It seems I made a mistake. The group I was supposed to lead into the Rift didn't sit right with me at all.
Six hulking, thuggish faces, each with rings glowing white. I knew for a fact they weren't Slayers—I'd checked the registry beforehand. They weren't even Free Slammers. Yet these guys had clearly been in Rifts before, more than once. You can't fool a ring!
I wore the expression of a pushover, ready to do whatever they said, docile as can be. Let them think I'd slipped up if they were planning something. I knew it might provoke them, but if it did, that'd be their problem, right?
But that wasn't the most interesting part. Honestly, I didn't even notice my temporary group at first. My attention was glued to the only "non-human" among them.
A Volcanic Panther. Female. A proud, powerful creature, and it was suffering. A collar around her neck sapped most of her strength, forcing absolute obedience to her master.
Her fur glowed a faint crimson, far from the fiery red blaze typical of her kind at peak power. The fire in her blue eyes was nearly extinguished, and she gazed at the world with weary indifference.
This noble beast didn't want to live. I felt it. No, I couldn't read animal minds. That'd require a ritual, and her cooperation. But I sensed her emotions clearly. This panther seemed to crave death.
I'd never encountered her kind in my past life. I'd learned about them, and others, in my former Lineage's library. As a Hunter, I couldn't ignore such knowledge, and now I knew plenty about various species.
"So, kid, where do we start?" one massive brute grinned, baring his teeth. "We're ready to listen and do whatever you say."
What should I tell them? That you shouldn't stink of booze when heading into a Rift? Sure, I don't count—I've got experience. Though, I've always been sober so far. Not ruling out a drunken bet someday, though. Gotta have some fun, right?
Let's see… what do we have? This is a Red demon Horde, one level tougher than the white ones I'd tackled before. Not peak difficulty, more like an enhanced white than a true red. Still, the monsters here will be stronger. From what I gather, these Rifts have more energy, making creatures grow like weeds in the rainy season.
My companions were armed, and to my relief, I didn't see any crossbows. I know idiots who'd accidentally shoot their own.
"I hear something!" one of them suddenly shouted.
So loud I winced. Either he's an idiot or he did it on purpose.
I sent Shnyrka a mental command to scout and show me everything. I knew there was nothing nearby, so who knows what he "heard."
This Rift was a cave, a simple one. A wide, straight tunnel, like a dragon's gut. No need to veer off or go looking for trouble—it'd find you. Even the ceilings were low. I analyzed it quickly and concluded something was off with these guys. They couldn't have heard anything.
Shady types… Shady job… But frankly, I didn't care anymore. The money was with my middleman, Archip. If I didn't get them out and the Rift closed, it'd mean they failed. I'd done my part honestly.
"Form a wide line, two by two. Cover each other if it comes to it," I instructed.
Just in case they decided to stab me in the back.
Why am I so paranoid? Sure, it happened once in this life, and countless times in my last one.
The guys didn't argue and did as I said. But it didn't reassure me… Something's wrong here…
Shnyrka found blood traces twice, but no bodies. Fresh blood, maybe a day or two old. I didn't wait for his full report and moved us forward slowly. The sooner I dealt with them, the sooner I'd get my money, and we'd part ways.
"No one's here… Seems like we got a dud," one grumbled.
"No way… I'll break the scout's finger if that's true," another snapped, bickering like market hags.
They'd been whining for five minutes about the lack of creatures, saying this trip would cost them.
Some Rifts are like that—just two or three creatures, done. I'd call them Kinder Surprises. You never know what's inside.
They were champs, real beauties. So worried about money, constantly asking if I saw anything valuable. Anyone else would've bought it. It made sense.
They even tapped the walls with their sword hilts, then sighed heavily, saying it wasn't a vein. No kidding… Even I could tell it was plain rock.
But these actors in their idiot theater slipped up. They weren't new to Rifts, yet they held their weapons carelessly.
