Vol. 14 - Ch. 763 - Bizarre Mountains and Untrodden Path

The entrance to Adv-low dungeon was located in the neighbourhood of the Beginner dungeon. Well, In technicality, that was so, but they're hundreds of meters apart physically. 

The overall layout of the dungeon entrances were laid out like a clock, with «Duke's Castle Dungeon» at the heart of it. Take the dormitory as the starting point, and then move anti-clockwise, the closest stop was «Beginner Dungeon», then comes «Int-low Dungeon», «Int-mid Dungeon», «Int-high Dungeon», and «Extra Dungeon» in order. 

Then, returning back to the initial position, you move clockwise, and the closest would be «Adv-low Dungeon», «Adv-mid Dungeon», and «Adv-high Dungeon».

Since this was our first advanced dungeon, our whole party was in an upbeat mood, their pacing faster than usual. I wonder if it was just my imagination, but I felt as if we'd somehow been receiving attention from passerby students. 

"Huh—ah. Isn't that «Eden»?"

"It's the Brave and Her Highness!"

"Wait a minute! Where in the world are they going through?! That's the complete opposite of «Int-low Dunge—no, wait, could it be...?!"

"I think I remember reading in the forum the other day that Brave has started his plan for an advanced dungeon."

"Woah, woah, woah! Started? THEY STARTED?! Wait, no, are you... that can't be......"

"Stop. Just take a reign on yourself, everyone. Don't jump on the gun already! H-how about slight scouting? I mean, for all we know, we might just be taking it wrong, no?"

"What misunderstanding? All I am seeing is «Eden» striding in the direction of «Adv-low Dungeon».  Just look at their pacing......"

"Wha—t-they entered it?!!! Did «Eden» just enter the «Adv-low Dungeon»?!"

"I-It's confirmed! Eden has——"

I wonder if something was going on behind us? I picked up some kind of ruckus, but the noise was cut off the instant we entered the «Adv-low Entrance».

We'd barely taken our steps inside when our gazes were drawn to something peculiar—it was a shining spherical lense. Its hue reminded me of the Saturn planet. Further hammering the resemblance was the bands of light coiled around it, spinning. 

Its appearance was so mesmerising it instinctively brought our pacing to a halt. "It's so beautiful. I wonder, what may it be?" Lana murmured her impression.

"This is an artifact called the Teleporation Ring. Though, that's all we know so far. Neither of us know how to use it."

" "—!!" "

A foreign voice quipped out of nowhere. The abruptness had Ester and Karua jump in startle.

"Ah, my apologies. I didn't mean to startle you."

Turning our gazes toward the source of voice, it came from a hunched-back old lady, the latter using a cane as support to walk in our direction.

"Are you the administrator of this place?"

"Indeed, I am. I go by Kel. Just call me Granny Kel."

"Err... granny Kel?"

"Mhm, that sounds good. Looking at you all, I presume you've cleared the conditions?"

"Well, will this work?"

I said, and displayed our «Conqueror's Mark» to granny Kel.

I was wearing mine on my chest, those others had kept them on their respective cases. The cases were something used to put the proofs if equipment was hiding them, or they just didn't want to wear them. It's commonly referred to as «Mark's Case». 

For reference, Lana was equipped with her saintess equipment head-to-toe. There's no way she'd put anything extra... appearance-wise, to be precise. The other girls seemed to prefer the case as well.

"Oh?" Granny Kel groaned, glancing at varieties of the cases. "You have got incredibly impressive members. The lineup is visually striking too. Still, I don't think I have your face before?"

"Well, probably because we're freshmen. Though I'd say we're definitely the fastest in our grade. Speaking of, we're guild «Eden»."

"Oh dear, so you're the «Eden»? Now that's a total surprise. To think freshmen guilds nowadays are up to challenge «Adv-low Dungeons» already. The future is looking bright for the academy. Though this means «King Absolute» can't afford to slow down, can they?"

"So only a few guilds appear here?"

"Such is the case. At present, the only one active is «King Absolute». Before them, «Sun Hunter» and «Meteor» used to explore around the 1st floor. Though the upcoming guild battle has forced them to change their focus."

