291 Trouble?
Xarax and Declan, who were confused, instantly sensed a dreadful presence far from them. It was the most powerful presence they had ever sensed from a monster.
A Peak SSS Rank Monster - apart from the records of them appearing a few times inside a dungeon, there had never been a case where a Peak SSS Rank Monster appeared in the last 200 years.
"This can't be happening," Declan said as he poured a healing potion on his wound.
'This is not good,' Dexter thought as he headed in the direction where Silvus had gone when they had split up.
Despite being injured, the other three SSS Rank Hunters didn't stop. They went after Dexter, not wasting any time.
If what they sensed was correct, it was better to group up than to individually face such a monster with less numbers.
At the location, Osbert looked down at the black figure that had a black stone on its forehead. Its presence was corrupting the land around it.
The stature of the monster was similar, but it was an entirely different monster.
Each SSS Rank Monster had an ability that made them worthy of the title 'Calamity'. Unfortunately, the beast that Xarax and the others were fighting had the ability to absorb monsters and strengthen itself.
Right now, the two most affected by this situation were Farnus and Osbert.
'My decade of planning will not fall here,' Osbert thought as he took out an orb-like artifact and crushed it.
Instantly, a faint glow appeared around Osbert's hand and it moved on, covering his whole body.
It was an extremely powerful SSS Rank artifact that Osbert had obtained years ago.
But unlike Osbert, Farnus was not in the most convenient spot in this fight.
As a peak SSS Rank Hunter, Farnus would have the highest chance of defeating this monster with his SSS Rank Armor and the Ancient Rune he possessed, but for some reason, he didn't want to use it.
In an instant, Dexter, and after him, Xarax, Declan and the SSS Rank Hunter of the Watson Family also gathered in the land that was being affected by the Black Element that the Monster possessed.
Seven SSS Rank Hunters had gathered in one spot to fight a single monster, but all of them were being careful while facing this monster.
"Be careful, his attacks sap your energy," Xarax said as he floated downward.
With a single glance, black marks were visible on their arms and the broken areas of their armor. Just by that fact alone, Silvus could sense that this monster might not be as easy to deal with as he had thought.
Even if it was a Peak SSS Rank existence, they had a total of seven SSS Rank hunters on their side.
It wouldn't take long for them to defeat it as together they were much more powerful than a Peak SSS Rank Existence.
But judging from the fact that even three of them couldn't defeat it on time made him realize that the threat was much bigger than he thought.
The monster looked around calmly as it sensed the presence of many powerful beings and locked eyes with Farnus, who was standing in the center.
No one was moving as they were waiting for the monster to make the first move.
Its eyes started burning with blue fire as the molten red scales became etched with black and five horns grew on the head of the monster.
Just as the monster stepped forward, a ripple was created with its step.
Suddenly, the area around them was covered with a similar Black Element Entrapment, but this time even the most powerful people on Earth couldn't react to stop it.
All sources of light disappeared as they found themselves standing in complete darkness, but none of them needed light or vision to sense the presence around them.
"This damn monster can create a domain outside a Dungeon?" Dexter said as Silvus closed his eyes and started chanting spells.
A huge ball of fire appeared above them as Silvus created a source of light.
Floating in the air, a silvery mana bubble surrounded Silvus, whose cloak started fluttering as the monster locked eyes with him.
But before it could charge towards Silvus, Farnus grabbed his spear as he unleashed his mana at near full strength, causing the monster to divert its eyes toward Farnus.
"Keep it away from Silvus," Farnus said, disappearing the next moment.
BAM
A shockwave appeared all around the black domain, as the Beast stopped Farnus's spear with its claws. The Black Stone glowed and a ripple was created beneath them.
"Did it just absorb his attack?" Dexter frowned, noticing that almost the entirety of Farnus's attack was absorbed by the Entrapment domain they were stuck in.
Farnus didn't stop as he turned his spear to attack once again, and again, and again.
The shockwaves from their battle were enough to keep the other SSS Rank Hunters from interfering.
They were waiting for the opportunity that Farnus would eventually create, but they were all confused.
"Why is he not using his Rune and that armor's ability?" Xarax muttered.
None of them knew, but they believed that Farnus had something in mind by not using his full strength.
Farnus's spear struck the ground, causing ripples to start appearing all around the black globe they were stuck in.
The monster easily deflected all of Farnus's attacks, but Farnus didn't stop. His eyes were focused on the Black Stone on the monster's head.
He could see that the monster would always react more aggressively whenever his spear would target the stone, but despite his Lightning Aura, Farnus couldn't outspeed the Monster.
"Luminis Ras," Silvus completed his chant, and a silver light pillar appeared all around them. Xarax and others felt the black energy inside their bodies diminishing.
But the Dome of Black Energy wasn't affected at all, despite Silvus's Tier 5 Spell countering the Monster's ability.
The reason was clear: this Entrapment Dome was created by a Peak SSS Rank Monster, and it wasn't something that Silvus could easily destroy.
The monster deflected Farnus's spear, and the gap between them widened. The next instant, bluish fire started covering the beast.
The monster looked around as it opened its mouth to roar loudly. The black energy from the Dome rushed into its body.
At that moment, not waiting for Farnus's signal, each of the SSS Rank Hunters attacked the monster with their weapons. Mana clashed where the monster was standing.
But a Shield of Fire stopped their attacks from harming the monster.
The Black Stone dug further into the Monster's head. It grew larger than before, looking down at Farnus, who was standing with lightning traveling all around his body.
Instead of attacking Farnus first, the Monster targeted the other SSS Rank Hunters, and its first target was Declan, who was the most injured one there.
But before it could connect, Dexter appeared and brought down his hammer on the monster. Instead of pushing the monster back, the Monster stopped the hammer itself.
Dexter smiled as golden Runes erupted from his hammer, latching onto the monster that disappeared from its place.
But it didn't matter; explosions happened due to the Runes that Dexter had used.
Declan raised his sword, knowing that the monster would target him soon, but Osbert's words distracted him for a second.
"Hey, old man, why aren't you using your Runes?" Osbert asked Farnus, who was standing still on the ground.
But before Farnus could answer, the monster roared, and the Dome started moving. The Monster disappeared into the Black Energy.
The next moment, it appeared just beneath Declan, its claws immediately attacking Declan's foot. He dodged it at the last second, saving himself from the Monster.
Silvus, having finished his chanting, stepped on the ground. A red chain lay on the ground as his highest Tier restricting spell was cast.
The chains made it impossible for the Monster to appear from below as they broke the connection of the Mana from the ground.
None of them waited as the Monster appeared in the middle and went after one SSS Rank Hunter after another.
Right now, they didn't have time to question Farnus further. Even a single second of mistake could make them the prey of this monster.
Dexter stopped the claw of the monster with his hammer, but fire around the monster erupted, slightly burning his hands despite the protection of his aura.
"This damn domain," Xarax said as he slashed towards the Monster, freeing Dexter.
All of them could feel that their mana was being heavily restricted inside this domain, but Farnus was having the most difficulty among them.
He was the only one the Monster was really going after, as all the other SSS Rank Hunters were merely bait for Farnus to move.
Each time Farnus moved, the monster would disappear and emerge behind him, trying to pierce its claws through his heart.
'Do I really have no choice?' Farnus thought as he blocked the monster once more, and it disappeared into the black dome above him.
