SSSSS-Rank: Negative Leveling

Luthra kept his grip on the dying tree's roots, watching them crumble to black ash between his fingers. The entity's voice grew weaker with each passing second.

"Please... I have lived for centuries..."

"Should've thought about that before you tried to eat us."

The last of the tree's consciousness faded. The massive trunk collapsed inward, rotting from the inside out until only a pile of black mulch remained where the ancient being had stood.

Luthra let go and stepped back. His body hurt everywhere, that deep bone ache that came from pushing too hard. The white glow faded from his eyes, returning them to their normal dark color.

Rebecca stood behind him, covered in dirt and sap, her hands still shaking from the adrenaline.

"Is it dead?"

"Yeah. It's done."

"Good. That thing was a creep."

The forest looked different now. Without the tree's illusions, they could see straight paths between the normal-sized trees. The oppressive feeling was gone. Even the air tasted cleaner.

Blue screens started appearing in Luthra's vision, one after another.

[Hidden Quest Complete: Labyrinth Navigator]

[Hidden Objective Complete: Defeat the Labyrinth Core]

[Hidden Objective Complete: Survive Hostile Entity Consumption]

[Hidden Objective Complete: Successfully Convert Opposing Energy Type]

[Hidden Objective Complete: Protect Companion from Certain Death]

[Hidden Objective complete....]

[.....]

[Calculating rewards...]

'Ohhh, about time something went right.'

The notifications kept coming.

[Total Negative Points Earned: 50,000 NP]

[Bonus Reward: Skill Evolution Token x1]

[Bonus Reward: Title - Reality Breaker]

[Current NP Balance: 50,250]

'Fifty thousand? Holy crap.'

[The system rewards based on difficulty relative to expected parameters. You were not supposed to survive any of those encounters.]

'So I get points for not dying when I should have. Great system I have got here.'

"Hey, you're making that face again. The one where you look like you arguing with a voice in your head."

"I don't have a voice in my head."

"Whatever. Can we get out of this creepy forest now? I want real food. And a bath. And to sleep somewhere that isn't covered in monster guts."

He looked around at the dead Shriekers scattered across the forest floor. They'd killed dozens over the past three days.

"We should collect the cores first. Might as well get paid for all this."

"Ugh, more corpse looting. My favorite."

They spent the next hour gathering cores from every dead Shrieker they could find. The bag got heavy fast. Forty-three D-rank cores total, each one worth decent money if they could find a buyer.

"This is gross. Why is monster blood always sticky?"

"Stop complaining and keep digging."

"I'm covered in tree sap and bird guts. I'm allowed to complain."

They made their way their way out of the forest and although Rebecca wanted to rest, there was no time for that.

"We need to go collect Silas's head right now, time is running out."

"Ugh! Can't we do that tomorrow? I am tired."

"Tomorrow? We have six days left and it will take two to reach the mines. We're burning time we don't have."

Rebecca groaned and flopped dramatically onto the ground.

"But I'm tired! And gross! And my everything hurts!"

"Your everything will hurt worse if we fail and Moria sends his people after us."

She sat up, glaring at him.

"Fine. But I'm complaining the entire way there."

"You were going to do that anyway."

They gathered what supplies they could carry. Food, water, the bag of cores. Everything else stayed with the cart and horses, hidden in a grove of trees. Walking would be harder but less conspicuous.

Rebecca struggled with her pack for about ten seconds before giving up.

"This is heavy."

"It's supplies."

"Heavy supplies."

Luthra took half her load without comment. They started walking north under the stars.

"Why are we walking again? The cart was at least comfortable."

"A cart is visible from miles away. Two people on foot can hide."

"I hate when you make sense."

They walked through the night. Rebecca complained for the first hour, went silent for the second, and by the third she was stumbling every few steps.

"Okay, we need to stop."

"We can rest at dawn."

"I will literally fall over dead before dawn."

He looked at her. She did look ready to collapse, her face pale even in the moonlight.

"Fine. One hour."

She dropped immediately, not even bothering to find a comfortable spot.

"Wake me when it's been three hours."

"I said one."

"I heard three."

She was asleep before he could argue. He sat on a rock, watching the horizon. The mines were maybe fifteen miles north. They could make it by tomorrow afternoon if they pushed hard.

'Lilith, purchase the Sigil.'

[Confirming purchase of Sigil of Binding for 30,000 NP. Current balance will be 20,250 NP after purchase. Proceed?]

'Do it.'

A small metal disk appeared in his hand. Warm, covered in symbols that hurt to look at directly. This tiny thing would either save him or be the most expensive mistake he'd ever made.

[Sigil of Binding acquired. Single use item. Will completely seal target's Path and mana abilities for ten minutes upon activation. Range: Touch.]

'Touch range. I have to get close enough to touch a B-rank hunter who kills with a look.'

[The odds are not favorable.]

'When have they ever been?'

He let Rebecca sleep two hours before waking her. She grumbled but got up, and they continued north as the sky began to lighten.

"I'm hungry."

"Eat while you walk."

"I'm thirsty."

"Drink while you walk."

"I'm tired."

"Join the club."

"You're never tired. You're some kind of machine."

By noon they could see the mines clearly. A massive compound carved into the side of a mountain, smoke rising from multiple furnaces. Guard towers dotted the perimeter. Even from here, they could hear the faint sound of hammers on stone.

"That's bigger than I expected."

"Three hundred guards, minimum. Plus however many overseers inside."

"And we're going to fight all of them?"

"No. Just Silas."

"How?"

"I'll figure it out when we get there."

"That's not a plan!"

"It's the only one I've got."

They found a hiding spot in the rocks overlooking the compound. From here they could see the main courtyard, a flat area in front of the mine entrance. Perfect for a duel. Also perfect for an ambush.

"Look at all those guards."

"Yeah."

"We're going to die."

"Probably."

"You're supposed to say something encouraging here."

"We're probably going to die heroically?"

"That's worse."