Chapter 13 – The Guild's Invitation
The dungeon air felt colder than before.
Ronan walked through the twisting tunnels with steady steps, his senses sharper than ever. The new Shadow Step Bracelet rested quietly on his wrist, but he could still feel its power lingering beneath the surface.
A short-distance teleport.
Even thinking about it made him slightly excited.
For a hunter, mobility meant survival.
And survival meant growth.
After leaving the hidden chamber earlier, Ronan had spent another hour clearing goblins from the surrounding tunnels. The monsters were predictable now. Their movements were simple, and their attacks were easy to read.
Slash.
Dodge.
Counter.
One after another, the goblins fell.
Their hearts vanished into the storage ring as soon as Ronan collected them.
Eventually, he reached the dungeon exit.
The familiar swirling portal waited at the end of the tunnel.
Ronan stepped through.
---
Sunlight greeted him again.
For a moment, he simply stood outside the dungeon entrance, adjusting to the brightness.
Several hunters were gathered nearby, some preparing to enter while others rested after their runs.
But something felt different today.
There were more people than usual.
And not just ordinary hunters.
Several individuals wore matching armor pieces and cloaks marked with identical symbols.
Guild hunters.
Ronan recognized the insignia immediately. In the city, guilds were powerful organizations that controlled resources, information, and dungeon expeditions.
Most hunters dreamed of joining one.
Guild members received better equipment, shared dungeon knowledge, and protection.
But they also had strict rules.
Ronan had never seriously considered joining a guild before.
He preferred moving alone.
However, as he walked past the crowd, he suddenly heard someone call out.
"Hey. You."
Ronan stopped and turned.
A tall man in dark leather armor was looking directly at him.
Behind the man stood two other hunters wearing similar equipment.
The tall hunter approached slowly.
"You're Ronan, right?"
Ronan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
The man crossed his arms and studied him for a moment.
"I heard you've been clearing this goblin dungeon alone."
Ronan said nothing.
Information traveled quickly among hunters.
The man continued.
"My name is Victor. I'm a scout for the Iron Fang Guild."
That name caught Ronan's attention.
Iron Fang was one of the mid-level guilds in the city. Not the strongest, but still respected among hunters.
Victor glanced briefly at Ronan's equipment.
His eyes paused on the bracelet for a moment.
Then he spoke again.
"Some hunters noticed your progress."
Ronan remained calm.
"And?"
Victor smiled slightly.
"We're recruiting."
The words hung in the air.
Several nearby hunters were already watching the conversation.
Joining a guild was a big opportunity.
Victor continued speaking.
"Our guild is organizing an expedition next week."
"A newly discovered dungeon."
Ronan remembered the announcement board he had seen yesterday.
The raid dungeon.
Victor nodded slightly, as if confirming Ronan's thoughts.
"High monster density. Unknown boss."
"Dangerous, but profitable."
Ronan asked quietly,
"And you want me to join?"
Victor shrugged.
"Temporary membership."
"You join the raid party, help clear the dungeon, and receive a share of the rewards."
Ronan thought for a moment.
A raid dungeon meant stronger monsters.
Better drops.
But also more risk.
And more people.
Working in a group was very different from hunting alone.
Victor watched him carefully.
"You don't have to decide now."
"But I'll tell you something important."
He leaned slightly closer.
"That dungeon is rumored to have multiple floors."
Ronan's eyes sharpened slightly.
Multi-floor dungeons were rare.
And extremely valuable.
Victor straightened up again.
"The expedition starts in five days."
"If you're interested, come to the Iron Fang Guild Hall."
Then he turned and walked away with his two companions.
The conversation ended just as suddenly as it had begun.
---
Ronan stood silently for a moment.
A raid dungeon.
Multiple floors.
And a guild invitation.
Opportunities were appearing faster than he expected.
But rushing into things blindly could be dangerous.
Instead of heading back to his room immediately, Ronan decided to visit the market again.
---
The market district was even more crowded than yesterday.
Hunters moved between shops carrying monster parts, weapons, and supplies.
Ronan approached the familiar merchant stall and began placing goblin hearts on the counter.
One.
Two.
Three.
Eventually the merchant leaned forward with surprise.
"That many again?"
Ronan finished placing the last heart down.
"Sixteen."
The merchant blinked.
"Did you empty the dungeon?"
Ronan ignored the comment.
After a moment, the merchant counted the hearts.
"Dungeon quality again."
He pushed a small pouch forward.
"Eight silver each."
Ronan collected the coins.
Then he placed the Medium Energy Crystal on the table.
The merchant's eyes widened.
"Another one?"
Ronan nodded.
The merchant sighed dramatically.
"You hunters keep bringing me expensive problems."
After examining the crystal, he said,
"Five gold."
Ronan thought for a moment.
Then nodded.
The merchant counted out the coins reluctantly.
Ronan placed them into his storage ring.
His total funds had increased significantly.
But money alone wasn't his goal.
He needed stronger equipment.
And more experience.
---
Later that evening, Ronan returned to his small room.
The city outside was quiet.
He placed his equipment carefully on the table.
Then he opened the system interface.
---
Name: Ronan
Level: 7
Strength: 13
Agility: 18
Endurance: 11
Intelligence: 7
Title: Dungeon Beginner
Skill: Heart Collector
---
Ronan leaned back in his chair.
His progress had been steady.
But something about Victor's offer lingered in his mind.
Raid dungeons were dangerous.
Yet they also contained the greatest rewards.
Hidden treasures.
Rare monsters.
Powerful bosses.
And perhaps even equipment stronger than what he currently possessed.
But Ronan understood something important.
Strength alone did not guarantee survival in raid dungeons.
Strategy mattered.
Information mattered.
And sometimes… allies mattered.
He looked down at the Shadow Step Bracelet on his wrist.
The epic item had already changed the way he fought.
Combined with his agility, the teleport ability made him extremely difficult to corner.
If he continued improving his skills over the next few days…
He might be ready.
Ronan stood up and walked toward the window.
The city lights flickered quietly in the distance.
Five days.
That was how long he had before the raid dungeon expedition.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Looks like…"
"I have a lot of preparation to do."
Somewhere beyond the city walls, new dungeons were waiting.
New monsters.
New challenges.
And Ronan intended to face them all.
Step by step, he would continue climbing.
Because the deeper the dungeon…
The greater the rewards.