Chương 61: The Rest Of The Team

When Damion heard Arica say that people with the rarest affinities did not like to share them, it made him think that she had not shared her affinity with anyone here. Sure, spatial affinity might not be incredibly rare, but spatial mages were, as Arica pointed out previously. If the groups so far were only making 40 to 100 gold from a run, Damion could not help but wonder how much his group would be able to make in a single run with Arica's Spatial affinity.

The graveyard did not offer them much in the way of materials, just low-quality weapons and Demonic Beast cores. From the sound of this forest dungeon, there would be more materials available, though no weapons or armor, since the Demonic Beasts were in the form of animals. While their party of three were getting to know the other teams gathered in the waiting area, Damion was keeping an eye out for their final members. After about a half-hour wait, Damion finally saw two coming their way from the overseer's tent.

The first was a tall good-looking man, with a clean haircut and a square jaw, and while he looked powerfully built, he did not wear any armor, nor did he appear to carry a weapon. The man had strangely white hair with earrings in both ears and was wearing what Damion guessed was enchanted clothing, as his shirt and pants seemed to reflect light at different angles as he approached. The other person was an average height woman with brown hair, wearing a shin length cloak over an armored chest plate.

She carried something in a tube attached to a strap slung over her shoulder, but Damion was not sure what type of weapon it was. When Arica saw the woman she jumped over with a shriek of happiness and ran over to her giving her a hug.

"Christine, it is so wonderful to see you," Arica said after hugging the woman.

"We have a lot of catching up to do."

"We sure do. I heard you managed to get into a C Rank dungeon not too long ago?"

"Yes, it was quite the educational experience. I bet this run will be quite a bit easier by comparison."

"Hello Arica," the man said after Christine and Arica had made their greetings. Damion had no impression of the man yet, but after he spoke Arica gave him a glare that spoke volumes.

"Theodore Bianco, do not address me in such a familiar manner," Arica said coldly. Whatever the history was between these two and Arica, Damion was sure of one thing, Arica did not like this guy.

"Shall we get going then?" Damion interjected. The tension was heavy in the air and whatever the history these two had with Arica, Damion did not think it was in any of their group's interest to discuss it in the open where the other parties were sure to gossip about it.

"Good idea," Ethan said with a smile while looking right at Christine.

"We can get to know each other in the dungeon."

"Sounds like an excellent idea to me," Theodore agreed. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. Arica said nothing but nodded towards Damion. The group set off to the dungeon portal not too far away and checked in with the attendant.

"Please collect as much material from the Demonic Beasts as possible," the attendant told them during his short briefing on the dungeon.

"The Association is only taking a five percent fee for admission into the dungeon, but all materials must be turned in and your group will split the value assigned to the materials."

"Have there been any rare materials found in the dungeon so far?" Ethan asked.

"All the materials turned in so far have been of the E Rank and classified as common or uncommon. The Demonic Beasts found inside have all been similar to Demonic Beasts found in other dungeons. Any other questions?"

"Have any flora specimens been brought back?" Theodore asked. The question took Damion by surprise. In the graveyard everything had been dead or dying, even the weeds had been withering, so he had never considered collecting plant samples. The idea made sense to him though. Plants with magic properties grew best where magic was abundant. If Demonic Beasts could somehow live in the pocket dimensions that were dungeons, it only made sense that the plant life there was a harvestable resource as well.

"A few samples of wildflowers and fungi, but nothing turned in so far as been of value. However, it is unlikely any of the groups that have entered thus far could tell magic plants from ordinary ones."

"Well, I guess I will just have to keep an eye out," Theodore smirked.

"Any other questions? No? Alright then. In you go." Ethan hurried through the portal followed by Christine, Arica and Theodore. Damion stepped through last and when he appeared in the dungeon, he almost felt like he had not gone anywhere. If it was not for the attendant not being here and the fact that the clearing made by the Adventurer Association had reverted to its natural state, Damion would swear they were still in the Benault Forest.

The trees looked the same, even the smell of place was like the same, though Damion had to admit he did not know if other forests smelled differently since he had only even been in one.

"Ethan, Damion, get your armor on while we do some introductions," Arica told them.

"I'll go first shall I?" Theodore said as he watched Damion and Ethan drop their packs and start donning their armor.

"Theodore Bianco, Holy affinity mage. I'll be your healer for this dive. Pleased to meet you fine sirs." Damion could feel the sarcasm in the mage's voice, but he ignored it. Next Christine introduced herself.

"Christine Horn, Metal affinity mage. I am our backline damage dealer," Christine told them as she removed a bow from the tube slung on her shoulder. Damion did not see any arrows, but as a mage Damion guessed she had some method of magical attack.

"Ethan Hoyt, knight, dual daggers with enchantments for armor bypassing, un-closable wounds and paralysis. I guess I'm the mobile attacker." Damion noticed that the daggers Ethan had were different from the ones he used before and guessed he had bought new ones with his spoils from the graveyard. Today Ethan also wore armor, though, not a full set like Damion, just a leather chest piece that looked flexible, but would still give him some protection and vambraces to protect his arms.

"Damion Wells, knight, sword user with a fire attack glyph. I'll try and only use it when necessary though, as my attack would likely significantly lower the value of the Demonic Beasts I kill. I guess I'm the main attacker."

"You guess? Are you not sure then?" Theodore mocked.

"Well, when we did a C Rank dungeon in Saung a few weeks ago I was the main attacker, well until the C Rank champions showed up. But I did alright until I was overmatched by three Ranks."

"Overmatched by three Ranks? Are you telling me you are only F Rank?"

"What? No, I just passed my E Rank exam," Damion said as he was beginning to understand why knights typically did not like to interact with mages.

"Barely squeaked through by the looks of you. How old are you kid?"

"15. I've only been a licensed adventurer for a few months. But I did score a 705 on my advancement test."

"A 15-year-old, scoring a 705, that's a load of…"

"Enough," Arica cut in.

"I can vouch for Damion. I was in that dungeon run with him and have done other missions with him as well. He has naturally high mana, probably more mana than you Mage Bianco."