After a few more rounds, all that ended in sound onesided defeats against Travone, he laid down, giving at the ceiling of the training ground.

How many skills do you have now? Rai questioned.

Ain't that a sensitive question?

Perhaps, but you are too weak.

I got two skills then.

Rai frowned two skills this early must have been a rare class gem. He paused, then spoke again; that's not good. To increase your rank, all your skills have to be at level 10, and the more you get, the harder it is for you to level up.

Isn't that good sometimes? Usually, people get one or two at most, and that's at the beginning stages.

Yeah, that doesn't sound good.

It depends on what you want, I suppose Rai said.

After the training with Rai for the hours till the Seeker station was opened, there was a crowd of seekers and archaeologists who had come to head down to the dead planet. The booths were open, and they were all being registered.

What's your name, boy? You can't just pass through without scanning your seeker badge the weary-eyed man asked with a skinny face.

I don't have one.

Then how did you get your class?

There was anger when Travone heard those words.

I got it after coming close to death, and that was after you and the UNE took my first class gem.

He reached into his pocket while glaring at the small man and placing his mining personnel card on the scanner before he made to move past.

Travone knew there was good reason to keep records of those who went missing on the planet; however, he did not have a seeker badge nor the time to purchase one. And besides, he was planning on using a shield the least wanted, and that's what he would be using.

But his next words caused Travone to guide his teeth. Wait, boy, this is a miner's card; did you register.

I think you know that's not necessary, Rai said, interjecting in on their conversation.

And who are you?

Rai did not answer the man. He simply placed his seeker badge onto the scanner. Rai Tokisane, the man, read loudly and prove before claiming his nerves I am sorry, Sir, is he in your company.

Yes, he is. I hope there is no problem Rai asked in his slow, deep voice.

No problem, the man smiled amiably. Please go ahead.

Rai Tokisane, that's your name. Are you some big shot?

Not me. My Grandfather is; he is a first generation seeker. Rai said, a deep look on his face. Now, please, no more questions, tomodachi (friend).

Of the many great families of the first generation, the house of Tokisan was considered one of the strongest bar the founders; Rai's Grandfather had become a strong seeker under the Une And filled one of a few power gaps present in the Eastern continents. Had Travone, a boy from the stacks, known who he had been speaking to that morning, he would not have been willing to stay anywhere near the other young man. However, all he could do now was try recalling the names of such people, trying to gain a clue.

Everyone on the transport leaves in ten minutes. Those of you who stay behind the next craft will come in an hour, the pilot said, opening the doors of the carrier craft.

Without waiting for any more people to enter the transport and risk being left behind, Travone stepped into the ship and found a position near the back.

There, he watched subtle arrangements come to be the archaeologist. Most who were not seekers sat at the back, followed by the zetas like him and Rai, then the Epsilons and Deltas, and then there were the strongest seekers, a dozen or so gammas who stood around the entrance of the bay ready to get first pickings when they landed, it would have been fair for the groups to all have an equal chance but the Athens platform was run with a neutral code of strength than the diplomacy of the surface worlds.

Halfway through the trip, the ship hit the atmosphere of the planet, and the loud voice of the pilot came loud and clear in the crew bay. We have hit the atmosphere. Seekers, ready yourselves; there is a wyvern in the sky.

Travone moved his eyes to the reinforced window port, looking at the scene below where a large leathery reptile creature stocked the hive city turned mountain.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Don't worry. Wyverns don't attack ships. They prefer easier prey. hikyou(cowardly).

Trvone looked from the window to Rai and then to the other seekers. The zetas, like him, had plane-looking class weapons, and from that point on, the Epsilons started showing variants in their weapons; Travone saw a two-headed spear among theEpsilonn seekers and more among the ranks above that.

Manifaste your weapon Travvone. Rai called his action out.

With a thought, Travone summoned his shield from his armoury class and couldn't stop the fear and excitement mirroring his thoughts.

When the ship landed, all went as predicted. The Gamma ranks were the first to step out, and the Archeologists were the last to step onto the dusty soils with air filtration masks. Travone froze and panicked. He had forgotten his musk. he looked around at the Archelogistall the while as he tapped his padding.

Rai did not miss the look of confusion. Did you forget something.

Yeah, my breathing musk. Forgot where I put it.

Rai gave him an odd look. You don't need that. You have a class, he added simply.

