"Welcome to Deathtrear! The grand dungeon," the young woman said enthusiastically, bowing slightly.
"A dungeon…" Riota thought excitedly, sharing his emotions through the mental link. "It's just like in the fantasy stories I love to read!"
Riota's excitement was palpable, as if his mind were filled with images of brave heroes facing legendary creatures. He continued explaining with enthusiasm:
"It's where many monsters dwell, and there are rewards for defeating them, like treasures and incredible weapons."
Timmy, always full of energy, responded with a mix of awe and excitement:
"Really? I can't wait to go in there!"
Cain, on the other hand, smiled with a spark of determination in his eyes.
"Monsters to defeat… That sounds amazing."
Dustin, who had been listening silently, finally spoke aloud, as if confirming what everyone was already thinking:
"A dungeon?"
The girl behind the counter nodded with a kind but professional smile.
"Yes, exactly. A dungeon. Here, you can register to enter it."
Abel, always curious and analytical, was the first to ask what was on everyone's mind:
"And what exactly do we have to do?"
The young woman looked at them with a patient expression, though her eyes revealed some concern as she noticed how young some of them were.
"This is the starting point for the grand dungeon," she explained, her tone now more serious. "Only the bravest or most desperate attempt to enter, because many never return. But if you manage to conquer it, Lord Fargabel will grant any request you have."
Her words hung in the air, heavy with implicit warnings. While the idea of venturing into a dungeon seemed thrilling, there was also a dark weight in her tone that they couldn't ignore. It was clear this wouldn't be an easy task, and the dangers within the dungeon far exceeded any fantasy they had imagined before.
The agents exchanged excited glances. Through the mental link, they all thought the same thing:
"This is great. With this, we can reach Leonard."
The woman looked at them with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, her friendly smile fading slightly as she noticed how young some members of the group were.
"Aren't you a bit too young to participate?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as her gaze swept over the agents.
Dustin, always taking the lead as the oldest, stepped forward firmly.
"They're with me. There won't be any problems," he said with conviction, his voice full of confidence.
The young woman seemed satisfied with the response but couldn't help winking playfully at Dustin, as if teasing him. He barely reacted, too focused on the mission to pay attention to her flirtations. Without further words, the girl began handing out holographic cards to each member of the group.
When it was Aiden's turn, the girl paused and pointed to Podbe, who was sitting calmly by his side.
"Do you want to register your familiar as well?" she asked, her tone casual but curious.
Aiden frowned for a moment, confused.
"My familiar?"
"Yes, that little beast," she replied, gesturing casually toward Podbe.
So that's what they call them here, Aiden thought. Slowly nodding, he understood and responded:
"Yes, of course. He's my familiar."
Once everyone was registered, the young woman proceeded to explain the details of the dungeon.
"This is a tower converted into a dungeon. It's divided into two hundred floors, and as you advance, the boss of each floor becomes stronger than the last. So far, no one has managed to complete it. Which means no one has been able to speak with His Majesty or claim their reward."
Liam, always analytical, crossed his arms and reflected aloud:
"So it must be complicated, like the monsters we saw in the desert."
The girl nodded, her expression turning more serious.
"Exactly. For example, the Centipenk. They're powerful creatures when they act as a swarm. To defeat them, you'll need to find their leader and destroy the crystal on its head. If you don't, more will keep appearing."
Before they could ask more questions, an arrogant voice interrupted the conversation.
"Bah! The Centipenk are weak monsters! Any adventurer knows that!"
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice and immediately recognized the same man who had shoved Aiden earlier. Dressed in his immaculate white suit, he walked toward them with an air of superiority.
"Ah! It's you," the girl behind the counter said, her tone now colder and more professional.
The man smirked smugly, placing a hand on his chest as he introduced himself.
"That's right, I'm the great Butruelo. These kids from this morning… What, do you really think you can handle the dungeon? You can't even deal with weak monsters like those. How pathetic! I recommend you don't even try, or you'll die. Besides, now that I look at you closely… you're just babies. Go do baby things somewhere else."
Butruelo let out a mocking laugh, directing his gaze particularly at Floud, whose green hair caught his attention.
"And you, kid with the green hair, you're the weakest of them all."
Floud, visibly upset, clenched his fists tightly.
"Who are you calling a baby?!"
Amaya, who was nearby, quickly restrained him firmly to prevent him from doing something reckless.
"Calm down, Floud," she whispered, trying to soothe him.
But Butruelo didn't miss the chance to provoke him further.
"Well, obviously you. Who else?"
Amaya held him tighter, but Floud, unable to contain himself against the taunts, lunged at Butruelo with the intention of hitting him. However, the man reacted with surprising speed. With an agile movement, he delivered a kick that struck Floud directly in the stomach, sending him flying several feet backward.
