Drip!
Drip!
Water droplets fell steadily onto the cold floor, coalescing into a puddle. In its rippling surface, a face emerged – blonde hair, blue eyes, marred by a swollen cheek, a missing tooth, and a battered nose, caked with dried blood.
Splash!
The puddle met an untimely end under the weight of a heavy step.
Lucius was shackled, his hands suspended from the ceiling, leaving him suspended above the ground. His body bore the cruel marks of burns, some so severe that they revealed glimpses of bone.
Before the slumbering Lucius stood a man clad in the attire of a "Holder's House" attendant. His features were strikingly average, so unremarkable one might suspect they were crafted. Though this assumption would prove accurate.
Lifting his hands, he brought them close to Lucius' chest.
Bang!
A small explosion erupted before him, intensifying the searing pain in Lucius' chest.
"ARGHHH!" Lucius jolted awake, his screams echoing through the underground chamber.
Irritated, the man picked at his ear and delivered a forceful punch to Lucius' face. But Lucius's cries continued unabated.
"P-ple-ase... St-stop," Lucius managed to say, though his words were scarcely intelligible. Upon closer inspection, tears streamed down his swollen face.
"Where is it?" The man's voice dripped with icy impatience.
"I... d-don't kn-ow," Lucius stammered, his speech strained. The man raised his hand again, this time directing it towards Lucius' face.
Bang!
Lucius thrashed violently, unable to produce a scream as his entire face and throat seared in pain.
As Lucius writhed before him, screaming silently, the man's eyes betrayed his growing frustration.
"If you won't talk now, we'll keep doing this every day," the man declared, reaching for a bottle filled with crimson liquid. He hurled it directly at Lucius without bothering to open it.
Upon impact, the glass bottle shattered, drenching Lucius in the liquid. His burned body suddenly emanated a radiant glow, and when it faded, the wounds had vanished, replaced by an intricate web of scars that now marred his entire form. His former handsomeness was obliterated, leaving behind only a grotesque tapestry of scars, particularly on his face.
"Tsk! Useless!" Part of the reason he persisted in tormenting Lucius, even though he was beginning to doubt whether Lucius even had any knowledge of it, was for his own twisted amusement while he devised further plans.
Abruptly, a voice invaded his thoughts, pulling him back to the surface of his consciousness.
"Yes, Master. Don't worry, I will find it as soon as possible." his voice reverberated within the dark, oppressive underground. Beads of sweat formed on his back at the mere sound of that voice.
"Whoa!" He exhaled forcefully. Upon receiving the information from the voice, he promptly resolved to set his alternate plan into motion.
***
After spending a few more hours inside the dungeon, Dante emerged from the portal.
Determined to eradicate every remaining monster, he scoured the area. While he didn't come across another orc settlement and only sporadically spotted ogres, the number he killed was sufficient to level up twice before facing the Boss.
He allocated his stat points to Agility.
The battle against the formidable rotten bear proved challenging yet within his capabilities. Its grotesque condition, infested with maggots, even elicited a frown from Dante. Given the dungeon's proximity to a D class, it was evident that the rotten bear surpassed the strength of the two-headed orcs.
Luckily, Dante's heightened Agility allowed him to strike the boss with increased speed and precision.
Eventually, the boss succumbed to his onslaught, rewarding Dante with a substantial surge of experience points.
The boss's monster core held even greater value than the previous one he had defeated. While it didn't yield the coveted Skill Enhancement Marble, which left Dante somewhat disappointed, the overall gains left him content.
Observing Dante emerge, the man behind the counter and the lingering Holders, who had chosen to wait and witness his return, couldn't help but admire him.
"I should be able to speed this up," Dante resolved, determined to hasten his hunt. After patiently waiting for the reset to conclude, he stepped back into the portal.
Much like his previous arrival on the arid plain, the landscape greeted him, though this time bathed in the morning light, devoid of any initial monster encounters.
Dante continued his relentless hunting and successfully defeated the boss once more, yielding yet again only a single monster core as a reward.
***
Suddenly, a powerful ripple emanated from the portal's center. Dante emerged from it, sensing the vibrations beneath his feet, a clear sign that the dungeon was on the verge of collapse.
'What? I still have one slot left!' Dante thought, frustrated that he couldn't utilize the final slot. Despite this, he found solace in the fact that he had gained a level and the remaining experience points were enough to satisfy half of his current leveling requirement.
Making his way to the side where the man behind the counter stood, holding a recording device that measured the energy emanating from the portal, Dante observed as the energy steadily dwindled until the portal vanished.
Beep!
"Sigh, another dungeon collapse. I hope my next relocation is still to an F class," the man muttered to himself. Sensing Dante's presence, he looked up, meeting Dante's gaze.
"Ah, sir! I was just about to discuss something with you, but feel free to ask if you need assistance first," the man said.
Dante deduced that he was now prepared to conquer a D class dungeon. While he could still conquer F class dungeons, they were limited, including the available slots. It was only sheer luck that allowed him to revisit a dungeon this evening. Moreover, as his level increased, so did the amount of experience required.
"Can you tell me the requirements to conquer D class dungeons and above?" Dante inquired, albeit confused of what the man wants to discuss with him .
"A-aren't you a 2-star? Or perhaps 3-star?" The man asked, puzzled.
"I don't have a medal yet." Dante replied.
'If he hasn't earned a medal yet… a newcomer capable of soloing a dungeon nearly at D class.' This revelation left the man profoundly astonished. After all, he had assumed that this white-masked Eka was a 2 or 3-star holder, a belief shared even by his superior.
After the initial astonishment, the man wasted no time in outlining the fundamental prerequisites. Dante could have easily looked this up on the Holders website, but he was feeling too indolent for that.
"You must possess a Medal as evidence of your rank," the man stated, emphasizing the pivotal requirement. Observing Dante's face concealed behind a mask, the man recalled the orders from his superiors when Dante had been clearing the dungeon.
"Recruit him if he succeeds in conquering this dungeon. If he's already affiliated with a Guild or another organization, entice him to our side. If he really doesn't want it, at least make a good impression."
"You can apply for the Medal at any time, but you'll need to present a document verifying your identity. However, sir, you could consider joining us at The Holder Association. We can safeguard your identity. While other organizations also extend this privilege to protect their Holders' identities, we offer superior benefits that are bound to meet your satisfaction," the man explained, preparing for his next statement.
"Do you want me to join with the Government?" Dante inquired, his brow furrowing, and a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice. He was doing his utmost trying to evade them because if they discovered his identity, it could severely limit his future actions, especially when he planned to seek revenge. Dealing with the influential families behind them, in case of retaliation, would be challenging.
"No, sir, you've misunderstood," the man clarified, somewhat embarrassed. "Many people misunderstood our association due to its ties with the government. While most of our operations require government approval and cooperation, we are an entirely separate entity. I can't divulge many details because my knowledge is limited."
Dante fell into silence, carefully weighing the pros and cons of joining their association. He was well aware of the Holder's Association's role in managing Dungeon-related issues, with the government playing a significant part as well, as evidenced by the two guards silently monitoring their conversation. Furthermore, the Holder Association kept a close watch on guilds throughout the country.
These three powers held considerable sway in the current society.
"Let me think about it."
"Alright! Here's my business card. Feel free to reach out if you require anything!" The man extended his card.
Dante accepted it and departed.
The man, along with the few Holders who were still present, watched Dante go, their eyes filled with admiration. Clad in a white suit, he exuded an air of nobility, reminiscent of a knight.