A few days had passed since Neron left the Guild and his companions behind.
He had been staying at a cheap inn during those days while waiting for the day of the expedition.
He had picked the closest inn he could find around the vicinity of the dungeon so he wouldn't be late on the day.
As he walked down to the spot, he appreciated the smart decision on his part by picking a close place to stay.
Although it was cold and drizzling, it didn't stop the Adventurers from showing up.
He could see a whole throng of them gathered around the entrance.
There were so many of them that he estimated that there were at least 400 people present.
Even as he approached, he could see the size swelling rapidly by the minute.
"Pfttt. A lot of them are sure to die here," He muttered to himself, surprised at how many people wanted a piece of the pie the dungeon promised to offer, not caring if they were competent enough.
He couldn't even see the entrance due to the people obstructing his view but he knew that it was currently locked until the time set by the officials.
They were currently waiting on the grounds of a spacious villa. The beautiful scenery around the place bellied the grim and dark mission that they were on.
His arrival went unnoticed by most as he was just another warrior among many of them. But he preferred it that way.
If he had a choice, he would have done away with the mask altogether. It was the only thing drawing people's attention to him especially as they were all without masks.
He stood out as a sore thumb and he heard the whispers around him.
The mask added to his appeal and mystery. For some reason, even the people that didn't know him immediately thought he was powerful.
They associated mystery with power and gave him his due respect.
After a while to the relief of Nero, they turned their attention to something else.
Some of them were sharpening their weapons while others were casting protective spells, a few of them exchanged last-minute strategies with themselves.
It was a noisy environment that grew worse as time went.
Tired of waiting in the back, he pushed through the crowd, his eyes not making contact with any of the faces around him.
These were seasoned fighters, skilled mages, and cunning rogues—each one hoping to be the first to conquer the Dungeon and claim the treasures hidden within.
As he neared the entrance, a flash of movement from someone at his right caught his eye.
His senses was alert to every sound he heard around him as there was little he could do until whoever it was showed themselves.
The path ahead forked into three different directions. Neron paused, considering his options.
He couldn't remember which was which and decided to go with his instincts.
The left tunnel was narrow and steep, descending into the earth.
The middle one was wider but sloped upward, with a faint draft indicating an exit of some sort.
The right tunnel was the darkest, with the sound of rushing water echoing from its depths.
Neron chose the right path just because it felt right.
He moved carefully, the sound of water growing louder with each step.
The tunnel opened up into a cavern, a massive underground lake stretching out before him.
The water was black as ink, its surface broken only by jagged rocks jutting out.
As he stood on the edge of the cavern, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up once more. He wasn't alone.
A soft footfall echoed behind him, and Neron whirled around, sword drawn. But there was no one there.
He exhaled slowly, lowering his weapon. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but the feeling of being watched was hard to shake.
He hated feeling jumpy.
He turned back to the lake, scanning its surface for any signs of movement. The cavern was still, the only sound the gentle lapping of water against the rocks.
BONG!
BONGG!!
BONGGG!!!
The sudden noise startled him as it seemed to come from all around the place.
"Shit..." He muttered as he recovered himself and suddenly realized what it meant.
It was the sound of the gong and he turned back to join the crowd.
It was time for the Dungeon exploration.