Nathan stepped up to the counter when the man ahead of him moved away.
Up close, the officer looked younger than Nathan had expected.
Not much older than him, actually.
The man wore a fitted black suit, clean and unwrinkled, with a simple name tag attached neatly to the front pocket.
Mr. Elliot.
Nathan read the man's name and then looked up.
"Hello, Mr. Elliot," Nathan said, keeping his voice steady.
"It's my first day hunting. I am… not quite aware of how this process goes. Could you please guide me?"
For a second, Nathan was worried that he sounded foolish.
But then Elliot smiled.
"That's not a problem at all," Elliot said. "Nothing to worry about."
Nathan let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding.
Elliot gestured lightly to the scanner embedded in the counter.
"First things first. I'll scan your hunter license here and once that's done, you'll be allowed to enter the queue for the rift."
Nathan nodded. "That's it?"
Elliot chuckled softly. "That's the main part."
He paused, then added, "and if you would like to redeem money for goblins you've slain, you can do that as well."
Nathan's eyes sharpened immediately after hearing that.
"You can just leave the corpses inside the rift," Elliot continued. "They'll be cleaned out by the end of the day. Payout will be handed to you in cash."
"How much do we get per goblin?" Nathan asked, even though he already had an idea.
"Two dollars per goblin," Elliot said.
Nathan's eyes glistened.
This was exactly the amount Ethan told him.
Although not a lot, but still something he earned by his own hands.
Nathan hesitated, then asked, "How will you know how many goblins I've killed?"
Elliot nodded, as if he'd expected the question.
"We'll need proof," he said. "For goblins, that's the left ear."
Nathan blinked, "The… left ear?"
"Yes," Elliot replied calmly. "Goblin left ears have a unique marking. It confirms the kill and prevents double claims."
Nathan nodded slowly, committing it to memory.
'Left ear, okay.'
"That makes sense," he said.
"Good," Elliot replied. "Now, if you're ready, hand me your license and I'll check you in."
Nathan reached into his pocket and pulled out the matte-black card.
Elliot scanned the license. The machine chimed softly, and a green indicator lit up on the screen.
"Alright," Elliot said. "You're registered for entry."
Nathan hesitated, then asked the question that had been sitting heavy in his chest since he'd arrived.
"What should I expect… when I go in?"
Elliot leaned back slightly, folding his hands.
"On the other side of the rift, you'll be entering an administrated area," he explained. "There are soldiers stationed there. If you call for help, they'll assist."
Nathan nodded. That aligned with what Ethan had told him.
"As for the dungeon itself," Elliot continued, "the Sunken Maintenance Tunnels have several types of goblins."
Nathan leaned forward slightly, listening closely.
"The first ones you'll encounter, if you don't go too deep, are goblin scouts," Elliot said. "They're weak compared to others. They usually move alone, since they're meant to observe and report."
That was a relief.
"They're fast," Elliot added, "but lightly armed and dangerous if you underestimate them."
Nathan swallowed and nodded.
"Deeper in," Elliot went on, "you'll encounter goblin soldiers. They're stronger, better armored and they move in groups."
Nathan's grip tightened slightly around his spear.
"And the boss?" he asked.
Elliot's expression grew more serious.
"The goblin chief," he said. "Very dangerous. Capable of commanding other goblins. Has abilities."
Nathan didn't ask what kind.
He already knew better than to go anywhere near that.
"For your first run," Elliot said, his tone firm but not harsh, "stay near the outer areas. Learn the terrain. Learn your capacity."
Nathan nodded again.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
Elliot smiled once more. "Good luck out there."
Nathan stepped away from the counter and moved towards the queue.
His heart beat faster now.
He glanced once more at the blue tear rippling in the center of the building.
Nathan tightened his grip on the spear.
His mind replayed Elliot's words automatically.
'Stay near the outer areas.'
He knew that already. Every guide, every experienced hunter, everyone with common sense said the same thing. Beginners aren't supposed to dive deep and chase bosses.
People who did usually didn't come back.
Nathan exhaled slowly and let the tension in his shoulders ease just a little. He wasn't here to prove anything.
Elliot's voice reached him again.
"Oh, one more thing."
Nathan turned back slightly.
