Chapter 58 - The First Adventure - The Tower (Part Five)

As soon as they saw what was coming towards them, everyone's eyes went wide in shock. "I guess this was to be expected", chuckled Lucas as he gripped his blades harder. And what they were facing wasn't just one or two hobgoblins, but an army of them.

Tobias began to kill everything he saw, twisting out heads like he was pulling out apples from a tree. "Insane level of strength", thought everyone as they began to focus on their part. Emilia got up on another tower she built and sniped the ones that would try to attack from their backs, keeping them safe.

'Well, is this what they call as, 'watch my back'?", she thought as she chuckled. Lucas was still thinking of a solid plan as he lodged his blade in between the eyeballs of the hobgoblin in front of him and pulled out the blade. He used the [Inspect] on his weapon to see what grade it was now.

[Icy Flame Dual Blades - Growth type Weapon]

[Current - Advanced Tier Weapon. Growth until Demi-God Tier]

"I still haven't upgraded it?", he thought. He shrugged, as he knew that it was still superior to the beast, thus it won't get damaged that easily. "If only I had some crystals which had the elements", he thought. He then remembered something. "Didn't the Adventurer's Guild give everyone their crystals for the beasts they killed? Why didn't I receive mine?", he thought.

He threw the thought to the back of his head, as he knew that the task now needed his attention. "Their shields are annoying", he thought as he activated his [Aura Slash], which left only a dent in the shield. "Just how strong is everyone?', he thought. He was keeping his Aura active continuously, and he was slashing the monsters down at the weakest parts of their body.

"Well, I have to either learn to channel Mana or breakthrough in Aura. Either way, that will be the only possibility that I can bring out the true potential that is hidden within me", he thought. A crazy idea came to him but he heard a stern voice resound in his head. "Do you want to die? Then, by all means, do take the next step", came Valentine's voice.

He also remembered the backlash that his Master's friend suffered. "Well, let's just hope that I can catch up to these guys", he thought as he looked at everyone slaughtering the monsters. The only one he felt who was normal was Emilia, as she was the same rank as him. Finally, after thirty minutes, the hobgoblin wave was thinned down to a minimum of fifteen.

Tobias was about to do his flashy move when something whizzed past him. "That's hot", he thought as he felt the heat of the thing that passed by him. The fifteen hobgoblins that stood were rooted to the spot, as a hole appeared in their foreheads. "Telekinetic Heat Seeker", said Emilia as she jumped down the tower.

The bullet was controlled by her, and it traveled according to the target she chose. The targets were the hobgoblin's heads. But what was more astonishing was that she could use Telekinesis. "Don't worry, my telekinesis ability is only at the D Rank. The most I can control will be three bullets, any more and I would lose control of the trajectory", she said as she walked towards the now, stunned group.

"Just how many surprises does everyone have? Am I the only normal person?", he thought. A chuckle came from his head. "Kid, you're an Awakener. Do you think you're normal? Haha", laughed Valentine as he watched the look on Lucas's face. "Well, there is also the fact that all of them have trained ever since they were kids. While I, just gained my Magic and Aura", he said dejectedly.

After this round, the next one was the same, except that this time it was the Bugbears. Everyone went on a killing spree again, and Michelle let loose, allowing Death to run wild. "Hahaha!", she laughed as she slaughtered the heads of the Bugbears. "I would not want to get on her bad side", he thought as he looked at her one last time when he felt a Morningstar come towards his head.

He sliced the arm that was coming towards him, and the Morningstar fell to the ground. He then jumped and sliced through the head with both of his blades. "Their hides aren't as tough as the Hobgoblins", he thought. He then began to spin around, dodging and striking at the right moments. "He looks like a seasoned veteran", thought everyone that saw his fighting style.

"I do have Legendary Tier Beast Crystals which I had taken from the Minotaurs previously. But I still need Advanced Tier Crystals of the same attribute. AAAHG!", he screamed in frustration as he began to vent his anger in the only way he knew, fighting.

He slashed at the Bugbear that was in front of him and killed it in a single strike. The Aura around him began to spread into wisps, and without him knowing, he began to tangle every Bugbear that was around him. The Bugbears were incapable of movement, and Lucas just slashed their necks, and their heads were rolling down on the floor.

His anger still wasn't quelled, thus he began to slaughter every Bugbear that was in his sight. "Weak! I am too weak!", that was his only thought. "He's losing himself to his anger. If he goes on like this... Wait, why do I feel like his combat sense has improved?", said Robert in shock.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched Lucas. everyone stepped back, and Lucas was ramming his way through the mob, mowing them down with his Aura and his blades. He jumped into the air, and he manipulated his Aura, pulling a few Bugbears near him. He then slashed their heads off and moved forward.

"Come at me, you monsters. Let me improve myself. Let me become strong enough to protect the people I hold dear!", he said in a loud voice, and it was filled with anger.

[Rage Mode has been Activated!]

His mark began to pulsate as it ran up his arm. "Kid, you have to calm down!", said Valentine. "I am perfectly calm. I am mad at myself, for being pathetically weak. For being this useless, when there are so many amazing people out here in the world. If a group of these people attacks my family, I won't be able to protect them. Instead, I would be the one that would hold them back", he said to Valentine.

"I understand where you come from, kid. I have seen your memories, and I understand your anger. But being angry won't solve anything. Strength doesn't come in a day or two. Or maybe a month or two. Why do you think there are people out there, who are honing their techniques, day in and day out? Why do you think, that the strongest people, always say that they are at most, average?", he said.

"It's because they know that there is always someone out there, who is stronger than they are. And they are preparing, to face these kinds of people. Remember, you have just begun your journey. I would say that you are having a good start. Now just focus, and redirect that madness into your Aura Control", finished Valentine.

Lucas took a deep breath, and he began to do the same thing which he was doing all this while, except that he was doing it at will. "Aura Control. Something that only happens at the A-Rank. For you to be able to grasp it right now, is truly a gift. Lucas, you are gifted. But, you need patience and guidance. If you aren't, then all the suffering you've endured for the past Eighteen years will be for naught. Remember Lucas. Patience", said Valentine in a serene voice.

Lucas was now slaughtering the Bugbears more efficiently, and the last of them fell to his blade. Instead of feeling tired, he felt refreshed. "Let's see who the boss will be?", he thought as he looked up. 'Boss round in twenty minutes', read the hologram. Lucas sat down on the ground, and he looked around at everyone. "I'm sorry guys. Guess I have to learn to keep my temper in check, he chuckled as he closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

As he was meditating, he processed the Aura into his bones one by one, and he had fused just two ribs among all the bones. Just as he heard a 'ding', he got up, only to be pushed down. "You sit this one out", said Robert as he had his hand on his katana, ready to attack the moment he saw the monster.

"A good thing these things aren't roaming our world. If they are, I wonder what kind of chaos that would cause", he thought as he looked into the distance, as his heartbeat in anticipation for it. "Thump!", came a sound, and the floor shook, throwing everyone off balance.

"What the hell is that?", he thought as he looked at the monster that was approaching them.