Professionals and Dungeons

"Captain, when can we enter the Fourth Layer?"

In the evening, inside the bustling Dancer's Tavern of Adventurer Town, the young swordsman Kuri held up a piece of bread, his gaze fixed firmly on William across from him. Ever since joining the team, they had only been adventuring in the first three dungeon layers.

Several days had passed since the Fourth Layer was discovered. Now, countless adventurers entered it every day, and all kinds of information about it had long been spreading everywhere.

As for the Fourth Layer, what attracted adventurers the most were its numerous treasure chests and Mana Mushrooms. Each one was worth a gold coin, and that was the price offered by the Adventurers' Guild. If they did not mind the trouble of taking them to an alchemy shop, they could sell them for a few more silver coins.

Besides those two things, the various monster materials and toxic substances from the Fourth Layer were also highly valuable. As long as an adventuring team could leave the Fourth Layer alive, they could earn a considerable fortune.

Kuri had now learned two swordsman skills. As long as he learned one more, he could successfully take up a profession, awaken his Life Seed, gain battle aura, and become a Formal Professional.

But even a basic swordsman skill cost at least five gold coins, and training and food also required a great deal of money.

"After everyone in the team becomes Formal Professionals."

William set down his wineglass and spoke calmly. His memories returned to the first day the dungeon had appeared. Back then, as one of only two Formal Professionals in Marguerite's Adventurers' Guild, he had been filled with confidence and pride.

He had believed himself to be a legendary hero, certain that he would find lost divine artifacts and powerful ancient profession inheritances within the dungeon. But his dream of being a hero had been utterly shattered on the very first day he entered it.

The teammates who had spent every day with him all died in the dungeon. In the end, only Sean and he escaped.

From that moment on, William's personality had become as steady and dependable as the Iron Guard profession he had taken up. Now that he had formed a new team, he did not want what happened before to happen again.

Therefore, he would never enter the Fourth Layer before everyone became Formal Professionals.

"Captain, you're really cautious."

Beside him, the halfling Luna toyed with the shortsword in her hand. A trace of satisfaction appeared as she looked at William's resolute face. The reason she had joined William's team in the first place was because she valued their captain's steady and reliable character.

"Formal Professional... I wonder how much longer it'll take."

Knowing his captain's personality, Kuri scratched his head irritably. To become a Formal Professional, one had to learn three basic professional skills. Depending on the skills learned, the profession one took up would also differ.

Some professions also had restrictions based on bloodline, talent, gender, and other factors.

As a commoner, Kuri only had access to ordinary professions. He had heard that nobles, major factions, and magical races all possessed more powerful professions.

"Captain, I heard that breaking through to become an Advanced Professional requires special materials produced in medium-sized dungeons or larger. Is that true?"

At that moment, Kuri recalled something his swordsman skill instructor, a peak intermediate swordsman, had said during training. Curious, he asked William about it.

"Strictly speaking, not exactly." William shook his head and explained, "Besides dungeons, the legendary Elemental Planes, Abyss, and Astral Plane can all produce materials needed for professional advancement."

"However, compared to the Elemental Planes, Abyss, and Void, dungeons are the easiest and simplest places to obtain advancement materials."

"And not every dungeon can produce such special materials. Only medium-sized dungeons or larger can nurture sufficiently powerful monsters and layer guardians. Furthermore, advancement materials for master-level and legendary professionals can only be nurtured in large dungeons."

That was also why the capital of the High Rock Kingdom was built above a large dungeon. Only by occupying an entire dungeon could a kingdom possess the foundation needed to produce master- and legendary-level powerhouses.

Moreover, the various resources produced within a large dungeon were enough to sustain an entire kingdom.

"Then Captain, what level is the dungeon here?" the mage apprentice Lia suddenly asked, looking curiously at her captain.

"I don't know." William shook his head and continued, "You can only learn a dungeon's exact classification after successfully conquering it. Besides, the dungeon beneath our feet is far from simple."

Of the four layers explored so far, every one was far more difficult than the layers of other dungeons. Coupled with its various new and mutated monsters, as well as the occasional earthquakes, everything pointed to the abnormal nature of this dungeon.

"Anyway, Kuri and Lina, the two of you should become Formal Professionals as soon as possible. Then we can enter the Fourth Layer to explore."

"Yes, Captain!" ×2

The young man and young woman replied excitedly. Both imagined the day they would become Formal Professionals and enter deeper into the dungeon.

Meanwhile, in the center of Margery Town.

Inside the lord's castle, nobles large and small, wealthy merchants, and powerful professionals from across the town had all been invited into the grand banquet hall. Yet the stars of tonight's banquet were not Korien Os, the lord himself, but five Advanced Professionals from the Oss Family.

"Viscount Korien, a toast to you."

The advanced warrior Aik walked before Korien Os and lightly raised his wineglass. With his handsome face, short golden hair, and tall, powerful build, he stood as though beneath a spotlight, constantly drawing the gazes of the young women at the banquet.

"I'll be relying on you, Sir Aik, for the dungeon conquest ahead."

Korien Os raised his own glass, wearing a perfectly measured smile as his gaze swept over the other four. Every one of them was a true Advanced Professional, a trusted subordinate carefully selected and raised by the main Oss Family from childhood.

"Of course. Before the family head arrived, he gave me separate instructions."

Aik nodded with a confident smile. As the sharpest blade of the Oss Family, his team had successfully conquered three small dungeons before. They were already accustomed to such matters.

Besides, this was the very purpose of their coming here.

"Then I hope you all enjoy the next few nights. I look forward to your performance afterward."

Korien Os smiled and nodded before turning to greet the other guests. Although this banquet had primarily been held for Aik and the others, as the lord, Korien Os would not neglect anyone else.

As a mature lord and a member of an ancient noble family, he knew what he should do.