Chapter 44 Chapter44-A Dungeon Connected to the Ruins?
When word spread that a wealthy heir was organizing a leveling-up team, the students were all ears.
By the time Howard arrived at the meeting spot, over thirty individuals had already gathered.
Among them, ten older figures in clean martial attire stood spread out, enveloping Carlos Bartel and the students, ensuring their safety.
Clearly, they were the family guards brought by Carlos Bartel.
With their presence, many students showered Carlos with praises, treating him almost as if he were an angel descended upon the mortal realm.
"Ah, my dear Howard, you've finally arrived."
Spotting Howard, Carlos Bartel greeted him with a warm smile, swiftly approaching him.
Howard, however, slightly furrowed his brow.
He had never been on the best of terms with other students, whether before or after awakening his talents.
And Carlos Bartel, known for his arrogance, being this cordial?
Could it be that he had gotten wind of Howard's concealed strength?
Not just Howard, the other students also wore expressions of bewilderment.
Aside from those Howard had once saved, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Not bothering to overthink, Howard, with strength now on par with a Level 50 S-level talent awakener, didn't concern himself with the ten guards— even if their numbers were doubled, they wouldn't be a match for him.
Confident in his strength, Howard wasn't overly cautious about any potential schemes from Carlos Bartel and straightforwardly inquired, "Carlos, what's the plan?"
Carlos Bartel responded with a grin, "I've heard from my father about a Level 20 dungeon within the Silent Forest. Although its level might seem low, it's connected to a unique set of Ruins. If we're lucky, we might find a passage. Our leveling speed would surely skyrocket!"
"Oh? What Ruins?" Howard couldn't help but display his surprise.
He had no recollection of a dungeon connected to any Ruins.
Typically, once a dungeon was discovered by players, its information would be made public.
Every time someone entered, all monsters and treasures within would respawn, so there was no reason to be secretive.
Moreover, reporting a new dungeon would fetch a special reward from the alliance.
Over the years, students had become familiar with the dungeons in the Silent Forest.
Howard had never heard of one linked to any special Ruins.
Meanwhile, the other students also exhibited expressions of curiosity, casting inquisitive glances at Carlos Bartel.
"Heh, only a few, including my father—Baron Cameron, are privy to this," Carlos Bartel revealed with a smirk. "I consider all of you as my classmates and comrades-in-arms, and that's why I'm willing to take you there."
"My goodness!"
"Carlos, you truly are a person we hold in high regard."
"Carlos, God will surely bless you."
Hearing this, the students were no longer dubious. The word of a Baron was enough to garner their trust.
Ever since the world became digitized, in order for someone to acquire a noble title, they needed to make significant contributions.
To become a Baron, one either had to slay a Demon King-level monster or invent an SS-level skill and report it to the alliance!
Who among the students would doubt the words of such formidable figures?
Just then, Abby arrived, clutching a bow that radiated with fiery glimmers, her face aglow with excitement.
In an instant, every student's gaze converged upon Abby, their eyes gleaming with fervor.
Unfortunately for them, the goddess in their hearts lunged into Howard's embrace, giggling, "Howard, the gift my father bought for me finally arrived. It's a Gold bow. From now on, I'll be the one protecting you."
"Sounds perfect." Gazing at Abby's radiant smile, Howard affectionately ruffled her hair.
Even though he didn't need her protection given his strength, he still agreed wholeheartedly.
This scene shattered the hearts of many students.
Abby was not only gorgeous and talented but also came from a wealthy family, making her the goddess of their dreams.
Each time they witnessed their dream girl being embraced by someone they viewed as a talentless F-level awakener, they were engulfed in agony, their jealousy bordering murderous intent.
Carlos Bartel, maintaining his cheerful facade, exchanged pleasantries with Abby and refrained from saying more.
After waiting for approximately fifteen minutes and ensuring no one else was coming, Carlos Bartel signaled to the group, leading them directly into the depths of the Silent Forest.
Two guards led the way, clearing a path at the front, while four others flanked both sides, ensuring all the students were shielded.
