Dungeon Diver: Stealing a Monster's Power

Chapter 92

[Time Remaining Until Test 2: 6 Hours]

I open up a large black swirling portal and we both jump through. While holding Maria's left hand, I sift through the mind's eye image of dungeons flashing all around. Finally, I lock onto our previous position. The private room from earlier is still empty and glowing with that faint white light.

Maria and I step through. As we do, I feel a massive amount of MP drain out of me. This long-distance double-passenger travel takes a lot of energy.

I grip a handful of fresh mana crystals plundering my MP back up to full as Maria looks up at me.

"Well, that's a relief. I thought for sure someone would have come in here by now!"

I reply.

"Yeah, I was a bit worried too... th-"

"HEY! I CAN HEAR YOU IN THERE! OPEN UP!"

I hear a loud and deep voice from right outside banging on the curtains.

"Uh-come on in!"

The voice replies back.

"I can't you moron! These things have mana locks on the inside ya know. I can't get in unless I break this thing down. Do you think this is funny?"

I walk over and peek my head out of the curtain to see what's going on. A team of 3 rugged-looking men stands outside our tent looking exhausted and impatient. The same deep voice rings out from the tallest one in the middle as he gives me an angry glare.

"Apparently you two have been in here for over 10 hours! That's what another team just told us. Come on already, play nice, and give us a chance to rest up too!"

I stare back at him filled with confusion, then turn to Maria as she walks over and pokes her head out of the white curtain as well. She replies.

"Sure, we're done anyways, even tidied it up a bit. The place is all yours!"

The two of us walk out with satisfied looks on our faces. The group of three mutters a few minor rude remarks and walk past us to occupy the room.

Once outside, I can see the crowd of hunters trading gear and lounging around has nearly doubled in our absence. There isn't anyone immediately recognizable, so we decide to find an open table and sit down facing each other. Maria grins and looks at me with a half-serious look in her eyes.

"Our Operation was a success."

I laugh, then roll my eyes.

"Yeah. Operation Snack and Sleep went really well."

We both let out sighs of relief as the white noise of hunter's chatter fills the air. Eventually, I reach into my storage, take out half of the food and water supplies I bought at the corner store last night, and place them on the table.

"Here. Take these and throw them in your item box, you'll probably need them for our next test."

Maria's eyes light up and she hastily puts them away.

"Ohhh! You're right, when'd you get these anyway?"

I begin to reply, but a raspy feminine voice interrupts me.

"Hey! Watcha want for some of those?"

A short, curly brown-haired girl with two swords across her back walks up to our table and looks me right in the eyes. She wears a tight black shirt that shows off her slim but curly figure, short blue jean shorts, and black combat boots. The artificial sunlight of the dungeon gleams off her fingers showing off her assorted rings.