Titan sat forward folding his fingers together.
“Explain this to me.” Titan said calmly.
“Simple. Dungeon Crawlers aren’t treasure hunters. We’re exterminators. We keep back problems from entering the world.”
“Go on.”
“Governments pay us to keep back those problems. Strong guilds keep back big problems. They get more money and power.”
“So there is a ranking system of guilds that hold political power?”
“Yes. There are only a few strong guilds in the world with shit load of power.”
“Those two Warlocks are apart of one of those guilds.”
“Yeah. We get involved with their shit and we take the hock for the shit or worse one of their legendary rankers comes at us.” He said.
Titan nodded. “Guilds take out other guilds to maintain power and ranking.”
“Yeah. Hence the reason we should avoid telling anybody.”
Titan frowned. “Are we a small guild with no power?”
Charlie frowned at him. “What are you getting at?”
Titan frowned. “How many times have any of you happened upon a guild assassination attempt?”
Nobody said anything.
“Titan. What are you thinking?” Ronald asked.
“It’s obvious? Somebody was trying to kill me.”
“Titan. It was just an accident. Rough Riders is a small guild just out to stabilize our neighborhood. We’ve always been a small operation on purpose.”
Titan shook his head. “I really don’t have time for this shit. I got to make money to pay the mortogue and my sister’s college fund.”
Charlie sighed and relax back in his seat. “Look. I hear you. All we need to do is keep our heads down.” He said.
Titan. “It’s still light. Can we head to another dungeon.” He said.
“Of course. I already got our next target lined up.”
“Wait. Instead of one you had planned to go to is there any other dungeon that is active we can go to.”
Eddie grunted. “I get your thinking. We should change things up just in case.”
Charlie grunted. “Change of plans. I got another dungeon lined up. Eddie. Head to the downtown spot.” He said.
“I got you, boss man.” Eddie said and drove fast.
Titan closed his eyes and kept his finger folded together. He frowned in thought but no one said anything.
Ten minutes later they were downtown. Eddie parked quickly in a parking space in the back of black store front building.
“Let’s go.” Charlie said heading out of the van with the others.
Titan followed behind Charlie observing how one other person lagged behind in the van.
Charlie looked at Titan. “Are you good to make another dungeon run so soon?” He asked.
“I’m good. I need the money.” He said.
“The job you did yesterday was enough to pay off the mortgage for a month or two.”
Titan shook his head following Charlie into the storefront. It was empty like the previous one.
A wizard in a blue uniform nodded to them. Eddie glanced at Titan. He pointed to the guard.
Titan nodded and focused on the guard.
[System Status]
Name: Jesper Wells
Class: Wizard (Rank V)
Level: 59
Focus: 2,098/2,098
Health: 1,090/1,090
Primary Attribute: Willpower: 500
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Secondary Attributes:
- Strength (STR): 90
- Agility (AGI): 14
- Perception (PER): 160
- Endurance (END): 300
Primary Skill:
- Magical shield
Titan nodded his head and followed the others toward the dungeon entrance.
Jesper blinked in confusion at the exchange between both men.
“Is there something wrong?” He asked.
Charlie shook his head. “Nothing wrong at
all Jesper. Just had a bit of an annoyance earlier today.” He said.
Titan’s Axiom Edge glowed brightly in his hand. Jesper nodded to Titan.
“You just got an upgrade. By the pace of the glow effect it’s a big one.”
Titan nodded. “Thanks Mr. Wells.” He said.
Jesper caught his arm before he went into the dungeon.
Titan frowned at him.
Jesper stared at him. “You need to be more careful. Stay quiet and don’t tell anyone that you’re psi.” He said.
Charlie looked at Jesper. “You heard some news brother?” He asked.
Jesper let go of Titan’s arm. He looked at Charlies though.
“Big Time is hunting rivals again. There is a shift in the guild ranks. Something big is coming. Protect your young Psi, right here.” Jesper said.
Charlie nodded. “Thanks brother. That’s what I needed to know. Be safe.”
Jesper stared at him. “Another guild came in before you did a few moments. Four males. Not the usual types around here.”
Charlie nodded. “I got you.”
Charlie then caught Titan’s arm and tugged him into the dungeon. He let go of Titan and they silently followed the others.
Titan took in his surroundings. The dungeon had smooth aqua blue narrow walls.