I've seen plenty of warriors. Before the unknown or a fight, their weapons are always ready. These guys sometimes sheathed theirs to sip water. Unprofessional.
Idiots or clowns. I'm betting clowns.
Hmm… Shnyrka showed me something interesting. At the end of this tunnel was a round chamber with smaller caves branching off, home to white wolves. Wolves are noble, proud creatures, but these had overdosed on free energy, turning into junkies. Red, bleeding eyes, patchy fur, black foam dripping from their mouths. They didn't die—just their new normal.
I realized if my "partners" planned to attack, it'd be when I engaged in battle. They likely knew what enemies awaited—twelve of them, each roughly as strong as several spiders. In the past, I'd have crushed them without blinking, but I'm still regaining my strength.
As we neared the narrowing to the round cave, I raised my fist.
"This spot feels off. Be ready," I crouched, pretending to peer into the dark. "Look, if it hits the fan, my armor can take two, maybe three hits. Anyone got better?"
"One…"
"One…"
"One…"
Where's your imagination, knuckleheads? Why parrot the same thing like sheep?
"Got it… I'll try to take the first hit. You back me up, deal?" I laid it on so thick, they'd have macaroni falling from their ears.
"No problem!" their leader said. "You can count on us."
By the way, my armor could take twenty hits, but they seemed to buy it. Damn… Maybe ditch the Slayers and aristos and become an actor? With my Gift, I'd put on some shows.
"Move, beast!" the leader yanked the leash hard. "What a useless creature. I order you, move your paws faster!"
The panther's collar glowed, and pain wracked her body. Idiots…
Despite the pain, she resisted, fighting with her last strength. This was a slave collar for animals, not easy to come by. It'd inflict pain until she obeyed. Aristos love these for guarding their estates. The Godart Lineage banned such methods, distrusting collars and wild beasts.
She resisted until blood streamed from her nose, and she collapsed onto her belly. Then she took a few steps toward her master to avoid death. Proud cat… And expensive.
Clearly not meant for these missions—too weak for her level. Oddly, I sensed her strength, but the collar drained most of it. A slave collar turned a howitzer into a popgun. Otherwise, she'd never obey them.
"That's better!" the guy cackled, thinking he'd broken her will.
No, he hadn't… Her eyes told me she was waiting for battle to die deliberately, escaping this wretched existence.
"Ready, Slayer? Lead on, we've got your back," the leader smirked.
"Yeah, sure!" I nodded with unhealthy enthusiasm. "Here's the plan: I draw them out, you take them down. We'll clear this place bit by bit."
"Great plan, kid," the leader grinned again. "Let's do it."
I considered their angle. They'd use me as a meat shield, then finish me off. Logical. Why risk their lives when there's a gullible Slayer?
There was a slim chance they weren't planning to kill me, but their behavior was too weird. So, I grabbed a big rock and chucked it at a patchy wolf in the nearest branch. Hit it, but what's a rock to a Rift creature? It and two others charged me. As planned, I ran back, reinforcing my armor just in case.
I was right—one of them screamed, slightly hysterical.
"Don't let them near us!"
I turned obediently, striking a combat stance.
The "handler" unleashed the panther.
She and I took the first wave of wolves. My "partners" amused themselves with ranged techniques, surprisingly varied.
Ice spears, fireballs, a couple of lightning bolts. I assessed their power and skills while dodging furious beasts, shielding the panther, who seemed to have switched off her survival instincts.
Looks like four Journeymen and two Warriors. Despite being Class 6 by Slayer standards, they weren't official Slayers. Decent group, but no melee fighters. The panther was their tank, but for a Red demon Horde, they were underpowered. Then again, this Rift was nearly cleared—by them or someone else? No clue. Their risk was minimal.
Still, it wasn't easy for me. The wolves' patchy hides were tough, and I had to keep empowering my sword to pierce them. The metal groaned, pushed to its limit, and I risked losing my weapon any moment!
"Damn it!" I slipped out of character. "Focus on one! All together!"
