Albert took the rear. They soon crossed the deterrent barrier and stood before one of the many entrances into the hive. Particularly, the rock at the center.
It was like a cave, dark, ominous and alive. From within, they could sense wrathful presences. One that forced them to be on their guard.
Albert walked in first and the rest followed. As soon as Icard walked into the hive, another panel flickered before him.
[Spawn Detected]
[Name: Garlyk]
[Threat Level: D]
'Hmph. From the F ranks to the D ranks, huh. The E and F ranks maybe really close but not the D ranks. Things become really serious now' he thought.
Then he paused outside for a moment.
'I just hope my mana does something for me' he said hopefully before continuing.
The cave was quiet. A quietness that forced Icard's guard up even more.
Icard looked everywhere, and so did the rest. The rocky walls and ceiling were still and breathing at the same time. It caused some of them to dart their eyes everywhere.
They hadn't gone so deep yet when suddenly, a garlyk jumped out from nowhere, screeching loudly as it attacked one of Albert's men.
"Arghhhh!" He screamed.
Its pincers dug into his flesh, spilling his blood before he got down in a dire struggle with it, throwing everyone into confusion.
But the next thing they knew, something shot through the garlyk, narrow and solid. Luna moved then, swiftly going round the garlyk once before it suddenly stopped and half its chest and head fell off the rest of its body which went limp over the victim, green blood pouring on him.
They rushed him immediately, kicking the dead spawn off.
"Uhhhghh, my arms, my chest" the man groaned. Obviously, he couldn't continue.
"Take him back" Luna asked one of them and he followed immediately, taking his injured colleague away.
'Was he so panicked that he couldn't use his ability?' Icard thought to himself.
"Be careful" she said before continuing behind Albert.
Just what Icard had been wary of but then, it happened anyways.
'Heh. That was just an F rank though' he said in his thoughts.
They continued. Soon enough, the darkness fully crept on them.
"Marcus, lights" Albert said and one of his men used his ability to create an orb of light.
'Marcus, huh' Icard thought to himself, observing the one out of the now three Albert's men.
It lit up the place manageably and they continued, much more aware of their surroundings now.
After walking for quite some time, they could see faint green lights up ahead.
Icard could remember this well because it was his first gate experience back then.
'That's the cradle chamber. In and around there are more of them'
"There might be more from here" the porcupine warned. "Be careful"
Since they were near this chamber, they had to be ready.
They were already nearing the chamber now. Then suddenly another attack, from behind this time.
Although those following behind managed to make flame torches, they weren't enough to see the E rank garlyk before it pounced on them.
Just as its target struggled with it, another smaller one ambushed them again and chaos ensued.
They were at a disadvantage of course, not able to see their attackers well.
The second garlyk went for another person before he could defend himself, taking him to the ground, with its pincers going for his neck.
Just then, someone else rammed into it, sending it flying off its victim.
The garlyk recovered quickly and attempted another assault but someone had already shot an attack at it with all he could muster, dealing enough damage that weakened it.
Then another blasted it again, before it fell limply to the ground.
While a few faced that one, others faced the first ambusher which held on to its target, pincers snapping in front of his face.
"Somebody do something!" he yelled in terror as he couldn't properly fight it off.
It had pinned him against the wall, quickly overwhelming him.
Just then, everyone focused their attacks on it and by the time they were done, the garlyk staggered off the man weakly.
As soon as it turned, they offered another round of bombardment until its smoking body dropped to the ground.
Icard hadn't planned much on helping, but then, they had already saved themselves.
'Good for them' he thought.
For the first time, people here realised they could work so well together.
'Hmph. So this is how it all started' Icard thought to himself. 'The guilds and their mechanics. It's just like this'
"Good work" Albert said from the rear observing that they were actually capable. No one had been critically injured and it gave them more spirit.
"We must go--"
But before he could finish, another E rank ambushed their part again.
Just then, they realized there were more coming from the chamber up ahead.
They had already gotten close enough...
Luna had already moved without much thought.
With her ability, she shot a steady beam through the garlyk, grabbed the beam and sheared upwards, splitting the garlyk from the middle of its chest, upwards.
Icard noticed just how easy it looked for her but knowing her ability quite well from his past life, he could tell she put a lot of mana in that beam.
Another appeared again. One of Albert's men went at it, throwing his fist at the garlyk and knocking it back before it got the chance to attack.
Then, another came toward them, crawling on the ceiling. One of Albert's men also sent his attacks on it.
But then, they kept coming from the chamber, as though they were rushing to defend it.
However, Icard noticed Albert pushing forward still to enter the chamber. His men actively made way for him.
'He knows of the Chieftain' Icard thought. Then a garlyk came at him as well but he quickly dodged and activated Ice shard, throwing one at the garlyks head. It bounced off however, cracking its exoskeleton though.
'F grade strength is just useless' he thought in annoyance.
He was used to using ice shard because when used with good attributes, they could pierce through steel.
He quickly created another one.
Observing this garlyk, he could tell it was an F rank. Putting more mana into the shard, he strengthened the shard and went for the spawn.
It too came at him, swinging its claws but Icard managed to dodge and following its movement, he quickly found an opening and lodged the shard in the space between its head and chest.
Then he attempted to drag the shard but then, it was too thick to cut through for him. And in that moment, it clawed at him, scratching his sides and wounding him.
'Damn it. Arghhhh!'
He was so annoyed that he lashed out.
[Second Floor Access Confirmed]
[Skill Activation: Blue Icicle]
A long icicle formed on his hand. He grabbed it and slashed at the spawn, breaking the icicle into frosty dust and freezing the spawn in place.
He panted, breath shallow with his left hand on his side, pressed against the injury he had just sustained.
'Damn it. I was conserving my mana for the drones and the Chieftain'.
He had avoided using his mana excessively all this time, sticking to the first floor and his combat skills and abilities from his past life but his body was just not so capable.
He looked ahead. Albert was also trying to conserve mana as Gremit must have instructed him. He knew about the Chieftain, but not the D rank drones.
Drones were really strong and more intelligent. Underestimating them would be a fatal mistake.