After the Ebon Council members finished their business with the attendant, they left the hall. As soon as they were gone, the hall burst back into life, filled with chatter and movement once more.
It was like a heavy weight had been lifted off everyone's shoulders. The atmosphere lightened instantly, and people seemed to breathe easier.
Vyn could tell that the council members had purposely released their aura when they entered. It was a silent, swift way to show their superior authority to everyone present. He understood their intention, but what was the need to almost choke people to death? It seemed so unnecessary and cruel.
Vyn thought about how difficult it would have been to withstand such pressure if he were still his past self, weak and powerless. The memory made him clench his fists in frustration. It was really upsetting how force was always the go-to for everything in this world!
It didn't take long before it was Vyn's turn to meet with the attendant. He walked up to the desk and stated his business, handing over his Adventurer's card. The card had all his information, showing he was a D-ranker and a member of the Ironclad Guild.
The lady took the card with a polite smile and inserted it into a box-like machine. It looked similar to the one used in the Chamber of Commerce. Immediately, Vyn's information was displayed on a magically projected screen. However, the information was outdated.
Vyn was now a lone adventurer and no longer a member of the Ironclad Guild. He submitted his letter of expulsion to the attendant, who then edited and updated his information on the screen.
After the information was updated, she issued him a new adventurer's card. Vyn thanked the attendant, feeling a sense of relief as he took the new card and left the hall.
After leaving the hall, Vyn headed straight to the Dungeon Commission Office. It was another large hall located within the association building. Unlike the busy administrative hall, this place was not crowded. Only a few people were seated, either waiting or filling out forms.
Vyn walked over to the attendant's desk where another lady was stationed. She greeted him with a welcoming smile and asked what his business was. Vyn told her he wanted to inquire about available dungeons and purchase a dungeon pass.
He handed over his adventurer's card for verification.
After checking his rank, the lady showed Vyn a list of available D-rank dungeons in Ravencrest. Each dungeon had a brief description of its nature and challenges. It turned out that there were a few D-rank dungeons available today.
Vyn carefully chose the specific dungeon he wanted to explore and was given an application form.
He filled out the form with his personal details, rank, and the specific dungeon he wished to explore. He also paid the fee associated with obtaining a dungeon pass, which was five silver coins.
After the payment, he was given the dungeon pass, a magically enchanted ticket that glowed faintly.
With everything in order, Vyn thanked the clerk and left the office. He boarded a carriage that would take him straight to the dungeon's location. The ride was smooth, and Vyn watched the city pass by through the window, his mind focused on the challenges ahead.
Upon arrival, Vyn could see several people gathered at the dungeon's entrance. Some were adventurers like him, preparing for their own quests. Others were merchants and vendors, selling supplies and equipment.
He could see a steady, swirling vortex of green energy, with occasional sparks of light flickering around its edges like tiny fireflies.
The vortex was large and wide, so big that it could be seen from afar, making it a prominent feature in the landscape. Small traces of magical energy seeped from it, creating a faint, glowing mist that danced around the portal.
Vyn was very familiar with this type of portal. It was a D-rank portal, one he had entered several times before. Each dungeon portal was distinguished by its color and the nature of the energy swirling within it. The level and intensity of magical energy that seeped from them varied depending on the rank of the dungeon to which the portal belonged.
Since this was a D-rank dungeon, the level of magical energy seeping out was fairly manageable. It wasn't too intense, making it bearable for a D-ranker.
At least, there wouldn't be any problem withstanding the pressure for someone of his rank. However, for non-rankers, approaching the proximity of the portal would be far too dangerous.
The same went for dungeons of higher levels. For example, an A-rank dungeon, though it didn't appear often, caused significant disaster and chaos whenever it did. Several roadblocks and barriers would be erected within a radius of several kilometers from the dungeon because the pressure it emitted could threaten an entire city.
On each occasion Vyn had been present at a D-rank dungeon gate, a more serious expression always crept onto his face as soon as he felt the familiar pressure. He struggled to contain it because he knew the difficulty and risk the dungeon posed to him. Each time, he couldn't be sure if he would return alive.
Strangely enough, this time, despite feeling the familiar pressure, his mind was at ease. In fact, there was no trace of panic. Vyn didn't fully understand this phenomenon, but he was sure it had something to do with the new abilities he had gained. It felt like a confidence that came with being stronger, a strong and reassuring feeling that steadied his nerves.
As he got closer to the portal, he could see several people hanging around the premises. Vyn knew he couldn't just enter the dungeon alone and all by himself. He was required to join a party that he would clear the dungeon with. This was the requirement for an unaffiliated ranker.
Unlike when he was a member of the Ironclad Guild, he didn't have the luxury of ready-made dungeon parties. Back then, parties were already divided into groups that took turns for dungeon clearing. It was a very easy process because each appointed captain had the privilege of choosing the members of their group according to their preferences and the formation they intended to use.
Vyn, although devoid of any magical ability, most times took on the role of a tanker as he had very sturdy equipment.
Now, he had to go through the process of finding party members to clear this dungeon with him. Of course, he knew the need to be cautious because of the brutal nature of this battlefield. He had experienced it well in his early days in Ravencrest.
There were different people with different personalities. Since most party members were chosen on a whim, it was really difficult to know the true nature of each and every one of them until the moment of crisis.
Vyn had seen countless people killed or abandoned by their party members in dungeons. It was a sight that had become all too familiar to him. People who were supposed to be allies would turn on each other in the blink of an eye.
Of course, with everything he had experienced, there was no way he would trust anyone. Trust was a luxury he couldn't afford. He would have gladly cleared the dungeon alone if he could, but he knew the difficulty this dungeon posed.
The dangers were too great for him to handle by himself, so he had no other choice but to team up with others.
Vyn took out his newly acquired sword and shield from his storage pouch. The sword gleamed with a sharp, dangerous edge, and the shield had a sturdy, reliable look to it. He sheathed the sword carefully and positioned the shield on his back. The shield, though round, was crafted in a way that made it easy to wear on his back like a backpack.
This design allowed him to carry it without it being cumbersome, and he felt a bit more prepared for the challenges ahead.
Just then, he saw two figures walking towards him from the proximity of the dungeon portal. The portal was a swirling mass of energy where people were gathered, waiting to enter.
As the figures got closer, Vyn couldn't help but crease his brows into a frown. Recognition dawned on him. These were the two people who had been seated beside him at the adventurer's association. He had overheard their conversation about the people from the Ebon Council.
As they both approached him, the boy smiled and said, "Hello, friend. I could vaguely make out the familiarity of your face. It seems like we met at the adventurer's association, right?"
Vyn shrugged his shoulders, indicating he didn't know what the boy was talking about. He wanted to keep his distance and not reveal too much.
Seeing Vyn's behavior, the boy quickly added, "No worries, I met a lot of people there, so I must have been mistaken. I'm Rohan, nice to meet you. This is my sister, Kaelyn, behind me."
He gestured to the girl who had come with him. Kaelyn waved at Vyn with a warm smile.