As the van traversed the roads leading to the C-rank gate, Arlo kept his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. The further they ventured from the centre of London, the clearer the deterioration became.

Collapsed buildings and crumbling roads littered the landscape, the people who inhabited these areas were those struck by poverty. Their faces, pale and gaunt, bore the weight of their daily struggle for survival. The hollow look in their eyes spoke volumes about the hardships they endured.

'It's been a while since I've been out of the habitation zone...' Arlo mused, his thoughts drifting as he absorbed the bleak surroundings.

This was the harsh reality that awaited those who couldn't afford the relative safety and comfort of living near the center of London.

Businesses were scarce in these areas, and the air was thick with pollution. It was as if the government had turned a blind eye and forsaken it. The lack of attention and resources was hardly surprising, given the high risk of gates manifesting in these areas.

And when gates did appear in these areas, they were often at the bottom of the priority list for hunters. Both the association and guilds focused their efforts on dealing with portals that emerged closer to the centre of London where the habitation zones were.

This pattern repeated itself in other major cities across England. The further one ventured from the centers, the more prevalent the slums became. These non-habitable areas were afflicted by very high mortality rates, and it wasn't uncommon to encounter monsters roaming freely, the result of gates left unattended for far too long.

"You seem focused on what's outside. Does it bother you?" Alexander asked, his voice cutting through Arlo's thoughts as he sat comfortably in the front of the van.

"Yeah... but I'm already used to seeing it," Arlo replied, his gaze still fixed on the world beyond the window. "I was just thinking about how fortunate I am that my family hasn't ended up like them."

Argus chimed in, his tone tinged with a hint of surprise. "Your family is alive? That's pretty fortunate. A lot of people lost their families after the gates first emerged."

"Not exactly," Arlo clarified. "My actual family died when the gates first emerged too. I'm talking about my adopted family."

At the start of the gates' appearance a decade ago, countless people had lost their loved ones. Orphans being taken in by adoptive families had become a common occurrence.

"Hmm, so you got adopted after you lost your family. You're just like Arlene," Argus remarked.

At the mention of her name, Arlene tore her gaze away from the window and fixed Argus with a piercing glare.

"I don't recall allowing you to disclose my personal information like that." she snapped.

"Right, right. Sorry about that~" Argus apologized, his tone nonchalant.

His half-hearted apology only seemed to fuel Arlene's annoyance, but instead of engaging further, she crossed her arms and returned her attention to the passing scenery outside the window. Argus's ability to navigate her temper was impressive.

'So her circumstances are similar to mine... How did her attitude end up being so shitty?' Arlo pondered, his gaze lingering on Arlene's profile.

As if sensing his stare, Arlene whipped her head around, her eyes locking with Arlo's. "What?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

"...Nothing." Arlo responded, averting his gaze back to the window.

Moments later, the car came to a halt, signaling their arrival at their destination. They had parked in front of a cordoned-off area, the words "off limits" prominently displayed on the tape that surrounded the site.

Two armed men stood at attention, guarding the perimeter. Dressed in black uniforms, their faces obscured by masks, they bore badges that proudly displayed their affiliation with the hunters' organization. Specialized rifles rested in their hands, a silent warning to any who dared to trespass.

Behind them, a large, circular portal pulsed with an eerie red glow. It hovered in the air, its size similar to that of two massive doors.

'So that's a C-rank gate...' Arlo mused, gazing at it.

As previously mentioned, gates were graded by ranks, and to determine a gate's rank, the quality and quantity of energy it emitted had to be calculated using specialized sensors. The higher the energy level measured, the higher the rank attributed to the gate.

However, a simpler method of discerning a gate's rank was by observing its size. The higher the rank, the larger the gate's dimensions.

Arlo's gaze shifted from the imposing portal to the small energy sensor placed on the ground just in front of it. The device consisted of a compact, wide box with antennas and sensors aimed directly at the gate. On the screen affixed to its front, a digital letter 'C' glowed, confirming the gate's classification.

'Yeah, there's no mistaking it. It's a C-rank gate,' Arlo concluded, his eyes lingering on the display.

While Arlo had been focused on the gate, Argus had already presented his hunter's ID and access permission on his phone screen, granting the group clearance to proceed. Before heading to the site, however, the team gathered their gear from the back of the van.

Alexander's weapon had remained securely fastened to his hip throughout the entire car ride. He stood patiently, waiting for the others to retrieve their equipment.

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Liam's weapon of choice was a massive, reinforced steel shield. Its shape resembled a standard pentagon, but its size was far from ordinary, standing at approximately a meter tall.

Lastly, Arlene armed herself with a sleek, black high-tech bow, its specialized arrows nestled within a closed quiver. Arlo found himself surprised by the fact that she was both an archer and a healer, but an even greater concern nagged at his mind.

'Why use a bow instead of an energy rifle? Archers are a rare sight nowadays, as the power generated by a bow pales in comparison to that of a gun...' Arlo pondered, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

As he stood there, lost in thought, Argus tapped him on the shoulder, jolting him back to the present. Arlo turned to face his leader, only to find him holding out a large pickaxe in one hand and an even larger carrier bag in the other.

"This is for you," Argus said with a smile as he held out the pickaxe and carrier bag for Arlo.

