Rise of the Eromancer

Chapter 91 First Step as An Explorer

[You got attacked by raiders!?]

"Well, they were after the bus. It's lucky a bunch of monsters attacked and they killed each other."

[Damn it, why is this so hard… maybe I should have just gone to the entertainment industry instead. Did anyone die?]

"No. They…"

Rhys had actually already told the bus manager about what happened. But as a matter of course, the bus manager just laughed at him and did not believe that he was the one who killed the harpies. Rhys did not really mind, however, as he just focused his attention on the view of the wasteland.

It had been an entire hour since they were attacked, and yet they still had not reached the Hole they were supposed to explore. It is no wonder no one actually wanted to board this bus — the journey alone was enough to sap one's energy. He hasn't even done any exploring, and yet thinking of the way back already caused Rhys to just sigh.

He turned to look back at the other Explorers that were with him, and all of them were either asleep or just whispering to themselves. Rhys had always imagined what his first exploration would be like, and suffice it to say, none of his imaginations were like this.

He had always imagined explorers to be… invincible. After all, Rhys thought the people who ganged up on him and made his life hell back in Old York High School were already strong, and they weren't even explorers — and when he saw Lina back then clearing arachnes with ease, and then the people in the Underworld Corps.

Explorers always seemed like heroes to him, but now that he was meeting them, only one thing solidified in his mind:

Reality is often disappointing.

Are Explorers actually just glorified… scavengers? Or is it him? Was he the odd one?

But then again, it was not his fault that he received a percentage of Ayesha and Arachnea's abilities. Well, maybe he had a little hand in getting Ayesha's abilities.

And as Rhys lost himself in his thoughts again, he did not notice that they had arrived at their destination and the other explorers were already stepping off the bus. He was about to do the same, but the bus manager suddenly blocked his path.

"Look, Rhys. That's your name, right?" The bus manager raised both his palms, "I'm really thankful for you for not running away with the bus, that's why I am telling you now — this might be a Level 1 Hole, but you will di—"

And before the bus manager could finish his words, Rhys just grabbed his face and pushed him away; softly pinning him on the windshield as he moved past him.

"O…okay, maybe you're a little strong," the bus manager's muffled voice whispered in the air as he struggled to get away from Rhys's grip. Try as he might, however, he could really only get free when Rhys stepped down the bus, "F… fine. You've already signed a waiver anyway, it's your life!"

Rhys just completely ignored the bus manager as he stood next to the other Explorers, who seemed like they were just moving almost by sheer will alone — if he wasn't lucky enough to awaken the blood of Eros, would he also become like these people? No, as a Lowborn, he would have probably already been dead.

The Hole was not particularly big, even smaller than the Hole that appeared back in Old York High.

[Now, everyone. Please listen up!] The bus manager stood in front of the Free Explorers with a megaphone in hand, [I will repeat it just in case all of you forgot already, this is a Level 1 Hole. Dug by a Boulder Cockaroach. They are fairly weak, but do not let them bite you or you'll find a part of you turning into stone. There aren't really any other monsters reported down there…

…so kill and get what you can, and we will meet back here on the Surface in 24 hours! May Zeus be with you all!]

And without even saying a word or asking any questions, the other Explorers started running toward the Hole without even checking or inspecting it; one just even lazily dropping as if he just wanted the dive to kill him. Leaving Rhys standing alone with his hand behind his back in front of the bus manager.

"..." The bus manager stared at him for a few seconds, looking at him as if he was going to die in the Hole before shaking his head and walking back to the bus.

Rhys actually wanted to ask some things, like how much the population of the cockaroach was, and how long ago was the data acquired as that was how they did it in the Underworld Corps… but the bus manager just closed the door.

"..." Rhys then started looking around, wondering if the bus manager should have ordered some of them to stay just in case they were attacked by brigands again — but since the bus manager did not seem to care, Rhys just shrugged and dived into the Hole head first. This time, however, he stayed close to the wall; his nose almost grazing it.

And with his calm breaths hitting the moving dirt, he stretched his arm… before grabbing the dirt in front of him and forcefully pulling himself down.

"!!!"

The Explorers who went before him could really only lightly spin as they fell as Rhys suddenly moved past them like an eagle diving down. It takes several minutes to get to the Underworld, but that was already too long for Rhys who could not even count anymore how many times he had dived to and from the Underworld.

And so, he just used both Ayesha's strength and Lina's wind abilities to get to the Underworld as fast as possible. And when he did, he landed gracefully; already scanning the area as swiftly as possible before his feet touched the ground.

There was not that much to scan, however… as the area was incredibly dark. The scent that hit his nose, like a dried dirty sock filled with germs left in the sun for too long.

"A cave…" Rhys whispered to himself, before grabbing a glow stick from his trusty utility belt and throwing it in front of him. And immediately as he did so, he noticed numerous shadows the size of a dog crawling away from the light… perhaps too many as it almost seemed like the walls of the cave itself shifted.

Rhys had already researched it on their way to the Hole. But as their name implies, the boulder cockaroach… was an oversized cockroach that looked like a boulder. Incredibly hard to spot due to their inherent ability to naturally blend in with their surroundings… like the cave Rhys was in.

They could overwhelm with their numbers, but aside from their hard exterior, they were incredibly soft everywhere else; weak and easily defeated.

One could step on them, and they would be crushed by their own boulder-like skin.

And so, with that note, Rhys started stepping.

His very eventful first steps in the Underworld as an Explorer... is stepping on oversized bugs.

"I...

...should have stayed in the Corps."