"If you happen to obtain any item shards, summon shards, or ability shards," Elliot said, "you're allowed to keep them."
Nathan's eyebrows lifted.
"Or," Elliot continued, "you can sell them directly to the government. The payout is… generous."
That got Nathan's attention properly.
He nodded. "I understand."
***
The queue was shorter now. Hunters moved forward one by one, each approaching the blue tear at the center of the building. Some hesitated while others stepped in without hesitating.
Nathan watched closely.
When a hunter touched the rift, the blue surface rippled like disturbed water, then swallowed them whole.
His heart started beating faster.
He was both nervous and excited.
Soon, there was only one person ahead of him.
Then none.
Nathan stood at the edge of the railing, staring at the rift.
Up close, it felt… wrong.
Not dangerous in an obvious way. Just unnatural. Like a wound in space that refused to close.
Nathan swallowed.
He stepped forward.
The soldier stationed nearby nodded once, saying nothing.
Nathan reached out.
The moment his fingers touched the rift, the world pulled.
There was no pain, no sound.
Just a sudden, overwhelming sensation of movement almost like being yanked forward while standing still. His stomach lurched violently, his sense of direction vanished.
'This would have been bad if I'd eaten,' he thought.
Then everything stopped.
Nathan blinked.
Cold air brushed against his face.
He sucked in a sharp breath and staggered half a step forward, boots scraping against damp concrete.
He was inside the The Sunken Maintenance Tunnels.
The space around him was massive, an underground chamber carved out of reinforced concrete and steel. Thick pillars supported the ceiling, their surfaces stained dark by moisture and age. Dim industrial lights lined the walls.
The air was humid and heavy.
Nathan swallowed hard.
'I definitely would have puked.'
He straightened slowly, forcing himself to breathe evenly.
Around the chamber, soldiers stood in organized positions. Some leaned against barricades. Others monitored equipment mounted near the walls. Their presence was solid, reassuring in a way that made the space feel anchored to reality.
This was the administrated zone. Safe, relatively speaking.
Nathan glanced around and noticed several tunnel entrances carved into the walls of the chamber. Six of them, spaced out evenly, each leading into darkness. Some had faint markings near their entrances.
Nathan took a few careful steps forward, boots echoing softly in the massive space. The sound carried farther than he expected, bouncing off concrete walls.
He didn't like that.
'Sound travels too well here' he noted.
He approached one of the soldiers standing near a map display bolted to the wall.
"Excuse me," Nathan said.
The soldier turned, visor lifting slightly as he assessed Nathan's gear. Spear, leather vest and a beginner setup.
"Yes?" the soldier replied.
"I'm looking for goblin scouts," Nathan said. "Where would I find them?"
The soldier considered for a moment, then gestured toward the tunnels.
"Most of the time," he said, "you'll find scouts not too deep in and they're usually alone."
"Usually?" Nathan asked.
"Occasionally in pairs," the soldier replied. "Rare, but it happens."
Nathan nodded, committing it to memory.
"They're meant to observe," the soldier continued. "If you linger too long, they may retreat and bring others."
"That sounds bad," Nathan said.
The soldier's mouth twitched. "It usually is."
"Thank you," Nathan said sincerely.
He stepped away and returned to the center of the chamber.
Nathan studied the tunnels carefully.
Two of them had faint scuff marks near the entrance. Signs of frequent traffic. Probably popular routes.
One had blood on the floor. Fresh enough to be noticeable.
He avoided that one immediately.
Another had faint chalk markings on the wall—numbers, arrows, notes left by other hunters.
His gaze lingered on the tunnel farthest to the right.
No markings, no obvious signs of use.
Most of the hunters entering the chamber seemed to be avoiding it, choosing paths that others had already tested.
Nathan's heart thudded once.
'Not too deep' he reminded himself.
He wasn't planning to explore the entire tunnel. Just the entrance. Just enough to encounter scouts.
If things went wrong, he could retreat.
The soldiers were nearby.
He checked his straps again.
Vest secured, bag tight and potions accessible.
Nathan took one last look back at the chamber—the lights, the soldiers, the sense of safety.
Then he turned toward the tunnel most hunters were ignoring.
He stepped forward.
Nathan tightened his grip on the spear.
This was it, his first step beyond safety.
Into the dungeon.
Into the unknown.