Starting With SSS-rank: I Get A New Skill Every Livestream-Chapter 92: Killed Ethan?

"What makes a ghoul more dangerous than other monsters isn’t just their magical abilities, but their authority to make those mindless creatures you consider fodder act in an orderly fashion. And you know what happens when even a bunch of rats start to coordinate and target a single prey."

Those were words she had heard from many people, including the Commander, and right now, Layena was experiencing their meaning firsthand.

Ghouls had appeared. Two of them.

And now, the same beings that had been throwing themselves at her earlier and getting slaughtered were planning, pausing, and striking when she least expected it.

"Guh!" she grunted as she yanked out the tooth of the bat that had just bitten into her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she channeled thunder and slipped away from the incoming mace aimed at her torso.

The minotaur didn’t pause in confusion. It turned swiftly on its massive feet.

Layena clicked her tongue, stopping herself from charging in from behind as another majin jumped in at just the right moment, ready to intercept her.

She dropped low, her fingers brushing the ground.

CRACKLE

Lightning surged, enveloping the two creatures fighting back to back. But she failed to fry them as a sharp screech cut through the air, something diving at her from above.

"Tch." She leapt aside, the raven’s claws grazing her already wounded shoulder.

She began forming a spear of condensed thunder to strike it down, only to feel her feet sinking into the soil. Looking down, she saw several earth moles burrowing rapidly, dragging her deeper.

Layena tried to jump, but—

"AHH!"

A bull slammed into her, hurling her away at terrifying speed.

If not for her quick reaction, her feet would have remained trapped beneath the ground, and the impact would have twisted her body into something grotesque.

"It hurts..." she muttered, clutching her stomach.

She could feel a few ribs out of place, and her mouth tasted more of blood than saliva. The old injury she received back when she was fighting the ghoul had reopened and was bleeding actively.

She looked up.

More than two hundred majins stood before her, but not all of them attacked. Only the stronger ones stepped forward, striking in turns to wear her down.

Especially now that she was alone.

She took a deep breath. She had to do this. This was about the lives of those who had no idea what was happening out here. She had been given the role of a savior, the title of a Nightwalker, because she was trusted with this responsibility. Her Commander trusted her skills, and she would rather die than let that trust falter.

CRACKLE

"Enough of these small exchanges. It’s do or die now."

Her entire presence seemed charged. Her eyes turned a faint blue, her body surrounded by a soft glow, and Genesis operated at peak efficiency.

The ghouls in the distance glowered and sent four monsters her way.

The two wolves lunged first, their intent clear, to kill.

Layena didn’t wait. She sprinted forward, her movement leaving a faint afterimage, and slashed both her hands. Two massive thunder blades tore through the wolves, splitting them in half.

Blood burst from the fallen majins, but hesitation was never part of their nature. More of the creatures followed.

The bull charged straight at her while the raven circled above, waiting to strike the moment she tried to leap into the air.

However, Layena wasn’t relying on tricks to deal with the danger.

She charged her fist with thunder, Genesis wrapping around it like a contained storm. Even the ghouls in the distance and the caged, mustached man could feel the presence she was building.

’She is indeed the biggest threat we should be wary of...’ the man inside the barrier thought.

The bull continued its charge.

STOMP STOMP

As it neared Layena, it roared and lowered its head, aiming to slam its bony skull into her. However, it didn’t meet her torso, but something much smaller, and far more devastating.

DOOOOM

Her fist struck the bull, her arm fully extended, all her strength and thunder erupting the instant they collided.

The bull’s neck snapped inward before its massive body collapsed and slid toward her.

Layena jumped up to avoid being swept away, only to feel the giant bird unfurl its wings and dive straight at her.

"Not the second time," she muttered, extending a rope of thunder from her hand.

KHHIEEEEK

The creature screeched in fury, its claws descending to grab her head. But a sharp crack of lightning followed, and the raven was split clean in half. With its claws extended, its body had been left wide open for Layena to strike.

THUD

Another majin fell, overwhelmed by Layena’s sheer power.

She stood there, breathing heavily. That punch took a lot more than she thought. However, the majins she was fighting were stronger than the usual ones.

Under normal circumstances, she would have taken a few moments to collect her breathing.

But the battle was far from over.

"Huh?!" she gasped as the ground beneath her suddenly fractured, pulling her waist-deep into the earth. Worse, the soil around her began to harden like cement, locking her in place.

"RHAAA!"

"GHRUUU!"

"GHUGHUGHU!"

She froze as a wave of roars and cries rose from the beasts charging toward her.

Looking up, her eyes widened in shock. All the monsters that had been waiting silently until now were rushing at her at once, moving under a single command.

The Ghouls has determined that this was the best time to get rid of her. Wounded, trapped and running low on energy.

Layena’s face turned pale... how could she survive this?

....

"Ethan?!" On the other side, Clara had arrived at the location from where she heard the cry earlier.

She has abandoned her work, and rushed here straight. For her, there was nothing more important than Ethan. Her role, her job, her responsibility...it would mean nothing if she fails to protect the man she even joined the org for.

She glanced around. She could see the explosion, the charred ground but there was no one in the sight. No absence nor Ethan.

"Ethan!" She cried, her eyes wandering, "Where are you?!"

The night was dark and as Amanda me tioner she could barely see anything around her.

The dog was dense and even the subtle movement of a bug resounded heavily in her ears.

"H-Help..." Suddenly, a voice responded to her.

She instantly twirled on her feet and saw it....Ethan supported his weight against a tree, his shirt soaked in blood and face pale.

"E-Ethan?" Her voice trembled as she hurriedly advanced towards him.

However, before she could have supported him,

*SHLINK*

Something shot through the air and lodged into Ethan’s chest.

"Ethan, no!" Clara cried but it was too late.

**BOOOOOM**

The arrow exploded and hurled Ethan back.

Clara instantly turned on her feet and looked at the attacker

"Huh?" Her eyes widened when she saw it...those golden eyes, that face mask, that hood...there was no doubt it.

It was the Rogue One.

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, please leave a review.