บท 1: Chapter 1: Alister Granbell
"I'm sorry... It's just not working... Alistair, please forgive me..."
"I love you, but what we want is too different... Please... be happy and don't forget to eat healthily, okay?"
"Goodbye... my honey bear..."
*Beep! Beep! Beep!*
A tall man with wide shoulders sat hunched on a black sofa, the flashing red light of his magitek receiver, a beautiful but tearful voice that began to crack and fall apart as she spoke more, the sound replaying in his mind and the room repeatedly.
"Phew... I guess that's that."
His lips pursed as smoke blew from his lips, the blazing tip of his Manacyte Dragon stick taking in the sweet fragrance, causing his entire body to feel relaxed as it boosted his mana's regeneration no matter how meagre it might be.
"Even to the end, you were still the same, Philis... Thank you for the wonderful memories." His deep, gruff voice sounded like a movie announcer in the small apartment with wine-red walls and a black velvet carpet.
Darkness filled the room, like an encroaching fog seeping into the most desolate corner, sirens blaring outside his window, a cheap apartment in the city centre just outside the slums where all sorts of dark monsters dwelled.
'Six years have gone... Just like that...' Alistair's mind was almost dull to pain, no longer able to feel the intense emotions from earlier today.
His superior's scolding now seemed like a gentle and soothing lullaby.
The sound of the static from his tv filling the small apartment room, now with various items missing, seemed to have been taken in a rush as some of the smaller items were still lying around.
The man with tanned bronze skin tapped the tip of his dragon stick into the metal tray, a burst of smoke before a swirl of magical particles began to flutter from the bottom, sucking the smoke into a small ball before it dispersed with a faint fruity aroma.
Still grasping to the threads of chance, Alistair wanted to believe she would accept his situation, struggling to accept the situation, only causing a throbbing pain inside his dull maze of a mind muddled and blurry.
He wasn't sure if he had become heartless or if this mundane and dull life had eaten away at his passion and enthusiasm from 10 years ago.
Now at 28, he felt like a broken toy tossed to the side by its owner.
Leaning back, the black leather couch began to creak, a series of memories with her coming to his mind, from watching the new release of a romance movie together, laughing at her tears and snotty nose, to images of her plump behind shaking from his violent thrusts.
A couch filled with the memories and scent of her.
Alistair and Philis had broken up nearly a week ago, his mind finally starting to recover and regain his sanity, while inside his hand was a leaflet given to him during his hasty lunch at work.
- Become an Adventurer!
Are you sick of a boring life? Want to earn lots of money and live a life of luxury?
Then look no further! The local Dungeon Bureau is recruiting new adventurers of ANY age!
Come to your local Dungeon Bureau office to register!
Be a new you! A better you!
His eyes looked at the glossy leaflet with a picture of several people of various races shining brightly; Alistair felt a slight tinge of curiosity in his heart, always wanting to try something new but putting his desires and dreams on the line.
Alistair began to scan his apartment's main room once more.
The room was quite large for his wage but nothing special, two black doors behind him and one to the left. A wide window overlooked the neon signs of his city residence and a large glass display case with pictures of various people.
Still, the main one was a beautiful orc female with dark green skin, beautiful black hair, and golden eyes, standing next to an average-looking male with blue eyes and a petite boy who was quite handsome but had broad shoulders.
"I guess it's time for a change..."
Alistair stood up, groaning at the pain in his lower back, some hope the 'new him' could fix his ageing body as his large hands brushed back his mid-length raven hair, two striking neon blue pupils looking at the glass case, a white shirt stretched over his bulky, muscular frame, handsome features and a deep outline—that was Alistair Granbell who began to move with loud steps.
"Mother... Father... Forgive your stupid son who worried about money and let an amazing woman go...!"
His body leaned forward with a light bow, offering a light prayer to the glass mourning cabinet.
'Mother, you were an adventurer and told me not to become one unless my determination was strong and my willpower solid, but because I wanted to help Philis, that path was closed to me, but now... Please watch over your son as he tries to follow in your footsteps a little late!'
