Chapter 554: Something Different [Part 1]
Northern stared at the Lieutenant suspiciously. After a few minutes of silence, he responded. "You would be a big boon to the team. I'm honored to participate in this raid with you."
His tone was empty, but his carefully chosen words took Lieutenant Dante by surprise. "Judging by how you pushed me, I assumed you were a thoughtless and arrogant kid. Then, for a minute, you managed to convince me you're not just arrogant, and now you're convincing me you might not be thoughtless after all."
Northern bowed his head slightly.
"I'm sorry I pushed you. You touched my face. Nobody touches my face."
The Lieutenant raised a brow, carefully observing Northern and his drastically changed attitude. To be honest, it bothered him a bit.
He felt like he would have preferred Northern to remain arrogant, acting like the kid he was.
But now, this swift change... it almost felt like he was talking to someone of his own mental age.
That was extremely unsettling.
Dante swallowed and let out a small smile.
"All right then." He looked around, sizing up his colleagues, then called, "Hansel."
"Yes, sir!" A tall, robust man with a low cut, almost resembling a macho robot, answered swiftly.
"Shane."
"Here, sir!"
The red-haired lady who had embarrassed herself earlier swiftly stood up and bent at the waist, bowing respectfully as she answered the Lieutenant.
The Lieutenant took a moment as he decided on the last person to call, his eyes carefully scanning the rest of his seven immediate subordinates who had managed to come with him. "Rafel."
"Yes, sir."
An introverted-looking young man with dark-blue hair covering part of his face answered, standing attentively.
The Lieutenant then faced the rest with a solid, authoritative look.
"The rest of you protect that damn shaman."
"Yes, sir," they all chorused and dispersed, flashing away in different directions.
Dante then looked at Northern with a small smile on his lips.
"Is this team okay?"
Northern shrugged.
"I don't see any problem."
He turned around and walked toward the gate. Ryan moved to his side, while Alystren wore a look of indecision.
But given the tight situation he found himself in, he didn't think there was room to opt out.
If he didn't want unnecessary attention from the Lieutenant, it was better to just enter and somehow survive.
Even now, he was still hesitant, his legs unsure of where to move.
Northern and Ryan were the first to enter the rift. The swirling portal rippled as their frames sank into it.
Alystren glanced at Dante, who seemed to be gazing deep into the rift with an intrigued look plastered on his face, a hand caressing his chin.
Ignoring all thoughts and focusing solely on survival, Alystren also entered the rift. Then Dante and his three subordinates headed toward the rift as well.
As Northern entered the rift, the first thing he saw was an endless expanse of a blood-red sky.
Then his head lowered, his eyes falling on the murky and slimy crimson ground. It reminded him of the first rift he had been in.
But this one was nothing like that rift. The ground of this one seemed like murky, slimy water that perfectly reflected the blood-soaked blanket above it.
Northern and Ryan looked at each other for a second, both awkwardly silent.
'That's right. We've never really been together alone... separately.'
Northern didn't think he had ever spoken to Ryan while they were in the dark continent.
"You know..." Ryan's voice suddenly cut through the silence with cold intensity. "I don't really like you."
"Oh? That's quite the news," Northern replied with a small chuckle.
His face quickly contorted back to seriousness as he started surveying the way forward.
Ryan frowned slightly, walked to catch up with him, and inquired, "You're not going to ask
why?"
"Why should I ask why? I don't really care."
"You were very close to Lady Raven."
Northern suddenly paused, a corner of his lips curving slightly in displeasure.
'Damn Raven. Do you have plans to ever let me be?'
Northern finally forced out a full smile, which even reached his eyes.
"I see, you're part of the Raven fan club."
"I am never going to forgive you for being so close to her..." Ryan's voice sounded like it was grinding against something hard as he added, "...and for abandoning her."
Northern nodded, his smile sweet and satisfied.
"That, I can trust. I've decided to start trusting people who hold a grudge against me more
than those who don't. Your dear Lady Raven taught me that."
Northern paused briefly, but continued as Ryan was about to speak.
"Look, you can save me all that nonsense. I really don't give a damn. If you're that mad about
it, we can settle the score right now, fight to the death."
Northern's look was resolute, his words carrying undeniable weight.
Ryan frowned for a moment, then sighed, releasing the tension from his brow and slowly
returning to his usual blank expression.
Then he responded, "I just wanted to let you know, so it won't come as a surprise when I stab
you in the back."
Northern nodded. "Thank you for the heads-up. I appreciate it."
Then a slight furrow appeared between his white brows, and he raised one.
"Shouldn't that annoying man and his soldiers be here by now? And Alystren?"
Ryan looked back at where they had first appeared. There was no portal anymore.
"You're right."
"That would mean this rift transported us to a different location." Northern narrowed his
eyes.
It wasn't an unusual situation-rifts had several characteristics, many of which even he didn't
know.
The rift could have hidden its entrance or possibly locked it permanently, meaning they'd
have to defeat the rift core to escape.
Which was the original reason they had entered the rift.
So, theoretically and logically, Northern felt like everything was right.
However, something kept tugging at the back of his mind. Something was definitely wrong.
Northern glanced around the rift, carefully examining it.
His eyes alone were enough for the inspection. He didn't want to use Chaos Eyes just yet, not when he was faced with ranks of monsters he had never encountered before.
It was better to be cautious.
Then, suddenly, his eyes flinched.
He extended his hand, and sparks began to manifest, forming a long staff with curved blades
at both ends.
Beyond the horizon, where the ground merged seamlessly with the crimson sky, a mass of four-legged creatures with rotting, red skin and hollow, empty eyes ran, making the entire ground tremble at their insane march for gore.