Chapter 127: Urgent Side Quest (What Is Ander)

Reiji woke up and checked his phone. It was 11:14pm.

"I can’t sleep." He muttered to himself as he stared at Aoi curled up in his arms.

"So cute."

’I don’t know why but I have this uneasy feeling creeping on that something bad is going to happen.’ He thought to himself as he prayed his body away from Hina’s as he got up from bed.

He went to the bathroom as splashed water ok his face. He stared at the reflection in the mirror and muttered under his breath, "I don’t know what this feeling is but I don’t like the Davy that I can’t do anything about it."

’I should go clear a gate?’ pondering for a bit I thought it was the best option as it would get my mind off this feeling.

Immediately I put on my hoodie cap and mask and gloves. I walked out of the bathroom and towards Aoi on the bed.

"I’ll be right back." Reiji said as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and instantly shadow gathered under his feet.

"Shadow Step." He stood ontop the a rooftop scanning the city the entire city map had been brined into his memory and his enhanced sense plus detect Presence allows him to see what goesin a large area.

"There are no nearby Gates." Reiji muttered as he decided to head deper into Plush City.

[Shadow Step]

Reiji disappeared from where he stood and appeared on the rooftop of a building in town. He searched the area again but nothing. Just s he was about to head in deeper the green screen appeared in front of him.

[Urgent Side Quest Triggered!]

[Urgent Side Quest – prevent a B-Rank Gate break from happening!]

[Reward: A random B-Rank Skill.]

[Penalty: ???]

Reiji stared at the screen in confusion but before he could ask any questions a large yellow portal appeared several building away from him.

"A B-Rank Gate." Reiji muttered inwardly as he used Shadow Step and rushed in. He was going to complete the quest before the Military arrives.

But just as he entered. The unstable gate that was showing B Rank now became A-Rank.

’Damn I rushed in without thinking.’ Reiji thought to himself in frustration. As he was now in a cave. The walls were rough and jagged but at the top of them were moss lining flowing horizontally. It radiated a pale sliver light.

Reiji remained still for several seconds, carefully observing the cave around him. Nothing moved, yet that strange sensation lingered somewhere at the back of his mind.

He couldn’t explain it, but his instincts were telling him that rushing forward would be a mistake. Unfortunately, the quest wasn’t going to complete itself, and every second he wasted gave the Gate more time to break. He tightened his grip and continued.

The portal was gone and only darkness swallowed behind him.

Though he was able fight an A-Rank monster but fighting more at a time would be very tiring especially if he fought the boss which would be likely an S-Rank monster.

"Wait that bad feeling is no longer there... Is this the bad feeling? No that can’t be it. If it was sweating but it’s not." Reiji muttered under his breath as he removed his hoodie and tiead it around his was tight and held the long bone before heading deeper into the cave.

As he continued into the cave something caught his eye. The puddle beneath him.

’Exploding slimes.’ Reiji immediately shadow stepped away from where he stood and immediately a slimes which had been quietly hanging on the ceiling fell to the exact spot Reiji had stood and exploded.

[You have killed an A-Rank Exploding Slime!]

[+30 EXP]

’This explosion is even more stronger than a B-Rank’s. I don’t think Hardening might a help me.’

[Mana Manipulation!]

[Verdant Grow!]

Reiji formed a protect cover around himself using Mana and immediately used Verdant Grow and formed tiny spikes which he sent towards all the slimes on the ceiling.

Immediately the whole cave went of like there had dednate landmines in there.

BOOOM!

All the slimes exploded and instantly a flood of notification rang in his head.

[You haved killed an A-Rank Exploding Slime!]

[You haved killed an A-Rank Exploding Slime!]

[You haved killed an A-Rank Exploding Slime!]

[+30 EXP]

[+30 EXP]

[+30 EXP]

[+30 EXP]

Reiji continued deeper into the cave. Along the way Reiji suddenly thought of something there were skills he rarely use but thanks to that mass Ranking he’ve all to C-Rank.

