Chapter 56: The Waiting Game
"Slow down, explain everything on the way." Asher got into the car, as Tang quickly followed behind him, entering the car with a visible sweat breaking out on his forehead. Asher’s demeanor was entirely different from the day before; the mantle of leadership and his newfound SSS-Rank potential sat heavily, yet naturally, upon his shoulders.
"What’s the issue?" Asher asked, as the driver started the car, and drove out of the villa.
On the second floor, Sara stood by the window, staring at the car, as it drove out of the estate, and into the street. Her silent, watchful gaze traced the vehicle until it disappeared past the gates. She didn’t fully understand the world her husband operated in, but she understood the stakes.
’Be safe.’
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"Boss, it’s about the A-Rank Dungeon rights." Tang finally blurted out, gripping his tablet tightly.
"Rights? Didn’t you say we got the full rights?" Asher raised an eyebrow, his tone dangerously calm. In the Awakened world, bureaucracy was just as lethal as a monster’s claw.
If they lose the rights to the dungeon, he won’t be allowed entry. The Association, and guilds guarded dungeon access with an iron fist, and trespassing was a capital offense.
"Well, the dungeon right was bought when the previous President was still in place, but he placed it under the company name, which directly transfers it to yours. But now, we got information that he also sold some of these rights to other people." Tang swallowed hard.
Asher slowly nodded his head, this was very common knowledge. The privatization of dungeons was a messy business. This way, everyone can enter the dungeon, and whatever you find inside is yours, pretty understandable. It was a cutthroat free-for-market that Guilds exploited daily.
"So what’s the issue here?" He asked, sensing there was a darker layer to Tang’s panic.
"After running some background checks, we discovered some of these people were once dangerous criminals, these men and women don’t seem like people who will waste their time in dungeons, even if they enter one, they’ll simply kill and plunder." Tang shivered.
Asher relaxed in his seat, arms crossed, analyzing the board like a seasoned grandmaster: "So you suspect people hire them?"
"Yes, I even went ahead and asked the former CEO, and he repeatedly said he didn’t sell these rights to those people, which means, the ones who bought the rights, sold it to them. I tried reaching out, but no one is answering... I suspect, they are after you, Boss, and the strongest is an S-Rank." He explained everything, presenting a grim picture of a highly coordinated assassination plot.
Asher closed his eyes, filtering through his list of enemies. The Warsaw family has the capital to do this, but they can’t arrange these people, then who? Luna? His psychotic sister had the resources, the motive, and the utter lack of morality required to orchestrate a slaughter inside a dungeon.
"How many?" Asher asked, unfazed by the threat of death.
"A little bit above hundred people, 110." Tang answered instantly, expecting his boss to order a retreat or call for backup.
’110, and the strongest is S-Rank... If my Sister has a hand in this, she will surely hide one of her SSS-RANK dogs... Seems I need to make myself clearer.’ He opened his eyes, staring ahead, a cold, predatory light flashing in his irises.
"Okay, thanks for this information; once we reach the spot, take the car and leave... I will be back in the evening." He said, and Tang nodded his head in understanding, terrified by the sheer, unshakeable confidence radiating from the young man.
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[Silverspire Western Outskirts.]
[A-Rank Dungeon Location.]
"Where is our target? I am getting bored." A lady with a scar on her face said with a slight frown, spinning the dagger in her hand with lethal dexterity. The desolate wasteland surrounding the dungeon entrance was littered with heavily armed thugs masquerading as Awakened explorers.
"Be patient, he will be here." A man dressed in a suit said with a small smile, cleaning his dark sunglasses.
"We can’t lose this ten billion... And oh, we aren’t here to kill him, just break some of his bones; that’s all." He added, recalling the specific, cruel instructions of their employer.
"Come on, at least I should have my fun... I promised, I won’t kill him." She said, pointing her dagger at him playfully, though her eyes promised agonizing torture.
"Alright then." The man placed his glasses back on, moving his gaze on all the Awakened present, ensuring the perimeter was locked down.
