Chapter 98: The First Traveler (Patreon)

Hey everyone. I’m really sorry for the delay with this chapter. I'll be back to releasing chapters on a regular schedule now. And soon you’ll also be getting chapters for Reth's story, "A Shield Reborn", which will be exclusive here on Patreon.

The reason I took so long is that I had to turn in a manuscript since the book is officially coming out next year... And I have some other awesome news if you guys are audiobook fans and listen to stuff like The Wandering Inn. Andrea Parsneau, who is one of the most famous voice actors in the LitRPG world, is going to be the voice of the Operator!

Now that I'm finally free from the manuscript... my time is 100% dedicated to you guys again. Thank you so much for your support.

“I have a question, Operator,” Lessa said as the group descended the stairs toward the dungeon exit. “I know we couldn’t talk much about the mutations earlier because we were rushing. You said we had the strength, but we couldn’t use it yet… I just didn’t know when to bring up everything you’ve done for us, but…” Lessa trailed off, looking embarrassed.

“What Lessa wants to ask is how we can fight like you without hurting ourselves,” Dan said. “We don’t want to be a burden anymore. We want to be useful.” Both of them looked at the Operator, waiting for her response.

She smiled. “First of all, never feel embarrassed to ask me anything. This isn’t a dictatorship; you shouldn’t be afraid to speak up. If I helped you, it was because I wanted to. We haven’t spent five years together like Cat and I have, but right now, we’re all we’ve got.”

“Wow,” Cat said, eyeing the dungeon exit ahead. “It’s beautiful. It looks like the water in the Library’s bathtub, only stuck to the wall.” She started jogging down the stairs, picking up speed.

"Cat, don't touch the door! Wait until we all get there!" the Operator yelled.

“As for your bones,” the Operator continued, turning back to Dan and Lessa. “I made that formula from a secretion that formed around Cat’s body, which is gone now. Tera and I have already analyzed the ingredients needed to recreate it. Once we get out of here, I promise it’ll be one of the first things I make. Besides, I don’t know what’s waiting for us out there, and I’m going to need your help.”

“Thank you,” Lessa said. “By the way, aren’t you worried Catherine might touch something she shouldn’t touch?”

“Nah. She’s a really smart kid. The things she went through in that lab made her grow up fast… Plus, I raised her. Just don’t be surprised if she drops a bad word now and then.”

Just a few steps from the bottom, they found Catherine sitting on the last stair, staring at the massive exit. It covered the entire wall like a giant vertical lake, completely obscuring whatever lay on the other side. The Operator turned her head to the right, glancing at the space where she had lost her first friend. His body was no longer where he had died.

What did you expect, Operator? A rotting corpse and decomposing bones just lying there?

There was never enough time to appreciate the dungeon’s beauty or its technology. Traveling to another world and completing missions left no opportunity to admire the sophisticated design or understand how the place actually worked. As she moved closer to the door, the blue water near the exit changed to yellow. A large blue HUD materialized in the middle of the doorway, displaying a message.

"Can you see that floating screen in the middle of the exit?" the Operator asked.

Dan and Lessa both nodded, staring at the HUD in surprise. Well, at least they’ll understand when I tell them I'm looking at a personal HUD they can't see.

[Important Information]

I thought the Guardian wanted you to leave the dungeon to rest.

"I thought the same. What’s this? Another mission?"

[User: Operator - Status: Certified Dungeon Traveler]

[Benefits: The Evolution level is hidden from other users. You can only see the levels of users in the Evolution Zone who haven’t entered a dungeon, as well as users with dungeon access who haven’t completed the main mission of their first dungeon.]

[Companions: Companions are not classified as Travelers but will be officially recognized as Realmbounds both inside and outside the dungeon.]

Excellent. One less thing to worry about, people finding out I’m an engineer and trying to take advantage of my low level.

No one said a word. They stood in silence, trying to understand the rules and their implications going forward. They were no longer just survivors; the dungeon had permanently defined their identity in the outside world. Then a sudden, searing burn flared on the Operator’s bicep. A silver line etched itself into the skin, burning a path around the arm until it closed on itself.

“Ouch, shit, that hurt,” the Operator gritted out, touching the fresh silver mark. It felt like solid metal, yet it flexed and moved perfectly with her skin.

"Operator," Dan said, wincing. "We feel something burning on our arms, too."

Cat had already pulled up her sleeve. Dan and Lessa quickly took off their shirts to inspect the burning sensation. The exact same glowing mark sat on their biceps, only colored bronze instead of silver.

[These marks identify you as Traveler and Realmbounds.]

[Jungle Evolution Zone: Permanently Closed to Travelers and Realmbounds.]

[Planet: Vurashi] [Location: City of Velladran]

All this time, and I didn’t know the name of the planet I landed on… It’s good to know.

The main text faded away, but a single, separate line lingered in the Operator's view for just a few seconds longer.

[Good luck, Operator.]

The Operator and the group stepped through the barrier. The dungeon’s silence shattered, instantly replaced by the deafening roar of the crowd waiting ahead.

Thousands of voices screamed, cheered, and chanted in absolute chaos. The Operator froze. She had expected an ambush, assassins, or an execution squad, not a roaring parade. Straight ahead, a massive mob surged forward, pointing frantically at her. A thick line of guards in pitch-black armor stood shoulder to shoulder, straining against the weight of the frenzied crowd to keep them from breaching the perimeter.

"I didn't know you were this famous, Operator. Didn't you say you knew nothing about this world?" Lessa asked.

The Operator stood frozen under the weight of everyone’s attention. “I have no idea what’s happening here. I didn’t lie when I said I had never left the dungeon. Besides, they’re looking at all of us.”

There is a giant HUD floating to your right.

