Chapter 23 Sneaking In!

[Raven's POV]

Today's classes are finished.

At Ruby's class, we all just did physical trainings like push-ups and running, but it was exhausting.

Ruby made us do 150 push-ups, 150 squats, and after that, we ran nonstop until her class finished.

Ruby is personally helping me train, so I spent the whole time on her class being glared by most boys.

The girls who are looking at me adverts their eyes everytime I look at them, am I being hated?

Then after Ruby's class, I got bullied by male professors next by making me answer and explain hard things.

It's because of the news about me and Ruby.

I answered them all correctly, I don't intend to be bullied one sidely, it's easy answering using the trait <Understanding>.

But because of that, I'm mentally exhausted.

"Haa... Fucking hell."

I muttered as I put my things I packed on my spacial storage.

I already told Keara that I was going away for a while, she seems a bit sad about it, and it really made me think if I should just stay.

But I didn't as I really need to be strong to survive, and I'll need a material for that.

After packing, I immediately left the academy.

Normally I would wait for long time before I was allowed to leave on weekdays.

It's for security.

But luckily, one of the staffs who are managing the academy's gate is the first staff I gave 1000 Zeals.

Because of him, I got to leave pretty fast.

"I knew it, it's a good idea to build good relationship with the staffs."

I muttered with a satisfied tone and went to the station.

I didn't told anyone else that I was leaving, only Ruby and Keara knows.

So I hope Alec and the others isn't waiting for me in the library.

***

It didn't take long for me to arrive to Xara city, 3 cities away from the Lunar academy.

I'll need to arrive in a certain place before <5:00 A.M>.

I took my phone out and looked at the time.

<4:48 A.M>

I still have some time, but I don't want to waste time so I headed to my destination.

***

I arrived in my destination not long as transportations are really fast with these amazing technologies, I hope they make flying cars.

I'm currently outside a small forest, the forest is called 'Gentle Forest', it's a normal forest with no monster nor beast. But its normality changed 3 days ago when a portal-type dungeon appeared in the middle of the forest.

Portal-type dungeons are dungeons that are connected to other dimensions, they will bring you to a place that is not in this planet or maybe not even in this universe upon entering.

This type of dungeon is rare and valuable because mysterious and new materials are often acquired in them.

But there's also a high chance of meeting new types of monters and beasts inside. So it's like a high risk, high return dungeon.

The forest is being guarded by some heroes to make sure no civilians enter it.

Because outside the Gentle Forest are civilians with their phones out and continuously taking photos of someone.

A man with a handsome and manly face, black eyes and comb-over short hair, his muscles are bulging and he looks dignified.

Overall he looks someone handsome that's in his middle 20s at most.

It's Clifford Godwin, an <S+> rank hero, ranked 35 in [Heroes Ranking], also the guildmaster of the number 1 guild in the human domain, [Coldvale].

Also Eve's father.

"Damn, his presence is no joke..."

I weakly muttered looking at Clifford with a complicated face.

Beside him is another man with a pretty-boy face, black finely-cut hair and brown eyes, but unlike Clifford, he just have a natural body built.

It's Oscar Wilfred, <A+> rank hero and ranked 112.

He's the vice guildmaster of [Coldvale].

Behind them are 3 women and 2 men, ranging from <B+> rank to <A+> rank.

I assume they're all members of [Coldvale].

And they will raid the portal-type dungeon that appeared inside the forest as they are all well equipped.

I mixed in to the crowd so I can avoid suspicions

Looking at the [Coldvale] members from a distance made me unconsciously swallowed my own saliva.

Why?

Because, when they enter the portal-type dungeon, I'm gonna sneak in and enter the dungeon too.

Why now?

Portal-type dungeons oftenly disappears after being raided once, that's why it's valuable and rare.

And in the novel, the one I'm gonna sneak in is destined to disappear as well.

That's why this is the only chance that I have.

Also, coming with them means that it'll be safer as they will take care of the monsters. I'm not capable of handling <A+> rank monsters and beasts.

Not long, the time reached <5:00 P.M> and all the members of the [Coldvale] started to move.

I went to a pretty secluded area and transformed into a cat.

After that, I entered the forest secretly, I entered unnoticed as my figure is small and black, I also jumped from tree to tree to avoid being seen.

And in case someone did see me, why would they bother kicking out a stray cat?

With that, I reached the eye of the forest.

I saw a portal big enough to fit a whole house, it's color green and you can feel ripples of mana around it.

Then I saw the [Coldvale]'s members getting ready to enter the portal.

After a while, they entered the portal, I watched them as their figures disappeared.

"Fuuuu..."

