Chapter 24: Chapter 24 First Dungeon Part 01.
"Huh?"
It was probably just a guess, but Soma felt that there was someone that spoke to him. So he turned his gaze around and saw a blonde-haired man that gave a rather frivolous nuance in his late twenties standing there with his warm smile raising his right hand as his eyes met with Soma.
The frivolous man was wearing tight black clothes that fit in his body, there was also a shining red metal armor that covered his chest, shoulder joint, and arms guards. As for the lower part, the same base black tight long pants a red metal plate that covered his shin, and a pair of black leather boots.
Soma tilted his head and he shook his head sideways to ascertain if there was anybody around him. But no one was near him so Soma raised his index finger and then pointed at himself which was replied by a nod by the man.
The man in question always had a smile on his face as he began to open his mouth while urging him to come closer by hand gesture.
"Come here, young boy".
Soma didn't know the man before him so he felt reluctant to approach the man. But, he was in a crowded place and didn't want to cause any trouble so he squinted his eyes, and put up his guard before approaching the man.
The man opened his eyes as if he was amazed by the boy before him, who was ready to take any action anytime he felt cornered. The corner of his mouth lifted, as he began to remember his mission here.
After the two of them stood at one meter each. Soma looked straight into the man's eyes and the man meeting his gaze just flashed his white teeth and began to take out something from his ring.
The man took a small silver ring and now he holds the items in his right hand before presenting it to Soma.
Soma, who is caught off guard, opened his eyes for a brief moment, but his face turned grave. He doesn't understand what the man's intention is.
"What do you mean by this?".
"..As I thought it wouldn't work, huh".
The man shrugged his shoulders as he anticipated this coming and Soma, who saw the man's attitude, a vein began to appear in his temple. Then he used a rough tone to speak with the man.
"Explain! What do you want by doing this?".
"..Fuuh, take this, Kid. It was a President Ito order".
"..What?".
Soma halted as he began to doubt his hearing. He heard the man speak the word President Ito earlier. To make sure of that He opened his mouth.
"President of the Awakeners Association Mr. Ito Daisuke?".
"Yes, he is my boss, and I got an order from him this morning that said 'If you ever found a young boy with black hair and red eyes loitering around in the Meiji Jingu dungeon, please give this to him' is what he said '.
"..But, why?".
"I don't know, I didn't hear the details either".
Soma turned his gaze down, pondering. "What is Mr. Ito's motive for giving me this?". he muttered.
Then his phone in his hand began to vibrate as he saw a new incoming message and the sender's name was Mr. Ito. Soma opened his eyes and swiftly opened the message and read the content.
{..Sorry for contacting you this early morning. I forgot to prepare some necessary equipment for you to enter the dungeon. I know the problems you are facing, but you can't just enter that dangerous place with a plain shirt that is made from cotton, can you? Please, think nothing of it, and receive it as a gift from me. I already stored some necessary items and equipment for you to enter the dungeon. So good luck in your exploring}
Soma sighed, and he put his palm on his head covering his temple before swiping his hair back and looking straight at the man who still stood in front of him with a stiff smile.
"So, how about it, do you believe me now?".
"..Ha,, Understood. I am sorry for my rude behavior before".
"Ahaha, don't worry about it, young boy. The attitude you showed me earlier is something every normal person would do if they were approached by a stranger. In fact, you have a good mentality at your age to have that kind of mindset. It will help you to survive in this cruel world. Then, It seems my business is done here so I will take my leave, bye".
The man without hearing Soma reply, just ran off to the distance with his swift feet. In a matter of seconds, Soma already lost the man's shadow. He cast his gaze toward the silver ring in his possession and thought.
"..How many rings do you want to give me Mr. Ito?".
Soma shook his head, as he began to turn himself and face the stall owner before bowing his head apologizing.
"I am sorry sir, but it seems I already have the necessary Item I need".
"..Ye, yeah. Good for you".
The stall owner replied in a stuttered manner and Soma noticed that his temple was showing rather visible veins on his temple. Clearly, he is upset about losing his profit.
