I Am a Hero With A Hundred Abilities-Chapter 21: Ch 20. Duality Pit

A woman sat behind a sleek metallic desk, her fingers swiftly moving through a glowing holographic interface.

She was deep in her work, sorting through the missions heroes had accepted, approving clearances, and ensuring proper documentation.

The soft glow of the interface illuminated her platinum-blonde bob, neatly framing her face. Her sharp blue eyes scanned the floating text with efficiency, betraying no emotion.

If Ethan were here, he would have immediately recognized her as the person that approved his mission.

As she continued her work, a loud alert chimed on her screen.

Her posture straightened immediately, and with a quick motion, she tapped the incoming transmission.

A holographic figure materialized above her desk—a man appearing from the chest up.

He had a bald head, a well-groomed goatee, and an expression that made it clear he was a man of authority.

The moment she saw him, she sat up even straighter.

Her actions made it obvious—he was her superior.

"Any problem, sir?" she asked, her voice measured but professional.

The man's expression remained serious, his tone carrying an urgent weight.

"Yes there is. The mission to eradicate the remaining Gobkars in Blackwood Forest has been elevated to Rank D. There was an error in the Black pit Detection System."

Her eyes widened in shock.

That meant only one thing.

The man continued.

"The pit was actually a Duality pit."

Her heart skipped a beat.

A Duality pit, this was the bane of many heroes.

It was a rare, unpredictable black pit that initially presented itself as a low-ranked pit.

Heroes would clear it with ease, leading to a collapse, making it appear resolved.

But after a specific period, the rift would reawaken, this time as a much higher-rank.

The problem?

By the time the second phase activated, low-ranked heroes were usually in the middle of post-mission cleanup.

And when that happened...

The mortality rate was 90%.

The man's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Make sure to deny any low-rank hero from accepting this mission. We can't afford casualties. Other guides will also be informed to do the same."

She froze for a second before quickly replying.

"But, sir... it's too late."

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There was a pause.

A long, heavy pause.

Then, the guide spoke.

"An E-Rank has already accepted the mission."

Silence filled the space between them.

Before the man exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple as he spoke.

"A task force has already been set up to handle the situation." His tone was clipped. "But it's up to the hero to see how long he can survive before they arrive."

The Guide nodded, but deep down, she knew the truth.

An E-Rank surviving a Duality Pit?

It was nearly impossible.

The few who had lived through one were never the same.

Some lost limbs.

Others were too traumatized to continue hero work.

And Ethan...?

She had no personal attachment to him. He was just another hero in the system.

But this wasn't just about him.

She would be the one to take the blame.

If an E-Rank hero died due to an improperly classified mission, someone had to take responsibility.

And in a world like this, it was never those at the top who suffered the consequences.

It was people like her.

She leaned back in her chair, letting out a long, exhausted sigh.

"I should have taken a sick leave today."

***

The den reeked of rot and damp earth, its tunnels winding like a maze beneath the forest floor.

Five Heroes had entered from a separate entrance, unaware of Ethan's route, only to find themselves surrounded by hordes of Gobkars.

The emaciated, yellow-eyed creatures snarled as they swarmed from the shadows, sharp claws glinting in the dim torchlight.

"Elara, how long till the buff?!" Dante's voice boomed over the chaos, his energy mace crushing a Gobkar's skull as another leaped at him.

"When I'm done healing Garrick, I'll be right on it!" Elara shot back, her hands glowing as she mended a deep gash across Garrick's side.

Garrick grinned through the pain, gripping his radiant battle axe—Dawnbreaker, its twin blades humming with luminous energy.

"That's right, Dante. Be patient. You're big enough to hold them back."

Dante clicked his tongue in frustration but didn't argue. Instead, he roared, activating his ability—Ironhide.

His skin hardened to a metallic sheen, turning aside the Gobkars' desperate claw strikes.

With renewed vigor, he swung his mace, sending creatures flying as their bones shattered under the force.

From the backline, Reo stood firm, his twin blasters firing shot after shot.

Each bullet found its mark, heads exploding as his ability—Deadeye Penetration—amplified the force of every headshot.

For each lethal hit, his next shot gained increased penetration power, ensuring none of the creatures' frail skulls could withstand his assault.

But the Gobkars were cunning. One managed to slip past the chaos, lunging toward Reo with a shriek.

Before it could land a blow, a blade flashed.

A deep emerald line appeared on the creature's neck, and a heartbeat later, its head tumbled to the ground.

Aiden stood behind it, flicking blood from his dagger.

His Phantom Step ability granted him supernatural agility, allowing him to dash in quick bursts, leaving afterimages in his wake.

His role was clear—protect the backline and ensure Reo and Elara remained untouched.

Elara exhaled, finishing her healing.

"Try not to get hurt too much," she warned. "I need to have enough Meta Essence to heal and provide buffs for the others."

"No promises," Garrick laughed, wiping the blood from his side before charging in.

His ability—Blood Surge—ignited.

Each wound he took fueled his strength, enhancing his speed and power in brief bursts. He hacked through Gobkars with reckless abandon, stacking his strength up to the limit. But he knew the trade-off—when the surge faded, blood loss would take its toll.

With the team now fully coordinated, the battle turned in their favor.

The Gobkars fell one after another until the den was silent once more.

Garrick rolled his shoulders as he walked towards the others. "That was easy. At this rate, we'll be done before evening."

But as if mocking his words, their communicators buzzed with an alert.

Warning: Duality Pit Detected.

Dante's expression darkened. "We need to retreat. Now."

Before they could move, a pressure unlike anything they had ever felt crashed over them.

It wasn't physical.

It was instinctual.

Their bodies screamed at them—they had never felt so close to death before.

From the shadows, a figure emerged.

A Gobkar—but not like the lesser creatures they had fought.

Normal Gobkars were hunched, weak, and rabid, their thin bodies barely holding together.

This one was a warrior.

It stood taller than Dante himself—over two meters of raw, battle-forged muscle.

Its body was riddled with old scars, each one a mark of countless victories.

Its crimson-red eyes burned with an eerie, intelligent malice.

In its hands, it wielded a black blade with deep cracks running along its surface, pulsing with dark energy.

The only garment it wore was a simple loincloth, leaving its body fully exposed—a declaration that it needed no armor, that no strike had ever felled it.

This was no Lesser Dread Gobkar.

This was a Greater Dread Gobkar.

And it was blocking their only exit.

Dante's grip tightened around his mace his heart palpating before he said. "I'll hold it off while You guys escape."

Garrick let out a scoff.

"Nice try. You really think we'll just leave you to die so you can dodge your responsibilities? Either we all fight together, or we get out of here together."

Dante turned to him.

Garrick had always been like this—the firebrand and reckless one, while Dante was the stern and unwavering one.

They were opposites in every way, yet bound by something stronger than blood.

Dante sighed, then smirked. "Fine. But don't come complaining to me afterward."

Garrick cracked his neck. "I hardly complain."

No more words were needed.

As the five Heroes lunged forward, weapons outstretched, ready to carve their way through death itself.

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A/N will release an extra Chapter if I get 50 power stones.

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