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nAs the two guards hesitated, Howard immediately sensed something amiss.

nFrom behind, the trio of guards advanced, effectively cutting off his retreat.

nYet, Howard’s expression remained stoic, nonchalantly inquiring, “Why have you stopped?”

n“Continue?” The two guards exchanged glances, then one sneered, “Rest assured, we’ll be sending you on your way soon enough. Safe travels!”

nHearing these ominous words, realization struck Howard.

nSo that’s why Carlos Bartel invited him to join the leveling group.

nThe plan was to lure him into the dungeon and strike once they were separated from the main force.

nFive seasoned guards, each at Level 30, against a recent awakened – by most calculations, there shouldn’t have been any issues.

nUnfortunately for them, Howard possessed supreme talent.

nThough recently awakened, his power already rivaled that of a Level 50 awakened.

nThese five Level 30 guards were hardly a match for him!

n“Enough talk!” one barked.

n“The young master wants him dead. Let’s get on with it!” Another chimed in.

nWithout further ado, the guards, faces contorted with menace, lunged at Howard, their weapons gleaming in varying hues.

nYet, before they could land a blow, a surge of lightning burst forth from within Howard.

nThe thundering roar filled the air, the brilliant white arc lighting up the entire corridor, engulfing Howard entirely.

nAs weapons and fists descended upon him, the lightning traced back along their paths, coursing through their arms and consuming the attackers.

nIn an instant, all five guards were shocked, their hair standing on end.

nEnveloped in lightning, Howard merely waved his wand, sending another bolt of electricity streaking into the guards, cascading over them.

nEach jolt inflicted significant damage.

nTheir eyes widened in terror, unable to fathom the immense power of the so-called ‘waste’ the young master had spoken of.

nBy the time they realized their predicament, it was already too late.

n“-1782!”

n“-2209!”

nEven with several pieces of Epic equipment, Howard’s HP barely surpassed 4,000.

nThe guards fared far worse; struck by the lightning, their HP plummeted, the light in their eyes gradually dimming.

nBy the time they fell, their skin was charred black, all signs of life extinguished.

n“Such a waste of my Mighty Thunder skill,” Howard muttered, shaking his head regretfully. “Fortunately, the level of this dungeon is relatively low. Even without that skill, I could’ve breezed through.”

nWithout sparing a glance at the fallen bodies, Howard continued in the direction of a narrow bridge.

nLoot the bodies?

nWhat a joke.

nThey were just five guards; what treasures could they possibly possess?

nThat’d just be a waste of time!

nThe glow of the lightning was sufficient to light his path, rendering torches unnecessary.

nHowever, the brilliance also attracted bats.

nThese newly-emerging creatures had larger wings and sharper talons.

nThey swooped down, claws extended, aiming straight for Howard.

nAlas, the presence of Mighty Thunder ensured their fate mirrored the guards’.

nBefore they could touch Howard, a simple wave of his wand let loose the electric fury, sending them spiraling into an abyss.

nThe bridge wasn’t particularly long.

nUnder the illumination of the lightning, Howard crossed it in just over thirty seconds, once again standing on solid ground.

nAs the Mighty Thunder’s duration ended, Howard retrieved a torch from his storage pouch.

nWith a simple fireball spell, he ignited it and proceeded onward.

nHe knew that even if Carlos Bartel wanted him dead, opportunities would be limited.

nHoward was sure that the earlier talks weren’t a ruse.

nBeyond the bridge, they would regroup.

nAnd sure enough, after a short while, Howard emerged from the passage.

nLooking back, he noticed seven identical tunnels.

nHowever, the rest of the students, including Abby, seemed slower in their progress.

nHoward wasn’t surprised; his speed was unparalleled since he effortlessly vanquished every obstructing bat.

nHe waited for nearly a quarter of an hour before the familiar sounds of footsteps and chatter reached his ears.

nLooking up, students streamed out from the six tunnels.

n“Oh, Howard, you’re already out?” one remarked.

n“Hahaha, Howard, you’re so lucky! With five of Bartel family’s guards protecting you, no wonder you were so fast,” another laughed.

nThe sight of Howard caught the group off guard, prompting jests and playful taunts.

