Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2116: Good Fortune Below

A week had passed since Adam returned from the Citadel.

True to his word, Hannibal had arranged a party for him and Luca. It was a five-man party of adventurers, led by a Transcendent Paladin.

Five figures sat at a round table on the second floor. Adam rested his arm on the railing as he watched the tavern fill below, crowding around the Hole.

Soon, adventurers would start pouring into it. And he would be the first to enter.

”So, Hannibal tells me you two are the real deal, eh?”

A towering man in black leather armor glanced at Adam and Luca. Half of his face was burned away—even the scalp. The other half was not so great to look at either. It was filled with scars.

Stroud the Ugly, they called him. But Hannibal had said to Adam that his fighting prowess was a thing of beauty.

Adam turned to him and said respectfully, ”That’s right, bossman.”

He’d never met the Transcendent Paladin before. But if even someone like Hannibal was impressed by the man, who was Adam to complain?

”I’m a Mana Seed Magus and also a Templar,” Adam added. Then he pointed to Luca. ”He’s also a Templar.”

”What school?” Stroud asked.

”Summoning.”

”Oof!” A woman at the table, the only other Magus except for Adam, winced. ”That’s going to be problematic.”

Although the dungeons weren’t secret planes, they worked like one. In that, they prevented teleportation and summoning of creatures and objects from the spirit world.

Adam was aware of this. So he said, ”No problem. I’m adept at Invocation as well.”

”Oh?” the woman from earlier said. Adam noticed the slight disdain in her purple eyes. ”A Generalist, are we?”

Adam looked at her and simply smiled. He was well aware of the contempt that Generalists faced in this world. But it didn’t bother him. He had nothing to prove to others.

”Aurora here is a Warder,” Stroud said, looking at the purple-eyed woman. ”She will be responsible for the party’s defenses.”

He turned to Adam and said, ”You will be responsible for long-range support and attack.”

At last, he concluded, ”Luca, Barrett, and I will deal with close-quarters combat. Any questions?”

Barrett was the other Paladin in the party. He was the silent type. Silent and judgmental. The way he stole glances at Aurora told Adam that he might have a thing for her.

Luca asked several questions about the individual party members, group tactics, everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. The party patiently explained. It was important that these things be shared before descending into the dungeons.

Almost ten minutes later, Stroud laid a map on the table.

”The third layer,” he said, pointing at a certain section of the map. ”This is our objective. I will now take any mission-related questions.”

The party members immediately began asking questions about the dungeon itself.

Stroud answered each one without hesitation. He explained the dungeon’s layout, the likely movements of the monsters, the locations of dangerous areas, and the traps they were most likely to encounter.

Whenever someone asked about a particular section, he was able to point to it on the map and explain what they could expect. His answers were based not only on years of research and investigation, but also on his own experience inside the dungeon.

Suddenly, the common room downstairs erupted in cheers when Hannibal began moving toward the Hole.

The time had come.

”All right.” Stroud rose to his feet. He was a head taller than even Luca. ”Time to get going.”

***

”Ladies and gentlemen.”

Hannibal’s voice boomed across the tavern.

”Tell me. What’s what?”

The hundreds of patrons inside the Rabbit Hole across all four floors raised their glasses and fists and roared:

”ONE AT A TIME!!!”

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

As usual, Jolly the gnome—a very bubbly server at the tavern—jumped onto a table and loudly rang the giant bell attached to the wall.

Thus marked the descent into the Hole.

The tavern erupted in cheers and excitement. They got to witness this every day. But every day, the feeling was wonderful and surreal.

Such was the magic of the Rabbit Hole. The promise of riches from the Mountain Down Under. And the spirit of adventure.

Stroud and his band of adventurers made their way through the crowds. All of them clad in chainmail and armor or arcane robes. They carried bags with supplies and other equipment.

At last, they arrived before the Hole.

Hannibal clapped his hands, his voice echoing in the tavern once again.

”Today, Stroud and his band of troublemakers have the honor of greeting danger first,” he said.

Stroud raised a fist and let out a bellow.

Once again, the tavern erupted in cheers. It was an electric atmosphere as they chanted simultaneously:

”Ugly! Ugly!”

”Ugly! Ugly!”

Adam looked at his team leader and how he seemed to take his strange epithet with pride, and couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure approach him.

It was Ira.

She came over and adjusted Adam’s collar and backpack, showing him motherly affection.

”Don’t die, love.” She smiled as she caressed Adam’s cheek.

Then she retrieved an item from her storage artifact and gently placed it on Adam’s head.

”A gift,” she said.

It was a pointed hat.

Adam gave her a hug as he thanked her.

Finally, it was time for their party to move.

Stroud and the rest arrived before the Hole. They checked their gear one final time. One by one, they hooked themselves to the thick rope hanging from the pulley system overhead.

Hannibal stepped forward and took hold of the rope. He gave Stroud a firm handshake and a pat on the shoulder. ”Take care of the lads.”

Stroud nodded. ”Leave it to me.”

He then retrieved a pouch of coins to give to the tavern owner. But Hannibal just smiled. ”This one’s on the house.”

Stroud showed an ugly little grin and put away the pouch.

”Good fortune below.” Hannibal nodded.

Stroud swung his legs over the edge of the Hole and disappeared as Hannibal slowly fed the rope through the pulley. He lowered the adventurers one by one, steady and careful. While the patrons began betting and cheering all around them.

Finally, it was Adam’s turn.

While Ira glanced at him with a hint of worry in her eyes, Hannibal was confident in the raven-haired youth’s survival down in the dungeons.

He stepped forward and clasped Adam’s shoulders. ”Good fortune below, my boy.”

Adam laughed and hugged his teacher. Then, he looked to Ira and nodded.

Finally, it was time. He swung over the edge of the Hole and descended into the darkness. Soon, the cheers and shouts of the patrons faded away. The wind whipped against his falling figure.

The darkness consumed Adam for several long moments, reminding him of the last trial in the Coil. His heart thundered inside his chest. He took steady breaths and did his best to strangle the fear gnawing at him from the inside.

At last, he saw light at the bottom of the dark well.

He had arrived.

The legendary dungeons of the Mountain Down Under!