The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

There was no point in answering anything else but a clear "Yes" as there was no other reason for a person to be in the application queue for challenging Dungeons.

The official leaned back lazily, arms crossed as he eyed him with obvious skepticism. "You hesitate."

"No. I am. I'm here to challenge a Dungeon," he answered simply, meeting his gaze steadily, even as he gave him another once-over. The man seemed unimpressed, shrugging his enigmatic shoulders as if his answer didn't matter in the slightest.

"If you are unsure of this perilous decision then perhaps you should never have taken it. Dungeons are very fierce Divine Quests but not necessary ones. There are still other ways you can level up without putting yourself in grave danger. But... if this is what you wish. So be it."

Aeric lifted an eyebrow. 'Good talk but... what's it to you, man? Just sign me up or whatever.'

The cloaked man gestured to a strange, rune-covered device on the desk. "Place your hand on this." His tone was indifferent, bored, as though he couldn't care less who he was or why he was there. Even though he had dropped all those words of wisdom earlier.

Aeric looked at the strange device and wondered whether it worked like a Divine Crystal. Was it going to try to reveal his Class and Main Skill for the official to decide?

He sighed internally. At least even if tried to, the system had already clarified that outside forces couldn't interact with his Divine Core. So he had nothing to worry about there.

Tentatively, Aeric placed his hand on the device, feeling a subtle hum of energy beneath his palm. Light flowed over his hand, then coalesced into an ethereal interface hovering above the object.

He caught glimpses of his Player stats projected into the air, but before he could read anything in detail, the official leaned in, squinting slightly. After a tense moment, he sighed, glancing at him.

'What did he see?!'

"An Adept Bronze Ranked Player," the man remarked. "That's interesting to see. Such stats are usually had by the children of powerful families who are capable of sending them to trainings before they begin Quests."

His dark eyes narrowed at Aeric.

The prince shrugged pretentiously. "Oh. I didn't know."

"Right," the official muttered. "You are still young and inexperienced." He skimmed the stats quickly. "It seems Alzera's team still needs a courier. You'll be assigned to them."

Aeric frowned, unfamiliar with the name. "Who… who's Alzera?" he asked, genuinely curious.

The official didn't look up. Instead, he lazily pointed across the courtyard to a group gathered near the shadowed edge of the Dungeon Entrance. "Over there, see? It is best that you try not to slow them down. They've got a reputation."

Aeric wanted to go forward but he stopped and gave the man a hateful glare. 'What a genuine asshole.'

Taking that out of his system, he steeled himself, composing his expression before moving toward the group.

Those groups were called Dungeon Squads. Each Dungeon Squad consisted of five members, each with a distinct role to maximize the team's efficiency and survival. The structure was a measured balance of offense, defense, strategy, and support.

There was the Squad Leader who directed the squad's strategies with their superior skills in Divinity control and combat experience. They were responsible for assessing the situation, making real-time decisions, and rallying their teams in moments of intense combat.

The Guardian played a defensive role, shielding the team from incoming attacks with barriers or other defensive techniques, ensuring that the team could focus on offense without taking direct hits.

The Striker role was for specialists in pinpoint, high-impact attacks. They engage enemies with swift, precise assaults, often targeting weak points or vulnerable spots. The role was critical for disrupting foes, creating opportunities for the rest of the team to launch coordinated attacks or escape danger.

Then the Healer or sometimes called Support was responsible for keeping the team's health sustained during the Dungeon quest, ensuring that injuries and exhaustion don't become liabilities. They also helped with buffs, endurance and providing essential support in dire moments.

Finally, the Courier, which was apparently Aeric's role was responsible for handling logistics, managing supplies, and retrieving items when needed. Although the role seemed less combative, it was essential for keeping the team functioning smoothly under pressure. As a Courier, Aeric was going to stay out of the fray, focusing on supporting his teammates so they could concentrate on their primary roles without distractions.

Aeric's eyes moved around the picture before him. There were many other groups spread in front of the dark Dungeon Entrance as well, all of them discussing in sobriety just as the Alzera herself was doing.

As Aeric approached, he registered each detail, noticing the way their presence commanded the space around them.

Alzera stood at the center. Aeric's eyes described her as a young woman with striking features and a confident stance. She had brown hair and was dressed in dark, polished gear that bore a distinctive silver trim, a symbol of her advanced rank and experience.

She wore a breastplate, which was crafted of a midnight-blue metal, engraved with subtle, starry patterns that shimmered faintly in the light. A sheathed sword with a hilt inlaid with sapphire hung at her hip, and behind her, a glimmering cloak of Starlight material trailed, moving as if alive.

That was clearly a very expensive Player Gear which left Aeric wondering how successful this Alzera has been in her Quests inside Dungeons and beyond.

In front of her was a man of a similar age, similarly equipped. His armor also appeared expensive but certainly not as expensive as Alzera. It had intricate patterns running along the gauntlets, which marked him as someone who wielded close-combat abilities.

Two other Players were sat on the ground, side to side, a girl and a boy, each outfitted with gear that was equally battle-worn and ready for a challenge.

Soon, he was close enough to hear them talking, but they seemed so engulfed in the conversation that they didn't notice his presence.

Aeric cleared his throat to make his unnoticed presence noticed. The group all turned to him at the same time, their gazes sharp and assessing.

Alzera's blue eyes, fierce and discerning, locked onto him immediately. Her face held a sternness, her expression as unreadable as it was unyielding. She didn't bother to ask who he was; instead, she went ahead with a clipped and efficient tone.

"You're the fifth?" she asked, glancing over his rough clothes with a raised eyebrow. "The courier?"

Aeric was transfixed by her eyes so he swallowed but managed a nod. "Yes."

Alzera studied him some more. "You're tall," she said, realizing that she was looking up at him. It was difficult to be commanding to someone who was significantly taller than them.

Aeric tightened his lips. "Is... that a problem?"

Alzera sighed. "No. It is not." She continued studying him, her gaze like steel, before asking, "Name?"

Aeric hesitated, a flicker of panic passing over him. Well he certainly couldn't tell them his real name, not here. Thinking quickly, he lied, "Dagwood."

Did that even count as a lie?

"Dagwood?" she repeated, as if testing the sound of it, she looked at the man beside her. "Well that's a silly name. What Rank are you, Dagwood? And what Level?"

"Bronze Rank," Aeric replied, forcing himself to remain calm. "Adept Level."

Alzera looked mildly surprised, though a glint of curiosity sparked in her gaze. "An Adept courier," she murmured, half to herself. "Interesting." She paused, then looked back at him with renewed interest. "What's your Class and Main Skill, Dagwood?"

Yet again, another difficult question.