But knowing all his skills is at C-Rank except from Mana Manipulation which is B-Rank he felt that it was a waste not using them.

But he decided not to since this wasn’t a lower Rank Gatem he need to be on his guard.

Just then Reiji saw a light at the end of he cave and was confused.

’Is that other side of the cave brighter.’ Reiji thought as he walked slowly and carefully towards the Ned of the cave.

Since he didn’t sense any danger he walked through and instantly a blinding light hit him before his eyes adapted to the light.

"Where the hell am I?" Reiji muttered to himself as he stared at the place he was standing in total shock.

Reiji stared at the unfamiliar world in total shock.

The sky was covered by a strange reddish hue, with a massive red sun hanging above the ruined city. Collapsed buildings stretched as far as his eyes could see, their broken structures covered in dust and strange vegetation. Abandoned vehicles were scattered across the cracked roads, some completely buried beneath rubble.

The entire place looked like the aftermath of an apocalypse.

Reiji slowly inhaled, but immediately frowned.

The air felt wrong.

It was thick and unpleasant, carrying a strange metallic smell mixed with something rotten that he couldn’t quite identify.

"This place..." Reiji muttered as his eyes scanned the surroundings.

Something moved between the ruins.

Then another.

And another.

Mutated beasts were crawling through the destroyed streets, their bodies twisted into shapes that looked nothing like normal animals. Some had additional limbs, while others had unnatural growths covering their bodies.

Reiji’s expression became serious.

’Where the hell did this Gate lead me?’

Before he could think further, one of the creatures suddenly stopped.

Its head snapped toward him.

Reiji’s eyes narrowed.

The creature looked like a dog, but calling it a dog was being generous. Its body was covered in patches of hardened flesh, while several strange growths protruded from its back. Its eyes glowed with a dull red light as it lowered its body.

Then it lunged.

Reiji immediately stepped aside, narrowly avoiding the beast’s claws as they tore through the air where his chest had been.

The mutated dog landed several meters away before twisting its body unnaturally.

It was fast.

Much faster than Reiji expected.

The beast immediately charged again, its claws scraping against the broken road as it accelerated.

Reiji raised the Long Bone Sword and prepared to strike, but the creature suddenly changed direction mid-charge.

’Fast.’

The mutated dog appeared beside him almost instantly.

Its claws swung toward his chest.

Reiji’s eyes widened slightly as he realized he wouldn’t be able to dodge normally.

"[Shadow Step]."

His body disappeared just before the claws reached his skin.

The mutated dog froze in confusion.

Reiji reappeared behind it.

In one clean motion, he swung the Long Bone Sword.

Slash!

The beast’s head separated from its body and fell onto the cracked pavement.

Its body collapsed a moment later.

Ding!

[You have killed an A-Rank Anders Mutated Dog!]

[+40 EXP]

Reiji stared at the notification.

"A... Anders Mutated Dog?"

He looked down at the corpse before turning his gaze toward the ruined city.

That name.

He had heard it before.

At first, he had assumed it was simply a coincidence.

But now...

"Ander Helm, Anderite Stones and now Anders," Reiji muttered as his eyes narrowed. "Is Anders a place or a person?"

He slowly crouched beside the corpse and examined it, but nothing about the mutated beast gave him an answer.

His gaze eventually returned to the endless ruins surrounding him.

The strange red sun.

The mutated creatures.

The disgusting air.

And now the name Anders.

None of it made sense.

Reiji stood back up and tightened his grip around the Long Bone Sword.

’This isn’t a normal Gate.’

He had entered expecting to stop a B-Rank Gate Break, but the moment he stepped inside, the Gate had changed into an A-Rank Gate and transported him somewhere completely different.

Now he was standing in what looked like a world that had already ended.

Reiji slowly turned around.

The entrance he had come through was nowhere to be seen.

Only the ruined city stretched behind him.

His expression became increasingly serious.

"Something’s not right."

Then, from somewhere deep within the ruined city, a distant roar echoed through the streets.

Reiji’s eyes immediately narrowed.

Something was coming.