Seducing the Guideverse With My System — Raising an Anomaly [BL]

Aurelia City Park

"Here we are, ladies and gents." Viktor stepped down from his car, brushing back his snow-white hair as he squinted straight ahead.

A few meters beside one of the biggest trees in the city was a shimmering white Rift. An A-Rank dungeon Rift to be precise.

It had opened just twenty minutes ago and the city officials immediately alerted Glacier Talon.

Two other cars pulled to a stop. A group of seven more Hunters rushed out—their Guild’s only S-Rank Guide, an A-Rank Guide and five A-Rank Espers.

They were all donned in a blend of snow white and icy blue outfits. Some seemed thrilled. A few were nervous, staring wearily at the portal and the roaring aether it emptied.

Fortunately, the park had been completely evacuated five minutes prior, but people still paused at the fringes to take pictures or just to gawk in awe. The closest most ever got to such a high-level Rift.

"Alright." Viktor shut his car door behind him, adjusting his gloves as they headed for the Rift. "Now I’m joining you guys for this mission because we want to keep losses null. With the Echo Rift Void Entity out there, we never know when the Federation will need us again for another mission of global importance."

The other Hunters exchanged looks.

Why did he make it sound like they were resources being protected until they’re more useful?

Soon, they stood before the Rift. Viktor placed a hand over his eyes as he took a moment to reminisce. Ever since partaking in an SS-Rank dungeon raid, he’s had this boost in confidence.

If he was being honest he didn’t see the need to be here. It almost made him feel like he was babysitting. Still—an A-Rank dungeon should prove hectic.

He sure as hell won’t be able to clear one on his own anyway.

"Let’s get this over with." He muttered to himself, snapping his neck in preparation. "Ready yourselves!"

The others pulled out their gear and got ready to utilise their powers. Then—Viktor ran forward first. They followed, the Rift rippling once they crossed over to the other side.

When the blinding light shrouding their vision cleared, the team came to a halt. Stretched ahead of them like a forest was a vast expanse of land.

Glistening gemstones of a variety of colours shot out of the earth like plants, catching the sunlight and bouncing it off as multi-colored rays.

The air was dry and the temperature was so hot that they almost immediately started sweating.

"Whoa." A female Esper lowered her halberd, her mouth parted in awe at the terrifying beauty before them. "Are... are those...?"

Viktor’s icy blue coat whipped into the air around him as he took a few steps ahead of the group. "Aether crystals." He murmured. "It’s like an entire mine."

He took in a small whiff, his skin tingling in response.

Aether.

For an A-Rank dungeon, this landscape had so much concentrated Aether energy in the air itself to rival an S-Rank dungeon.

"We’ve hit the jackpot!" The S-Rank Guide patted Viktor hard on his shoulder. "So many aether crystals—this should make up for when I wasn’t able to accompany you and the others to the Echo Rift."

Viktor didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his brows furrowed.

Something felt... off.

The wind had stopped. No—worse. The entire Rift had gone unnaturally quiet.

The temperature still scorched their skin and the crystals still reflected blinding rays of light, yet Viktor’s instincts screamed at him violently.

"Stop." His voice cut through the excitement sharply enough to freeze everyone in place.

The S-Rank Guide blinked. "Hunter Viktor?"

"Don’t move." Viktor’s eyes slowly lifted toward the cloudy orange sky above the crystal fields.

At first, there was nothing.

Then—

SKREEEEEECH!

A horrifying cry tore through the heavens, making the clouds ripple.

The next second, massive winged creatures burst downward from above like missiles. Their bodies looked entirely made from jagged blue crystals, sunlight gleaming dangerously against razor-sharp feathers and claws.

"MOVE!" Viktor barked.

BOOOOM!

The first beast slammed into the ground where the team had stood moments ago, crystal shards exploding everywhere.

Two more swooped down instantly after.

The sheer impact behind their descent made the earth tremble.

"What the hell are those things?!" one Esper yelled.

Viktor reacted without hesitation.

Frost exploded from beneath his boots.

CRACK!

Towering walls of ice shot upward around the team before sealing into a massive dome. The next collision rattled the structure violently, making several Hunters stumble.

The female Esper paled. "That attack almost broke through..."

For a split second, even Viktor’s expression darkened. Those things were far stronger than ordinary A-Rank monsters.

"Formation Delta." He ordered coldly. "Guides stay in the centre. Espers spread out and don’t let them surround you."

The dome shattered open behind them.

Instantly, the battlefield descended into chaos.

The crystal beasts screeched as they flooded downward in groups. Lightning burst from one Esper while another manipulated gravity to slam two creatures together midair.

Yet there were too many. Far too many.

One of the birds pierced through an ice spear and lunged directly for the S-Rank Guide.

Viktor vanished.

A blur of frost swept across the battlefield before reappearing above the creature itself.

His hand grabbed its crystalline skull. Absolute frost detonated from his palm.

The entire monster crystallised further before exploding into frozen dust, the surrounding temperature plummeting instantly.

Several Hunters stared with widened eyes at the sheer power he showed.

Viktor landed smoothly, frost spiralling around his body like living serpents. With a flick of his fingers, dozens of ice constructs manifested midair.

Wolves.

The frozen beasts lunged skyward, ripping crystal birds apart with savage precision.

Another wave descended, forcing Viktor to raise his hand again.

This time giant mirrors of ice appeared around the battlefield, reflecting concentrated frost beams that pierced through multiple monsters at once.

The screeches slowly lessened.

Their numbers appeared to be finally thinning.

RUMBLE!

The ground shook violently beneath their feet before their hopes could get high.

Everyone froze as cracks spread across nearby crystal formations. One shattered completely. And then another.

The "aether crystals"... moved.

Massive hands burst out from underground, followed by towering bodies made entirely of condensed crystal and stone.

Titans.

Dozens of them.

The S-Rank Guide staggered as panic crossed his face. "W–What kind of Rift is this?!"

Viktor opened his mouth to answer—

—but suddenly a sharp pain stabbed through his skull.

His vision blurred briefly.

Aether exertion.

Shit—not now.

He immediately turned toward the S-Rank Guide to establish a connection for guiding. But then he paused before he could alert him.

’... There’s something wrong.’ he thought to himself, gripping his head hard as pulse after pulse spread around his skull in numbing ripples. ’This isn’t normal exertion.’

The moment he got a hold of himself enough to see—his heart dropped. One of the crystal titans didn’t waste a second, charging headfirst at the strongest human in the team.

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