Hundred days, that's how many nights had passed of him searching for an apprentice.
Day in, and out. He was always surveilling the streets in search of a promising one.
Upon searching side by side, at the emptied streets, he coincidentally saw a fight between a knight and an anonymous. His foe was someone's face who's everyone's unfamiliar with, which never been to the town before.
Strangely, this youth claimed himself to be an apprentice of Leon. In short, his disciple.
At every angle, the youth seemed calmed. His eyes were calm as an endless sea, going with the flow of wind.
Leon found it interesting and watched the youth resolved his problem. But, no matter how calm the youth was, the knight's will never wavered, his eyes full of confidence that the youth in front of him was a fraud.
Within his calculations, the youth really did got cornered at the side. No matter how he bluffed, the knight only sneered at him.
Since he was kind of interested in the youth, because of his promising talent, Leon decided to intervene. Walking towards the youth in elegant manners, he opened his mouth to speak, "Scram! He's one of my disciples," although his speech was somewhat short in line, the surrounding fell in turmoil.
The knight fell on his knees while the others lumped their bodies into the ground.
Actually, he never had a disciple before. So, saying he's one of his disciples hurt his pride.
Leon felt his heartache bitter as he bit his lips and shifted his gaze upon the youth. The youth's figure showed a confused expression, Leon didn't mind it and continued on, "Come apprentice, let's head over my office," due to being delighted through finding a gem in front of him, his lips and eyes formed a shape of a crescent.
Everyone's alarmed as they swallowed down their saliva while breaking out of cold sweat.
Out of all, who's confused. Cayle was the one who was even more confused than they were.
***
As the elevator descended to the ground floor, the door automatically opened revealing two men standing beside each other.
Before the door closed again, the man wearing pair of dark clothes went forward, exited the elevator. Cayle peacefully followed the gentleman, as it stood in front of the elevator waiting for him to get out.
As he exited the elevator, Cayle inwardly praised the luxury surroundings him.
A louche into the center, with a stretched television glued to the wall. There were simple furnishes inside the vast room, like a refrigerator, bed etc. But from the looks alone, could prove that their quality was one of the best.
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The gentleman introduced himself with a smile, "You've probably heard my name, but I'll still introduce myself. Name's Leon Rirud. And you..?" At the end of his speech, Leon stared at Cayle with great interest.
Giving his name is no big deal, that's why after hesitating to answer, Cayle soon gave his name, "Cayle. Cayle was enough."
His attitude was really the worst. Although Leon already expected it, he still got a little bit irritated and cursed him in his mind as an arrogant bastard.
"You must be wondering why I brought you here…" Walking towards his louche, Leon sat in its soothing figure before continuing, "But. I guess you already know why though." A shape of a crescent moon appeared on his handsome face.
Cayle shivered for a second before beating the bush in front of Leon, "Are you perhaps an acquaintance of guild master?" He knew that lies won't work anymore..
"Oh, so you didn't know me?" Crossing his arms to each other, Leon spoke coldly to Cayle. Although he tried his best hiding it, he still felt a little disappointed that Cayle didn't even knew him.
"N, no…" Cayle broke out in cold sweat before continuing, "I only used the name of guild master since I'm in need to meet to the guild for some reason."
"Then, do you know the building of the guild?" Leon asked.
Cayle shook his head and hung his gaze downwards.
Leon gestured him to seat, beside him thereafter. Since Cayle was in the wrong, he didn't objected, and followed through his humble request. Cayle sat beside Leon, uncomfortably. When Cayle was finally beside him, Leon opened his silent mouth to speak, "You're already inside the guild you've wanted to go though."
Question marks floated up onto his head, as he titled his head to the side… What do he meant by that. It's been earlier since he was wondering about the identity of Leon, and now that he told him unbelievable thing, Cayle refuse to accept it.
Looking back to how big and fancy the building was. He soon started accepting the truth... "W, wait… This is that building?"
"Yes," Leon replied shortly.
Cayle paused for a moment speechless, before asking an another question surfacing onto his mind, "T, then… Could you bring me to the guild master..?"
Leon chuckled in answer, "You're already in front of him though."
"…"
Cayle froze into his spot as he blinked a few times in the sight of Leon.
He was the guild master! Cayle remembered how rude he was earlier, and was alarmed… Wished he wouldn't take my life… His eyes gleamed in terror, as his eyes met the ferocious one from Leon.
But, Cayle didn't planned and cowering right now. At least, since the one he was trying to find was already in front of him, he didn't have to look for him now.
Swallowing his dried saliva, Cayle firmed his posture while gazing onto his blazing eyes. Although Leon eyes was fierce, there's no sign of emotions onto his blazing eyes, all there is an uncalming storm brewing from his eyes, seeking for blood.
"Please let me become an adventurer!" Lowering his head onto the ground, Cayle lowered his pride as to beg for him.
Leon didn't seemed to liked what he was doing, as he reached out his hand to grab his head.
When his palm stretched towards him, Cayle wasn't able to fought back and could only see the black shadow coming forward to grasp him.
Exerting strength into his palm as his hand gripped tighter onto his head. Cayle felt the pain into his side.
Cayle let out a short cry, before glaring in silent towards him, "P, please….," his voice turned shaky, as his body trembled in fear, "I beg of you…"
Leon glared at him with his furious eyes, "How coward. Is begging the only thing you know?" His eyes shone in great interest, as he let go of him, "But. That's good as to ensure one's survival."
Coming back to sit on the louche. His furious emotion subsided like a storm, like the event earlier never even occurred.
"Do you really want to become an adventure?"
***
Dungeons. A place where monsters usually reside.
Back into the ancient times, monsters was only a myth. But after an incident where a worshipper angered their God, the world was thrown into disarray, and dungeons started appearing everywhere in the world.
Even though no one really believed that the cause of dungeons appearance was God. Resentment still cried out towards them, since countless soldiers died in every dungeon outbreak.
Usually, monsters in dungeons cannot leave the area, however there was some who were able to alternate the barrier preventing them from coming outside.
Yesterday, Cayle forced himself to work under Leon.
Thankfully, he accepted him, however there was one condition he set before accepting him as his apprentice. That is to defeat the floor 1 of a nearby dungeon, known as the Goblin's Nest.
According to Leon's information. Floor one was a remote town, which has life forms. Everyone in there got their own conscious, however they remained mysterious in the eyes of society.
Once someone entered the floor one, they won't be able to leave as they wished unless they defeated or find the cause of mystery remained in the area.
Although every time one entered the floor, the events and life style of civilians inside would be the same just how the other adventurers first entered.
Logically speaking, their life was like an artificial intelligence was. A repeated cycle that was inserted in their conscious. Unless they became aware of it, only then they would come to realization onto the current events was.
Before heading to the dungeon's location, Leon gave him a pocket money. Although it wasn't that much, that alone was able to afford a bronze sword capable of defeating the monsters lurking around the floor 1.
After buying a bronze sword, and some cheap healing potions, Cayle headed to the dungeon close to the Cathedral.
Upon reaching the entrance, a huge door came into his face. A knight guarding the place permitted his entrance before letting him in.
As the huge door open upon the knight's cry, a visible light hue formed a dimensional entrance.
Cayle stepped inside, and felt his body getting sucked inside.