"..."


    -Growel


    The silence was cut short by the monsters that started toe out of Gate.


    Without saying anything to each other, all of them got back to their work.


    Lucas runs toward the uing monster with incredible speed.


    Ignoring the monster that was lunging at him from the ground, Lucas dashed to the side to avoid beingnded on by one of the jumping hounds, allowing the momentum to impale it on the sword.


    Before the heavy carcass could weigh his sword, Lucas used the long hilt as a lever and mmed the dead monster into the mass of its attacking kin.


    By that time, one jaw was already closing on his thigh, and another was centimetres away from his forearm.


    "Astral Dash" Lucas shouted as he activated his movement art''s first move.


    The monster who was about to change off his thigh and forearm met nothing but air.


    Lucas appeared a few meters back, slightly panting for heavy breath.


    "Shit, I can only use two more time Astral Dash before I ran out of Mana."


    Lucas has already exceeded the limit of using Astral Dash but with a temporary boost on his all states, Lucas holds till now.


    Before Lucas could use 3-time Astral Dash before he was out of mana but that number went to 6 times after he drank [Strength enhancement potion].


    Lucas already used it 4 times and he can only use it 2 times more before he ran out of mana.


    Discarding all useless thoughts Lucas lungs at the monster who was going to tear apart his body moments ago.


    The monster pounded on him!


    Lucas Duck and Sidestep held their swords with both their hands hooked sword des under the throat of one of the attacking beasts and made a simple move forward, slicing through tough fur, skin, and vulnerable flesh beneath.


    Before Lucas could rejoice another monster attacked him.


    Sensing the uing danger, he let go of his sword for a moment and started to gather mana around his hand.


    A blue swirl of mana coated his hand, at that moment that beast was already on his head.


    Before the monster knows what has happened Lucas''s fistnds on the head of the second beast, His hand goes inside of the skull and destroys its brain.


    Lucas spun, throwing both corpses aside and grabbed the hilt of his sword, made a small thrust to pierce a lunging hound''s head right through one of its eyes, and then dashed forward to descend on the group of the monsters and walked out of the gate.


    Lucas, amid a nightmarish horde, moved with an otherworldly grace. His sword, seemed to hum withtent power as he spun, disposing of the lifeless bodies with a practised ease. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air as he gripped the hilt, his eyes scanning the approaching wave of monsters.


    A hound lunged towards him, its eyes gleaming with feral hunger. In a swift and precise motion, Lucas thrust the sword forward, piercing the creature''s head through one of its malevolent eyes. The hound whimpered before copsing, life extinguished.


    Without pause, Lucas dashed forward, his instincts guiding him to the heart of the emerging monster group. His body moved with calcted fluidity, a dance of steel and shadows. As he neared the monsters, he bellowed, "Luminous Riposte!"


    The second movement of Celestial Parry unfolded like a celestial spectacle. Lucas''s sword, infused with an ethereal glow, danced through the air in a mesmerizing disy. The de, an extension of his unwavering determination, intercepted attacks with grace and precision.


    The monsters, once confident in their numbers, now found themselves facing a defying the odds. With each parry, Lucas seamlessly transitioned into Luminous Riposte, his sword leaving trails of radiant energy that cut through the darkness.


    The battlefield became a symphony of shes and ethereal glows as Lucas unleashed the full force of Luminous Riposte. The monsters, caught off guard by the celestial onught, faltered in their advance. Their grotesque forms shed against the brilliance of Lucas''s sword, creating a mesmerizing tableau of light and shadows.


    In the heart of the chaos, Lucas moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior. His every movement was a testament to the mastery of Celestial Parry. As Luminous Riposte reached its crescendo, the monsters, disoriented and defeated, began to crumble beneath the celestial onught.


    The battle raged on, For a moment everything seemed to be going the way Lucas wanted.


    "W-who is this g-guy?" The woman muttered as she killed another monster with her fire magic.


    She stopped fighting for a moment and only wee Lucas as he cut through any monsters that came his way.


