Chapter 44: How will you protect?

Chapter 44: How will you protect?

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"Mr. Ahn! Contact the Main Strike Squad right now!" Jinwoo shouted, before the entire area turned silent. All of the Hunter getting sucked inside the Gate.

"Chief, What should we do..?"

"What should we do? It is a Red Gate! Of course, We are calling Main Strike! I'm going to call master himself!" Chief Ahn said nervously, dialing his phone.

"Ah! Guild Master! We have a situation..." Baek Yoonho the Guild master of White Tiger, picked up the call. When, Chief Ahn Sangmin soon reported about a Red Gate appearing.

"A Red Gate!? How could a Red Gate come out of C-rank Gate!" Baek Yoonho slammed his desk, getting up from his seat.

"If what you say it true. That means, I have to look at it myself. Wait for me." Baek Yoonho ordered, his eyes shining orange, he gritted his teeth.

"Ye.. Yes, Guild master!" Chief Ahn replying, looked toward the Red Gate with worrisome.

...

[Inside the Red Gate]

"Where are we?!"

"This doesn't look like a Dungeon!"

"And.. And, The Gate has disappeared too!" many Hunters of Strike Squad murmured. All of them, carried a confused, surprised and scared expression.

They weren't in a Dungeon, instead were in a snowy land with heavy hail storm.

*Whoooosh!

When suddenly, two powerful ice arrows sneakily were shoot toward the Strike Squad.

*Grab!

Sung Jinwoo, noticing the arrows. Quickly grabbed one arrow with his hand, blocking it from piercing Song-Yi skull. But, same couldn't be said to the other one.

*Stab!

"Arghhhh!'

"Kyaaa!" other arrow stabbed the forehead of a Hunters, his head soon bursting open. Blood splattered all around the snowy ground.

"What the hell! We're being ambushed!!"

"Up there in the tree! They're the one attacking us!" when one Hunter pointed out, toward a tree. Where two humanoid creatures were standing in the tree branches.

"Eh..! Th... They're Ice Elves!"

"What, How can Ice Elves be here!" Hunters exclaimed in horror, looking over the tree.

Ice Elves also known as Ice Slayers, are a race of elves typically found in frozen environments. They were about the same size as humans with blue skin, white hair, and sharp white eyes.

While, the most terrifying things about them were. They possessed human-level intelligence and are skilled fighters, wielding bows and daggers in battle.

"Wait! We have S-rank Hunter with us! Why are we scared?"

"Sir Alard! Ple.. Please help us!" when some Hunters, remembering of Alard presence, tried seeking his help.

But, when they looked around. Alard was nowhere too be seen.

'Wh.. What, Where is he? I was sure, he entered the Gate with us.' Sung Jinwoo thought, observing the area. He didn't sensed Alard anywhere.

"Kekeke" when the Ice Elves up in the tree, gesturing of cutting there neck with his finger. Soon, disappeared from the tree.

"Wh.. Where is Sir Alard! We need his help!"

"Sir Alard where are you!?"

"Please save us!" many Hunters shouted for help, but no reply came to them. While, getting annoyed by all this. Kim Chul clapped his hands, gaining everyone's attention.

Clap! Clap!

"Enough of this! That guy must be hiding somewhere! Seeing he didn't debuted for two days even after being a S-rank and entering a C-rank Gate even when he is a S-rank. Clearly says he is a coward!" Kim Chul said, while Jinwoo eyes widened in surprise.

"Song-Yi, What does he mean?" he then asked Song-Yi, who looked at him with a odd look.

"Mister, don't you use internet or watch news? Mr. Alard and Ms. Nakia, they two were awakened as S-rank Hunters two days ago." Song-Yi said, while Jinwoo was alittle startled.

'Not only one but two?!' Jinwoo exclaimed inwardly, before he entered a deep thoughts. He for some reason didn't felt good hearing this news.

"Can you tell me more about them." he once again asked.

"Umm... Sure, Mister." Song-Yi said, before telling whatever she knew about Alard and Nakia from internet.

When, Kim Chul once again said in high voice.

"Now that everyone knows, we've entered a Red Gate. I'll see to it that we make a safe return! But I'm not going to stand here and make promises I can't keep." Kim Chul said, then seeing he had gained everyone's attention he continued.

"The minimum difficulty of a Red Gate is B-rank. In a place as dangerous as this, it'll will be difficult to manage all of you as a single unit..."

"...Which is why, I am going to form separate to clear the Dungeon with me. If we stay here, we'll either freeze to death or be ambushed by this ice creatures. So, who's with me?" Kim Chul asked, he had a serious look on his face.

"I'll go with you!"

"Count me in!"

Many Hunters began to volunteer, moving toward Kim Chul. When, Chul pushed a Hunter behind by his palm.

"Urgh!"

"You're out!"

"You too and you, you, you as well." he said, pointing Sung Jinwoo and Han Song-Yi too.

Kim Chul rejected total of five Hunters.

"I am sorry, but Hunters that are C-rank or lower can't come with us."

"One day inside the Red Gate is equivalent to one hour in real life. And It will take us months to clear the Dungeon. Under these circumstances, I can't afford to bring death weights along." Kim Chul said, his team giving him nod. When, the so-called death weights were enraged. Only, Jinwoo was calm.

