Asher, who had fallen sound asleep the previous night after his self-created training, was currently getting ready for the mission he took from the guild.
“Alright, I have my dagger, gun, and bullets ready.”
The small bag he has kept now was much better than the bag he previously used in the Caser Forest.
The bag contains some bandages, portable food and water. Asher has decided to keep them with him from now on whenever he goes out during short missions.
Walking outside, Asher looked around to see if he could find something interesting. But only saw the effects of yesterday’s earthquake; the small street shop owner’s stalls were all fallen over.
‘Looks like no actual damages happened; that’s good to know.’
Feeling satisfied with this, Asher walked towards the entry for the sewerage system of the city. It was located at the far left of the entire city, just a few buildings away from the border walls.
“The weather is quite good today.”
Asher thought as he strode through the city, his eyes scanning the horizon. The early morning light cast long shadows across the cobblestone streets, and a cool breeze whispered through the alleys, carrying the faint scent of rain. He knew he had to hurry, as the mission was time-sensitive. The guild had received intel that rogue creatures had made its home in the sewers, and it was causing trouble.
Finally reaching the entrance, Asher saw two people waiting there.
Seeing their weapons, it was obvious that they were awakeners as well.
“Hello, are you also here for the mission?”
Asher greeted them with a friendly smile; the man and woman, much older than him, frowned as they looked at him but nodded.
‘Not much of a talker, are you?’ Asher mused to himself as he stepped past the two stoic figures and descended the stairs into the sewerage system. The air grew thick and musty as he ventured deeper, the echoes of his footsteps bouncing off the damp, moss-covered bricks. His nose wrinkled at the sour smell that filled the air, a mix of stale water and decay.
‘From the looks of it, I am not the only one who has come here for the cleaning mission.’
Asher, who was descending the stairs, looked at the dark tunnels that stretched everywhere, the blackish water flowing in the middle of it, with walking pathways on its side.
He saw the light from the ceiling, dim and flickering, and wondered to himself, “Must be from shards of monsters, keeping the tunnels from becoming pitch black.”
The origin shards had not only provided the power for the guild’s operations but also the city’s infrastructure. They were the lifeblood of the Awakeners, the currency of their trade. Each shard, a crystalline reminder of the monsters they vanquished, held within it a piece of the creature’s essence. When harnessed, this energy could be used to create everything from simple tools to powerful weapons.
“I should also get a new weapon after I get some more money.”
Asher said to himself as he looked at his dagger. This dagger has saved his life countless times by now and gotten damaged as well.
‘But I can’t risk using it on anything higher than rank one creature.’
Asher thought as he tightened his grip on the dagger.
The sudden movement of the water’s surface caught his eye. A small splash, a ripple, and then a shadow that grew larger and larger until it was right in front of him. Before he could react, a creature the size of a small child, but with the features of a giant rat, leaped from the murky depths. Its teeth were bared, and its beady eyes gleamed with malice. Asher’s instincts took over, and he swiped his dagger in a swift arc, barely managing to deflect the creature’s attack. It squealed and retreated into the water, leaving Asher panting and on high alert.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
The creature was fast, much faster than any rat he had ever seen. Its fur was mottled with patches of what looked like a mix of black and brown, and its eyes held an eerie glow. The encounter had made his heart race, and Asher knew that he had to stay vigilant. He took a deep breath, the smell of the sewers now almost overpowering, and continued down the path with caution, his eyes scanning the water and shadows for any other signs of movement.
Sensing another rat to come, Asher took out his gun and pointed it towards the water surface, waiting for its arrival.
The rat—looking creature leaped again with surprising agility, aiming for his neck.
‘static’
The rat lost its motion and now hovered in midair. Ash quickly pulled the trigger, and a loud bang resounded in the tunnel.
The creature’s body jerked and went limp before it hit the ground with a wet thump.
“Phew, that scared me.”
Asher sighed in relief as he watched the dead rat.
But his relief was short-lived, as the sound of his gun had echoed through the tunnels, alerting more of the creatures to his presence.
