agi

Heroic gauntlets of the chosen (Legendary rank): x3 users level added to end and str

Grimoire of the Sage (Legendary Rank): x3 users level added to magic and skill

Holy symbol of Saints (Legendary Rank): User is immune to all diseases and poisons

Magic half plate armor set (Legendary Rank): x4 level to End and x3 level to magic, reduce damage from magic attacks by 40%

Ring of the Wind spirits(Legendary Rank): x4 level to agi, x3 level to skill, x2 level to magic, Gain ability to Triple jumping distance without a skill, double movement rate for 30 minutes

Mantle of the famous Warriors (Legendary Rank): x3 level to str, agi, and end, reduce physical damage by 30%

Necklace of recovery (Legendary Rank) : Heal 250 HP back per minute, and 100 MP back per minute (Level requirement 10)

Ring of Magic (Legendary Rank): x4 level to Magic, x2 level to skill, reduce cost of magic by 15%

Ring of Barriers (Legendary Rank): Up to 8 times a day summon a powerful barrier that lasts up to an hour and has a durability of an S rank spell

Boots of the Fenrir (Legendary Rank): Boots thst were made of a slain Fenrirs fur. Grants the wearer ×4 of level to agi, str, and skill.

Seth was more than happy to finally more than double every one of his stats through items. And the best part was they grew with him as he gained strength. Now if only he was able to unlock those levels to keep growing that strength.

He entered the guild ready to tackle another couple of C ranked quests and the next C ranked dungeon he had in mind. But he saw the guild was in a flurry of movement as everyone was running back and forth every which way. Seth tapped the shoulder of one of the adventurers who respected him and didn't recoil at his visage and asks.

"Hey man! What's wrong?!"

The adventurer looks around and then says, "We need every able bodied C ranker to help! A mutant monster has appeared in a D ranked dungeon and its level is comparable to that of a powerful C ranked monster or even that of a low B ranked monster! We need you to help us out man!"

Seth is about to agree before a thought hits him, "Wait where are all the B and A ranked adventurers then? Shouldn't they help out here?"

The adventurer sweats up a storm before gesturing over to the quest counter to see papers flying and employees running everywhere.

He explains, "Well normally yes we would have them here to solve this. But apparently 3 A rank dungeons and 2 B ranked dungeons have also suddenly had mutants appear so they dispatched entire battalions of B and A ranked adventurers to take them out before they broke out of the dungeon containment seals."

Seth gulps as he realizes just how bad the situation is. He looks around and even Grolick isn't here. 'Must have been called to a B ranked dungeon.' Seth mused.

He comes to the sign up board and signs up with a C ranked party looking for a magic blade user and goes to join them for the dispatch area.

He meets them all and finds the leader. He greets Seth warmly at first then flinches as he recognizes him.

Seth at this point had his patience running very thin with this response after 5 years of it. The blacksmith family Kudo helps ease it but it still stings.

He greets the team of C rankers.

Fighter Thomas Level 82 Human

Mage Cecily Level 80 Dark Elf

Healer Krista Level 81 High Elf

Knight Bortus Level 79 Lizard man

And now Spell Blade (Hero in disguise) Seth Level 60 (Level 30). He used a high level illusion spell thanks to his magic artifacts to disguise his adventurer card so they would let him be in the party and avoid a huge fuss.

The party all hide their worry to his curses weakening affect on his physical abilities and greet him as best they can.

They all agree to have Seth, Thomas, and Bortus take the front line while Krista and Cecily take the back lines.

They head off with 30 other C rankers all in their own parties with similar compositions and make it to the Giants den. It is a small giant den which has fire, hill, and stone giants who all average around 9 to 11 feet in height. They are all tough and strong but lack skill and speed.

The huge group of adventurers make quick work of every monster they come across. They gather the drops and head deeper into the dungeon floor by floor.

And while Thomas and Bortus do their best to get to know Seth a little the girls of the party are too worried about him to approach him normally and keep an emotional distance from him. Instead they simply ask if he is doing well if his stamina is holding out and such. Anything to avoid getting to know him and risk losing a promising party member.

Seth didn't mind as he finally had people trying to get to know him. He was shocked that the weakening curse made them approach him this way but he didn't mind. It was a step up from being taunted for looking weak and being stuck at C rank.

Then after a brief rest and preparation period the teams all head into the boss room where the mutant was reported before.

They all rush in and form their phalanx formation to prepare for any ambushes and surprises.

However they were in the for biggest surprise of the day. The boss room was filled with at least 50 corpses of D rank and C rank adventurers tied up in webs or cocoons.

The battalion all recoiled in horror at the sight before realizing they were being watched by the owner of this web. A sharp sighted hunter looks up and yells out, "Above us!"

Before a thick rope of webbing shoots down and grabs him and three mages and pulls them up before screams of terror are heard. Followed by screams of pain. Then a loud wet piercing noise and heavy slurping noises right after that.

Everyone readies all the tricks and abilities they had after losing 4 members of the back line immediately.

Just as suddenly as they were pulled away the bodies of the now dead back liners fall to the ground in wet crunching heaps. They look like they were melted half way and then their insides were drained like juice pouches

Everyone looks up before thick and spindly spider legs come down out of the shadows and reveals a gargantuan spider. It looked like a mixture of an orb weaver with tarantula thickness of muscle. It roars out a terrifying screech and the battle begins as everyone uses their magics and skills to nail it from afar.

