Chapter 106: Slaughter Inside the Dungeon
The Adventure Guild was known to be a neutral faction, never involving themselves in the conflicts of the other guilds.
They were the most trusted faction among the public, but by joining the competition, they were going against their very morals.
Gabriel was subconsciously curious why the guild had taken this sudden decision. From the way they sounded, the guild had not participated in the previous Inter-Guild Competition—so why now?
The others, though excited, also shared this same sentiment.
It was at that moment Scarlet began to speak, sensing the probing looks of all those present.
"Once upon a time, the Adventure Guild was considered a part of the Big Five, and the rightful term was Big Six. However, with time, the Adventure Guild declined," she explained. "Most of our members left the guild for the Big Five, who had abundant resources to nurture them.
"Right now, the number of Level 50 Awakened isn’t even up to 20." A flash of determination crossed Scarlet’s features. "But by winning this event, I’m confident we’ll be able to secure enough resources and restore the guild to the way it was."
The competition wasn’t all about clearing monsters.
It was also a platform for guilds to showcase their power on a grand stage and attract new talents into their ranks.
This was one of the major objectives of the Adventure Guild.
When Gabriel realized this, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated that he hadn’t created his guild yet.
This could have been the perfect opportunity for him to show his might—but still, if he played his cards right, he could win the hearts of thousands.
All he needed to do was give his best in this competition, and by the time he created his guild, most would already have their eyes on him.
’That way I should be able to convince them.’ An ambitious light shone in his eyes as he leaned back into his seat.
"Vice Leader." Suddenly an old bald man in robed attire raised a hand.
Gabriel glanced over, recognizing him as Old Man Khrome.
It was the same fire mage who had participated in the ruin exploration. He hadn’t recognized him earlier due to his choice of clothing.
Since joining the guild, this was his first time seeing him. He figured it was probably because the latter was on a mission.
After earning the attention of all those present, the old man spoke. "Is Guild Leader Thomas Voss aware of this?"
Scarlet’s expression remained neutral as she replied, "Yes. Father knows about it, and like every other guild leader, he won’t participate."
The Inter-Guild Competition had a strict rule that had been followed for years:
Guild leaders were prohibited from participating. The reason for this was rather simple.
Guild leaders were oftentimes too powerful.
Letting them participate would tip the balance unfairly, making the competition less about skill and teamwork and more about who had the strongest leader.
"Is there any more questions?" Scarlet asked.
When she didn’t get any reply, she dismissed the meeting, saying, "We don’t know when the Beast Tide will begin, but it’s close and could happen anytime. I encourage everyone to use this period to train and increase their strength."
When the meeting was over, Gabriel proceeded to leave the hall.
However, even before he could get up from his seat, a certain girl in a black jumpsuit clinging to her body approached with a bright smile.
"Hey, we were planning on going on a dungeon raid. Do you want to tag along?" Alice asked.
A thoughtful look crossed Gabriel’s face.
"As long as we can hunt separately, then I’m okay with it," he replied after a moment.
A brief look of irritation crossed Alice’s face. "Why don’t yo—wait, fine. Never mind." She sighed. "Wait for me, let me go get the others."
Some time later, Alice returned with Sophie and Cassie.
"Alright, this is everyone," Alice said.
Gabriel nodded, and after a light exchange between Sophie, Cassie and him, they proceeded to the dungeon.
The group of four took a truck and drove downtown close to the walls, where a shimmering blue portal awaited.
Outside the dungeon, there were already a few adventurers—some going in, others coming out.
"This is an A-rank dungeon called Monkey Paradise," Alice explained to Gabriel, as it was his first time coming here.
From Sophie, he learned that this was a famous public dungeon that was owned by the general public but maintained by the Adventure Guild.
It was said that the dungeon had spawned here in what used to be a park. Instead of taking control of it, the benevolent king had decided to give it back to the public.
The moment the group of four stepped through the portal, a wave of humid air and tropical noise hit them.
Gabriel scanned his surroundings and all he could see were towering trees and the shrieking of monkeys echoing in the distance.
"Ugh, I forgot how annoying this place is," Alice muttered, brushing away a branch.
"Okay, ladies, we’ll meet back at the entrance a few hours from now." Gabriel spoke and headed south.
Alice clicked her tongue. "Tch, lone wolf."
Sophie watched him go with a longing look on her face before turning back to the others and suggesting,
"I think we should split as well. That way, we can improve individually."
"Sure, fine by me," Alice shrugged.
"I’m sticking with you," Cassie said, looking at Sophie with a stubborn expression on her face.
"Well, cya bitches later!" Alice shouted as she dashed into the forest.
Meanwhile, once inside the thick forest, Gabriel’s eyes fell on two red-furred monkeys leaping from tree to tree while laughing at him.
For some reason, their laugh annoyed him. Without wasting a moment, he activated his skill.
"Dark Flame Orb!"
BOOM!
A single dark blast obliterated the two monkeys and scorched the trees.
[Ding! You have defeated two Level 5 Red Monkeys]
[Ding! You have received +4 EP]
[Your current total EP: 44]
Gabriel headed deeper inside and killed six more red monkeys, increasing his total EP to 68. He didn’t use his talent on them because of their relatively weak level.
After hunting for a while, he came to an abrupt stop when he heard voices.
"Tch, how do you guys expect me to reach the top without flyers?"
"Quit whining and keep climbing, Vex. This is your chance to prove your worth."
’That second voice... sounds familiar.’ Gabriel narrowed his eyes and stepped closer.
Standing at the foot of a massive tree were two people dressed in sleek armor, with another climbing.
"I knew I wasn’t hearing wrong," Gabriel said loudly, attracting the attention of the two below.
"You..." the girl narrowed her eyes.
"So we ran into each other again. And this time, you’re alone. Truly, the world is a small place." The male smiled.
These two were none other than Vera and Darius.