As the group approached the northern exit of Fira, Sheeron stopped in his tracks. After noticing, Kara and the rest followed suit, shooting him questioning looks. Sheeron put a hand on his bearded chin and spoke to Kara directly.

“Princess, I know we're all following you already and these adventurers are getting paid to help you, but where exactly are we going? We sort of got swept up in all the commotion of you coming back and went along without asking.” He said quizzically.

“We're going to a world dungeon to rescue the Draganoid leader’s son.” She replied simply, as if it were all she needed to say to explain the situation.

Feera and Sheeron could only stare at her in disbelief. Toley looked confused and spoke up.

“What's a world dungeon?” He said, reminding everyone that he was a young man from a small village, where he spent all his time training.

“A world dungeon is a dungeon that was created by the world for some purpose. Very few have ever been completely cleared, but when they have been, it has been a turning point in history. The first clear, completed by the elves, was said to have created the human race for example.” Kara said to him as a teacher would to a student. One could almost imagine her adjusting her glasses after speaking.

“What she forgets to mention is that for something like that to be cleared it requires the strength of an army! Kara, what ridiculous thing have you agreed to?!” An exasperated Sheeron shouted. “How are just the five of us going to be able to get anywhere in a dungeon of that caliber, even if the captive is on just the first floor!?”

Feera chimed in as well, with an almost excited tone. “Oh, this sounds fun! Like a real adventure, let's do it!”

Kara looked triumphant as Sheeron's face became crestfallen. The nearly-broken man looked to Toley for support, but the boy also looked excited. As his last hope, he looked to Rox with a mixture of dread and contempt. Rox looked indifferent and Sheeron clung to his faint ray of hope. Straightening his posture, he appealed to the man he had previously thought useless.

“Rox, you might be far stronger than I thought, but even you have to think this is ridiculous, right?” Sheeron said, not being able to help himself from sounding proud when speaking to the other warrior.

“Yes, it is,” Rox said, restoring life to the shell of Sheeron, before immediately crushing it beneath his boot. “If we're going to a world dungeon then we should try to clear it while also saving the hostage. Why bother if we're not going to go all the way with it?”

With those words, Toley and Feera cheered while hugging each other in excitement. They relished the opportunity to test themselves despite the risk. Even Kara looked excited at Rox's idea, her original plan was simply to rescue the hostage and escape, but if it was with Rox, it might be possible to clear the whole thing. Imagine what sort of boon they would walk away with after clearing a world dungeon. Such a thing had not been done in centuries. Not to mention that they would also be responsible for bringing the Dragonoids into the Eternal Peace Treaty. The risk was well worth the reward, even leaving out the reward they were promised for the rescue and the connection to the future leader that they would create upon success.

Sheeron crumpled to the ground, a look of pure horror on his face. He knew the terror that resided in world dungeons. Yes, they contained a treasure trove of magical items, money, as well as opportunities not possible on the outside. It was a good chance to grow much stronger very quickly. However, the monsters inside a dungeon were among the most powerful one could encounter. Not to mention a world dungeon had multiple floor bosses as well as an end boss, unlike other dungeons which only had an end boss. In his mercenary days, he had signed up with armies that would attempt raiding world dungeons. While inside those places, he had seen horrible things that he did not wish to relive.

Not that he had a choice, he was contracted to protect her no matter what she decided to do. He had some freedom as far as separation went, but if she was planning to go into a world dungeon there was no room for exceptions. He had to go. The others did not have to, they were only tasked with helping her with her research, but they all seemed excited to go. This was it. This was where he'd die.

With a grim look, Sheeron accepted his fate and straightened his posture once more. The posture of one who has accepted his death, he will at least ensure that Kara could escape when the time comes.

“Now, enough waiting around. Let's go!” Feera said, excitement still apparent, and led the way to the exit. Then promptly let Kara take the lead after realizing that she had no idea which world dungeon they would be going to.

- - - -

According to the map that Kara had received, the world dungeon that they were headed to was to the northwest of Fira. Only a few days away. Apparently, the group that had kidnapped the Dragonoid had wanted to stay near the forest of Giants so that they could watch their movements. Rox and Kara doubted that they would expect such a powerful race to ask for outside help, though, so they would probably have the element of surprise. However, they remained cautious while traveling, only letting Toley, Feera, and Rox stay on watch. Feera due to her experience with moving in shadows and stealth specialties. Rox due to his oddly heightened senses and physical capabilities. Lastly, Toley, because of his shape-shifting ability. He would turn into some kind of nocturnal tracking predator, such as an owl, during his watch. Unfortunately, Kara’s eyesight ability was diminished at night, due to the darkness. This meant that kara and Sheeron had no way of keeping watch effectively at night and could only do so during their breaks in the daytime.