Seth shoots out his spell edge attacks similar to what he used against the dark Fenrir. Only problem was at this distance the battalions attacks were all losing momentum and concentration. Seth was among those victims as his reach was more mid range than long range. And no one wanted to get too close for fear of the web attacks that took out 4 people.

Seth grit his teeth as the spider began to realize this too and began to dash towards the group. It even had a few spell circles charging around itself as it began to swing from place to place to close the distance and confuse the long range attackers. The adventurers panic and began to break formation to get out of the way.

The 5 tank units including Bortus all form a line to interrupt its charge with the skill magic shield wall. The spider crashes into it and cracks the barrier but it holds. However its magic skills it had charged up launch right as the barrier fades from the cool down effect.

They launch at the spear and sword users revealing them to be spider web nets that entangle and ensnare the melee users. Seth manages to slash through the one launched at him and protects the mages and archers with similar success thanks to the magic aura he cast onto his sword from him being level 20+.

He swings his sword forward after signalling the long range line to ready themselves.

With the signal being seen all mages and archers begin their assault again this time making the mutant screech in pain. They use skills and combination moves and everything else they can muster.

However as they began to deal damage and the Tanks came rushing in to pin its legs down using the pain of their attacks on it. The spider pulled something off they weren't expecting.

It jumped straight up. Everyone prepared to run only for a deluge of spider acid to rain down over the parties. Seth had just freed the last of the sword and spear users from the nets when they saw the attack being used. Seth screamed "RUN!!!" and everyone scattered for cover.

It was not a pretty sight. 11 people were hit. They all died as the super concentrated acid ate through their HP and their endurance quickly.

Even Seth was running like crazy to avoid it. He managed to survive thanks to his mothers amulet diluting the acid as a type of poison and his recovery necklace helping him heal from some splashes of the acid on his body. He even managed to find some cover and cast a mana shield to block further damage in case it mounted too much for his artifacts to block.

The spider lands but stumbles with its body now looking thinner and weaker. It was obviously a super trump card move it used to thin out half the group.

Seth readied his blade and boosted himself when he heard coughing and hacking from nearby.

The others renewed their assault but he ran to the voice. He found Thomas missing both legs and his right arm. Seth glanced to the side and saw they were melting into puddles of acidic goo revealing how he lost them. With another coughing fit from Thomas, Seth gasped and rushed to his side. He brings out a mid tier potion to stop the blood loss but Thomas stopped him. "Forget it Seth... I'm *Cough hack!* I'm done for. I won't make it... to... the temple... even with that... potion. Save it... For someone *Ugh. Cough wheeze!* Who will make... it back... please make sure the rest... of our group... survives!"

Seth grips Thomas's remaining hand and says, "I will leader."

Thomas passes with a relieved smile on his face.

The spider roars out as it goes for another spurt of acid and some razor webbing.

Seth stands and uses every ki boost, magic boost, holy boost, and aura boost he knows. Especially with him being level 30. Raising his stats for the next five minutes by 200 points each. He roars out and shoots off towards the spider.

The spider was about to unleash the acid attack again. Only to be interrupted by a sword suddenly cutting across 5 of its eyes with flames coating the blade.

Everyone is stunned at that with the C ranker Seth suddenly fighting at the level of a B ranker.

He hacks and slashes all over its body as he runs all over it with his speed and flaming blade. With a final yell he hilts his sword through the brain of the spiders head. Making it shudder then collapse and die from the damage it had endured from him and from the previous attacks. Seth unleashes many fire and lighting spells through its skull to ensure its death until the spider finally stops twitching and goes still while being a burnt crisp of a corpse.

Seth stands up and roars out in victory before everyone joins in. However it dies out quickly as they look around and realize they need to take back the dead of the spider and their battalion.

The clean up is somber as they use their hunting bags to do the dirty work.

Some people approach Seth with thanks or gratitude but other than that it is a quiet and sad affair.

On the way back to the city Thomas's group stays far away from Seth.

Seth doesn't blame them they lost their leader after all. And Seth over heard someone say he saw Seth by Thomas when he was dying. But didn't even bring out a potion to help him. They must resent him for that since they didn't know the full story. Now any reason he gives them or explanation will probably sound like an excuse in their eyes from him.

Once at the guild they are all rewarded for their efforts and when Seth tries to speak to Bortus, Krista, and Cecily. He gets a slap from the dark elf mage. He holds his cheek in shock as she asks, "Why was it you who survived?! Why an weak and unskilled bastard like you?! And not someone like our captain?! He was in line to join the capital knights with his skills!! We were going to enjoy our lives together for years to come!!"

He then noticed Cecily's ring and realized with horror that she just lost her husband. He mutters out an apology and Krista says to him while hugging her friend, "If you are truly sorry. Stay away from us in the future. Let's go Bortus."

Bortus looks to Seth and gives him a respectful pat on the shoulder before he walks off with the two girls. Before he leaves he whispers, "Don't worry Seth... I don't blame you. I know what Thomas was like and he probably made you store that potion so we could use it on the wounded who would make it right? Don't worry they will come around eventually when they stop with the emotional response and think back to how he was as a person."

Seth heads home mentally and physically drained from the ordeal.

He fell asleep on the couch that night hoping this upcoming year would change things. Finally for the better.