Ten billion, what good cash to have. It was more than enough to retire, assuming the target didn’t put up a fight.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Asher stood some distance away, completely invisible in Shadow merge, listening to their words. His new ability rendered him virtually undetectable, even to the keen senses of S-Rank veterans. After taking stock of everything, he teleported away, appearing back into the car, stunning Tang.
"Alright, you can drive towards the dungeon now." Asher commanded smoothly.
"Driver! Start the car!" Tang yelled at the stunned driver, who quickly nodded, and started the car, tires kicking up dust as they approached the kill zone.
’They are all after me, so I won’t feel bad killing them all in the dungeon... As the saying goes in the Awakened World; What happens in the dungeon, stays in the dungeon.’ A chilling smile crept onto Asher’s face. They thought they were hunting a B-Rank amateur. They were about to step into a cage with an SSS-Rank monster.
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VOOM!
"Finally, he is here."
Everyone got alert as the Rolls-Royce came to a stop, and Asher got down. The mercenaries tightened their grips on their weapons, feigning innocence but exuding bloodlust. Just as he instructed, the car turned and drove away, leaving Asher entirely alone against an army.
"You must be the new Boss of Heaven Hotel, it’s nice meeting you." A guy walked towards him with a smirk, his broadsword resting on his shoulder, trying to project an aura of casual intimidation.
"I believe I didn’t send out any notice that I will be clearing the dungeon today, how did you all know?" Asher asked coldly, his arms in his overcoat’s pockets, utterly unimpressed by the display of force.
"Huh?"
The guy narrowed his eyes at him, offended by Asher’s total lack of fear. ’Hmph, you will die soon, why is there a need to answer your question.’ He thought, and walked away, deciding to let his blade do the talking once they crossed the threshold.
"Okay! Okay, let’s lighten up the mood, and for your question, if I say we also marked today as the time, will you believe?" The guy in a suit asked, staring at Asher with a smile that didn’t reach his cold eyes.
"Yes, it’s all a coincidence." The scar face lady added, mocking him openly.
Asher stared at the two S-Rank Awakened, and turned his head around, taking in the faces of everyone present, pausing on a small boy, no older than 15 years old. He looked entirely out of place among the hardened killers. He raised an eyebrow; his basic senses were telling him the kid was only C-Rank, but the System was showing him something else entirely, ripping away the child’s masterful concealment.
’SSS-Rank... So Luna sent them.’ He thought, his eyes turning to absolute ice. The puzzle pieces clicked together flawlessly.
’I am now certain, she also sent the Rose Guild after me... You want to play this game, I will show you who the top player is.’
He brought out the key given to him by Tang, a heavy, metallic artifact pulsing with faint energy. He walked towards the towering dungeon gate, ignoring the hundred hostile eyes burning into his back, and pushed it into the keyhole on the glowing rune.
’These runes are placed by a Cleric or Priest, a very powerful one. It completely neutralizes a dungeon, and seals it off, so the monsters inside can’t break through... As long as the rune is active, the dungeon is safe...’ He turned the key, feeling the mechanical and magical lock disengage, then let go:
’But once the key is used, and the rune shattered. The dungeon starts its three days countdown, if no one clears it and defeats the Boss... Well, it will open.’
An unchecked dungeon break would wipe Silverspire off the map, a grim responsibility that rested solely on the Awakened who opened it.
He watched as the man in the suit, the scar face woman, the guy who greeted him, and the little boy stepped forward with four more keys, and inserted them into their own keyholes, then turned the key in unison.
’These keys are what the guilds sell and auction off to make money... Having powerful mages or Clerics means you can possess more powerful dungeons... Those low-rank guilds could only stick with D-Rank dungeons below.’
It was a monopoly of power, and Asher was finally claiming his piece of the board.
CRACK!
Cracks appeared on the giant rune, glowing with unstable, blinding light, and the next moment, it shattered into pieces, exposing the swirling, abyssal vortex of the A-Rank Dungeon.
’My first dungeon, Time to enter SSS-RANK.’ Asher thought, stepping fearlessly into the void.