To the Depth of Abyss

Chapter 111: Lizardmen vs Knights

No, he is not a demon. 

Dustin can immediately realized if his opponent is a demon if he sees one. But the one in front, is not a demon. 

Dustin only feel one mindless human that has become a monster. 

They look like a lizardman, but with the result of mutations between humans and monster lizards.

"Sir!" "Dustin!"

With the twins' notification, there are many lizardmen monsters coming out of the darkness. There are dozens of them and outnumbered Dustin's party.

That situation made Dustin thinks hard.

They just need to pass the last alley behind the lizardmen group to get out from the labyrinth. Of course, the lizardmen will not make it easy for them to pass. 

But those lizardmen looks like will not be aggressive until they try to get pass them or maybe move to somewhere else. Since they are moveless when Dustin's party arrived. 

Running back is also not an option. Because in their party, there are 3 priests who didn't have high points in speed. So there is a big chance for the lizardmen to attack them and that would be worse than facing those monsters now.

That much number of priests is actually a burden for a party. But Dustin doesn't want to call them that, when they didn't expect the situation would became like that. 

Dustin could feel that the seven apprentices he escorted became tenses. Who would not? There are many unknown monster in front of them that suddenly appeared like it was according to plan. 

"All of you, listen to me."

Dustin attracts all the apprentices' attention. 

The apprentices immediately look at him like they are waiting for Dustin to give orders. 

That is good, because they are ready to fight. 

"This is emergency, and we didn't expect for such a thing to happen. When the situation is like this, the main party must be facing them too. I can't protect all of you because they outnumbered us. That is why, I believe that all of you can protect yourself. I know there is a conflict between you group, but I told you know, throw away your dignity and fight together, for the sake of our life."

Dustin knows their conflict all along. But he didn't want to interfere in that because he believe, youngster problem must be solved by themselves. 

However, the situation are change, and just like Dustin's said, they had to take their troubles away for a moment and fight for their lives.

The apprentices take a breath together then said:

"Yes, sir!"

The church apprentices did what Dustin told them to. That makes Dustin proud. 

"Good, and last, knight!"

The sword apprentices shocked when Dustin calls them by that proud title.

"I need the fastest one of you to steal a chance to get pass their guard and get out from this labyrinth."

After giving that order, Dustin back facing forward. He will now face the lizardmen group. 

Gallantly, Dustin walks to the middle of their circle. "So, are you going to just stand there, or are we going to have a fight?"

The lizardmen finally make a move after Dustin taunt them. 

It seems they are here just for stopping anyone who wants to pass. Nor until their Master came back or they have high difficulty, so their Master is confidence to just believe in them to guard the exit. 

"IF it's the second possibility, then your Master is so confidence to think a bunch of you can stop a Platinum Hunter like me!"

The lizardmen dash forwards. Not all of them, but still many of them dashed towards the Hunters. Not just to the Platinum Hunter, but also to the church apprentices. 

"Golems Core +4! [Ulterior Phantasm Wrath Taunt]!"

Dustin's shield [Ulterior Phantasm] let out an Angry Golem roar that suppress all the surrounding enemy and force them to targeting Dustin.

"Yeah, you are a monster, right? Then it must be working very well on you!"

Dustin doesn't feel a bit of fear even when being covered with unknown monsters. He fluently parry, pushed, and swing his sword to every Lizardmen that comes to him. 

In the back, Dustin's performance amazed them. 

But then Aiden immediately realized. "Okay, Harry, Henry, which one of you will be the runner?"

The twins look at each other. 

"I think you are faster than me." "No-no, you are definitely faster than me." "What are you talking about? You are the winner in our last race in the Stairs of Serenity." "Isn't that you?"

The twins fight over who is faster than them. 

That makes Aiden a little angry. "Alright, Henry, can you do it?"

"But I'm Harry." "I'm Henry."

Aiden mistook between the twins. "Alright, Harry, you can do it, right?"

"W-well, like I have other options?"

Harry will do the run. 

"Kane, Henry, escort him to the exit."

Kane and Henry immediately nodding at Aiden's order. 

The team that will flee has been formed. 

"Wait!"

