[Part 2.5 - Guild Announcment]
It’s been a few days—actually, just two days—since I landed in this guild, which I now know as "Dawn of Hope."
I never imagined that becoming a part of this guild would feel like a gentle breeze on a summer day, but hey, I’m not one to shy away from pleasant surprises. Now, I find myself surrounded by a lively group of companions, offering endless conversations and moments of pure enjoyment.
I get out of bed and head downstairs, drawn by the warmth of the morning sun. To my surprise, I find Elysia waiting for me in the dining room.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
Elysia’s eyes light up with a warm smile, radiating a sense of comfort as I settle into the chair opposite her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to see you…”
"Really? Are you sure you don’t have any ulterior motives?” I ask, raising an eyebrow sceptically.”
I say, eliciting a playful eye roll from Elysia.
“Okay, maybe I do… I came here to share some exciting news with you. I’m planning on taking you to a dungeon that I aim to conquer.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
Elysia’s laughter fills the room as she jumps to her feet, gesturing for me to follow her.
“You seem like you’ve never been in a dungeon or even know what one is, so this’ll be a great chance for you to comprehend what it’s like to be in one.”
Am I really that see-through?
“A-ah, right…”
“Don’t be nervous… we’ll take care of you…”
Elysia’s eyes fell as she spoke those words, her golden hair wrapping around her shoulders like a protective shield.
“S-so, whose coming with? And what should I bring?”
My eyes pivot towards hers as she focuses her gaze on me. She stares at me for a whole half-minute, her fingers hovering as if she’s typing on an imperceptible keypad, before the same translucent screen appears before me. A guild announcement.
« GUILD ANNOUNCEMENT » « FROM ELYSIA STARLIGHT »
“As your leader, I have decided to guide Sora Mugenshi, our newest member, into a dungeon for conquest. Your participation in this endeavour is welcome; more attendees will strengthen our team, after all, so feel free to join. Furthermore, this will be a great time to witness and assess his strengths and weaknesses, as well as showcase our guild’s unity and teamwork.
Sincerely, Elysia Starlight.”
Well, this is interesting, to say the least. I no longer have a choice but to participate in this dungeon conquest with the guild.
“Whoever shows up is who’s coming, and as for what you should bring… It doesn’t matter.”
“Should’ve expected that…”
I say as I rise from my seat and step closer to Elysia, who smiles at me before stepping out of the room.
A dungeon, huh…? I wonder how hard it’ll be; it’s honestly pretty nerve-wracking to think about. When I imagine a dungeon, I think of cellars, prisons, and overall dark places, which makes me question how one can even defeat a place like that. But I guess I’ll find out soon enough due to a certain someone.
Stepping out of my home, I follow Elysia down the street. Normally, she’d take me to the main building, but this time she’s brought me to a vast meeting room. There’s this massive table in the middle, like the ones you see in movies. It’s an ellipse shape, made of wood, and surrounded by inviting chairs. The room is dimly lit, with a large board at one end.
Elysia gestures for me to sit, and I see a few friendly faces already occupying the chairs.
“So he’s Sora, huh?”
I turn my gaze to a petite male with silver hair, resting his elbow indifferently on the table as he studies me with piercing blue eyes.
“Yeah… that’s me.”
He’s clothed in a tunic of deep azure, adorned with intricate gold embroidery depicting the emblem of ‘Dawn of Hope’ across the chest. The fabric drapes elegantly over his lithe frame, accentuating his slender build while providing ample freedom of movement.
Despite the solemnity of his gaze and the air of mystery that surrounds him, there’s a quiet confidence in the way he carries himself.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
I feel a little uneasy with his intense stare, but Elysia interrupts by clearing her throat and turning the focus to herself.
“Kakushi Tobira, you’re scaring him—
“I recall asking you to address me as Alden.”
Tobira’s, no, Alden’s, piercing gaze shifts over to Elysia as his low, intense words carry throughout the area.
“Right… Sorry, Alden. Can we please get on with the task at hand?”
“I’m not objecting.”
Everyone around the room nods and whispers to each other, while I don’t really know what to make of Alden. He appears daunting and honestly unworthy of any opposition, and it makes me wonder what his role is in this guild and what kind of power he holds over the others.
“… I see, so. As you probably noticed in the announcement I made earlier, we’re going to guide Sora Mugenshi into a dungeon for conquest.”
“What? He’s incapable of doing it himself?”
A man, undeserving of any description, snickers as he rests his feet on the desk like an arrogant slob. Though Elysia silences him with a single glare before clearing her throat.
