Trapped as an NPC in a Dating Sim

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[Monster: Rift Hound]

[Level: 44]

[Rank: D]

[HP: 5400/5400]

[Special Traits:

> Rift Sense: Can detect spatial weak points and minor distortions in the surrounding environment.

> Gale Overdrive: Draws in surrounding wind currents, sharply boosting speed and attack power for a short duration]

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Soren never thought that after going through the portal, they would land right below the nest of the Rift Hound.

Looking at the ten or more monsters above them, all launching rapidly from the heights, it felt like the day of the apocalypse.

To be honest, this seemed like a true life-and-death battle.

*Heaven Splitter!*

*Roar!*

Only, the situation abruptly turned around when a strike of sword light so brilliant cut through the air, cleaving through the claw of the massive monster and splitting it in half.

*Hell Fire!*

It was turned further when Aurelia lightly tapped the tip of her staff on the ground, summoning a circle of fire that erupted outward, instantly engulfing the Rift Hound as the sudden flames swallowed its massive body in an instant.

*Petal of Death.*

The situation spiraled even further when Elise and Elara danced in perfect sync, rapidly releasing countless thin, petal-like blade fragments that drifted through the air before piercing into another monster’s body, turning it into a living hedgehog of steel.

"Roar!"

Not to be outdone, massive earth spikes erupted from below, piercing through the remaining dodging monsters that tried to escape.

"Compressed Mana Bomb, explode!"

*Boom!*

At last, Soren found the situation even more absurd when Sylvia gracefully threw a few mana bombs, directly incinerating the injured monsters into smithereens.

It was so abrupt and out of the blue that everyone couldn’t help but pause briefly, dumbfounded.

’Hey, hey, hey... what the heck are you doing using bombs in such a close space?’

Really, the last one nearly threw Soren off his balance as he abruptly turned to Sylvia, who was beaming with a brilliant smile behind the giant summoned by Aria.

It seemed she had noticed Soren’s gaze, as she met it before letting out a giggle. In her hand, five colorful pellets danced lightly as her eyes surveyed the battlefield eagerly.

Clearly, this girl had learned something bad from Professor Lysandra, it seemed.

"Sylvia, don’t use them recklessly! Do you want us to be plunged into the chasm?"

In the end, Soren had to shout to stop her when he saw she was about to throw another one.

’Is this girl an idiot?’

If she bombed everything and this huge basin collapsed, wouldn’t they directly plunge below?

"Tsk... it was just getting fun, and you have to stop me..."

Sylvia also realized her gaffe and stopped herself, though she didn’t forget to mumble her annoyance.

Clearly, she understood she might not be able to use her "toys" normally in this dungeon due to its geography.

’And I was about to impress Soren with this. Tch... should have learned Poison Bomb instead.’

She thought, sulking slightly as she noticed Soren glaring at her.

So she obediently put away her mana bombs before taking out her staff and beginning to buff her teammates instead.

This girl was so excited to take part in the fight that she hadn’t even used her class skill yet.

So much for being an S-rank healer.

’Sigh... I knew this would happen if I let her stay with Professor Lysandra.’

He didn’t even know whether she had learned to make such bombs herself or if she had simply taken them from that crazy healer.

Soren shook his head and turned to look at the battlefield ahead.

Seeing Soren, Aurelia, Elise, Elara, and even Aria dealing with the monsters almost single-handedly, he realized there was no need for him to intervene.

Despite the name "Rift Hound," the monsters in front of them weren’t actually proficient in spatial attacks or anything of the sort. That would be far too absurd and overpowered.

As far as he knew, monsters that truly manipulated complex forces like space, time, or chaos only began to appear in B-rank dungeons and above.

The reason these creatures carried such a name seemed to be due to a special trait instead.

---

> Rift Sense: Can detect spatial weak points and minor distortions in the surrounding environment.

---

*Boom!*

*Roar!*

Fortunately for his team, the highest level of the Rift Hound here was only level 45.

And now that he looked at it, Soren realized that being inside the basin had somehow worked in their favor instead.

It made the Rift Hounds’ location far too exposed from the moment they appeared. All they had to do was press their backs against the wall and direct their attacks upward toward the nest.

The speed at which the monsters died was so fast that, before they even realized what had happened, not a single one of them managed to survive.

Above them, broken bodies rained down in pieces, swallowed by the chaos of overlapping attacks.

The once-menacing nest was now nothing more than a collapsing slaughter zone, each second stripping away whatever resistance the Rift Hounds had left.

"Hah... hah... that was too dangerous."

"Y-yeah... I thought we were done for."

"Why did the portal open in such a location anyway?"

"Such bad luck!"

"Tch... and I only managed to use one mana bomb."

"Hey, Sylvia, where did you get that? You scared the shit out of me."

Well, it seemed that although they had managed to clear the nest with absolute thunder, they were all completely drained, sprawled across the ground.

Even Sylvia was sweating profusely as she tried to heal her companions, still pouting in frustration. She was clearly brooding over the fact that she hadn’t been able to attack properly.

The only one who was perfectly fine, without a single speck of sweat on his body, was Soren, still holding the arrow he had drawn earlier.

In the entire fight, he hadn’t fired a single shot at all.

"..."

For a moment, he couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. He had thought he would once again have to step in and save them heroically today.

But now that he looked at it, as their levels increased, their abilities and overall combat power were growing exponentially as well.

Like Aurelia’s Hellfire and Aria’s Elemental Giant. Even Sylvia was already learning techniques from Professor Lysandra.

Not to mention, Evan...

It seemed they were no longer the same team he used to carry on the Dungeon.

Although slowly, Soren could feel their growth blossoming beautifully.

"Okay, let’s rest later and hurry up above. The fight might have attracted other monsters around the chasm. It is dangerous to stay here any longer."

Precisely because of this, Soren couldn’t help but let out a genuine smile before urging them forward like a captain should.

This time, maybe, he should trust their coordination instead of doing everything himself.

Wasn’t that the path of a leader?