Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

William was scared of the old man. The man had just killed the bandit leader instantly, without a hint of remorse.

It wasn't something William could have done. His power wasn't so superior to the bandit leader that he could kill him with such ease.

"This old man is really strong," William thought.

The same thought echoed in Rena's and Burt's minds, but they remained silent, afraid the old man might turn on them too.

William wondered if asking for the old man's help had been a wise decision. Perhaps it hadn't been smart at all.

"This is a magic academy built inside the dungeon," the old man explained. "It exclusively has students from outside the dungeon. We managed to create a system of portals allowing our students to travel between dungeon floors."

The old man elaborated after they passed through the portal. William saw the magic academy, and it was breathtaking.

The academy was situated atop a mountain with a stunning waterfall cascading beside it. The entire structure was made of pure stone, and the surrounding greenery made it resemble a castle from a fairy tale.

It was a truly shocking sight, but what the old man said was even more astonishing. Someone possessed the ability to build portals! Were they beings with power similar to those who had constructed the dungeon? Or perhaps it was the same people…

"So, you are trying to reach the resting hub? The next dungeon floor, I mean."

"Yes, we are," William confirmed.

"You can use our portal to get there, but unfortunately, you cannot stay in the academy. That would only be possible if you were a student."

"It's okay."

William wasn't disappointed by this. The fact that the old man was willing to let them use their portal was more than enough for him.

They followed the old man through the magic academy. Some students outside stared at them with puzzled expressions. It was rare for strangers to arrive, and they all assumed they were new students or something similar.

But the old man led them to the portal room. It was a building housing all the portals they had built, each with a sign indicating its destination.

"This is the room," the old man announced, "and that's the portal you're looking for."

He pointed to a portal with a simple wooden sign that read, 'Resting hub 15th floor.'

"Just go in, and if you can, don't mention this place to anyone, or else…"

William felt the dangerous aura emanating from the old man's body. It was a clear threat.

"What place?" William responded with a smile.

The old man seemed pleased with the answer. "Good. Now go."

William was the first to step into the portal. Rena and Burt followed immediately after. Within seconds, they found themselves in a city: the resting hub, the 15th dungeon floor.

Other adventurers were present, but none paid them any attention. They all continued with their own activities.

"We are finally here," William said with a sigh of relief.

After navigating numerous challenges to get there, they had finally arrived. They were happy to have reached this place but also felt a tinge of sadness, as it meant their paths would now diverge.

"This is the time we say goodbye, at least for now," William said.

Burt stepped forward and hugged William. "Thanks for saving my life."

Afterward, he departed. Rena looked at William, a mix of emotions on her face. She hugged him too and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I hope we see each other again in the future," she said. "Thank you for everything."

She then left as well.

All William had to do was activate a power through his system, and a portal materialized before him. He could select the specific dungeon floor he wished to visit.

In his case, William decided to leave the dungeon altogether. It was his long-held desire, and finally, he had the opportunity.

A portal leading to the outside world appeared, and William stepped through it. He found himself back at the dungeon entrance, a place that should have been bustling with guards and other people. Instead, it was deserted.

William frowned. The area didn't look as he remembered it.

"Where is everyone?" he wondered.

He moved his hand and drew his sword. He didn't sense any dangerous aura nearby, but given the inexplicable emptiness of the place, William preferred to be prepared.

It didn't take him long to leave the cavernous area of the dungeon and emerge outside. For some reason, the atmosphere felt different, less cheerful than he remembered.

William ran. He sprinted towards the house where Jhen and Victoria were staying, his heart pounding with fear that something might have happened to them.

The house wasn't far from the dungeon entrance, and with William's speed, he arrived quickly. Once there, he observed how different the small village looked.

A wall now enclosed it, and guards who appeared to be from the dungeon were stationed there, protecting the area. It had been some time since they had seen William, but they recognized him.

"William!" one of the guards called out.

William approached the gate and questioned the guard about the changes.

"What happened? Why is everyone here? The wall?" William asked.

The guard sighed. "It's complicated, but to put it simply, someone is invading the demon island."

Jhen arrived at the main gate, and when she saw William, her expression was one of happiness, or rather, relief. She embraced him, and they both went inside the house where they had been staying.

Inside, William saw Victoria, who was also overjoyed to see him. She looked noticeably stronger than before, her demonic bloodline improving daily under Jhen's tutelage.

"I was afraid something might have happened to you," she said. "Why did it take you so long to get out?"

"Traveling through the dungeon isn't easy, you know. The dungeon floors are unpredictable… But tell me, what the fuck is going on on the demon island?"

Jhen was visibly nervous and scared, uncertain about what the future held.

"Someone came through the portal, you know, the same one you used," Jhen explained. "They have a sizable army, and they've already conquered parts of the demon island…"

"How did they use the portal? Wasn't there a creature protecting it?" William asked, puzzled.

"We don't know yet, but apparently, they have some incredibly strong individuals… There's a blond woman who shoots enchanted arrows; she's one of their commanders."

William instantly recognized who it was! It was Sarah, one of the summoned heroes who had arrived in this world with him. He had spoken with her not long ago, but he hadn't imagined she would do something like this.

"She seemed friendly… Damn, she tricked me," William thought, a wave of anger directed at himself for his lack of foresight.

"I know her," William said, his voice tight. "She's from the same continent as I am. There are powerful individuals directing her actions…"

William was referring to Master Elric, though he refrained from mentioning his name or anything that would reveal his own status as a summoned hero. That information wouldn't be helpful and would only lead to more questions from Jhen and Victoria.

"So, she followed you to this place?" Jhen surmised.

"Most likely…"

The underlying cause of the entire invasion was William himself. Deep down, he felt a responsibility to act. He had to protect the people who lived on that island.

"What do we do now?" William asked, his gaze urgent. "Can we fight and defeat them?"

"No, we cannot," Jhen replied, her tone firm. "What we need to do is make you stronger. Remember the abandoned palace I told you about? It's time we go there."

The palace that had once belonged to the royal demon family. Jhen's intention was for William to go there to enhance his bloodline, grow stronger, and become the leader the demon island desperately needed during this time of war.

Victoria listened intently to everything and declared her intention to go as well. "I won't let you two leave without me."

"We weren't planning on leaving you behind anyway," William reassured her, "but you know this journey of ours is dangerous, especially considering we're in the middle of a war."

"I know."

She remained resolute. Jhen moved to one of the drawers in the house and retrieved a few backpacks.

"I prepared everything for our journey a few days ago. I knew you would return eventually."

Jhen didn't want to waste any more time. She understood that if things continued on their current trajectory, it was only a matter of time before the demon army was defeated and the outsiders would seize control of the island.

"Will the village be okay?" William asked, a hint of concern in his voice. The initial reason for their presence there had been to safeguard that area.

"Yes, don't worry. A few more soldiers arrived recently, so this place will be fine without us. The war isn't in this secluded part of the island."

They were safe in that location because their village was situated on the opposite side of the island. Sarah and her troops were entering the main part of the island through the portal, not in their vicinity.

Despite having just returned from his arduous journey through the dungeon, William now had to embark on another one. His new mission: to locate the abandoned royal palace.