Heh, both of them were A-rank guilds. But, sure enough, barely any other guild tries their hand here.

Hearing that we'd be challenging an advanced dungeon for the first time, granny Kel's gaze had unexpectedly turned sharp. It was as if she was appraising us, though a moment later, and everything was as if it never happened. 

"Mhm. You all seem to have no problem." Granny Kel remarked, as if acknowledging our challenge. 

Was it possible for granny Kel to return us back if she'd judged to not be competent enough even with all the proof?

"You must know that all but a few dungeons are still untrodden paths. The opponents are formidable, but the challenges don't stop there. You ought to be careful of traps and terrains. In particular the floors, they're entirely different from what you'd experienced until now. And while you might have been able to call the rescue if defeated, there's no such safety nets in the advanced dungeon. You may not face one, but two disasters. Are you sure you're up for the challenge?"

"Yes. Absolutely."

I replied promptly.

Indeed, the presence of «Rescue Committee» was a huge relief. However, their absence mean the challenger's life might truly be in peril. And there's no save & reload like the games. 

It was one of the reasons why there had been so few challengers in the advanced dungeon. And the one who tried that, they acted alongside their guild en masses, much like «King Absolute». Such precautions were necessary to prevent anyone from getting incapacitated. 

But, that was also why I made sure to be straightforward in my reply. Like me, neither of our members behind me appeared fazed at the warning. 

Granny Kel's eyes widened hearing my swift response, and then chuckled to herself.

"I see your spirit. Be careful in your journey."

She remarked in a few words, but these few words couldn't have been any bigger encouragement to us. 

After that, we immediately moved to complete the procedure, and left our objective—the entrance to the specific dungeon we'd selected.

"Alright, we're leaving then."

I said, and passed through the gate alongside everyone.

For a moment, a sentimental feeling washed over me, just like the time I'd taken my first step into the beginner dungeon. Basking in the lingering afterstate, we emerged out to a mountain district facing the landscape. Though whether you could call them mountains was debatable. Atleast, they're impossible to be nature-made.

After all, one mountain had needles, like cactus, growing over it, while the other appeared to be like softserve ice cream. Regardless, the brand new scenery was enough to tickle one's adventurous spirit.

The world really wanted to hammer the idea it was a fantasy, eh?

"Wow! So this is the advanced dungeon! Even its visuals are so overwhelming!"

"What even is that? ...Is it artificially-made I wonder?"

"No, they're just mountains."

"......Mountains?"

Overcoming in joy, Lana spread her arms wide as she took in a deep breath. Meanwhile Sierra displayed her confusion at the different shapes of mountains. When I tried to clarify they're mountains, it only further confused Karua. 

Sierra, too, beat her eyelashes a few times to parse what I said, and then turned her gaze back to mountains (?). 

"This is truly an overwhelming spectacle. Untrodden sanctuary, huh. Perfectly apt description."

Ester remarked as she glanced at something else—the ground. It was easy for mountains to overwhelm the visual senses from get-go, but the peculiarity also extends to the ground.

"There's... no path?"

Sierra murmured. 

It was as she said. There were no paths to show direction. And this was a norm in the majority of the advanced dungeons.

With no path to indicate direction, you're on your own. Yet again, another addition to the challenge.

"Zephyr-dono, which direction are we supposed to take?"

Ester promptly noticed this irregularity, and hurriedly inquired me with a vaguely flustered expression.

The ground was all soil with grasses growing on it. Sparsely, there were wooden logs placed around. Just as Ester had said earlier, it was an untrodden path. The wild nature was a clear reflection to the visitor's absence. 

It was obvious why Ester would panic. She was the one in charge of carriage, and no path means she wouldn’t know which direction to take.

Well, from another perspective, no definitive path means you're free to take any direction. Though that meant exploring the vast ground of the advanced dungeon in hope of finding the entrance to the next floor.

This was the advanced dungeon. 

In labyrinth, paths served to confuse people. But here in «Dungeon Activity», the challenge came from having no path or obstructions. Confusing in its own way, wasn't it?

—In essence, the advanced dungeons were the open world genre of the RPGs!