New Beginning

In the passageway opened by Azazel going into the Underworld Zekerion, she would not be able to choose a specific coordinates of where Veil would land.

What she only knows for sure is that she will not be transferred into a city, because Underworld cities have special magic circles that block direct teleportation into the city.

The only way citizens could travel into each city is by paying magic essence found on hunting hostile monsters, dark forces and by reaching higher tiers as an Underworld Adventurer.

Magic essences are different from magic crystals found in the world above; magic essences are used as the main currency here.

Various guilds would reward their members with magic essences according to their contributions; one could also earn a lower amount of the currency even as a solo hunter by accepting quests from the locals.

Among the aforementioned ways of earning magic essence, the biggest and fastest way is to ascend tiers.

Just by ascending into a Tier E from Tier F rewards one with 500 magic essences.

500 magic essences are a whole small guild's liquid funds, Underworld is where strength is everything and strength means resources.

With larger amounts of such resources, the strong ones would naturally invest in nurturing their own forces.

If the guild members are nurtured right, they would be able to go up a tier, thus, producing more money for the said guild.

This way, the apex Underworld guilds could never be caught up by their competitors.

The guild leaders would monopolize the strongest Adventurers with their own ways of reeling them in, may it be women, tempting remunerations and anything else: they would gladly do it as investment.

There is also one more way of earning magic essences and other resources in the Underworld, and it involves running shops that provide certain services.

Services such as forging, potion brewing and trading could net large amounts of magic essences.

However, before an Adventurer is permitted to do business in a city, they should improve their reputation and must achieve certain contributions that will gain the respect of the city lord.

Up until now, only a handful of apex guilds have succeeded in establishing their own shops in their respective cities, they have not even branched yet.

Meanwhile, Veil arrived in an emerald lake somewhere in Zekerion.

Splash!

She fell down directly on the lake because she cannot determine her position inside the passageway, which caused this result of her just landing on a lake.

Fortunately, the lake was not harmful; no monsters could be seen around the lake.

When she was squeezing her clothes dry, she subconsciously tried to summon a cloak; however, she remembered that she will not be able to use her Noctua powers anymore.

This is the gamble she took just to gain a chance in recovering everyone's memories of her.

Now, she also realized that she has no weapons whatsoever, she was used to using a summoned shadow sword.

As for her Mana Expansion, she could still establish a domain-like field with a translucent barrier; however, the shadow tentacles are nowhere to be seen.

She could still feel the strengthening and soothing effects of her own domain, but that is only that: the tentacles she once used to fight with is no more.

She also tried her Divine Techniques learned from Azazel, however, she soon discovered that the atmospheric mana in the Underworld is all rampant; she struggled to control it with her calm mana.

She could only use the First Divine Technique as her optional weapon for now if she was ever caught up in a battle.

[…]

After running and investigating around the lake, she chose a direction where various footsteps have been left just recently.

She soon heard loud clangs of weapons below a small hill, she hurried to check and she was surprised of what she saw.

Six Adventurers are battling a one-eyed giant Ogre in a much disciplined manner.

The fighting styles here are hugely different from the world of Terra, there, one would not produce a gap while using skills and attacks; they would just immediately use their skills to produce large amounts of damage.

However, as she observed her, the Adventurers would make a positional rotation while using skills and various attacks; they are chaining their skills to produce greater results.

The tanker would receive the attack with his shield and then follow up with a sword skill, when he made the Ogre stumble, a dual swordsman would swap with his position to take advantage of the stumbling Ogre by slashing its joints.

With that, the Ogre would not take as much damage by raining down skills one after another, but this rotational type of battle would slowly weaken the monster.

She also noticed that the party does not have a healer.

While she was quietly watching, the archer of the party suddenly spoke: "We already know you are there the moment you arrived, show yourself and declare your intentions."

Veil approached the party as she reassured: "I just arrived in the Underworld; I have no ill intentions to any of you."

The party of six looked at each other and nodded.

"We are members of the Lionblade guild, it is only a relatively small guild but our members are really good at fighting, as you may have seen." The archer explained with a bright smile.

Paladin Oskar, ranged attackers Lira and Finn, dual wielder Shiv, and mages Firaga and Dune.

"Mhm, I understand. I wish to learn more in this world." Veil informed the six.

"We still have not met our quota for the day, after that we could guide you about the Zekerion, this underworld. Do you want to go with us?" The paladin asked.

"Sure. Thank you." Veil smiled and nodded.

After walking for about 5 minutes, the party encountered a flaming wolf over 5 meters tall.

Veil watched with sharp vigilance, after all, this was her first battle in Zekerion.

"You still do not have a weapon do you? Do not worry, this sister will protect you!" A female with a crossbow on her arm patted Veil's shoulder.

The six showed a decent rotational battle again, without even the flaming wolf damaging any of them.

The only damage they ever received was the scratch marks on the paladin's shield.

However, just as they were about to move again for their last monster to meet the quota, various howls pierced their ears.

Awoooooooooo!!!

3 flaming wolves with an alpha arrived; the alpha wolf is 7 meters tall with gigantic silver claws.

Flames dance around the huge body of the alpha.

Nervous gulps run down the throats of the party, only Veil remained prepared.

"I will buy time for the rest of you to run with other guilds doing their quota." Oskar tightened his grip on his shield as he sheathed his sword.

"No Oskar! We will not leave you here!" The Lira teared up as she pulled on Oskar's cape.

The rest of the members prepared for the worst, if they do not accept Oskar's valiant sacrifice, they would serve as the wolves' dinner.

