Chapter 15: Dungeons and trial grounds

Then, the three of them headed to the lobby after getting outside the building. Using Brian’s private civilian SUV, they drove straight out of the city. The journey took just under an hour.

​Upon reaching the city gate, Smith truly realized how long it had been since he had last set foot outside. Nowadays, cities were enclosed within towering walls outfitted with defensive facilities like turrets and missile launchers. Even though the dungeons had stabilized many years ago, occasional breakouts still occurred, and escaping monsters always targeted highly populated areas. The massive walls were built to protect ordinary civilians. It was common knowledge that civilians were not allowed to leave without a special permit; however, after the trio presented their identification cards, the guards recognized them as Chess Players and granted them passage without further questioning.

​Passing through the massive gate, Smith stepped outside the city for the first time. The wasteland carried an apocalyptic vibe, littered with abandoned and collapsed buildings. There were even massive craters—some with a radius of nearly 100 meters—making Smith wonder what rank of beings could cause such terrifying destruction. Surprisingly, despite the ruined surroundings, the main roads were well-maintained to ensure smooth transportation between regions.

​After traveling along the road for nearly thirty minutes, they reached their destination: a large portal. It was primarily white, radiating no light and resembling a wormhole, yet it possessed no gravitational pull it looked like a simple projection that might fade at any moment.

​Stepping out of the car, Brian began to explain, "This is a large scale public dungeon. Anyone can enter, as it has no rank restrictions."

​Hearing this, Smith immediately asked, "If there are no rank restrictions, why don’t high ranked players monopolize it and farm all the resources for themselves?"

​"It’s not that simple," Brian replied. "First, to increase your Aura level points, you must kill a creature with an equal or higher Aura level than your own. The gain is calculated based on the difference—specifically, only 0.1% of that difference. For example, if you defeat a creature with an Aura level of 15, the difference is 5 points, meaning you will only gain 0.005 points. If you defeat a creature with a lower Aura level than yours, you get zero points. High-rank players don’t bother hunting lower level creatures; monopolizing a low level dungeon is completely unprofitable."

​Understanding the logic, Smith nodded.

​As they stepped through the portal, Brian continued his lesson. "Since this is a large-scale public dungeon, there is a generous limit on how many people can enter at once. Other dungeons have strict entry caps, and some allow only a single entry. ’Dungeon’ is just a general term for these open dimensions directly connected to our world."

​Brian paused before adding, "You might also wonder about the difference between a dungeon and a Trial Ground. Years of investigation have shown that a Trial Ground is a preserved fragment of a specific timeline. If a participant succeeds in the trial, that timeline fragment stabilizes and continues to exist. But because those who fail usually die, every trial is a one-way road: succeed or perish. There is no middle ground or option to retreat. Once cleared, that dimension integrates directly into our main timeline. Normally, to revisit a Trial Ground, you must undergo the trial again, unless you possess extremely rare special items."

​"Dungeons, on the other hand, are invasive dimensions attached directly to the main timeline without requiring a trial," Brian explained. "Think of a Trial Ground as a dimension waiting for permission to attach, whereas a dungeon is like a parasite—it attaches itself without the host’s consent. Killing monsters inside a dungeon destabilizes its anchor to our timeline. That is why clearing a certain number of creatures yields rewards like equipment or special items."

​As Brian finished his explanation, they fully crossed the threshold. Smith felt no physical discomfort during the transition, but the scenery abruptly shifted from dilapidated ruins to a dense rainforest filled with trees towering over 20 meters high.

​Looking back, Smith noticed that the portal had vanished.

​"Don’t worry, that’s normal," Brian reassured him. "Exit portals appear in various locations inside, usually guarded by the dungeon’s native creatures. In an unexplored dungeon, that would be a problem, but in a public one like this, the monsters guarding the exit zones have long been cleared out. We’ll be transported right back to where we entered."

​With the explanation complete, Brian summoned his Queen it was a woman with black hair, striking green eyes, and the attire of an archer. She wore light brown leather armor and carried a bow with a quiver of arrows.

​"This is my Queen, Lily," Brian introduced. "She holds an Attack type Title."

​Next, Jack summoned his Queen. Smith was briefly surprised; despite Jack’s large build and aggressive personality, his Queen wore heavy leather armor and carried a massive tower shield she also had black hair but her eyes were green.

​"This is Anna," Jack said proudly. "She holds a Bronze Defense type Title."

​Smith nodded and summoned Velvet. This time, she appeared without the terrifying killing intent she had displayed during her first summoning, wearing her usual red armor. Knowing that Brian and Jack were Smith’s companions, she directed no hostility toward them.

​Since Brian had been explaining things to Smith while Jack pushed his wheelchair, Velvet silently walked over to Jack. Though Jack was no longer terrified, he still tensed up as she calmly took hold of the wheelchair handles and took over pushing Smith. Jack scratched his head awkwardly but said nothing.

​"This is Velvet," Smith introduced. "She holds a Gold ranked Title that boosts speed."

​Brian and Jack froze in shock. Gold titled Queens were as rare as phoenix feathers. They realized that the novice they had just introduced to the world of Chess Players possessed an extraordinary foundation.

​Though Brian tried to maintain his composure, the subtle curl of his lips betrayed his excitement. Jack, unable to hide his enthusiasm, immediately began to flatter Smith.

​"Look at us! We have a complete combination of Attack, Speed, and Defense—it’s a match made in heaven! We complement each other perfectly. Brother Smith, from now on, you are the big brother of our group! Don’t worry about Brian; he’s just a soft spoken weakling and won’t object. We can swear brotherhood like the ancient heroes under the peach tree! Our future is bright!"

​Brian almost coughed up a mouth full of blood hearing Jack’s shameless babbling. While it wasn’t uncommon for players with a high titled Queen to lead, calling Brian a "soft spoken weakling" in front of a promising junior was an utter insult.

​Not taking it lying down, Brian retorted, "You’re supposed to be the frontline tank, yet you’re always begging me to save your skin! You’re just a glorified punching bag who passively takes heat for the team."

​As the two continued to bicker, their Queens stood to the side, chatting casually and ignoring their masters’ argument.

​Smith saw right through their attempt to curry favor, but he didn’t mind. Even though they only had Bronze titled Queens and had known each other for less than a day, their sincerity was genuine. They had treated him with respect even when they thought he was just a helpless cripple. Smith enjoyed the lively atmosphere; seeing that Smith remained relaxed and friendly and the fact that he had checked his Queen since yesterday and still can today was the proof of acceptance, Brian and Jack knew he had truly accepted them into his circle.

​Amidst the playful banter, Lily suddenly stopped chatting with Anna, turned to the group, and interrupted: "I think something is..."