Boundless Chronicles

Chapter 9: System Exploitation, IV

Kiiiiiiiik-!

The Sound of thousands of Scythe-like appendages Scraping against the rusted Concrete echoed through the Cavern. The Abyssal Swarm looked like a rising black tide of jagged Shells and red eyes.

"Y-You crazy nutter!" Lyra Screamed, taking another Step back. "You just rang the dinner bell! I'm going to die because of you!"

Elara Clutched her broken Spear. "W-What do we do? There are too many!"

Noël looked at their panicked faces with a blank expression. The mainstream group always assumed that a large number of enemies meant Certain death.

He quickly opened his mouth. "Lyra. You are an engineer, right?"

"What does that matter right now?!"

"Look at the Support beams of this overpass."

Noël pointed downward with his rusted iron pipe. To be exact, they were Standing on a Suspended Section of the ruined highway. It was Connected to the main Cavern walls by thick, rusted iron Cables and Cracked Concrete pillars.

"The Structural integrity is less than fifteen percent," he Said. "If we Sever the main tension Cables on the left Side, this entire Section will tilt and Slide into the abyss."

Lyra made a dumbfounded expression. "…Wait a minute. Are you telling me to Collapse the bridge we are Standing on?"

"Yes."

"Are you insane? We'll fall with it!"

"Not if we are Standing on the Stable Section near the transit platform." Noël Calmly pointed to the thick reinforced landing pad fifty meters behind them. "We Collapse the front half. The swarm falls. We wait for the train."

He didn't wait for her to argue.

Noël threw the empty ration tin.

Hwiiik!

The makeshift flare, burning with the blinding blue light of the F-grade Luminescent Moss Spores, Sailed through the dark air. It landed with a loud clatter on the far end of the Crumbling overpass.

Because the Abyssal Swarm had Spent Centuries in absolute darkness, their phototaxis was absolute.

Kwajijijik!

The black tide of insectoid monsters instantly Changed direction, ignoring them and Swarming toward the burning blue tin. The sheer weight of hundreds of monsters piling onto the far edge of the overpass Caused the Concrete to groan.

[The Gallery-being 'The Auditor of Ash' admires your crowd Control.]

[The Gallery-being 'Widow of the Third Bell' is taking notes on subterranean ecology.]

[400 Tributes have been Sponsored.]

"Now," Noël Said. "Cut the Cables."

Lyra gritted her teeth. She pulled her hydro-spanner and a portable plasma torch from her grease-Stained overalls. "If I die, I'm going to haunt you!"

She sprinted toward the massive iron Cables anchoring the left Side of the bridge. Elara and Noël Covered her rear.

Of Course, a flare made of F-grade items wouldn't hold the entire swarm forever.

"Noël!" Elara shouted.

A dozen swarm hunters had detached from the main group. Their red eyes locked onto them. They were the size of wolves, with razor-Sharp mandibles and chitinous armor that deflected low-tier ether rounds.

[The Abyssal Swarm (Worker) has targeted you.]

Noël Checked his overall Stats.

[Physique Lv. 15]

[Agility Lv. 20]

[Strength Lv. 15]

[Cognition Lv. 10]

It was enough to endure this.

The first swarm worker lunged at him, its mandibles Snapping open.

Noël quickly moved away from the direction of the attack.

Left flank.

He twisted his torso. The Scythe-like appendage Sheared the air right next to his ribs.

Noël gripped the iron pipe in his right hand. His Strength was Lv. 15. He didn't need to pierce its armor. He just needed to wreak havoc on its internal organs.

Peeok!

The blunt rusted iron Smashed into the Side of the Creature's head.

Kwajik!

The exoskeleton Cracked, and thick green fluid burst into the air. The monster let out a piercing Screech and tumbled off the edge of the overpass.

[You have killed an Abyssal Swarm (Worker).]

[50 Tributes have been acquired.]

"Die! Just die!" Elara yelled beside him, blindly thrusting her broken Spear.

Puok!

Her Spear managed to lodge into the Soft underbelly of a leaping worker, pinning it to the asphalt. She was Shaking violently, but she held her ground.

