"Hi. I am DK. I am the rookie in your team. Please take care of me." DK extended his hand towards Garin. Garin glanced at DK's outstretched hand but made no move to shake it. Instead, he gave a small grunt and adjusted the warhammer on his shoulder. "Rookie, huh?" he muttered, his gravelly voice low but audible. "Try to keep up, and don't make me babysit you."
DK smirked, pulling his hand back. "Noted," he said evenly, unfazed by the man's gruff demeanor. "I'll do my best to stay out of your way."
Lucy stepped in, her tone smooth and diplomatic. "Garin, this is DK's first outing. He's here to learn and gain experience. I trust you'll make sure things don't spiral out of control."
Garin's sharp gaze flicked to Lucy, then back to DK. "As long as he listens and doesn't do anything stupid, we won't have a problem." Without waiting for a response, Garin turned and started walking towards the on a dirt path to the building next to the Adventurer's Hall .
DK watched him go, then glanced at Lucy. "Charming fellow," he said dryly.
Lucy shrugged, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "He's blunt, but he knows his stuff. That's what matters."
"So how long would it take to go to the dungeon. It will be great to make this like a nice road trip to visit different cities and eat different foods, test different cultures, meet people and understand the world … Umm, you know because I was on coma for several years and never really left the Lin household." DK was almost ready to blurt out that he just transmigrated from another world to Lucy.
"Umm.. Actually, we are just going to take the portal from the building next door. If we were to take the normal path, it would take us months to reach there and with the Trials looming ahead in 6 months, you dont have enough time to do preparation. We have to essentially speedrun through the dungeons. This is a low level dungeon so the ambient mana is stable enough to carry out teleportation." Lucy stopped DK's idea of what a dungeon trip would look like.
DK raised an eyebrow at Lucy's explanation, his excitement about exploring the world instantly deflated. "Portal, huh?" he muttered, feigning casual interest. "So much for a grand road trip. I guess I should've known things would be more... efficient here."
Lucy chuckled softly, noticing his slight disappointment. "Welcome to reality, DK. This isn't some leisurely adventure. Besides, you'll have plenty of chances to see the world—after you survive the Trials."
DK smirked but didn't reply, following Lucy and Garin toward the squat stone building beside the Adventurer's Hall. The structure was far less ornate than its towering neighbor, with its plain exterior and a single metal door flanked by glowing runes. Inside, the air was cool, and the hum of mana was palpable. The room was dominated by a large, circular platform etched with intricate runes that pulsed faintly with power.
Garin stepped onto the platform without hesitation, his warhammer resting casually against his shoulder. "Let's get this over with," he grunted.
Lucy handed a slip of parchment to a clerk standing at a control console nearby. "Three to Verdant Grotto," she said briskly.
The clerk nodded and began adjusting a series of levers and dials. The runes on the platform flared brighter, and a faint shimmering portal began to take shape in the center. "You're set," the clerk said, his tone bored. "Step through when ready."
DK hesitated at the edge of the platform, staring into the swirling energy of the portal. This was it—the start of his journey, the first real test of his abilities in this strange new world. He took a deep breath, forcing down the unease bubbling in his chest.
Lucy placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You've trained for this. Just stick to the plan, and you'll be fine."
DK nodded, stepping onto the platform beside Garin. The mercenary shot him a sidelong glance, his expression unreadable. Lucy joined them, standing slightly behind DK as the portal flared to life, bathing the room in a blinding light.
The sensation of stepping through the portal was like plunging into icy water—briefly disorienting but not unpleasant. DK blinked rapidly as his surroundings shifted, the cool stone room giving way to a lush, vibrant forest. The air was thick with the scent of moss and blooming flowers, and the distant sound of running water mingled with the occasional rustle of leaves.
However a few hundred meters awake shone an arc of light which looked almost the same as the teleportation portal but shining with a light grey hue. There were two guards stationed at the entrance of the arc who looked as large as Garin if not more, but did not seem stronger than Garin. ".
"Whats up Garin! How are you doing? Whose life are you going to make it miserable this time in the dungeon run. Why dont you just carry them through the dungeon like other guides and earn more money." One of the guards shouted as the trio approached the arc entrance into the dungeon.
Lucy approached the guards with IDs of the groups for verification. After checking out, the guards simply touched a few areas on the arc and then the color of the arc changed from grey to light red color. Upon seeing the surprised expression on the changing color of the dungeon entrance. "After the guards activated the keys, the dungeon entrance is truly open. The lower level dungeons like Tier 0 and Tier 1 dungeons have a lighter shade of red while higher tier dungeons have a dark red or black color." Lucy explained to DK. Garin was a bit surprised at DK not knowing the simplest things like the dungeon.
"Where did you come from?" Garin asked DK. DK hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by Garin's blunt question. He glanced at Lucy, who subtly shook her head, signaling him to stick to their cover story. Clearing his throat, DK gave a practiced smile.
"Just a small village in the outskirts. Pretty quiet place, not much going on. Let's just say dungeons weren't exactly part of the curriculum," he said casually, hoping to deflect the question.
Garin squinted at him, clearly unconvinced. "Quiet place, huh? You look like you've seen a fight or two, even if you don't know the basics."
DK shrugged. "Maybe, but not like this. That's why I'm here—to learn."
Lucy stepped in smoothly, redirecting the conversation. "Garin, you'll see soon enough that DK's got potential. He's a quick learner, and this run is just the start. Shall we?"
The mercenary grunted in acknowledgment and gestured toward the glowing red arc. "Fine. Let's move. But rookie, stick close and don't do anything dumb. The Verdant Grotto may be a beginner's dungeon, but it'll still eat you alive if you're careless."
As they stepped through the dungeon's entrance, DK felt a familiar chill run down his spine—the same sensation he'd experienced stepping through the teleportation portal. But this time, it was accompanied by a faint, almost imperceptible pressure, like the air itself was charged with something ancient and alive. The inside of the Verdant Grotto was a stark contrast to the lush forest outside. The air was cooler, and the walls glowed faintly with bioluminescent moss. Small streams of water trickled down the stone, pooling into clear, shallow ponds.
"This is it?" DK asked, his voice low as he took in the serene surroundings. It was hard to imagine this tranquil place could house anything dangerous.
Lucy gave him a small smile. "Don't let the peaceful look fool you. Dungeons are living entities. They lure you in with calm, but they're always watching, waiting to test you."
Garin, already a few steps ahead, snorted. "And by 'test,' she means kill. Stay sharp, rookie. The creatures in here might be weak, but they're not stupid."
As they moved deeper into the grotto, the atmosphere shifted subtly. The glowing moss dimmed, replaced by jagged roots that clawed at the walls. The faint trickle of water grew louder, echoing through the chamber. DK tightened his grip on his sword, his muscles tense.