The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 48: The Bat Cave Raid I

The next day, there was morning, and there was afternoon. But later in the afternoon, almost evening, Buji and his Debut team members stood at the edges of the dungeon portal. Its swirling blue glow was very intense, different from the consistent dimming light of the approaching evening. It only left Buji wondering why his previous raid had to be in the morning.

The truth was that, as hunters, they were only needed when the dungeon portals, or rather gate appears. Based on analysis, experience and previous occurrences, the portal appeared once every week and it was always on Fridays. And that was why, they can be invited anytime in a day as far as the portal appears.

And this happens to be Buji’s second raid.

By his side stood Kira, assuring him with her usual calm demeanor. For some reason, they didn’t want to discuss what had happened the night before. How enjoyable or unfortunate it was. How Buji had reached his room on the upper floor without any interception. They just wanted to let it slip away. As if… as if nothing had happened.

The others—Emra and two young girls that looked her age stood together, discussing. Aside from Emra and Kira who he knew, they had yet to make a proper introduction. On the other side, there were young boys, completing the number in their team eight. And then, in front of the portal were the Instructors—a male and a female who had been assigned to them for guidance during dungeon raids.

Whatever the two Instructors were doing, they did the same thing Kirex had done during his first raid. Checking the portal’s compatibility, to be sure when to get in.

The Instructors came back only to gather each member of the team for a proper introduction. Buji already knew Emra and Kira, and their talents. They were the two mages the team had, except Emra who kind of seemed to be double-talented. She seemed to possess intuition talent as she had told him.

The three young boys from before—Zain, Lobby, and Dave, were slayers. With Emra, were Rose and Doris. Rose was the healer while Doris traveled her path with the intuition talent. They were all second-year students, except Buji and Kira, who were first years. And Rose, who was third year.

With their introduction over, the Instructors ordered them to move closer to the portal as they were about to enter. Buji thought, that since they already knew the Instructors’ names from the dinner celebration, and since they were instructors, they needed not make further introduction.

Before you become an Instructor, you need to be best friends in action with at least three hunter skills, and then be in utter control and part of your talent. Your rank doesn’t matter, since you might become stronger, but not level up in rank.

It only made more sense to Buji when his mind projected onto Instructor Hay. He must be amazing, but his character…

"…"

"…"

As they stepped into the portal, the surprise Buji felt from their previous raid was not there again. It was not new to him, but he felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The feeling of being abandoned again brushed against his reality. But it dawned on him… it dawned on him that something of such shouldn’t happen since the dungeon was nothing like their previous one.

The air in the dungeon was thick with the rusty scent of dust, and the musty scent of decay. The distant sound rippling in the dungeon was created by a vast whirling wind.

The female voice rang in their mind, like it did in the previous raid.

[Dungeon: A-rank Bat Cave

Aim: Clear the dungeon and kill the boss

Time: 08:00:00 remaining.]

Good luck.

’A bat cave? A-rank too. Are they seriously going to be repeating the raid like before? The other dungeon had a different subordinate name though "dome" but then, why the repetition of "bat."

Jean, one of the Instructors, nodded at the announcement, gripping his long sword confidently beside him. "Alright… students," he said, his voice a low rumble. "We can do this."

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"Emra, provide us with light, especially since it was going to be brighter as you are higher than her in class. Kira can supplement the light," Gib said. "We need light to disintegrate any incoming attack in this darkness. Since this is a bat cave, it was going to be easier for their victory if they attacked us in darkness. So, we shouldn’t allow that."

"I guess they are good with ambushes too," Buji said calmly, attracting stares to himself. "So, we should not let our guard down."

The shuffling sound of their feet could be heard. Each takes a position suitable for their ability to attack.

"I will take the back, you stay at the front," Instructor Gib said to Jean. Dave and Lobby took the front positions as slayers, while Buji and Zain stayed behind.

Emra chose the back, with the excuse of providing brighter light since the possibility of the bats attacking from behind was high. Kira took the front while Rose and Doris stayed in between.

For Rose, it was going to be easier for her to heal any injured hunter from both sides since she was closer to every one of them being in between them. Doris on her own part, was acute in hearing and sensations. Any position could fit her in, but they had decided to pair. They were only support hunters and might not be as strong as others.

