Chapter 480: Twenty-Five Days

That was the amount of time Sage Alistair had decided to give himself before the dungeon beneath Greyfen manifested.

Of course, the estimate wasn’t absolute. According to Iris’s observations, the underground mana currents could stabilize earlier than expected, or the entire process might take several additional days.

Nevertheless, Sage preferred working with a definite deadline rather than sitting around waiting for something extraordinary to happen.

Especially when that something possessed the potential to generate millions of gold.

Three days had passed since the private meeting at the Adventurer Guild Headquarters, and Sage had spent most of that time reviewing the information gathered during their expedition.

The discovery of the dungeon had opened an enormous opportunity for the Guild, but there was one rather inconvenient problem standing between him and the fortune he envisioned.

He hadn’t claimed it yet.

And until the Dungeon Core was secured, everything else was merely wishful thinking.

Inside his private office, Sage stood before a large map of Greyfen, examining the various markings Rowan had made during their investigation. Several smaller maps lay scattered across his desk, alongside Iris’s research notes and a collection of documents concerning the surrounding territories.

"Twenty-five days," Sage muttered, tapping his finger against the map. "Twenty-five days to prepare for what might become the most profitable undertaking since I established the Guild Headquarters. And naturally, there’s a rather troublesome possibility that someone else might try to steal it first."

A knock sounded against the door, and Rowan entered carrying several rolled parchments beneath his arm. His expression was serious, although the faint traces of exhaustion that had accompanied their return from Greyfen had largely disappeared.

"Guildmaster, I’ve finished examining the approaches to the ruins," Rowan announced, spreading his maps across the desk. "There are three possible routes, but after considering the recent beast migrations and the damaged terrain, I believe the eastern approach remains our best option."

Sage leaned forward with interest. "Excellent. Tell me you’ve discovered a convenient little road that leads directly to the dungeon entrance without requiring us to fight another Commander Beast."

Rowan gave him an unimpressed look. "Unfortunately, Guildmaster, the wilderness hasn’t been considerate enough to construct a road for our convenience. However, the eastern route is relatively stable, and most of the stronger beasts have abandoned the surrounding territory. If we travel lightly, we should be able to reach the ruins considerably faster than we did during our original expedition."

"Now that’s what I like to hear," Sage replied approvingly. "No wagons, no unnecessary escorts, and certainly no enormous expedition attracting attention from every curious noble in the kingdom. Just a handful of capable people moving quietly through the wilderness."

Rowan nodded before pointing toward two locations marked on the map. "I’ve also identified an alternative approach through this narrow valley. It’s more difficult to navigate, but it could prove useful if the main route becomes occupied or blocked. The terrain provides natural cover, although we’ll need to be careful around the unstable sections."

Sage studied the markings thoughtfully. The greatest advantage they currently possessed was secrecy. While the Royal Capital remained unaware of the dungeon forming beneath Greyfen, Sage and his companions already knew its approximate location and had a reasonable estimate of when it would manifest.

However, that advantage would disappear the moment the dungeon entrance appeared.

Once news spread, the kingdom’s noble Houses and powerful organizations would undoubtedly send their own forces to investigate. And if they discovered that the dungeon remained unclaimed, a race for its core would inevitably begin.

Sage had absolutely no intention of losing that race.

"Good work, Rowan," he said after several moments. "Keep these routes confidential. I don’t want anyone outside our trusted circle learning why we’re so interested in that particular section of Greyfen."

"Understood, Guildmaster," Rowan replied, gathering his documents. "I’ll also review the locations where we encountered the strongest mana disturbances. If the dungeon entrance manifests near the buried ruins, we may be able to position ourselves close enough to reach it before anyone else."

"Precisely," Sage answered with a satisfied smile. "The best way to win a race is to make sure everyone else discovers they’re participating after you’ve already started running."

After Rowan departed, Sage returned to his desk and examined the list of names written upon a separate sheet of parchment.

Leon Drakar. Lucan. Rowan. Mina. Iris.

Five people.

Together with himself, they would form a six-person expedition.

There was no need to assemble a hundred Warriors or organize a military force. In fact, doing so would only create unnecessary complications. Large expeditions required supplies, transportation, guards, and extensive coordination, not to mention the rather inconvenient tendency of attracting attention wherever they traveled.

A small group of capable individuals could move faster, remain concealed, and respond more effectively to unexpected dangers.

Of course, that didn’t mean Sage intended to underestimate the dungeon.

Its danger level remained unknown, and the Guild System wouldn’t determine its official rank until the appropriate conditions were met. For all Sage knew, the dungeon could contain threats far beyond anything they had encountered during their previous expedition.

That uncertainty was precisely why choosing the right companions mattered.

A short while later, Garran Holt entered the office carrying several documents concerning the Guild’s available equipment and expedition supplies. The veteran mission administrator looked toward the names on Sage’s desk before raising an eyebrow.

"Only six people, Guildmaster?" Garran asked, folding his arms. "Considering what happened during your last visit to Greyfen, I expected you to request considerably more manpower."

Sage shook his head. "And announce to the entire Royal Capital that we’re preparing for something important? Absolutely not. Besides, we’re not marching off to conquer a kingdom, Garran. We’re entering a dungeon, locating its core, and claiming it before anyone else gets the opportunity."

