Plundering in the Apocalypse

As they went deeper, the temperature rose sharply. The extreme heat was unbearable.

"Just how much further do we have to go in?" Alice asked while sweating profusely.

"A little more. I can see the stairs ending." Shin replied to which Alice got extremely happy.

"Really?" She was fed up with these stairs.

"Yeah, only about 300 more steps." His answer made her frown.

"Shin, I can't take it anymore. Use your gravity control on us." The heat was very irritating.

"I think that's a good idea. Gravity control." Both of them started floating and slowly descended the steps.

As they walked through that tunnel they soon came to an open space. Once they looked around they found themselves inside a volcano.

"No wonder it was so hot." Both Shin and Alice covered themselves with Mana layers. It worked as insulation for them.

Shin used his predator's eyes to search for monsters. He soon found what he was searching for but the result made him frown.

"Where are they?" Alice asked.

Shin pointed at the lava around them and uttered.

"There."

As soon as he said those words. As if the volcano started shaking. The ground started shaking and the boiling lava rose.

"Gravity control."

Both Shin and Alice started floating a few meters above the ground. It was a great choice because what happened next made them think about what would have happened if they stayed there.

Bursts of lava came out of the ground. Soon the culprit behind those lava attacks came into full view.

<strong>[Molten Armadillo (Level 55 - 70)]</strong>

Molten Armadillos had a pointy or shovel-shaped snout and small eyes just like any other Armadillo. But the size can only be considered gigantic. They were about half the size of an average human.

The terrifying thing about them was their body which was made of lava and molten rocks. Orange eyes plus black bodies covered in magma made them the most terrifying monsters they had ever seen.

They were blowing flames from each of their breaths.

"I don't think my servants can do anything here." Just as Alice thought. The servants won't be able to fight here. The terrain was too much for them.

'We will have to find some other way.' Alice was thinking of some other way. When she noticed Shin activating his skill.

"Water cannon." The burst of the ball shot out from Shin's hand and landed on a monster. But it wasn't able to kill it. The monster was barely standing.

"Tsk, it won't do. I need more powerful attacks." Shin clicked his tongue.

"Soul bomb." Alice tried using her bombs.

*Kaboom*

Although it dealt some damage it wasn't enough.

Shin knit his brows into a frown.

"I should upgrade it." As he thought that. A notification flashed in front of him.

<strong>[Your skill 'Water Cannon (C)' is ready to rank up.]</strong>

<strong>[Do you accept?]</strong>

<strong>[Yes/No]</strong>

"Yes." With his immediate acceptance of his skill successfully ranked up.

<strong>[Your skill 'Water Cannon (C)' is now 'Water Cannon (B)'.]</strong>

"Let's try it this time." Shin thought and used his ranked-up skill.

"Water cannon." This time the burst of water was bigger and more concentrated than before.

That attack finished 3 Armadillos together.

"This is great. Maybe I should rank up more." Shin thought as immediately ranked up again.

<strong>[Your skill 'Water Cannon (B)' is ready to rank up.]</strong>

<strong>[Do you accept?]</strong>

<strong>[Yes/No]</strong>

"Yes." He once again accepted it.

<strong>[Your skill 'Water Cannon (B)' is now 'Water Cannon (A)'.]</strong>

Now the effect of Skill was much more deadly than before.

"Water Cannon." With Shin's one attack he was able to finish man monsters.

"I have nothing left to do." Alice was pouting thinking she had been useless on this floor.

Shin and Alice continued floating for half an hour. By that time Shin managed to kill all the monsters.

<strong>[You have killed 250 Molten Armadillos.]</strong>

<strong>[You have gained experience.]</strong>

<strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

<strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

<strong>[You have leveled up.]</strong>

<strong>[+30 Bonus stats for leveling up.]</strong>

<strong>[Plunder activated]</strong>

<strong>[You have absorbed 90 stat points.]</strong>

<strong>[You have absorbed a new skill 'Lava Flames (B)' X250.]</strong>

"This skill seems useful but those attacks weren't able to reach us," Shin muttered while remembering the attacks of those Molten Armadillos.

