Inside the guild, the receptionist smiled as she handed Lucivar a metal card.
"Here you go. Your adventurer card."
Lucivar glanced at it.
Rank: E.
"E-rank?" he repeated softly.
"Let's move forward for now," Jorah said calmly. "I can't fully show you what he's capable of yet, but trust me. He's far beyond E-rank."
The receptionist hesitated, then nodded. "I believe you. But before we increase his rank, let him return today. We'll give him the item meant to release or stabilize his sealed fire element. Once he can properly use his elemental power, we'll reassess his rank."
"That's fine," Jorah replied.
Lucivar turned slightly. "Then we're heading out for the quest."
As they left the counter, eyes followed them.
Some adventurers glared openly at Lucivar, irritation clear on their faces. Others whispered among themselves. The women, however, were different. Hands rose to their cheeks, eyes lingering, openly admiring his sharp features and crimson eyes.
Outside the guild, people lined the road, watching the party pass.
"We've never had this many people staring at us before," Volric muttered.
Volrian smirked. "Obviously. It's because of the pretty boy."
"Pretty boy?" Lucivar echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"It's nothing," Jorah said quickly, waving it off. "Just keep moving."
They passed through the gates and left the city behind, the noise fading as stone roads gave way to dirt paths.
As they moved forward, the forest finally came into view.
Tall, ancient trees rose like walls, their canopies blotting out much of the light. This was the Outer Guard Forest, the final natural barrier before the deeper wilderness. Beyond this point, danger was guaranteed.
The air grew heavier the moment they crossed the boundary.
"So this is it," Lucivar murmured, eyes scanning the shadows between the trees.
Jorah walked at the front, calm but alert. "The dungeon entrance is nearby," he said. "No need to waste energy fighting monsters outside."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Outside monsters are just distractions anyway," Volric said.
"Yeah," Volrian added. "The real threats are always inside."
Merilda glanced around, her mana already circulating. "Still, don't drop your guard. Even this forest bites."
As they continued forward, the dungeon finally revealed itself.
A massive stone entrance stood embedded in the earth, ancient runes glowing faintly along its edges. A lone knight in steel armor stood guard beside the gate, unmoving like a statue.
"Show me your adventurer cards," the knight said.
One by one, they presented their plates.
The knight paused when his eyes landed on Lucivar. Once, then twice.
His gaze lingered, sharp and unreadable.
"You may proceed," he said at last.
They entered.
The moment they crossed the threshold, the dungeon responded.
Soft light flared along the walls as magic lamps ignited one after another, as if acknowledging their presence. The air turned cold and damp, their footsteps echoing endlessly through the corridors.
"This is the first floor," Jorah said quietly. "Stay alert."
They advanced only a short distance before a shrill screech cut through the silence.
A goblin leapt from the shadows, dagger raised.
"Leave this one to me," Merilda said calmly.
She stepped forward and lifted her staff.
"Fireball."
Mana surged. A sphere of flame formed above her palm, pulsed once, then shot forward.
Boom.
The fireball slammed into the goblin's face, engulfing it in flames. The creature let out a brief, choked scream before its body disintegrated into ash.
A faint shimmer remained.
A crystal clinked softly as it hit the ground.
Merilda walked over, picked it up, examined it briefly, and slipped it into her pouch.
"One down," she said. "The dungeon's active."
Lucivar watched silently.
They pressed deeper into the dungeon.
This time, the air shifted.
Eight goblins crawled out from the shadows, crude swords raised, yellow eyes gleaming with malice.
Volric stepped forward.
"Leave this to me," he said calmly. "Small fry like this isn't worth exhausting yourselves over. Save your strength for the boss floor."
Without waiting for a response, he charged.
Steel rang out.
Volric didn't carry a shield, but his sword moved like one. He deflected the first strikes effortlessly, footwork precise, stance unshakable.
Slash.
Two goblin heads hit the ground before they even realized they were dead. Their bodies dissolved into ash.
The remaining six screeched and rushed him together, forming a loose circle, blades coming down from all sides.
Volric leapt.
He slipped out of the encirclement in a single motion, landed behind one goblin, and drove his blade straight through its skull.
He pulled the sword free and brought it down.
The goblin split cleanly in two before fading away.
The last five barely had time to turn.
Volric burst forward.
Flash. Flash. Flash.
Five heads dropped almost simultaneously.
Silence returned to the corridor.
Volric exhaled once, sheathed his blade, then crouched to collect the fallen cores.
"Impressive," Merilda muttered.
Lucivar watched closely, eyes sharp.
So he's a defender, but not a passive one, Lucivar thought. Solid footing. Efficient kills. No wasted movement.
Strong.
They soon reached the second floor.
Something was wrong.
Not a single monster appeared.
"There's nothing here," Volrian said, scanning the corridor. "Not even one."
Jorah frowned. "Stay alert. Let's keep moving."
They advanced carefully, footsteps echoing through the empty halls.
Still nothing.
After a while, a massive door came into view, ancient runes faintly carved into its surface.
"We already reached the third floor?" Volrian muttered. "No… wait. This should be the fourth."
Jorah placed a hand on the door. "Be ready."
They pushed.
The door swung open with a deep groan, and they stepped inside.
The moment the last of them crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut on its own.
Boom.
Jorah's eyes widened. "Teleportation room. Everyone, get back!"
They spun around and rushed toward the entrance.
Too late.
The ground trembled.
A massive magic circle spread beneath their feet, glowing blue like liquid ink seeping through stone. Runes ignited one after another, covering the entire floor.
"Damn it!" Volric shouted.
Light surged upward.
In an instant, their bodies dissolved into blue radiance.
Then they vanished.