Chapter 53: Full Team

Raive wasn’t being reckless, nor was he growing reliant on his Auto-Load skill. His decision was grounded on solid logic.

First, since the day was far from over, the top brass of the Sine Gang shouldn’t have high stats just yet. At most, an average of 20, 50 tops.

With Raive’s current stats, handling all of them wouldn’t be hard at all.

Second, sending them outside off-schedule would lower their guard. And if Raive struck at the opportune moment, he could neutralize them all without even killing them.

Though he had no such plans.

"A-Are you really sure?" Reinhardt asked for the nth time. "Those guys are quite strong, you know? You can’t underestimate them."

Irritated by the repeated questioning, Raive shrugged, exaggerated and dismissive.

"Hmm... Yeah, I’m not so sure now." He complained. "Maybe using two knives is too much for them. Should I just use one? Or maybe barehanded? What do you think?"

"..."

Reinhardt quickly picked up on the cue and went quiet.

It wasn’t that Raive truly wished to fight them barehanded. It was just a way of saying, "Even barehanded, I’m stronger than them."

"Then, I’ll reset the dungeon now."

After a brief moment to gather his thoughts, he finally began.

Reinhardt placed a hand against the green dungeon’s gate. His palm glowed with a bright white light that seeped into the gate, like a dry cotton ball soaking up the only drop of water it would ever get.

"They should be out in five seconds."

Reinhardt said as he backed off, hiding behind the corner.

"Good." Raive smiled as he nodded.

He flipped the two daggers, one borrowed from some nobody he’d killed, and held them aloft. "They should enjoy the last five seconds of their lives."

Although it was the first time Raive was seeing Reinhardt’s Reset skill at work, he didn’t dare gawk like an idiot.

Within moments, several figures began to flicker into being, almost like ghosts manifesting. Their bodies started transparent, materializing like a stencil being painted over, stroke by stroke.

There were thirteen of them in total, a bit more than he expected. But Raive didn’t rush.

He had all the time he needed.

And with their figures already visible before their consciousness descended, he could watch who stood where and plan ahead.

Of course, his primary target was the most troublesome of the bunch.

In the middle of their formation stood a cowboy—the same one who’d tormented Raive and Hazel for a few loops before he finally succeeded.

Raive calmed his mind and counted down, waiting for their existence to solidify.

Three... Two... One...

’Zero!’

The instant they took their first breath, Raive moved.

He swung his two daggers, slitting the necks of everyone in his path, then drove one through the boss’s heart and severed the entire right arm of the cowboy holding the revolver. With his speed, he moved like a specter, cutting three lines through the room.

And those three moves were enough to take the necks of everyone but the boss.

"Gah..."

Twelve heads rolled across the ground with a loud, synchronized thud. The cowboy saw it happen, but couldn’t move. It took him a second to notice his arm was missing... and that a dagger was piercing through his heart.

"Hello, Mr. Bryan." Raive smiled as he stepped into his line of sight.

His sudden appearance made Bryan gasp, then cough out blood. His bloodshot eyes tracked Raive as if Raive had killed his family.

"Nice to meet you..." But Raive wasn’t interested in him anymore. He raised his dagger, swinging it horizontally. A clean swipe. "And goodbye."

The thirteenth head fell, bringing total silence to the hallway.

Reinhardt, who peeked out at just the right moment, saw everything perfectly—though he barely caught Raive’s figure, too fast for his eyes to follow.

"You... really killed them all." He stared in amazement.

Raive, on the other hand, just walked away, smiling.

"Go. Get the rest of your family and meet up with Hazel outside. I still have some cleaning up to do."

Right.

In total, he’d killed twenty of them.

Raive was sure they weren’t the only members, so he began scanning all floors for traces. But to his shock, there were none.

’Was there only 20 original members of the Sine Gang? Then last time, why were there over a hundred of them...?’

He was confused as fuck, but still decided to drop the matter.

There were no more remnants, anyway—mission complete.

Raive reached the rooftop and took a shortcut down, using two buildings to break his fall, bouncing back and forth between them until he hit the bottom.

"Raive!"

As soon as he touched down, an excited voice reached him.

Looking back, he saw Hazel running over, a bright smile on her face.

"You... You really did have precognition!" She cheered. "Amazing, you even got all their skills correct! And you saved them all without any trouble!"

As if overwhelmed, she launched herself at Raive, hugging him tight.

"Thank you... Really, thank you!"

"...Well, I only did what I needed to do." Raive said, patting her back gently. "Anyway, we should hurry back to the red dungeon. We need all the time we could afford."

After that, Hazel and her entire family followed Raive back to the red dungeon.

Therese tensed at the sound of approaching footsteps, then softened when she saw who it was.

"Brother!"

Hershey rushed over and hugged Raive as soon as he came close enough.

"I really get hugged a lot today."

Raive chuckled as he patted Hershey’s head.

His words made Hazel blush, coughing a little as if to hide her embarrassment.

She’d gotten way too emotional back there, ending up hugging Raive while her family watched. Things couldn’t get any more awkward than that!

With this, the entire team was gathered. Now, it was time to execute the plan.

"Alright, now that everyone’s here... We all shall enter the dungeon!" Raive declared.

Of course, Reinhardt was the exception—he needed to reset the dungeon. His wife, Sheila, would stay behind to keep him company while he waited.

But other than them, everyone else was to enter the dungeon.

Right. That includes Hazel’s brother and sister: Kenny, who can erect barriers, and Patricia, who can replicate objects she touches.

A total of eight members.

"Reinhardt." Raive turned to him and smiled. "Don’t worry about everyone, as I’ll protect them. Just remember to reset the dungeon in 30 minutes!"

"I-I got it."

Reinhardt had seen how powerful Raive was firsthand.

To the point that he was flabbergasted upon learning that his skill was precognition instead of something battle-related.

As such, even though he was sending his son and daughters into the most dangerous dungeon there was... he didn’t feel worried at all.

"Then, we’ll be back in a bit!"

Saying that—after overwriting his latest save—he jumped inside.