Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 88 The Monsters 200 Miles From the Safe Zone

[I heard from the driver that you hired a Lowborn!?]

"Y…N…Yes?"

[Why would you do that!?]

"I don't know! We needed 8 people!"

200 miles from the nearest Safe Zone, the manager of the bus owned by James Fullman, Inc. was currently being drilled by James Fullman himself. How Rhys knows this, well, everyone on the bus could hear the voice coming from the manager's phone — and it wasn't a happy voice at all.

The manager was not happy too, as while their boss was scolding him, he was glaring at the bus driver for snitching on him; not knowing what to do as he walked back and forth on the aisle. Of course, he could not really get mad at anyone, as he himself did not realize that Rhys was a Lowborn until it was too late.

He just hugged the leg, literally, of the first person who approached him and did not even bother to look at his face — if he did, then Rhys's messy black hair would have stuck out to him like a lollipop.

And when he realized what he had done, it was already too late as Rhys already boarded the bus, and he already ordered the driver to leave the city. There was no escape for him and the Lowborn.

"The only thing I know is that if I didn't hire them there and then, we would still be waiting in the station!" The manager reasoned as he took several glances at Rhys, "And I am telling you, this guy is jacked. If anything he can be used to carry out things even though he is missing an arm—"

[He's missing an a—]

"I…think…reception," and before James Fullman could finish his words, Rhys and everyone else on the bus watched as the bus manager started screeching and whispering with his mouth, pretending that he was losing cell signal, "...Zone… far."

[What are you even doing!? I can clearly hear you pretending to—]

"We will produce results, bye." And with that, the bus manager quickly hung up the phone and threw it at his seat. He quickly took in a very long and even deeper breath as he tried to calm himself down, but this did not last long as he glared at Rhys and started approaching him,

"You! How could you con me like this!? You don't have any business being here!"

Rhys did not really say anything and just stared at the bus manager as he stomped his way toward him, "We might just be heading to a Level 1 Hole, but this exploration is strictly for professionals and vets. I've seen your license, it hasn't even been 2 weeks since you got it! How many Explorations have you even been through!?"

"1, Sir," Rhys answered dutifully.

"O…ho…one!?" The bus manager almost completely bent his spine backward as he heard Rhys's words, "You really don't belong here! Everyone on this bus is at least a veteran and could manage their own—"

"Kh! My… my inhaler."

The bus manager could not even finish his words before one of the other Explorers he hired let out a loud and screeching gasp.

"..." The bus manager then turned to look at the other Explorers who boarded their bus, only to see someone who looked like he would die with just a simple blast of wind, there was also another who was filled with bandages; with one still clearly bleeding. In short…

…Rhys looked like he was the most fit among all the Explorers he had. But of course, physical looks were useless as he was a Lowborn, and the only thing he had really ever hired a Lowborn for was to clean his lawn.

"Look, just…" The bus manager pointed at Rhys, "...Once we get to the Hole, you stay on this Bus. Okay? Don't even think of Diving, I don't want you dying during this Exploration. The last thing I need right now is someone dying on my team. There—!!!"

And before the bus manager could finish his words, he felt his vision shift as the bus suddenly stopped; screeching loudly as the wheels locked. Unluckily for the bus manager, he was standing up and took most of the force; practically yeeting him away. Luckily for him, he did not really hit anything…

…as Rhys caught him by the neck.

"That…" The bus manager did not really know what to say, and he didn't. As he just rushed toward the bus driver as soon as Rhys let go of him, "What are you doing suddenly braking like th—"

The bus manager did not need to ask any questions, however, as he saw something large blocking their path.

"That's…"

It was hard to see since there was smoke everywhere from their bus braking, but the silhouette of the thing blocking their path was large, and rectangular in shape… much like their own. No—not like their own, the same as their own.

It wasn't a monster at all, but a bus.

"S…raiders!" The bus manager raised his voice as soon as he saw people wearing masks coming out of the bus; all of them holding rifles that were bigger and thicker than their arms. And without even any warning or hesitation, one of the so-called bandits with the smallest gun started shooting at their bus, "Everyone, keep your heads down!"

The sound of the bullets hitting the glass was violent. But it wasn't as loud as one would think, as most of the bullets just bounced off of the windows and they barely even scratched the surface.

"It's fine, everyone. We will be fine! Just—"

[Everyone on that bus! We have explosives and we will detonate them beneath your vehicle! Open the door and give us all your things, and we will just let you go peacefully.]

The bus manager quickly crawled near the driver, grabbing what seemed to be a microphone from the dashboard while keeping his head low.

"This is the bus manager! My bus is filled with high-level Explorers! I am warning you now—"

[Nope, no. We know you barely have any people there…

…because we already have someone from the inside.]

"What do you—Is it the Lowborn!? You—"

And before the bus manager could finish his words, he felt the microphone being snatched from him. He quickly looked up, only to be punched by the man covered in bandages.

"No one has to get hurt."

"You just punched me in the face!" The bus manager could really only hold his cheek and back away as the man covered in bandages glared at him, "W… what do you even want!? You think we have any treasures here!? You should have robbed us after we got back from the Hole!"

"...You really think these people can survive in the Underworld?" The man covered in bandages almost chuckled as he pointed at the people on the bus, "And you do have a treasure…

…this bus."

"Fuck…" The bus manager could really only tremble as he cursed, "...I told them not to buy such an expensive vehicle."

"Now, everyone…" The man covered in bandages faced Rhys and the other Explorers, "I want all of you to calmly and carefully step out of the bus…

…you have a very long walk home."

And while all of this was happening, Rhys just found himself blinking and staring out into the wasteland. Lamenting his fate.

…All he wanted was to complete his first Exploration.