As soon as the lift doors groaned open, Julius stepped out with a grand sweep of his arm, as if presenting a lavish ballroom instead of the decayed ruins of a long-forgotten city.
"Welcome to Gebrauch!" he announced cheerfully, his voice echoing against the hollow buildings.
No one responded.
Because clearly, no one felt particularly welcome.
The air was thick—too thick. The moment they stepped off the lift, it was as if something unseen pressed against their skin. The weight of the place settled over them like an oppressive fog, making the hairs on the back of their necks stand.
Gebrauch stretched before them in eerie silence—tall, gothic buildings looming like sentinels, their windows empty and black. Some were half-collapsed, others completely intact, yet lifeless. Statues lined the streets, weathered and cracked, their expressions twisted into something unreadable. The cobblestone roads were warped, as if nature itself had rejected the city, vines creeping through the cracks.
No animals. No wind. Just stillness.
Julius, ever oblivious to the tension, spun on his heel to face the group. "How does it feel taking your first step here?"
Yulli exhaled, cautiously glancing around. "…Well, it's definitely different from Gonseng."
"No shit," Bruce muttered, rubbing his arms as if trying to shake off the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine. "It's like a goddamn ghost town."
"Well, that is an accurate way to describe it," Julius said brightly, nodding as if Bruce had just made an astute observation. "A city abandoned. Left to rot. A relic of a time before the world changed. You can almost feel the history, can't you?"
Muetaki stared at a distant, crumbling bell tower. "…Feels more like something is watching us."
That earned a pause.
Then, from somewhere deep within the ruins—something shifted.
A low, almost imperceptible creak, like a door slowly, slowly swinging open.
Everyone stiffened.
"…So that's normal, right?" Lawlet asked, trying to sound casual but gripping his sword just a bit tighter.
"Oh yeah, completely," Julius said, waving a hand dismissively. "You hear things down here all the time—footsteps, whispers, doors closing when no one's there."
The group stared at him.
"…That's not comforting," Yulli deadpanned.
Julius grinned. "Then maybe you shouldn't have signed up for this!"
Lawlet sighed. "It was mandatory."
"Well, that's unfortunate for you, then." Julius clapped his hands together. "Alright! First thing's first—orientation."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Orientation? What, are we getting a tour? Here's the haunted alleyway where you might get dragged into the dark! And over there, a completely cursed mansion!"
"Exactly!" Julius beamed.
Bruce choked.
"I was joking—"
Julius cleared his throat. "First rule of Gebrauch: always be aware of your surroundings. Second rule—if you hear something and it sounds like it's right next to you? It's not. It's always farther than you think."
"…That is the opposite of comforting," Lawlet said.
Julius ignored him. "Third rule—if something calls your name?" He grinned. "Don't answer it."
Silence.
Yulli let out a deep breath. "You know what? I regret everything. Every single decision that led me here."
"Too late," Julius chirped. "Alright, let's move out! And remember—don't fall behind."
There was no need for him to clarify why.
Everyone already had a feeling.
If they got lost here… they wouldn't be found.
Before they could go even further
As Julius handed out the bandanas, the group hesitated, exchanging wary glances.
Bruce held his up, squinting at it. "What exactly is this supposed to do?"
Julius smiled, ever patient. "Right, I forgot—this is your first exposure to beast plague. We're currently in a relatively safe zone thanks to the spider plants [1]nearby, but once we step away from here, the beast plague will be significantly stronger. This—" he waggled the bandana in the air, "—is just a countermeasure to ensure you all don't die on the first day."
He said it so casually that it took a second for the words to register.
"WHAT?!" Bruce nearly choked. "And why weren't we taught this in class?!"
Julius hummed, amused. "Well, it's better to experience than to learn theory, is it not?"
Bruce looked seconds away from swinging.
Yulli adjusted his bandana. "Okay, but—how does a piece of cloth stop a literal plague?"
Julius held up a finger. "It's not just cloth. It's infused with your mana."
Muetaki, who had been silently tying his around his face, paused, his brow furrowing. "…Mana is part of us. If it's infused into the bandana, it should act as a filter…?"
"Exactly!" Julius snapped his fingers. "It'll clean the air just enough for you all to breathe safely. However…" He leaned in, voice dropping slightly. "Your mana pool isn't infinite. Once it runs out, well…" He shrugged.
A very unsettling shrug.
"…So," Lawlet cleared his throat, "basically, if we're out there for too long—"
"We suffocate and die." Julius nodded.
Silence.
Bruce clutched his face. "I hate it here."
"Hurry up and put them on, then," Julius chirped. "It'd be a shame if any of you passed out before the fun begins."
The group reluctantly complied, each of them focusing as they channelled mana into the bandanas. A faint glow pulsed through the fabric before fading, the enchantment locking into place.
Yulli, however, stood there… just holding his.
Julius blinked at him. "Something wrong?"
"…Right," Yulli muttered. "Roaches did mention this—I don't have a mark."
Julius let out an exaggerated sigh. "Ah, of course." He stepped forward, plucking the bandana from Yulli's hands before he could react.
"Wait, what are you—"
"Since you don't have a mark, I'll infuse it for you." Julius's hands glowed faintly as he poured his own mana into the cloth.
Yulli hesitated. "Is… that safe?"
Julius shot him an indignant look. "Obviously. I read your data in advance. My mana's completely compatible. My blood type is O, so you're good."[2]
Yulli stared at him. "…That's not how blood types work."
Julius just grinned and shoved the bandana back at him. "Go on, wear it. You'll be fine. Probably."
"Probably?!"
"Time to move out!" Julius clapped his hands. "Come on, everyone! Try not to breathe too hard—don't wanna waste that mana too fast!"
The group let out a collective groan as they trudged forward, the ruins of Gebrauch swallowing them whole.
[1] Spider plants are real in real life which serves to make your room smell nicer!
But in hunt/dream it serve to clean out the plague making it a safe spot for hunters to walk and rest
[2] The reason why Julius mentioned type O is that mana is part of them, it works like blood where there are different types and not all types can go through people's bodies else it might be poison to them.
But at the same time when they run out of mana, it usually makes them exhausted/fatigued and need to eat food to gain back some of it