nSeeing Carlos Bartel’s apparent favoritism towards Howard, none dared to openly mock him.

nHowever, it didn’t take long for one of the students to sense that something was amiss.

n“Howard, where are the guards? Why are you alone?” they asked in astonishment.

nAs the words hung in the air, Abby and Carlos Bartel emerged from the last passage.

n“You…”

nUpon seeing Howard, Carlos Bartel was taken aback, his pupils constricting sharply.

nHe couldn’t fathom how Howard had survived and reached this place.

nThose were five Level 30 veteran Awakeneds!

nAnd given the circumstances at the bridge, how could Howard possibly have made it alive?

nIn his disbelief, Carlos was momentarily at a loss for words, failing even to notice the absence of his family’s guards.

nThe remaining five guards continuously scanned the area, searching for their missing companions.

nAbby, her face brightening with joy, approached Howard and cheerfully exclaimed, “Howard, while battling those bats earlier, I got another B-level skill book as loot! You can have it!”

n“Really? My dear Abby is quite the lucky one, then.” Howard playfully ruffled Abby’s hair and then turned to Carlos Bartel, feigning sadness. “Carlos, I’m sorry. In order to protect me, your family’s guards… all of them fell into the abyss.”

nHearing this, the other guards looked up in shock, their gazes fixed on Howard, their eyes full of astonishment.

n“This…”

nCarlos Bartel was dumbfounded.

nFall into the abyss to protect him?

nWho was he trying to fool?

nTheir mission was to eliminate him!

nCarlos wasn’t naive; he quickly realized that his family’s guards had been bested by Howard.

nThough he couldn’t comprehend how Howard had managed it, he begrudgingly accepted the reality.

nJust as Howard had offered an excuse, they were still classmates after all; things shouldn’t escalate too far.

nOtherwise, word would spread of students turning on one another, jeopardizing any chance of getting into a reputable academy.

nThe Alliance had always emphasized that humanity’s only enemy was the monsters.

nUnity was paramount; infighting was strictly forbidden.

n“Damn it, it’s impossible! My elder brother and the rest would never sacrifice themselves for you!” one of the guards exclaimed.

n“You must’ve been the one who killed my brother!” another shouted.

nHowever, while Carlos Bartel could restrain himself, his five guards couldn’t.

nTheir eyes red with fury, they brandished their weapons, ready to charge at Howard.

nThe terrifying surge of strength startled the students around them.

nYet, Abby’s eyes turned cold.

nHolding her gold longbow, she positioned herself protectively in front of Howard.

n“Enough!”

nJust as the guards were about to reach Abby, Carlos Bartel roared, “What do you think you’re doing? Have you forgotten who you serve?”

nAt his words, the guards froze, the corners of their mouths twitching violently.

nThey yearned for revenge for their fallen comrades, but a thought held them back.

nTheir families were all under the Bartel family’s protection.

nTo defy Carlos Bartel would endanger them all. .𝒎

nReluctantly, they lowered their weapons.

nHowever, their eyes, filled with rage, remained fixed on Howard.

nThey too had received Carlos Bartel’s orders, knowing their mission was to eliminate Howard, but without letting the other students find out.

nThat’s why Carlos Bartel had led the students to the Bat Cave, hoping to use the solitude of the bridge to assassinate Howard secretly.

nLittle did they expect, the outcome was far from their original plan.

nThe other students looked on, bewildered.

nThey glanced between Howard and Carlos Bartel, uncertain of the unfolding drama.

nIn their eyes, Carlos Bartel was kind-hearted and would never harm anyone, and Howard, with his modest strength, likewise seemed incapable of harm.

nIt just showed that even among fellow students, there was a vast gap in talent and wit.

nThey couldn’t see that Howard and Carlos Bartel were merely putting on a performance for each other.

n“Though my heart aches for the loss of our five brethren in the dungeon,” Carlos Bartel cast a glance at the remaining guards, his voice laced with bitterness, “we mustn’t direct our anger at our allies. Let’s press on, fighting relentlessly, avenging our brothers!”

nUpdated from 𝑖𝘦.𝒸𝘰𝘮

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