"Captain, when will we be able to enter the Fourth Layer?"
That evening, in the bustling Dancer's Tavern of Adventurer Town, the young swordsman Kuri held up a loaf of bread as he stared fixedly at William across from him. Since joining the team, they had only ever ventured through the first three layers of the Dungeon.
Several days had passed since the Fourth Layer was discovered. Now, hordes of adventurers entered it every day, and all kinds of information about the Fourth Layer had already spread everywhere.
As for the Fourth Layer, what attracted adventurers most were its numerous treasure chests and Mana Mushrooms. Each one was worth a gold coin, and that was the purchase price offered by the Adventurers' Guild. If they did not mind the trouble of selling them at an alchemy shop, they could earn a few more silver coins.
Besides those two things, the various monster materials and highly poisonous substances from the Fourth Layer were also extremely valuable. It could be said that as long as an adventurer team survived and left the Fourth Layer, they would earn a hefty sum.
Kuri had now learned two swordsman skills. As long as he learned one more, he could successfully take up a class, awaken his Life Seed, gain battle aura, and become a Formal Professional.
However, a basic swordsman class skill cost at least five gold coins, and training and food also required a great deal of money.
"After everyone in the team has become a Formal Professional."
William set down his wine glass and spoke calmly. His memories returned to the first day the Dungeon had appeared. At the time, 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 ancient, powerful class inheritances in the Dungeon. Yet his dream of being a hero had been completely shattered on his first day inside.
The companions who had spent every day with him all died in the Dungeon. In the end, only he and Sean escaped.
From that moment onward, William's personality became as steady and dependable as the Iron Guard class he had taken up. Now that he had formed another team, he did not want what happened before to happen again.
Therefore, he would never enter the Fourth Layer before everyone became a Formal Professional.
"Captain, you really are cautious."
Beside him, the halfling Luna played with the short sword in her hand. A trace of satisfaction appeared on her face as she looked at William's resolute expression. The reason she had joined William's team in the first place was because she valued her captain's calm and reliable character.
"A Formal Professional... who knows how long that will take."
Knowing his captain's personality, Kuri scratched his head irritably. To become a Formal Professional, one had to learn three basic class skills. Depending on the class skills learned, the class one took up would also differ.
Some classes also had restrictions based on bloodline, talent, gender, and other factors.
As a commoner, Kuri could only come into contact with ordinary classes. He had heard that nobles, major powers, and magical races all possessed even more powerful classes.
"Captain, I heard that breaking through to an Advanced Professional requires special materials produced in at least a medium-sized Dungeon. Is that true?"
At that moment, Kuri recalled something his swordsman skill instructor, a peak intermediate swordsman, had said during training and curiously asked William about it.
"Strictly speaking, not exactly." William shook his head and explained, "Aside from Dungeons, the various Elemental Planes, the Abyss, and the Astral Plane are said to produce the materials needed for class advancement."
"However, compared to the Elemental Planes, the Abyss, and the Void, Dungeons are the easiest and simplest places to obtain advancement materials."
"Moreover, not every Dungeon can produce such special materials. Only medium-sized or larger Dungeons can nurture sufficiently powerful monsters and layer guardians. As for the advancement materials for Master Tier and Legendary Tier Professionals, only large Dungeons can produce them."
That was why the capital of the High Rock Kingdom had been built above a large Dungeon. Only by occupying a complete Dungeon could a kingdom possess the foundation to produce Master Tier and Legendary Tier powerhouses.
Furthermore, the various resources produced by a large Dungeon were enough to support an entire kingdom.
"Then Captain, what level is the Dungeon here?" Lia, the mage apprentice, suddenly asked as she looked curiously at her captain.
"I don't know." William shook his head and continued, "You can only learn a Dungeon's exact level after successfully clearing it. Besides, the Dungeon beneath our feet is no simple one."
Based on the four layers explored so far, the difficulty of every layer far surpassed that of other Dungeons. Combined with its many new and mutated monsters, as well as the occasional earthquakes, everything pointed to the abnormal nature of this Dungeon.
"Anyway, Kuri and Lina, you two should become Formal Professionals as soon as possible. Then we can enter the Fourth Layer to explore."
"Yes, Captain!" ×2
The young boy and girl replied excitedly. Both imagined the day they became Formal Professionals and entered the deeper layers.
Meanwhile, in the center of Margery Town.
Inside the lord's castle, nobles of every rank, wealthy merchants, and powerful Professionals from across the town had been invited into the grand banquet hall. However, the stars of tonight's banquet were not Korien Os, the lord, but five Advanced Professionals from the Oss Family.
"Viscount Korien, a toast to you."
Aik, an Advanced Warrior, walked up to Korien Os and lightly raised his wine glass. With his short golden hair, handsome face, and tall, powerful build, he stood beneath the spotlight at that moment, constantly drawing the eyes of the young women at the banquet.
"Then I'll be relying on Sir Aik for the upcoming Dungeon raid."
Korien Os also raised his glass, a perfectly measured smile on his face. His gaze swept over the other four people. Each was a true Advanced Professional, a trusted subordinate personally selected and cultivated by the main branch of the Oss Family since childhood.
"Of course. Before I came, the family head gave me personal instructions."
Aik nodded with a confident smile. As the sharpest blade of the Oss Family, his team had successfully cleared three small Dungeons before. They had long grown accustomed to such matters.
Besides, this was the very reason they had come here.
"Then I hope you enjoy yourselves over the next few nights. I look forward to your future performance."
Korien Os smiled and nodded before turning to greet the other guests. Although this banquet had mainly been arranged 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 needed to do.
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