Red: Swordsman in the Apocalypse

Chapter 4: Den

Dens were considered a massive treasure trove, as well as a definite graveyard.

Elder God Dens held dangerously high concentration of "Mana" radiation, which also tend to attract the numerous presence of Elder Gods to gather, which further ,also, tend to simultaneously increase the amount of radiation of the Den to further higher density.

Elder God's were known to be "Warm-blooded" creatures. Perhaps even too hot. This was as a result of the concentration of Radiation focused in their cells and body which led to an absurd increase in body temperature. 

This 'heat', when concentrated, can also be dangerous to mundane humans, hence, only one of the need for powerful ManaTech gears when facing against an Elder God or a group of them.

The high concentration of "Mana" Radiation attracts the presence of numerous Elder God's, which further increased the density and concentration of "Mana" in the area as a result of the radiation from their body heat and temperature.

With so much "Mana" Radiation concentrated in an area, the "Mana" is bound to undergo changes and mutations which could further affect or influence the environment.

Initially "Mana" exists as a form of energy radiation, but with density reaching higher concentrated levels, there becomes a shift on the atomic level and 'mass' of the energy bringing it to newer and more desnitized forms of matter.

"Mana" becomes gaseous and fills the air. If concentrated further, "Mana" becomes liquid and form streams. And concentrated even further than this, "Mana" solidifies.

Therefore,

"Mana" Ore is created.

The known 'highest' and purified form of "Mana". And these Ores are even further divided into grades.

A Den was a literal mine or "Ores", which in a world like this one, had the most highest forms of necessary uses, either as a form of energy or even forging better gears, and many many more.

The Mana when concentrated gives form to Mana Ores, which also further radiates even more concentrated "Mana" into the environment, further increasing the concentration and density of "Mana" and giving rise to more Ores, and therefore an even more increase in concentration of radiation.

...Dens were a terrifying place.

This also meant, the Elder God's inhabiting the Dens were a lot more powerful, vicious and dangerous than average, as they were known to feed directly off "Mana" Radiation

As there were grades giving to Ores of different quality judged by purification and concentration of "Mana" contained, there were also assigned grades giving to Dens in relation to a number of circumstances and features such as: Danger Level; Level of "Mana" desnity and concentration, which directly correlates with the amount and prescence of Elder Gods and Mana ores, which, ultimately also corelates with the danger level of the whole Den.

And Lyra's team's Den was judged to be of a Danger Level of a Lower B-rank.

Just more than enough to get you killed.

Well...all ranks, anyway, were more than enough to get one killed.

The party members arrived at a ruined city, just in front of what used to be a hospital many years back, for one final equipment check. It had taken several days from Allan Fort to finally arrive at the Dens' location, more so, even without casualties.

Lyra, and many others, felt they had exhausted a lifetime worth of luck.

Two lifetimes if they manage to make it out of the Den alive...

The girl continued to pensively observe her status screen, by this point they had come across various hurdles and challenges ranging from planned ambushes by packs of Elder Gods to wandering strays. Her energy reserves had been significantly dented throughout all of it.

The readings read;

...

[ ⟨ Strength: +20 ⟩

 ⟨ Speed: +20 ⟩

 ⟨Defense: +20 ⟩

 ⟨Gear Durability: 59/100⟩

 ⟨"Mana" Capacity: 53/100⟩ 

 ⟨....⟩ ]

...

She had on, after all, only Mid-level gears and equipment of the Lower class, and a single equipment of the Lower-class of an Advanced-level gear, which was her dagger. There was only so much low level equipments and gears like her's could do.

If anything, they had already done far more than she expected. Walking into a B-rank Den, regardless if it were of a lower class, with only lower level Mid-rank equipment, was tantamount to suicide.

That was why, after this hunt, she was going to upgrade all of her gears to the Upper- Class Mid-rank.

If she survived, of course...

