Chương 68: Meteorite Plains

Ch 68 - Meteorite Plains

"So where should we go, Hiroto?" Yoon Ji-ho, cannon fodder number three and Evan's former bully, asked. The group stood in the middle of the Meteorite Plains. Once again, Evan questioned whoever had decided to put this team together. For the final exam, students could request their teammates, but the instructors had the final say on team assignments. Each group was limited to three members, so Hiroto had naturally picked Evan, while the instructors assigned Ji-ho to their team to fill the remaining spot.

Instead of answering Ji-ho, Hiroto turned to Evan. Evan smirked when he caught Ji-ho's irritated glare. Ha. You might outrank me, but I'm still at the top of the pecking order.

"First things first," Evan said.

"Let's find a good place to establish a base before we start fighting. If we run into something stronger than expected and get injured, we'll need somewhere safe to fall back to."

"Why would that happen? We've got an S-rank with us," Ji-ho replied. Was he trying to flatter Hiroto, or was he genuinely an idiot? Evan continued, "Either way, we're setting up camp first."

"Let's do what Evan says," Hiroto agreed. Ji-ho frowned but didn't argue further. They set off across the plains. Despite the name, Floor 71 wasn't entirely covered in craters. Rocky outcrops, scattered groves of trees, and winding streams broke up the landscape as they searched for a suitable location. After confirming the area was clear of monsters, they selected a low rocky rise that overlooked a broad depression in the terrain.

A small grove of wind-bent trees offered shelter from the open plains, while a narrow stream nearby supplied fresh water. From the elevated ground, they could also keep watch over the surrounding terrain for approaching threats. They pitched their tents and, for extra security, set a ring of simple traps around the perimeter.

"Alright," Evan said once everything was finished.

"So, what should we go after first?"

"We should go after Ember Drakes!" Ji-ho suggested.

"Rejected. We're not taking on something so strong. We haven't even tested our teamwork. Or are you expecting Hiroto to handle everything just because he's an S-rank?" Ji-ho could only stammer out an incoherent response.

"For now," Evan said, "we'll start with Crater Crawlers. They're perfect for testing our coordination."

"Okay," Hiroto nodded. Evan led the way, with Hiroto and Ji-ho following a few steps behind. As they crossed the open plains, the group remained alert, watching the horizon and listening for movement nearby. Shadows occasionally shifted in the distance, but they gave them a wide berth as they made their way toward the countless impact craters scattered across the Meteorite Plains. Some were only a few meters across, while others spanned hundreds of meters from rim to rim.

Eventually, Evan stopped beside a medium-sized crater and peered over the edge.

"We're going into this one." He motioned for the others to follow, then jumped over the rim. His boots slid down the sloping wall, slowing his descent until he reached the flat floor below. Fragments of meteorites lay scattered across the ground in all sizes, from pebble-sized shards to boulders several feet tall. Ignoring the smaller fragments, Evan walked toward one of the largest meteorites jutting from the floor.

"Ready?" he asked. The other two nodded. Drawing his sword, Evan struck the flat of the blade against the meteorite. Clang! The metallic clatter rang through the hollow. A heartbeat later, the ground beneath him exploded. A long shadow burst from the earth, lunging straight for Evan. He sidestepped just in time as the Crater Crawler shot past, its elongated body curving as it attempted to coil around him.

The monster resembled an enormous centipede covered in thick armored plates, with dozens of razor-sharp legs carrying it across the ground at startling speed. Its powerful mandibles clacked together in frustration after failing to catch him. Ji-ho rushed in, driving his spear toward the gap behind its head, but the Crater Crawler jerked its body aside and lashed out with its tail. He barely managed to throw himself clear as the attack swept past.

The creature wheeled toward him, only for Hiroto to charge forward and slash at its exposed flank. His blade scraped across the thick armor and bounced away without leaving a mark. A portal suddenly opened directly beneath the monster. Evan burst out of Hiroto's Pocket Refuge, already mid-swing. His sword pierced the Crawler's exposed underside. The monster shrieked and reared back, snapping its mandibles toward Evan, but he caught the bite on his blade.

While it struggled against him, Ji-ho seized the opening and drove his spear into the gap between two body segments. The Crater Crawler convulsed and went still.