Luckily, their travels were largely uninterrupted until the last day of travel. Around noon, they ran into a merchant caravan camped on the side of the road. It was decided that they would take this chance to restock supplies for the dungeon raid, it could last weeks. Some world dungeons had ways to acquire food and water inside, but not all did. Besides, it would be nice to have a food supply that was not edible monsters while inside.

Kara took the initiative and approached one of the merchants from the caravan. The dwarven man stood only up to her chest, average for his race. He had a thick, gray beard that he was stroking while ordering his workers to move goods around the area. As he saw the girl approach him, he spoke before she could.

“'Allo Girly. Whatch ye doin' 'round here?” He said with a gruff voice and the accent of a sailor while looking her up and down. “Ye look like ye have money, but these ain' the normal area fer a young'n such as yourself to be travellin'.”

“My group and I were looking to purchase some supplies, enough to last us a few weeks. We're heading to the other end of the continent and need as much as we can get.” She smoothly lied to the man, without missing a beat.

Realizing there was a potential customer in front of him, his entire demeanor changed. He called for his employees to bring their wares and supplies before responding to Kara. “Ah yes, madam. I can, of course, help you as long as you have the coin. Was there anything, in particular, you were looking for aside from rations? Milhouse's House of Wares has the best wares in the house, as we say.”

Rox's eye twitched and he had to suppress his laughter at the sudden change of character while standing with the group a short distance away. If he burst out laughing, he doubted they would be allowed to purchase anything.

Kara, however, took it in stride and responded promptly. “Yes, in fact, there are a few other items I'm looking to purchase.” She glanced at Rox and Toley. “I'd like to purchase a good quality long-sword with a hand-and-half handle. If you have it, I'd also be willing to purchase a set of knuckle spikes or other hand-to-hand equipment.”

The merchant rubbed his hands together and smiled, “Of course, I'll have my employees look into it, Madam.” He then called over two employees and set them both off to search for equipment that matched what she had asked for. As those two left, several other employees approached carrying boxes of rations and barrels of water. This was easily enough supply to last their group for a year if necessary, let alone a few weeks. However, along with the supplies was an ornate, purple bag lined with jewels.

“Sir, I see your workers have brought the supplies, but may I ask what that purple bag is doing with them? Is it a storage of some kind?” Kara asked

“As expected of such an incredible customer. Yes, this is a storage bag with a very high space enchant on it, it has the ability to store ten tons worth of items or so. I'll sell it to you, along with the supplies you can put into it, for two hundred gold.” The merchant said, complimenting Kara and explaining the product.

However, Kara was shaking her head. “Two hundred is far too much, besides, I already have a storage. I'll take all of it without the bag for fifty. Take it or leave it, I can just buy supplies in the next town if I need to.” She said, using her lie about traveling to her advantage to try and get a good deal.

The supplies on their own were worth roughly seventy-five gold, the bag was another seventy if the merchant were being truthful about its effectiveness. However, it was not often that a customer came around asking to buy supplies in bulk like Kara had, so for the merchant this was an excellent opportunity to make quick money off of supplies that normally sold for copper pieces individually.

The merchant tried to hide his displeasure at being trapped in a corner by the young girl, but ultimately agreed to the price as the two employees from earlier brought the equipment Kara had asked for. The sword was exactly as Kara had asked and seemed to be the same type of sword that Rox had lost, except this one seemed to be made of mythril like Sheeron's axe. It was a step up from what Rox had previously been using. The blade seemed to have strange engravings on it, signifying that it might be enchanted. Rox had received basic materials for crafting a new sword, however he would need one to use until he had a chance to make one, so this might make for a good stand-in. If he truly liked it after using it, they could always make something else as well.

The equipment they brought for Toley seemed to be some kind of retractable-claw fist equipment. The blades, like the sword, were made of mythril and had similar engravings along them. There was also an insignia of the Fira family on the gauntlet, implying that their craftsman had created it and that this merchant was partnered with them. Toley eyed it excitedly.

After much discussion, it was decided that, along with the supplies, the total price would come out to a bit over one hundred gold. Rox and Toley both gratefully received their new weapons and looked forward to using them in the dungeon, especially Toley.

The young boy equipped the gauntlets, testing out the retracting feature of the blades. After doing so a few times, he smiled brightly, like a child with a new toy. He felt empowered simply by having them equipped. Passing under everyone's notice, however, was that the Fira insignia glowed for a moment as Toley equipped them.

Rox strapped the sword into the empty place on his sword belt happily, feeling complete now that he had two swords again.

After saying their goodbyes to a happy merchant, they left the caravan. In the distance behind them, they could hear the gruff orders of the dwarf merchant, back to his old accent now that he was not attending to customers.

They laughed together.