Just as the other four is about to turn and leave, Veil walked the opposite way, she approached the wolves.

"?!" All six looked in shock and disbelief.

"Sister what are you doing???" Firaga asked with anxious voice.

Veil did not answer; she tried manipulating her magic circuits to generate a new type of calm mana to make use of her Divine Techniques.

Two of the flaming wolves then charged at her, however, just as the claws are about to hit her head, a loud aerial vibration rang in the field.

First Divine Technique: Phantom's Descent!

Vuoooom!

Veil dashed through the two wolves as she dodged the claws with great ease, as she ended behind the wolves, a gush of blood sprayed out in a clean wound from the huge bodies of the wolves.

Splash! Thud!

The wolves fell down as Veil lightly stretched her arms and feet; she was itching for a battle after the annoying Dark Clown toyed with her very existence.

"!?" Everyone watching was speechless, even the alpha wolf showed a hint of hesitation.

The human before it does not even have a weapon, but she was able to bisect the two other wolves without breaking a sweat.

The alpha wolf slightly trembled before taking the initiative to attack; flames covered the wolf's body fully as it charged towards Veil.

Growl!!!

Like a blazing meteorite, the nearby grass burned and the ground cracked every wolf's steps.

Veil pointed her glowing arm towards the charging wolf and extended her mana even more.

Second Divine Technique: Phantasmal Laceration!

The berserk mana extension pierced the entire body of the wolf as its flames slowly dissipated.

Before the six Adventurers could even recover from their initial shock, another soon followed suit.

Lira could only fall on her knees as she powerlessly watched Veil slay three gigantic wolves.

Undoubtedly, if they did not show Veil kindness when they met her, they would not have emerged from their hunt today alive.

"Holy heavens! You saved us!" Oskar approached Veil.

"I only did what I could, with this; you will meet your quota right?" Veil turned around as she collected the magic essences.

The alpha wolf also dropped a crafting material, its fang.

"I will take you to my trusted forger, that fang would make an excellent weapon." Shiv, the aloof swordsman finally spoke.

"Sister, may I know your name, you have not introduced yourself yet, you know?" Firaga slightly pouted.

"My name is Veil; I am a human from the world above." Veil smiled cheerily from the warmth of her new friends.

After the short conversation, the party travelled back to their home base, the city of Onaross.

It is a medium-sized city with a good reputation among its medium counterparts.

The guilds there are all friendly and help each other without hesitation; they would also train together in the arena instead of using the arena for just entertainment value and earning money.

[…]

While travelling, Dune explained everything he knows in the Underworld.

Soon, they arrived in Onaross; Oskar also helped Veil sign up as an Adventurer of Onaross.

From today onwards, she will represent Onaross with her achievements and actions, she would also be able to accept the quests issued within the city.

As long as she makes contributions in the city, she would be able to build her reputation with the lord, to which she would be able to do more in the city, specifically in the business aspect.

However, such things were not her goal for now, she needs a weapon to grow stronger, fighting with mana and her hands alone will not suffice.

If she ever meets an opponent that can disrupt atmospheric mana, she would not be able to make use of Divine Techniques.

After touring around the city, Shiv introduced veil to the master forger Thorgorm, a Dwarf specializing in weapons.

Veil then showed the fang wrapped in cloth and passed it to Thorgorm, the latter nodded with satisfaction and excitement.

After waiting for a few hours, Thorgorm finally came out of his forging room and clapped his chest.

"This is my finest work since I started my forging journey. I name it the Wolfrim."

"Every time you wield it, it will not lose its sharpness, you will never have to visit me for repairs." Thorgorm passed the blade onto Veil.

Veil tried slashing the air with the Wolfrim, loud hums whistled, signifying just how sharp the sword is.

Even Shiv is mesmerized by the sword; however, when they consulted for the prize, their eyes almost fell out of their sockets.

"1000 magic essence, that is my bottom line." Thorgorm is firm on his decision.

Among the various weapons displayed on the shop, the highest price is 250 magic essences; however, this sword is 4 times more expensive.

While Veil and Shiv looked devastated, a bunch of Adventurers entered.

One is a tall man with a long hair, which then sneered "Heh, I will be taking this sword, old man; I am even willing to pay a higher price if these two competes for it."

"What are you doing, guild leader Tiberius?!" Shiv bellowed.

"What, you want a fight?" Tiberius raised an eyebrow while sneering.

"Look look, these two here were the ones who brought the material to me."

"It would not be fair if you just steal it under their grasp, why not settle it in a farer deal?" Thorgorm suggested, either way, he will earn his money whatever happens.

"Hngg, you sure are a sly old man, sure! Let's settle this in the arena, if you lose, join my guild, if you win you take this sword with you!" Tiberius suggested.

"What?!" Shiv was devastated to hear Tiberius' objective, he was not going for the sword, but for Veil herself.

He might have heard the news about a newcomer being able to kill 3 wolves with an alpha single-handedly.

Just as Shiv is about to step forward, Veil stopped him with a hand and said: "How is that a fair battle, guild leader? Do you not care about your reputation going down the sink with that kind of negotiation?"

"You!" Tiberius clenched his fist in anger.

"If I lose, I will join you against my will and if I win I take the sword as if it was not mine in the first place?" Veil smirked.

"Hngg, fine! If you lose I will execute you in the city hall but if you win I will even pay for your sword, how about that?" Tiberius grinned.

"Sure, that is a better deal." Veil nodded as she followed Tiberius and his subordinates.

Thorgorm and Shiv watched with stupefaction, they could not believe someone is insane enough to make a deal with Tiberius!