Level Up

After exiting Mingyue Li's blacksmithy, Yuan Tai walked around for a bit before returning to the spot that he and Jung Hook separated at.

He stood there for a couple of minutes before hearing some hurried footsteps. Turning to look at the direction from where the sound was coming from, Yuan Tai saw Jung Hook running at him.

With a tilt of his head, Yuan Tai just moved out of the way as he looked at Jung Hook trip and fall.

Bam!

"Ouch," groaned Jung Hook as he tried standing up.

"You okay?" asked Yuan Tai.

"Yeah… My armor was too heavy for me just now and I couldn't stop myself in time, sorry. Hahaaha," explained Jung Hook.

Yuan Tai nodded as he noticed the slightly red and puffy eyes of Jung Hook. Although he laughed and joked around, Sora knew that the man was still hurting about his brother's death.

It DID just happen in the morning after all.

Walking together, they headed over to the World's Dungeon Gate, the portal way to World's Dungeon.

Not long after walking, Yuan Tai could already see the shrine at where the World's Dungeon Gate was located. Standing in front of the shrine was a large group of people.

"Oh! You're in luck today Yuan Tai!" Jung Hook smiled as he looked at the huge crowd up ahead of them with joy.

In front of the city's entrance stood a huge group of 20 people. They all held different weapons and they wore armor. They all surrounded a young man with short brown hair.

The 20 people around him looked at him with admiration as they asked him many questions and he answered them with a smile on his face.

"Why am I lucky?" Yuan Tai looked at the group in front of him with interest after hearing Jung Hook's words.

"Because that group is a beginner's group. They are getting ready to enter the World's Dungeon today," Jung Hook looked at the party with a smile.

A beginner's group is a group made up of people with no levels, sometimes those under level 5 can join as well. The group of beginners usually have a group leader who has a high level and can help them out in different situations.

"It does sound good," nodding, Yuan Tai looked at the group and followed behind Jung Hook.

"I'm still a level three, so I will be joining you and help you level up as well," said Jung Hook.

Yuan Tai didn't respond, but he looked at Jung Hook for a moment before focusing on what the young man was saying.

"My name is Christopher Tint, I'm a level 9. Today I will be helping all of you in gaining a level. Hopefully bringing you all up to level 2 by the end of the day!" Christopher yelled out with a smile as he scanned the entire group.

"Now let us be on our way, remember to stay close at all times! If you aren't close, I won't be able to save you," Christopher turned around and walked forward to a huge shrine not too far away from them.

There were many people with similar armor standing outside of the shrine, guarding it. If Yuan Tai isn't wrong, they are the people that guard the shrines and prevent beasts from running rampage.

Everyone followed behind Christopher, including Yuan Tai and Jung Hook.

Standing before the portal, Yuan Tai looked at it with happiness as he thought to himself, 'Mom… Dad… I'm finally becoming an adventurer.'

"Keep a good hold on your fox," warned Jung Hook as they stood before the portal.

Yuan Tai looked at Jung Hook and asked, "Why?"

"Because animals that enter alone through the portal don't exit through the way humans do. It is speculated by many scientists that the animals are sent to appear on the side of the beasts for them to grow their own way," explained Jung Hook as he looked at the little fox in Yuan Tai's pouch.

"..." Yuan Tai turned to look at Bing'er and patted his head.

"Are you ready?" asked Jung Hook as he looked back at Yuan Tai.

"Ready."

Stepping through the portal, Yuan Tai felt his whole world shift. From the previous buildings and shrine, the whole world changes as they arrive before a huge abundance of trees and a blue sky up in the air with no clouds to be seen.

There were many people in the area, selling and buying many things. It was almost like he was at a flea market.

What caught his eyes however, were the many other tall portals that surrounded them for a couple of miles.

"Why are there more portals here?" asked Yuan Tai curiously as he looked at the portal not too far away from them.

"Because the portals all lead to different places. The portals in World's Dungeon circles a five hundred square mile area and in the circle, no beasts can enter unless they are brought by a human. This is like a resting zone for the humans." said Jung Hook as he continued following Christopher.

'Does that mean I will see the Tiger Gang here?' thought Yuan Tai with sharp eyes as he scanned the immediate vicinity before noticing that he saw no one familiar.

He calmed down and nodded Jung Hook before walking around for a bit as he marveled at everything in World's Dungeon.

'Amazing, it all feels SO surreal,' Yuan Tai thought as he looked around with amazement.

Now that he was inside a World's Dungeon, he was only a couple of steps away from getting rid of Tiger Gang and regaining control of King City.

The next step?

Kill beasts to level up and gain a class!

With a small smile, Yuan Tai caressed the fox's head before following Christopher and Jung Hook further into the forest to look for monsters.

"Everyone please keep in mind that we won't find any beasts until after a mile of walking," explained Christopher as he guided everyone through the forest.