It was hovering in plain sight, but amid the chaotic spectacle unfolding before them, she had completely ignored it. She stepped forward to get a better look at the massive screen, clearly visible to everyone in the plaza.

[Congratulations to the First Certified Traveler]

[Name: Operator]

[Achievement: First to complete a Dungeon Main Mission]

As the crowd cheered her arrival, her eyes quickly surveyed the area to gauge the threat. The space between the exit and the crowd was an untouched stretch of white marble and neatly trimmed grass, with no trees in sight.

Broad daylight blinded her, yet several ships hovered directly overhead. Their massive spotlights cut through the sunlight, locking onto the Operator and her team.

The scale of the place was overwhelming, with colossal statues creating a vast ring around the open park outside the dungeon’s exit. Each statue was easily three hundred feet tall, but she couldn’t focus enough to count them amid the noise and lights. Beneath every statue lay massive structures, fortified buildings, and sprawling palaces. Aside from a blinding white tower piercing the sky at the dead center of the terrain, they were the only buildings in the vast expanse. They weren’t just city architecture; they were positioned like heavy military checkpoints, deliberately placed to monitor the dungeon.

She decided to move forward. As she did, a man stepped away from the barricade line, flanked by two black-armored soldiers, and walked directly toward her. He wore a crisp black suit and tie, looking like a gentleman pulled straight out of 1800s Earth.

Before he even stopped, the Operator saw his eyes fall to her waist. He froze in place. She observed as his gaze fixed on the severed head hanging from her belt. He swallowed hard and then subtly signaled his guards with a sharp hand gesture, silently instructing them to stand down. The bureaucratic stiffness he showed a moment before disappeared instantly, replaced by a strict, unwavering respect.

Pausing a few steps away, he bowed deeply and carefully. “I am Saren Vellis. Good morning, Operator.”

He didn’t ask for confirmation. She noticed his eyes flick briefly to the group standing firmly behind her, then back to the severed head at her hip, as if he were immediately putting the pieces together.

"And the rest of your group does not appear in the dungeon's HUD registry. Are they your guests? Realmbounds?"

"They are.”

“I apologize for all these questions,” Saren said carefully. “But you are the first successful case to exit a dungeon since it reactivated. Historical records speak of a mark that confirms a Traveler and their Realmbounds. Would you mind showing them to us?”

You must maintain the image that you belong to this planet, Operator. Be careful what you say.

Okay, I almost screwed up by asking who he was and why he was questioning me. Thanks, Tera.

The Operator looked back at her group and nodded once. As if sensing the movement, the roaring crowd fell dead silent, hanging in heavy anticipation. Dan, Lessa, and Cat rolled up their sleeves, revealing the bronze marks seared into their skin. The Operator simply shifted her arm, fully revealing the silver ring on her bicep that had been visible the whole time.

"These are the marks we were given inside. Mine identifies me as a Traveler. Theirs mark them as Realmbounds."

The moment the words left her mouth, the crowd erupted into a deafening cheer, celebrating with a renewed, almost fanatical frenzy.

"And all these people waiting out here?" Dan asked, looking at the massive mob.

The Operator forced her hand down, fighting the sudden urge to give him a thumbs-up. Thanks, Dan. It makes a lot more sense for you guys to ask those questions, since everyone knows you’re from another world, rather than me.

Saren shifted his attention, his tone polite yet formal. “Realmbound, what is your name?”

"Dan. My name is Dan."

“It would be a privilege for all of us to learn where you come from and to hear the stories of your world, Dan,” Saren said. “These people have traveled from all over the planet. Their journey is a pilgrimage to witness those who have been chosen and have overcome their trials. That is why it is important for you to understand that, to everyone here, this place is sacred.”

"Sorry to ask another question," Dan said. "But what happens to us after this? What's next?"

Perfect, Dan. Are you reading my mind or what? Please, keep asking everything. She had never been prouder to bring them along.

"With the Operator's permission, we wish to meet with you to hear of your experiences," Saren said. "We will do this in the neutral zone, where you will not face pressure from the nobility or other groups, though their representatives will be present. They will likely ask about the status of their factions inside the Evolution Zone."

It seems there is no escaping this interrogation, Operator, Tera noted.

"Fine," the Operator said. "But I need time to rest, eat, and change. After that, we'll talk."

"Absolutely, that is completely understandable," Saren replied. "We will arrange for your quarters and provide an escort to the city for any purchases you might require before we convene."

Suddenly, one of the black-armored guards leaned in and whispered into Saren’s ear. He spoke quickly, then snapped back to his rigid posture.

"Operator, I apologize for the interruption," Saren said, his tone careful. "Everything we discuss here is being heard by the pilgrims. My guard was simply asking if a certain question was appropriate to pose publicly."

"What is the question?" she asked.

"He wanted to know, as does everyone here... what is your Role?"

"According to the dungeon's rules, as a Certified Traveler, my Role and Level are strictly private," the Operator stated.

A collective groan of disappointment rippled through the massive mob. She caught glimpses of crushed expressions and disbelief across the front rows of the crowd.

I have to adapt to this place and these people if I want to survive.

“I only mention the rule so you learn to show respect to the next survivors who walk out of there,” the Operator continued. Then she stepped past Saren, turning her full attention to the thousands of people watching.

She projected her voice, letting it echo clearly across the vast marble plaza. She rested a hand casually on her hip, right next to the severed head hanging from her belt. 

“But since you came all this way,” she called out, her voice cutting through the open air, “I will gladly give you an answer. I will tell you exactly which Role kept me alive inside the Dungeon.”

The roaring mob fell dead silent. Thousands of people held their breath, hanging on her every word. She tilted her head just enough to catch her team’s eyes, then shot them a subtle, split-second wink.

Then she faced the massive crowd again, her expression hard and unflinching. “My role is Tank.”