Venting Frustration

The winds brushed through his skin as Lancell glided through the air. With Void Wind Guidance, he pushed himself forward with a slight upward force that reduced his descent speed, and he occasionally used Void Step to reach some footholds.

His jaw hurt from too much clenching of his teeth, while his blood boiled in frustration.

'Damn it.' He cursed inwardly.

He didn't like this feeling. It was no different from losing. And a hate for loss was something Lancell didn't like too.

As he moved, Lancell observed while sensing any nearby presence, and avoided them to minimize chances of being caught. He didn't want anymore unnecessary trouble right now, so he moved with utmost discretion.

Not long after, he reached the castle ramparts. It stood on the height of 30 meters, but for Lancell, this was an easy climb. So he ran across the wall, traversing it as if it was solid ground and easily making it through the other side.

As he went downwards, he noticed that a few noble children had seen him fall, so he dashed at them and mercilessly knocked them out without regards to their health. Lancell was to frustrated to care.

After knocking out the children, he moved at a speed that couldn't be perceived by normal people, and dashed straight into the Outer District.

A sudden strong gust of wind assaulted the guards as dust deprived them of vision, which made them miss Lancell completely.

Lancell proceeded as he went past through the streets, which for some reason, infuriates him. So having no choice, he continued on to the Slum District. And when he had reached the place —where chaos was a daily thing — but then realized that the tightness in his chest needed an outlet.

And about that, Lancell knew a perfect place.

◇◇◇

Outside the Slum District, Lancell moved at full speed as he sprinted towards a certain direction.

About half an hour later, he had reached the dungeon they had entered three days ago. He entered the dungeon without hesitation, and passed through the entrance and evaded the traps with ease. And after he entered, he proceeded into a pathway they hadn't gone into before.

And not long after, there were movements...

A creature leapt to Lancell's direction as its claws and fangs were ready to grab onto his body. Lancell easily avoid such linear attack, and slashed its body, severing it in half.

It let out a dying screech, and then went silent. Lancell observed the creature.

'A Flame Rat.' He identified.

It was a 2 meter long rat, half a meter tall, and had long burning fangs and claws that could easily slice through its prey. They were creature of the Second Step with Levels of at least within the 20s.

Lancell took out the magic core from within, and kicked the rat away, throwing it a few meters away. The act alleviated his frustration quite a bit.

However, the relief didn't last long as it soon came back like a persistent grass that keep growing no matter how you cut it. He gritted his teeth, and proceeded forward.

Perhaps he might meet a challenge ahead.

◇◇◇

Within a familiar chamber that Lancell and his group had been into before, a screech could be heard as a Steel Gryphon flew in the air as it sent gusts of wind wherever it flew.

Hearing the screech, Lancell rolled away from his spot, avoiding an incoming lounge from the steel-hard avian. He materialized Arkenvalle, and then activated Void Wind Guidance, pushing his speed beyond his limits.

The Steel Gryphon, shot its feather like arrows as it tried its best to hit Lancell, but to no avail.

"Sorry but..."

Lancell dashed through the walls as he then kicked it and sent himself flying through the gryphon's location in mid-air, as his sword lit in a dark purple light.

"...I don't have any burden this time."

As if declaring the gryphon's death sentence, Lancell then slashed as Arkenvalle cut through space itself, and severed the steel-hard neck of the gryphon. It fell onto the ground with two separate thuds.

Lancell took out the magic core again, and started to cultivate his Levels.

And after cultivating and reaching Level 37 of the Second Step, he continued forward.

◇◇◇

'Annoying.' Lancell thought.

He was in mid-combat, but the enemies swarmed in his direction without regards to their lives. They were all Flame Rats, and Lancell cut them all regardless of how many came close.

'Annoying.' He thought again. These damn vermin just don't know when to give up. He should have cut at least several dozens of the already, but more still came.

'This fucking rats...' he cursed inwardly. Their numbers was continuously growing, and they never stopped coming his way.

Infuriated, Lancell used his only Spellblade, Void Slash, and his sword transcended the concept of distance, cutting all enemies within ten meter radius. Most of the rats died at once, and Lancell cut the rest of them, each with one strike.

The entire place went silent as Lancell clenched Arkenvalle's grip. In his mind, Arthur's words rang itself over, and over, and over again.

It stuck in his head as it repeatedly whispered. 'It's all your fault...' making him frustrated.

It was annoying. It wasn't the rats that was annoying, it was these damn whispers that stuck in his head, and the tightness in his chest that wouldn't let up.

"Damn it..."

Lancell then sat on one of the corpse of a Flame Rat he had killed. He relaxed his body, the heaved a heavy sigh without even knowing he did it.

He then asked. "Done watching?"

Silence arrived as his voice faded. It continued on for a while, and then, a pair of white hands wrapped around him.

It was Arkenvalle, and she had finally returned. Or maybe...