Chapter 96: An Adventurer Again 1

Ravengard came into view sometime before noon. If Arin hadn’t heard Adnan’s description beforehand, he would have expected a much larger city from the stories. A vast stone wall enclosed the town, broken up by numerous watchtowers from which banners flew.

The main gate was a chaotic mix of merchants, travelers, and adventurers bustling in and out of the city. Beyond the wall loomed a collection of large buildings, several of which had towers that shot up above the surrounding rooftops, their sides lined with glowing script. Arin paused where he stood, taking it all in.

“This place is massive,” Arin said. Adnan chuckled. “I told you it was a big adventurer city, but you didn’t expect half the continent to be here, did you?” he replied. “Ravengard is an important trade city,” Arin mused. “Adventurers come here because of the dungeon nearby, and merchants follow the adventurers because they have money.”

Saira gave Arin a long, appraising look. “That is why you are grinning, isn’t it?” she asked. “I love the economy of this place,” Arin said. “What economy?” Ayan asked, adjusting the strap of the travel bag on his shoulder. “We should get inside the gates before they become too busy.”

Mira nodded in agreement. “We have been walking for days, and I for one would prefer to find an inn before night falls,” she said. The group fell in line with the steady stream of adventurers and merchants heading toward the entrance.

Soldiers checked wagons as they came through the gate and occasionally stopped a traveler, regarding their belongings with suspicion. Adventurers seemed to draw less scrutiny, although the guards took a particular interest in their equipment and questioned them thoroughly. When the group reached the soldiers, one of them stepped forward.

“State your business here in Ravengard,” the guard said. “Business and dungeon exploration,” Adnan replied. The guard looked the group over, pausing for a long moment on Ayan’s oddly composed appearance and Saira’s horns. He turned back to Adnan.

“Are you all registered adventurers?” the guard asked. “We are,” Adnan said. “Then show me your Guild cards,” the guard ordered. Arin fished into the little pouch at his belt, pulling out his card.

He looked it over. It read:

Name: Arin Rahman

Rank: F

Occupation: Dungeon Hunter

Arin nearly laughed out loud. He had battled ancient Dungeon Masters, fought monsters strong enough to topple an entire forest, and possessed power that not even he fully understood. He had run into a man who could have lived through the ages and watched it all unfold.

And yet, he was still an F-Rank Dungeon Hunter according to the Adventurer’s Guild. That was a laugh. Arin gave the guard the card. The man studied it, then passed it over a blue strip of metal, and a soft glow of blue light spread over the surface.

“Alright, that’s all set. You’re free to enter the city,” the guard said. The group was waved through the gate. Arin found himself marveling at the scene inside the walls. Shops lined the street, selling a wide variety of goods and equipment, much of which appeared to be made specifically for dungeon exploring.

Several shops had displays of multicolored crystals set behind sheets of thick glass, while others had various monster parts and treasures for sale, supposedly collected by adventurers during their journeys. Clusters of adventurers chattered and boasted to each other, comparing notes and choosing their next destination. Some wore fine armor and carried weapons that looked to be worth a king’s ransom, while others used simpler gear, better suited for stealth and speed.

A group of adventurers passed them, laughing and joking about how they would split up the treasure they had acquired on their last trip. Arin watched them, nostalgia washing over him. It wasn’t the sense of danger that he felt, or the love of the thrill that had started it all. It was the feeling of a home he hadn’t realized he missed.

The kind of home where everyone chased a dream, maybe not of gold, or glory, or even survival, but something that only they could find in the depths of a dungeon. Arin had set out on his own path as an adventurer with nothing but a rusty old sword and a strong desire to live. Now, he wore a Dungeon Master’s Mark and had power beyond what he had ever hoped for.

What would these adventurers say if they knew what he had become? Probably not very flattering things. “Arin,” Adnan called. He turned. “What is it?” “The Guild is over there,” Adnan said, pointing toward a large building at the edge of the square.

It was made of pale stone, and the entrance was wide enough for several people to walk through at once, flanked by two black doors with the insignia of the Adventurer’s Guild hammered into their surface. Arin smiled. “Let’s go,” he said.

The inside of the building was just as busy as the street outside, but the adventurers here carried on conversations over food or repaired their gear before heading out again. A handful of counters stretched along the front of the large room, and a notice board stood in the middle, covered with various bits of paper bearing different requests.

Arin ran his eyes over the familiar sights, and it all reminded him of the early days when he had first entered this life. He had signed up, taken a simple job offer, and fumbled his way through the first few adventures, not knowing what to expect. It was nothing compared to the challenges he faced now, but it was still a fond memory nonetheless.

Back then he hadn’t been the best adventurer in the land; in fact, he hadn’t been anything special at all. He had barely survived the first few dungeon crawls, and the thought that he might find a treasure room had thrilled him to the depths of his bones. That was the world he had come from, and the one he had left behind to become something more.

Arin didn’t think about it any further. He was an adventurer, and today he would explore another dungeon. The kind of place where he had first learned who he was. What would the other adventurers think if they knew that today was the day that the famous Dungeon Master and Dungeon Explorer, who had defeated monsters no one else had ever seen and delved into a dungeon no one had ever mapped, set out to explore yet another dungeon?

Probably that he was mad. “Arin,” Saira called. He turned toward the sound of her voice. “What is it?” he asked. “The Guild desk is that way,” Saira said, pointing toward the counters.

Arin turned back to the street, watching as a group of adventurers filtered past the doors and into the great hall. He looked to Adnan, who was already heading in that direction, and then turned back to the notice board. His eyes were drawn to the section marked ‘New Adventurers’ and he felt a pang of longing.

Back when he had been a new adventurer, he had barely been able to afford food and shelter, relying on the occasional generous patron to keep him fed, but the thrill of the dungeon had always outweighed the hardships. He had been young then, and the thought of riches and glory had been far more important than it was now. The feeling was sweet, like a taste of something old, something that had shaped who he was today.

He tore his gaze away from the notice board, only to feel a strange emotion rising in his chest. Today was a new day, and he was a new kind of adventurer. A Dungeon Master. Arin smiled. “Let’s go,” he said.

—

The interior of the guild was just as lively as Arin remembered. Adventurers lounged at the tables, conversing over meals or organizing their gear in preparation for their next quest. A few counters lined the front of the room, and the notice board was covered with various requests, ranging from simple expeditions to multi-party raids.

Memories flooded Arin’s mind as he took in the scene before him. He remembered signing up to be an adventurer, taking a basic mission and fumbling through it, the thrill of finding new treasure and fighting interesting monsters outweighing the fear and doubt. He had come a long way from those days, but it was still a warm feeling that spread through his chest nonetheless.

No wonder people got so worked up about adventures and explorations – doing it was an amazing experience, and telling the stories afterwards was just as good. Arin had barely noticed Saira, Ayan and Mira watching him. “Smiling again,” Saira said. “I’m allowed to smile,” Arin replied.

“Of course you are,” Saira said. “I was just wondering what you were thinking about.” “Nothing important,” Arin said, though the look on his face didn’t change. Saira gave him a doubtful look, but didn’t press the issue.

Arin is back where his adventure began!

Ravengard is filled with adventurers, treasures, and new opportunities. But Arin is no longer the inexperienced adventurer he once was—he’s now a Dungeon Master with powers beyond ordinary people’s imagination!

Will this new dungeon bring him closer to Level 2?

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