Within seconds, four more rat-like beasts, each one larger than the last, came barreling toward him from different directions. Their claws clacked against the stone as they scurried forward, teeth bared in a snarl that sent chills down Asher’s spine. He knew he had to act fast; these weren’t just any ordinary sewer rats. These were rank one monsters, and he wasn’t prepared to face them alone.
Seeing the rats coming at a fast pace, Ash used static to stop two of them in mid-motion, while the other two leaped at him with a screech.
In a quick decision, he used his air step and pushed himself off the ground, landing on the side of the wall. The wall was slippery with slime, but his shoes had a good grip.
“Now it’s my turn.”
Asher thought as he took aim at the two rats that were stopped by static. His heart hammered in his chest, but his hand remained steady.
The first shot rang out, the bullet piercing the skull of the nearest rat with a sickening crunch. It fell lifeless into the water, sending ripples through the grime.
The second shot followed swiftly, aimed at the other static-immobilized creature. However, before the bullet could find its mark, the creature managed to shake off the static as his attention blurred.
The rat that had shaken off static lunged, its claws nearly grazing his cheek—forcing him to duck instinctively, heart pounding as he recalibrated his aim.
With a snarl, it lunged at Asher again, but he was ready. The bullet hit its mark, and the creature’s body convulsed before it too met a wet demise in the sewer water.
“Two more to go.”
One was still near him while the other was far. Asher jumped from the wall, pushing himself forward; the rat near him also leaped at him in midair.
Asher fired again at the big rat as it got grazed from the bullet.
The rat yelped in pain, but instead of charging at him, it turned tail and disappeared into the shadows of the sewer with surprising speed.
“Guess it’s not as stupid as it looks.”
Asher murmured to himself as he watched the last rat attempt to flee, only to be caught in the grasp of his static ability.
“Not so fast,”
Asher murmured as he took aim at the retreating rat. He knew that leaving it alive could lead to more trouble down the line. The creature was fast, and he had no intention of letting it escape to report back to its kin. He pulled the trigger, and the third shot echoed through the sewer tunnels.
“It’s still hard to use ‘static’ on two monsters at the same time.”
He thought to himself as he examined the two dead rats. He knew that his ability had room for improvement, and the creature that had escaped would serve as a stark reminder of his limitations. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration, but he knew that dwelling on his mistakes wouldn’t help him complete his mission.
Crouching down, he carefully extracted the origin shards from the two fallen monsters. The shards were small, about the size of a marble, but pulsed with an eerie energy. Each shard was a testament to the power that lay dormant within the monsters that roamed the city. He placed them in a small pouch he had brought with him.
The tunnel grew narrower, and the air grew colder. The screeching noises grew louder, echoing through the darkness. Asher’s smile grew wider as he recognized the sound of a challenge. He had come here to test himself, and these creatures were just that. He tightened his grip on his dagger, the cold steel a comforting weight in his hand.
......
“Urgh, we have been here for two days now. When are all the rats going to die?”
A weary voice reverberated; as a man and a woman could be seen walking in the tunnel.
They had several places bruised, and armor damaged, a testament to their battles.
“Do you think that kid is still alive?”
The woman asked the man walking beside her.
The man looked at her and said with a snort.
“Who cares? A kid coming here with no team is already reckless. Just because kids awaken and gain ability. They start thinking of themselves as top of the world.”
“He was also not wearing any armor at all; what kind of idiot fights without one?”
*Bang* *Bang* “Bang*
The loud gunshots echoed through the damp tunnels, interrupting the rhythmic patter of their booted footsteps. The man and woman froze, their eyes widening in surprise before they exchanged a knowing look. They had heard similar sounds before, but this was different—closer and more intense.
Running toward the sound, they gasped at the sight that awaited them.
The woman’s eyes went wide open at the sight of tens of monsters lying lifeless on the ground, some twitching in pain while others are bleeding profoundly.
“Impossible, how could a single person do all this?”
The man surveyed the carnage before them, his voice filled with disbelief. The woman remained silent, her eyes scanning the tunnel for any sign of movement, only to stop at the center of the tunnel.
The figure in the center of the chaos was indeed a man, his body slick with blood, his clothes torn and shredded. His eyes shone with an unnatural silver glow, and he wore a smile twisted by excitement and exhaustion.
*gulp* she shivered and asked.
“Who...who are you?”