manynovel Chapter 121 : Chapter 121
Chapter 121 : Chapter 121
Chapter 121 : Dungeon
Sal squinted his eyes as the sunlight pierced his face.
He hadn't stepped outside the workshop for quite a long time, so his sense of time had blurred, and he had no idea what time it was.
Chatfield and Upgrade were standing together on the platform next to him, exchanging words in low voices as they waited.
This was the landing zone of the Credit Floor, just a few floors up from the workshop.
Even though it was Sunday, it was quite crowded, with over a dozen vehicles docked around the towering platform.
The structure looked as if semi-circular discs had been pulled out from the side of a skyscraper.
Railings surrounded the edges, and a protective barrier covered the top.
Flying vehicles attempting to dock had to align themselves above the barrier first before descending into their assigned spaces.
Normally, Sal would have been engrossed in observing each car and truck, but now a fierce internal conflict was raging in his mind, preventing anything from catching his attention.
"Looks like it's our turn."
Chatfield pointed to a vehicle angling down toward the reserved section on the right side of the platform.
The vehicles docked there all appeared to be for private use, and many were luxuriously extravagant.
The vehicle that came to pick them up was no different.
It was painted a sunny yellow, and patterns that looked like protective Runes were engraved on the doors.
The vehicle touched down gently on the floor without making a single sound.
Sal followed Chatfield and Upgrade as they approached the vehicle.
He briefly considered feigning motion sickness as an excuse to abandon this plan, but he knew without even looking at Upgrade's face that it was impossible.
Unlike her usual self, she remained strangely quiet and showed none of her characteristic playfulness.
Chatfield, on the other hand, was much more talkative than usual.
He poured out stories incessantly, explaining facts about their destination and interjecting advice here and there.
If Sal had been able to control his emotions properly, he would have been listening intently to Chatfield's endless explanations.
But reality was different.
Just taking each step toward the car was overwhelming enough.
Just then, a man in uniform with a relaxed smile got out of the vehicle, walked around, and opened the passenger door.
As both doors opened outward, a small table was visible in the center of the interior, with plush seats facing each other on either side.
Upgrade entered first and sat on the left, and Chatfield took the seat opposite her on the right.
Sal had to decide on the spot who to sit across from for this flight, but a quick glance at their expressions made the answer clear.
He sat next to Upgrade and looked at Chatfield across the table.
Chatfield was giving the destination to the driver.
Only when the double doors closed did reality sink in.
He was leaving the Academy and heading to a dungeon; the mere thought made his stomach churn.
"Salvatore, honestly, it's impressive that you're intending to see this through."
Chatfield leaned back in his seat and smiled.
Then he pointed at Upgrade.
"I don't know what happened, but I can definitely feel the tension flowing between you and Upgrade. You need to set aside useless thoughts and analyze the situation. I've seen countless people like you. People who have lived protected, detached from the reality of monsters. Any parent would want to protect their child like that, and you can't blame your parents for keeping you safe until now. But you are an adult now. It's time to leave the comfortable fence. Upgrade and I will be by your side. helping you with every step you take."
When Chatfield looked at Upgrade, she gave a short nod of agreement.
After a brief pause, Chatfield burst into laughter at her stone-faced reaction.
"Hey, you could show a little humanity. You've got him completely terrified right now."
Sal turned his head and saw a very faint crack in Upgrade's cold exterior.
However, she didn't meet his gaze, keeping her eyes on Chatfield as she shook her head lightly.
"We are taking Sal into a dungeon for the first time right now. I don't want to give him a false sense of security that would make him complacent in the future. Being in a constant state of tension will keep his instincts sharp. If someone needs to be cold-hearted for a day, I'll take that role. So, Captain, I hope you won't treat Sal lightly either. This is a very important expedition for Sal, and the first step to overcoming his fundamental fear of monsters."
Upgrade's voice was unwaveringly firm, and only then could Sal understand why she had been acting coldly toward him.
Knowing he hadn't done anything wrong eased his mind, and the anxiety eating away at him subsided to some extent.
Fear still twisted his insides, but it was a little less than before.
Chatfield leaned back in his chair with his hands clasped behind his head, stretched, and sighed.
"Who knew I'd end up playing the good cop? Not that I disagree with you. With time, one becomes numb even to things like this."
Chatfield's gaze turned to Sal.
His tone settled into something a bit more serious.
"Just do as we say, and everything will work out. Maybe you'll even get a few materials this time."
Chatfield glanced at Upgrade and laughed when he saw her glaring at him.
He lowered his hands from behind his head and showed his palms as he spoke.
"I'm not trying to distract Salvatore or make him let his guard down. Just stating facts. You're a Crafter, after all. You'll definitely need materials to make good equipment in the future, and dungeons will naturally become a part of your future. So there's no harm in letting you know in advance."
"Or maybe I could earn enough Q-Credits to buy all the materials I need."
Sal muttered with his arms crossed.