Their chaotic energy blasts, hitting randomly, were pissing me off. These guys were trained to kill people, not Rift creatures. Three lightning bolts would knock out a non-Master human, but a wolf just got angrier.
I kicked a second wolf trying to tear the panther's flank as she savaged the first's neck. And she wasn't even fighting at full strength.
I drove my sword into the soft belly of one enemy, empowered it, and yanked. Guts spilled, and the wolf howled. Carefully avoiding the panther, I slashed the neck of her target. My "companions" finally took down the third, combining their efforts.
"Tough bastards!" one wiped sweat from his brow, pulling a white jelly from his bag to absorb its energy. Two others followed. I'd overestimated their ranks. Their reserves were tiny. Or they panicked and burned out.
Looking at the dead wolf, I figured the latter. So, this group didn't pre-clear the Rift. Very strange…
I caught the leader's odd glance and, sighing, pulled out a jelly, gripping it.
"I'm beat," I whined. "Misjudged my strength."
Seemed to work. I had plenty of energy but nearly blew my cover protecting the panther.
The leader smirked, grabbed a knife, and started gutting the monsters. A bit brazen, but I stayed quiet.
"Got one!" he said, satisfied, pulling a valuable substance from the second wolf's head. "Red!"
I saw its color too. I knew the price—about 600 rubles today.
"We'll sort it later," he stuffed it into his bag and moved to the last wolf. Like the first, it was "empty."
Once everyone recharged, we pressed on.
From the second branch, I lured three more wolves. This time, it went smoother. My companions downed one on approach, the panther met the nearest head-on, and I hacked the last, snapping its spine but getting knocked back by a powerful paw. My companions finished it, and I winced, clutching my "hurt" side, rejoining the group.
"Damn, that stings!" I moaned. My acting skills were soaring—two scornful looks, and the leader muttered "weakling" while gutting the corpses. We scored two more red jellies.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," I played the heroic Slayer, undaunted by a scratch.
"Good job, kid!" The guy who'd sneered flashed a thumbs-up. "If this is a small Rift, it'll be over soon."
"Hope so," I smiled, smirking inwardly.
Hope it ends soon. I'm sick of your faces and your whispers behind my back. You're pissing me off…
I knew which cave held the remaining six wolves, and they knew too, hearing the angry growls. Why didn't these disgraceful wolves help their kin? Thought they'd handle it and finish off the wounded later, gaining more power?
"They're not coming out," I stated the obvious. "We need to draw them out."
They exchanged glances.
"Can you handle it? We're not melee, it'd be dumb for us to go, but if you pull them here, we'll shred them. Plenty of energy left!" Sure, plenty… after hogging those red jellies.
"I'm almost out of juice," I said wearily, leaning on my sword, pretending my legs were shaky.
"Don't wimp out, one last push! Bet it's just two scrawny pups in there, they won't touch you," the leader coaxed, others chiming in.
Pups… Six massive wolves…
This is getting interesting.
"Fine! I'll send the beast with you," the leader relented, sealing the deal.
"Deal!" I nodded and moved forward.
Except they didn't send the panther. And they didn't budge either. The moment I entered the cave, their faces lit up with smiles. Why so happy? I'd done exactly what they wanted to see what these morons were up to.
They surprised me…
The leader tossed a crystal into the entrance, and a murky veil sealed it, trapping me inside.
"Two hours, kid…" he sneered. "Don't take it personal, but you're dumb as a brick. You were marked, and you fell for easy money. Honestly, we're shocked they paid so much for such a simple target."
"Was it tougher before?" I smirked, unfazed.
"Not scared? Maybe you lied about being spent, but it won't help," he said, his awkwardness gone, now acting like he owned the place. "Beast, stay put! If the guy lives, kill him. If not, finish the wolves and wait for me!" She stared at him defiantly, and he caught it. "I forbid you to die!"
That's bad… Really bad for him.
The wildest part? They turned and left. What? Too lazy to watch me get torn apart? Such disrespect for my life! Maybe I overdid it, playing the fool.