Another pair of guards brought up the rear, prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
However, the guards from the Bartel family were somewhat less formidable than those of the Bass family, hovering around only LV30.
Equipped in Bronze-tier and Silver-tier gear, they occasionally struggled to subdue the monsters they encountered along the path, leaving the final blows for Carlos.
The students didn't comment on this.
After all, these guards belonged to the Bartel family, and allowing Carlos to land the killing strike was both expected and respected.
The students were already grateful for the team rewards and dungeon benefits they could glean.
Time gradually unfolded.
Howard and the group, numbering in the dozens, ventured deeper into the Silent Forest, encountering an increasing number of monsters as they went.
At this juncture, all of the Bartel family's guards were engaged in battle, and even Howard and the other students were compelled to fight.
Abby drew her bowstring back, conjuring arrows of various elements that whistled through the air, repelling monster after monster.
Howard, too, was relentless, unleashing fireballs, Frost Arrow Spells, and Gravity Spells.
Any creature that approached him was either frozen solid or repelled by an explosive fireball.
Combined with the efforts of the ten guards, the monsters—already of a lower level—saw their HP rapidly diminish, succumbing to the students' relentless onslaught and dropping loot in their wake.
One male student, Snot Philip, swiftly drew a dagger and skinned the fallen monsters.
"Shit! Stop using pyro skills!" he admonished.
"The flames singe their fur and make it worthless."
"At least their bones are intact," another commented.
Not every student hailed from influential families, so they valued the spoils of battle highly.
Heeding Snot's words, they refrained from using pyro skills.
Howard ceased using fireballs, instead opting to continuously use Frost Arrow Spells to slow the monsters.
In the Silent Forest, basic monsters relied on close combat.
As long as they couldn't get close, they posed little threat.
However, as the monsters grew in strength and attributes, Howard and the others could no longer hold back.
If they let the monsters breach their defenses, the whole group would be in jeopardy.
It was in these moments that the disparity between the Bartel and Bass family guards became glaringly evident.
The level difference might have been minimal, but equipment played a substantial role in one's strength.
At the very least, facing the lesser creatures of the Silent Forest, the guards and servants of the Bass family never once appeared flustered.
Fortunately, after an hour of intense fighting, Howard and the group finally reached their destination: a cavern.
Its entrance was pitch-black, with no indication of what lay within.
"We've arrived!" Carlos Bartel pointed towards the cavern, excitement evident in his voice.
"This is our destination!"
"Hm?"
"Isn't this the Bat Cave dungeon?"
"This dungeon seems like one of the basic ones. Could it truly be connected to the Ruins?"
Although many students had not explored the dungeon themselves, they had been briefed by instructors.
From their memories, the Bat Cave dungeon was quite mundane.
Doubts began to surface — was Carlos Bartel speaking the truth?
Sensing the students' skepticism, Carlos Bartel's face darkened. "Do you think my father, a baron, would deceive you?"
The students felt uneasy, something seemed off, but they nodded in agreement.
Indeed, why would a baron deceive them, mere players in this grand scheme?
Surveying the group, Carlos Bartel said with a smile, "If you're still unsure, I'll enter the dungeon first."
With that, Carlos Bartel took steps towards the cave entrance.
The moment his figure made contact with the cave, it distorted, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from their sight.
Dungeons differed from Ruins.
While Ruins were inherent to this world, dungeons were specially crafted spaces.
Though the entrance appeared as a simple cave, upon entering a dungeon, one would be transported to another realm!
Seeing Carlos Bartel, the young heir of the family, fearlessly entering the dungeon, the remaining students felt reassured.
Leaving a few guards behind, they proceeded to enter the dungeon in an orderly fashion.
For Howard, this was his first time entering a dungeon.
The moment of transportation engulfed him in a sensation of weightlessness, only to be replaced by the solid ground beneath his feet a second later.
He glanced around, finding himself in a dimly lit cavern.
Chilly gusts of wind blew past, sending shivers down his spine, making the atmosphere eerily unsettling.
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