After 5 minutes of them entering, I took a deep breathe and looked straight at the portal.

And without batting an eye, I entered it.

***

"Bleeergh!"

I got on my all four and vomited as soon as I entered, the mana around here is a lot more intense than the Earth's!

And as soon as I entered, the mana forcefully tries to enter my body.

I can feel my insides like being twisted, it hurts like hell that it makes my eyes teary.

"Cough..cough"

I coughed again and again then sat in a lotus position.

I already predicted this situation so I was ready.

While in the lotus position, I closed my eyes and started to circulate my mana in my whole body.

I can do this safely as I'm still in the safe zone.

I can feel the mana in around trying to enter my body as if it wants to devour me.

As I thought the mana here is not just intense, but it's also denser.

Normally it's a good thing as refilling mana will be faster and it can boost one's growth, but I don't have enough mana capacity to absorb it easily.

So I distributed all the mana that entered my body equally.

I started to cover my whole body with mana.

Transparent black mana covered my whole body, it's calm but dense.

I knitted my brows together, and released a lot of mana. The mana that I absorbed made my capacity on the verge of overflowing.

Swooosh–

"Keukk...."

The mana covering my whole body became intense and started raging like wild fire!

"Arghh"

I can still my insides hurting but I ignored it and started to focus more in releasing and absorbing mana.

Like that, I started meditating.

***

"Fuuu..."

After my meditation.

I got used to the mana in the area after the continues cycle of mana circulation. It's still burdening but it's now bearable.

I feel refreshed and my whole body feels a lot lighter than usual.

If I may say, I'm close to ranking up again.

My ranking up pace is incredibly fast, as I was also surprised by it. The trait <I like the spotlight> is more helpful that I thought.

'Then... I guess I should thanks the system.'

[Oh, you're very much welcome.]

As I thought of thanking it, the system appeared and I can tell it's being high and mighty.

I ignored it as I still remembers that the system chose that trait ro mess with me a little.

So instead, I looked around.

"Holy shit."

I unconsciously said. I'm inside of a forest too, there are trees everywhere, some have blue leaves, some have green, red, etc.

And all of them are as tall as a 5 stories building!

Their trunks and branches are as thick as sewer pipes!

While behind me is where I came from, a huge green portal, it's pretty awesome seeing it up close.

The grass around is not that tall and it's comfortable in the skin. I was sitting in grass.

'System, appraise the dungeon.'

I said inwardly, I know what's the dungeon, but just to make sure.

The system immediately projected a new transparent window.

=====

[Mysterious Woodland]

Difficulty:A+

<Description>

-A woodland that have a dense mana. A lot of mysterious beings roams here, some are evil, some are neutral, and some are good.

=====

An <A+> rank dungeon, I'm nervous to be honest, but as what written in the description, not every being here is hostile.

I immediately stood up from my position and transformed into a cat, it's to avoid being detected by the members of [Coldvale] and hostile beings.

Checking the time, I've been in stupor for about 2 hours because of meditation.

So the [Coldvale] members are not in sight, luckily they left trails in the path they took in case one of them gets lost.

I followed those trails, quietly.

***

After 3 hours of following their trails, I caught up with the [Coldvale] members. It's not like they're moving in a fast pace, it's just that I avoid all mysterious beings I saw while on my way here, so it took me a while.

Anyway, the reason I'm here in this dungeon is because I need to get a material.

What material?

I don't know, I plan to get random material that can be use in making a weapon.

Now listen, if you're a great blacksmith, what are the 3 most valuable things you will ever create?

'1st is the best thing you ever created. 2nd is the last thing you ever created, and the last and 3rd is the first thing you ever created.'

In Tyrone's skill, <Vulcan's Heir>, those 3 things I mentioned will recieve a huge enchantment.

Tyrone is still not making anything with his new acquired skill yet, and he will not make anything until I do so.

That's because I requested him to wait for me. And because he still feels grateful towards me, he immediately agreed.

When the assessment test's date changed and I told him that he can take his time to upgrade [Nyx].

He was relieved, even though he confidently told me he can get it upgraded until Friday, he's new in gunsmithing, so the upgrade will most likely be his worst work of all time. He said he wants to learn more about gunsmithing first before upgrading my [Nyx].

I also said that he should ready himself first and fix his working place. Which he agreed too.

As you all probably guessed right now, I plan to make Tyrone use his skill for the very first time, when he's making my weapon.

And based on my novel, there's alot of good materials in this dungeon, I just didn't name them all.

Even Alec's future armor's materials were from here.

"Wait, if I kill Tyrone after he made me a weapon, the weapon will recieve all the 3 enchantment."