Butruelo looked down at him with disdain.
"Fool. Did you really think you could stand up to me, poor fool? Hey, you lot—" he said, addressing the group, "—put a leash on that baby. Wouldn't want him to have rabies."
The other agents tensed, ready to intervene, but Dustin stopped them through the mental link established by Leila and Mark.
"Let's stay calm. We can't afford any trouble here."
Meanwhile, Floud writhed on the ground, feeling a sharp pain in his stomach. Amaya rushed to his side, worried, while the others held back their anger. The atmosphere had grown tense, and Butruelo's mocking laughter echoed uncomfortably in the space.
Butruelo, with an arrogant smile seemingly carved into his face, leaned toward Floud as the boy tried to recover from the blow. His posture was deliberately intimidating, as if he enjoyed watching the child writhe in pain and frustration.
"Calm down, baby," he said, his mocking tone dripping with contempt, dragging out the words as if ensuring each syllable hurt more than the kick itself. "I didn't hit you that hard—I held back."
Floud clenched his fists tightly, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in his stomach. His eyes gleamed with rage, but before he could respond, Butruelo continued, clearly reveling in his own cruelty.
"I think you might need a diaper change based on the face you're making… or did you already go?" he added with a sneering laugh, gesturing dismissively at the boy. "With that kick, I hope you now know your place."
Floud felt his anger grow even more, but he couldn't find the words to respond. The air between them seemed to vibrate with tension as Butruelo stared him down, his eyes filled with smug superiority.
"It seems you fear me," Butruelo continued, his voice now colder and sharper, like a knife slowly sliding across skin. "And if you're already afraid of me after that little kick, I can't imagine how you'll react to the monsters lurking here."
The comment hung in the air, dripping with poison and provocation. Floud gritted his teeth so hard he could almost feel them creaking under the pressure. He wanted to respond, to scream at Butruelo that he was wrong, but the pain in his body and the humiliation he felt kept him temporarily silent.
The other members of the group watched the scene with a mix of frustration and helplessness. Though they wanted to intervene, they knew any reckless move could make the situation worse. Butruelo's arrogance was palpable, like a toxic cloud enveloping everyone, leaving behind a trail of discomfort and tension.
The tension escalated when Roxan, the young woman behind the counter, quickly left her post and stepped between Butruelo and the group, visibly annoyed.
"Enough, Butruelo," she said firmly, her piercing gaze making it clear she wouldn't tolerate further provocations.
Butruelo raised his hands in mock innocence, though his irritatingly confident smile remained.
"Alright, alright, Roxan. For you, I'll stop."
Butruelo turned his attention back to Aiden's group, adopting a more serious tone.
"Listen carefully: do yourselves a favor and don't get in my way. And you, silver-haired boy—" he said, staring directly at Aiden—"you know exactly what I mean."
Aiden held his gaze for a moment, recalling how Butruelo had shoved him without hesitation earlier on the street.
Satisfied with himself, Butruelo threw one last warning before walking away.
"No matter what you do, I doubt you'll make it past the first level. So do yourselves a favor and go back to where you came from, useless villagers."
With those words, he turned around and rejoined his companions, leaving the group in an uncomfortable silence.
Amaya, still upset, helped Floud stand up while examining him with concern.
"Are you okay, Floud?"
The boy nodded, though his face still reflected irritation.
"Yeah, but he kicks hard. Good thing I put up a wind barrier at the last second, or something might've broken."
The girls in the group, except for Elena and Abigail, exchanged sympathetic glances.
"Poor thing!" some of them said, their voices full of tenderness.
Maria, always practical, quickly intervened.
"Later, when we're inside and no one's watching, I'll heal you. Can you hold on until then?"
Floud nodded determinedly, though he still felt pain in his stomach.
"Hang in there, Floud," Amaya added, trying to encourage him. "If you do, I'll give you some candy."
Floud's eyes lit up at the promise.
"Candy? Okay, I'll try."
Dustin, observing the scene, spoke through the mental link:
"You spoil him too much."
Everyone continued communicating telepathically, ensuring they kept their emotions in check while planning their next moves.
Finally, after the awkward encounter with Butruelo, Roxan gestured toward a door that slowly opened in the center of the wall. Her voice rang out clearly as she explained:
"Alright, this is where you'll begin Level One. Good luck. And try not to run into that jerk Butruelo."
Without another word, the group moved forward toward the entrance, crossing the threshold that would lead them into the dungeon. The air inside was different—dense and charged with strange energy, as if every step they took brought them closer to an unknown destiny.
Meanwhile, a calm, mechanical voice echoed inside Podbe.
"Update at fifty percent."