Aiden, Chloe, and Clara made their way toward the dungeon gate, passing by a long line of adventurers waiting for their turn to enter. The line stretched far down the street, filled with warriors and mages of varying strength, each waiting patiently for their opportunity to dive into the depths of the dungeon in search of fortune. As the trio approached the gate directly, the guards stationed there immediately raised their hands to stop them.
"Get in line like everyone else," one of the guards said gruffly, eyeing them with a professional but firm gaze.
Chloe and Clara exchanged knowing smiles before reaching into their pouches and pulling out their student identification passes. They held them up for the guards to inspect, the insignia of the prestigious capital's academy glinting under the sun.
The moment the guards saw the passes, their attitudes changed immediately. They stepped aside, allowing them passage without any further questions.
Aiden observed this with mild surprise, especially when he noticed the envious glances being thrown their way by the adventurers standing in line. The murmurs of frustration and admiration blended into the background as the three of them stepped forward.
"Is it really okay for me and Clara to be inside with you two?" Aiden asked as they walked toward the entrance. "We're not even students of the academy."
Chloe grinned at him. "One student ID allows one additional person to accompany us inside any dungeon outside the capital. But inside the capital, it's a different story. There, we'd have to line up just like everyone else because all dungeons inside the capital are at the Adept rank and above. There's only one dungeon at the Initiate rank level, and even then, it's restricted to intermediate and advanced Initiate rank students."
Aiden's brows rose in surprise. "So dungeons in the capital are all that strong?"
"Of course," Clara chimed in. "The capital is the heart of the kingdom. The dungeons there aren't just for making money; they serve as training grounds for the truly elite."
Aiden nodded in understanding and followed them into the portal. As they vanished into the shimmering blue light, hooded figures lurking in the shadows of nearby alleyways dispersed into different directions, their presence fading into the crowded city streets.
The moment they stepped into the dungeon, Aiden was hit with a sudden shift in the atmosphere. The air was damp, cool, and carried an earthy scent that contrasted sharply with the bustling city they had just left behind. The cave-like interior stretched out before them, with moss-covered walls emitting a faint bioluminescent glow, providing the only source of natural illumination.
"This is amazing," Aiden muttered, looking around in awe. The dungeon's natural architecture was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was like stepping into another world.
Chloe raised a hand, forming a glowing ball of light that hovered above them, illuminating their surroundings further. "This must be your first time inside a dungeon, right?" she asked knowingly. "Just follow Clara and me. Even though you're strong, dungeons are full of hidden traps that can activate at any moment. Stay alert."
Aiden nodded seriously. He had seen dungeons in games before, but this was the real thing. The real threat wasn't just the monsters but the unexpected dangers lurking in the unknown.
As they started moving forward, Aiden glanced back and saw the entrance portal still glowing with its shimmering blue light, adventurers appearing and disappearing as they entered and exited the dungeon. The sight was surreal.
They soon came across an intersection. To the left, faint battle sounds echoed from the cavern walls. Chloe and Clara immediately took the right path without hesitation.
"Why aren't we going towards the battle sounds?" Aiden asked curiously.
Chloe glanced at him and explained, "People can be extremely sensitive inside dungeons. Unlike outside, what happens in a dungeon stays in a dungeon. If we move toward an ongoing fight, we might come across something we shouldn't have seen, or worse, adventurers might assume we're here to steal their loot. That could lead to an unnecessary confrontation."
Aiden nodded, understanding the logic. This wasn't just about brute force; navigating dungeons required strategy and awareness. It was becoming clearer why attending the academy was beneficial—it provided knowledge that went beyond just combat skills.
As they progressed through multiple crossroads, Aiden was amazed by how effortlessly Chloe and Clara navigated the dungeon without getting lost. When he asked them about it, Clara explained, "At the academy, we learn a general-use spell that marks our locations at different checkpoints. It helps us track where we've been and prevents us from getting lost."
Aiden was astonished. "I never realized there were spells apart from elemental magic that could be so useful." Then, he reminded himself—this was a fantasy world. With magic, anything was possible.
As they continued walking, a sudden noise echoed from the darkness ahead. Chloe immediately signaled them to stop, raising her hand and motioning for silence. They crouched down, peering forward.
From the shadows of a cross-section ahead, a group of goblins emerged. They were small, green-skinned creatures wielding crude daggers and wooden sticks, their beady eyes glinting as they spotted the trio.
The moment the goblins saw them, they shrieked in glee and charged forward, thinking they had found easy prey. Unfortunately for them, they had run into Chloe and Clara first.
Before Aiden could even react, the two girls sprang into action. Clara raised her hand, conjuring a sharp icicle that shot forward, impaling one of the goblins instantly. Chloe, on the other hand, conjured a fiery spear and hurled it at the approaching enemies, engulfing them in flames. Within seconds, the goblins lay motionless on the dungeon floor.
Aiden blinked. He hadn't even had a chance to lift a finger.
Chloe and Clara turned to him, grinning. "When dealing with dungeon monsters, their mana cores can be either inside their heads or chests," Clara explained. She pulled out a small dagger from her backpack and began cutting open one of the goblin corpses.
Watching them rummage through the bodies as if they were searching for treasure made Aiden's eye twitch. They were acting so naturally that it almost felt like they were seasoned scavengers. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head.
After a few moments, Chloe held up a mana core. "Got one."
Clara grinned and held up two. "I got lucky."
Satisfied, they turned to Aiden. "Use your water magic so we can wash our hands."
Aiden sighed, feeling like a glorified water dispenser, but complied. He conjured a small stream of water, allowing them to clean their hands. The girls smirked at him before they continued deeper into the dungeon.
Meanwhile, back at the dungeon entrance, another group of adventurers stepped through the portal. Unlike the others, they were clad in grey robes, their faces hidden beneath their hoods.
The leader of the group turned to one of his subordinates. "Did you bring the tracker?"
The man at the back nodded, pulling out a small device that pulsed with a faint glow. "Yes, the tracker is working." He showed it to the leader, who examined it briefly before grinning.
"Good. Let's move. We're going to strike it rich today by selling that magical beast."
The group chuckled darkly as they disappeared into the shadows, making their way toward the direction where Aiden and the girls had ventured.
The hunt had begun.