After giving his greeting to his mother, his body turned quickly, leaving the apartment, looking back once more, a faint hope she would be sitting there, in the corner with her long brown hair curled around her finger, reading her documents from work, small black glasses falling down her nose as she turned to him and blew him a kiss in the brightly lit room.
Sadly, all that remained was the darkness, her voice still playing repeatedly as the red light flashed, revealing the dark couch and countless dragon sticks in the glass bowl.
"I'm going..." Alistair said, out of habit, causing his wry smile to bloom as he wrapped his body in a custom-fitted Ashton Juvon Suit Jacket, causing him to become a new man.
Tall, muscular and handsome with slight orc features that made him look wild and fierce as if he were about to star as the main villain in that elven kung-fu movie.
Alistair Granbell, aged 28 on his way to becoming an adventurer!
"It's raining again, huh?"
Hissing in annoyance, Alistair pushed through the crowded streets as people left their jobs and work, elves wearing floral clothes despite the rain, using their magic to reflect the water. At the same time, a group of goblins in messy suits carried the financial newspaper and began to discuss the stocks and how terrible it was today.
The scent of bourbon and cedarwood reached Alistair's nose as they passed him, giving the nod due to his orcish lineage.
This world was one of the various races mixed due to a massive event over 400 years ago; strange pillars appeared from the air, sea and earth; nothing happened for more than 90 years; no matter how humanity tried to enter, the rock was too powerful, and the glowing runes were of no known language.
Alistair stepped to the curb, urgently putting his left arm out to call for the red bus as it slowly turned into his stop, the rush of people getting off, some in suits, others in messy and torn clothes, likely aiming for the slums a few blocks away.
'Ah, this stench...' he thought; because of his orc lineage, he could smell certain things more clearly, from a female's mood, arousal and scent to the nasty dirt and filth that built up on the bodies of slum dwellers.
"Evening, The Bureau, please," Alistair asked the driver, swiping his Magicell over the indicator with a bleep, turning to face the now empty bus and sitting on the first set of seats as it was single before his body leaned against the window brushing the soft layer of rain from his body.
In the distance, huge black pillars almost the size of entire cities stood tall on the grey skies horizon, his eyes watching them as he grasped the flyer tightly.
'That will be me... I will reach those heights! Never have to worry about money again!'
A video sponsored by the Dungeon Bureau began playing, which described the truth of the pillars, dungeons and their dangers.
"The pillars of judgment appeared 400 years ago, people unable to make head or tails...." A soft but well-spoken voice began to announce the history of his world.
"However, after 90 years, a doorway opened in each pillar! Leading the way to another world, from dark, murky caves to wonderful forests and lands of beauty! The moment this happened, like a tidal wave, various races and creatures from those worlds fled to our beautiful Almos I, causing chaos!"
Alistair closed his eyes, trying to remember his history class from many years ago. But his head shook in dismay; only the most essential things were remembered from that place, a period of his life where he was bullied and taunted daily.
'Going to a specialised human school as a half-orc... Mother, not everyone was like Dad... Still, it allowed me to see the world's darkness and grow up sooner, allowing me to deal with losing you both...'
Listening to the human female's soft voice, he drifted into a light slumber. Since losing Philis, it became hard for him to sleep, almost forcing himself to collapse to get a decent rest, but this woman's voice was very soothing, maybe a special ability of hers.
"Although chaotic, when humanity first entered those pillars, we were greeted by a wonderful gift! Any human that entered as long as they were older than 15 would be able to receive a gift from what we believe were the gods!"
This was true; you would get a chest only once for free, inside was like Pandora's box; your fate, future and hope were contained inside, but there was also a hint of chaos.
"Inside the dungeon, slaying monsters allowed humanity to become stronger and stand as equals with our new alien brethren; another discovery was that monsters outside the dungeons did not give experience or loot boxes, avoiding a horrible massacre and war." The soft-spoken woman in the video continued to speak.
"Lassie, it's you again? Are you going to pay this time?" The driver's weak voice sounded before he shook his head and waved to the girl on the bus.
"Ahhh, mister, you know I'm broke, right? Just this once, Kay?" Her voice was husky and carried a sensual and melodic charm; those purple eyes, like amethysts, were alluring and bright despite her looks.
