"Are you sure I can come?" Eagan asked in surprise. "I don't have a Hunter's identification card yet. And the law is against having no identified members enter dungeons."
"I'm going to ask Thane to arrange a temporary Hunter's Identification card for you. As long as you have a guide and a guarantor, you can enter a dungeon with a temporary card," Alastair assured.
"And if it can't work, then we can both hunt down monsters to clear out the newly acquired training dungeon for Blue Wolf Guild." He added with a cheeky grin.
"But I would like for you to come with me to the C-rank dungeon," Alastair explained. "It's going to be a bonding time for us, and I can see what you are capable of in the face of danger."
Eagan hummed in agreement and then frowned. "But a C-rank dungeon? That's a big leap from the E-rank dungeons I've been doing."
Alastair chuckled. "You've shown remarkable progress, Eagan. I think you're ready for this. Besides, I'll be there to guide you. In your words, what could happen, right?"
"Right," Eagan nodded eagerly. "I won't let you down, Alastair."
Alastair smiled, his expression serious. "I know you won't. Now, get some rest. We have an early start tomorrow. And I'll probably be a long day."
As Alastair left the room, Eagan felt a surge of excitement. He was ready to prove himself, not just to Alastair but to himself, that he was now a different person from his past life, and he'd do anything to keep his loved ones safe.
The next morning, Eagan arrived at the Blue Wolf guild, his last-minute second-hand gear in check. Alastair waited for him, a temporary Hunter's Identification card in hand.
"Thane arranged this for you," Alastair explained, handing Eagan the card. "It's only valid for this week, but it'll give you access to the E to C-rank dungeons for that one week."
"He said he could arrange for a permanent card for you without you needing to complete your hunter academy training, but only if you accept his proposal to join the Blue Wolf Guild," Alastair added.
Eagan's eyes narrowed at the proposal, and he scoffed. "Isn't he satisfied that he already has one of the brothers?" He muttered.
"Having one more on board isn't bad, I guess?" Alastair replied with a smile. "But why don't you wish to join?"
"Not to be smug, but he made you one of the best proposals any guild could make. Besides, Blue Wolf Guild has a solid reputation. You won't be losing out." Alastair pointed out.
Eagan hummed but made no attempt to explain his reasons for turning down such a mouthwatering proposal. It was true that Thane's offer was the best he could get for his level, but knowing what would happen in the near future made him calm about his choices.
"I still have enough time to think about it. For now, I just want to focus on training and getting stronger, and then my mana affinity." Eagan explained and Alastair nodded with further questions.
"So where is this dungeon we are heading off to?" He asked after checking out the temporary card.
"It's the crimson lair," Alastair replied as they got into the car and drove towards their destination. "It's a C-rank dungeon, known for its ruthless mobs and dangerous terrain. It was previously under the authority of the Tiger Guild, but after they failed to clear it three times, it was transferred to me."
"The Tiger guild is strong; how come they fail to clear a C-rank dungeon?" Eagan asked curiously.
"Well, the dungeon has a number restriction. Only five C-rank hunters can go in at a time. And the stronger the person who goes in, the more difficult the raid will be. I'm taking you to Alastair ce out the difficulty." Alastair winked and Eagan rolled his eyes, unamused by his brother's antics.
"What kind of mobs can we expect?" Eagan questioned.
"Mainly blood wolves, crimson bats, hounds, and the occasional pack of ghouls," Alastair replied, his expression serious. "But the real challenge lies in the dungeon's layout. Narrow tunnels, hidden traps, and sudden ambushes will keep us on our toes."
Their vehicle, a sturdy SUV, came to a stop in front of a heavily guarded hall. Alastair presented his identification card, and Eagan followed suit as they both walked into the hall where the dungeon entrance was located.
"I can't believe a dungeon will open up in such a place. How scary would it have been if it broke and monsters came rushing out during rush hours or something." Eagan mumble.
Alastair chuckled. "The Guild Association has measures in place to prevent that. They detected the energies from the dungeon before it appeared, and usually, we can evacuate the civilians before a break happens." He explained.
"That's in most cases, though; sometimes we don't detect the energies until the dungeon breaks." He added.
As they entered the hall, Eagan noticed a mix of hunters, tiger guild members, and association officials. The atmosphere was tense, with everyone focused on their respective missions.
"I thought we were going alone. Why are all of them here?" Eagan asked.
"For formalities," Alastair replied. "We don't know what to expect, so it's better they are here in case of an emergency."
With the arrangements concluded, Alastair and Eagan approached the dungeon entrance. The Hunter Association representative official gave a final nod.
"Remember, communication devices will be unreliable inside. Rendezvous at the central map or the entrance if the map is too big, like a for or a kingdom, if you get separated." Alastair warned.
"Got it." Eagan nodded and took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself.
As they stepped into the dungeon, the entrance sealed behind them, and the sound of grinding stone filled the air. Eagan's vision blurred, and when it cleared, he found himself standing in a narrow, dimly lit tunnel. The air reeked of blood and decay.
He looked around, disoriented, and realised Alastair was nowhere in sight. "Alastair?" Eagan called out into his communication device, his voice echoing through the tunnel.
No response.
Eagan walked out of the tunnel, following the light ahead while trying to figure out where he had been transported. Looking around, he noticed he was surrounded by large trees. He was in the middle of the forest.
He searched the surroundings more to figure out what type of monsters lived in this part of the forest—at least the area he was assigned to hunt.
Soon he noticed the claw marks on the tree and pulled out his map, studying the layout. He was on the western side of the dungeon, near the Blood Wolf Den.
"A good place to start hunting, if I must say," he muttered and unsheathed his swords to begin his hunting. "And without Alastair here, I can use my mana without being discovered since I haven't told him I unlocked my blocked mana path already."
Realising he was missing something, Eagan stood straight and asked. "Arianna, you do not have a task for me?" He asked
The system panel appeared in response to his question. "No, for now, focus on training as much as possible. If possible, get your level to twenty in this dungeon, and we begin assigning tasks to you."
Eagan hummed at the system's reply and immediately got aim action, hunting for his prey.
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the dungeon, Alastair stood in the middle of the thick, dark forest, surrounded by several hundred crimson eyes. He was quick to realise that he was in the Crimson Bat territory.
Unbothered by the glaring bat eyes surrounding him, Alastair fished out his communication device, trying to see if Eagan was alright. "Eagan, respond," he called out into the communications device.
Static.
Alastair's expression turned grim. They had been separated, just as he'd expected. "So it's one person for each territory," he hummed thoughtfully.
"Since I can't trust that boy on his own without mana, I'll just have to finish all of you quick and then go look for him." He declared with a sinister grin as he fished out and summoned his twin swords.
He knew Eagan was capable to an extent, but the thought of his brother facing the Crimson Lair's dangers alone made his heart race faster than ever.
Alastair's grip on his swords tightened, and with one large leap, he cut down several Crimson bats in one fell swoop. However, to his horror, he noticed the dead bats began to merge into one under the darkness of the forest. "Oh dear me, this is going to take longer than I want." He snickered, and his expression turned serious.
"You can merge all you want; I'll just have to cut you into tiny pieces that can be easily blown away by the wind!"