'I should use this chance to get used to the terrain,' thought Yuan Tai as he walked behind everyone.

He slowly jumped from place to place and did short dashes trying to get used to the terrain. However everyone ahead of him found his actions weird and funny.

They looked at him as if he were a little kid jumping in puddles formed by a rain.

Yuan Tai ignored their looks however and only focused on what he was doing, he didn't care what anyone thought. Especially when he was the best thief back in his home city where other thieves looked up to him.

Although it didn't really make him proud since it was his only way of surviving.

"What are you doing? Everyone is looking at you weirdly," asked Jung Hook after noticing everyone looking over to them.

"Getting used to the terrain. I need to know how the ground and the surrounding trees are so I can do my best when fighting against a beast," calmly said Yuan Tai as he dashed for the tenth time.

After dashing and jumping two more times, Yuan Tai stopped and just tapped the ground twice with his right foot.

'I'm done analyzing the terrain and familiarizing myself,' thought Yuan Tai as he walked with ease through the bumpy ground, slopes, and over the roots coming out of the ground.

He caught up to the people ahead easily and looked up, 'Maybe I should start trying to learn how to climb trees and fight on them. I might have to fight a bird, snake, or a weird beast from up there. Or I might even have to run from a high leveled or dangerous beast.'

The only thing Yuan Tai can put his trust in is the terrain.

Since the terrain also becomes stronger and more sturdier the further one gets from the safe zone.

Beasts live in areas fit for their levels.

If a level fifty beast entered the area of a level 5 beast, it might easily destroy trees, rock, and even mountains. However, if that same beast tried doing the same thing it's area, it would only be able to leave a scratch on the trees and not even a chunk of a mountain could be destroyed by the level 50 beast.

Which is why areas are also sectioned off into level, and also how wood, ores, stones, fruits, and herbs are sectioned off into levels as well.

A level 1 iron ore is not the same as a level 50 iron ore in many different ways. Even the level 50 iron ore's melting point is higher than a level 1 iron ore.

Even sticks from a level 50 area are deadly on level 10 beasts.

Luckily beasts are very arrogant and don't wish to travel down to the lower leveled areas, unless they are chasing something or someone.

Yuan Tai looked at those ahead of himself and the branches of the tree before sighing and deciding to ultimately not familiarize himself with trees.

'Maybe some other time,' he thought.

After walking a whole mile, Christopher had everyone stop.

"Okay everyone, we will be camping here," Christopher said as he motioned to the wide area.

"But won't beasts come to use here?" asked a man with worry.

"Not with me around," said Christopher with a high and mighty look. "Besides, only level 5's and lower beasts will appear. Enough for me to deal with."

"..."

The whole group stayed quiet and decided to listen to Christopher's words and unpacked.

Yuan Tai looked at all of them unpack and set up camp. Since he had no items for camping and whatever, he instead paid attention to what he might need to bring the next time he comes into the World's Dungeon.

He looked at every item Jung Hook unloaded and the others as well.

After understanding what he will be needing the next time he comes alone, Yuan Tai made a mental note of it and left the immediate area.

Since he had gotten used to scouting before rubbing, he decided to look around the area they will be having to fight beasts.

He walked around for quite some time and finally he got so far from the camp that if he yelled, no one would hear him.

Continuing walking, Yuan Tai was slightly expecting to find a beast soon so that he could get his class and get its bonuses.

Such as if he possibly got a Swordsman Class, he would get something like being more proficient with swords.

It would be refreshing.

'There seems to be no beast in sight… it's almost disappointing,' thought Yuan Tai as he turned to leave.

However, when he turned, he came face to face with a buff monkey over a meter and a half tall. It's eyes were sharp and it seemed to have some intelligence in it's eyes, but even with that intelligence, it held wrath in it's eyes and a very miniscule amount of curiosity.

"Sup," said Yuan Tai before walking past it.

It almost seemed like he walked over to the empty area just to say hi to a monkey beast before just randomly leaving until he heard its screech.

"EEEIIII!!!"

'Damn,' thought Yuan Tai as his face remained calm and he slowly unsheathed the sword.

He turned around and faced the monkey before him. He had the one handed longsword on his right hand and kept his left hand free to save himself in unforeseen situations.

The monkey looked at Yuan Tai with a fierce look for a long second before launching itself with it's claws sharp and it's mouth wide open.

Yuan Tai looked on calmly as the monkey approached and readied himself.

He waited patiently and finally when it reached in front of himself, he jumped to the right and sliced right at the monkey's neck from the side, cleanly cutting right through.

[Level 2 Buff Monkey killed.]

[200 experience gained.]

[Level up!]

[Special Class has been obtained!]

[New skill awarded!]

[Two skills made 'Special'!]

"What? That was too easy..."