Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 108 The Negative Light

"Oh god, it's so hard to breathe."

The Underworld was split into several regions — regions that did not follow logic at all. There could be a frost region, and then just a few meters away, there will be an infernal region. Of course, the scientists have also hypothesized a reason for that, but the people just chucked it up to magic.

A Desert region, a Frost region, an Infernal region, a Swamp region, a Forest region, a Meadow region, and a Rocky region. These were the main regions of the Underworld, and one might look calmer than the rest, but all were actually equally dangerous. And sometimes, these regions meld together, creating a chaotic ecosystem that results in an even harsher environment.

And the region where the Laughing Bronze's Hole was situated was a Melded region — a mix of a Swamp and Desert regions. One might be confused about how that worked, but put the worst things about the two regions together, and that is what Rhys was currently stepping on. A soft, mushy ground that hindered each of his steps.

He was in a wet desert filled with moss, where each step might lead him to a quicksand. There were trees, but they were far and few in between. The quicksands were not even the worst part of all of this, it was the air.

Extremely heavy and humid to the point that it felt like they were actually breathing in water filled with sand. Fortunately for Rhys and the other explorers he was with, all of them were wearing hydrophobic clothing and armor — with Rhys really only wearing a more casual and non-camouflage version of his Underworld Corps uniform.

"Kya, I think I stepped on something!"

"..." Rhys could really only catch Audrey as she suddenly leaped toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck; her face, so awfully close to his that Rhys could already feel her breathing down his cheek.

"T… thank you, Rhys…" Audrey whispered into his ear, "...I really thought something was grabbing my foot."

"Hm," Rhys only nodded in response as he quickly but still very gently let go of Audrey, "Please be careful next time, Ma'am. We don't know how deep or soft the ground is."

"Oh… so dependable," Audrey patted Riley's chest one final time before Rhys continued to walk.

"Instead of trying to flirt with the Low—with the newbie, why don't you scout ahead?" Rowan, who was still walking beside Ben and Hans, could not help but scoff as he saw Audrey's blatant flirting, "If you have time to be a hoe, then scout ahead. That's literally one of your abilities."

"...Excuse me?" Audrey quickly turned around, making sure the camera on her shoulder was pointing at Rowan, "Did you just call me a hoe? What's your problem?"

"You! It's literally your job to find us something, anything!" Rowan raised his voice, "We have been walking for an entire hour. At this point, we're going to pass our jurisdiction!"

"..." Although Rowan was clearly frustrated, Rhys actually thought he had a point. Holes that are bought from the government do not really have a jurisdiction —- after all, Holes are just entrances, people are buying an entrance to the Underworld. There is, however, a phantom jurisdiction.

It was practically just a reminder that one should not pass carelessly across the jurisdiction as whatever was beyond was already uncharted territory.

Of course, the whole point of an Exploration was to explore the Underworld, but out of the six of them, Rhys was probably the only one equipped for that as he had everything he needed inside his trusty utility belt.

"What makes you think I'm not doing my job? Because I'm a woman?" Audrey raised an eyebrow.

"What does you being a woman have to do with anything!?"

"FYI, I am already scouting," Audrey rolled her eyes, "I will tell you if I am detecting any monsters. But so far, there is nothing interesting within 50 meters from us."

"Then why are you jumping onto his arms when you know nothing is actually there!?" Rowan pointed at Rhys.

"Oh, so that is what this is all about," Audrey then turned to look up at the drone that was following them, "Everyone, Rowan's jealous."

"That's not—" Rowan was about to say something, but Ben and Hans stopped him.

"What are you doing, man?" Hans whispered, "Don't attract too much attention yet or all the viewers' eyes will be on us and we won't be able to do anything to the Lowborn."

"..." Rowan looked at both his friends, before just sighing and nodding his head.

And once again, of course, their malicious gazes and breaths did not escape Rhys's eyes. They might as well be telling Rhys what they were planning to do with the way they were looking at him. But even after another hour, the three have not done anything, because there truly was no chance to do so.

