Chương 185: Chapter 183 part 1 - Threat Assessment

Earth. If Valee didn't have [Enhanced Senses] she would have called dragonshit on so many things. So, so many things. She had decided that they were all crazy and there were still things they weren't telling her. The thing that surprised her the most was that Artigan—or rather Ryan, didn't really match up to the Artigan in her mind. There were pockets of intelligence and sharpness but for the most part he was so… relaxed. The Artigan she knew was strung tighter than a bowstring.

This Ryan didn't know about the stories they told about him in hushed whispers. The conspiracy stories that nobody could verify. Despite talking about the Witch's plot for genocide and bringing back dead dragonslayers that had apparently ascended before even the Tyrants, they were still joking around. It didn't annoy her… it just seemed a little too flippant to Valee.

"Ohmygosh, is Ryan's mink coat actually as shiny as it is in the videos? It's always hard to tell if Gamielle's edited them to be extra, extra shiny or it's how they look. I mean, I'm no fashion expert but it's gaudy right? And the way he wears it, it's like he's always posing for an action shot…" Clara kept going, trying to make fun of Ryan as he flushed and laughed in good humor. The older orc, Barry, she could understand. He didn't laugh or make stupid jokes. He was from the Settler generation.

But the two civilians making fun of everything started to get on her nerves. Valee couldn't help herself, she had been sipping on some wine and it had loosened her tongue.

"Do you two actually understand what's going on? You're talking about the Witch Tyrant's dead daughter like it's… nothing." The privacy bubble went silent at that. Valee almost regretted saying it, but she had to check. It was shit that was keeping her up at night. Surprisingly it was Barry that scoffed at her.

"They're acting even dumber than normal. All three of them think it'll help cheer me up." Clara bit her lip, realizing she'd been caught. There was actually an increase in her blood pressure this time. That told Valee that every time her friends had made fun of her or called her out she knew it didn't matter. Every time she had made a flippant remark or a whisper, she knew Valee could hear her. Clara sighed, then turned to Valee.

"We know what's going on, Valee. We know what's at stake. We also know that being dark and broody doesn't help anyone. It might even make someone decide to do stupid things instead." This time Clara looked at a certain stupid adventurer. Ryan shook his head, confused as to why she would look at him.

"I've got no idea what you're talking about." This time Clara was the one that scoffed, but she just continued.

"If we die doing what we can… well it'd suck but it's better than putting my head in the sand and hoping it all goes away." The Clara girl looked somewhat at peace. She did indeed know what was at stake and had made up her mind as to what was important now. Valee couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy at the trust. Her previous team had distanced themselves from her when just a few too many things had gone wrong.

"Huh. Consider me jealous. You guys are an adventuring team after all." Ryan stared fondly at his friends. Another expression that Valee didn't believe Artigan could have. A look of quiet pride that indicated that he was truly satisfied with his team. Which was a shame because Valee had still been hoping they might team up one day. Especially more so knowing that there was a calm, less frantic side of him. Though maybe that was the drink speaking. Ryan's smile was giving her the fuzzies.

"Yup. They're the best." Plus, he wasn't actually an elf either, which made him more attractive in her books. … It was easier to talk to them after that. Valee relaxed and decided to treat the four of them like actual adventurers. They didn't have any of the uncomfortable tenseness that civilians sometimes had around adventurers. Then again, why would they? It turned out that Seffara the Sapphire of all people had been training Artigan. That almost made her choke on her wine.

She vaguely recalled her father talking about some crazy old orc in the American army too. Her father had said that the orc had been the real powerhouse of Seffara's team and that she was just the pretty girl placed on the poster. It turned out Barry was the old orc her father had mentioned. Valee had noticed the oppressive atmosphere when it came to talk about Seffara. Perhaps it wasn't the safest topic to talk about but she couldn't help herself.

