The next morning, I was dragged out of bed before the sun had risen and stuffed into the car with the rest of the guild members. The journey to the portal would take a couple hours, so everyone besides Ash, who was driving, went back to sleep in the car. I knew I wouldn't be able to after being woken up already, so I watched traffic pass by from the window.
When we got to the site, everyone woke up on their own without any prompting and got ready to enter. I was impressed and intimidated by their synchronization. It was obvious that going into dungeons was just another Tuesday to them.
While the others got suited up in gear that I didn't have, I poked around a little bit. Other than waking up in the medical tent and the talking bird, I hadn't gotten to have as much of the fantasy world experience that I was expecting.
From what I'd learned over the past couple days, people had completely adapted to the existence of fantastical things like magic and monsters. Low level hunters were a dime a dozen and most of them lived completely normal lives, just with the added ability of being able to heat up a drink with their hands or have a conversation with the neighbor's dog.
And despite rooming with S rankers, I never once saw them use their abilities. I questioned Angel Boy on it once, but he just said their skills weren't suited for use outside of dungeons. He acted a little cagey on the subject, so I dropped it and didn't ask again.
But I just got more curious as time passed, and now I'm here, standing in front of a rift in space that would take me to a dungeon where I have to fight my way out to survive. My curiosity has limits, okay? I refuse to be the cat in this situation, but I don't think I get much of a choice.
Bored, I started pacing back and forth. Other than the portal, there really wasn't much to see. When the portals open, the fabric of space rips and the energy required to do so sets off an explosion that destroys nearby infrastructure. In the early days, this would cause mass casualties and destruction, but now there are ways to predict when and where a portal will open and evacuate the area ahead of time.
I'd learned this all from a documentary I watched last night and now I was seeing it with my own eyes. The opera house where the portal had opened up was already isolated before, but now the entire place as well as a large chunk of the surrounding forest had been closed off to the public.
There had also been security guarding the place, but they all left shortly after we arrived. Another thing about dungeons, the portal doesn't let anyone else in when hunters are raiding it until they clear the dungeon or everyone dies. The only exception would be survival type dungeons, like the one where I was injured. Those require surviving until a timer runs out and allow reinforcements to help with doing so.
So basically, there was no need to stick around and guard a portal that wouldn't even be open. Or so Ash said. I think it was more likely that he wanted them gone to protect the secret of an S class guild, not that I was brave enough to call him out on it.
"Grey, get over here!"
I've been summoned. Abandoning the rock tower I was attempting to balance on, I jogged over to where the others were gathered. Willow's face collapsed into annoyance the minute I got close and I did my best to ignore her. It wasn't anything like trying to be the bigger person, it was just that I knew she would destroy me if I picked a fight over it.
"Grey, pull up your status window. We need to decide on the formation and I can't do that without seeing your skills first," Ash said, looking like a protagonist from a manga in his long black coat that doubled as his armor.
Thankfully, I knew what I was doing this time and was able to do so without making a fool of myself like last time.
When I showed it to them, Willow started snickering. I flushed in embarrassment then immediately chided myself for doing so. I was perfectly average and there's nothing wrong with that.
Yeah… that sounded a little too close to what guys say when they measure their… thing. 'It's not size that matters, it's how you use it.' Sure, keep telling yourself that.
Ash took a little too long reading over my skills for what was written there before saying, "Grey, you'll be in the back with Victor and Milo."
My face was burning now. I'd been relegated to the back because my skills are that useless. It didn't feel good, but it was for the best. Better to sit this one out than get myself gutted because I can't figure out how to get my skills to work.
Ash gave the command to move out and in the portal they went. I was the last one through and, damn, was it disorientating. It had been around ten in the morning when we stepped inside the portal and now it was pitch dark. I stumbled into someone as my eyes were adjusting to the change and a hand was placed on my shoulder to steady me.
The hand didn't stay there for long. Hunching over, I groaned and dropped to my knees on the dirt. My head was spinning and I felt so nauseous, like I was drunk without the alcohol. Strangely enough, there was a faint current of electricity running under my skin, leaving me feeling prickly before it was gone.
I heard booming laughter before a heavy hand slapped me harshly on the back. "You still ain't used to it yet?" Gage grinned down at me, still clapping me on the back and making the nausea worse.
Used to it? This was my first time! Not that I could say that to them.
Victor approached then, shoving Gage aside and bending over me. "Accept the party invite and swallow this," he said, stuffing a pill into my hand.
"What?" I managed to ask, trying my best not to vomit in front of him.
Victor sighed, rolled his eyes, and took the pill back before he grabbed my chin and forcefully opened my mouth. My eyes widened as he dropped it down my throat, holding me until he saw the gulp of me swallowing the pill.
"Now accept the invite," was all he said before walking away towards Ash.
A blue screen appeared, similar to the status window, asking if I wanted to join Victor's party. I clicked yes, not having any idea what I was getting myself into in doing so.
Gage must've found my suffering amusing as he laughed at my befuddled expression. Angel Boy took pity on me and helped me up from the ground.
"Don't mind Victor, he's just a little impatient with new members," he tried.
My lips twisted into a grimace. That was more than just impatient. Not that I'm really surprised there's another person who dislikes me.
"Yeah, we can't keep waiting for you to man up with monsters around, can we?" Gage followed.
I couldn't tell if he was trying to be mean or just so obtuse he didn't notice what he said was rude. "Hey-"
"Guys! Enough fooling around, we've got company," Willow barked, pulling out a giant sword to the sounds of barking and running feet.