But suddenly, the Priest boys objected in that plan.

"Aiden, you are intended to defend us alone?"

"Yeah, with that much number of lizard monster?"

They couldn't trust Aiden alone. 

There are dozens of the lizardmen. Even a Platinum Hunter like Dustin having a bit of hard times to face them. And Aiden confidently sends his three members to become the runaway team.

However, in the Priest boys' distrust, Aiden gives them a look of doubting. 

"Didn't you have [Support Arts]? If you use that on me, and also support Sir Dustin, we might win this fight."

Aiden speak his confidence while setting up [Swords Wall].

[Swords Wall] is a three or more sword filled with mana then become barrier which has the power depending on the user.

The runaway team is outside of the [Swords Wall]. They are ready to go with holding one wooden sword each in their right hand. 

With Aiden's command: "Now go!"

The runaway team begins to run to the battlefield circle. 

Kane and Henry are in the front position of Harry. They would be the anglers so that the Lizardman's attention would be on them, not on Henry.

Dustin realized the runaway coming. He parried one lizardmen and pushed the monster. Then he drew his sword back. 

"[Flame Arts -]"

Dustin's sword begins to emit flame from its holder.

"[Circle of Hazard]!"

Then Dustin swung his sword around, killing one Lizardman and pushing the others out.

The attack also creates ash that envelops the area around Dustin. That is a chance for the runaway team. 

"GO!"

The runaway team enters the ashes while still running like there is no tomorrow. 

Henry started running faster than his two companions.

When they are out of the ashes, a single Lizardman was waiting for them.

The Lizardman immediately dashes to the fastest of the runaway team. 

Henry slowed his feet, leaving Kane to pass him.

Kane raised his sword, parry the Lizardman attack with his strengthen wooden sword. 

"I won't let you loose!"

Kane pushed his opponent away, then slashed his sword once. With that, the Lizardman couldn't stop Henry and Harry.

Henry and Harry are keeping running, when suddenly they felt there is one strong Arts that launched at them. 

The twins immediately stopped their feet when one dark mana ball shot and exploded in front of them.

"What the egg " "Was that!?"

Dustin looked through the Lizardmen and found one that is different from the others.

While almost all Lizardmen have strong physical forms, some have their own characteristics. They have bigger mouths and are dressed like a caster.

One Lizardman Caster had unleashed his power to stop the runaway team. 

Well, the one before missed. Unfortunately, Henry and Harry are in a bad place to take such explosive attacks.

"Shit!" "What should we do?!"

They could have deflected the Lizardman Caster's attack, but they have only two swords, and they felt that with their current strength, their wooden swords would have been destroyed immediately if they were made to deflect the attacks of the previous dark mana ball.

"[Wrath Taunt]!"

Dustin once again provoked the Lizardmen. But like a Caster, the Lizardmen Caster had resistance to Arts. 

A few Lizardmen Caster now, pointing their mouth onto the twins. 

"Oh!" "Shit!"

The twins immediately prepare their sword to protect them. 

"No!"

Dustin tries to release a range Arts to the Lizardmen Caster, but the other Lizardmen Fighter didn't allow that. 

Kane tried to fire his sword, even though he knew he would be unarmed after that.

"[Fire Great Ball]!"

Boom!

Suddenly, there was a big fire Arts that launched into the Lizardmen Casters. 

It came from the genius Priest.

"Don't think you can take all the attention!"

The arrogant genius Priest had saved the twins' lives.

"Woah, that's our William!"

"He could not only use [Healing Arts], but he could also use [Offense Arts] like a Caster!"

William just only could wryly smile because his two subordinates admiration.

"Well, I originally wanted to be a Caster. But for some reason, I have to be the best Priest no matter what."

Aiden witness such a strong determination within his rival. 

"Hey, if you that useful!" "Tell us from the start!"

"Just run away, you idiot!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot!"

As their chances grew, Henry began to run again toward the exit.

Dustin glanced at William for a moment, to give the arrogant young man his admiration.

His rival also looked at him. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing. Just thinking that our chances of winning are up."

"With great me being here; nothing is impossible."

Without them knowing, their rivalry goes to a higher level and healthier.