"Final opportunity to prepare yourselves. We'll head in in one minute." The Magic Knight, John who led the party announced to the members then turned to solemnly look at the abandoned and ruined hospital building.

It was tall and climbed high, seemingly reaching the low black clouds. The outside walls were partially crumbled and made canvas to multiple complex webs of cracks. Black scorch makes painted the surface.

Suddenly the wind picked up, carrying with it the vile scent of a desolate wasteland that only John could perceive through his nose. 

Gazing up once more at the ruin building, the blackened clouds seemed to gather and ominously twirl around above the building like a vile top, sending only cold premonitions to all those who witnessed it.

The hour of reckoning was nigh.

And soon, they began their decent into the Den.

The inside of the ruined capital was even in a far worse shape than the outside environment. The walls were crumbled with massive debris and boulders forming troublesome roadblocks among their way. The ground was dented with craters, weird and bizzare species of alien plants and vines crawled up the legs of those who let their guards down. A plethora of different abdominal plants which were forced to mutate under such conditions the earth went through.

Lana's, and the rest of her party members' visors lit up in a danger red warning screen. The meters and readers were running haywire, the low level equipments of the group were affected wholly by the insurmountable amount of "Mana" radiation that permeated the surrounding on the inside of the ruined hospital.

The reason were packed, through the rough, barely able to put to numbers the energy radiation.

Once again, they all confirmed it.

They really were in a Den.

Lyra could only squint annoyingly at the various red pop-up screens and messages that continued to arrive on her system screen.

They didn't disrupt her view, but the continuous pings and dings and screens proved an annoying disturbance and distraction to her current pensive mental state.

The Party continued down a dark hallway, crossing what used to be the reception area of the ruined establishment. 

John as one of those with uttered senses could directly feel the amount and desnity of radiation in the environment which only caused him to grimace and furrow his brows deeply. His Quasi Advancd-level Armor shown with a translucent blue glow, shedding subtle light against his path forward. Though his altered eyes, pierced sharply through the darkness, infiltrating deeply an easily ahead.

The other members of the party either relied on luminescent equipment or devices as they closely walked behind. Tight knit. Senses sharpened.

Sharpened enough to pick up a low screech.

The members jerked and stopped. Those with scanning devices quickly turned to their equipments.

"... It's not reading anything. It's not working!" One said feverishly, the screen of his device failing to light up.

"It's the level of "Mana" radiation. All equipments below an Advanced Mid-level rank will be rendered utterly useless in places like this." John inputted with a stern expression in the darkness.

'Even my Quasi Advancd-level gears are blitzing out here. The concentration of "Mana" in this area is too absurd...and we haven't even gotten to the 'Heart' of the Den yet. There's something wrong about all this.' he thought, warily and apprehensively.

The low screech resounded once more, this time from multiple directions. Whatever it was, the deep and flooding ancient darkness completely masked their presence and locations even from the rays of the party's luminescent materials.

All of a sudden, John's senses tingled furiously.

"Get down!" he cried.

The members felt thier tongues roll down their throats, and all sharply lowered their heads. Some faster than most.

Others a little too slow.

A spherical device flew from John's hands high above the group. 

A swift swish of sharply sliced air, then the unsettling sounds of liquid splatter resonated before the area burst into bright light by the sphere the very next second.

Then sphere hummed and whirled, then exploded into a flare, casting an entire lasting glow on an ultimately morbid scene.

Over twenty Elder God's of ghastly shapes and forms between Scorpions and spiders surrounded the hunting party from all possible directions, even above — the heads of two members who failed to react quickly, sliced diagonally in uneven halves, and their bodies ripped from side to side in two.

"It's an ambush!!" Johb roared urgently.

The sudden light managed to momentarily daze the creatures causing a cacaphony of screeches, but only for the first few seconds.

Then they attacked.

The party pulled out their weapons, preparing for the imminent battle at hand, as they were swallowed up by the numbers

They had arrived at the Den.