Caelan let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in as they crossed the city's gates. He shifted his gaze forward, towards the looming peaks on the horizon, shaped like jagged black claws that seemed as though they were reaching upwards to rip the sky open.
Their destination was a little over thirty minutes away, giving Caelan ample time to think over the areas of his strength he needed to focus on the most during his stay in the dungeon.
"I think I'll focus on my Mage path for the first few months in the dungeon. After all, I've been lacking in my understanding of magic and spell theory."
Caelan thought to himself. His reasoning was sound because, as a member of a clan founded and composed of warriors and sword masters, Caelan was brought up around blades and melee training, leaving his understanding of magic and his arsenal of spells lacking. This was not a good situation to be in after he awakened the Magic Swordsman class, which comprised both Warrior and Mage paths.
So Caelan decided to bring his magic skills up to par with his sword skills in the first few months before he started trying to fuse and elevate both skills together, as expected of someone with a Magic Swordsman class or even any Warrior-Mage Hybrid class for that matter.
"After that, I'll explore my bloodline and try to fully understand and evolve it."
That was his next line of thought.
Caelan knew there was more to the Everblood than met the eye. This feeling had grown even stronger when he thought back to how easily it had awakened and fused with the dormant Dragon Blood within his veins.
He would try to explore the limits of this newfound power and the abilities it granted him beyond the already generous increase in his physical stats, power level, and mana capacity.
"Above all, I'll focus on leveling up. I can't forget my main agenda for coming here after all."
Caelan thought with a grin, the prospect of getting stronger through battles igniting a hunger within him.
He looked forward to learning new skills, discovering more abilities, and experiencing the insane battles that awaited him within the dungeon. His anticipation gave way to a slight hint of impatience in his heart.
He let out a deep sigh, pushing his thoughts aside as he shifted his gaze outwards once more.
The carriage had cleared through most of the small forest that ran along the base of the giant peaks. They had been attacked by a few packs of beasts while Caelan was partially lost in thought, but the beasts were swiftly dealt with by the carriage driver, whom Caelan estimated to be a Peak Gold Stage warrior, judging from his mana fluctuations during the skirmish.
The carriage eventually left the forest and emerged into a clearing at the base of the mountain. A small outpost had been established at the base of the mountain, courtesy of the Virelith Clan.
Caelan noticed an entourage of the clan's knights stationed at the entrance, probably awaiting his arrival.
They immediately straightened when the carriage approached.
"We welcome Young Master Virelith to the Blackthorn Mountain Range!"
Their voices rang out in a loud, synchronized greeting.
The carriage driver pulled up to a stop and opened the door for Caelan to step out.
As Caelan descended from the carriage, his golden eyes swept across the outpost.
It wasn't particularly large, but it was clearly designed with function in mind. Several sturdy buildings surrounded the central area, while the Virelith crest could be seen displayed on the banners hanging from the watchtowers.
The outpost was positioned close enough to the mountain range to monitor the surrounding area while remaining far enough away from the more dangerous regions of the mountains.
There were several knights stationed around the perimeter, and Caelan could sense their mana fluctuations as he observed them.
Most of them were Silver Stage warriors, with a few Gold Stage warriors scattered among them.
The presence of so many capable warriors wasn't surprising.
A newly opened dungeon was an opportunity, but it was also a potential disaster.
The sudden appearance of a dungeon could attract powerful beasts, adventurers, mercenaries, and even forces from outside the territory. Until its situation was properly understood, the Virelith Clan would naturally keep a close eye on it.
A middle-aged knight wearing black armor and a red cape bearing the Virelith crest stepped forward.
He stopped a short distance from Caelan before bowing respectfully.
"Isaac Virelith, Captain of the Blackthorn Outpost, welcomes Young Master Virelith."
Caelan gave him a brief nod.
"Captain Isaac."
Isaac straightened.
"Young Master."
Caelan's gaze briefly swept over him.
Isaac appeared to be in his early forties, with short black hair and a weathered face that carried the signs of someone who had spent years on the battlefield. His posture was straight, and there was a calm sharpness within his eyes that told Caelan he wasn't someone who had reached his position through status alone.
Caelan could feel the mana circulating within his body.
He was a Gold Stage warrior.
Caelan didn't need the System to tell him that.
"How is the situation?" Caelan asked.
Isaac's expression became slightly more serious.
"The situation is stable for now. The dungeon has been active for several days, and we've already established a perimeter around the entrance."
"Any unusual activity?"
