Chapter 25: First Time in a Dungeon

Chapter 25: First Time in a Dungeon

Alisar returned to the inn. Entering his room, he set his bag in the corner, took out his sword, and carefully leaned it against the wall. Then he removed his armor and placed it nearby, trying to keep everything in one spot.

— So... I'm ready for tomorrow's expedition, — he muttered.

"Better not waste time," he thought and focused, activating his skill.

In a blink, he was inside the training room.

"It would be nice to level up a bit more… but I probably won’t make it before morning."

— Damn… — he muttered, staring into the void. — If I could sleep here, I’d have a few months to prepare before tomorrow morning…

He let out a quiet laugh, but it was bitter.

"Yeah, if only… Then I could do everything possible. Raise my level…"

But reality was different. Sleeping here was impossible. Not on the floor, not standing, not sitting — the moment he started to doze off, he was forcibly "ejected" from the training room.

"That’s why I have to sleep outside… where time flows normally. Where an hour is an hour. And six hours of sleep is six hours."

He closed his eyes briefly.

"Then again… maybe that’s the limitation. If I could sleep here, the skill would be too powerful. That’s probably why it’s not allowed..."

"Anyway. I’ll still get nearly two full training days before morning. That’s a lot. No time to waste."

He approached the familiar equipment and started his workout. Movement after movement, steady, focused, and full of effort. He no longer counted reps or chased numbers — he simply gave it his all.

As planned, he spent about fifteen or sixteen hours in the room — maybe a little more or less, it was hard to tell. Then he exited to sleep. Almost until the evening.

Upon waking, he had dinner and returned to the training room — another cycle, another stretch of time. Then rest again.

And in the morning, when the first light streamed through his window, he opened his eyes.

— Time, — he said quietly and rose from bed.

When Alisar came down to the inn’s dining hall, he immediately noticed familiar figures. Rem and Sherial were already seated, calmly eating breakfast. Their faces were serene, faint smiles playing on their lips.

He joined them silently.

Rem looked up and nodded briefly. Sherial gave him a warm look.

Breakfast passed in the usual, unhurried atmosphere.

— I thought… we’d grab a quick bite and head out right away, — Alisar began cautiously, glancing at his plate. — Shouldn’t we hurry?

Rem calmly set down her fork and looked at him.

— No. Only rookies rush, — she said. — We’re not in a hurry. Better to eat calmly, gather your thoughts… and go without any fuss.

— Yeah, — Sherial added, — you don’t want to show up at the dungeon already tired just because you rushed in the morning.

— A dungeon isn’t a race, — said Rem. — The calmer and more focused you are going in, the higher your chances of coming out.

Alisar nodded, accepting their words.

"Yeah… they’re right. I still think like someone who just arrived in this world. But if I’m going in there — I need to do it properly."

He grabbed his food and joined the slow-paced breakfast.

After eating, the trio headed upstairs to prepare their gear.

Alisar entered his room, quickly put on his light armor, slung his bag over his shoulder, and fastened his sword at his waist. Everything was in place — just as he’d prepared the night before. One last glance at the room — and he stepped into the hallway.

A minute later, the girls emerged from their rooms.

Just like before, each had a compact travel backpack. Rem wore light armor, and her sword was securely strapped to her belt — ready to draw at any moment. She looked calm and confident, as always.

Sherial, also in light armor, carried a bow on her back, and a short sword at her waist.

Both were fully prepared for the journey ahead.

— Oh, new armor? — Sherial asked with a slight smile, noticing Alisar’s updated gear.

— Yeah… — Alisar scratched the back of his head. — After selling potions at the guild yesterday, I figured it’d be dumb to go into a dungeon without armor and a weapon. So I bought everything in advance.

— We were actually planning to buy you gear this morning before the trip, — Sherial said with mild surprise.

— Well, if he already bought it, that saves us some time on the road, — Rem noted calmly.

She glanced at the sword at his waist and, squinting, asked:

— So… how much did you pay for all of it?

— The full set, armor and sword... came out to about eighteen gold, — Alisar replied a bit quieter than usual.

— Eighteen silver? — Sherial repeated. — Not a bad price.

— No… — Rem turned to her. — I think he said eighteen gold.

— Yeah, that’s right… — Alisar nodded, a flicker of anxiety rising inside him.

— Eighteen gold… — Rem let out a restrained breath and looked at him with a touch of sympathy. — That’s worth maybe… thirty silver, tops. No more.

"Damn… That feeling… did they really swindle me?" thought Alisar as something twisted painfully in his chest.

— Vendors around here often scam rookies, — Rem said calmly, folding her arms.

— But eighteen gold… — Sherial could barely hold back a laugh. — Usually rookies don’t get scammed for that much. They don’t have the money. Unless they come from a rich family. But those usually already have their own gear.

She chuckled and added:

— You just look too trusting.

— Well, technically, there’s nothing to complain about, — Rem continued, eyeing the armor and sword. — Yeah, it’s dungeon gear, sure. But it’s extremely low quality… and judging by the wear, it’s been used. A lot.

She ran a finger along a worn strap and shook her head slightly:

— These things have nearly reached the end of their life. They just cleaned them up a bit. Cosmetic repairs — and bam, good as new.

"What…?" Alisar’s stomach dropped. He went cold, a heavy pressure settling in his chest.

He thought he’d bought new gear… But it turned out to be old junk. Almost broken, dirt-cheap. One of the weakest sets you could find from a low-rank dungeon. Just polished and neatly displayed on a shelf.

"Do I really look that much like an idiot?" Alisar thought bitterly. Nausea churned in his gut. Not from the scam — but from how confidently he walked into it without suspecting a thing.