“Ahem… Let’s not underestimate Sora just yet. He may surprise us all with his abilities once we’re inside the dungeon.”
“Where and what even is the dungeon you’re taking us to.”
A purple-haired woman with a curious expression interjects. Her voice is elegant, deep, and soothing; she’s clad in a similar attire to Alden, but with a touch of regality that sets her apart.
“Well—
“She’s planning on taking us to a moderate-level dungeon. It’s most likely the one past the Magmatic Cavern. Am I wrong?”
Alden keeps his gaze fixed on Elysia as he says those words, as if he is challenging her to confirm his suspicions.
Elysia praises him with a knowing smile.
“You catch on quickly, Alden. The dungeon I have in mind is indeed moderate-level and past the Magmatic Cavern.”
How did he know? Elysia didn’t say anything that could reveal it, did she? Or maybe she told him beforehand?
“Alden, you’re too observant. You truly learned that from a few minor gestures?”
The woman with purple hair giggled gently, her amused eyes glimmering as she looked at him.
“It actually felt quite simple, to be honest. I’m sure the average person could figure that out if they actually tried.”
“Not all of us have your superbrain, genius.”
The purple-haired woman jokes as Alden downplays his own perceptiveness.
“Well, you will never turn out as exceptional as myself if you continually message that boyfriend of yours, even while in meetings.”
“—Wha…! You knew… Jeez.”
“Naturally, I do.”
“Can we get back on track now? And Violet, stop messaging people during a gathering.”
Violet, the woman with vibrant purple hair, rolled her eyes playfully before focusing back on the task at hand.
From what I can understand, one can only see their screen. I couldn’t see Elysia’s screen interface when she made the announcement to everyone while in my home. From here, it appears that only Alden, not the person seated beside Violet, is aware that she’s on her interface.
“As I was saying, we are going to that dungeon.”
“But isn’t it a level 22 dungeon? Wouldn’t that be a difficult start for Sacri—Sora? Wouldn’t the one near the amethyst grove be a better start?”
An orange-haired cat-girl speaks with a thoughtful expression.
“Ember, you know we can’t, right?”
“Well, yeah, I guess.”
Ember shrugged, her ears twitching slightly as she considered the options. She then mumbles something before looking at me like she’s about to pounce on me.
“Sacrifi—
Before she can finish speaking, two tendrils of light instantly cover her mouth and neck, preventing her from saying anything further. The tendrils seemingly originate from below the table where we’re all seated, wrapping around Ember’s body and restricting her movements and voice.
“Ember… Why don’t you be silent for once.”
Elysia says deeply, her eyes sharp as she stares at the restrained cat-girl. I get it now: Elysia must have some skill that allows her to control these light tendrils. But why would she use it on Ember?
Why didn’t she let her finish?
The tendrils let her go before retreating to wherever they came from. Ember collapses to the ground, gasping for air and trembling with fear as she struggles to regain her composure.
“S-sorry… Elysia…” She stammers, her voice barely above a whisper.
Elysia’s expression softens as she reaches out a hand to help Ember up, a hint of guilt flashing in her eyes.
“It’s fine; I may have gone a bit too far…”
“Uhm, what just happened?”
I ask cautiously, feeling a mix of curiosity and unease. Elysia’s gaze lingers on me for a moment before she finally speaks.
“I simply converged a portion of the light around us into tendrils that silenced Ember… Anyway, we’ve gone off track too much; allow me to finish speaking before you all utter a word. If any of you do, there will be consequences… And they will be more serious than the one I just imposed on Ember.”
Elysia’s authoritative tone, filled with a commanding presence and an undertone of unwavering determination, silences us all, leaving a palpable tension hanging in the air.
She explains the dungeon as if I’m just starting to learn how to walk. She starts explaining all the details of the dungeon we’re about to explore, using a light show to make it clearer. Hint: It involves magma and heat.
A gleam of excitement lights up her eyes as she vividly describes the obstacles ahead, which sends a chill through me as a sense of impending dread slowly envelops my body.
After she’s done explaining everything, I can’t help but wonder if we’re really ready for the mysterious challenges in this dungeon.
“Do you think you’re ready for this, Sora?”
“No—
“Great! Then let’s get started!”
But I said no… Why did she cut me off so quickly? Is she that eager to force me into this? I can’t help but wonder why she’s so insistent on pushing me into something I clearly haven’t decided.
I sigh as I get up from my seat, and the rest follow as Elysia gives them a suspicious gaze. But why? Something is definitely going on here… Or are they just playing an evil prank on me? ... But what would I know?
Really, only time will tell… and I’m honestly not prepared for when it will.