With the bustling market behind him and the thought of the newly opened portal in his mind, Tian navigated through the streets of the city, heading towards the potential opportunity. As he approached the location, he noted the familiar setup of barricades and officers directing traffic and maintaining a safety perimeter around the portal's entry point.

His phone buzzed with a notification from the Portal Authority, indicating the portal was a D-rank. It wasn't a high rank, but it was still a step up from the E-rank dungeons he had been tackling. Tian stood at a distance, contemplating whether he should venture into this one, especially without a guild backing him.

As he was weighing his options, he noticed a group of four young rankers engaged in a calm conversation with the officers guarding the portal entrance. They appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties and seemed to be negotiating their way into the portal. From what Tian could gather, they were independent rankers like himself, trying to gain access to the portal before a guild claimed it. But without a guild emblem or ranking IDs, the officers were hesitant to let them in.

Observing their composed demeanor, Tian felt a sense of camaraderie. He remembered his own struggle at the Global Market earlier. As he continued to observe, one of the young rankers, a fiery-haired girl, spotted Tian. She seemed to recognize the same independent spirit in him, and with a quick word to her companions, she approached Tian.

"Hey, you there," she called out as she closed the distance between them, her eyes scanning Tian's attire and the lack of any guild emblem. "You look like you're in the same boat as us. No guild, right?"

Tian nodded, cautious but curious.

"How about we team up for this one?" she suggested, pointing towards the portal. "We've got a decent group here, but with one more, we could have a better shot at clearing it before any guild comes snooping around."

Tian considered her offer. It was risky, but the camaraderie of independent rankers was enticing. Besides, this could be a chance to acquire more resources and perhaps even some valuable allies in this unforgiving ranker world.

"But how do you plan on getting past the officers?" Tian inquired, eyeing the barricades.

With a playful wink, she said, "Oh, that's a secret."

Before Tian could probe further, another member of her group, a young man with a stern face, softly tapped her head, causing her to pout. "Don't mind Lyra," he said, turning to Tian. "We managed to earn a favor from a high-ranking official. Just a bit of luck, really. However, one of our members had to back out at the last minute, so we're short of a person."

Understanding dawned upon Tian as he realized the opportunity before him. He extended his hand towards Lyra, "I'm Tian. Let's give it a shot."

Lyra's face lit up as she shook his hand firmly. "I'm Lyra. Let's show them what we've got."

The group assembled closer to the portal, the buzz of anticipation vibrating among them. Lyra strutted back to the officers, her face donning a triumphant smile as she presented their now full party of six rankers. The officer, seemingly resigned, nodded in acknowledgment.

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"I suppose you're right," he said, his voice carrying a note of reluctance. "As promised, we will provide a burn team to follow you in and clear up any remaining threats."

Lyra pumped her fist in the air, hardly able to contain her excitement. She gathered her team, introducing each member to Tian by name and class.

"This is Rayne, our Priest," she pointed to a gentle-looking girl with a warm smile, "and beside her is Kyler, our Archer. Over here is Jax, our Swordsman, and Ira, our Mage. And I'm Lyra, a Paladin."

She then turned her attention to the portal, its swirling depths almost mesmerizing. "This is a D-rank portal," she informed, her tone switching to a more serious one. "I assume you've been in one before?"

Tian hesitated for a moment before replying, "Somewhat..." His ambiguous answer left a momentary silence, which Lyra brushed off with a shrug.

"No worries," she chimed, her focus now on laying out the plan of action. She delved into the intricate details, explaining their strategy to tackle the threats that lay beyond the portal. Everyone listened intently, their expressions varying from stern to contemplative.

Finishing her explanation, Lyra turned to Tian, "So, what class are you? And what abilities do you have?"

Tian paused, contemplating how much to reveal. "I am a combat class," he stated, keeping it vague yet truthful.

Lyra nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. She turned back to her team, tweaking the plan slightly to accommodate the new member. Even though the role she assigned to Tian seemed insignificant, he understood her caution. She had no idea about his capabilities or experience, and was playing it safe, which was wise considering the unknown dangers that awaited them.

With a final nod of assurance to each other, they approached the portal, Jax, after noticing the rusty axe strapped to Tian’s back, decided to offer a bit of assistance. He unclipped a sheathed knife from his belt and handed it to Tian.

"Here, use this," Jax said, his tone stern but with a hint of concern. "It’s an E-rank knife, simple but effective. Just make sure you return it when we’re done.”

Tian took the knife, appreciating the balance and the sharpness of the blade as he unsheathed it briefly before nodding in agreement. "I’ll make sure to return it, thank you," he said, clipping the knife to his own belt.

With a final check on their gear and a collective breath, the team stepped through the portal threshold. The environment that greeted them on the other side was harsh and starkly different from the cool city they had left behind. They found themselves in an open plain under a merciless sun, the ground beneath their feet was bone dry, and not a single tree stood in sight to provide a shade.

As they ventured forward, the heat seemed to intensify, but so did their resolve. The barren landscape stretched far and wide, with occasional gusts of hot wind picking up dust and swirling it around them. Despite the harsh conditions, the team moved with a purpose, Lyra leading the way as they navigated through the open plain.

After a while, they stumbled upon the first wave of creatures that inhabited this portal. They were fiery salamanders, crawling across the dry land, their scales glistening under the sun with an eerie glow. The creatures sensed their presence and charged towards them, their jaws snapping hungrily.

The battle commenced with a hail of arrows from Kyler, taking down a few of the creatures. Jax and Ira moved in sync, slashing and casting spells to keep the onslaught at bay. Lyra's shield and sword were in constant motion, protecting her teammates while attacking the threats head-on. Rayne was chanting, her healing magic providing a vital support that kept them in fighting shape. Tian, with the borrowed knife, found its sharp blade slicing through the salamander scales with ease. The combat was intense, but their teamwork proved effective in clearing the first hurdle.

As they ventured deeper into the portal, the encounters became more challenging. Yet, with every battle, Tian’s integration into the team grew smoother. They began to appreciate his combat skills and adaptability, while Tian found a rhythm in fighting alongside them.