They walked down the narrow passage for twenty minutes until they got to an open space.
Four passageways were before them. Titan frowned.
“Which way do we go?”
Charlie took out a coin and flipped it. The coin paused in the air then went down passage way to Titan’s left.
“That way.” Charlie said and started leading the way.
Titan stayed close to the group watching one person in the group silently.
The man was shorter than others. He had long knives at his side and a short bow. His face was plain and common.
Titan stared at him but he couldn’t see his system window. The man never looked at Titan either.
Charlie led the way down the passway. Soon enough the sound of battle was heard.
“Get ready.” Charlie commanded the Rough Riders.
Titan’s Axiom Edge glowed a bright tinted sky blue glow.
Titan felt something odd. He expanded out his senses and the echo of something rebound back to his mind.
[Enemy Critical Analysis]
PSI ASSASSIN: S
Level: 20
Focus: 700/700
Health: 800/800
WARNING! EVASIVE MEASURES.
“Charlie! Psi Assassin up ahead. Level Twenty. What should I do?”
“RUN!” Charlie yelled.
Titan turned and attempted to run. He ran for a few feet only to feel deadly intent close behind him.
“TITAN!”
Titan blinked. He shifted his weight and sidestepped away as he felt a bullet fly past his shoulder.
A saw a dark figure bouncing off the walls toward him with a short sword out and ready.
Titan locked his focus on his enemy. He twisted his body as his enemy tried to stab his chest.
Titan heard his heart in his ears. He also felt a cold sweat gathering on his body.
Titan blocked with his weapon. He evaded and dodged hits as he was driven back fighting to stay alive.
His enemy was patient and determined to behead or plant his sword in Titan’s chest.
Titan’s cuts were beginning to add up. He was losing breath but something was happening.
Titan could see patterns in the storm of his opponent’s attacks. His enemy lunged an attack for the right side. His other side was wide open.
[System upgrade: Blink Step.]
The enemy moved, Time slowed down.
Titan stepped around the attack and punched his enemy in the jaw.
“Bastard!”
His enemy kneed Titan in the stomach and set his leg on fire with an exploding magic bag.
Titan screamed as he fell to the ground. The enemy took off running as fire arrows and fireballs.
Hank and Eddie quickly started putting out the fire on Titan’s leg while Charlie and Ronald fired fire spells from their weapons.
“Damn demon.” Charlie cursed at the retreating Psi Assassin.
Titan lay on the floor breathing heavily while he had a headache. “My head feels like it is about to fall out of my skull.”
Charlie nodded. “You used up a lot brain power trying to out-think that speed demon.”
“I don’t think we’ll be getting anything done today.” Titan said.
“That asshole cut you up bad. But you’re alive. We’re going back to gypsies to fix you up then I’m sending you home.”
Titan sighed. “I’m going to need a day off to see Glenda. I need to train.” He said.
Charlie blinked in surprise.”Glenda said you could see her again for training?”
Titan nodded. “Yeah. She told me to come back to her when I needed advice or more training when my system activated.”
Charlie smiled and he nodded. “Of course. Take two days off in fact. Get all the training you need.”
Titan snorted. “I think I might do that. Shit. Is it always like this?”
Charlie grinned. “Hell no. This is insane. Your dad and I got into this business for the money, not any of this shit.”
Titan’s smile slipped away. “One of Rough Riders told them we were headed here.”
Charlie nodded, not losing his smile. “I handled it. We burned his body.”
“What was his name? I couldn’t see his system menu. Was he another imposter Rogue?” Titan said frowning as he failed to remember traitor's class or name.
Charlie shook his head. “His name doesn’t matter. Any crawler that threatens the lives of the guild are terminated and their resources taken by the guild.”
Titan sighed. “Damn. I want to head to the bank and deposit the money for the mortgage before something else shitty happens.” He said.
Eddie snorted. “Yeah about that. We already paid it off for this month.” He said.
Titan stared at him and then he glared when Ronald gave him a potion bottle to drink.
Titan drank down the bottle of potion completely and then he burped. “Shit. Why the fuck did you do that. This is my problem.”
“The hell you say.” Ronald said.
Charlie nodded. “You’re apart of the guild and it’s only this month and last month and next month’s payment” He said.
“What the hell?!” Titan said.
Eddie chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get the fuck out of here.” He said.