Travone looked at the cave hole in the mountain and then up at the sky where the wyvern had been flying. He wondered if there would be a time when he would be able to fight something like that; he wondered how much he would make if he was that strong; would he no longer be in a position to worry about money anymore and his mother? This was the reason he was doing all this, barely leaving as he took care of his mother.

I wonder how much I will make. I should ask Rai how seekers make their money in the UNE and the guilds.

On the outside, it looked like a mountain, while on the inside, it was a ruined hidden city. As he walked alongside Rai, he got what he was aiming to ask him. As he looked on at the towering alien architecture, the roads were narrow, creating dark corridors and hallways and the lack of maintenance had caused some buildings to age and fall into rubble. For the first time, A tingle ran down his spine as he realised he was standing in a dungeon where the Xyrr'thans used to live. The wildlife of the planet had made this their home after the city had been abandoned, and in the still silence, one was able to make out unnatural groans and calls.

Seeing he was being left behind, Travone made his way to stride alongside Rai. Hey, it's my first time here. I just wanted to know how this all works.

Rai looked at him with an incredulous look that barded between weariness and suspension. People came for artefacts, and the others came to map out the location. There are some beasts around; fight those, you can avoid those you can't. He replied.

So kill what you can, avoid what you cant seems simple enough.

It's not that simple, he said, stopping and looking at the ever-moving crowd.

Tranone stopped beside Rai and looked at the moving crowd and back at Rai, who had his body tensed; he had had of the roumers but never believed yet his mind come to a sobering conclusion in the Dark underground city, if he died here there was no one to be held accountable, if the rules on the platform were anything to go by this place was even more lawless.

Will you be coming with me?

Yeah, I'd rather have someone watching my back. Travone said, trying to inject assurance into his voice.

Arigatou Rai nodded.

As they moved through the tunnels, the two followed painted arrows on the walls that led them through the ruined city of a dungeon. They walked for an hour before Rai stopped. The two looked around, holding their weapons in a ready stance, waiting for someone to show up, but nothing did even after ten minutes; keeping the companionable silence, the two kept moving. They moved through a tunnel and into a tower's lower floors. There, past the surface, they came to a crossroads, and as they were deciding which direction to go, they heard a heavy hissing sound that echoed off the nearby walls.

What's that?

dont know.

Standing still sweating their backs to one another, he hissing continued from all sides and from between the walls and broken ruins; the creature did not step into the dim light. Rather, it slithered into the open, It was an enormous serpent with black scales and four eyes that coverd the sides of its head. The creature looked at them, and as its body came into view, it circled them, raising its head high in a threatening posture.

What is that Travone stammered as he kept his eyes on the creature's head.

That's bad. It looks like a Death coil.

Should we run?

We can't. It's circled us.

Travone wanted to look away from the creature, but fear and an instinct to survive told him not to look away.

The creature, seeming tired of the standoff, launched itself at its prey, and just as fast as it came to that decision, Travone launched his sword at the Deathcoil on an intercept course; the creature as well as Travone misjudged the speed, and the Black Centurian blade slid easily into the creature's neck. The next instant, the creature slammed his shield, its mouth open wide around his shield not far from its neck. He grabbed his blade as the creature threw him to the side, turning to face Rai, whose sword was chipping away at the death coil's skin, leaving deep wounds.

Travone slammed into the wall and lost his vision to the dizziness of a moment. Rai, without a shield, made use of his higher stats to avoid the death coil's strikes; he parried the creature's poisonous maw, striking at the softer skin at the top of its nack and its eyes. Travone did not waste time watching. He made up his mind since he couldn't reach the creature's head. He focused on his control and strength. He aimed his thin sword at the creature's head and threw it at the creature's head. The creature stumbled back, and in that small instant, Rai took the chance. He jumped, and his blade took on a glow, cutting the beast's heads clean off.

Rai took his time, gathered himself and walked over to the Deathcoil's head. He reached down and grabbed the black centurain blade. He pulled it out, looked at it for a moment and walked over to Travone.

Two times.

What.

Two times, you throw your blade. He pushed Travone against the wall. You are a shield user; that is the only way you can fight. He closed his eyes and stepped back, and Travone watched as he took deep, calming breaths. He held the blade out to him, and Travone gulped. Never do that again, Rai added.

Travone watched Rai move to inspect the beast's head, and his gaze went to the notifications in his status.

Integration level up.

Integration level up.

Bow skill Available:

Spectral Arrow: Summon an arrow that hovers around the user and can be shot out based on control and perception.