"This is a bust," Audrey let out a loud sigh as she stopped walking, "I think the last group might have overcleared the monsters to the point they left the area. I still haven't detected any signs of life besides us, not even insects."

"...Not even insects?" Eimi, who had been keeping quiet the entire time and just quietly observing Rhys, broke her silence as she looked Audrey in the eyes, "That's… not right. This particular area should be filled with all sorts of insects and small creatures."

"Well, shit. They might have died or something," Audrey shrugged, "How about we just play a game? You tell me something about yourself, and I will tell you something about myself?"

"Hm?" Rhys slightly backed away as Audrey once again approached him.

"I am sure the viewers are bored out of their minds right now and we need to give them something, so… tell us something about yourself," Audrey gave a flirting smile at Rhys, "I'll go first… I just shaved down there."

"That…" Rhys once again blinked a couple of times as he subtly turned to look at all the cameras around them. Was… she that kind of streamer?

"Ah!"

Fortunately for Rhys, before he could be forced to join the game, Eimi once again raised her voice while she was scanning her phone.

"I think we're actually about to have fun in this Exploration — it says here that when there are no signs of life in this specific region, it means the Alpha is currently feeding," Eimi showed her phone to the others, specifically Rhys.

"An Alpha…" Rhys squinted his eyes. He had really only encountered a single Alpha during his stay in the Underworld Corps, and they all had to retreat since that was before he received a portion of Ayesha's abilities. Alpha, as their name already suggests, is the one standing on top of the food chain of a specific region; feeding on everything,

"...Should we retreat?" Rhys suggested.

"Ha!" And as soon as he did so, the three men finally saw their chance and they immediately approached Rhys and pointed at him.

"Retreat? What for?" Rowan was once again the first to instigate, "This is a Level 3 Hole, we are all registered as Level 3 and there are 6 of us. Don't tell us you're actually scared?"

"Are you fucking stupid, Rowan?" Audrey rolled her eyes, "Didn't you see the video of him literally punching a black rhornus head-on?"

"Could be fake," Rowan shrugged and smirked, "If it wasn't, why would a guy capable of doing that suggest we retreat?"

"Maybe because he thinks you're weak?" Eimi joined in on the conversation as she looked disappointingly at Rowan, "Rhys is a sergeant of the Underworld Corps, he has probably already assessed you to be incapable."

"He's only a sergeant because he has an illicit relationship with his Commander," Ben scoffed as he took to Rowan's defense, "Come on, you guys can't actually believe he's capable of doing all of that, right?"

"You…"

And soon, the Exploration turned into a whole debate regarding Rhys. As for the main topic of the debate, Rhys could really only sigh as he was hearing all sorts of things about him.

He had already shown what he was capable of numerous times in front of a camera, and even to other people. And yet it would seem the stigma about Lowborns was even stronger than he thought. Of course, it wasn't anyone's fault.

Lowborns truly are the weakest, Rhys admits that — he was just a special case, and probably will be the only one.

But what exactly can he do to fully erase everyone's doubts? He can't ask for a bigger audience, because there is none; this was it. According to Lina, he was currently the most talked about individual in the world. But that wasn't enough…

…He needed them to believe. And he will take all the chances he could get to reach that point. But how?

"Just say you're jealous and—Ssh! I sense something."

"Wh—"

"There."

All the debates and arguments instantly stopped as everyone turned to look in the direction Audrey was pointing to. And with that, one of the chances that Rhys was waiting for has finally come… in the form of a fish.

A fish with legs.

"Incoming!"

Everyone quickly separated into different directions as a fish the size of a car with grasshopper legs flew toward their direction, everyone except Rhys — who had finally thought of something.

All the news about him had been in a positive light, and perhaps that was the reason why people had a hard time believing it. After all, more so than thinking that all Lowborns are weak, everyone thinks that Lowborns are bad and incapable of doing anything good.

That they are the worst of the worst, and perhaps…

…it was time for Rhys to fuck things up a little.