Dungeon of Niflheim

92 Chapter 92: Assaulting the compound (13)

Hearing himself being called a stupid old dwarf, Bastion’s eyes started spewing flames.

“Better an old dwarf than a decrepit human bookworm!” He glared at his friend, threatening to punch his face in before ultimately managing to calm himself down. They weren’t exactly young anymore they couldn’t just fly off the handle at a single insult, think about their reputation.

Taking a deep breath, he gestured towards the younger members of the group, Luna in particular.

Opposed to Frost who was filled with desire and envy, the rest of the group were not doing so well. Bruno and Taka were groaning, their weak bodies trembling, unable to withstand the pressure. Their wounds reopening from the tense strain. A lot of Luna’s healing was undone.

Leo and Luna however were filled with a primal fear, their very bones were shaking, and their heartbeats escalated to pumping a mile a minute. Luna’s eyes were darting side to side and her teeth were chattering as she gazed at her father. Never in her entire life had she felt the magnitude of her father’s strength until now, it filled her with panic and fear as if she didn’t know him at all until now.

Leo was a little less daunted as this wasn’t the first time, he experienced the powerful aura of someone at the level of B-rank. His father when he was still fit and able used to pressure him with it during training so that even when he faced an impossible enemy, he’d retain his faculties. But even so he was caught unprepared and struggled to breath normally.

When people reached a certain level of power, generally around B-rank they become able to exude an aura. This wasn’t a skill or magic but something far more primitive, instinctual even. Their very bodies can display their power as a deterrent to weaker foes. This wasn’t simply Ryuu releasing a batch of blood lust but an actual pressure akin to gravity. Not everyone can exude this aura and many having differing degrees of success, but it was well known and established fact that unless you could harness and control your aura to a sufficient degree, you’d never reach A-rank in your lifetime. Regardless of how skilled you become with a weapon or magic you’d strike up against a wall.

The reason being that high level monsters have auras just like the sapient races and if you don’t have your own, you’d be unable to resist the pressure minimising your combat effectiveness.

Dragons in particular were known for their advanced versions of this aura better known as dragon fear. It was one of the main reasons they were considered the king of monsters. Even C-rank lesser dragons would have this dragon fear, making it that much harder to hunt them.

.....

Frost himself already had the starting point of an aura, with which he could intimidate his foes and or make himself appear more menacing, but he was far from the level of Ryuu and Bastion wherein he could physically harm his targets.

Ryuu instantly turned pale when he saw the look in his daughter’s eyes and knew that he messed up. He had to keep his natural personality bottled up for so long, that when he finally found a target, that he could vent on he couldn’t restrain himself. Feeling the opposing mages aura that seeped up from the floor beneath as a blatant challenge he responded in kind utterly quashing his aura without holding back.

Unfortunately, although he succeeded in beating back his opponent with sheer brutality he also resulted in some friendly fire, his daughter in particular.

“L...Luna?” He stuttered as he spoke afraid of hearing her reaction, he didn’t want to appear as anything but a doting dope of a father to her.

‘God damn you, Adam!’ He chastised Adam in his mind pushing all the blame on him.

“.....” Luna was silent refusing to respond, filling Ryuu with fear and panic, even Leo was slightly worried about his partner, moving closer and placing his hands on her delicate shoulders. Ryuu was too nervous at the moment to jab at Leo for deigning to touch his precious daughter, his gaze was transfixed on her face, her mouth in particular as he awaited her response.

Luna’s mind was a mess at the moment, the conflicting views of the doting dope of a father that she knew, loved, and hated battled against the mad battle prone fanatic that she’d been seeing since they entered the compound. She struggled to accept the stark difference.

The silence lasted for a few more seconds before

Thud!

“Bleaurghh!” Luna without warning stepped forward and punched her father in the gut without mercy causing him to reel forward, having the wind knocked out of him.

“Stupid old man warn me next time you’re about to do that hmph!” Luna hmphed loudly and looked down at her keeled over father with contempt before turning to the side and walking over to Bruno and Taka to re-heal their injuries much to her irritation. She wasn’t made of mana after all and the fight was far from over, she didn’t need to waste any more of her mana on re-healing pointlessly.

“Ughhhhhhh” Ryuu groaned in pain but had a smile on his face, she didn’t treat him any different after all. Taking a strained breath, he forced himself to stand up with a goofy smile on his face.

“Yes, yes of course my daughter is the best and shouldn’t have to suffer, Daddy will cast a new, no two, no three new protection spells on you just to be safe.” Ryuu gathered up his mana prepared to cast several spells on his daughter aiming to nullify any future damage including that done by auras. By the time he was done she’d be able to walk right up to an elder dragon without a care in the world.

Thankfully he was stopped by not just Bastion but Frost as well, the two of them slapping the back of his head at the same time, both uttering the same phrase.

“No, you won’t idiot!”

“No you won’t idiot!” The major battle was right around the corner, Ryuu couldn’t waste his mana casting three of perhaps more unnecessary and overbearing spells right now, hell that much protection was never needed.