"Seffara has emergency gear right? Relic tier equipment? She could at least beat the lair phase and then have time to escape, no?" While being much less difficult, the lair phase was actually the riskiest part of most dragon fights. Dragon's lairs were always warded against teleportation, preventing teleports both in and out. Seffara was supposed to be one of the best ninth realms around. Even solo she wouldn't have difficulty in at least pushing the dragon out of its first phase.

After a moment's silence, Ryan spoke up.

"Her dragon's Kormelax."

"Ah shit." Valee regretted asking. It wasn't the worst answer. Just… Kormelax was probably the second worst to face as an evolved [Warrior]. He was a bastard and was one of the better dragons at melee combat. There was also a very high chance that he'd notice your escape items and fight to the death in his lair. Exchanging deathblows while melting his enchanted hoard into an apocalyptic explosion. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

That was when Valee's Adventurer's phone started to ring outside the bubble. A blaring siren sound that pierced the air. It saved her from the awkward moment. She threw one of the ends of her bindings across the room, pulling the phone and catching it in midair. The bubble went down as she did. It was a code black message and a request to assemble as soon as possible. It designated Valee Dubois as Priority One.

Both Ryan and Valee were traveling at speed to the shining pillar of light in the middle of San Kingsgrove. Ryan was scanning the report on Valee's phone and his heart was sinking with every step.

"Valee, the Flesh Titan can pick things up and throw them too. Its weakness is—""In its chest. I know. Stop repeating shit, I'm fine." They were running over platforms on the second storey of the skyscrapers. San Kingsgrove was an adventurer city. Every building was designed with adventurers in mind. Valee's blaring phone took precedence as another adventurer jumped away from the platform to let them pass. At this speed, they'd be in the city center in twenty seconds.

Witch Grettfield descended on them before they could react. Faster than the speed of sound, with none of the sonic boom.

"Adventurers, do you need a boost?" Neither of them declined the assistance. Both of them held onto her broom and the trip accelerated, cutting their travel time from twenty seconds to five. The enchanted broom made the ride as smooth as silk. They had gone so fast that Ryan barely registered that they had passed the initial checkpoint and were already at the inner chambers. A fourther was mouthing off at one of the guards.

"Do you know who I am. I am—" All three of them landed past the arguing adventurer, ignoring the surprised yells by the guards. This was one of the highest security areas on Earth. A huge enchanted dome that was covering the entry to the portal. The pillar of light broke through the top but it was enclosed to prevent anyone from just entering like this. Though not against a dragonslayer [Witch] that helped build the very dome. The real security though was the adventurers loitering about.

Waiting around in the massive portal room. All waiting their turn to be teleported. A quarter of them were fourthers trying to argue their case to be sent into Gravenmarch. Grettfield's entrance surprised them all.

"Stop!"

"Priority One! Valee Dubois!" She lifted her phone for all to see. It made most of the adventurers flinch back. Disrupting a Priority One call was an easy way to get suspended and destroyed publicly. The rest of the adventurers only took one look at Grettfield and stepped aside. She was well-trusted in San Kingsgrove and very few could stop her. Ryan didn't have time to appreciate everything that had happened. He was still focused on the important stuff.

His mind was moving at a million miles an hour, cursing himself for losing the [Aura Crystallization] skill. If he could have given Valee some of the aura crystals she could have used them as a ward—but it wasn't like everything was hopeless. He needed to know her build first.

"What is the range of your Epic? If the shadows interact badly with it then you could—" Valee grabbed Ryan's chest, pulling him close with sudden force, her eyes burning with intensity." Shut up. You're not the only competent adventurer around. Every second I spend listening to you is a second lost heading to the battlefield." Valee was angry that he was overstepping. He just had to summarize, he had come up with a plan that might work if she just listened— Then Valee pulled him closer and their lips met.

The sudden kiss took Ryan by so much surprise that he completely lost his train of thought. [Witch] Grettfield brought her hand to her mouth in surprise and made a delighted noise. The security and the adventurers in the lobby were all watching. Ryan pulled back and tried to blink the confusion away. Valee considered it for a second, she then smacked her lips, tasting it.

"You need some practice. You're not exclusive with anyone are you?"

