Asher was spreading his mana sense, and he could now clearly feel the presence of many D Rank Monsters grouped together.
"I should go back," Asher decided, turning around.
Asher had just reached D- Rank, while Kevin was a D Rank who was nearing the peak of D Rank in his first years.
Both Amelia and Elena were D- Rank Hunters as well.
Asher returned and saw the three of them chatting.
But their smiles faded away when they saw Asher approaching.
"Why did you come back so soon?" Elena asked, frowning.
Asher's emotionless eyes observed the three of them.
"Many monsters are grouped together ahead, and it doesn't look natural at all," Asher said.
"What's unnatural about it?" Kevin asked.
"It doesn't make sense for these monsters to stay in a huge group normally," Asher replied, remembering reading about the traits of these monsters.
"It seems to me like you're just afraid of going inside the dungeon," Elena chuckled.
"Aren't you the Heir of the Greville family?" She asked Asher.
Asher's emotionless eyes stared back at the three of them.
"Haaah, do whatever you want," Asher turned and started walking away.
"Wait," Amelia stood up, calling Asher back.
She was about to tell Elena to not take it too far.
"Let him go. He'll come back soon when he realizes the difference in our strengths," Kevin stopped her, watching Asher disappear deeper into the dungeon.
"I will go after him," Amelia decided, standing to follow Asher.
Kevin grew frustrated, seeing Amelia chase after Asher. He had thought she didn't like Asher at all.
"Wait, then I will come with you," Kevin rose abruptly, halting Amelia.
"Elena, are you coming?" Kevin asked.
"Why not? If she wants to help him, I don't mind." Elena stood and joined Amelia.
Amelia smiled faintly, appreciative of their help.
She looked in the direction Asher had gone, but he had disappeared long ago.
Asher was currently dashing towards the spot where he had spotted signs of people inside the dungeon.
There were multiple paths in the Dungeon, and he had chosen the one away from the grouped monsters.
But he soon stopped when he sensed the presence of people ahead.
'Why are these people inside the dungeon?' Asher thought, observing two second-year students standing before him.
Judging by their mana, they were all D Ranked Hunters.
"Will this even work?" One of them asked nervously.
"Shush, they just need to kill her," the other replied.
But Asher sensed something was wrong with their mana; something felt off.
And the artifact they were holding.
"Nobody will know it was us who did it, yeah…," they repeated these words.
They seemed almost insane.
As Asher moved, his foot stepped on a stone, drawing the attention of the pair, who saw a young man standing before them.
"A-Asher Greville??.... Wait, did he hear us?" One of them exclaimed.
"Who are you guys?" Asher asked, walking towards them with his crimson red eyes staring at them.
"Crimson, Kill Crimson," one of them muttered to himself.
Asher noticed something odd about their behavior.
"Yeah! Let's kill him, he's seen our faces anyway," one of them declared, staring at his partner.
They turned to face Asher, brandishing their weapons.
The next second, Asher saw two D Rank Hunters charging towards him.
Asher quickly backstepped, dodging the first attack with ease.
Both were intent on killing him.
"Severe Slash," Asher muttered, lowering his body as his sword passed through one of the students.
He quickly dispatched the other.
"I felt nothing," Asher observed, standing over the bodies of two dead humans.
At that moment, he noticed that his inner turmoil had quieted as he killed the pair.
This was the first time in his life he had killed someone, but he didn't feel any emotion. The moment he sensed their murderous intent, his body moved, and he killed them.
Both were only one minor rank above Asher, but their techniques were flawed.
The strangest thing, though, was their behavior and movements. They were too sloppy for second-year students at World Academy. Their thoughts and movements seemed out of sync.
BOOM
The sound of an explosion caught Asher's attention, and he cast his mana sense in the direction of the noise.
He quickly moved toward the source and arrived just in time to see Kevin battling some masked people.
There were five masked men.
"You will not leave," one of them shouted, attacking Amelia.