"Nothing that has threatened the outpost directly. However, the dungeon's temporal distortion is stronger than what was initially estimated."
Caelan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"How strong?"
"We're still gathering accurate measurements, but based on the information we've collected so far, the current ratio is roughly fifteen to one."
Caelan's eyes lit up.
Fifteen to one.
That meant one month outside could potentially correspond to around fifteen months inside.
If the distortion remained stable, two months outside could provide him with over two years within the dungeon.
Exactly what he needed.
"Has the distortion been fluctuating?"
"Yes."
Isaac's answer immediately wiped some of the excitement from Caelan's expression.
"How much?"
"Not enough to make the dungeon inaccessible, but enough that we don't consider the current ratio completely reliable. The dungeon is still relatively young, so the flow of time has yet to fully stabilize."
Caelan nodded thoughtfully.
That made sense.
Newly opened dungeons were still adjusting to the world they had manifested within. Until the dungeon stabilized, there was no guarantee that its temporal flow would remain constant.
That uncertainty didn't bother him too much.
Even if the final ratio wasn't exactly fifteen to one, he would still have considerably more time to train inside than he would have had outside.
"How dangerous is it?"
Isaac's expression became more serious.
"That is harder to determine."
Caelan raised an eyebrow.
"The dungeon's environment appears to change as you progress deeper inside. The beasts we've encountered so far range from the Silver Stage to the Gold Stage, but our scouts haven't been able to map much beyond the outer region."
Isaac paused briefly.
"We've also lost several scouts."
Caelan's expression remained calm.
"Dead?"
"Most likely."
That answer was enough.
Caelan glanced towards the enormous mountain range in the distance.
The Blackthorn Mountains looked even more imposing from here. The dark peaks seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, with thick clouds gathering around their upper regions.
Somewhere within those mountains was the dungeon.
And somewhere beyond its entrance waited two years' worth of battles, training, and opportunities for growth.
"How many people have entered so far?"
"Several groups. Most are adventurers and independent hunters who came after news of the dungeon spread. The clan has also sent several teams inside to investigate its structure and determine what lies beyond the outer regions."
"And the results?"
"Mixed."
Isaac's tone remained professional.
"Some groups returned with valuable resources and information. Others returned injured. A few haven't returned at all."
Caelan nodded.
That was enough information for him.
There was no point asking questions that wouldn't change his decision.
He had come here to enter the dungeon.
"Take me to the entrance."
Isaac hesitated for a brief moment.
"Young Master, the dungeon has not been completely explored. The clan has recommended that members entering for the first time remain within the outer regions until they have a better understanding of its environment."
Caelan glanced at him.
"I understand."
Isaac seemed relieved that Caelan wasn't dismissing the warning.
But Caelan's next words made his expression stiffen slightly.
"I'll still be going in."
Isaac remained silent for a moment before giving a respectful nod.
"As you command."
The journey from the outpost to the dungeon entrance didn't take long.
The Virelith knights remained behind as Caelan and Isaac travelled deeper into the mountain region.
The terrain became increasingly rough as they went. Trees grew denser, the air became colder, and the distant sounds of beasts occasionally echoed through the mountains.
Caelan could feel the mana density increasing as they approached their destination.
Then he saw it.
At the base of a massive black mountain stood a distorted space that seemed to have been carved directly into reality.
The air around it warped constantly, creating strange ripples that spread outward like waves across the surface of a lake.
Caelan stared at the dungeon entrance.
He could immediately tell that something about it was different from the surrounding environment.
His golden eyes narrowed.
The Everblood within his body stirred faintly.
Caelan's expression changed.
It was subtle.
So subtle that even Caelan himself almost dismissed it.
But he could feel it.
The Everblood was reacting to something.
His eyes remained fixed on the dungeon entrance.
"Interesting."
He didn't know what was inside.
He didn't know why the Everblood had reacted.
And he certainly didn't know what awaited him beyond that distorted space.
But his curiosity had been thoroughly awakened.
Isaac stopped beside him.
"That's the entrance."
Caelan nodded.
He looked back towards the mountain range one final time before turning his attention toward the distorted space.
He had come here with a simple goal.
Become stronger.
Improve his magic.
Master his swordsmanship.
Understand the Everblood.
And most importantly, level up.
The dungeon would give him the time and opportunity to accomplish all of those things.
Caelan took a step forward.
The closer he got, the stronger the strange sensation within his blood became.
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
Whatever awaited him inside, he would deal with it when the time came.
For now, Caelan Virelith was ready to begin his two-year journey.