Seed held his breath as the footsteps grew closer.
"Third floor. I'm telling you, that's where the signature spiked"
"F-rank at best. Probably some kid who just awakened and doesn't know how to mask their aura."
"Easy pickings then."
Through the gap under the door, seed could see flashlights sweeping across the hallway. Three of them, maybe four. He gripped his rusted pipe, knowing it would be useless against the trained hunters traffickers.
[WELL, THIS IS EXCITING.]
[SYMBIOSIS POINTS: 120]
[MIGHT I SUGGEST PURCHASING YOUR FIRST SKILL?]
[BASIC FIREBALL SKILL ORB: 100 POINTS]
He didn't hesitate. "Buy it."
[WISE CHOICE. PREPARING FOR INTEGRATION...]
Knowledge flooded his mind, mana circulation patterns, hand signs and the mental trigger needed to manifest the fire ball. It was like remembering something he'd always known but had forgotten. The skill orb's information downloaded directly into his consciousness.
[SKILL ACQUIRED: FIREBALL (BASIC)]
[COST: 50 MANA]
[NOW HERE'S THE FUN PART. YOU HAVE 10 DARK MANA. WANNA TRY A VARIANT?]
The door handle shook as the traffickers tried to pry the door open.
BAAM!
A heavy thud sounded as someone kicked it. The dresser scraped an inch across the floor.
"On three. One—"
Seed focused on the skill, feeling the knowledge reshape itself in his mind. The system had said he could convert skills using either mana type. He didn't fully understand how, but instinct took over as he pushed Dark Mana into the skill template, feeling it twist and change.
[SYMBIOTIC CONVERSION IN PROGRESS...]
[UNDERSTANDING LEVEL: BASIC]
[NEW VARIANT CREATED: DARKFIRE BLAST]
"—Two—"
"—Three!"
The door exploded inward, the dresser behind it flying across the room from the impact. Three men in tactical gear poured in, flashlights mounted on their weapons sweeping towards seed
He thrusted his hand forward, feeling the Dark Mana drain from his mana pool as black flames erupted from his palm.
The Darkfire Blast wasn't large, barely the size of a basketball, but when it struck the lead man in the chest, he screamed. Not in pain from physical burns, but something worse. Something within. He collapsed, convulsing, clutching at his chest where the black flames had left no physical mark.
His soul was burning.
"What the fuck—" The second man raised his weapon.
TATATATATATA—TATATATATA!!!
Seed dove behind the overturned dresser as gunfire tore through the air. Splinters exploded around him. His Dark Mana was empty, he had used all ten points in that single attack.
[DARK MANA: 0/500]
[YOU'RE OUT OF GAS, HOTSHOT.]
[CURRENT OPTIONS: RUN OR DIE.]
[I RECOMMEND RUNNING.]
As The gunfire stopped, He heard rapid footsteps coming towards him, they were flanking me. Two directions, boxing him in.
"Kid, we can do this easy way or the hard way" one of them called out. "You've got some kind of dark magic? That's Good. The buyers pay extra for rare affinities. Come quietly and we won't hurt you..."
"Much..." the other one added with a chuckle.
He spotted the window, third floor, overlooking an alley. It was a long drop, but maybe.....just maybe....
"Don't even think about it." One of them appeared within his vision, his weapon pointed straight at seed.
Time slowed in his mind as he calculated the distance, the angle, the drop. His vitality was at 8, would he survive the impact of the fall?
[VITALITY CHECK: 60% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL WITH MODERATE INJURIES]
[40% CHANCE OF BECOMING A PAVEMENT PANCAKE]
[YOUR CALL, BOSS.]
Better odds than staying and getting sold on the black market.
He exploded into motion, sprinting for the window. Gunfire erupted behind him. A bullet grazed his shoulder, but it didn't stop him. He hit the window at full speed, the glass shattering around him as he broke through it and fell into empty air.
Three stories. The ground rushed up.
He tucked and rolled at the last second, just like they'd taught them at the academy. Pain exploded through his entire body as he hit the ground, the impact driving the air from my lungs out of his body As he heard the crack of his ribs breaking.
But he made it, he was still alive.
[DAMAGE SUSTAINED: MODERATE]
[HP: 45/80]
[IMPRESSIVE. STUPID, BUT IMPRESSIVE.]
He forced his self to his feet, pain creeping through every nerve in his body, Above him were the traffickers shouting, already heading for the stairs. He had maybe thirty seconds before they'd reach where he was.
He ran desperately, Every step felt like torture, but he pushed through it. This side of the city was a maze of alleys and abandoned buildings, he just needed to lose them long enough to—
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a figure stepped out of the shadows ahead, blocking his path.
"Going somewhere, Seed?"
He came to a halt, staring in disbelief.
Marcus Grendel. His former classmate. The guy who'd always been second-best, who'd always resented living in his shadow. He wore hunter gear now, official-looking, with a C-rank badge on his chest.
"Marcus? What are you—"
"I heard you died in that dungeon collapse." His smile was cold. "Shame. I was really hoping to see it happen."
Behind him, the traffickers emerged from the building, their weapons raised and pointing at seed as they boxed in.
"You're working with them?" Seed yelled, looking at Marcus as he couldn't keep the disbelief from his voice.
"Working with them? Please." Marcus laughed. "I hired them. When I heard rumors of a resurrected hunter with a strange aura signature, I had to investigate. Imagine my disappointment when it turned out to be you."
Marcus raised his hand, And fire, normal orange fire, danced across his fingers. A proper skill from a proper hunter. He'd always had fire affinity, but this was polished, controlled. He'd gotten stronger while seed was dead.
"I'm going to enjoy this," Marcus said. "Killing you properly this time."
[WELL, SHIT.]
[DARK MANA: 0/500]
[WHITE MANA: 0/500]
[HP: 45/80]
[WEAPONS: NONE]
[ALLIES: NONE]
[ASSESSMENT: YOU'RE COMPLETELY FUCKED.]
Marcus's fireball grew larger, heat washing over seed even from ten feet away.
"Any last words, Seed?"
He had no mana. No weapons. No escape routes. And his former classmate was about to kill him.
Then he felt it, a presence behind the traffickers. A cold, calculating aura that made even Marcus hesitate.
A woman's voice, cold as ice, cut through the night:
"Step away from him. Now."
Seed knew that voice. He had heard it scream his name as the dungeon collapsed.
"Elena" seed smiled.
But from the killing intent rolling off her in waves, he couldn't tell if she was here to save him or finish what Marcus started.