Wallace's annoyance grew as he looked at the pathetic sight of Butler Mendez, tears running down the butler's face, pleading for forgiveness.
He didn't really care about riches, background, or treasures as he knew in the game everyone can have that.
This game is more about skills but not about treasures.
Wallace knew he shouldn't hold anger toward pathetic people, but at this moment, somehow, he just couldn't help it.
"It is your fault," Wallace said, his voice calm and serious, like a cutting wind blade through Mendez's sobs.
"I don't care about whatever butler family you came from, but what you are right now somehow seems indeed, not very pleasing to the eyes as a butler."
In that tone, his anger simmered beneath the surface, waking Butler Mendez from his despair.
"But I will trust you again," he muttered, his words tinged with disappointment as he thought about what he should do to avoid seeing this butler like this in the future, should he just be real or not?
"I understand you're overwhelmed, and I could forgive that. But if you keep acting this way, it will become truly unbearable, as my butler, it would really bother me if you kept displaying an attitude like that," Wallace warned.
However, Butler Mendez refused to back down. "But sir, please think about the future..." he trailed off, feeling a sudden panh of fear.
Mendez was worried that if Wallace realized and faced the consequences of his bad choice, Mendez, his whole family he created in the town, and everyone they cared about in the area could be killed by the Baron.
Mendez was not ordinary person, but here, he was one. And if he didn't escape to his influential home in time, he and his loved ones might die.
However, a sly smile tugged at the corners of Wallace's lips, and a small laugh escaped him.
"I know," he said, his tone confident, "but it doesn't matter. If this 'Game Predator vs Alien' is what I remember, then it would be hard. Once they are inside, they won't find treasure or even see each other. In fact, although there are riches such as treasures, they won't be able to take them easily; they'll have to rely on their abilities," looking at his dungeon again, he muttered, "the only problem would be if they are strong enough to do that..."
Wallace then turned to the screen monitor above the futuristic bracelet on his wrist.
"Plus, if all of them met by chance inside, they would be turned against each other."
…
Inside the game, Mage Marcus felt a rush of excitement in his body as he got ready for the dangerous battle into a cave filled with fierce, raging monsters.
The knight companions by Marcus's side shared his strong determination, their body language as they crouched preparing for an impact.
"Be ready!"
Marcus said, his voice full of excitement about entering this newly awakened dungeon, his eyes and others shining with—hope.
This was the moment they had been waiting for—a chance to meet a new Baron, explore a new dungeon, and find magic scrolls, knight skills, and valuable treasures.
They knew they had to be careful, keeping their reactions and feelings in check.
Throughout their dangerous adventures in dungeons all over the kingdom, whenever they came across a Baron's area, they would carefully explore and learn its secrets, seeking every chance to get ahead.
Whether it was finding rare magic scrolls, uncovering battle ways, or doing other training, they wanted knowledge and personal growth to get ahead!
To them, learning new skills was their only hope—a way to rise above their low status as outcasts in society.
Because in the past, when they became Mana Users, they wrongly thought they could pass their normal human positions, only to be harshly reminded of how small they were in the eyes of the other Mana users and noble dungeon owners—high-ranking nobles and with even greater power.
In this world, schools connected to each other held power, the yearly tests and recruits in each lower area came with both hope and fear.
These events offered a great chance for young people with Mana like Marcus.
If they did very well or had good talent, they could get into respected Schools owned by higher nobles after graduation, or they could find jobs working for the local leaders.
However, for Marcus and his companions, the harsh reality was that their skills were not extraordinary, they were below common warriors in Noble Barons.
So they held onto the smallest bit of hope, their only chance in this high-stakes game of destiny: learning at least one magic skill.
Whether this small achievement would change their futures was unsure, but stories of lucky knights finding an ancient scroll in a random lord's dungeon whispered in their ears.
The tales told of these knights being accepted into the noble viscount's territory, all thanks to that stroke of luck.
It was a chance he and others were willing to take, a risk they were willing to bet everything on.
A chance that is not in front of them.
Whoosh!
As Marcus noticed, his feet hit solid ground, but the expected cave full of raging monsters, like the usual dungeons they had gone into before, could not be found. Instead, there was only a dark void.
"Huh?"
He noticed this.
"Where am I?"
After he said that, the surroundings changed. The once-empty space turned into a lush forest, replacing the rocky area. The air filled with the smell of wet dirt, and the sounds of birds and leaves rustling echoed in Marcus's ears.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting spotted shadows on the ground. It was a beautiful transformation.
However, the change did not end there.
He found the once-green forest turned into a wide empty space, with rocky ground going as far as he could see. The sky grew dark, and heavy rain poured down, soaking him completely. Each raindrop felt heavy, as if nature itself had planned something for him that he would soon learn.
Caught off guard by the sudden change, Marcus couldn't help but show his disbelief.
"What's happening?" he said quietly, his words barely heard over the sound of rain hitting his hood.
He looked around, taking in the strange sight of twisted trees and sharp rocks sticking out of the ground.
Just as confusion filled his mind, Marcus was startled by a bright flash of light.
In front of him, a holographic screen appeared out of thin air, its words glowing with an otherworldly brightness.
His eyes widened as he read the mysterious message that appeared before him:
[ Welcome, young unbloodied members of Vamstroja's clan to the Rite of Passage! ]
"This was the dungeon?"
Marcus muttered, as the screen was similar to the screen on their wrist before they entered the dungeon.
A rush of energy went through his body as he realized the seriousness of the situation.
The screen continued, its words leaving a lasting impression on his mind:
[ Rules:
[ Prove yourself, defeat as many opponents as possible and bathe in their fresh blood to improve the rank and access powerful weapons. ]
Marcus's mind spun, what is this in front of him?
Why does it sound like it was talking to him?
He turned around, his voice shaking, eager to share his amazing discovery with his companions. "Can you all see this?" he called out.
However, much to his disappointment, there was complete silence, and all he could see was a modern-looking spaceship. It seemed sleek and threatening, an impressive creation of otherworldly technology.
Its long shape, sharp corners, and glowing energy channels suggested speed, strength, and a sense of danger.
Inside, the spaceship displayed advanced control panels and screens, showcasing the predator's mastery of technology.