Relief and Terror

"Pardon?" Karna asked, taken aback by the question from the man cloaked in dark robes.

"Hey, kid, do you think I'm some kind of hero? If you want help, then it's your responsibility to reward your benefactor. So, what will I get if I help you?" Shiva, concealed behind the ragged cloak, demanded.

"I... I don't have anything to give you..."

"Then deal with your own problems," Shiva retorted, taking a step back, unsettling Karna for a moment.

"Please wait! If you save us, I am willing to follow you. I will work for you until I die," Karna pleaded agitated.

A smile crept onto Shiva's face, hidden behind the ragged robe. "Remember those words well," he said, turning towards him.

Shiva then extended his hand to Karna and helped him up from the ground.

The middle-aged man, who had been observing silently, finally intervened in their conversation. "Hey, you bastard, who do you think you are messing with?" he growled.

He didn't know who this madman was, but if he didn't teach him a lesson now, then everyone in the group would start to ignore his words.

With a mixture of annoyance and rage, the middle-aged man released his grip on the girl's hair and raised his gun towards the man in the robe.

But what ensued was not what anyone expected.

"Hey, can you shut up for a bit? I'm still talking, you kno....!!?" the ragged man said, his voice annoyingly interrupted.

-Bang!

The middle-aged man disregarded the man's words and fired his gun without warning!

"Watch out!" Karna screamed.

But it was too late! The bullet struck the man!

"I warned you," the middle-aged man scoffed, turning his attention once again to the young girl, who was now covered in tears and desperately crawling away.

"Now where do you think you're running off to?"

The middle-aged man seized the girl by the hair once again, but then...

"Argh! That really stung, you know!" It was the voice of the man in the robe.

As all eyes turned to the robed man in shock, the young man's robe billowed in the air, revealing a set of bones covering his chest like armor, causing gasps to escape from those around him.

Ignoring their gazes, the young man raised his hand. "Grab that bastard, guys."

At the robed man's command, a group of men, towering a few feet taller than the rest, also cloaked in robes, emerged from the surrounding circle of people, moving towards the middle-aged man with purposeful steps.

The middle-aged man, already seething with annoyance, twisted in fury as he witnessed the robed figures pressing on despite his warning shot.

"Damn pests! You think you can defy me? I'll show you what happens to insolent fools!" he bellowed, his voice laced with venom.

-Bang!

-Bang!

-Bang!

The middle-aged man's hand trembled as he squeezed the trigger, sending a bullet hurtling towards the robed figures.

But his confidence shattered as he watched in disbelief as the bullet ricocheted off the robed individuals without leaving a scratch.

"What... how is this possible?!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic.

His mind raced with fear and confusion, unable to comprehend the defiance of the figures before him. The robed individuals continued their relentless advance, their movements steady and unwavering despite the barrage of gunfire.

"No... no, this can't be happening!" he muttered, his grip on reality slipping with each passing moment.

Desperation surged through the middle-aged man's veins as he cast aside his useless weapon, his hands trembling with rage and fear.

'They must have leveled up a bit,' he thought.

After the emergence of the tower, it provided an opportunity for everyone to get stronger, so it wasn't any surprise that those robed people must have gained some levels through killing small monsters. But they had seriously underestimated him.

"I'll show you pests the power of a rare class."

Throwing aside his gun with a snarl of frustration, he began to chant incantations, summoning flames with his hands.

"<Fireball >"

He was fortunate enough to receive a rare class of <Elemental Mage> when he killed a particularly strong wolf-like creature, which provided him with the ability to use fire. Against his powerful spell, these pests who had gained some levels would be nothing!

With a triumphant grin, he unleashed a torrent of fire towards the approaching figures, relishing in the sight of burning robes.

"Hahaha! Now burn to dust, you pests!" He laughed manically as the flames engulfed his field of view, consuming the robed men, smoke rising in their wake.

But his laughter was short-lived! As the smoke cleared, revealing the aftermath of his attack, his amusement turned to shock.

Where there should have been charred bodies, there lay only skeletal remains, standing tall and motionless beneath the tattered robes.

"What... what trickery is this?!" the middle aged man exclaimed, his voice trembling with disbelief and fear.

The onlookers gasped in horror, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief as they realized the true nature of the robed figures.

Karna and the young woman watched in disbelief as the scene unfolded before them, torn between feelings of relief and terror.

The middle-aged man's once-arrogant gaze wavered, his eyes losing their color as the cold grip of fear tightened around his heart.

The scene froze in a moment of eerie silence, broken only by the faint crackle of laughter.

"A skeleton mage would be a good addition," Shiva laughed, as the robe covering his face fell, revealing his mad smile to everyone!

---***---

Hello, everyone!

I'm thrilled to announce that I've recently signed a contract for the book! But don't worry, I won't be going premium until we have at least 15-20 more chapters.

Enjoy the journey!