Soma walked away, as he tried to find a quiet place to check the item in the new ring he received from Mr.Ito. He separated himself from the main road and entered the side road behind the stall where there was a small wooden structure for doing some purifying ritual before entering the shrine, and he sat at the side of the water well.
Sitting down on a sandy floor, Soma began to inject his mana into the new ring. His consciousness soon connected and he could feel in his thoughts that there were some pieces of equipment and a couple of items inside.
Soma began to give order in his mind, to take out the equipment and the ring responded by emitting light before it shot before Soma and laid a full set of equipment and a set of plain black shirt, a black jacket, and black long trousers that looked expensive in Soma's eyes.
"Wow.. What kind of edgy equipment is this?".
In front of him lay silver gauntlets that covered until his elbows, silver shin guards, black leather shoes in pairs, and a single piece of silver breastplate to cover his chest. Also not forgetting the black jacket that is made from high-quality leather and the long black trousers that give the impression of edgy equipment.
Soma shook his head to get rid of his hesitation, before putting the entire gear upon himself. Luckily he was hiding behind the stall shadow. So he didn't have to worry about getting embarrassed.
After putting on the black shirt and the trousers, Soma realized a major fact about the new clothes he just received.
"It was too big for my size".
Indeed, the clothes were too big for the current soma. Then a sudden change happened, the moment the clothes touched his skin. It glows for a bit before its size shrinks itself and now the clothes are fit for his body.
"Wo, woah,, Amazing, I never thought that the clothes had this function in them".
Finding out the equipment's new quirks. Soma began to put on the rest, starting with the breastplate then the gauntlet, and last the shin guard before putting his jacket last. However, because of the gauntlet in his hands, he folded the jacket sleeves to his elbows.
Soma clenched his fist that was now equipping some gauntlets, he did some shadowboxing and found nothing wrong in his movement and no discomfort whatsoever.
"Hmm, This feels good".
The remaining clothes he wears for jogging earlier, He stores all of them inside the new ring. Soma took out the other items in the new rings and found out that he had a complete set of potions in his possession before storing them again.
Soma took a deep breath and exhaled it all the way to wash away the nervousness in him. Soma began to turn around and he put his step onto the main road as he visited the earlier stand to buy something…
"Excuse me is there…?".
"..Thank you for your purchase".
Soma now walked slowly approaching the dungeon. On his neck there is a silver, thin metal coil around his neck he bought earlier in the stall behind him. It was a silver necklace adorned with a duo ring that Soma possessed.
Standing before the temple gate, Soma was now facing the guard with a stern face wearing a military outfit looking at him before opening his mouth.
"..Your entry permit".
Soma touched the black ring on his neck and began to take out the silver card and hand it to the guard. The guard saw the color of the card and soon opened his eyes wide.
Because of his experience in guarding this place for a long time. This was not the first or second time he witnessed something so absurd as this. "Platinum entry card. This Kid who is he? Is he a rich kid from some big house?". Muttered the guard.
The guard extended his hand and grabbed the platinum card with care as if it were the most precious thing in the world. He observed closely at the pattern and the card color and with a drenched head began to mutter. "Yeah, it was the real deal".
Soma, still oblivious to the whole thing, stood there patiently waiting for the guard to finish the inspection. At heart, he is rather anxious because of this matter. Later he knew that the silver card he was holding was in fact a platinum card.
"..All good you may pass. Be careful kid".
"Yes, Thank you for your concern".
The guard with its stiff face lifted the corner of his mouth seeing the polite demeanor of Soma, as he answered with a nod. Soma began to walk away leaving the guard side and entering the wide area, where the dungeon exists.
Before him stood a stone-hollowed cave emerging as a rugged enclave within the earth, its entrance was like a dark gaping maw that beckons explorers inward. The cave's exterior features weathered pure rock formations.
Soma who stood before its dark maw that looked at him began to tense his body. His heart began to throb in anticipation and slight fear. Then he slapped his cheeks as the hot sensation rubbed off his cheeks to ascertain his resolve. He began to step his feet for the first time into the dungeon,
"Here I come".
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone