Only 30 meters separated Manasei from the dungeon portal. The thinning crowd allowed him to move faster, his ragged breath syncing with the pounding of his heart as he dashed forward.

He was keenly aware that the enforcers could only hold off the two assassins for a fleeting moment. While runic weapons were effective against lower-level alchemists, these two weren't mere novices. They'd find a way to push past the enforcers sooner rather than later.

Manasei tightened his grip on the stolen chakram hidden beneath his cloak, focusing on the portal ahead. His plan was simple: the sooner he entered, and the longer it took them to follow, the better his odds.

Dungeons had one key feature that even common mortals understood—the administrator. This mysterious being who controlled the portals ensured that anyone entering at different intervals would be separated within the dungeon.

For Manasei, this was crucial. If he could break free of the assassins, he would have more chances of survival within the dungeon. With the portal leading to the firmament, a plane of existence vast enough to be a world in itself, even Though it would put them within relative distance of the "objective." That said distance would still cover quite a lot in retrospect.

He gritted his teeth and pushed harder, the gap shrinking rapidly. I just need to get inside before they catch me. The rest will be up to luck.

"Damn it! At this rate, he's going to enter the dungeon, and we'll have no choice but to follow!" 69 snarled, frustration evident in his tone.

"That might not be the case," 72 replied, his gaze fixed on Manasei's retreating figure. "We haven't even checked the portal's aether levels. Look at him, rushing to it in that state. Entering could kill him outright."

"Maybe, but unless we see his corpse, going back empty-handed will be our death sentence," 69 said coldly.

72 clenched his fists, flames flickering at his knuckles. "Then…"

"Yes," 69 interrupted, his voice sharp. "We follow. But first, deal with these pests."

Dodging a runic beam, 69 darted toward one of the enforcers. The man's eyes widened in panic as he tried to steady his weapon, but he was too slow.

69's hand glowed with an icy blue light, forming a blade of frost along his arm. With a single swipe, he slashed the enforcer's neck, severing it cleanly.

Blood splattered as the man's head hit the ground, his body collapsing in a lifeless heap.

The remaining enforcers hesitated, terror freezing them in place.

72 moved in, his fists erupting in flames. He struck with brutal efficiency, each fiery blow sending enforcers sprawling or leaving charred craters where they stood.

The air filled with smoke and screams as the assassins cleared their path.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Manasei reached the portal, his figure steady. He cast a cold, defiant glance at the two assassins racing toward him. His gaze seemed to taunt them, daring them to follow.

Not far away, the young boy from earlier was retreating from the pandemonium. His eyes widened in disbelief as he caught sight of Manasei standing at the edge of the portal.

He wouldn't…

But before the boy could process what was happening, Manasei stepped into the swirling gateway, disappearing from view.

The boy stood frozen for a moment, stunned. Even from the safe distance he'd managed to put between himself and the portal, he recognized that cloaked figure.

He actually went in…

Biting his lip, the boy turned and hurried away, determination flashing in his eyes. Toothless has to know about this, he thought, his steps quickening.

In his mind, Manasei's fate was sealed. With only one arm and two alchemists hunting him down inside a dungeon, survival was nothing short of impossible. Even for someone hardened by the slums, the thought left a bitter taste.

As the boy ran off into the distance, the two assassins finally reached the portal. Minutes had already passed since Manasei had entered, the enforcers having delayed them just long enough to give him a head start.

"We need to check the aether levels," 69 said firmly. "Let's see what rank the objective is before we follow."

72 quickly retrieved a small, circular device from his belt. About the size of his palm, its gray surface was smooth and unassuming. Pressing a button on top, the device emitted a brief beam of light toward the portal. Moments later, the letter E glowed brightly on its display.

He let out a sigh of relief. "It's an E-rank objective."

"Don't relax just yet," 69 replied. "The rank only tells us part of the story. Dungeons are more dangerous than the objectives alone."

72's expression hardened as he nodded in agreement.

Without wasting another moment, the two assassins stepped toward the swirling portal, their resolve steeled to continue the hunt.

—-------

The moment Manasei stepped into the portal, an oppressive darkness enveloped him. He opened his eyes, frowning as he realized he was suspended in midair, weightless and surrounded by an endless void. The sensation was unnerving, but he forced himself to stay calm.

His unease grew as the silence stretched on, only for it to be broken by a voice; clear, youthful, and resonant, as if belonging to someone in their early teens.

"Greetings, savior!"

The words echoed from all directions, distant yet unnervingly close. Manasei shielded his eyes as the darkness abruptly gave way to a blinding light, illuminating the once-empty void.

This must be the administrator, he thought, squinting against the radiance.

The voice's tone surprised him. It sounded sentient, far more alive and personable than he had expected. Most who had ventured into dungeons agreed that the so-called "administrator" was more a mechanical presence than a sentient being. But to Manasei, it sounded startlingly real, almost as if a young boy were speaking directly to him.

Manasei frowned slightly at being addressed as "savior." This was his first time entering a dungeon, and he couldn't think of anything he'd done to warrant such a grand title.

"Why are you calling me savior?" he asked cautiously.

The voice chuckled, its tone light and cheerful. "You're not the first to ask that, nor will you be the last. This title is reserved for anyone brave enough to enter a dungeon, regardless of their circumstances. For that act alone is among the greatest feats one can achieve in this world!"

Manasei blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how radiant and enthusiastic the voice became. But his expression quickly hardened, he didn't have time to get lost in pleasantries.

"As much as I'd love to chat, I'm in a hurry," he said, "I need to find the objective and get out of here as fast as possible. Can you take me to it?"

The voice chuckled again, this time with a reassurance. "No need to worry, young savior. Time does not pass during this interaction. Feel free to ask your questions before you proceed."

Manasei exhaled, relief washing over him.

Good, he thought. The last thing he wanted was to rush blindly into his first dungeon, especially when it was meant as a desperate escape. Even if survival seemed slim, he wanted to maximize his chances.

"If that's the case, tell me this," Manasei began. "What is the objective of this dungeon, where will I be taken, and how dangerous is it?"

The empire had made significant efforts to spread basic knowledge of dungeons across all strata of society. Through entertainment, historical accounts, and autobiographies, even the poorest in the slums were taught about these perilous phenomena.

This initiative stemmed from the ruler's unwavering resolve to ensure that every citizen could contribute to the fight against dungeons when the need arose. After all, dungeons posed the greatest threat to all sentient life.

However, knowledge alone was rarely enough. Understanding the workings of a dungeon and possessing the ability to survive within one were worlds apart. Even the lowest-ranked dungeons teemed with dangers far beyond what most mortals could endure.

Compounding the threat was the environment within the dungeon. While the objective; the core of the dungeon, was undeniably lethal, the surrounding terrain often posed an even greater risk. Toxic mists, shifting landscapes, or cursed beasts were just a few examples of how the environment itself could kill long before one reached the objective.

For those brave, or desperate enough to enter, survival required more than knowledge. It demanded skill, resilience, and an almost unnatural stroke of luck.