Awakening to a Special-Grade Explorer
Vol. 4 - Ch. 209 - Counter-attack

As soon as Leon's instruction flew around, the standstill professional explorers finally started their sprinting. In a bid to catch every single one, they scattered around and moved to catch the monsters within one big net.

Amidst that, one of the explorers targeted a rabbit-like monster variant.

"It's that! Crush the fast one first!"

"Roger. ---<Grenade Sonic>!"

The explorer at lead swiftly activated his skill and immediately, the sole of his feet released explosive sound in succession. He reached the escaping monster in a flash and delivered a strong kick to the head of the monster. It was a powerful kick following the momentum he had built with explosive speed.

"Grrr!?"

The attack perfect struck the intended target and shot it down. It barely took a moment before the monster, receiving the attack, started to show the sign of mineral-ification like diamond structure from one corner of its body. ---Indeed, the monster had started to turn into mana ore.

The explorer, confirming the demise, immediately shouted to his nearby comrades.

"We can do that. Monster is so weak now even we can put it down to rest!"

The expression of his comrades immediately lit up when they heard the news, once again bubbling with the confidence they had once lost in the process. A spark of motivation had finally lit up their expression.

Alex of Pravirna saw this as a chance and immediately shouted to his guild members, his voice booming enough to echo within the whole dungeon.

"You heard him, right? Don't let a single one escape...take them down at all cost. We're taking our guild's honour, so go all out!"

" " "Roger!!!" " "

Thus, in this way, their strategy had changed from subjugation to annihilation.

†　†　†

The starting couldn't have been perfect.

Each explorer took down one monster variant after another hitchfree.

The leader of the second team, Shao Pao, from China's guild turned to his comrades fighting next to him and said.

"Hey, why is their number not decreasing at all? I believe we're all fighting with full force but…does it seem like their numbers are going down? You guys are not taking it easy, right?"

"Of course not, the mana ore transmuted variants around us are the proof. But...you're right, it doesn't seem like we have defeated much at all. What's going on?"

It had been a few moments when this doubt started to surface in everyone's mind.

It wasn't like they're lacking in numbers. No, there had been a lot of them, yes, and several hundred monsters were really nothing once they went all out. So it stands to reason they should have already exterminated a majority of numbers... or that should have been the case.Even if the monster had no will to fight and had become nothing more than a weakling with only the instinct to flee, it was hard to imagine that the outcome would change.

"Karschale, what's their number right now?"

Shao Pao, feeling the doubt, turned to one of their guild members who had the calling related to detection.

He had just asked when it happened. One of their explorers, tasked with the role of messenger, rushed toward them, informing them of an unpalatable news.

"Squad leader, please be careful. There have been signs of some variants splitting in other battlefields."

"Rats, so that's what's going on. Have they figured out the condition?"

"The monkey-like monsters seems to be splitting whenever they received a normal, physical attack instead of ability."

"I see, then that shouldn't be a matter for us folk. But what in the world that stupid guild was doing, seriously. Don't they have enough mind to see that the ending is where they should be more careful? Hah, alright. Hurry up and inform others as well."

"Yes!"

Receiving the next order, the messenger explorer immediately brisked away for another place.

After seeing him off, the squad leader, taking down the incoming three variants in one shot, one again switched his gaze toward the explorer named Karshacle.

"I don't need precision, just tell me roughly their number."

"......Approx 1200. They have literally doubled in a mere span of a few minutes."

"Haa, understood."

Shao Pao sighed, having the rough idea. He strongly slapped the base of the crimson trident on the ground and spoke in a booming voice, making sure each member heard him correctly.

"Situation will only worsen if we don't change our strategy! We're going to use that."

As Shao Pao shouted, a scarlet hue replaced the black colour of his hair. His crimson trident burst off with crackling heat, as if in fire. Shao Pao, too, abruptly wore on the crimson fire like aura.

Shao Pao's comrades burst into an excited grin as they saw the change in their squad leader.

