First Adventure

As the Celestial Ring held its historic meeting, with the most powerful figures of both Earth and the SoulRealm clashing over the fate of an entire Great House, Fenix was far removed from such grand political games.

He was in the tower, seated at a sturdy wooden table, poring over the remains of the monsters they had hunted the previous day.

Aldric had provided him with valuable specimens, allowing him to dissect, analyze, and study them in detail. The more he understood their anatomy, weak points, and behavior, the more effective he would become as a hunter.

At the far end of the room, sitting against the wall, was a simple brown bag—a rather unremarkable sight. But Fenix knew better.

It was a Dimensional Bag, an item far more valuable than it appeared.

Aldric had used it countless times to store weapons, tools, monster remains, and all kinds of resources. It could hold an absurd amount of weight, all compressed into a seemingly weightless container.

Fenix leaned back in his chair, watching the bag with a thoughtful gaze.

'That thing is way too useful… I should really start saving money and get one for myself.'

Before he could dwell on the thought further, he heard footsteps echoing from the hallway, followed by a familiar voice calling out.

"Fenix! Get ready, we're heading out on an adventure!"

Fenix frowned, looking up. Aldric sounded excited, which meant two things—this was either a great opportunity or a massive headache waiting to happen.

Aldric stepped inside, his usual relaxed smirk on his face.

"A trip?" Fenix repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Where? And are we going alone?"

"Beyond Avalon," Aldric answered casually, as if it were no big deal.

Fenix sat up straight. Leaving Avalon? That wasn't a small thing.

"Wait—what? Just us?"

Aldric shook his head. "Not this time. We'll be going with some old friends of mine—the ones I told you about before."

Fenix's eyes narrowed. The former mercenary cohort.

Months ago, Aldric had mentioned them in passing—a group of elite warriors, each of them carrying six Soul Cores, known for their near-impossible rescue missions.

"And where exactly are we heading?"

Aldric grinned. "A newly discovered dungeon."

Fenix felt a mix of excitement and dread crawl up his spine.

Dungeons in the SoulRealm were not normal hunting grounds.

They were places where the rules of the system twisted, where monsters were stronger, traps were deadlier, and unknown dangers lurked in the shadows of the forgotten past.

"You're serious?"

"As serious as I get," Aldric shrugged. "Now's the perfect time. With the academy closed, you don't have much else to do except train. This is real experience, something you can't get inside Avalon's walls."

Fenix exhaled slowly.

He knew how dangerous dungeons could be.

There were countless stories about parties of hunters and adventurers entering and never coming back. Even the wealthiest families occasionally sent mercenary teams to explore deeper, only for those teams to vanish completely.

However, despite the obvious risks, dungeons also offered something else—opportunity.

The creatures inside usually dropped far more Soul Shards, and sometimes, adventurers even found high-grade artifacts—powerful items ranging from Rare to Mythic-tier treasures.

"Alright," Fenix said, feeling his heart beat faster. "So… how dangerous is this one?"

Aldric stretched his arms lazily.

"Who knows? Probably not too bad. The scouts say it's at least Tier III, but we'll find out when we get there."

Fenix let out a short laugh. "You're terrible at reassuring people, you know that?"

Aldric just grinned.

"Anyway," Aldric continued, "You have the whole morning to get ready. At noon, meet me at the restaurant near the tower—that's where we'll meet the others before heading out."

With that, he turned and left, leaving Fenix alone with his thoughts.

The weight of reality settled in.

He wasn't just leaving Avalon for a casual hunt.

This was his first true dungeon.

His first time stepping into a true unknown.

Fenix exhaled and pushed himself away from the table, glancing at the creature he had been dissecting earlier—a Stranglethorn Boar, one of the rare, tougher creatures from the forest.

He had fought the damn thing alone for a ridiculous amount of time, all for four measly Soul Shards.

'Still not worth the effort,' he thought bitterly.

Shaking his head, he stood up and began packing his gear.

His weapon and armor were stored as soul-bound items, meaning he could summon and dismiss them at will—but there were still other essentials to bring along.

 A sleeping bag—he had no idea how long they'd be out.

Basic survival supplies—knives, water purification tablets, a few other tools.

A ration pack—though Aldric would likely be handling most of the food thanks to his Dimensional Bag.

As he tightened the straps on his pack, Fenix let out a deep breath.

'No turning back now.'

The journey into the unknown was about to begin.

By the time lunch arrived, Fenix made his way toward the marked location—a humble, family-run restaurant nestled in the familiar streets of Avalon.

He recognized it immediately. It was a place he had passed countless times on his way to hunting zones outside the city, though he had never stepped inside before.

