Neron hurried back through the tunnel, his boots sshing lightly in the puddles of water that had collected on the dirty ground.


    The gong''s echoes still rang in his ears, urging him to pick up his pace.


    His journey to the tunnel had been fruitless—he couldn''t find a way in and there was no sign of Serah either.


    He was just left with the unsettling feeling of being watched and he hoped that he hadn''t missed any important thing happening at the entrance.


    As he came out of the tunnel and made his way back to the entrance, he was relieved to see the mass of Adventurers still gathered outside.


    They had organized themselves into two queues as they prepared to file into the vi.


    It was a rowdy spectacle though as the Adventurers didn''t take kindly to the guards trying to organize them and there were ripples of murmurs spreading across the crowd.


    He thought he spotted Legris and his team ahead of him and he ducked his head out of sight quickly out of reflex.


    He didn''t want to see them if he could help it.


    Leaving them was already awkward enough and he didn''t want to have to make it up to them by allowing them tag along with him in the dungeon.


    To be on the safe side though, he took some steps back skirting around the edges of the group till he was at the front of the queue far from them.


    He tried to blend into his new environment as much as his masked appearance allowed.


    As a result, he was one of the first people to go through the entrance.


    As he got in, he found himself in the inner garden of the vi where the dungeon had spawned.


    There wasn''t much time for sightseeing before he was quickly ushered in by the numerous guards on standby.


    As he stepped through the threshold, he was immediately struck by how the temperature rose—it suddenly became hotter and the air much denser to breathe in.


    It was a sharp contrast to the cool morning air outside but it was to be expected as it was a dungeon.


    He didn''t spend long in it before he concluded that the Dungeon paths were designed to disorient and confuse.


    He could already see some of the other Adventurers struggling to choose which way to go.


    On his part, he noticed arrows on the floor that indicated the directions to take.


    It was with the help of the ming torches on the wall that he saw them and he called back some of the Adventurers who had branched off to other paths out of confusion.


    The passageway finally opened up into a massive chamber—the Ground Floor of the Dungeon.


    "Finally," someone said from the crowd and the rest of them also heaved a sigh of relief happy that they had finally arrived.


    They were already people waiting for them prior to their arrival.


    While they were still talking, one of the men among them stepped forward, drawing everyone''s attention.


    He was tall and imposing and dressed in an expensive looking robe that marked him as someone of high status.


    His presencemanded respect, and even those who didn''t know him recognized the power he wielded even before he opened his mouth.


    He was the Noble''s representative, the one ced in charge of them to oversee their expedition.


    "Adventurers!" the man''s voice boomed across the gathering. "You stand on the threshold of a great opportunity.


    His voice was rich and sonorous for his age and it stirred the hearts of the Adventurers that heard him.


    Within this Dungeon lies treasure beyond your wildest dreams, but make no mistake—danger lurks in every shadow. Only the strong and the clever will survive."


    The crowd murmured in response, a mix of excitement and apprehension rippling through them.


    Neron let out a yawn as the man continued talking. He wasn''t moved by him at all as he found the words clichéd and artificial.


    "As you know," the representative continued, "the Noble''s Estate has a vested interest in this Dungeon. You are free to im whatever riches you find along the way, but the ultimate treasure at the Dungeon''s depths belongs to the Estate. That is non-negotiable."


    Neron could feel the tension in the air. No one dared to challenge the nobleman''s decree, but he knew there were many among the crowd who were already scheming and thinking of ways to keep the most valuable treasure for themselves.


    He knew though that there had to be a countermeasure in ce for that and the Adventurer would be busted and stripped of his rank if caught.


    The Dungeon''s dangers were one thing, but the greed and selfishness of the Adventurers around him could prove just as deadly.


    "This barrier will remain in ce until everyone is inside. Once it drops, the Dungeon will seal itself, and there will be no turning back. You have onest chance to back out until you''re done. Those who enter must be prepared for anything."


    Neron nced around, noting the determined expressions on the faces of those around him.


    No one seemed to be backing out—if anything, they were more eager than ever.


    He took a deep breath, his thoughts briefly shing back to thedy with red hair he had seen earlier.


    If it was her, and if she was somewhere in the Dungeon already, he had to find out why.


    The barrier flickered, then vanished, and the massive gate fully opened.


    The Noble''s representative gave his parting shot and Nero had to hold his tongue back from saying something scathing.


    He honestly thought that the old man just liked hearing the sound of his voice.


    "This is where your journey begins," he said, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "From this point forward, you will encounter challenges designed to test your skills. Stay safe. The deeper you go, the closer youe to the prize."


    He paused, letting his words sink in. "When you are ready, go in. The Dungeon will be conquered by those who are worthy."