Chapter 37: The Dungeon
Dungeons appear all the time in the Field Zone but mostly deeper in, where monsters crawl and it's dangerous. Unlike close to the Houses' territories were.
So all the Houses were pretty excited because they would have a way to train their members. Besides, it's only an E-ranked Dungeon, there's nothing to worry about.
The second-year students should be able to handle it.
That was all everyone thought.
Even the Academy didn't pay much attention to it, but the only curious thing was that the Head Instructor set the price for entering the Dungeon very high and only limited the Houses going to not be more than three.
Ordinarily, Dungeons are the property of the Emperor, even the hundreds that haven't appeared. That's the law, and what that means is that the Empire gets a large share in interest whenever any Dungeon is cleared.
But sometimes, Associations and Guilds can make a sub-contract to buy any Dungeon that appears, both in the future or right then in a given territory. The Emperor still gets his money, but it's not based on when Dungeons are cleared.
So the Academy has the full rights to do with their Dungeon what they wanted.
"Twenty-eight thousand credits? Isn't this a bit too much?" Julius asked.
By this time, they've turned the Class Five abandoned building into their temporary House building.
"That amount will be enough to build the House building in the Field Zone and equip it to some extent, and it's only an E-ranked."
Severin was in the middle of the room, covered in sweat. He was doing some exercise where he would have to bend and flex the different joints in his body.
It's to make the body move in ways that he pictured in his mind.
"We are buying it," Severin said, breathing hard.
Julius wasn't surprised to hear Severin say that. With the map that he was provided and then with the way he'd pushed the team to train daily in teamwork, it was only natural that he was preparing for something.
He adjusted his glasses as he watched Celia and Derrick fight in one corner, cracking what's left of the floor. Then his eyes returned to Severin. '...this guy... he must have an artifact that lets him see the future... or rewind time somehow...'
Severin turned to Julius. "What we will gain will be more than twenty thousand credits."
▪︎▪︎☆☆☆▪︎▪︎▪︎ free𝑤ebnovel.com
Two days later, three Houses' representatives stood in front of the Dungeon.
House Draconis, House Solarin, and the new House Chains.
"I feel like a barbarian on his first trip to a city," Ethan muttered.
There was a sharp contrast between the three Houses. And it's not the fact that two Houses turned their backs on one House.
House Draconis and House Solarin were made up of teams that were at least fifteen members strong. And with the way they were dressed, they all had their specialized roles to play.
From the heavy armor Etherion users to the lightly dressed ones and those that looked like they attack from afar. And those must be support, right?
Unlike House Chains that were only made up of five people. Severin himself, was dressed as if he was going on a stroll, the only difference was that a sword hung from his waist.
Derrick at least wore a metal glove, and Celia was dressed all the same in her school uniform. Julius was the same as well, constantly adjusting his glasses.
Only Ethan wore a full set of armor and carried a bigger hammer.
But Severin wasn't all that amazed. His eyes weren't on the teams but on those who the teams were bringing along.
The Houses were trying to recruit the promising students in Year One, and they're not holding back. They've invited some of them over to show the strength of their Houses.
The main protagonist and his group were one of those students invited. And why not? He currently holds the position of the strongest.
And then in House Draconis is the rival of the protagonist and his own group—a white-haired dude with ice powers, Talon Kareth.
'...in this event... Lucas will end up saving his rival, Talon, which would make the guy hate the main protagonist all the more and move him to begin to form a criminal organization of his own that sought power at all costs... won't he also experiment with the OPT Core...?'
'...now that I think about it, there's sure a lot of drama going around...'
Severin blinked and looked away, ignoring the stares and whispers thrown his way. Why bother? It's not like their whispers and glares could do anything to him.
Instead, he was thinking of what he had to do in the Dungeon, and he couldn't help the slight shiver that ran down his spine.
"...that is all the rules. Remember, this is a Rank E Dungeon, so it should be easily cleared by even the strong from Year One. The Academy won't be responsible for any accidents inside the Dungeon. If you know you can't continue, then you can just stop now."
The Academy representative said. It was supposed to be a message to all of them, but his eyes were focused on House Chains and Severin, with lips twisting in disdain.
Severin made no reaction, even when Derrick sneered and glared right back.
Eventually, the man turned away and gestured to the gently spinning blue portal that hung in mid-air.
House Chains went last, and the representative had something to say before they entered, blocking their paths with his guards. "My work here is done, but still, are you really going to let your pride continue with the childish charade?
"Even an E-rank is too much for this group of weaklings you assembled. Why don't you just turn back now?" the man sneered.
Severin didn't hesitate as he continued to walk forward. Eventually, the guards made way.
The representative shook his fingers at him. "Do as you wish and kill your team members then!"
Severin shook his head.
Oh yes, he knew just too well. There would be lots of deaths. The Scar members hiding inside would make sure of that. And the fact that the monsters inside were far stronger than they should be.
But he needed no death for his team members, not when Severin went to such lengths to get them and invest in them. They were still useful, after all.