Chương 380: Chapter 370 - The First Dungeon

Imani turned the hammer over in his hands, studying the rough iron head with a calm, steady focus. The torchlight slid across its pitted surface, catching the worn edges and the faint dust lodged in its cracks, signs of long use rather than fine craftsmanship. Lukas crouched beside him, eyes narrowed.

"So you just found it lying there, on the ground? No orb at all?" Alonso shook his head.

"No. After the bandit leader died I checked his gear, and the prompt appeared on its own. There was no orb anywhere."

"Fascinating," Lukas said as he rubbed his chin.

"So items and orbs come from the Dungeon, but we can take items directly off others as well. Not sure if stealing works or if the owner must die first, but it is still useful knowledge." Alonso watched them for a moment, then something occurred to him. He sent Lukas a private signal." When you observe the item, what exactly do you see?"" Name and benefits," Lukas replied." The 1% to both aptitudes. Why?"" It is as I thought," Alonso said, frowning slightly." I can see something extra. The Grade of the item.

Same way I saw it for the Titles before."" Oh… the Observer rank," Lukas said slowly." Interesting. So what Grade are they? And can you see Grades on the items from the last stage, or only these?"" Both are Grade 1," Alonso said." The previous items showed nothing beyond name and aptitude. However…

"He paused and glanced again at the hammer." These ones have something else called Tempering State. Both are at zero."" Tempering?

"Lukas frowned." I would guess it relates to upgrading or improving the items in some way. We should dig into that as soon as we can."" Improving items…

"Alonso murmured." It seems gear is quite important in this stage."" I agree," Lukas said, smiling." Though not these ones, that is for sure," he added with a quiet chuckle. Alonso nodded. His eyes drifted to the leather vambrace he wore, the one that had adjusted perfectly to his size the moment he put it on. The benefit was small, but he had a feeling that Grade and Tempering State meant future items would be far more powerful than they first expected. They heard footsteps as Leonie approached.

"So how much do we have?" Lukas asked.

"All converted, it comes to the equivalent of 4 Silvermarks and 428 Coppershards," she said calmly.

"So enough to enter the Dungeon, but not enough to register even one of us as adventurers afterwards," Lukas said. He let out a sigh.

"I am guessing we will have to sell some of whatever we find inside."

"It should not be an issue to get the required funds," Leonie said. Her eyes lingered on Imani's hammer for a moment before she continued.

"We can sell some of the items or orbs from the Dungeon. That alone should cover it. Once we learn more about the world, with our strength, we should be able to find easier and quicker ways to earn enough coins."

"Fair enough. So we have to decide who the lucky seven are," Lukas said with a grin.

"What about we keep it simple and go with us six and you?" Leonie narrowed her eyes.

"By 'us six', you mean all Gen-1?"

"Yep."

"Hm." Leonie would have preferred Leonhard inside too, if only to avoid potential friction later. But without Robert, Leonhard was not close to Gen-1's standard and did not justify the slot. Robert or Collin were possibilities, but since no one could be affected by two external support-type mutations at once, both of them became redundant with her brother present. And then there was Madelaine. Her mutation was useful in specific encounters, especially against enemies with strong EM output.

But there was someone more valuable than all the others for a Dungeon environment, and Leonie preferred to argue only for his inclusion and not open the door to a full debate.

"I believe we need Pablo in the Dungeon," she said, face composed.

"His mutation works with orbs, his summons are perfect for scouting and baiting, and his field skill gives wide-range support." Lukas rubbed his chin. Adding Pablo made perfect sense. But that meant removing someone else. Who? His sister? He felt the hesitation immediately. Personal feelings aside, and from everything Alonso had told him, she was the strongest member of Gen-2. Her seed of Will was beginning to take shape. Mentally, she was everything they wanted a teammate to be.

On top of that, she had helped gather the funds for the Dungeon and clearly intended to join. Leaving her out did not sit right. Lukas sighed and leaned back. So much for stepping away from leadership. He stayed silent for a moment, then decided to cut through the issue before it brewed into drama. He sent a wave to all Gen-1." Alright, we have seven slots for the Dungeon. We need Leonie and Pablo in it. Are any of you willing to sit this one out?" The answer came quickly." I will stay behind," Wang said.

Lukas hesitated for a moment, unsure how Wang would take it, but the calm in his transmission said enough. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He had already processed it. Already accepted it. Internally, Lukas knew it was the right call. Anything he said now might only make it worse, might turn a practical decision into something personal. So he kept it simple." Alright."

Alonso stood before the wooden fort, a squat structure of sharpened logs set in a rough oval no longer than seventy metres from end to end. The walls were reinforced with overlapping planks, each one darkened by weather and sap. Watch platforms rose at uneven heights, manned by guards with spears and shortbows. Smoke drifted lazily from a central firepit within, carrying the scent of damp ash and boiled roots. His EM waves swept through the fort.

Fourteen guards patrolled the interior, most pacing along the narrow walkways behind the walls. Two more stood at the entrance, framed beneath a crude wooden arch carved with a crest he guessed was that of Baron Hoggs. Their posture alone marked them as a tier above the bandits. Their Stage Progress fluctuated between 28-30%. Each carried at least one item that gave off a faint feel, odd shapes tucked beneath cloaks or strapped along belts. Stronger than bandits for sure, but if needed…

he could kill all sixteen without effort. He felt no threat at all. But trouble now was the last thing they wanted. Leonie stepped forward with calm, collected confidence, her posture clean and poised. The two guards stiffened the moment they saw her approach. Their armour was mismatched leather with metal buckles, but they held their spears with a practiced grip.

"Halt there," the first guard said. His voice was crisp, carrying the stiff tone of an old British sentry.

"State yer purpose traveler."