Garran considered his words before nodding slowly. "Fair enough. A smaller team would certainly be easier to manage, although that means every member needs to be properly prepared. We don’t know what kind of monsters the dungeon will contain, and we can’t assume the dangers outside will reflect what awaits inside."

"Which is why I want you to review our available supplies," Sage replied. "Healing potions, mana recovery potions, emergency provisions, replacement equipment, and anything else that might prove useful. Nothing excessive, mind you. I don’t want everyone carrying enough supplies to feed an entire village."

Garran grunted in agreement. "I’ll prepare a suitable list. However, Guildmaster, there’s something else you should consider. If other factions enter the dungeon before we reach its core, we may encounter more than monsters."

Sage’s expression grew thoughtful.

"You’re referring to the noble Houses."

"Among others," Garran answered. "Mercenary companies, independent organizations, and powerful families could all send their strongest Warriors once the dungeon manifests. Some might be willing to cooperate, but others could decide that eliminating their competitors is the simplest way to secure the core."

"Then we’ll simply have to reach it first," Sage replied calmly, although the smile on his face had lost some of its usual playfulness. "And if someone insists on causing trouble, we’ll deal with them accordingly."

Garran studied him for a moment before shaking his head. "Sometimes, Guildmaster, I genuinely wonder whether you understand how dangerous these situations are."

"Of course I do," Sage replied cheerfully. "That’s why I’m bringing people who are considerably better at fighting than I am."

Garran stared at him in silence before releasing a helpless sigh.

Later that afternoon, Iris arrived at the Headquarters carrying another collection of research notes. Her condition had improved considerably since the expedition, although Sage had already warned her against exhausting herself through excessive mana expenditure.

"Guildmaster, I’ve been reviewing the underground mana patterns we recorded in Greyfen," Iris explained after taking a seat opposite him. "There’s something interesting about the fluctuations. The mana appears to be gathering in increasingly regular intervals, almost as though the formation beneath the ruins is approaching a stable state."

Sage leaned forward, his expression sharpening. "Does that mean our estimate of twenty to thirty days remains accurate?"

"For now, yes," Iris answered thoughtfully. "However, I wouldn’t consider it absolute. Mana formations of this scale are notoriously unpredictable, especially when we haven’t directly observed their central structure. It’s possible that the dungeon could manifest earlier if the accumulation accelerates."

"Wonderful," Sage muttered, leaning back in his chair. "So our twenty-five-day preparation period might actually be twenty days. Or fifteen. Truly, nothing inspires confidence quite like an enormous magical phenomenon refusing to respect a perfectly reasonable schedule."

Iris smiled faintly at his complaint. "That’s precisely why I intend to continue studying the measurements. If we can identify changes in the accumulation rate, we might receive some warning before the dungeon manifests."

"Then continue your research, but don’t overexert yourself," Sage instructed firmly. "I need a healthy researcher, Iris, not someone collapsing over a pile of parchment because she decided sleep was optional."

Iris nodded appreciatively before gathering her notes and excusing herself.

Once she had departed, Sage approached the window overlooking the capital’s bustling streets. Somewhere beyond those distant walls, beneath the wilderness of Greyfen, an extraordinary opportunity was slowly approaching its moment of revelation.

However, the more he considered the situation, the clearer one thing became.

Claiming the dungeon wouldn’t necessarily be easy.

The Guild System possessed the ability to seal dungeon entrances through enormous stone pillars and rune formations, preventing unauthorized entry without the appropriate Dungeon Pass.

Sage had already witnessed this mechanism in Evergreen, where claiming the dungeon had allowed the Guild to establish exclusive control over access.

But that authority only became useful after the dungeon had been successfully claimed.

Until then, the entrance would remain vulnerable to anyone capable of reaching its core.

And unlike Evergreen, the Royal Capital possessed no shortage of powerful individuals who would gladly compete for such an opportunity.

Sage returned to his desk and examined the five names once more.

Leon would provide considerable combat strength, although arranging his participation might require some careful consideration given his position as a Royal Knight Captain.

Lucan possessed valuable experience and understood the methods employed by noble factions.

Rowan knew Greyfen’s terrain better than anyone else available, while Iris’s knowledge of mana formations could prove essential when navigating the dungeon.

And then there was Mina.

Sage couldn’t help smiling as he imagined the crimson-haired girl enthusiastically volunteering to smash anything unfortunate enough to stand in their way.

"Well, at least we won’t be lacking enthusiasm," he murmured with quiet amusement.

Nevertheless, there were still preparations to make. Equipment needed inspection, supplies had to be gathered discreetly, and the expedition members required sufficient time to recover from their previous injuries. Most importantly, Sage needed to ensure that everyone understood the objective.

They weren’t entering the dungeon to explore every passage or collect every treasure.

Their priority was the Dungeon Core.

Everything else could wait.

After all, once the Guild System claimed the dungeon and sealed its entrance, Sage would have all the time in the world to consider how best to profit from it.

A satisfied smile spread across his face as he placed the list of names beside the map.

"Twenty-five days," Sage murmured, tapping his fingers against the desk. "That’s all the time we have to prepare."

And when the dungeon finally manifested, he intended to be standing at its entrance before the rest of the kingdom even realized what had appeared.

Because there was one thing Sage Alistair understood better than most people.

Discovering an opportunity was one thing.

Making sure nobody else could take it away was something entirely different.