"Flame trident, devour thee the fire of samsara---"

He started a long aria—It was an attack with might so tremendous that only a few mighty explorers were capable of using it. As Shao Pao chanted, rest of the explorers swiftly took their distance from their squad leader.

"A twirl of flowing funeral, the eternal fire that lit the space. The sanliu hellfire---"

Shao Pao was about to finish the chant when a change occurred around him.

The frenzied flames burning over the trident abruptly vanished.

"W-Who the hell are you, bastard!?"

Shao Pao howled.

All of a sudden, Shao Pao found some red-haired people right beside him. Somehow they had sneaked their way without alerting anyone. Even Shao Pao didn't catch their presence until he noticed the flames dying.

He looked at the unknown intruders---a horn was growing out of the head of a chiselled-face youth. A sign that he was anything but human, giving him a chill from deep down.

But it doesn’t matter, he must act on no matter what. Shao Pao was also a famous explorer in China, one who had clawed his way to the position of second squad leader in Four River and Fire Emperor guild.

He shouted in a threatening tone to suppress the unrest.

The youth quietly placed his hand over the trident and gently chuckled.

"Apologise, I couldn't help but draw in noticing the scent of my friend."

"Friend? What in the world---no, I ask who you are!"

Shao Pao quietly watched for his timing swiftly---or was about to activate his ultimate move when tens of monsters suddenly pressed onward. They were the same variants he thought he had earlier but couldn’t confirm due to the appearance of youth.

Hurriedly, Shao Pao flicked the youth's hand away and once again covered the crimson trident in fire.

"Flame Trident---"

Yet again, the red-haired youth placed his hand on the staff of trident.

Shao Pao felt like he was hallucinating.

"The fire......disappeared?"

He saw the fire he had been bringing vanishing the instant youth touched his trident.

Shao Pao was baffled as he saw the repetition of earlier scenes. He very well knew how extraordinary these flames were, and had been one of the top flame abilities in China too. A mere touch of it would grant instant death, or an excruciating pain that would make enemies wish they're dead.

The youth, however, gently chuckled as Shao Pao looked at him.

"Apologise, these flames may pose a problem to our flames so please refrain from it."

"......Your flame?"

Shao Pao asked back, but received no reply in return except the youth's smile.

The red-haired youth took half a step forward and placed his hand on the sword, fastened to his waist. Then he drew the blade, his speed so fast even Shao Pao could barely register it.

He unwittingly forgot his situation and drowned into the beauty of youth's swordsmanship.

"---<Hellfire Blossom>!"

A familiar kind of flame orb shoots from youth's blade, pulling all the monsters in victiny toward itself, disregarding whatever the law of gravity was. When a certain number of monsters had gathered in one spot, the fire orb released an intense explosion, reducing them into mere flesh bits.

"What!? But how could there be a similar flame......but it was certainly stronger than mine."

Shao Pao was thoroughly astounded, but that was mere starter as his eyes nearly widened to limit when he saw follow up expectable. It wasn't just one. He could see the similar flame orbs appearing all over the battlefield as far as he could see. At the same time, he felt a chilling sensation, a kind of fear, erupting all over.

The youth turned toward Shao Pao and said, "Please leave the rest to us."

The youth---at least that's how he appeared to be, but Shao Pao heavily doubted this notion---said only this sentence and took off from their place.

The next moment, Shao Pao saw few to tens of, even hundreds of youth appearing on the battlefield. Much like that red haired youth they saw just now, they all had horns growing from their heads.

The humans, bearing a visage akin to Oni, were laying waste to the ground as they fired hellfire one after another.

Atleast, there were thousands of them, all too strong, too unstoppable. However what they were doing was not the annihilation of monsters. Theirs lips were curling into pleasure as they revel into death---torture of monsters. Their expression distorted into a frenzied smile.

It had been barely a few minutes since the hell beasts were summoned and the monster's numbers were already dwindling down fast.

The fact was keenly perceived first by the explorers excelling in detection or similar types of abilities. And once again, professional explorers were pushed to being mere bystanders.

The battle neared its end even without the intervention of professional's help.