Trip

"Everyone get on the bus!"

A crowd of people was gathering around a white bus. All of them excitedly rushed toward it, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.

I was one of the only people that didn't dash toward the vehicle like a dumbass.

I stood back waiting for the chaos to die down and only then approached the bus calmly. Aside from me there were a couple more people like that but they were the minority.

'Huh...'

Finding one of the less crowded spots near the back of the bus, I settled into the seat, sighing in relief as my back rested against the comfortable cushion.

Yesterday, I slightly overdid my training, trying to get used to my new skill. Now my muscles were aching, and the thought of standing in a crowded bus for a long journey seemed unbearable.

Pulling up my hoodie, I leaned my head against the window, closing my eyes.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to rest as soon our club president picked up the microphone and announced.

"Attention everyone! The trip to the mana rich dungeon will take 3 hours, so you may want to take this time to relax, socialize, or make any necessary preparations."

With that announcement, a buzz of conversation filled the bus.

It made sleeping impossible.

'I'll just channel my Mana...'

Giving up on the idea to get some rest, I decided to rather focus on just relieving some of my physical exhaustion by circulating Mana around my body.

"Can I sit here?"

However, this time I was interrupted by a voice that almost made me gag. Without even turning I knew who it was.

That fucking Demon Contractor.

Somehow, I managed to force my face into a polite smile and nodded, gesturing the fucker to sit down.

"Sure!"

I couldn't become suspicious, I had to act normal. No matter how much I wanted to twist his neck and be done with it.

He has to survive until the Demons attack or else there would be a chance that the attack would be canceled.

This couldn't happen, I had to stay calm.

"These seats are comfy as hell!"

The Demon contractor exclaimed as he settled into the seat next to me, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"My name is James, by the way."

He extended his hand toward me, making me cringe internally.

"Mine's Note, nice to meet you."

I replied reluctantly, shaking his hand and turning back to stare out the window, trying to avoid any further conversation with James.

I wasn't sure I wouldn't thrust my blade into his throat if he kept talking.

...

Fortunately, for the remainder of the bus ride, James finally seemed to get the hint and stayed mostly quiet.

After 3 hours of enduring the discomfort of the bus ride, we finally arrived at our destination - the mana-rich dungeon.

"Everybody please get off the bus in order."

The club president's voice rang out, however, nobody cared as they rushed out of the bus with eyes gleaming with excitement.

I was once again one of the last along with James, Luna and Alaric to exit the bus.

Although neither Alaric nor James spoke, I caught a glimpse of them making eye contact and nodding.

Their silent communication sent a shiver down my spine.

'...'

Stepping out of the vehicle and onto the damp ground, I lifted my eyes and took in the sight before me.

The dungeon stretched out before us, its entrance guarded by towering stone pillars engraved with ancient runes. The air buzzed with a thick, magical energy, and I could sense the power emanating from within.

Around the dungeon there were other Awakeners, wearing military uniforms patrolling around the dungeon, guarding it.

'If only they knew that the true threat was already within the dungeon, I wonder how they would react.'

Scanning the entire area, I assessed that the strongest awakener was that of an A rank, a true powerhouse among humans.

"My name is Alaric Stoon."

Approaching one of the soldiers waiting for us at the entrance, our club's president came forward shaking the soldier's hand with a firm grip.

Everything that happened after that passed in a blur as we were quickly introduced to the rules and regulations of the dungeon.

Basically, Dungeons are like portals to different realms or dimensions, filled with powerful monsters and valuable treasures.

Dungeons would appear randomly in the world, and Awakeners like us are tasked with exploring and clearing them, while also collecting valuable resources.

Nobody knows why dungeons appear but there are many theories and speculations surrounding their origin.

Some say god made them for humanity to strengthen themselves, others say that Demons created them to make hostile species invade earth and destroy humanity.

Whatever the true origin of dungeons may be, one thing is certain - they hold great potential for both danger and opportunity.

These portals to other realms are also graded by their levels of difficulty and the strength of the monsters within. G Rank dungeons are considered the easiest, while S Rank dungeons are the most challenging and should only be attempted by the strongest Awakeners.

And currently, we are standing before an F Rank dungeon that is known for having a very mana-rich environment - 'Adus Rokadus' or else called 'The Rookie Graveyard'.