"So you already had everything prepared for me, huh..." Arlo remarked.

"I mean, didn't I tell you that you were exactly what I was looking for when we met?" Argus continued, flashing Arlo a bright smile.

Arlo frowned at him, his eyes narrowing. "Don't think I've forgotten that you kept something this dangerous from me when you recruited me."

"Don't tell me you're going to be mad at me too, just like Arlene? It's hard enough to deal with one party member who's upset with me. Just think of it as an opportunity to make a lot of money. We're splitting the rewards evenly with you, you know."

As much as Arlo wanted to deny it, Argus had a point. While the risk was undeniably high, so were the potential rewards. The thought of the amount of money he could earn by assisting the party in this task was staggering, likely more than he had ever held in his life.

However, money wasn't the only reason to push aside any second thoughts. Hovering right in front of Arlo's eyes, a screen had been persistently displayed since the car ride.

[Unique Quest Unlocked.]

[Unique Quest Title: Clear The C-Rank Labyrinth.]

[Quest Objective: Advance to the Final Stage of the Grade C Labyrinth and conquer it.]

Arlo glanced at the screen before shifting his gaze back to Argus. "I-I'm not complaining. Like you said, this is an opportunity for me as well," he muttered, grabbing the pickaxe and hoisting the carriage bag onto his back with a familiarity that suggested he was accustomed to it.

"That's the spirit~" Argus replied, a grin spreading across his face as he joined the others who were waiting for them.

After being granted access through the 'Do not enter' area by the guards, the group came to a halt in front of the gate. The immense surge of energy emanating from the portal caused their hair to sway backwards.

"Looks like we got lucky, and we're the first group to explore this one. You guys ready to make some money?" Argus called out.

"Yeah." Arlene responded.

“No problems here.” Alexander chimed in.

“I’m a little nervous but I’m okay…” Liam added.

“I’m ready.” Arlo declared.

Even though he had managed to respond with some enthusiasm, he was still nervous due to his inability to use magic. However, regardless of the dangers that might’ve been ahead, he had no intention of turning back.

"Make sure you guys stick to the formation we discussed in the car. Let's go!" Argus commanded.

At his signal, the group stepped forward, passing through the gate without hesitation, their forms disappearing into the unknown.

Once they had vanished from sight, the guards who had been standing at attention glanced back to confirm their departure.

"What an odd group," one of the guards muttered. "I can't believe that guy is raiding a C-rank labyrinth in an orange tracksuit."

"Really? I thought it was kind of cool, how he had the balls to do that," the second guard responded. "I'd think he was some powerful hunter if not for the fact that he was carrying a pickaxe."

"I know, right? They were an amusing bunch. Hopefully, they'll end up just fine."

As the guards continued their conversation to pass the time, they failed to notice an odd occurrence taking place on the sensor behind them.

The digital display on the ground began to act erratically, the letters fluctuating from 'C' to 'B' as if the device was malfunctioning. However, before anyone could take notice, it reverted back to 'C,' as if nothing had ever happened.

-

After stepping through the portal, Arlo and the group found themselves standing in the middle of a large cavernous interior, barely illuminated by the faint glow of the portal behind them and the glowing crystals scattered across the ground.

With a flick of their wrists, they activated the small yet incredibly bright lanterns attached to their hips, casting a radiant light that pushed back the darkness, revealing more of the expansive cavern and the three passageways that stretched out before them.

"A cave...? So the labyrinth this time is a cave, huh..." Argus muttered, his voice echoing off the rocky walls. "Well, at least we weren't sent into the middle of the ocean or straight up into the sky."

The unpredictable nature of a labyrinth's setting was a well-known fact among hunters. It could range from an underwater realm in the middle of a vast ocean to a sky-high domain with no land in sight, from a scorching desert to a snowy field, or even a poisonous swamp filled with venomous creatures. The possibilities were endless.

Of course, the more dangerous settings were typically reserved for the higher-ranked labyrinths. From F to C-rank, the environments tended to be more manageable, though still filled with their own unique challenges.

"Don't joke about things like that. You'll give me a heart attack," Arlo sighed from the back of the line. "Besides, those types of dangerous settings only happen in B-rank gates and above."

Argus glanced over his shoulder, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Sure, it's unheard of in C-rank gates, which is why we didn't have to come in heavily geared. But you can never be too careful. Maybe invest in some armor instead of a tracksuit."

"Believe me, I would if I could. I'm dirt poor right now—"

Arlene's irritated voice cut through their conversation. "Can you guys stop talking and focus on the task at hand? The sooner we can get moving, the sooner I can go home."

"Whatever you say…" Argus conceded with a sigh before turning his attention to Arlo. "Arlo, you know what to do, right?" He gestured towards the glimmering crystals that dotted the cavern walls.

"I'm on it," Arlo responded, readying his pickaxe as he made his way over to the crystals.

Without hesitation, he swung the tool, the sound of metal striking stone echoing through the chamber as he began to mine the resources. This was Arlo's role within the party—to collect the valuable materials and carry them while the others focused on combat and exploration.

"Great job. Just leave the rest to us," Argus spoke confidently as he approached the three paths that branched out before them.

"Now, which way shall we go~?"