He knew he was being petty, but Sal didn't care.
This whole situation felt unfair to him.
Even knowing they were trying to help him, he still couldn't shake the feeling that he was being punished for speaking honestly.
Chatfield burst into laughter and shook his head.
"If you intend to procure all necessary materials yourself in the future, your cash flow is going to be quite tight. The Legendary rank Crafter I mentioned yesterday, Dr. Ameier... do you remember him?"
Sal nodded cautiously, wondering what Chatfield was getting at.
"Dr. Ameier poured over five million Q-Credits into his train. It's a moving fortress capable of literally destroying anything it encounters. If he had tried to buy all the materials to build it, the cost would have been astronomical. Since his ability falls far short of your Mythos Crafter ability, it's fair to assume the costs you'll have to bear in the future will be even greater."
Chatfield's laughter was soon replaced by a humorless expression.
"Of course... unless you sell your ability to the highest bidder. You could make money quickly that way, but your moral standards would be sacrificed just as much."
Upgrade shook her head while looking out at the sprawling city through the window.
"Sal won't become like Dr. Ameier. Sal wants to help people rather than become rich. Most of what Sal has designed so far has been to compensate for his weaknesses and help the team. I don't think he'll walk down Dr. Ameier's path at all."
Chatfield blinked in surprise, then smiled again.
"High praise. Well, time will tell."
He soon turned his gaze out the window.
Sal didn't know how to take Upgrade's words, but it sounded like she believed in him, which was a small comfort.
When he turned his head and looked out the right window, Sal couldn't help but marvel at the vehicle speeding through the air.
Even as the flight path twisted and turned, no shaking was felt inside the car.
Ruined buildings soared toward the sky on all sides.
Some were encroached upon by nature, with trees growing out of cracks in glass broken long ago.
Several structures were completely covered in vivid green moss, showing that a long time had passed since people last lived there.
This didn't look like a Red Zone, but rather a Reclaimed Zone where no one lived.
The streets seemed roughly cleared, with debris pushed to both sides.
Because the vehicle sped through the ruined skyscrapers, Sal didn't even have a chance to examine the surroundings closely.
However, he was able to catch glimpses of people moving a few times.
He felt a sense of relief spotting those who seemed to form small communities settled in parts of the city.
"Why aren't there more people around here?"
Sal asked, looking at a settlement a bit more closely.
Chatfield sighed and shrugged.
"Mostly because of fear. The dungeons in this area have had their power source cut off and are virtually neutralized. So they've become good training grounds for hero trainees. We've calculated the monster regeneration rate, so there's no risk of the dungeons becoming too strong and breaking through the surrounding barriers. But for ordinary people, just being near an active dungeon is reason enough to avoid it. Even though the United Guild Association lowered land prices in this area significantly, no one shows interest. a few new guilds bought land, but they lack the resources or manpower to restore the buildings. Even if they did restore them, there's no proper infrastructure in this area. You'd have to go far just to get basic necessities. The only way to change this landscape is for a massive power to make this place their base."
Chatfield spoke as if it were a fact everyone knew.
Then he turned toward Sal and gave a wistful smile.
"Most people are afraid of monsters, Salvatore. Imagine something like that living right next door. Who would like it? But if a powerful guild becomes a neighbor, the story changes. Everyone would flock there, and eventually, the entire area would change."
Sal nodded in agreement, but suddenly wondered how many refugees this place could accommodate if properly restored.
Since he didn't even know how big the Darwin Cruise Liner was or how many people it could carry, it was just a passing thought.
However, his thoughts were cut off as the scenery changed abruptly.
As the vehicle descended toward the ground, fear began to rear its head again in Sal's chest.
Things that looked like dots from above grew larger, transforming into figures of people lingering here and there.
It was a scene completely different from any landscape he had seen so far, reminiscent of the cafeteria during its busiest hours.
People stood in groups, clad in various fabrics and metal armors.
On one side, street vendors were lined up, shouting the names of their goods at the top of their lungs to attract nearby heroes.
Sal had absolutely no intention of mingling in that chaotic pandemonium.
But the choice wasn't his.
The left door opened, and Upgrade and Chatfield got out of the vehicle first.
Sal sat for a moment longer, buried in the plush seat, trying to grasp the resolve he had already firmed up hundreds of times.
Chatfield leaned over, poking his head inside the car.
"If you want to throw up, there's a perfect spot over there. It'll make your senses even sharper."
Sal didn't reply and moved to squeeze out of the seat.
Chatfield pointed to a small case on the table.
"You don't want to enter the dungeon without your gun and visor, do you?"
Sal sighed, grabbed the handle of the case, and got out of the car.
The driver closed the door after him and indicated to Chatfield where he would park.
Sal tightened his grip on the handle as his eyes met the massive sign hanging overhead.
'Evergreen Subway Dungeon'
Just then, Upgrade came to Sal's side and whispered low so only he could hear.
"You can do it, Sal. It'll be over in the blink of an eye."