Chapter 38: Dungeon Trials[2]
[Battle Mode activated] The mechanical monotone resounded in Noah's head.
In response, a swarm of five billion microscopic nanites covered his iris.
The nanomachines infiltrated his otherwise black orbs, slowly turning his eyes from black to a haunting shade of gray.
[Three monsters drawing near from the 2 o'clock. One other monster approaching from the 1 o'clock. The distance separating them is 45m and 50m respectively.]
***
Noah's POV:
I was absorbed by the view that attacked me.
The entire view, in front of me was digitalized with a display of glowing pastoral grid lines.
Perfectly aligned horizontal and vertical lines intersected each other, forming a mosaic of squares.
As I saw the scene, every detail of the surrounding, be it trees or the rocks, manifested in my augmented reality vision.
Each element presented itself with analytical data, like the information displayed on a computer screen.
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I cautiously went forward, surrounded by the rocky terrain and rolling hills that dotted the landscape.
My head tilted slightly to the left, only to reveal a small pond.
But, amidst this calm backdrop, a sense of anticipation of when and how hung in the air.
Nano alerted me to the presence of four approaching threats—monsters most likely.
Soon enough, three wolf-like canines entered in my view, their black fur contrasting sharply with their piercing red eyes.
One particular, of the monsters, stood out. He was slightly larger than the rest—yes, a 'he'. In my display, analytical data of biological identities was floating around. The monster was walking behind the other three.
"Blood hounds," I declared, the beasts identity.
A carbon machete materialized in my right hand, conjured from the dimensional bracelet.
Before my right foot could make another contact to earth, my view blurred, only for me to find myself sitting on top of a velvety black seat.
It seemed as if somehow I got transported to a different location, now positioned in the opposite of my intended path.
I gazed below only to find that I was seating on top of the largest Blood hound, and not some black velvet.
Confusion clouded my thoughts before my eyes fell on the glow of [Mystery of teleportation].
'Nano used the [Mystery Of Teleportation]. But how?'
My left hand was already high in the air. My gaze fell on the confused trio of monsters infront of me. Earlier, I was infront of them, and now I was seating on top of their alpha, behind them. Surely they must have been confused?
With a fluid motion, a surge of yellow electricity crackled in my left as the hand made contact to the neck of the bloodhound I was seated on.
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"Galvanic taser," I exhaled, a frown etching my face.
Galvanic taser was one of Nano's many abilities.
"Awooooorghhh!!" The blood hound unleashed a cry, its futile struggle waning as it sank to its knees, its head dropping to the earth.
'A temporary shock reaction, a result of modulated electric current disrupting voluntary control of muscles— a neuromuscular incapacitation!'
From 'A Student's Guide to Maxwell's Equations' to 'Electricity and Magnetism', hundreds of books I read on Electromagnetism and thermodynamics flooded my consciousness drawing a conclusion right on the spot.
My right hand, in a rapid blur of motion, approached the blood hound's neck, brandishing the machete.
??????????!—The blade sank deep into its neck.
My body leaned forward, redistributing my center of gravity, my weight now firmly resting on the blade.
??????????!— A sound resonated through the air as the machete went deep into the blood hound's neck.
With a twist from both hands, a bone-crushing crunch filled the space—????????????!
??????????????!—A burst of lightning shot from my hands, illuminating the area with an electric display of amber.
The machete in my grip pulsed with raw power.
[One threat neutralized] Nano declared.
In the blink of an eye, a (F-)rank monster died.
—"Grrr ha grreere!"-Unsettling growls drew my attention. The three blood hounds were closing on me, their teeth bared disdainfully.
Two of the approaching beasts lunged forward with alarming speed, propelled by a primal instinct to sink their jaws into my flesh.
Meanwhile, the third one maintained a cautious distance, a flicker of hesitation in its eyes.
My body moved in ultra instinct, jumping from my previous position, defying the laws of gravity.
In my augmented vision, three blue boxes highlighted the threat posed by the oncoming monsters.