With a graceful and light movement, she skipped onto the empty bus, her eyes seeming to check for something, but nobody knew what.
Alistair's body gently swayed on the bus, moments later a girl jumped on too, her stop just beside the slums, her body a little dirty with long white hair tied into a messy ponytail with an elastic band, her clothes were a little risque and slutty, with her thong showing above the waist of her ripped washed out jeans.
On her toned body was a vivid pink heart with tribal markings, likely from a vagrant tribe or race, while her upper body wore a black crop top with a hooded attachment.
The moment she passed the hulking form of Alistair, her nose snorted with a thick taste of his scent.
A huge grin formed on her face as she inspected his body, nodding several times before sitting beside him across the aisle, sometimes glancing towards him and biting her lower lip as she seemed to look more luscious and healthy each time she sniffed his scent.
Alistair was oblivious, his sleep dominated by a delicious and pure fragrance followed by a seductive and lonely aftertaste. The woman's voice in the movie continued to play as the bus shook and drove to the next stop with its rumbling magitek engine.
"Once people levelled up, they became stronger and more youthful; old wounds and injuries would slowly heal! The effect of dungeons would give the same effect a gym would have after several months, in a week! How amazing! I know I love keeping myself fit in the dungeon."
The woman in the video began to move as the camera zoomed out to show her beautiful snake tail as she was a lamia, her body tight with powerful abs and a beautiful shimmering tail that flickered in the camera.
"Tsk... fucking C-grade Monsters..." The girl's foul but charming voice echoed as she watched the movie, her legs crossed on the seat with her arms pushing up her huge breasts, watching the scene with a sarcastic face."
As the bus continued, the woman's time came to a close; finally, the information that was a little boring began to show, from there being countless talents, from simplistic ones allowing you to wield all blades at intermediate with no training to understanding all languages, and everyone could attain one!
Thus they created an organisation to manage these people, The Dungeon Archive Association in the past, now known as The Dungeon Bureau in modern times.
People could earn money by selling things found in the dungeon to the Bureau, which allowed each country to grow as, 100 years later, a war that caused the entire world to almost end began.
"What a load of crap... It's the way to die!" The slum girl's voice sounded as she pressed the bell and skipped towards the exit, leaning close to the sleeping Alistair's neck, taking a deep sniff of his scent as if it was delicious, her face filled with an entranced look, as she likely pressed her lips against his neck.
"Philis..." Alistair's voice sounded... the deep and masculine voice sending chills and excitement up the slum girl's body before she frowned and gave him a middle finger.
"I ain't Philis, tsk!" Her actions were like this, but her face was smiling as she gave him one last look before skirting off and throwing a kiss at the driver.
"Thank chu, driver! See you in a few hours!"
"These damn monster girls... all so strange and loose... Back in my day..." Thus the driver began to monologue about the girls in his time, his grey hair and messy stubble reflected in the mirror as he watched the sleeping Alistair with a wry smile.
Almost 30 minutes later, after the bus spent time picking up and dropping off various people, it finally came to the last depot; the engine rattled, dying down as the bus stopped; the gentle driver nudged, waking up the sleeping Alistair before wiping his tired, eyes.
"Where am I?" He asked in a dazed voice, struggling to his feet with clumsy movement, almost crushing the metal bars with his firm grip.
"Hohoho, come on, lad, are you already going senile? We're at your destination. The final stop. The Dungeon Bureau! Good luck; I hope you can tell me about it on the way home later..."
The old man once again tapped his shoulder, looking up at the tall Alistair, somehow this boy always worked hard, for 4 years this boy got the bus at the earliest time and returned at the latest on most nights, causing the old man to worry for him.
As he watched Alistair in his black suit walking towards the huge glass doors, he couldn't help but smile, remembering his past, the tattoo on his right shoulder under the mottled and messy driver's shirt with the letter 'A', his former guild rank.
"Go get 'em, lad; I know you will do well! Just like your late mother."
Alistar Granbell took his step to follow his mother's path; a broad and powerful back vanished into the glass doors, with a distant bell ringing as the old man looked at an old picture, the same man and woman that the boy worshipped inside his locket beside them another girl and an older man who looked a spitting image of the human girl and the old driver sitting on the old red bus.
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