    She is been working as a hero for a long time and yet it was her first time meeting someone who could jump on a hoard of monsters without any fears.


    Of course, she''s seen many powerful heroes and hunters alike but this person was somehow different.


    In her moment of staring at Lucas, she forgets where she is. ck hound jumps on her back, ready to tear apart her neck.


    "Lightning bolt."


    Before Hound could sink his teeth into her neck he was killed by a lighting spell.


    "Alice, what are you doing? Don''t you know where we are at the moment?"


    The woman named Alice turned toward the man who saved her life and said, "Sorry dear, for zooming out."


    It was her husband that saved her!


    The man sighed and looked at the S-rank dungeon gate.


    "Real challenges start when the Second wavees, If we survive that and reinforcementes in time then we will be safe."


    "If they did not reach here on time then what dear?"


    He looked back to his wife and let out a remorseful chuckle.


    "Then we are dead, of course."


    A silenced hangover as both wife and husband stared at each other, they wanted to tell each other many things but they knew that they didn''t have time to do that.


    "Let''s hope they would arrive on time." He muttered to his wife, who gave a silent nod and both of them went back to kill the monster.


    Things weren''t exactly easy, but Lucas was still managing without too much strain. Lucas is killed and continues to do so.


    The first goal in his mind is not to let any monster reach the edge of Silva City, which is only ten minutes away from the Doungen location.


    Luckily, he was not alone, with six other people, they have managed to hold on to the uing monsters.


    However, Lucas wasn''t oblivious to the fact that this sessful start was an illusion.


    The first wave was just an appetizer, after all. Simply a hint of the true cmity toe.


    Things will change as soon as the second wavees, from himself and others who were fighting by his side.


    The number of monsters will increase as well as their ranks and Lucas knew as soon as that happened he would be at the mercy of these monsters.


    But things will be not that bad...for a moment at least.


    The members of the Stark family at at least on [D+] rank, were fighting with high-tech weaponry so they were pretty much in good shape to fight in the second wave.


    The other four heroes who arrived here earlier than Lucas also at [C-] and [D+] respectively.


    The main problem is Lucas himself!


    His body muscles were aching and his movements were bing sluggish as time went by, Lucas could feel that effect of [Strength enhancement potion]ing to an end.


    He can drink again [Strength enhancement potion] and after that [Stamina recovery potion] but Lucas doesn''t have time for that.


    He was surrounded by monsters from every direction! He doesn''t have time to drink anything in this situation and even if somehow manages to do it the effects will kick in a few secondster and in that moment he will be the food of monsters.


    Lucas had to think of something that would buy him time for a few seconds.


    As he was thinking of a n, he whiteout knowing he was surrounded by monsters.


    "Starry Deflection," Lucas shouted the first movement of his sword art.


    his sword raised in the first movement of the Celestial Parry sword art—Starry Deflection. The air crackled with tension as the creatures closed in.


    With a swift motion, Lucas held his sword diagonally across his body, creating a sturdy barrier that shimmered with celestial energy. The de, an extension of his unwavering will, gleamed in the darkness as he braced for the impending onught.


    The monsters, driven by hunger and instinct, lunged towards Lucas with a frenzied determination. his focus unwavering as he smoothly pivoted on his back foot. The de''s edge became a beacon of defence celestial force ready to repel any attack.


    As the monsters closed in, their ws shing through the air, Lucas executed Starry Deflection with seamless precision. The sh of metal against monstrous appendages echoed through the forest, the celestial barrier holding steadfast against the onught.


    The scene unfolded in a dance of shadows and shimmering light. Lucas, movements were a testament to the mastery of Celestial Parry, each deflection a celestial spectacle that sent monstrous strikes veering away.


    The monsters, momentarily halted by the celestial prowess before them, hesitated in their advance. In that fleeting moment, Lucas seized the opportunity to counter. With a determined focus, he transitioned from Starry Deflection into a swift and calcted strike, cutting through the horde with celestial precision.


    ''Can''t take a break.'' Lucas thought as the effect [Strength enhancement potion] came to an end.