Ivan instinctively backed away, his battle-ready demeanor triggered by the sight of the dungeon portal—a reaction honed from his past experiences with dungeons.
"Huh, calm down. It's a contained dungeon, the one we got a permit for," Iris reassured Ivan, observing his anxious state.
"So, nothing can come out?" Ivan sought confirmation, still catching his breath from their daring escape.
"Yes," Iris affirmed.
Exhausted and panting heavily, Ivan collapsed onto the grass-covered ground, and Iris followed suit, equally fatigued, lying beside him.
"What happened at the assessment? What did you guys see?" Ivan inquired, still unaware of the actual events.
"Nothing," Iris responded.
"Huh?" Ivan's surprise prompted him to turn away from the sky to face Iris.
"What?" Iris asked, turning to meet his gaze.
"What do you mean 'Nothing'?" Ivan pressed.
"Literally that. It showed us nothing about you—only question marks and something about not being able to process. Then shortly after, the whole thing started exploding," Iris explained.
"I see," Ivan muttered, his excitement not carried by his words.
He couldn't help but wonder if it was impossible for them to see his stats, or if it was simply an issue with the analysis during that particular assessment.
"You see? I literally saved your life," Iris said.
"Oh yeah, you did me a solid there," Ivan replied.
"That's all?" Iris questioned.
"Yeah, that's all. What do you want from me?" Ivan asked.
"A 'thank you' will be a good start," Iris said playfully.
"Well, you did put us in the situation, so..." Ivan began to retort.
"However, I do always repay my debts," Ivan quickly added.
"Then start by paying for the reconstruction of the-" Iris started.
"Enough with the bloody coffee shop," Ivan exclaimed, cutting her off.
"Haha, I'm kidding," Iris laughed at Ivan's outburst.
"You know, you seem to have a story about Oasis Inc. If you want, I might listen," Iris offered.
"The story about your dad and uncle falling out seems more interesting," Ivan said, turning to look at Iris again.
"It's quite a long story, one that began-" Iris started before being interrupted.
"Alright, that's enough. I really don't care," Ivan said, jumping to his feet from the floor.
"Hmph, I wasn't even going to tell you anyway," Iris retorted as she also rose to her feet, pulling out her phone.
"You definitely were, but don't worry. I'll listen to it someday," Ivan said.
"Don't bother, since I won't tell you," Iris replied, scrolling through her phone.
"What are you doing?" Ivan asked.
"Calling the others. Since we are already here, let's attempt the dungeon," Iris said, pausing her attempt to contact the guild members.
"What rank is the dungeon?" Ivan asked.
"C rank, currently the highest ranked dungeon we've gotten a chance to acquire on our own," Iris said.
Ivan's mind started racing with possibilities of growth. He knew he needed to become strong enough to defeat the crystal serpent before the quest time ended; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to re-enter the game safely. Strength was crucial.
Having effortlessly powered through D rank dungeons alone during the tutorial, the idea of a C rank dungeon didn't seem overly daunting, especially with Iris's help.
Ivan was determined to maximize his gains from this dungeon—not just monetarily, but stat-wise. He understood that calling more people for assistance would mean less challenge, fewer fights, and slower growth.
"Then we could clear it ourselves," Ivan suggested.
"Just the two of us?" Iris asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Seems I didn't pull you from the helmet fast enough; it might have messed with your head," Iris said stroking her chin, assessing Ivan's confidence.
"You're C rank and only five levels away from B rank, and I can hold my own. It shouldn't be that hard," Ivan insisted.
"Me being C rank doesn't mean I can easily clear a C rank dungeon, and besides, I don't have a weapon," Iris pointed out.
"Hmmm, what weapon do you use?" Ivan asked.
"Spear and daggers," Iris responded.
"Great, I have just the thing," Ivan said, pulling a magnificent spear out of thin air and handing it over to Iris.
"This is Orc Killer, it's quite the spear," Ivan remarked as Iris gazed upon the striking red weapon in shock, wondering how Ivan had conjured it seemingly out of nowhere.
"Is there any point in asking?" Iris asked, contemplating whether to inquire about the mysterious appearance of the spear.
"No, not really," Ivan replied shaking his head.
"What rank is the spear?" Iris inquired, swinging the weapon around to test its weight and balance.
"D rank," Ivan replied.
"Well, it isn't great. Why would you want to do this? You're still only getting ten percent," Iris pointed out.
"Not a problem," Ivan replied, determination etched on his face as he faced the dungeon portal, its purple glow igniting anticipation within him.
Iris let out a sigh of resignation, tightening her grip on the spear before returning her phone to her jacket.
"You're crazy, let's go," Iris said, stepping into the portal as Ivan followed closely behind her.
Stepping into the dungeon felt like crossing a threshold into another realm. The once bustling cityscape with its technologically advanced skyscrapers now gave way to a picturesque landscape of lush green plains and a dense, ancient forest that whispered of mysteries untold.
Iris's voice broke the momentary silence as she outlined their strategy, her eyes ablaze with determination. "Listen, we don't need to seek out the mobs. We'll take out the ones that come to us. Our objective is to find the dungeon boss and eliminate it."
Though Ivan had hoped for a more aggressive approach, he knew he had no reason to challenge Iris's strategy. If this dungeon truly mirrored the game, the creatures dwelling within would naturally be drawn to their presence, providing ample opportunities for combat and growth.
As if on cue, the distant growls of unseen wolves reverberated through the forest, a smile danced on Ivan's lips. He reached for Rustless, taking the iron sword out of his Inventory, it glinted in the dappled sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above.
The wolves, their eyes gleaming with primal hunger, closed in on the duo, encircling them in a tightening ring. The scent of damp earth and wild foliage filled the air, and the sunlight filtering through the dense canopy danced in patterns on their determined faces.
With each passing moment, the anticipation heightened, and Ivan's heart pounded in rhythm with the imminent battle as a single thought filled his mind—here, there were no respawns.
Iris's unwavering confidence mirrored Ivan's own, and her voice cut through the tension. "So, you ready?"
"Always," Ivan replied, his resolve unwavering.