"Excuse me. Would It be okay if I went with those guys." when a pretty young woman with bright green eyes and long black hair said. She wielded a small yellow staff and wore a white shirt with large poofy sleeves, a golden wing-shaped shoulder pauldron, black pants, and white boots.

"As you please, Park Heejin." Kim Chul said, giving a quick glance toward her. He didn't understand why she could go over a weak side, when he was a A-rank Hunter.

Park Heejin soon walking over Jinwoo side. She spoke something with Jinwoo, while Jinwoo just looked at her.

"Then let's sperate! If we clear the Dungeon, before you lots die. No need to be thankful." Kim Chul said, before he with his nine Hunters separated from Jinwoo team.

...

[Other place of Dungeon]

*Wooosh!

*Boom!

Many ice arrows, shoot toward a shadow. The shadow swiftly moving, dodged every arrows. The entire ground shook from the impact of arrows.

"Kikiki.. Kiki!" an ice elf grunted, his mouth twisting in annoyance. When, the shadow immediately slipped behind him, a dagger slitting his throat.

"Kigghhh!"

"KiKi!" other ice elves roared, charging toward the shadow with there daggers.

"Heh! Ice Slayers you say? They aren't much." the shadow smirked, soon revealing a 5'6 height male, from the shadow. He had a sparkling golden hair, his pupil redder then the blood splashed around his face. He twirled his dagger in his hand, before he dashed toward the ice elves.

*Slash!

"Kiiii!"

*Stab!

"Kikuuuu!"

*Penetrate!

"Kiesssss!"

Alard ruthlessly used his dagger to kill ice elves one after another. He stabbed, slashed and penetrate them. There blood turning the snowy-white field into a bloody field.

*Swoooosh!

*Cling!

Alard used his dagger, to block a arrow aimed towards him. Before he threw the dagger, toward the archer. Archer forehead stabbed by the dagger. When, Alard used ‹Telekinesis› to pull back the dagger in his hand.

"Kii!" another Ice elf roared, he slashed his dagger toward Alard. But, Alard simply turned into shadow, before arriving behind the elf. He penetrate the heart of the elf, killing him on the spot.

*Whoooosh!

When, the air suddenly turned chilly. Alard turning his head toward the source. He saw an ice elf, with same snow-white hair, blue skin, blank white eyes, a cruel smile, black fingernails, and a purple leaf pattern on his forehead. He also wore a furry white and blue parka. He was ridding a mount, that also had same skin blue skin of Ice elves.

"Why are you attacking us?" the mounted ice elf questioned. Alard who could hear this monsters language, because he himself was one, replied...

"...Why? Because I am a Hunter, I am here to hunt you and defend the mankind from getting annihilated by you!" Alard said righteously. When, mounted Ice elf smirked.

"Heh! Don't lie to me. You aren't a human, We always hear a voice telling us to kill human when ever we are near them, but we can't hear it in your presence. And, I can smell you. You smell same like does blood sucking worms." he said, his eyes shining blue. He unmounted his mount, the glancing at Alard, he grinned.

"Heh! Okay, You caught me. I am here to offer you a deal." Alard then said.

"Deal? What deal?"

"I can bestow you with greater power, then what you currently wield..."

"...In return, You have to follow my order." Alard said, though he didn't had any plan to making him his subordinate. He could just kill the elf after his jobs was done.

"Greater power? Heh! Then show me what kind of power it is." the ice elf warlord said, with a wide grin. He dashed toward Alard, he took out his dagger.

*Cling!!

Alard blocking the dagger with ease, looked toward the warlord.

"Heh! Show you my power? can you take it?" Alard said with smirk, soon a extremely thick red mana leaked out of his body. The ice warlord face immediately turning from grin to a horrified one.

"Th... This..."

"It isn't enough yet." Alard said, releasing more of his aura. Though he did controlled his energy, so Monarch, Rulers or Jinwoo won't be able to sense it.

*Fwoooosh!

The entire field was now covered in bloody mist, that actually was Alard mana! Soon, many elf's fell on there knees.

"Keke! How Amusing!" when the Ice warlord spoke, even though he was scared. He was happy to be able to fight with such strong being.

"My name is Baruka. May I know your name."

"Alard Crown." Alard simply said, when Baruka immediately dashed toward him.

"Let's finish our deal then!" Baruka said, he raised his dagger, trying to cut down Alard.

But, Alard simply with a flick of his finger. Completely obliterated the dagger, then kicking Baruka in his guts. Alard send Baruka flying, toward the area of Ice Yetis.

*Bam!

*Boom!

The whole ground shaked, alerting Kim Chul group because they happened to be near the area. While, all Ice Yetis were all attracted to the source, all of them rushing over the scene.

"Rooaaarrr!" Ice Yetis roared, when all of there head suddenly burst open. All of there blood floating in the air, they all were absorbed by Alard.

"Damn, monkees." Alard said, feeling his stats increasing alittle bit. When, he withdrew his blood mana inside his body.

"Now.. You, bring your leader. I have a deal with him." Alard then said, pointing toward a Ice elf.

*Swoooosh!

The elf immediately rushed to grab his leader.

"Let"s see Ashborn, How will you protect your vessel now." Alard smirked.

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