NOVEL WEB Chapter 1: Prologue: Looking for a new job
Chapter 1: Prologue: Looking for a new job
[Dear employee, we regret to inform you that the contract has come to an end, due to the increase of personnel in the company.]
The text that no working person would want to read, left a bitter taste in his mouth as he looked at the mail on his old smartphone.
"The contract has come to an end..."
His voice cracked and sank as he absorbed the weight of those words. The influx of new workers, with specialized equipment and skills for the job, had made this outcome inevitable.
However, I had no grudge against the company, because the world had never been fair, without it I had starved to death a long time ago, but the following...
[As it explicitly says in the contract you signed, there will be no severance pay of any kind!]
The second blow landed, leaving him unable to breathe, he felt as if the world before his eyes was collapsing.
The letters of the mail came out of the screen and turned into two grotesque and macabre figures that seemed to have escaped from hell itself and began to slowly suffocate him.
Much of his life had been marred by stress and worry, especially why he is an orphan.
Erik White, an ordinary person, who does not stand out in anything, other people more of the amount, had to mature prematurely due to the hardships he had faced throughout all those years.
His hands were full of calluses and developed muscles due to the work he had done beyond his years.
The passage of time had left its mark on his fragile young heart, which had not experienced even a hint of happiness in all those years of life.
However, he was not alone in these circumstances, besides him, there are also many people in his situation somewhere in the world.
That comforted him a little, knowing that he was not the only one in these conditions. But it does him little good to know that, for the horrible situation in which he now finds himself.
His old smartphone took a moment to close the mail app. Once outside, he quickly turned to a job search website in search of a solution to his current situation.
But there are always opportunities for those willing to take risks. After reviewing numerous job offers, Erik came across one that he had been avoiding all this time.
With no other options, he decided to explore the job content.
[It is necessary to hire a porter to access a new low-level dungeon. This job carries a high degree of risk but also promises significant rewards, as well as liability compensation in case of injury. If you are interested, please get in touch by sending a message to the following email address: . For more information about this opportunity. The location of the dungeon is: 123 Construction Avenue, NY 10001]
A dungeon that had recently appeared and had not yet been explored. The job content does not mention clearing the dungeon, a task reserved for guilds and their members.
Instead, it would require the formation of a hunting party with a porter; an individual tasked with gathering items, transporting additional equipment such as food, and more.
Although Erik lacked previous experience as a porter, he dedicated himself to learning everything necessary for the position, even going so far as to receive training in some martial arts in case he woke up as a hunter.
[Greetings, my name is Erik White, and I am 20 years old. I performed cleaning duties in the past, having acquired the relevant skills at the association's academy. Although I have not yet manifested hunter skills, my abilities make up for this lack...]
With great meticulousness, Erik drafted his message, which was mostly a lie, and revised it several times before sending it. To impress the prospective employer, he combined some exaggerations with real facts. In addition, to add an extra touch of impact, he was kind enough to attach a letter of recommendation from his previous job.
Despite the bad comments he had read about this job and the warnings, he felt a small glimmer of hope for the very bad situation he was in.
It was not bravery or recklessness that prompted him to apply for this job he had been holding back; rather, it was a manifestation of pure desperation.
The night turned out to be a long one and Erik spent hours investigating the dungeons and the monsters that inhabited them. His intention was to be properly prepared in case he was hired.
While he was exploring this information, he received an email in response to his job application.
[Perfect! See you tomorrow at 10:45 am at the location indicated in the email. The rate will be $30 per hour]
The response was terse, in stark contrast to the detailed message Erik had composed. Despite his initial enthusiasm for getting the job, this enthusiasm quickly faded and was replaced by fear and worry.
Being a porter was among the jobs with the highest mortality rates for people who had not awakened as a hunter, but more because anything could kill you inside a dungeon.
He made sure to make all the necessary preparations, but upon consulting his bank account, he realized he didn't have enough money to even buy a gun.
A sigh escaped his lips. He had to venture out empty-handed.
***
The next day, at 10:30 am, Erik stopped in front of the entrance to the dungeon that marked the location of the post office.
He headed towards a nearby hut, where hunters used to gather to plan strategies before venturing into an unexplored dungeon.
Arriving at the booth, he found five people seated around a table: a trio dressed in plain armor and accompanied by two individuals dressed without armor. The group consisted of three men and two women.
Most of the group appeared to be in their early twenties, accompanied by a middle-aged figure holding an imposing shield at his side.
Erik gathered his courage and stepped forward. Despite being younger than those present and also the weakest as he was not a hunter, his confidence, though hidden, was latent.
The conversation stopped abruptly when all eyes turned to Erik. They examined him from top to bottom, and under that intense gaze, nerves got the better of him.
However, he made an effort to hide his anxiety, aware that showing weakness could lead him to an unpleasant fate: being treated like a slave, something he wanted to avoid.
Suddenly, a voice broke the tension:
"Hi, this is Adam. We spoke yesterday."
The shield hunter introduced himself as Adam and held out his hand in a friendly manner. This gesture acted as a balm to Erik's nerves. He reciprocated the introduction, exchanged some pleasantries and that managed to relax the atmosphere a bit.
However, the rest of the group showed little interest in him. Realizing that Erik was nothing particularly special, they resumed their discussion about the possible monsters they might have inside the dungeon.
Seeing the conversation resume, Erik took a seat, taking care to keep an appropriate distance from the rest of the group.
"As you all know, today we will venture into a new unexplored, low-rank dungeon, as you may have noticed by its green color. This means that the monsters we encounter should not be too strong and we will be able to handle the situation. However, do not let your guard down at any time. Dungeons are known for their unpredictability and high danger."
Adam briefed the group; although the information seemed irrelevant to Erik, he listened attentively, in case it proved useful should any unforeseen events arise inside the dungeon.
At noon, Adam arranged for lunch at a restaurant near the site, providing the team with the necessary energy before setting out on the expedition.
Since he was not a hunter and had a slower metabolism, he opted to consume a small portion of food, to avoid the possibility of needing to go to the bathroom during his stay in the dungeon.
***
Standing in front of the dungeon entrance, the group consisted of four members, led by Adam, whom Erik identified as the typical leader featured in all the novels.
The conversations they overheard gave Erik a rough idea of each member's personality.
The first to catch his attention was Elio Roderick, a flamboyant speaker standing next to Adam. The steady stream of words emanating from his handsome face made him hard to ignore.
The second character was Luna Thorne, black-haired and brown-eyed, whose height she slightly exceeded. When conversing with Elio, she seemed to know him well and occasionally exchanged words with Adam.
Erik was intrigued by the slender but well-defined body of the woman Sofia Valentina, who was conversing with Adam.
The last member was Aldo, who had not uttered a single word during all that time, which made it difficult to describe him at all.
When the clock struck 13:01, the group headed toward the dungeon entrance. As they stood there, Erik couldn't help but wonder if he would make it back alive or if all of his body parts would be intact.
Shaking his head in an attempt to dispel those thoughts, after the members of the association in charge of the entrance checked the hunters' cards, they gained access to the dungeon.
Before continuing, however, Erik had to sign a liability waiver agreement, releasing others from any blame should he lose his life.
The world seemed to twist and his vision distorted as he stepped through the portal. They soon found themselves inside the dungeon, which appeared to be a huge subway temple.
....