"Hmm... not bad," Evan said as he looked down at the corpse.

"But you were too reckless."

"I was trying to help you!" Ji-ho protested.

"I'm not that incompetent. It's just a C-rank monster." Evan crouched beside the corpse and drew his dagger.

"Still, good job making it through your first fight without getting hurt. Now let's harvest the core." Carefully prying apart the overlapping plates, he reached into the monster's body and retrieved a pale yellow monster core. A thin crack ran across its surface. Evan clicked his tongue.

"We must've been a little too rough with it. A flawless core would've earned us some extra points." He dusted off his knees and stood.

"We're done here. Let's hunt some more." They moved deeper into the area, looking for another monster. Crater Crawlers were relatively passive monsters that spent most of their lives buried beneath the ground. They would only emerge if someone lingered near their hiding place for too long or disturbed the earth above them, making them perfect opponents for practicing teamwork. At least, that was true as long as they didn't accidentally stumble upon an entire nest.

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"Ack!" Ji-ho cried out as the Crater Crawler slammed into him, sending him crashing into a massive meteorite with enough force to make the boulder tremble.

"Oh crap! Get away from there, you moron!" Evan shouted. The instant the words left his mouth, the ground around the meteorite erupted. One after another, several more Crater Crawlers burst from beneath the earth. Ji-ho pushed himself back to his feet.

"That fucking hurt!" Mana surged through his spear, making the spearhead glow. With a single swing, he sheared straight through the Crater Crawler that had rammed him, slicing through its armored shell as though it were paper. Evan raised an eyebrow. I didn't expect Ji-ho's Pain Conversion to be this potent. Maybe he really does deserve his C-rank. Before he could think any further, the remaining Crater Crawlers lunged at them.

Evan and Hiroto joined the fight, and after several minutes of coordinated strikes, the final monster crumpled to the ground. Ji-ho flopped onto the ground with a groan.

"Ugh... I hate insects. Can't you just use those magic crystals, Evan? You seem pretty good with them."

"Are you going to pay for them?" Evan shot back, folding his arms.

"Those things aren't cheap. I brought a few, but I'm saving them for emergencies. Besides, Hiroto paid for them, so you're basically asking me to waste his money."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Ji-ho frantically waved his hands, then glanced apologetically at Hiroto, who just smiled.

"It's fine," Hiroto said.

"Let's harvest the cores." By the end of the day, they had collected more than two dozen C-rank monster cores. Unfortunately, only two of them were in decent condition. Evan let out a deep sigh, understanding why some Awakeners specialized in harvesting monster parts. Extracting an intact core was far harder than it looked.

"We're done for today," Evan said.

"Let's find something to eat." There was no point wasting more energy. Tomorrow they planned to tackle stronger monsters, and the last thing they needed was to exhaust themselves or suffer unnecessary injuries. Leaving the crater behind, they headed toward another impact site. Although meteor showers regularly bombarded the Meteorite Plains, life had still found a way to flourish. Following a narrow fissure into the earth, they emerged into an underground cavern.

A crystal-clear river wound through the darkness, its gentle current illuminated by patches of faintly glowing moss clinging to the walls. Pale cave fish swam beneath the surface, blissfully unaware they were about to become dinner. Their enhanced reflexes made the task simple. They waited at the river's edge, striking at fish as they swam past. Within minutes, they had caught more than enough. When they returned to camp, they were relieved to find it still intact.

Since the exam prohibited cookware, all they could do was clean the fish, skewer them on sharpened branches, and roast them over an open fire. The savory aroma wafted through the air, and they hurried through the meal to avoid attracting any wandering monsters. Calling it a night, they divided the watch among themselves. Hiroto took the first shift while Evan and Ji-ho rested. The night passed without incident, but when they awoke, the sky was still just as dark as before.

Staring up at the unchanging blanket of stars, Evan felt a little sympathy for the Awakeners forced to clear this Tower floor without a sunrise or sunset. With no natural way to tell time, their body clocks had to be a complete mess.

"Since we cleared out all those Crater Crawlers yesterday, I'd say it's time to step things up," Evan said. Ji-ho's eyes lit up, eager to take on stronger prey.

"We're hunting Redfang Hounds." Ji-ho frowned.

