CHAPTER 60: ACE AVALANCHE ENTERS

Edward was first into the swarm of burning undead.

His Lightning Steps briefly drowned the hiss of the flames as he zigzagged past Rooks and other rankers, driving his spear through Ignis Caro heads. The blade sank deep; the skulls burst into blood and torn flesh, their shapes ruined.

He smirked. That’s how it should be. I am the fastest ranker right now. I’ll stop this threat and Rank Up.

Thunder boomed with Edward’s declaration. He flickered across the battlefield and struck from odd angles, breaking enemies down.

Each thrust shattered a part of an Ignis Caro and knocked it back. Other rankers, especially those used to his style, closed in on the staggered undead and carved them apart.

Edward glanced right and smirked. Chaewon cut with ruthless efficiency, taking heads before any damage could reach her. She skewered the heads and split them in half, making them unusable to Ignis Caro.

She was slower than Edward, but she didn’t care, focusing on the fight. Her katana’s blade exuded violet light. Ripples shimmered along the edge.

[You have met prerequisites to use Aquasteel Grimorie (I).]

[Aquasteel Grimorie (I)]

[Node — The Birth Of Aquasteel: You’re able to coat your weapon’s steel blade in Aquasteel, increasing your damage and sharpness.]

[You have obtained a new active skill from Aquasteel Grimorie—Jet Slash.]

Mana surged, flooding her katana. Chaewon snapped a quick diagonal slash, cutting from the Ignis Caro’s head down to its stomach. Six follow-up cuts rose from the gash, slicing the upper body into even pieces.

She swung again and repeated the feat on the lower half. In under five seconds, the undead lay in even slices.

Edward’s eyes went wide. What’s up with her?! She didn’t use that against me. She was... holding back?

Ignoring Edward, Chaewon pressed the advantage of her new power. Focus tightened her features; she moved like a cold killer who’d cut Ignis Caro a thousand times before.

Across the line, Hunter revved up too. His hatchet lodged deep in an Ignis Caro, then he ripped it free and carved a deep gash across its torso. He stamped the skull and popped it.

Another one lunged, throwing a punch. Hunter sneered and caught it.

"Oh, hell,," he muttered as heat spiked in his palm.

BANG!

The undead’s arm exploded. Blood, ash, and flesh spattered across his forearm. An orange aura shone over his clothes, a sign of high defenses. Even so, numbing pain still bit into him. If the monster blew up on him outright, even Drew’s buffs wouldn’t save him.

Plenty of rankers had already died this way. Not everyone was as fast as Edward, as strong as Hunter, or as efficient as Chaewon. Both sides were paying a significant price.

Ace Avalanche appeared beside Tyler.

—

"You took your time getting here. Feeling like a hero?" Tyler said, glancing at Ace.

Ace shook his head. "If I thought I was a hero, I wouldn’t be here."

This fight against the Ignis Caro was a chance for everyone to grow stronger. He didn’t want to swoop in and steal it, especially with Seraphina still absent. Watching the line, he saw Chaewon activate Aquasteel Grimorie, and he was glad he hadn’t come earlier.

He looked at Tyler. "Even the best hero can’t stop natural selection."

"Fair," the man said with a nod.

"Before you buff me, I need your knowledge." Ace drew an arrow from his quiver.

His Armament slipped from his sleeve toward the shaft, forming a black dome over the arrow.

"I want this arrowhead to spread the force through the skull and make it explode. That work?" Ace asked.

"Works," Tyler said, impressed.

"The other type is a sharp-ended arrow that pins the undead to the ground," Ace went on.

"Add four blades with slight reverse barbs. They’ll open a little on entry, which makes them harder to pull out. Works best against those burning undead. You can also add silencers to the bowstring to ease the strain. You’re planning to shoot one per head and four per body, right?"

"Yeah. You’ve got me," Ace said.

"You’re good to go, then."

Ace’s bow and arrows lit with dark orange auras. He set, drew, and loosed.

As the first arrow flew, four more followed. Five Ignis Caro heads burst.

A heartbeat later, a volley chased them, punching through the fallen bodies and pinning them to the ground.

Before the next undead could reach the corpses, Ace kept the barrage going, popping heads and locking bodies in place.

"Impressive," Tyler whispered.

In under five minutes, Ace turned the tide for the rankers and even saved a few lives. If this kept up, it would mean victory for the Heaven Village.

But the Totem hissed. Something opened inside it, and the silhouette of a woman took shape: hourglass curves, long horns, two swords. She stepped from the flames, ashen-skinned and split by burning chasms, and her presence rattled everyone.

"That doesn’t look good," Tyler whispered. "Is that an advanced undead? Looks like a demon."

Ace shook his head and glanced at the armor blacksmith. "Drew! Gimme your buffs. Only I can deal with her."

"Sure thing, Rank One!" Drew called. He swept a hand, and his skills lit Ace in a dark orange hue.

Ace fixed on the demon. Seraphina Griffin... I’ve decided to save you.

Rank One Ace Avalanche is locked in!

Ace jumped from the rooftop. His Armament wrapped around his legs, and he sprinted toward Seraphina.

He ran through the chaos while weaker rankers were too terrified to face the undead who looked like something from Hell.

Edward, Hunter, and Chaewon didn’t dare come too close. They teamed up in case the demon was too strong.

Ace ran past them. "Well done. Focus on the Ignis Caro and leave her to me."

"Okay! We’ll be waiting for you!" Chaewon replied, then turned and ran toward Alex and Mercer.

Edward scowled. "She’s so obedient to him. Like a puppy."

Hunter grinned. "Don’t sound so jealous. She trusts him, and so should we. Let’s clean up this mess!"