I muttered.

It will be his 1st creation, best creation, and last creation with the skill...

[Real dark thoughts you got there.]

The system said.

"Fuck off, I was just curious, it's not like I'm gonna do it, Tyrone's a good guy."

I replied in a low voice.

[So if he's a bad guy you'll do it?]

"Yeah, why not? It's like killing two birds with one stone. I'll reduce bad guys, and I'll also receive a very good weapon."

I said without hesitation.

[Wow, I don't know if that's right or wrong.]

"It's obviously right–"

"Who's there?!"

As I was talking, Oscar, the vice guildmaster of [Coldvale] snapped his head in my direction.

I was in my cat form so I'm pretty unnoticeable, but as soon Oscar looked at my direction, I stopped breathing.

"What's the problem?"

Clifford asked Oscar. All the members of their group looked at my direction too as if trying to see what Oscar is looking at.

Oscar intensely looked at my direction, I began to sweat a lot.

But he soon shook his head and looked at Clifford.

"It's nothing Sir Clifford, I just thought I heard someone talking."

Then they all started to walk again.

I remained motionless for a while, then when they're out of sight.

"Haaaa..."

I let out a relief sigh.

'No talking for the time being.'

I reminded myself and started to follow after them again.

'Oscar is so sensitive.'

I complained inwardly, that's one of Oscar's traits, its called <High Senses> that makes him very sensitive of presence and and mana around him.

I wish I have that too.

[You can, you'll just need 8,000 CP.]

"Shut up, you're not helping, you know I can't afford that jerk."

I said to the system as I started to jump from tree to tree.

***

[Clifford's POV]

"It's following us again"

I said to the group as I felt of someone's presence. It's small and almost unnoticeable.

But unlucky for it, I noticed it not long ago, before Oscar even noticed it, it's hard to accurately pinpoint its location.

It's not strong so we're letting it be for now, it looks like it didn't have any ill intention too.

We hinted it earlier that we can sense them by making Oscar act like he just heard someone talking, but it still followed us.

"Are you sure it's okay to let it be?"

Oscar asked me.

"Let's just watch for now."

I replied, after observing for a while, we found out that not all creatures here are hostile, so we do not engage battle carelessly.

Because if we did, it's like making a stranger an enemy.

The less enemy the better as we do not know what's the boss monster here so we need to save energy and resources as much as possible.

***

[Raven's POV]

It's now <6:00 A.M> of Thursday, it's been more than 8 hours that I'm here inside the dungeon.

The [Coldvale]'s members encounters enemies from time to time. The monsters and beasts they met are already known.

Like trolls, rock golems, and mad bears. So they handled it pretty easy, watching their fights made it clear how powerful these heroes are.

Even from afar, I felt their attacks' forces, I also need to move away when they're fighting as I will get swept away if I did not.

Now it makes me wonder.

"How did those women die in this raid?"

In my novel, the 3 women will die, 2 of them are <B+> rank while the last one is <A+> rank.

I didn't put an exact details on how they die, I just wrote their deaths to indicate how dangerous the [Mysterious Woodland] is.

I know it's not me that will kill them, but it still burdens my conscience.

'Well, I also don't want to see someone die in front of me so I'll save them if possible.'

I thought and continued tailing Clifford and his group.

'I'll assume that the Higher Being thing will just fill the unavailable details of their deaths for me.'

This dungeon is not even really described much in my novel as I created this dungeon on a whim as an information filler for Alec's armor.

But I know, I made the 3 women die in the novel, just for an unnecessary drama.

As I was thinking.

We all arrived in a meadow.

With a large amount of herbs.

My eyes widened.

'Hey, appraise!'

The system immediately projected the herbs's description.

=====

[Mellow Flower]

<Description>

-It can increase your mana capacity, it can also make your mana control better.

=====

'It's a valuable herb!'

I can't help but be excited.

'But how will I get some?'

The meadow is full of [Mellow Flowers], I need to get some but I don't have a way because of Clifford's group.

"Wow, it's all herbs!"

One of the man in the group exclaimed.

It's their appraiser, I assumed.

Clifford and Oscar were thinking carefully about something.

"Let's get it all!"

The man then exclaimed again.

My eyes widened.

'Nooo!'

I activated <Calm Thinker> and <Insight> to the max.

Calculating every actions I need to take.

After a few second, I jumped to the meadow where the herbs are in my cat form.

The group got startled by my appearance and they all took a fighting stance.

I looked at them calmly.

"You should all calm down if you don't want to get hurt."

I said to them while emitting portion of <Monarch's Presence>.