"Uh, no?"

"Good, then buy me a drink when I get back." Valee threw off all her leveled gear onto Ryan and jumped into the portal. The dome room erupted in cheers and wolf whistles. Adventurers and security both roaring their support for a newly formed couple in an emergency. It was something straight out of a movie. Ryan… had short circuited. Half of his mind was thinking about what was going on in The Realm and how this would impact the Unwanted. The other half was wondering just how drunk Valee was to do that.

—— Gravenmarch was nearly out of its teleportation capacity. It had brought as many adventurers as it could in the short amount of time and now there was capacity for only two adventurers left. In situations like these, some capacity was always left for the electrical wires to maintain communications. Meaning Valee was truly the last adventurer that could be summoned. She burst out of the portal into a mostly empty building. [Adaptive Terrain] Her mind focused on the ground.

Ignoring the adventurers keeping up the communication line. The only focus she had was on the road ahead of her. Seeing around her with [Tremorsense]. Every single groove and pebble in a straight line ahead. Valee began skating across the ground. Almost like an ice skater, except she was the one that was changing the road in front of her. Altering the path while adjusting her movement to pass avoid any problematic gaps. She removed the friction from the ground ahead of her, making her boots glide across.

Before she kicked off, she maximized friction, hardening the ground, then kicking off as hard as she could She was accelerating at a blistering pace—blurring, faster than any other [Rogue], faster than any skill boosted [Warrior]. By the time the adventurers on the road noticed her, she was gliding past them with a sonic boom. Valee Dubois had broken the sound barrier at realm four. Her mind went back to the report she'd gotten on the phone. She checked it in case there were any updates.

Her new mental skill letting her focus on both the road and the phone at the same time. The Preliminary threat assessment by Mahjit was an interesting one. Adventurer's Guild Threat Assessment (PRELIMINARY) Filed by Mahjit: Threat Level: Realm Seven-Eight Raidboss Moderator addendum, downgraded to realm six raidboss. Location: Realm Four Leveled Zone Description: — Basic Abilities: Mid to High-speed regeneration. Coordination of a realm two [Rogue] but improving rapidly.

Strength estimated to be at a realm eight [Warrior]. Flesh is vulnerable to mundane weapons. Unique Abilities: Throwing hundreds of scrap metal capable of piercing through low enchanted armor. Estimated range is 1. 2miles/2km Shadowy hands will rise from the ground to grab your foot and act as distractions. See shadowy hands section in the adventurer's bestiary. Addendum, Moderator - This should be in the standard abilities section.

BEAM ATTACK: Capable of shooting out a particle-style beam that will spawn into inky hands. Addendum, Moderator: This would be considered more of a granulated-style beam. Addendum, Mahjit - Are you fucking serious right now? Criticizing and downgrading threat levels on an ONGOING emergency? Addendum, Moderator - An eighth realm raidboss implies multiple eighth realm squads are required to defeat it. A well-rounded team with one antimagic skill would be more than adequate to take the flesh titan down.

Furthermore higher estimated threat levels can do more harm than good. Also this is a public service broadcast, please mind your language. Addendum, Mahjit - You can fuck right off. INKY HANDS: Tougher concentrated versions of the shadowy hands. Capable of tearing apart fourthers with raw strength. Current methods known to damage shadowy hands do NOT work for inky hands. Will reinforce torn viscera and provide structural support. FEAR EFFECT: Capable of inducing fear and terror to the Unwanted.

Uncertain if there are passive effects to regular adventurers. Notes: Neck was almost entirely cut through. Possible that head is not a weakness, possible that inky hands provided enough structural support. End of preliminary threat assessment. Valee shook her head at the addendums. She was on Mahjit's side here. You always estimated up on a threat level, especially if it looked like the monster was improving or had other abilities in its back pocket.

And she knew the Flesh Titan had at least one more potential move because of Ryan. The Flesh Titan's outline was in the distance. Fifteen minutes away? It was clearly chasing something. Valee only hoped she would make it in time.