Chapter 42: C42 – Dungeon

"Alright! Times up!"

Not long after Jaxon joined the group, the teacher made everyone stop. 

The students had mostly formed groups. Groups of 5 or 6 were scattered all throughout the arena. In total, there were a bit over 200 students, and most were in groups. There were only around 40 who were still unassigned. 

After the 40 were brought forward, the teacher simply divided them all up into groups of 5. With that, every student was in a group. 

"Now that all of you have your party, make sure you don't lose them. Just know that you won't be allowed to enter the dungeon if you aren't in a group of 5. Now, all of your groups will be further divided into 5. There are 5 lesser dungeons around the city, and you will be split among them. You will also have your leaders, so follow their directions. And since you will be going into the city, I will warn you beforehand: no wandering! Stray away from the group and disciplinary action will be taken. Now, wait as we divide you."

With that, several teachers came out and began moving the groups of students. It wasn't long until all the 200 students had been divided into 5 bigger groups. 

After that, the leaders of each group led their students out of the arena one by one. Dirk's group was second to go, and when they did, Jaxon hoisted everyone's bags, taking to his job easily. Alec gave him a thumbs up as they walked out. 

The place they went to was the plaza just outside of the academy gates. There were dozens of ordinary citizens that walked around, but all of them stayed a distance from the carriages parked in lines. Dirk's large group was walked to the carriages and then packed into several of them, each group getting their own carriage. All the bags were thrown into a storage area as Dirk's group boarded. 

On one side, Dirk sat down with Ava. The three others took to the other side, looking at the two with a smile. Not long after, there was a shout, and the carriage started moving. Dirk's group all looked out the window as they moved into the bustling streets of the city.

As he listened to the wooden wheels roll against stone, Dirk closed his eyes and dove into a bit of a trance, obviously not interested in interacting with anybody. However, instead of allowing silence to prevail, Alec quickly spoke.

"So have you guys heard about what we're doing?"

Hearing him, Dirk's eyes opened, slightly unhappy that he wanted to converse. After glancing at Alec, he closed his eyes again, and Ava answered. 

"I haven't."

"Well I have. Today they're only going to be training us on basic things. Like how to navigate a dungeon, what to look for, the monsters inside, and some survival skills along with some combat. I believe this is actually a two-day dive, so we will be staying the night within the dungeon. Then we'll head home at the end of the second day. After that, we're on our own for any dives we want to do."

"Really? Two days of training and that's it?"

Ava questioned surprisedly. Alec nodded as he shifted into a more comfortable position. 

"Well other than some basic strategies, there's not much the teachers can teach. The only thing they would be good for is protection, and obviously we won't have anything like that in the future. People learn best through experience, so after giving us something of a foundation, they're leaving us to our own devices."

"I get that, but why would anyone want to dungeon dive then? Other than fighting monsters, there's not much to do there."

"Actually, there is."

Alec smiled at her.

"For one, dungeons are a huge source of money. People are always in need of monster parts, the stronger the better obviously. Two, dungeons are the perfect place to practice spells and work on your magic. To become a great mage, you need to understand magic, which requires using magic. You can't do that just anywhere, so we use dungeons as hunting grounds. Three, cultivating a higher Tier requires materials, which requires money. And four, getting better gear requires money, and this can help maintain your life so you actually have a chance at raising your Tier."

"So the dungeons are all about money."

"Pretty much."

Alec nodded at her conclusion.

"Powerful people require wealth. That's how the empire's hierarchy works. The more powerful you are, the better position you receive, and the more money and influence you have. Dirk's parents are Marquesses, a position earned by his father being one of the most powerful people in the world. That power naturally comes with huge influence and money which he can use to build himself and his family higher."

Alec spoke with flourishing hand gestures. Getting to this point, Dirk's eyes finally opened, and he looked at Alec. Thinking for a second, the status of Dirk's parents wasn't exactly a big secret. Dirk was just surprised by someone speaking of it so casually. 

Alec met Dirk's gaze and spoke.

"My parents are also Marquesses, though they work in a different industry, so I doubt you know them. And Ava, I believe your parents are Earls?"

"Y-yes. You know that?"

Ava tilted her head at him, a bit self conscious at the mention of her parents.

"My father has taught me all things political since I was young. Knowing anyone with any form of influence is one of the things he had me do. Knowing names is very valuable. Harmut's parents are also Earls. However, I'm not sure what level your parents are at, Jaxon."

Alec turned to Jaxon, whose eyes were bulging a bit. Hearing the implied question, he shrank back with a red face.

"M-my parent's are Barons..."

He scratched his head, feeling even more embarrassed. Barons were the lowest of all nobles, a level below a Viscount which was a level below an Earl. Ava and Harmut were kings compared to him, let alone Dirk and Alec. Right now, he felt like a peasant, and compared to them he may as well be. Being the group's porter didn't help that feeling either.

