There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Chapter 3. The Red of Raging Soul

Sierra Aldus had never experienced a dungeon break before during her two years of being active as an esper. And it took a toll on her.

Panting hard, she stepped back as her fingers started to tremble and her knees buckled, prompting her to slump to the ground. She could feel it, the miasma accumulating inside her system, burdening her body, and preventing her to gather her magic. But even if she could, and successfully formed an arcane bullet, her hand was trembling so much she didn't think she could shoot straight. Worst case scenario, she would end up shooting her ally instead.

Sierra cursed her bravado earlier. She should've heeded the advice to go to the base and receive guiding fifteen minutes ago. Maybe then she wouldn't be this worn out. Now, he couldn't even muster enough energy to run.

With progressively blurry sight, she watched the Steel Blood fending off the beast in front of her. 'The dungeon must be an upper medium-class at least...' she thought while observing the beast that seemed like the boss.

It was huge, not very fast but sturdy. Shaped like a beetle, but riddled with dozens of eyes. Sierra had managed to shoot around half of them before losing energy. But there were still a lot of that eyes, and she could tell the Steel Blood was having a hard time.

Sierra looked at the sky desperately. She had sent out an emergency signal earlier, but she also knew the espers were spread thin around the contaminated red-zone. Hoping for help was honestly...

*shudder*

Sierra flinched as a hand grasp her neck from behind, without any warning. She snapped her head in haste and was met with a mesmerizing view of bright blue eyes, glowing with an iridescent hue like a pair of aquamarine. The eyes, that came to her level as the owner crouched down, were so striking since it was the only thing she could see from the person, aside from the ivory skin of the hand grabbing her.

Right, she was just being grasped by the neck. It wasn't the time to get mesmerized!

"Excuse me,"

Before Sierra could open her mouth, she was being plunged into a cool pond as the low voice muttered from behind a black mask. Immediately, she felt like her heart was being cocooned by a refreshing torrent of water, and being cradled inside a bubble. It was like a hose being opened inside her vein and water gushing out to flush any impurities.

It felt so nice that she shuddered—both in pleasure and surprise.

She was still in panic and frenzy a moment ago, and was still in the middle of the battlefield even now, but her mind felt strangely calm.

'Is this...guiding?' Sierra could only stay still with parted lips.

Sierra could be said to be quite talented and hardworking. But she was still a rookie, hadn't even tried to climb any tower, and only had an average capacity of magic power, so she had only ever enjoyed basic guiding provided by a Guide Center. In the first place, a high-level Guide was reserved for high-star Esper.

But this...she wondered if this was what a high-quality guiding was.

By theory, guiding was a simple absorption process. But in practice, that absorption process was quite tricky. Based on the guide's proficiency, it could feel uncomfortable if done sloppily, or even nauseating. Just like the difference between sloppy residents to expert doctors while drawing blood.

And Sierra had never experienced such comfortable and calming guiding before. Even now, between the suffocating murky air of the red-zone, between the scent of blood and smoke, she could smell something nice and refreshing, like petrichor.

She knew that some guides had unique traits. She had heard about the A-class guide from Celestia guild that exuded a sweet scent during guiding, or the rumor of a Saintess that could make the guiding extremely pleasurable.

But to think she could experience that kind of guiding in the middle of a chaotic red-zone...

"Are you alright now?" the low voice sounded again, and Sierra snapped from her daze.

"Y-yes, thank you!" she scrambled to her feet as the guide stepped back, and immediately informed the Steel Blood as her magic loaded up into the barrel of her gun. "Sir Bellum, I'm going to shoot the rest of the eyes!"

At that, the Steel Blood Askan Bellum, who had been battling the beast's boss monster, jumped back and turned at Sierra. "Are you okay? What about your corrosion level?"

"I'm alright, this person is a guide!" She answered while aiming his gun at the giant beetle.

"What—" Askan suddenly caught sight of the guide, and widened his eyes. "You...you're the one from the barricade—what are you doing here?"

But there was no time for inquiry, as the beast screeched and swung its antenna like a whip, and Askan had to dodge. "Alright, I'll restraint it!" he swung his hand and the swords he used was scattering into red particles, before surging into the beast and turning into stakes midair. Immediately, the stakes plunged and pierced the beast's limbs, stopping its movement.

Behind them, Zen watched Sierra shooting her arcane bullets into the remaining eyes of the beast. Once the beast was completely blind, it trashed around while letting out high-pitch screeching sounds. The stakes were scattering once again, and gathering on top of the beast's torso. Askan jumped at the same time the particle formed a metallic red spear, grabbed it, and drove it straight between the beast's carapace.

The beast didn't die from that, but with its sight gone, the two espers had an easier time sneaking attack towards the softer flesh between the hard and sturdy skin. Not long after, another screeching sound with a harsh wisp of miasma blasted out to announce the beast's end.

Zen stepped backward, covering his face from the whipping wind carrying the toxic miasma. He held his breath even though he already wore a mask, planting his foot firmly so he wouldn't stumble.

When he lowered his arm from his face, Askan Bellum was already in front of him, looming with a furrowed brow. Zen knew what the man might think—an outbreak's field was not a place for a guide to roaming around. Someone who seemed like an upholder of justice like the Steel Blood would think Zen put himself in unnecessary danger.

But rather than telling him to go back, Askan stared wordlessly at Zen, as if pondering. "Are you here to look for your brother?"

Oh, he remembered. Zen blinked for a few seconds, before nodding.

"Alright," the Esper slotted his weapon, which had turned into a sword again and spoke firmly, "I'll escort you there."

Surprised, Zen widened his eyes and looked at the towering esper in silence. He didn't expect it, but Zen wasn't about to turn down something that might help rescue his brother sooner, so he just nodded and took out his hand.

"I'll guide you on the way," he said curtly, grabbing into Askan's wrist and pulling the man along as he ran. He had guided the esper earlier, but with the fight leading into this field, the corrosion had already built up inside Askan again.

"What? Can you still do it?" Askan widened his eyes in surprise. "Didn't you just guide this girl?"

"Yes," was the only thing Zen said as he pulled the big esper along, pulling the corrosion towards his system. It swirled inside of him, towards a point on his nape that was covered by the high collar of his jacket.

"Um...is it alright if I tag along?" Sierra asked, even though she already moving alongside them. Zen didn't answer, putting his concentration into his hand for the guiding while running towards the western district.

So it was Askan that replied. "Of course. Please take care of the low-level beast that still roaming on the road ahead."

With Sierra nodding for affirmation, the three of them ran along the path to the western district. Perhaps because the supposed boss monster had already been slain, the remaining beast was scattering mindlessly, and was easier to kill. As it happened, there was only a low-level one within their path, so Sierra's arcane bullet was enough to take care of them. There was one mid-level wolf-like monster that launch a sneak attack, but Askan could disable the beast with his one free hand.

Zen was thankful that the journey seemed to be easier because of that. If he didn't help these espers, and decided to continue his search earlier, then he might need to struggle a bit with all these beasts still roaming around. He was confident that he could storm through it, but it might take considerably longer to reach the western district.

But when he arrived at his brothers' building, Zen couldn't feel thankful or had confidence anymore. He let go of the esper's wrist, and stared at the building with trembling eyes.

From the corner of the broken room, he saw a pile of furniture around a fireplace, and a muffled groaning sound could be heard from there. Instantly, Zen rushed there and started dragging the furniture away. Sierra, who had climbed up following him, immediately gave him a hand. _{fɾēewebnσveℓ.com}