Chapter 246: Don’t die just yet, Leader

The group went silent.

Even after the battle had ended, a strange tension remained in the cave as they stared at the silhouette standing among the numerous corpses scattered across the ground.

The scent of blood was thick in the air. It filled their noses, making some of them feel slightly nauseous as they looked at the scene before them.

And right in the middle of it all, Lucian stood completely unharmed.

Ignoring all the carcasses and the blood around him—

Selene rushed towards him, her footsteps quick as she used her Speed Enhancement skill.

Mana rushed through her legs, and her body blurred faintly as she crossed the distance between them, stopping directly in front of him.

"You..."

Selene slowly raised her head, her eyes moving over his bloodied face, and the moment she saw the blood covering him, her expression shifted into worry.

She quickly raised both hands and cupped his face.

"Did you really have to run between them...?" she asked, distressed.

Lucian smiled at her words, and placing one hand over hers, he gently pressed it against his cheek.

"I’m fine, aren’t I? Fine and kicking..."

He tried to make the mood lighter, but instead, Selene’s eyes narrowed faintly.

She didn’t sound amused, and after staring at him for a few moments, she suddenly spoke.

"You could’ve killed all of them with your real strength, right...?"

Lucian wasn’t surprised by the question.

After deciding to stop hiding things from her anymore, he had already told Selene about his new Restriction skill, along with many other things.

"Yes."

He answered simply, and Selene slowly nodded, feeling the tension in her heart finally loosen, though the worry didn’t completely disappear.

Her heart had almost leaped out of her chest when all those Kobolds had gathered around him, but as she watched him fight—

She had gradually understood that her son was stronger—perhaps more skilled despite restricting his rank.

Of course, Selene still believed that Lucian was currently an E-Ranker.

She didn’t know that he was actually keeping his physical stats at the level of a peak F-Ranker through his Restriction.

If she knew that—

She probably would’ve been even more worried.

She slowly lowered her hand, but before she could completely pull it away, Lucian suddenly caught both of them.

"...?"

"Your hands are dirty."

Selene looked at him with slight confusion.

And then—

"...!"

Her eyes widened.

The blood staining her hands and clothes suddenly began to move, almost as though it had suddenly gained a life of its own.

Thin strands of blood rose from her skin like tendrils, slowly floating towards him before gradually moving into his palm.

Even the blood staining his own body was completely sucked into his body, finally leaving them both pristine and clean... with only a small amount of dust remaining on their clothes.

Selene stared at her clean hands for a moment, then looked back at her son.

"What did you do?" she asked with curiosity, tilting her head faintly.

But before he could even answer—

"Blood Manipulation..." she suddenly mumbled, causing Lucian’s lips to curve.

"Correct."

She really did catch on to things quickly.

He had barely even done anything, and she had already figured out what he had used.

Just then—

The others suddenly gathered around him, all of them approaching Lucian, looking at him with different expressions on their faces—most carrying a bit of apprehension.

Because after everything they had witnessed, it was difficult for them not to feel that way.

"Sir Lucian! Are you all rig..h...t...?"

Ava’s voice gradually lowered as her expression turned confused.

She looked at him from head to toe, only to see him...

Looking perfectly fine.

There wasn’t a single wound on his body, not even a scratch.

His clothes were exactly the same as they had been when they entered the dungeon, with no signs of bloodstains on his black suit.

Heck, even his sunglasses were still intact, and somehow... he had been wearing them throughout the entire time, making them wonder if he was even able to see properly.

Due to the faint darkness of the cave, none of them had noticed the process of the blood being absorbed into his body.

Ava’s brows furrowed slightly.

"You... are you injured somewhere?" she asked again, her voice carrying a hint of genuine concern.

Seeing the group surrounding them, Selene slowly moved away, parting her hands from him.

"No. I’m fine."

His relaxed answer caused several of them to frown.

They had all seen it—mainly Ella and Jennifer—who had clearly seen him getting hit by the Kobolds a couple of times, and though he had barely reacted to their attacks, they were sure those attacks weren’t harmless.

Selene glanced towards him, and in response, Lucian simply gave a small smile.

’Of course... he regenerated,’ she thought inwardly, remembering the cheat skill of the Vampire race.

Jennifer, however, wasn’t satisfied with that explanation.

"Are you sure?" she asked sceptically, obviously not believing him.

Lucian turned towards her.

"What? Do you want to check?"

Jennifer’s eyes widened slightly as she saw him slowly remove one button of his blazer.

But instead of shying away—

"I don’t mind~"

She replied with a seductive smile, though her expression stiffened as she felt the glare of three people.

Wait—three?

Selene and Ava, she understood.

But even Jake was glaring at her?!

Her lips twisted faintly as she turned towards the man, who was looking at her like a person trying to defile his idol or something.

The tension inside the cave gradually began to disappear, and the fear that had been hanging over them since the beginning of the battle finally started to fade.

Neither of them would die inside this disgusting cave.

All of them wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, but—

"Let’s rest for some time. All of you aren’t in the best shape to get out right now."

Lucian spoke seriously, glancing over all of their battered bodies.