Alec just chuckled though.

"Hey, don't sweat it guy. You got into the academy, which means you alone could elevate your entire family. Just work hard."

"R-right."

Jaxon nodded, Alec's charisma brightening his mood and boosting his determination.

Alec wasn't wrong either. There were many like Jaxon who barely got into the academy and were using it to help their family. With the academy's abundant resources, anyone with talent and determination could become powerful and elevate their status. There were many examples of such happenings, and it was very possible. After all, the empire wanted a strong population, and there were many hidden talents among the lower class. This was why the academy was one of the most sought after institutions not only in the empire, but in the world. 

Jaxon knew this, and he couldn't help but feel elated with Alec's words of encouragement. It was his dream to raise his Tier and support his family.

The group talked for a while longer as the carriage rolled down the streets. Alec made smooth conversation the entire way, and while Dirk never spoke much, Ava, Jaxon, and Harmut made up for that. Everyone seemed to bond a level by the time they exited the city. 

Dirk watched as they rolled up to the city gates. In all his life, he had never been so far away from home. The city itself was a couple dozen miles wide, so while it wasn't exactly far, it felt that way for Dirk who had always existed only a couple miles from his house. He took in the unfamiliar sight of the city walls with a surprised gaze.

The city walls, and by extension the gates, were over 100 meters tall. Dirk felt like the pure white surface of the walls was emanating power as they got closer. He had to crane his neck to see the top, and when he saw the 30 meter thick sides, he wasn't sure what to say. 

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"My god..."

Ava was similarly stunned. Each person in the group was sticking their head out the window to see. The students in the other carriages were the same. The walls were a significant display of power by the Horizon Empire. 

The carriage driver was stopped by a guard for only a second before they were let through. The carriage passed the walls and entered another area around the main capital city. While buildings were fewer, the city didn't stop after the walls. Especially as they came upon their destination. 

A large hill with a black mouth for an entrance stood menacingly in the distance. Surrounding the dark cave was a bustling town almost as prosperous as the capital city itself. Paved roads, stone buildings, and people of all shapes and sizes wandering the streets. These weren't normal people though. Of all the people that Dirk saw, many were dressed in armor and carried weapons.

"We're here."

The driver announced, and the 5 stepped out. As Dirk hopped off the carriage, he noticed how many eyes landed on him and the other students. A few more carriages pulled up after his, deploying excited students. When all the carriages arrived, their teacher called them all over.

"Listen up! We're all going to stay together as we go to the dungeon. Follow me, and no wandering. Keep your party in check! Now let's go."

The teacher waved them over, and the large group started walking. They drew many eyes as they traveled past all the buildings and businesses. Dirk saw hybrids, some dwarves, and plenty of humans among the crowds. As they walked, Alec leaned over and spoke in a low voice.

"These people look powerful, but I can assure you that there's nobody here at Tier 5. All these people are around Tier 3, Tier 4 at most. And actually, most may not be mages. Over half are likely warriors, so they would be around Rank 3."

"Really? But wouldn't that make us as powerful as them?"

Ava asked, surprised. She was feeling a bit intimidated by all the seemingly powerful people walking around. They reeked of blood and looked mean. But if what Alec said were true, she could easily fight against them all. 

Alec smiled.

"We are about as powerful despite being so young. It's because of this talent that we made it into the academy. Most people like the ones around us have low affinities around 30 or 40 percent, and that's if they have an attribute at all. A large majority can only train anima."

"Wow..."

Ava and Jaxon were surprised, looking at the people around them a bit differently. It sounded like Alec was bragging or putting them down, but that was the hard truth of the world. Most people around the world couldn't train anything, and only some could train either anima or magic. Even less had high affinities, so it could be seen how rare talent was. 

Ava sighed. She couldn't imagine living for so long to only be at the level she was now. It would be like her never improving for the rest of her life. She felt sorry for them.

But there was nothing she could do. They all kept walking, and soon arrived in front of the dungeon. All the students looked into the void that was the entrance. It was a black barrier that flowed like a murky swamp, ripples of space waving across the surface. Seeing that, none of the students could even think of traveling through it.

Unfortunately for them, the teacher was quick to discuss things with the guard who monitored the entrance. When he walked back, he yelled.

"Time to enter! Just walk through the entrance as normal. If you need to, hold the hand of your party members as you walk in. There may be a bit of discomfort, but it shouldn't affect you all too much. Now follow me."

With that, the teacher walked in. The void rippled around him as he disappeared from view. Seeing that, a few brave students rushed to enter, sticking their hands in first before stepping forward. After they disappeared without a hitch, more went forward. Alec was quick to pull his group forward. He, Harmut, and Jaxon held hands as they pulled each other through, leaving Dirk and Ava behind. The two stragglers looked at each other before grabbing hands and going through. 