Amelia was caught off guard, about to raise her dagger to block when suddenly she saw a black blade pierce the head of the man attacking her.
The man died instantly, and Amelia turned to look at Asher.
"Y-You killed him?" Amelia stammered, looking at Asher with a strange expression.
Asher ignored Amelia's reaction and moved towards the other masked men. He saw that Kevin was prolonging the fight, having no intention to kill the attackers.
But Asher, knowing about the massive group of monsters that would soon be attracted by the commotion, knew that they could not drag this fight out any longer.
'Kill them, you are a monster anyway,' Asher's consciousness whispered as he recalled these memories.
His memories shifted, showing him standing in front of a girl with long black hair and crimson red eyes.
"Just turn yourself in," Amelia said, looking at Asher.
"Is this what you came here for?" Asher asked, looking at Amelia.
Tears welled in her eyes.
"Kevin told me that he will make sure your punishment isn't too severe," she said, looking at Asher.
"Punishment? Did those guys send you here?" Asher asked with a strange smirk on his face.
"How can you laugh right now??" Amelia asked, unable to understand his calm demeanor.
"Mom, Dad, everyone died because of you!!" Amelia shouted at him.
Asher's indifferent eyes met Amelia's.
"Just for that girl, what did you even see in that ugly-" Amelia began, but Asher was in front of her in an instant.
A heavy killing intent began to radiate from him, and Amelia flinched, stepping back.
But he stopped as a memory flashed in his mind.
"Can you protect Amelia? It seems I can't," Damian asked with a smile, his eyes growing dull.
"Try to treat her better," Damian said, closing his eyes.
It was Damian's last request, and Asher refrained from attacking Amelia.
"Go away, and tell your 'friends', next time I see their faces,"
"I will kill them," his eyes bore into Amelia's.
"Till then, don't get in my way," Asher said, turning as a masked man appeared in front of them.
Amelia didn't notice, but behind the mask, another pair of crimson red eyes were staring at her.
Unlike Asher's indifferent gaze, his eyes held only contempt when he looked at her.
They both disappeared from that place just as Amelia felt the presence of multiple SS Rank Hunters all around her.
"What?" She looked around in confusion as a beautiful woman with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared in front of her.
"Were you alright, Amelia?" Elena asked.
"What is this? I only told you because I trusted you wouldn't reveal-" Amelia started, but Elena shook her head.
"I will explain everything to you, trust me," Elena dodged her question as an SS Rank Hunter approached her.
"Lady Elena, they used a Teleportation Artifact, but we're tracing them," he said with a respectful tone.
"Keep searching. Make sure he is apprehended," Elena instructed, turning back to Amelia.
"Kevin didn't know about this. I only informed the authorities because I was worried about you, Amelia," Elena said, a worried smile on her face.
"That man is not your family, he even used Damian as a-" Elena started, but noticed Amelia clenching her fist.
"Stop, I need a moment alone," Amelia said, turning to leave.
Elena watched as Amelia stepped outside.
"It seems he noticed our trap," Elena said, a frustrated look on her face.
Meanwhile, outside...
"I will not forgive you," Amelia wiped a tear from her eye, looking up at the empty night sky.
***
[ Mana Core increased to C- Rank ]
[ Rune of Eirdin has increased from Rank D to Rank C ]
Asher, who had been immersed in reliving countless memories, slowly opened his eyes.
The strange beast had disappeared long before he woke, leaving no trace of anything unusual.
He stood and felt his strength had indeed increased significantly.
But having revisited his memories so closely, his indifferent eyes surveyed the area around him.
"I should stay here for now," Asher told himself.
He sat down again, back against the wall, and closed his eyes.
He was not confident in controlling his bloodlust when faced with certain people, so he decided it was better to remain alone in this room until he felt able to restrain himself.
He took out the artifact that he had stolen during the recent heist.
"So, it was all because of this artifact, huh," Asher said, opening his eyes to examine the artifact.
