At the exchange counter in Adventure Hall,
"12 magic fragments will be 240 copper coins. Here you go." A man at the counter said, "Now keep moving; don't block the counter."
Aryan shook himself out of his daze and continued moving towards his room. " This was more of a loss than a gain. That explains why there weren't any people on the 1st-floor hunting area."
"And I even missed my lunch thanks to that. Well done, bro; you are certified dumb now," Aryan praised himself sarcastically. He was standing in line inside the adventurer guild for quite a while, and this is all that he got.
"Now I know why the previous owner of this body was so depressed. "Levelling up and learning magic is not as easy as it sounds." He thought, leaving a wide, black, two story building with the 'Adventurer Guild' printed on it.
This was one of the most important and powerful places in the city. Here, people can post or receive different kinds of jobs depending on their level. Not to mention, this group is also responsible for granting ranks to adventurers depending on their level.
"If I need to buy the book of 'Magic Control," then I need to gather at least 15 silver coins or more. Currently I only have 8 silver coins with me, which basically means I am broke." Aryan thought, looking inside his wallet.
"In any case, if there is no loss, then there is no gain," Aryan muttered silently with a determined expression on his face before pulling out a pamphlet from his wallet that he had stored just a few minutes ago.
This was the job poster he spotted on the questboard while visiting the adventurer guild. "According to the poster, I needed to reach out to the Rudra clan's head office to accept the quest. As explained in the poster, I am more than eligible for the job."
"If everything goes right, then I will get around 16 to 18 silver coins for 5 days of work on the 17th floor of the dungeon. I can only hope for good from here and on." Aryan sighed before heading in the direction of the clan stated in the poster.
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When he reached the said location, he saw a black mansion with a red design and transparent glass, making it cooler.
"State your ID and purpose before entering." The guard stopped him at the front gate.
Aryan touched the back of his left hand on the scanner as he stated his purpose. The guard then looked at a hologram screen next to his desk and allowed him to enter.
Aryan went directly to the counter and asked her about the invitation.
"Thank you for coming, sir. As you have read in your message, we are going to the dungeon's 17th floor to mine some magic crystals. Don't worry about safety; our clan is strong enough to protect you all; we are just lacking sufficient manpower. You will get 12 silver coins for a 3-day job, which is a very handsome amount considering the risk. Food tools and services will all be handled by us; it's a win-win situation". The man at the counter said it with a smile.
" So would you like to join us, sir?"
Aryan thought about it a little: "That's a good amount; I might be able to buy a lower skill book with it if I adjust my expenditure for a week. But to go down the floor without even a magic skill, if something unexpected happens, will I be able to survive? " Aryan questioned himself.
Looking at Aryan in deep thought, the man on the counter stated with a smile, "I see you must be worried about your safety, sir, but don't worry, we aren't doing it for the first time. You can always check our record in the Adventurer guild. We will also be sending six level 25 or above adventurers with you. Even if the boss appeared on the floor, it would be overkill. So what will you decide, sir?"
Aryan sighed internally.
"Alright, register me in".
"When are we going again?'
"Tomorrow evening, sir, we will leave for the dungeon at 4 in the evening. Please make sure to arrive on time. "The man on the counter smiled as he gave Aryan a small card.
"Alright....."
"Everyone ready?" The silver-armored warrior in the shimmering silver helmet addressed the group, his light blue sword pointed toward the Dungeon entrance.
Aryan, accompanied by 42 miners and five experienced adventurers, felt a surge of excitement. The Rudra clan had promised them safe passage to the 17th floor, and although there was a slight increase in gravity every five floors, it was nothing Aryan couldn't handle.
The group had carefully chosen the shortest and safest route to reach their destination, but that didn't mean they wouldn't encounter monsters along the way. Wolves and humanoid grasshoppers occasionally ambushed them, but the combined might of the adventurers swiftly dispatched them with spells like "Ice Wall," "Ice Spikes," and "Wind Blade."
While walking, Aryan couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Damn, if only I had those moves! Buying the Fireball skill seems tempting, but if it's one of the cheapest skills on the market, I'm afraid it won't have much impact on my future strength."
"Hahahahahaha... don't you think you're too young to think that far into the future, boy?" a middle-aged man with silver hair responded, a cloth bag in his left hand. But something was different about him—his right hand was missing, replaced by wolf-like ears on his head and a silver fur tail wagging behind him. "Let this senior enlighten you a little bit. Rare or expensive skills don't necessarily mean they're super strong. When you first acquire a skill, it starts at D-class."
The man winked mischievously at Aryan before continuing, "But as long as you're willing to work hard and push your skill to B-rank or above, all skills can become legendary."
Aryan's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? You aren't making this up, uncle?"
Chuckling, the group of adventurers exchanged knowing glances, and one of them, a young man walking ahead, replied, "Bro, you don't know? The person you're talking to right now used to be a C-rank dual sword wielder."
The young man's smile faded as he realized what he had inadvertently revealed. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean it the wrong way. I mean..."
After a dew more minutes of conversation the group finally reached a towering pillar on the 14th floor. The silver knight touched the pillar and chanted a spell, creating a dome of light that enveloped the entire group. In an instant, they were teleported to the 15th floor.
Unlike the floors above, the 15 the floor resembled a safe area with lush grasslands, farms, and flowing rivers. The cave-like atmosphere was illuminated by radiant blue crystals on the ceiling, their brilliance reflected in the lakes and brooks scattered throughout.
People roamed the streets, houses made of red bricks stood tall, and merchants displayed various weapons and equipment for sale. Despite being inside a dungeon, this place could easily be mistaken for a city of its own.
The silver knight turned to address the group once more, his voice resonating powerfully. "We have finally reached the safe floor, known as the place between dungeons where no monsters spawn. We will use this city as our base of operations for mining on the 17th floor.
Each day, we'll work for six hours and have the rest of the day free for leisure. We'll follow this routine for three days before returning to Patliputra. Food and accommodation are provided by the Rudra Guild. Enjoy your time here, but make sure to reach work on time," the knight concluded, letting out a sigh.