Time to end this. The wolves were closing in, their growls louder.
"Come out!" I called to Shnyrka. "You know what to do."
"N-n-n!" he nodded, rubbing his paws.
Shnyrka slipped into a shadow and popped out near the startled panther. She didn't attack, just stared. Smart girl! No command to attack everyone, so she figured he could kill her. She looked at him expectantly.
Not today, darling.
Shnyrka's not just a kleptomaniac. The moment he touched her collar, it vanished. I sometimes wonder where his loot goes. I had a theory his kind has a junk planet for all their stolen goods.
"You know what to do…" I told the panther.
Shaking her head in disbelief, tongue lolling, she nodded at me, locking eyes.
"Then go, darling!"
She bolted after my former partners. Poor bastards…
I'll handle the wolves. No holding back now. I summoned three at once.
"Tear them!" They wouldn't win, but they'd be free.
The wolves understood and charged where I pointed. For two minutes, I listened to the furious battle sounds, then followed. My wolves lost but killed two and wounded four. Made my job easier.
I sped up, finishing a wounded one with a wide swing—its front legs were barely attached. Its head flew off, but I didn't stop. Empowering my body, I began to "dance." Of the three left, only one was uninjured and tried to hit me. The biggest, maybe the alpha. Pathetic, hiding while I killed his pack.
Seizing the moment, I blasted a fire stream into one wolf's maw. It howled, leaping back with a scorched face. Finishing it was easy, as was the one thinking he'd jump my back and bite my neck. Sorry… Empowering my sword, I cleaved him in half mid-spin. Downside? My sword shattered. Couldn't handle the energy surge… damn it.
The last wolf, the leader, saw my predicament and charged head-on. Brave guy. I empowered my fist with extra energy, crushing his snout.
Galaktionov: six! Wolves: zero!
Shnyrka, right on cue, streamed me a video. Riveting stuff. The panther was tearing her former masters apart.
Ouch… that had to hurt… She swiped the leader's groin, leaving a bloody mess, then leapt onto his chest. He tried to block, but she twisted, clamping her jaws on his neck. Not satisfied, she raked with all four limbs.
I was glued to the carnage, mesmerized by the humiliation.
Minutes later, they were dead or gravely wounded. Best part? It all looked like wolf attacks. Blame the beasts.
"Shnyrka, get over here! Time to hunt loot!" The feed cut, and my pet appeared.
He knew the drill. Within a minute, I held four white jellies and one red. What's the deal? They got reds, I got whites? That's unfair… Damn RNG!
"Find anything else valuable," I ordered.
To my shock, the only valuables were these jerks' gear.
At least he brought a rusty sword. What a lousy Rift, and what a hero I am for closing it. That's a mark in my record, plus the money waiting with Archip.
I quickly sorted their stuff. Armor was trashed—panther did a number on them! I'll take the weapons. Crappy, but worth about 600 rubles each, good enough. They hadn't eaten the red jellies, a plus. And two or three whites each. Total: fourteen extra.
I made bank on this run. Also grabbed their phones and personal items, stuffing them in my bag. What's taken in battle is sacred, as we said. Though we said that about any loot. Hunters were such hoarders.
"R-r-r…" a growl came from behind, where she'd been watching me through the barrier for five minutes.
"What're you doing here? You're a free cat now! Or you planning to finish your master's order? Come on, I'll help," I said, empowering my fist until my bones ached and smashing the barrier.
It shattered.
Beasts respect strength. Show it, and they won't attack without reason, knowing the law of the strongest.
"What're we waiting for?" I locked eyes with her.
As expected, the panther didn't attack. She was probably as strong as all those wolves combined, even injured. But I could take her. How could it be otherwise? Still, this big, strong cat had unusually intelligent eyes for an animal.
What happened next, I couldn't have imagined in my worst nightmares! Why me?!
I sighed heavily, carefully drawing the dagger from my belt…