Ryuu silently grumbled and twirled his fingers as Frost and Bastion looked down at him as though he was an idiot.

Although it started off rather serious and dangerous, the result of Ryuu firing off his aura without restraint actually helped lighten their mood relieving any built up tension.

“To access the third floor, we need to find the secret entrance.” Frost spoke up since he was the one with the information thanks to his little interrogation.

“One of the many bookshelves here has a trick book that should open up the way.” He spoke calmly as he searched one section of bookshelves. Adam couldn’t have made it any harder. The entire second floor basement was filled with bookshelves as if it was some kind of library. All he knew was that it should be somewhere in the last room or maybe the second last since he couldn’t fully trust the information.

Thankfully after Ryuu and Bastion’s power display the invasive aura didn’t try to attack them again, probably scared off. It wouldn’t be wise for either of them to use their aura for prolonged battle anyway since it was incredibly draining to permeate it past the body, as a simple show of force which in this case Ryuu won by a landslide. They should also now be more wary of Bastion since even though his aura didn’t fight against the mage’s they should have been able to feel it. Whether that proves their advantage or not who’s to say.

Hearing and seeing Frost begin his search the rest of the able group nodded and got to work. Taka and Bruno were not part of that group, and neither was Luna since she had to help heal their injuries. The two of them would be remaining in this room, guarding it from any goon joining in from upstairs and or preventing anyone escaping from the third basement but really, they were just too injured and exhausted to be of any use downstairs, they’d only get in the way, new weapons or not.

The two of them verbally sulked about the decision but eventually acquiesced since Leo had logic on his side but they still weren’t happy.

Meanwhile down in the first area of the third floor, a perfect battle arena the three elite guards where in wait.

Splurt!

The mage Drogan spat out blood and collapsed to his knees while holding his head in pain much to the shock of his companions.

“Drogan what the hell man?” Rock moved quickly over to laugh at his comrades plight while Jin moved to help him up making sure he wasn’t seriously injured. Rock and Jin weren’t able to tell what happened since each of them hadn’t yet unlocked their full aura, only able to cloak themselves within a pseudo one to help alleviate some of the effects of another’s and most likely they never would given their talents. Upper C-rank was their limit. They couldn’t perceive the aura filled battle that took place above their heads. To them Drogan simply released a strong pressure before ultimately spitting up blood.

Drogan wasn’t going to explain the inner working of the higher class combatants to these muscle brained idiots.

“A mental battle with that Ryuu, one which I clearly lost.” He played it off as a mage thing but didn’t look too disheartened with his failure nor the subsequent mental pain that followed. It’d be weird if he did win a battle of auras. Given Ryuu’s advanced age and experience, he was bound to be the more powerful of the two. But it did give him an inkling into his foe’s level of strength.

‘He’s strong, much stronger than expected.’ Drogan wiped away the bit of blood leaking from his lips, ignoring the confused and smug looks he was getting from Jin and Rock respectively.

Previously he guessed that Ryuu was just a small level above him but one that he could bridge, but now not so much.

‘That’s got to be the aura of someone at upper B-rank for sure and that other aura must be Bastion, it’s weaker but not by much.’ He frowned before looking over at his idiot comrades.

‘They don’t stand a chance.’ He marked this fight pretty much unwinnable now. He would gladly attempt a grand duel with Ryuu since he was confident in escaping if need be but facing off against Ryuu and Bastion no way.

“Tsk,” he clicked his tongue as his mind processed his options, he had strong orders to protect Adam at all costs, but he knew his master, he wasn’t nearly as callous as Adam. If there was truly no other option, as long as he managed to escape and return to his master’s side without developing any link between Adam and him, he’d be able to escape execution. There’d be punishment for sure but that was much more enjoyable than death. He was still considered pretty young for a mage, early forties with room to improve, a veritable powerhouse for any noble to employ, so he banked on that as well as his future worth. His master however wasn’t one for lacking in powerhouses and Drogan didn’t even enter the top 10 so that could only help him slightly.

He turned back towards the ‘vault’ where Adam was ‘handling the goods’ weighing his options. Even if caught he surmised that Adam wouldn’t talk, he was trustworthy in that regard at least.

Frowning while deep in thought, Drogan made his decision, he’d abandon Adam to his fate. But he couldn’t simply run with his tail tucked between his legs, Adam would certainly talk then, no he needed to at least give a show of effort. His master as well would like to know the full extent of Ryuu’s abilities before he plans his next move.

Drogan would fight with Ryuu and when the balance tips against him he’d vanish. He tapped an item hidden with robes, a special magic item with a single use, given to him to use in emergencies only, as well as a few other items he had on hand.

His frown now started into a smile filled with joy, he could go all out against his foe without worrying now that he’d made his choice. He’d even resort to ingesting a few supplements to allow him to match Ryuu in battle. If he survived this fight, the experience and knowledge gained may be just what he needed to improve.