But the blue box hovering over the third blood hound—the one that stayed behind the other two, turned red.
Three words materialized above the box in my augmented vision, its declaration clear and resolute: Target selected - Execute.
All this while my body was suspended in mid-air from the prior jump. I gracefully rotated mid air as the scenery blurred teleporting me away.
??????????! My machete was pushed into its flesh.
Before me, were the two blood hounds that previously sprinted towards me. I was behind them.
I gazed back to see my machete deep inside the other hound's chest. Right where the heart should be.
'This level of precision...'
With a climbing rotation, my body rolled in tandem with the blade, my left hand seamlessly seizing the creature by its neck just as it lunged to bite at me, its ferocity restrained.
"Kieeek-Kieeek!" a plaintive cry escaped the monster below, its desperate plea telling how it was seeing its life flash before its eyes.
The other two hounds sprinted towards me, their fierce growls in unnerving harmony with the pitiful sound below.
But, my hands persisted, relentless in their twisted dance, until the creature's desperate cries was extinguished into a haunting silence.
It was dead.
From my dimensional bracelet, a vial of Mana Enhancer materialized in my left hand.
I observed as the other two hounds closed in.
Swallowing the entire contents of the vial, my throat constricted and an electric surge coursed through my body.
One of the blood hound lunged from above, hunger visible in its predatory leap.
My body rotated in a graceful backward motion, limbs coiling into a defensive turtle-like stance.
As the wolf like creature drew near, I seized it with precision, the sound of its struggle melding with my senses.
In an instant, my body whirled, harnessing the explosive force within and a swift kick launched the blood hound into the air.
With calculated precision, I gracefully landed on one knee, my body fluidly repositioning itself.
My gaze was now fixed on the lone wolf that leaped towards me.
In a seamless motion, I adjusted my grip on the machete, holding it in a reverse grasp as my body propelled forward.
Activating my momentum transfer skill, I tapped into the reservoir of mana within me, absorbing a substantial amount of 150 mana in one surge.
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A head flew through the air, and the headless bloodhound went limp.
I looked behind to see the last monster fleeing in fear, its survival instincts overriding its predatory nature.
"Mmm, indeed. Mana beasts possess a trace of intelligence", I murmured, acknowledging their limited cognition as a testament to the intricate balance between instinct and sentience.
***
(?????????? ??1)
"All clear!" Aurora's voice resounded through the air, a triumphant declaration that echoed with relief.
"How many monsters did we manage to take down?" Aeravat asked.
"A total of 209," came the response.
Hesitating for a moment, Aeravat made a decision. "Alright, let's set up camp here! As for the remaining students, they can go forward and explore the location of the dungeon!" Aeravat directed his gaze towards Luke.
Acknowledging his orders without protest, Luke dutifully replied, "Understood!"
With the unwavering loyalty of a trusted soldier, he set off to carry out his assigned task.
Takahashi, who was cleaning his Glaive, couldn't help but voice, "I still can't believe you allowed some students to be on their own."
Aeravat remained resolute in his stance. "It's their choice. We shouldn't dwell on such matters."
Snorting dismissively, Takahashi retorted, "Oh, right! Your moral righteousness blinds you, my friend. We could have used them more effectively. But since they are on their own, they'll simply get eliminated."
An edge crept into Aeravat's tone as he pushed back against the critique, "Let me remind you who the leader is here. You are not my friend. Behave yourself," he warned, his authority unyielding. "Engaging in petty squabbles with young masters suffering from eighth-grader syndrome simply do not make it to my priority list."
With those words, Aeravat forged ahead, leaving Takahashi alone.
....
-"Engaging in petty squabbles with young masters suffering from eighth-grader syndrome simply do not make it to my priority list," the mechanical radio resounded in my head.
With a nod of approval, I replied, "Okay Nano, cut off the transmission. Now, let's see what Class A2 is doing."
Thanks to Nano's hacking, I have complete control over the entire map of this place. Hacking into their smart bracelets was easy.
[Affirmative]
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