Gacha System: Reborn In The Hardest World
Chapter 69: Those That Reject

Chapter 69: Those That Reject

The idea was becoming far-fetched in his mind that there would be an idea of "peace" in this magical world, though he brushed it off, focusing on the mission. As he followed the road, a sudden, large noise like stone breaking brought him to turn invisible by reflex.

He stood there, unseen, as chunks of the chalky material from a structure were flung into the air. Coming down, multiple figures in white cloaks landed on the street–Venator. Following the skull-masked hunters, an enormous entity crashed down right after them, slamming down onto the road as the tiles cracked.

It resembled a man-shark, only five-fold the usual size, of scarred, silver skin and a decayed body. The colossal predator thrashed its fists, sending chunks of the road flying as the Venator were helpless, only to run and evade its wrath.

Even unseen, Gael found himself having to duck behind a stone railing along the road as debris was sent in every direction.

’Shit, Venator and a monstrous one of those things–? Well, if they can take each other out, that’d be best,’ he thought, watching from a safe distance.

Each of the masked Venator used their air-cannons in unison, launching weightless blasts that struck the body of the rampaging, undead shark-man. All each of the impacts did were lightly scrape the decaying flesh of the berserk man-beast, only further stoking its savagery as it lunged forward, digging up the street with its hands as it parted its jaws–

In a burst of unlikely speed, the hulking creature snatched one of the hunters between its teeth, crushing their body in its jaws as blood burst outward like a popped cherry. The hulking predator only partially swallowed the one captured in its jaws, spitting out the rest as it immediately lashed out at the other hunters.

Even if only a standard rank amongst the Venator, each of the masked soldiers moved with superhuman prowess. They evaded the undead brute like acrobats, flipping over the swipes of its massive hands, though none of their blades nor cannons had any effect.

For the man that watched in the unseen, it seemed futile; the shark-man simply did not cease. It charged forward, shattering through a fallen carriage as if it were merely a bundle of twigs, snapping its jaws as the Venator on the back foot.

The skull-masked figure swiped their hand, sending forth a dazzling volley of fireballs—FWOOM. Against the decaying body of the massive savage, the flames released into explosive blasts, bringing the mindless beast to a halt for once.

From all sides, the Venator members unleashed magical arrays of fire upon its body. The entire street lit up like fireworks as Gael watched, feeling the temperature rise even from a distance.

Victory felt certain from his perspective, somehow feeling a modicum of hope for the Venator before—

It lunged through the smoke and embers, snapping its jaws as it ripped the top half of one unfortunate hunter away. The embodiment of unstoppable, animalistic strength; the man-megalodon swept its hands through the bodies of the helpless hunters.

’Holy shit...It’s laying waste to them. I wouldn’t want to fight that thing—wouldn’t want to be them,’ he thought.

One moment, the advantage seemed to be in the hands of the Venator, in the next, the Outlander watched as only bloodied bits dangled from the hands of the undead beast. The noise of conflict died down, with only the parted breaths of the beast pushed from its soaked jaws and the blood dripping from its hands providing sound.

He kept himself low, pinned against the cracked wall, keeping his breath in his lungs as the heavy footsteps of the brute moved away. Until he could no longer hear its steps, he didn’t move, finally getting up as he exhaled, looking at the mess left on the road.

The sight of the hunters left only as puddles of red should be one he would welcome, though it was a disheartening scenery when realizing he was just as much prey to Atlantis as they were.

’I just have to get to the castle. Just get there...Don’t get involved in anything you don’t have to,’ he reminded himself.

As he set his sights on the castle across the deep-sea city, a chill up his spine encouraged him to quickly spin around. Just as he turned, he was met face-to-face with the skin-crawling sight–

A decayed shark-man of scarlet skin as if dyed in blood, missing its eyes, yet charging forward with its jaws bare. It erupted towards him fist-first, forcing him to duck beneath its wild fist.

’Shit, I really didn’t want to fight one of these things–guess I’ve got no choice,’ he thought.

Before straightening himself up, he slashed his dagger over his head, cutting open the forearm of the savage creature. Despite giving it a wound lethal to any other, it didn’t stop for a moment, immediately lunging forward with a snap of its jaws.

He slid back, "Florentine!"

–With a burst of light, the hammer-wielding warrior manifested, slamming her bludgeoning weapon against the skull of the savage. It knocked it back, though the flesh-seeking creature immediately arrived back on its feet.

"Gross–!" Florentine remarked in disgust.

Gael didn’t waste any time, "Temporary Summon: Skill!"

[Temporary Skill Summoning Initiated.]

As it sprung towards him with reckless speed, he didn’t have to call out the one’s name he sought to summon—

From thin air, Matteo manifested, throwing an emerald rune from his pocket, "—Slow down for me, would you?"

The stone burst in the path of the undead savage, sprouting from emerald dust into vicious roots. Like serpents, the oaken bindings wrapped around the man-shark’s legs, scaling up its body.

"Nice one!" Gael said as he ran right towards the ensnared undead.

Matteo responded, "Let him have it–ah, hold on–!"

Just as he got within distance, bringing his dagger back, Gael witnessed the brute tear its way from the roots with nothing but raw strength. Jaws first, it sprung towards him as if he were a savory piece of meat–

He intercepted it, jumping up and launching a kick right to the side of its head. The impact made the beast recoil, though it immediately responded as it grabbed his leg.

"Ah?--" Gael watched.

Before he could react, it tossed him to the side violently. It flung him from the road towards the top of an overlooking structure. He flipped around before crashing right through the building, catching himself as he planted his boots against it.

The moment his feet made contact with the wall, he placed all of his strength into his legs, expanding his thighs and calves before launching himself like a missile. Aiming right for the rampaging undead, he returned to the crumbled road, slashing his dagger across the man-shark’s head.

As he landed, sliding a few feet, he watched the savage only stumble briefly as its head was left split open.

’That wasn’t enough?’ He thought.

[Chance Summoning complete...You’ve obtained...!]

[Skill Temporarily Obtained: (N) "Firecracker"]

At his fingertips, sparks fluttered, quickly dismissing the skill as he set his focus back on the enemy at hand.

’Great. A dud,’ he thought.