"We are looking to enter Gura's Dungeon," Leonie said, her tone warm and steady. She offered a polite incline of her head, just enough to acknowledge their authority without yielding an inch. The guards examined the group behind her. Alonso, Ayu, Lukas, Chiara, Imani, and Pablo. Seven immensely odd individuals for any corner of the forest. Their posture, clothing, and quiet poise made it obvious they were not simple travellers. The second guard narrowed his eyes.

"Strange lot, you are. Not from round these parts. What brings you to the Baron's grounds? And what business have you inside the Dungeon?" Leonie smiled lightly, bright enough to soften the edge of suspicion without seeming unnatural.

"We come from the northern valleys," she said.

"Small settlement, hardly worth naming. We arrived here two nights ago after being separated from a larger caravan. We were hoping to clear the Dungeon for coin. As you can see, we have the numbers needed." The first guard blinked, taken aback by her confidence.

"You were part o' a caravan, miss?"

"Yes," Leonie replied smoothly.

"We were escorting a merchant family, but bandits kept harassing the trail. In the chaos, we were left behind. They continued east. We headed here instead." The guard scratched his beard, clearly trying to assess the truth of her words. Leonie smiled again, warmer this time. The man froze for half a second, colour touching his cheeks. He coughed sharply into his fist, as if steadying himself.

"Right then. Apologies, miss. Just bein' thorough."

"Of course," Leonie said, voice softening.

"I appreciate your diligence." The guard nodded with a flustered stiffness, then held out his hand.

"Entry fee for The Tall Bugger is three Silvermarks. Toll for the Baron. Paid in advance." Tall Bugger? The Dungeon's name? Leonie opened the hide bag on her belt and placed the required Silvermarks into the guard's palm.

"Everything seems in order," the guard said, his voice a little too quick.

"Clear to enter. The pathway leads straight to the Dungeon gate." The second guard stepped aside and tapped his spear against the ground. The wooden gate groaned open, revealing the fort's cramped interior. A narrow path wound between tents, crude barricades, stacked crates, and racks of spare weapons that clattered softly in the breeze. Alonso looked around as they entered. The guards inside paused mid-step to stare at them. Every soldier in the fort was male, and most of them could not seem to help themselves.

Their gazes lingered too long on Ayu. Alonso felt irritation rise in his chest. He wanted to release a pulse of pressure to remind them who they were dealing with. But provoking trouble on the Baron's grounds would be a poor choice, especially before entering the Dungeon. Ayu noticed it before he acted. She stepped closer with a lopsided grin, slid her hand into his, and gave an exaggerated whistle as she walked beside him. Alonso breathed out softly, tension easing.

He ignored the stares and kept moving with a smile as he looked at her. The group followed the narrow path until they reached another set of wooden gates at the far end. Two guards stood waiting beside them. When the group approached, both men stepped forward and pulled the gates open. Beyond them lay a corridor of white light. It stretched forward in a perfectly straight line, glowing softly, with faint green undertones drifting through it like mist caught in sunlight.

It carried the same strange quality as the white chairs, except this passage was level. Neither rising nor falling. A straight doorway into a different space. A pocket world. Alonso paused for a moment and exchanged a look with Ayu. Without a word, both stepped through the white corridor and crossed the boundary. The world shifted. The air was thicker and moist, carrying the scent of fresh sap and damp earth. A wide green meadow stretched beneath their feet, grass brushing softly against their boots.

But the landscape ahead was dominated by something far greater. Ayu stared upward, her brows narrowing.

"A giant plant… a vine?" Lukas stepped in behind them and let out a short laugh.

"You have got to be kidding me." He walked past Ayu and Alonso, eyes fixed on the massive stalk rising before them.

"This is Jack and the Beanstalk!" Alonso lifted his gaze again. The vine was colossal, wider than a fortress tower, its surface layered with thick coils and ridged bark-like segments. It twisted as it rose, vanishing into a ceiling of rolling clouds far above. Sunlight scattered across its surface, catching patches of moss and enormous leaves that swayed like sails in a slow, high breeze. For a moment, a memory flickered in his mind as Lukas' words echoed.

A cartoon he had watched long ago, where a boy bought strange beans and a beanstalk grew into the sky. The resemblance was uncanny.

"This… do we know how to get back?" Pablo asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Alonso turned, and the others followed his gaze. There was no gate. No exit. The entrance had vanished behind them. Silence settled over the group for a moment.

"Well, I suppose we just have to complete the instance," Lukas said with a shrug.

"No point worrying about it now." Chiara looked at him.

"You said 'Jack and the Beanstalk'… what is that?" Lukas blinked.

"You do not know it? The children's story?" Chiara shook her head. Lukas stared for a moment, genuinely surprised. With perfect memory, especially in Chiara's case, anything she had ever heard or read remained stored with absolute clarity. The fact she did not recognise the name meant she had never once encountered it. Not a book, not a show, not even a passing reference. Then again, her childhood had been anything but ordinary. He exhaled slowly.

"It is a simple tale from Earth. A boy trades his cow for supposedly magical beans, and when he plants them, a massive beanstalk grows into the sky. At the top there is a giant who lives in a castle. The boy climbs up, steals treasure, escapes, and cuts the beanstalk to stop the giant chasing him." Chiara listened with a thoughtful expression. She turned her gaze to the giant beanstalk.

"And from this alone you can tell?"

"More or less," Lukas said.

"If The Tower is already drawing from Earth's history, then using its stories and folklore as inspiration for the Dungeons is not a stretch." She nodded, accepting the logic. Alonso looked up toward the distant canopy of clouds. He knew the story well enough, yet he could not help but wonder how much of it the Tower had actually borrowed. If the beanstalk was here… would there also be a giant waiting at the top?