Dungeon Raider System-Chapter 581: Heard it through the grapevine Part 3

Inside the Alamo dungeon after the entity rank Bloody Mary that blocked their only path to the outside was killed, the members of the society lamented their current situation. Killing the entity rank cryptid came at a great cost and it left many people whose injuries could only be healed with serum, but it was necessary since it blocked their only path to exit the dungeon.

All the hunters that were blinded when Uriel summoned the cryptid were left helpless until they managed to buy serum, which they couldn't do because there were too many cryptids blocking their way. This forced them to send even more hunters to slay the Bloody Mary, causing more wounded and the need for even more serum.

In other words, Easton strategy to draw in as many cryptids as they could to trap the Dungeon Raiders had backfired in the most unlikely turn of events and everyone blamed for their predicament.

"Tsk! This will hinder our progress for at least a couple weeks." Mark clicked his tongue after arriving at the floating island occupied by the water elemental clan. They were usually referred to as alchemists since it was the water element clan the one that gave birth to that precise philosophical movement deemed as 'protoscience'.

Their existence had never been a secret and they were deeply ingrained in pop culture and fantasy novels.

Usually, they were depicted as pseudo scientists with maddened eyes mixing strange bubbling substances that would sometimes cause explosions. It was something that troubled most of those who belonged to the water clan, but at the same time they couldn't refute it. Among all the four elemental clans, they were the only ones capable of mixing potions and also healing.

"Just a couple weeks? Without the head of the Eurus family present, the wind users are refusing to to bring in supplies which only makes our job more difficult and don't even mention the ritual. Without Bella, it would be impossible." Neve bit the tip of her thumb in frustration as she regretted leaving her role as the head of the Cryptid hunting agency to take a seat in the witch council.

Even without a city, her role would have allowed her free passage into any city she liked in the world since she was considered a high ranking government agent. But now she stuck as the go to healer in the settlement due to her affinity with the water element without receiving any manner of compensation.

She had been lured by the promise of forming part of a millennia old legacy and leaving a mark in history, but now she wondered if her family's teachings were worth the trouble. She learned all the family secrets from a very young age which allowed her to become an outstanding hunter as soon as the arrival took place and earned her the title of head of the Cryptid hunting agency.

In fact, just a couple months ago she was known by the masses as the strongest hunter in the city, right below the Quill but his existence was kept a secret from most people.

So far, the only silver lining of joining the society had been that she somehow managed to survive the downfall of the city, though it didn't amount to much when considering the poor conditions she was forced to live in now.

"The four families should remain united no matter the circumstances, what she did is treason and we should show her that actions have consequences." Mark said, eager to punish Bella in the most humiliating way while also rewarding himself for his troubles. From the moment he was invited to the society, a new world opened in front of him.

The fire clan was adept at creating powerful weapons and were also among the strongest hunters due to the destructive nature of their trait. Mark was allowed to read the ancient fire grimoire and was promised powerful weapons and artifacts if he accepted to lead the fire clan, which was also a bonus to him.

Unfortunately for Mark, fire element hunters were also pretty scarce which explained why the society invited Mark to join them as there weren't many options to begin with.

"First, you're barely one of us. Second, even if we manage to find her, which is already a challenge on itself, she will just fly away. And third, defeating her would be impossible since she has the blessing of the wind and you wouldn't be able to even lay a finger on her.

Also, what you're thinking is disgusting." Neve said with a glare that would have froze a tidal wave on the spot leaving Mark embarrassed for being called out in front of so many people.

Luckily to him, most of them were blind and in pain so no one was really paying any attention to him which prompted Mark to heave a sigh of relief and turn his attention to the injured.

"Easton, are you there?" Mark asked.

"Over here." A hand was raised amidst the many makeshift stretchers lying on the ground.

"Is it true what they're saying?"

"I didn't know, I swear... It's not my fault." Easton said in an apologetic tone.

"I mean about the cryptid, is it true that it was summoned? Are you absolutely sure it wasn't just one of the cryptids that dwell in the dungeon?"

"Yes,I'm sure. I tried to warn everyone that Raider was acting weird, but they didn't listen. I even tried to stop them from picking up the mirror." Easton replied, unwittingly confirming Mark's wrong assumption that somehow Water warlock found its way back to Uriel.

"Hey, give him this." Mark handed Neve a vial of serum taken directly from his personal stash.

"Are you sure you want to waste it on him? He already showed his incompetence twice and there are other people more deserving that need it more than him."

"Mind your own business, woman." Mark grunted, but being the leader of the alchemists she wouldn't take that kind of attitude in her own island. A chilling aura started forming around her and tiny specks of ice floated mid air until they formed icy spikes pointed at Mark's throat.

"You dare speak like that to me in front of my people, even when I'm taking care of your wounded?" Her eyes shimmered in a cold light that brought shivers down Mark's spine.

Needless to say, she wasn't willing to harm him as that would only increase her work load and all she wanted was to draw the cryptid dwelling within Mark's body out to expose him in front of everyone, though the eclipse didn't react.

"Just do your damn job and I'll consider bring some serum back to you."

"The old man is sending you?"

"I'm going just because I want to." Mark lied gritting his teeth. The leader of the earth clan that was commonly known as Masons had already assumed his position as the head of the society which granted him authority over all of its members. This also included Mark who was only recruited due to his connection with Tina Celes, the owner of the biggest weapon manufacturer in Texas megacity.

"Thank you, Sir, thank you." Easton would have cried if not for his eye sockets being nothing but empty holes due to the Bloody Mary's uncanny ability.

Contrary to most fire element users, Easton came from a family that did preserve the fire legacy and honored its traditions, which is why he managed to count himself as one of the few hunters that survived the entity rank cryptid summoned by Uriel and also why he knew they wouldn't sentence him to death for his failure since that would also mean his knowledge would be lost, but he also didn't expect to receive the serum he needed any time soon.

"Don't thank me yet, you and I are going to what's left of the old city." Mark snorted.

"But... I'm blind. I won't be able to help in combat, inside the dungeon or in the barrenlands."

"Just don't be a nuisance and you'll be fine." Mark reassured with a confident grin. Each passing day he learned more about his trait which made him more powerful which in turn allowed him to harness the power of the eclipse inside of him.

Being made fun of for having his blood 'tainted' with a cryptid was a downside, but one he was happy to endure if it meant having that kind of power under his sleeve. After all, people loved to talk about everything and whisper behind people's backs, it was something he had utilized for his benefit on more than one occasion and now he just happened to be on the other side of things.

However, some of those who made fun of him for being possessed had died helplessly in front of him while he was able to escape unharmed thanks to the horror level cryptid that would protect his host as long as it suited him.

Now, all he needed to do to reach an even higher level was to get back to the old city and grab the prototype of the anti cryptid weapon devised by the Celes company which was now under his wife's name.