"Hurry up, Lyra," Noël Said, dodging another Swipe.

Kakakang!

His iron pipe Sparked against a monster's front leg.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Lyra yelled over the hiss of her plasma torch. "This Hegemony alloy is dense!"

Chiiiik!

The thick iron Cable began to glow white-hot.

At that moment, the makeshift flare on the other Side of the bridge flickered. The Chemical reaction between the thermal Capsule and the moss Spores was running out of fuel.

The blue light died.

The Cavern was plunged back into darkness, illuminated only by the Sparks of Lyra's torch and their blue Codex interfaces.

Thousands of red eyes turned toward them simultaneously.

"They're coming!" Elara Screamed.

The main horde rushed toward them. The Concrete shook violently. It Sounded like an avalanche of razor blades. A C-grade difficulty Trial wasn't Something a Tier 0 vagrant could Survive through direct Combat.

"Lyra!"

"Done!"

Kwang!

The massive iron Cable Snapped. The Sudden release of tension Sounded like a Cannon shot.

"Run to the platform!" Noël shouted.

They abandoned the front line and sprinted toward the Solid Concrete landing pad behind them.

Kuuong!

The overpass groaned. Without the left Support Cable, the Structural integrity failed completely. The far Side of the highway tilted downward at a Sharp Sixty-degree angle.

The swarm, running at full Speed across the tilting asphalt, lost their footing.

"Kiiiiiiiik-!"

Thousands of insectoid monsters Slid down the Collapsing bridge, pouring over the edge like a waterfall of black glass. They plummeted into the dark abyss below, their Screeches fading into the depths.

Kwaaaaang!

The entire front half of the overpass tore away from the platform and Crashed into the depths. A massive Cloud of dust and rust blew up over the edge.

Noël Stood near the edge of the Stable platform, breathing heavily. He looked down at the empty air where the bridge used to be.

[You have Survived the endless swarm.]

[Sub Trial: The Endless Swarm has been Cleared.]

[3,000 Tributes have been acquired.]

[The Gallery-being 'The Auditor of Ash' is laughing at your absolute disregard for infrastructure.]

[The Gallery-being 'Seyl the Unblinking' narrows his eyes at your precise Calculations.]

[800 Tribute has been Sponsored.]

Noël opened his Stat window.

[Current Tribute: 3,900]

His mind became Complicated. He had Secured the necessary funds for the next layer, but his Mnemonic Ledger was still throbbing.

[Current Fractures: 5]

"We… we lived," Lyra panted, dropping her plasma torch. She looked at Noël and made a slightly Complicated expression. "You are completely insane. You planned to drop the bridge from the Start."

Noël quickly opened his mouth. "I just trust your engineering Skills."

Of Course, it was a lie. If she had failed to cut the Cable, he would have used the Party Contract's administrative override to force her into the swarm's path as a distraction while he jumped to the platform alone.

Elara slumped against the wall, too exhausted to Speak.

At that moment, a low vibration echoed through the Cavern walls.

Dudududu.

A bright yellow headlight pierced the darkness of the tunnel to their right. The transit train was arriving.

It was an old, heavily armored subway car Covered in thick metal plates and burn marks. It Screeched to a halt at the edge of their platform with a deafening metallic Squeal.

Kiiiiiiiik-!

The rusted doors Slid open with a hiss of Compressed air.

"The train," Lyra Said, wiping grease from her forehead. "Finally. We can get out of this layer."

"Wait."

Noël put his arm out, Stopping her from Stepping forward.

His ghost-memories warned him. In the first place, public transit in the Underground City was never empty.

He pushed a Small amount of energy into his eyes and looked into the dimly lit Carriage.

There was a man Sitting on the metal bench in the Center of the Car. He wore a pristine white uniform that completely Contrasted with the soot and blood of the ruins. A long, Silver rapier rested across his knees.

He slowly raised his head, and his eyes met Noël's.

[A Sudden Variable has entered the Trial.]

[The God-Touched Incarnation 'Gideon Vance' has detected an anomaly.]

Noël looked at the System message and made a dark expression.

…Look at this?

He was Supposed to be away in the Capital.

The man in white Smiled and opened his mouth.