Languid Kane

Chapter 4: Job-Hunting

“You won’t really come even if I insist?” The hunter chuckled. “What are you even doing here?”

“I came here to look for a job,” Kane mumbled.

“How old are you? Why are you in need of a job?” the hunter looked at him with a suspicious look. “Did you run away from home?”

“None of your business.” Kane stood up and put his hands in his pockets.

“Hey, kid. If you’re looking for a job, you should go to the Office of Dungeon Management and Employment. If you ride a jeep from here, you could just ask the driver to drop you off in the DME Building.”

Kane nodded his head and mumbled his thanks before he continued to walk away from the hunter. He looked around and saw the wreckage that the monster left behind. How could he go to DME when the roads were blocked?

Kane took his time walking until he reached the open road towards DME. On the way, he checked the DDME Website and noticed that there might be jobs for which he could apply. He sighed after he went off the jeep and walked towards the notice board right on the left wall near the door.

What could he expect? Dungeon employment would mean dungeon clearing. Except for hunting, what other types of jobs would they offer?

Kane still tried to search for other jobs but he wasn’t expecting much. Truthfully, he would prefer a job that would need the use of his brains rather than labor work. However, the only choice he had was the notice board in front of him. Most brainy works were surely taken by those who graduated from universities with good standings.

His eye was caught by the paper that was almost hidden in the corner. He looked closer to check whether he saw it right before he smiled.

Wanted: Dungeon Scout.

Dungeon scouts weren’t that in-demand lately since there were less newly materialized dungeons recently and most dungeons’ information were posted on the internet.

He took a picture of the paper and went inside the building. He went to the lobby and ask for the procedures to apply for the job and he found himself inside the office of the dungeon managers.

“You’re here to apply as a dungeon scout?” The manager assigned to him asked.

“Yes. I am already an eighteen-year-old university student. I was awakened with a passive ability that makes me run a lightning speed for ten seconds. My ability cooldown could take 15 minutes,” he explained. He already told her everything she needed to know because it was bothersome for him to answer her questions one by one.

“Lightning speed running?” the manager nodded her head as she looked at him. She started typing something on her computer and soon enough Kane heard the sound of the printer behind her.

The manager took the card from the printer and handed it to him. “This would be your scout identification card. You can just have it laminated or you can put it in a case to ensure that it won’t be crumpled or ripped.”

After taking the ID, the manager gave her a form. “Please fill out this form and make sure that the contact information was all correct and active. We would contact you through that when we have jobs for you.”

Kane nodded as he started filling out the form. He could hear the phone ring on the manager’s side but he didn’t mind their conversation as he focused on what he was doing. When he gave back the form, the manager looked at him with squinted eyes.

“Do you have something to tell me?” Kane asked when he felt uncomfortable from her stare.

“Can you start working right away?” The manager smiled awkwardly. “There would be a dungeon clearing later at 1500H but our active scouts were all on a day off.”

Kane looked away for a while as he weighed his thoughts. Though he wasn’t prepared, wasn’t it a good thing that he could start working immediately?

“Don’t worry! You will be with our Level A hunters so you wouldn’t have to worry about your safety,” the manager added.

Kane nodded his head as he made up his mind. “Okay. I’ll go.”

The manager smiled and immediately typed something on her computer. After printing, she handed Kane the documents with a smile. “Those were the information that you would need before you start scouting. Please meet up with the hunters in front of the dungeon located in the documents.”

Kane nodded his head and took the paper from her. He opened the file and read the contents as he walked outside the building. He continued reading when he was in the jeep, not minding the people looking at him.

He took a deep breath as he put the documents on the table. He was already back to his apartment after the seemingly long day of job-hunting. Luckily, he was able to land a job that would allow him to not work so hard.

Kane dropped his body on the bed. He was going to work later with Level A hunters. Somehow, he was excited to know that he would enter a dungeon, though he wasn’t the one who would do the hunting. It was a good job. He would be able to learn more about life in the dungeons.

“Are you the scout?” A hunter with a spear hanging on his back asked with a grin.

“Yes. I was sent by DME.” Kane took out his laptop and opened the app that the manager asked him to prepare.

After he input the location of the dungeon, a blank form popped out in a window. That must be the form that he needed to fill while scouting the area.

“We have a kid here! How old are you?” A man with a sword hanging on his waist asked him next.

“Eighteen.”

“You must still be a university student.” The only girl in the group said with a smile. “Don’t worry. Though these guys look and act childish, they are reliable in doing their jobs.”

“I’m not worried. Thank you.” Kane busied him with his tablet and made sure to input all the information that he could acquire. He actually wanted to enter the dungeon as soon as possible because he was raring to know more about the dungeon.

“Toby is here!” The man with the sword exclaimed when he saw the man got off a car.

“Okay, let’s introduce ourselves now!” The man with the spear grinned. “First is me! I am Aiden Co, my ability is hand speed.”

“I am Angel Lovia and I am an area healer,” the girl said with a smile.

“Daniel Ronquillo is my name. My ability is muscle control.” The man with the sword said while flexing his biceps.

“I am Tobias Quinto,” the man who just arrived said. “I am a fire caster mage.”

The hunters looked at him with curious eyes except for Toby.

Kane sighed. “I am Kane. Looking forward to working with you.”

“Don’t hesitate to ask us anything, Kane. This big brother of yours would teach you a lot!” Aiden said energetically.

“Is this your first time entering a dungeon?” Daniel asked with curious eyes as they walked towards the entrance.

“It’s just like passing through a door so you don’t have to worry about it!” Aidan smiled and pulled him as he entered the dungeon portal.

Kane couldn’t believe that the atmosphere suddenly changed as soon as he stepped his foot on the ground. It was already night in the dungeon and the breeze was chilly. He read that the dungeons were some compressed portals towards another word and he thought that it was an exaggeration. However, what he witnessed proved him wrong.

The four surrounded him as if it was a formation that they were all used to. Tobias stood in front, Daniel and Aidan were on both sides, while Angel was behind them.

The dungeon was too silent that they could even hear a needle drop if there was one. He took his tab and immediately noted the surroundings, the weather, and even the atmosphere that he observed.

“Kane, from now onwards, all you need to do is to observe and record. Leave the fighting to us and if things get worse… run.” Tobias whispered as he started walking.

Kane never thought about it before, but now that he was inside a dungeon; he finally realized how dangerous their jobs could be. If they judged wrong, they could end up dead in an instant.

Just what kind of mess did he bring himself into?