As he entered, the scent of freshly grilled meat and spices filled the air. The atmosphere was warm, filled with laughter and chatter—a stark contrast to the tension of the world outside.

At a large wooden table in the center, he spotted Aldric, already seated alongside five others.

Each one of them radiated presence, their power obvious even at a glance.

These weren't just any mercenaries—they were Aldric's old cohort, a team of elites, each carrying six Soul Cores, just like their former leader.

But one thing bothered Fenix.

Aldric had once told him that his team had consisted of eight members.

Now, only six remained.

He didn't ask, but the implication was clear—something must have happened to the other two.

Before he could dwell on it, Aldric noticed him and waved him over.

"Fenix! Come, take a seat."

As he approached, one of the mercenaries—the silver-eyed man sitting at the head of the table—spoke first.

"This the newbie?" His voice was calm, but there was a curious edge to it.

"Yup," Aldric confirmed. "Try not to scare him off."

The man smirked. "No promises."

Fenix held back an eye roll. He could already tell this was going to be a long meal.

Aldric, ignoring the playful hostility, gestured to the group.

"Let's do introductions."

Rein – The silver-eyed man, clearly the leader. He wielded a longsword—a standard but reliable weapon. His aura radiated confidence, and there was something calculated in his gaze.

Lena – A short, red-haired woman with a bow slung across her back. Her posture was relaxed, and she had the easygoing attitude of someone who had seen countless battles and lived to laugh about them.

Doran – A towering mass of muscle, his presence imposing even when he was simply sitting. A massive axe rested beside him, a clear indicator of his brutal fighting style.

Vix – A duelist, wielding two curved blades. Even when sitting still, she moved with an unnatural grace, as if her body was always ready to strike. Unpredictable and dangerous.

Orin – The healer, easily recognizable by his runic-carved staff. His sharp, calculating eyes made it clear—he wasn't just a support fighter. He had likely seen more death than all of them combined.

Aldric then turned toward Fenix.

"And this," he said with a smirk, "is my student and disciple. Be nice to him."

There was a pause before a voice—smooth yet teasing—broke the silence.

"Ooooh, the 'cold and ruthless' Aldric with a disciple?"

Fenix turned to see Vix, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Hmm…" she tapped her chin. "Never thought I'd live to see the day."

Orin, the healer, chuckled. "This is new. Seems like you've gotten soft, Aldric."

Aldric merely rolled his eyes, but Fenix could see something else.

Here, with his old cohort, Aldric was different.

Back in the academy, he had always been cold and distant, but here, he laughed and joked like a man who had nothing to hide.

And yet… something was missing.

Fenix could still feel the unspoken absence of the two missing members.

After some casual banter and a hearty meal, the conversation took a serious turn.

Aldric leaned forward, his tone shifting.

"Alright, let's get to business. What are we dealing with?"

Rein was the one to respond.

"We've located a new dungeon—about 300 kilometers east of Avalon. It's positioned past a Drakar-controlled Stronghold, deep within the Blackroot Jungle. Getting there won't be easy."

Fenix frowned. "The Blackroot Jungle?"

Aldric nodded. "It's a massive forest—dense, dark, and filled with hidden predators. Navigating through it will take days, unless we find a way to teleport closer."

Rein exhaled. "That would have been an option if the Drakar family wasn't currently in the middle of the Celestial Ring's meeting."

Fenix immediately caught the implication.

No communication with the Drakar meant no access to their teleportation gates. That meant they'd have to travel the long way around.

Rein continued.

"As for the dungeon itself—it's confirmed as Tier II, but we've already spotted Tier III creatures patrolling the outskirts. That suggests there's something else deeper inside.

If we go in unprepared, we could easily be overwhelmed."

A brief silence filled the room.

Vix leaned back in her chair. "Are we really bringing a rookie along?"

Aldric's expression didn't change.

"He'll be fine."

Rein met Aldric's gaze. "Are you sure?"

"He's been training hard. And even if he can't take on the bigger threats, he's smart enough to survive. Besides—there are six of us."

The leader exhaled before nodding.

"Alright. Then we don't have many options. Travel will take roughly five days."

Aldric crossed his arms. "We heading out at night or at dawn?"

"Tonight."

Rein's tone was final.

"We'll be traveling in two carriages, splitting into two teams. One group of three will take the front, and the other group of four will take the rear. We'll rotate shifts so some of us can rest while others keep watch."

He glanced around the table before assigning the teams.

Group 1 (Front Carriage): Rein, Lena, Orin

Group 2 (Rear Carriage): Doran, Vix, Aldric, Fenix

The plan was set.

They would leave tonight, venturing into the unknown depths of the SoulRealm—toward a mystery waiting to be unraveled.