Ambush and Ambush

With the help of his cheat Slime, Tony's progress suddenly sped up, and he grew increasingly confident—swollen with self-importance.

"You annoying little brat, do you know what this thing does?"

"Arrogant idiot, it's a flamethrower." Slime replied without the slightest politeness. "Try using that brain full of metal scraps but utterly devoid of reasoning ability."

"A mage, even if he can't build armor, has a store of knowledge you could never compare to."

"So you know a little about everything but aren't good at anything?"

(#｀皿) "I'm proficient at everything!!"

That was their usual daily communication...

Stark even felt like he was developing Electrical Resistance. Congratulations.

Yinsen had completely freed up. All he needed to do was check Tony's body at regular intervals.

What truly left Slime feeling gloomy were two things:

First, there was nothing to eat.

God, what did it feel like for a foodie to go days without eating?

Though he no longer needed to eat.

During that time, Tony Stark had tried several times to give him his food, but Slime refused.

Was that really food fit for human consumption?

Besides, he didn't need to eat, while Stark did.

Actually, back when he had been crazily stuffing himself, he could have swallowed food into his stomach pouch and stored it.

But then he thought about vomiting it back up to eat later...

Wow. Never mind.

As for the second thing, after staying in the cave for another three days, the mission failure notification arrived.

"Survive for seven days 1/7"

"First-stage mission failed! Penalty: Basic mission evaluation slightly decreased!"

"No supernatural being deaths detected"

"Second-stage mission activated..."

"Kill one plot character of E-Class or above."

"Time limit: Two months"

???

I'm still alive, so why did the survival mission fail?!

If you don't want me leaving Hell's Kitchen, then at least put up an air wall or something?!!

What a trash mission system.

Slime was in a foul mood, so he decided to go bully Stark.

And for Stark, provoking a little girl who exploded at the slightest poke was clearly a novel way to relieve stress.

That was right. A man who had been pent up for too long found everything pleasing to the eye.

"Your surname is Rand?"

"Yes, Stark."

Tony shrugged.

"You..."

Just then, the cave began to shake along with a thunderous boom.

"What was that?!"

Jiang Rui stood up and stared at the firelight outside the cave.

"Stark, you need to speed things up. They're here."

"I'm guessing it won't be long before those ordinary people in power who can't hold out any longer tie you up and bring you over as a hostage to save themselves. Before that happens, please finish putting together that suit of iron."

With that, he transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot outside. He needed to clear out the people guarding Stark inside the cave beforehand.

He had not dared make a move earlier because he feared a high-sequence supernatural being was stationed here. But now that the supernatural beings on his side had launched an attack, any high-sequence guard here would definitely go fight them.

After all, even if they stayed behind for the sake of the bigger picture, if their side lost, they would still be surrounded and killed.

They would also be held accountable for not contributing.

Most importantly, they would not trust anyone else.

Of course, that excluded organizations or teams with strict discipline.

I can't be that unlucky, right...

Forget it, forget it.

Just charge in.

At that moment, gunfire came from near the cave entrance.

Slime splatted into a puddle of water—

Forget it. Better play it safe...

Seal Throat felt deeply aggrieved.

As a Lord of Shadows—self-proclaimed—he had already been mocked by the Captain as the king of slacking during the intelligence-gathering phase. Then, thanks to some inexplicable bad intel, he had been sent to this godforsaken place for a frontal assault.

Who could put up with that?

So he decisively applied to the Captain to join the battle—after all, to catch thieves, first catch their king.

"I'll steal the enemy leader's head. Maybe the contribution points will be absurdly high!"

His Captain heard that and thought it made sense, so he let him go.

But even if he racked his brains, he never would have imagined being ambushed here.

What the hell?! Don't tell me you hid the great scientist Stark in such an obvious cave?!

The instant he was ambushed, he slipped into the shadows without another word, intending to run.

But he had not expected the other side to have a Perception-Type Sequence. An Earthquake Spell immediately shook him out.

Damn it!

Without another word, he spun around and threw three Throwing Knives.

Then one of the enemy's rough-looking men muttered something, and three Light Barriers instantly protected the three of them.

?They even have a priest!!

A warrior, priest, and mage ganging up on a rogue—do you have any shame?!

Seal Throat knew he was outmatched, so he turned and ran.

He ran deeper into the cave. First, the interior would effectively limit the large-scale abilities of spell-type Sequences. Second, if Stark was being held here, he could take him hostage.

Failing the mission would not kill him, but first, he had to stay alive!

Then he felt himself step into a puddle of water, but he did not think much of it. He turned to block the Short Blade slashing down at him, then kicked his opponent back.

He continued darting forward.

I'll endure it!

Two people had stepped on him in succession...

Jiang Rui calmly considered the situation... That fleeing man who looked like a Gentleman Scoundrel should be able to hold off the man with the Short Blade.

But if two more people came, he would probably be finished.

With that in mind, as the other two stepped over him as well, he did not hesitate. Water wrapped around their ankles.

At the same time!

"Assistance activated!"

In an instant, his mana bar plummeted. Countless Water Blades formed a storm and engulfed the two figures.

"Damn it!"

The moment they felt the water coil around them, the two reacted.

One of them immediately used his ability to form a shield, but he chose to protect himself.

As the water curtain dispersed, one was covered in wounds, while the other collapsed to the ground without a sound.

He had killed again.

Jiang Rui sighed.

Though he sighed in discomfort, his mana output did not pause in the slightest. Water Blades hung in the air before charging into battle.

The enemy had long been prepared. The cave trembled, and a strand of earth-brown gas crawled over his body. The Water Blades could not even pierce his skin!

As expected, prepared supernatural beings weren't so easy to kill...

Feeling the tremor beneath his feet, Jiang Rui did not move at all.

Disdain flashed through the other man's eyes. The Water Blades could not even break through Petrified Skin, so Jiang Rui's Sequence could not be very high...

He actually wanted to take his attack head-on?

Sword-like Earth Spikes burst from the ground—

Just as he expected, they pierced straight through Jiang Rui's abdomen, then his heart, shoulder...

Focused on attacking, he failed to notice a ghostly figure flash through his shadow at some point—

Red Glow gathered around the dagger...

Rip—

It pierced through the earth-colored skin and sliced open his throat with a piercing sound...

Seal Throat lived up to his name. A faint flash from his dagger, and blood meant a sealed throat.

He spat on the ground and cursed those brainless idiots under his breath.

After dealing with the "mage," he walked over to Jiang Rui.

Looking at the little girl's miserable state, he said quietly, "Those bastards... Rest in peace, friend. I was too late... But I'll give you..."

Before he could say the words "a proper burial," the crimson in her eyes slowly faded. Her golden eyes blinked as she asked, "Where's the one with the Short Blade?"

"Holy shit."

"Boss?"

"Ultimate Elemental Avatar?!" Seal Throat suddenly remembered the puddle he had stepped in. He leaped back and raised his hands defensively. "Boss, misunderstanding! I didn't step on you on purpose."

Jiang Rui's mouth twitched, and his face darkened. "You're still talking about it!!! Answer my question!"

"My decoy lured him away," Seal Throat answered honestly.

Jiang Rui sighed. "Where did your decoy run? Tony Stark is inside..."

"Holy shit!" Seal Throat was startled again and hurried inward. "Boss, I really didn't know! I'll go save him right now!!"

"No rush." Jiang Rui shook his head. "Their mission isn't to kill Stark."

He walked toward the two corpses on the ground.

He wanted to conduct a small experiment.

Black mist spread...