Ethan took the parchment from Sean, and realized it was a quest description.
Quest: Eradicate Unknown Underground Creature
Quest Level: Rank S Location: Underground mines of Blackstone Volcano Quest Reward: 100,000 gold coins
Quest Description: There have been numerous cases of dwarves disappearing in the underground mines of Blackstone Volcano. In the past half year, a staggering 500 dwarf miners have mysteriously vanished. A month ago, a dwarf investigation team found half a body of a missing dwarf in a pool of lava. The initial inference is that all the missing dwarves have likely met their doom.
Through Divination and trace magic, it was confirmed that the body found did not die accidentally but was killed by an unknown life form.
However, the true face of the culprit remains unknown.
This quest is personally issued by the Dwarf King and has no acceptance threshold; all Heroes can try to complete the quest at the Blackstone Volcano.
"Ethan, I'll be frank, I'm just one step away from the inner circle of the Dwarf Kingdom... Besides the apparent gold coin reward for this quest, the person who completes the quest will also earn a recommendation from the dwarf race to join the Elder Council of Blackstone."
"To be blunt, I'm asking you, Ethan, to help me complete this quest. The quest reward in gold coins provided by the Golden Stone Guild will not be diminished in any way, and I'll personally add a bonus of 20,000 gold coins," Sean confessed sincerely.
"My Golden Stone Guild has already sent multiple parties to try to complete this quest, but to no avail...Ethan, you're a Rank A Hero, undeniably one of the very best in the whole of Stone Rock Harbor. We've gathered some of the finest talents for this quest. If even you can't accomplish it, then there's truly no hope."
Sean handed over another document, "This is the detailed report about this quest. You can make your decision after reviewing it. I understand that the quest is extremely dangerous, and I won't blame you if you decline. But should you agree to lend a hand, regardless of the outcome, you will be a lifelong friend to me and to the Golden Stone Guild, earning my eternal friendship."
Taking the report, Ethan found it was a quest log pertaining to the Dwarf Kingdom's investigation into the unknown subterranean creature.
The Dwarf Kingdom had dispatched thirty exploration teams, comprised of renowned heroes and the kingdom's elite dwarf forces.
Yet all of these teams failed their quests, with not a single survivor.
The farthest any team had managed to probe was one thousand five hundred meters below the surface before all contact was lost.
All thirty quest teams had been wiped out without even identifying the nature of the unknown creature.
Sean watched Ethan intently as he read the quest log.
He had invested heavily in assembling this team, and the extensive initial investment made backing out now an unaffordable option.
After reading the log and giving it some thought, Ethan nodded. "I'm intrigued by this quest. I'm in."
Ethan had a few reasons for agreeing.
Firstly, his primary objective in coming here was to explore the unknown aspects of this world, and this quest was an excellent opportunity.
Secondly, he was interested in the Elder Council of Blackstone mentioned by Sean.
He wanted to complete the Rank SS hidden quest and saw the Elder Council of Blackstone as a potentially critical piece of the puzzle.
Sean's willingness to invest so much in this endeavor indicated that the Elder Council of Blackstone was not to be underestimated.
Finally, Ethan had absolute confidence in his own abilities.
He was not about to sign up for a suicide mission.
Seeing Ethan accept the quest, Sean could hardly contain his joy.
"With you on board, Ethan, I have high hopes for this quest," he laughed. "Don't worry, if we pull this off, the reward I promised you will be all yours."
"Meet us at nine in the morning at Mulberry Leaf Town, just outside Blackstone Volcano. Go get some rest, Ethan. I'll wake you up in the morning and we'll head out together."
Politely declining Sean's offer of a few young female Heroes as company, Ethan went to bed early after taking a bath.
The next morning, Ethan had breakfast with Sean before they both got into a carriage and set off for the Blackstone Volcano.
Ethan had initially thought that the vicinity of Blackstone Volcano would be just like its name, extraordinarily hot and barren due to the volcano.
However, the reality was completely different from what he'd imagined.
The outskirts of Blackstone Volcano were a verdant, massive coniferous forest, with towering trees so big it would take several people to wrap their arms around them.