Everyone complied with him.

Every person in the group had suffered one injury or another—like Jennifer, who had only been grazed slightly by the Caller.

Then there was Isaac, who was panting heavily, his body swaying so much that he couldn’t even stand properly without someone supporting him.

Going into the corner of the cave—and as far as possible from the dead bodies—all of them slumped onto the cold stone, trying to look away from the corpses, doing their best to ignore the iron stench still lingering within the cave.

The only ones who appeared to be in almost perfect condition were...

Lucian and Selene.

Both of them seemed relatively fine, and Selene was only physically fatigued from the battle and mentally tired from having to kill so many monsters in her first dungeon.

But in the case of Lucian...

Isaac’s eyes slowly lifted towards him, and he couldn’t help but faintly mumble.

"Why... does it look like... he’s the one who did... haaa... the least among all of us?"

"You know he killed the most monsters among us, don’t you...?" Jennifer spoke from beside him.

"I know... but—"

He couldn’t even finish.

"Unlike us, who are looking like beggars, why are both of your clothes still intact?"

Jake’s voice cut him off.

Still, that was the question in everyone’s mind, though he probably didn’t need to add the beggars part.

"Didn’t I tell you before...? Our clothes are sturdier than your so-called armour."

Isaac’s expression shifted faintly as he heard those words.

Lucian had mentioned something earlier, back inside their vehicle, when he had warned them to change their clothes into something more reinforced before entering the dungeon.

But now that he looked at them once again...

Both of their clothes carried not even the slightest tear.

His expression turned even more confused, and the others didn’t really seem to understand the implications... but Isaac and Ava’s—

Their eyes widened faintly.

’Those clothes... what grade of rank are they...?’

He wasn’t exactly sure, but there was no other reasonable explanation.

And... he was right.

What Lucian and Selene were truly wearing was...

[Black Combat Suit]

Rank: C

Rarity: Uncommon

Description:

A sleek black suit made from durable monster materials and refined fabric, designed to maintain a formal appearance while remaining suitable for combat.

Its flexible construction allows the wearer to move freely without tearing or sustaining damage.

— — —

[Shadow Assassin Attire]

Rank: B

Rarity: Rare

Description:

A specialised black outfit designed for assassins, crafted from lightweight monster materials that produce little sound during movement.

Its design prioritises mobility, flexibility, and concealment, making it particularly suited for assassins who operate in darkness.

— — —

Meanwhile—

[Reinforced Adventurer’s Coat]

Rank: E

Rarity: Uncommon

Description:

A practical coat made from treated monster hide and reinforced fabric.

It provides basic protection while remaining comfortable enough for prolonged dungeon exploration.

— — —

This was what Isaac was wearing.

And if the clothes were compared side by side, it became painfully obvious why Lucian and Selene looked as though they had come straight from some noble banquet, while the rest of the squad looked as if they had just survived a deathmatch.

...

After getting over the multiple shocks Lucian had given them throughout the dungeon, the party slowly became a little more relaxed around him.

Yet something in their eyes had shifted, and they couldn’t help but feel like Lucian was something more than what they had initially expected.

Despite his easygoing behaviour, it couldn’t be denied that...

He was the same person who had killed more than a hundred Kobolds... alone.

That... was impossible to ignore.

But they didn’t directly become wary of him, though.

They were grateful, since if it wasn’t for Lucian, there was a good chance that some of them might’ve died, or they might’ve even lost a few of them inside this dungeon, especially after the appearance of that strange Caller Kobold.

Selene sat beside Lucian.

Despite already knowing that he didn’t have a single injury, she still checked him, just to satiate her concern, and Lucian, seeing the worry in her eyes, could only let her continue.

Ava, too, for some reason, sat nearby, occasionally glancing towards him with a worried look, asking whether he was truly fine and all.

Across from them—

"Hisss~~!"

Jake suddenly let out a painful hiss.

"Does it hurt?" Ella asked quietly as she carefully bandaged his injuries, and Jake shook his head with a sheepish smile, though it was clear he was in pain.

The adrenaline had finally worn off, and everyone was now feeling the actual fatigue and pain.

"..."

"..."

Isaac and Jennifer sat nearby, silently watching the two pairs, and after a few seconds...

Sigh...

Isaac let out a long sigh, carrying an indescribable sadness hidden within it.

It seemed everyone was having some sort of couple time, and meanwhile... he was here, alone. Though his injuries were covered in bandages, his heart felt like it had been wounded.

Instinctively, Isaac’s eyes slowly drifted towards Jennifer, and the moment she noticed his gaze—

"Don’t give me that look."

Her lips twisted faintly.

"I’m not interested in you. Go find someone else."

’ACK—!’

Isaac felt as though an invisible arrow had pierced straight through his heart, and his vision blurred faintly.

He almost felt like he might faint at any moment.

Poke

"Aghhh—!"

Isaac immediately winced as Jennifer casually poked a finger against his bandaged shoulder.

His entire body stiffened.

"Don’t die just yet. We have to get out of here, Leader."

She said with a smile, and Isaac... he could only nod with a heavy, bleeding heart.