"Those are still only C-rank monsters. At this rate, we'll fall behind everyone else in points."

"Since when did this become a competition?" Evan replied.

"Redfang Hounds hunt in packs. Taken together, they're practically B-rank. More importantly, you're still a C-rank yourself. Don't get carried away just because Hiroto's here." He glanced toward Hiroto.

"He may have been reassessed as an S-rank, but he only recently discovered that potential. He's still got plenty of room to grow." Ignoring the sullen look on Ji-ho's face, Evan led the group onward. Personally, he would've been perfectly happy fighting nothing but C-rank monsters throughout the exam. They might be worth fewer points, but they were also far safer.

Hiroto's newfound S-rank potential hadn't magically unlocked all of his abilities overnight, and unlike Reika's overwhelming lightning powers, his current skill set leaned more toward support than raw offense. Picking fights far above their level would only get them rescued by the supervisors, costing them far more points than they could ever hope to earn. Leaving the impact zone behind, they made their way toward a forest that somehow continued to flourish despite the harsh environment of the Meteorite Plains.

As they reached the treeline, Evan raised a hand, signaling the others to stop. Closing his eyes, he circulated mana through his ears, sharpening his hearing until even the faintest sounds became clear. Beneath the rustling leaves and whistle of the wind, he caught the rapid patter of multiple footsteps moving through the undergrowth.

"I think there's a pack in there," Evan said.

"Let's set the trap." The forest bordered a deep ravine, leaving only a narrow passage leading out into the open. Hiroto and Evan climbed onto the rocky ledges overlooking the bottleneck while Ji-ho took on the role of bait. Before long, a pack of Redfang Hounds emerged from between the trees. They resembled lean wolves with jet-black fur streaked with reddish-brown along their backs. Crimson fangs protruded from their mouths as low growls echoed through the forest.

Ji-ho grinned and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Hey, you dumb mutts! Come and get me!" The entire pack turned toward Ji-ho as one, then erupted into a chorus of howls and charged after him at full speed. Unlike the Six-Eyed Wolves Evan had encountered in the Irregular Rift, these Redfang Hounds were both faster and far more aggressive. Even with the enhanced speed of a C-rank Awakener, Ji-ho could barely stay ahead of them. If he kept running much longer, the pack would inevitably catch him. Fortunately, he didn't need to.

As Ji-ho reached the narrow ravine, he poured another burst of mana into his legs and launched himself across the gap in a single leap. Hiroto opened a portal above the ravine just as he landed. Several massive boulders tumbled out, crashing onto the narrow pass below. The rocks thundered down the slope, crushing the front half of the pack while the rest scattered in confusion. Evan and Hiroto leaped from their hiding places to engage the surviving hounds while Ji-ho doubled back to cut off their escape.

With their leader dead and their coordinated tactics broken, the Redfang Hounds descended into panic, snapping and lunging wildly at their opponents. Without the armored shells of the Crater Crawlers to shield them, however, they were no match for the trio. One by one, the hounds fell until the forest fell silent once more, leaving only the corpses of the defeated pack.

As they began harvesting the monster cores, Evan wasn't surprised to find that every hound crushed beneath the boulders had its core completely shattered. He didn't mind the loss. This first encounter had been more about testing the Redfang Hounds than maximizing points, and from what he'd seen, his plan worked. As long as they struck first and controlled the battlefield, the pack was well within their capabilities.

With their confidence bolstered, they continued through the forest, taking down several more packs and catching a few hares for dinner along the way. By the time Evan glanced at his wristwatch, evening had arrived. The trio returned to camp with another haul of monster cores. As they had the night before, Evan took charge of preparing dinner, refusing to trust either Hiroto or Ji-ho with the cooking. He did, however, leave them to skin and clean the hares while he got the fire going.

As the meat roasted over the flames, a faint rustle drifted in from the nearby trees. Evan rose to his feet. Hiroto and Ji-ho reacted just as quickly, weapons already in hand as they turned toward the sound. A figure soon emerged from the grove.

"Reika," Hiroto said, lowering his sword.

"Brother," Reika replied in her usual flat tone, then shifted her gaze to Evan.

"I have a proposal for your team. How about a temporary alliance? My team wants to hunt a drake."