1.24: Planning and Plots

Chapter 24

“A plan to assassinate various officials and higher ranking Rift Hunters? So he’s going scorched earth?”

Richard, under my guidance, had accepted Gerard’s offer to join his guild and went through a Tutorial dungeon. The white rifts, Tutorial Rifts, were considered public under the new international laws. While many wanted to have a vetting process, ensuring bad actors didn’t get access to magical powers, it became very apparent rather quickly that letting the government of various countries decide on who could, and who could not, enter Tutorials would just ensure the bad actors the government wanted entering the rifts and no one else.

The Rift Hunter Public Resource Provision, although flawed in its own right, made sure anyone who wanted to become a Rift Hunter, had a chance. Even if one in three people who attempted it, died.

That number would go down in due time, as information and preparation schools were formed, but it was still risky no matter what.

Richard had me teaching him, giving him the proper mindset and a game plan. Which is how he managed to enter the rift with the other Inevitability Guild hopefuls and walked out with an Epic Class. One of the very classes I was offered, Shade Knight.

With such a high tier class, Richard became a priority asset for Gerard, even more so than he already was, as I assume, being a friend of mine. I wasn’t stupid enough to think Richard was picked out of the blue. Gerard was certainly trying to collect people with connections to other Hunters, myself included.

“Not scorched earth, he is targeting very specific people. Politicians that, let’s be real, we all know are corrupt as fuck but keep getting away with it. But also, mob bosses, gang leaders all across the country. A few powerful Hunters as well. Barry was on that list, he needs to—”

“The attempt on Barry’s life has already happened,” I cut in.

“I’m sorry,” Richard said somberly.

I chuckled, causing Richard to look at me in confusion. “Barry is still alive. I was there when the attempt occurred. The would-be assassin is dead, though.”

“Oh…”

“For now, keep working with Gerard, earn his trust the best you can. Keep training with your new class,” I went into my inventory as we talked and began removing some items. A sword, some armor, things I had scavenged from the Common Dungeon from the orcs. It was shoddy, but would be useful for him to become used to fighting with. “Learn what you can, and quickly. Even with an Epic class, you aren’t strong enough to make a difference, yet. Speaking of, give me a breakdown of your class skills and ability.”

“Well, my class ability is called Living Shade…”

***

“Do you think we are ready for something like this?” Norton asked from over my shoulder.

The large man was wearing his robes, staff in hand, his face drawn tight into a line. Worry etched plainly on his features. He said the words aloud, but he was mostly only talking to Barry, who stood directly to my left.

“Absolutely, we’ve been training for almost a week now while the negotiations were going on. And we have the teams pretty well ironed out. We will be more than fine as long as we are careful.” Barry gave his patented dazzling smile.

I nodded next to him, giving my support.

Behind us, the world’s first appearance of a Light Blue dungeon rift buzzed ominously. The rift had shown up five days prior, and initial investigation showed the wider world that it was classified by the System as an Uncommon Dungeon.

It would be months later that other tiers of Dungeons were discovered, each with their own color. Green was Rare, Yellow was Epic, Orange for Mythic, and Purple for Legendary. Then there was the Red Rift over the Atlantic, but I’m getting far ahead of myself.

Barry looked out over the collected group of Hunters that were arranged in rows in front of us. Almost all of them wore small hexagon shaped pins on their collars. Only four wore Golden pins, each standing at the front of their respective lines. Behind those with golden pins stood one person with a silver pin.

Paragon Guild had taken to a rather simple internal structure. Squads, with basic members, copper Hunters, Lieutenants with silver, and squad Captains with gold pins. The reason for this was twofold, it made a chain of command easy to understand, for one. And, Natalya’s class ability, while immensely useful, wasn’t cut and dry when it came to absolute power, or leadership skills for that matter.

A squad system was just the best idea for the Guild overall.

Norton, Huwett, Vasquez, and Francis stood with Barry and me. Each of their pins were a shiny platinum, marking them as members of Paragon Squad. Barry’s pin was a shiny gemstone, diamond, marking him as the Guild Head. While mine was a border of diamond with platinum in the center, making me Deputy-head. All plain and simple as a Bob Ross painting, really.

“This won’t be easy, and it won’t be bloodless,” Barry said out over the arranged guild members. “Make sure you follow orders, remember your training, and do your best to fight for the Hunters standing beside you.”

Or kill them and steal all their skills, stats and items. I thought silently, a smile on my face.

“Alright then, let’s go!”

We all turned, stepping towards the portal at our backs. As before, as soon as my foot touched the obsidian platform beneath the flickering rift, my vision went black.

[Dungeon Pre-Entry Room Loading… Stand By]

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

The familiar gray stone room appeared around me instantly. It was all exactly the same, large pillars, tall walls, and the steps leading the platform with the Dungeon Shop interface. Something I had been looking forward to immensely.

I strode forward after looking around and finding myself alone.

Would have been nice to have my Sponsor here, lots of questions to ask, but fuck me I guess.

It took only a tap of my fingers to activate the shop and have a wave of screens assault my mind. I frantically started closing tabs and categories, trying to wrangle in the interface. It took a moment or two, but I eventually got the hang of it.

Equipment will still probably be my best choice, I need some upgrades. Skills might be tempting, but I have to work with my limited slots, even with my Class Ability cheat, and those prices…

[Dungeon Shop:

Skill Card (Common) – 25 Silver Credits

Skill Card (Uncommon) – 25 Gold Credits

Skill Card (Rare) – 25 Platinum Credits

…]

And that’s for the random skill cards, let alone picking a skill outright. I swiped over to the long list of available skills for purchase, the titles plain to see, sans description because of course the System was an asshole. Even the common grade skills were 10 gold, and the prices just went up from there.

I closed the skills tab entirely and refocused on equipment and items, but more specifically, on an option that I hadn’t had before which now caught my eye.

[Dungeon Shop: Sell

Shoddy Orkish Broad Sword – 14 Copper Credits

Shoddy Orkish Leather Armor – 58 Copper Credits