Buji tightened his grip on his short sword, his eyes narrowing as he searched around the magic-lighted cave. ’You got this. You can do this,’ he told himself. He took a deep breath, remembering how the hunter’s system continuously reminded them of time. Even, they still weren’t able to raid the dungeon completely before the time elapsed.

He wished they were going to be done from the recent raid before time.

Just like Buji, every other person in the cave took their positions and steadied their stances to balance, in readiness for what was coming.

And then, Doris warned, "They are coming!"

At the warning, everyone guided each other’s back and front. They knew not where it was coming from since there were two window-like openings, each at both sides of the dungeon wall.

Then came the sound. First, it came as a screeching sound, then a howling sound, and then, a flapping sound. The last sound became louder and more obvious as each second passed. Next thing, their magic lights turned off.

"Swish, swish…"

The flapping sound had stopped suddenly after their lights went off, only to leave them with whistling but hassling sounds passing across them.

"Everybody, duck your heads!" Gib said from behind, but it was late. They realized it when Emra and Kira were finally able to produce their magic lights again.

"How?"

"How did it happen?"

"…"

How did what happen?

Emra and Kira had put on their lights, only for other members of the team to realize they had scratches on their clothes, except the Instructors and the two mages.

The confusion of how they had gotten the scratch was collective. They felt nothing when the bats flew past them. So, how come it had left scratches on their clothes, without them feeling anything? Luckily for the girls affected, theirs were not in sensible spots… you know what I mean.

Buji found his voice to speak, "This is the bat’s way of ambushing us. I guessed so because this was the format they used to attack us in the previous raid that I was involved in."

Kira was first to release her ball of light to float in the air, after, Emra did the same. Everybody showed keen interest and listened to know if Buji would say more.

And he did.

"Then, the bats flew in groups above our heads. Unlike what happened this moment, none of us had a scratch or got injured."

"The dungeon had three different entrances. So, the bats had all vanished in groups of pairs into the entrances. Little did we know we were lured to meet bigger deals," Buji said, with his mind still keen on what was going to happen again.

He paused in his speech for a while and turned to Instructor Gib who was closest to him.

"Stone… bats. Are they going to be easily dealt with?" Buji asked.

"Stone bats? Oh, yeah. With Jean, we can finish it off for sure, Instructor Gib replied.

At the response, Buji exhaled a calm breath. He hasn’t seen the Instructors perform as professionals as they were. He wanted to see them. He wanted to know how good they were.

But then, similar sounds came again. This time, it sounded as if the bats had increased in number.

"Your weapons… over your head. Fight with it above your head," Instructor Jean instructed.

Immediately, the crew of bats reached the middle air, with the hunters beneath them. But, something happened. The bats’ speed had reduced.

It made it easy for them to take down the flying bats. But, who did that? Who cast that spell?

It should be either Emra or… or Kira, the two mages. But, Emra was busy shooting tendrils of white lights as her own way of taking down the bats.

It became clear. It was Kira. Everyone except Buji was surprised, not because Buji expected it from Kira, but because he understood nothing. The spell Kira had cast could only be learned in the middle academic session as a second-year student. So, the question became, when did she learn that?

Instructor Jean brought everybody back from their shocked state. They had done their best, but a few bats were able to fly off. "Let’s not get our attention drifted, they will surely be back."

As if he had sensed the next danger beforehand, Doris affirmed his statement. "They are coming!"

The sound this time was squeaky, and they knew not where it would be approaching from. But, they only maintained their positions.

Even though they felt the dungeon’s crispy air, a stranger one brushed over their skin. It came as a gush of wind, and possessed a dangerous aura.

"Above us," Rose said.

Everybody looked up, only to see bats of different sizes approaching. They descended in an ascending order.

"Where did they come in from?" Lobby asked. But he was replied with a surprise move from the bats.

Yes, a surprise. One of the larger bats which were times two of a human size had released fire. The fire spread, and formed itself into sharp fiery fire arrows and sent it speeding in multiples towards the hunters.

"But, does it mean bats can also release fire?" Buji muttered to himself, his face palely looking up at the fast-approaching fire arrows, his hand’s grip loosened on his short sword.

’Swiuuu… swiuuuu…" came the whizzing sound of the arrows as it whooshed past them.

"Boom!! Boom!!!"

Following the sound, all the team members raised their heads up to see what had happened and they were collectively shocked at what they saw.

"Huh…!"