The temperature and humidity within the forest were very comfortable, making it hard to associate with the term "volcano."
Ethan initially thought that the thriving ecosystem around the volcano was due to the Blackstone Volcano being extinct, but was surprised to learn from Sean that the volcano was still active, with flowing lava often found in its underground tunnels.
The carriage sped along the forest path, and it was only by noon that a hint of light peeped through the leaves above.
After a short while, the carriage finally exited the forest.
Once out of the forest, the view ahead became considerably open, with a large volcano puffing black smoke in the distance, a massive cloud of smog hovering overhead.
Below the mountain range was a makeshift camp where the carriage carrying the two men finally stopped.
Sean led Ethan into the camp.
Behind the spacious wooden gates were an open space and rows of wooden houses.
In front of the houses, a square was filled with over a dozen tables already brimming with people, most of whom were clearly Heroes.
As soon as Sean entered, all eyes were on him, with most people sneakily sizing up Ethan, guessing about his identity and strength.
"So, Guild Leader Sean, is this the last person?" A few dwarves greeted Sean and Ethan as they found a spot to sit.
There were four dwarves, all warriors with different sizes of battle gear next to them. They wore heavy armor that looked heavy even at a glance.
"This quest isn't easy, lad." A dwarf laughed heartily, pouring Sean and Ethan a glass of wine.
"Better have a few drinks now, 'cause once we're in that blasted mine, I doubt we'll even have piss to drink."
"What's your rank, brother? If you're personally brought here by Guild Leader Sean, your strength must be remarkable," a soft male voice asked from another table.
A handsome young man in white armor, possessing an exceptional demeanor, smiled and asked Sean.
Six people were seated at his table, both men and women, all exceptionally good-looking in white attire.
Their weapons were exquisite, engraved with complex magic runes. Each weapon was worth a fortune.
Sean smiled and introduced Ethan, "This is Jonathan, younger brother of the Snow Mountain Guild leader, a Rank A Hero. Among our Dwarf Kingdom's Heroes, he can make it into the top ten."
He then pointed to Ethan next to him, "And this is Ethan, a Hero from the Sunset Empire, also Rank A."
Hearing Sean's words, Jonathan's interest piqued.
He smiled and said, "Oh? The Sunset Empire has been making waves recently. I've heard that the Empire's Heroes and the Dark Lord are in full-on conflict, with countless casualties... Many Rank B Heroes have been promoted to Rank A in the chaos. We hear news of promotions from the Sunset Empire on the Hero channel every day, and we can't help but feel a little envious over here."
"Dwarf Kingdom's territory isn't large, and we've almost eradicated all the Dark Lords here. We even have trouble finding a Dark Lord to let off some steam. Ethan, you're from the Sunset Empire, why aren't you fighting the Dark Lords there? Why'd you run off here instead?"
"I've been caught in a whirlwind of fighting ever since I crossed over. Currently, there's a stalemate within the Empire, even Rank A heroes could drop dead any minute on the battlefield. I'm not keen on sacrificing myself for no good reason, so I thought of stepping out and trying something different." Ethan said, a tinge of helplessness in his tone, as he took a sip of his drink.
"Turns out, he's a chicken." A girl next to Jonathan whispered, causing the crowd to exchange knowing looks.
Regardless, Jonathan remained nonchalant and told Sean, "A hero doesn't need an origin, as long as guild leader Sean has invited Ethan to join our quest squad, we're more than welcoming."
"Still, we need to follow the rules," he added.
"Rules?" Ethan asked, puzzled, as Sean hurriedly explained.
"This quest has a high mortality rate. So, to prevent any dead weight during the mission, newcomers must demonstrate their abilities before joining the squad."
"How do I prove myself?"
"Simple, just spar with me for a round or two." Jonathan said, with a smirk, unsheathing his sword and gesturing for Ethan to start.
Both of them took their positions at the center of the open space.
Jonathan nodded slightly and said, "Ethan, you make the first move. Don't worry, I'll go easy to ensure no injuries."
"Really?" Ethan nodded, gave Jonathan a measured look and silently estimated how much power he should use...
Given his opponent's confidence, he decided to use only twenty percent of his strength.
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