When Dirk's hand reached the surface of the entrance, he could feel the black liquid encompass him like a goo. It was like a thin but sticky film, though surprisingly, he didn't feel that uncomfortable. The film felt familiar as he dove into it more. Thinking about it, he likened it to the dark element. 

His hand stayed locked with Ava's as the two pushed through. The entrance was longer than Dirk expected, and before long his entire body was encompassed by the black fluid. In that moment of suspension when he was cut off from the world, he felt like he would become lost in the seemingly endless void that surrounded him. 

That feeling didn't last long though. Taking another step forward, the slight resistance from that fluid disappeared, and light returned to his eyes. He entered a new world.

"Pah! Oh my god!"

Right after him, Ava came crashing forward. She was a lot less calm than Dirk, panicked by the same feeling of suspension that he felt. After realizing that she was okay though, she calmed her breathing. She then realized how tight her grip was on Dirk's hand and let go.

Everyone who walked through the dungeon entrance was shaken a bit, each reacting in different ways. Some panicked like Ava, and others took it much worse and became nauseous. Eventually though, the large group gathered in front of the entrance. 

The teacher overlooked them all and nodded. Meanwhile, Dirk observed the new space he was in.

The place they were in was a dark forest. The trees were tall, but there was little light. There also weren't any green leaves, only brown or grey ones. It was a gloomy place that seemed like something out of a nightmare. It only needed cobwebs everywhere and it would turn into a spider's nest. 

Odd thing was though, there was a stone structure in front of them. It looked like a small fort that blocked most of the entrance. It definitely didn't look natural and might not have been a part of the dungeon. 

"This is the dungeon. If a dungeon has been explored, evaluated, and claimed, then there will usually be one of these buildings within it. This building is something we call a haven, and you can consider it a safe zone within a dungeon. It protects the entrance and acts as a beacon. Sometimes, depending on the dungeon, there will be multiple havens in various places throughout the whole dungeon. In this dungeon, there are three, one at the beginning right here, one in the middle, and one outside the king's hall."

The teacher spoke as he pointed to the structure next to them. 

In every dungeon, there were two main aspects. One, if there were only one dominant monster species, then that species would be present throughout the dungeon. But if there were more than one, then there would be territories. These territories were dynamic and could change, even be affected by the people who came in to raid the dungeon. 

Two, in every dungeon, there was something called a king's hall. Each dominant species established something similar to a stronghold where their most powerful would reside. Basically, it was a boss room, only this room was special in that it was sealed in another space. The monsters within these halls were the most powerful in the entire dungeon. 

Because of these two aspects, there were always two main goals: the first was to collect resources from the regular monsters, and the second was to defeat the king. The king was sought after because he was not only made of more valuable materials, but one might attain a weapon or magical item. These items were mostly random and weren't dropped from the king itself, but the dungeon as a reward. It was unknown how, but the dungeons generated these valuable pieces of loot. While nobody knew why or how, nobody really cared either. It was a nice reward after a hard battle. 

Finally, there was one more special aspect to the dungeons. Instead of reproducing, the monsters within a dungeon respawned. This was another mysterious function that people didn't understand. Monsters didn't generally respawn near people, instead filling in empty gaps within a dungeon. While this respawning function seemed to remove the necessity of territories, kill enough of one monster and the other would begin to proliferate and spawn more. Monsters even had battles of their own within the dungeons if they were mutually hostile. 

These mysterious functions of the dungeon couldn't be explained well, and people had studied them extensively. However, there was one thing that seemed to make up for the seemingly all powerful features of the dungeons. Over time, dungeons could run out of energy and collapse. It was said that lesser dungeons could take several years to run out of energy, after which monsters would stop spawning and the dungeons would destroy themselves. When one died, another popped up somewhere random. These places usually became towns and little centers of commerce with the new source of materials. 

This lesser dungeon they were in now was one such center of commerce, hence the town around it. Dirk thought about all these things that he had learned from the academy as he looked around. Seeing the gloomy forest around him, he was able to feel how vastly different this world was from Earth. 

The teacher led everyone into the haven as he spoke of the dungeon. When inside, they could see some guards who sat around at tables. The teacher disregarded them and found his own table, taking out a bag and setting it down. He opened it, revealing sheets of paper inside. 

"Alright, these are maps. Each group gets one. The maps will usually outline the general layout of the dungeon as well as the monster territories and monster levels. However, dungeons change, and you should never put your full trust in a map. Only trust the layout, not the stuff about the monsters. You don't want to walk into what you think is a weak area and then get surprised by a high level monster. Now, you all should've learned how to read a map in your classes. It's time to apply that knowledge. Come grab them."

Saying that, the teacher started handing out the maps. Alec went up and grabbed one, unfurling it in front of his group. 

 

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