*Ding*

<strong>[Congratulations on clearing the Seventh floor. All the rewards will be distributed while exiting the Labrinth.]</strong>

<strong>[Please move to the next floor.]</strong>

Shin was about to as something of Alice but she looked a bit down.

"What happened Alice? You don't look happy." Shin didn't like it when Alice is sad.

'I want to see her smiling face again.'

"I couldn't be of use on this floor," Alice replied while signing.

"That's what you were worried about. Don't worry Alice. You are already doing a lot. So don't look so down casted. I want to see your smiling face more." Shin said while gently patting her head. He cheered her up.

'I know Alice is strong. But it's just the speed at which we are facing the labyrinth is too much.' Shin sighed thinking how easy they are killing hundreds of monsters.

'I don't think that's normal.' He shook his head.

"Alice, I'll learn the new skill now," Shin told her about the skill he will be learning now.

"Don't worry I'll protect you," Alice said proudly while thumping her chest.

"I'll count on you." Shin smiled and moved his eyes away from her. As he got focused on her chest area.

Alice noticing Shin's gaze smirked.

"What happened Shin? Do you want to see something?" She wanted to tease him.

"N-No, I am fine." He shuttered as he was caught red-handed.

"I'll be learning the skill."

"Lava Flames." As he said that his body got covered in flames. But it wasn't painful for him. Just a little hot.

Soon after the flames subsided and a notification sounded.

<strong>[You have learned a new skill 'Lava Flames (B)'.]</strong>

"Now that this is out of the way. Let's go to the next floor, Alice." Shin gripped his hand tightly.

"Yes, let's go," Alice replied.

Both of them wanted to clear this labyrinth fast so they could save Elena.

"I hope she is okay."

Alice didn't say anything just nodded her head. If it was before she would have been fine if Elena died but now she at least wants to try saving her.

With these thoughts both Shin and Alice took their steps to the 8th floor.

***

Leonard who was fighting the monsters and was about the attack the next one got startled by a sudden notification which almost made him slip.

<strong>[Your teammates have cleared the 7th floor.]</strong>

"Just who are those people? When I got this second life I thought I could get most of the benefits because of my knowledge but I don't even know who is messing up my plans." Leonard gritted his teeth in hatred.

"I'll kill them so painfully they will regret being born." His mind was already clouded with hatred. He didn't even care if the other party was strong. He just wanted to kill them. Whoever they were.

Even with the blessing and his fighting experience he wasn't as fast as Shin and Alice. The reason is Shin has a variety of skills. With so many skills he easily has counters for many monsters. When a normal person has a single ability so he can not be at advantage every time.

Leonard swung his Bloodied Khalsa and killed 2 monsters.

He jumped to the side while killing another. He made a spin in the air and a kick landed on the monster.

As he continued moving his sword. It was like a beautiful dance as he was killing those monsters.

Within a few minutes, he was able to kill many monsters but he also had many scratches on his body. As he stopped for a second and took a deep breath. His blessing got activated and all his wounds got healed. Even his fatigue wasn't there anymore.

"I have to hurry up with this labyrinth. I can't keep it like this. Before I planned to clear this 5th floor and then focus on their arrival."

"Once they appear the world power and everyone's focus will again shift. But I want to take all the advantages this time." Leonard muttered while thinking of something.

"Hehe, I am the only one who knows their language. It will take time for others to learn their language. Which I won't have to waste time on. This is the benefit of knowing everything. Hehehe."

He suddenly stopped laughing.

"But before all that. I need to kill these people." Leonard's eyes turned cold as he continued his killing spree.

***

Outside the labyrinth inside a certain building, Alfred was writing another report with a big smile on his face. He was extremely busy after all. Many big corporations have called him to confirm the validity of the information.

Alfred's phone rang up once again.

[Is the news true?] This call was from another one of the big corporations.

Alfred smiled and replied.

"Leonard Drake had cleared the 7th floor of the labyrinth. My boss has confirmed it."

[Okay, please give our thanks to Mr. Stuart.]

"Will do," Alfred replied with a smile on his face.

The call ended.