— Don’t worry, — Sherial said, noticing his expression. — Next time you won’t fall for it. Just… ask us for advice, okay?

She smiled warmly, her voice full of genuine care.

It calmed him a little. But only a little.

Deep down, it still burned — not pain, but shame. He had to summon all his self-control to hide how deeply it stung.

"I was tricked. And really, there’s nothing I can call them out on," he thought. "Everything that merchant said… was almost technically true. It really is dungeon gear. He just left out that it’s ancient and completely worn out."

And the price?

It’s an open market.

The law is on his side — a vendor has the right to name any price. As long as he doesn’t lie about the product — he’s clean. Proving a scam is impossible.

"And me… it’s my own fault," he clenched his teeth. "I walked right into the trap with my eyes wide open."

Soon, they reached a spot with several horse-drawn wagons. Coachmen stood nearby, some talking with groups of armed individuals. Rem walked up to one of the men, seemingly negotiating something.

— What are we doing here? — Alisar asked, glancing around.

— The dungeon, — Sherial replied. — It’s a three to four hour walk. Better to hire a wagon.

— I thought we were going on foot… Didn’t you walk to a dungeon last time? — he asked, puzzled.

— That was different, — Rem said, returning. — That dungeon was a two-day trek through the forest. No point bringing a wagon — nowhere to park it, and the road wouldn’t allow passage anyway.

— And here? — he asked.

— Here it’s different, — said Sherial. — There’s a road to this dungeon, and wagons go there regularly. See?

Alisar turned where she pointed. In the distance, one wagon was already pulling away, wheels creaking, horses steadily moving. Inside were about a dozen or so armed people.

— Adventurers? — he asked.

— Looks like it, — Rem nodded. — It’s normal. Many groups go by wagon. Fast, convenient, and you save your energy. So… no walking this time.

Alisar nodded, silently accepting the logic.

"Looks like this place is like a local bus stop," Alisar thought with a smirk, eyeing the wagons and the bustle.

A few minutes later, Rem returned.

— I arranged it with one of the coachmen, — she said.

Soon a wagon pulled up — slightly smaller than the one that took the other adventurers. It was open, no roof, but spacious — enough for eight to ten people.

— Let’s go, — Sherial nodded.

They climbed in and sat down. The wagon started moving — slowly, a bit faster than walking pace, leaving the city streets behind.

— I thought more people would join us... — said Alisar, looking at the empty seats.

— Why? — Sherial looked at him, surprised. — Why should we share the ride?

Rem sighed, a hint of sadness in her voice:

— You see, Alisar... when two girls ride alone with a bunch of armed adventurers… let’s just say the trip won’t be peaceful.

— Yeah, — Sherial added, frowning. — First come the questions, then invitations to party up, and then some idiots start asking for dates...

— If that’s the case… — he muttered, — then it would be incredibly annoying.

— Exactly, — Rem nodded. — It’s not just annoying. It’s draining. Especially when you have a serious fight ahead, and someone’s already worn you out with pointless crap.

— That’s why we avoid shared wagons, — said Sherial. — Better to overpay a little than deal with that nonsense.

Alisar nodded. He was starting to understand that even in little things — like transport choices — there were real problems hiding.

Once the cart left the city gates, it gradually picked up speed. The two strong horses hit a trot, then a steady gallop. The wheels thundered over the road, dust rising in clouds behind them.

— Whoa, — muttered Alisar, gripping the wagon’s edge. — We’re really flying…

Next to him, Rem looked calmly ahead, while Sherial closed her eyes slightly, enjoying the breeze.

In less than an hour, they seemed to reach their destination. The wagon slowed and stopped at the foot of a tall rocky cliff — about twenty meters high and over a hundred meters wide. Several large stone buildings stood nearby, along with dozens of tents — some simple, others reinforced.

The wagon stopped near one of the tents. Rem and Sherial jumped down easily, as if they’d done it countless times.

Alisar followed quickly, jumping after the girls. The wagon turned sharply and sped off — the driver clearly didn’t want to waste time, eager to return for new passengers.

At first, the ride had seemed exciting — wind in his face, speed, the road’s rhythm… But after a few minutes, the thrill was gone. The wagon’s seats were made of rough planks, with no padding, and there was clearly no suspension at all. Every bump, every stone jarred his body.

He clenched his lips, rubbing his sore backside.

"Damn… It felt like I was being beaten on the ass the whole way!" he thought grimly, casting a glare at the retreating coach.

Alisar followed the girls. They passed rows of tents — not many people around, just a few figures moving between shelters. Some looked like adventurers, others maybe traders or assistants.

Soon, stone buildings appeared ahead. Three of them, all old — two were crumbling, with cracked walls and partially collapsed roofs. Only the smallest one seemed in use: signs of repairs, fresh wood, reinforced entrance.

Beyond the buildings, finally, they saw a huge hole in the cliff — more like a cave. Guards stood on both sides — two on each. Near them was a table, behind which sat a man with a thick notebook or ledger. He looked up lazily as the group approached.

Rem stepped up first and casually showed her badge hanging from a chain around her neck.

— Rem. Rank C, — she said. The man nodded and made a note.

Next came Sherial, also showing her badge.

— Sherial. Rank C.

When it was Alisar’s turn, he raised his badge without removing it from his neck.

— Alisar. Rank E.

The man jotted it down with little interest and gestured toward the entrance. The guards didn’t even move.

Rem and Sherial were already inside. Alisar paused briefly, staring into the darkness ahead.

"This is it… My first time entering a dungeon," he thought, and stepped forward.