Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill-Chapter 219: Leaving the Dungeon, for a while

The next day, William waited for the shop owner to return. He stood by the Honeymoon Tavern, the place where the man had told him to find him, and also waited near his shop. Nothing.

William even asked people around to see if anyone knew about him, or if it was common for him to be late or away for a few days.

"He usually comes back every day," an adventurer said. "You should just wait for him, yeah."

The way the adventurer said it made it sound like William was just being impatient, wanting the shop owner to return on his terms. But hours passed, and the man never showed up.

The entire day passed. Nothing.

The next day, William waited again. Still, nothing.

Three more days went by. William spent his time in the Honeymoon Tavern, using the money he had to sleep comfortably, eat well, and even buy a few small things. Waiting there wasn't exactly troublesome, at least not in a material sense.

But the shop owner never returned.

William already knew something had happened to him. Either the man had been telling the truth and something bad had befallen him, or he wasn't who he claimed to be, and now William might be in trouble.

Either way, it was time for him to leave the hub. To leave the dungeon.

He made his way to the building the thugs had mentioned before.

The place had a strange atmosphere. The kind that made it clear that not all transactions here were entirely honest. The moment William stepped inside, he was greeted by a rough-looking man with a calculating stare.

After paying a fee to this man, he received a ring—one that allowed him to travel through the dungeon floors he had already explored. A useful tool.

Before leaving, William decided to ask about something else.

"Hey, I have a few items that I need to identify," he said. "Can you do it, or is there someone in this hub who can?"

He was referring to the items dropped from the Cerberus. He had tried using them or even checking their properties, but the System had refused, saying they required identification. And for that, one needed a specific class.

With so many shops around, William had been confident there would be someone here who could do it.

"Sorry, mate," the man replied. "We had someone before, but they left. Probably living in another hub now. You know, it's rare to find someone who can actually identify items."

William frowned slightly. That wasn't the answer he wanted to hear.

"If you really want those items checked, your best bet is to keep exploring the dungeon and find that guy yourself," the man continued. "Chances of someone else showing up here with that ability? Close to zero. So if you're thinking about waiting, I wouldn't recommend it."

William sighed. It wasn't ideal, but at least he had an answer.

"Thanks," he said, before turning to leave.

With the ring now in his possession, he activated it.

A system pop-up appeared before his eyes. A glowing menu, showing a list of every floor he had been to, along with the option to return to the entrance. However, there was a restriction—he could only return to the entrance he had originally used.

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He selected it.

A portal materialized before him, swirling with energy.

William stepped through.

A second later, he was back at the dungeon's entrance.

The usual guards were there. When they saw how William had returned, their eyes widened in shock.

It wasn't every day that someone reached the first hub, obtained a teleportation ring, and then made their way back alone.

"You did it, William," one of the guards said. "Jhen wasn't joking when she said you were a badass!"

Jhen had made sure all the guards respected him. She had been telling them for days now that he was strong and not someone to be underestimated.

William smiled. It felt good to be welcomed back like this.

"She's just being nice," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not that great."

Then, as he walked past them, he made a small gesture with his hand.

"Thanks for your service."

The guards exchanged glances, clearly pleased. It wasn't often that people acknowledged their work. Most adventurers barely looked at them, treating them as background decorations rather than actual people.

"Have a good night, William," one of them said.

"You too! And make sure to rest well and eat something good when you're off duty."

William then set off toward the village where Jhen and Victoria were staying.

The path wasn't far, and despite the late hour, the area was relatively safe. The occasional torch lit the way, casting flickering shadows across the ground.

Most villagers were already asleep, preparing for another day of work. But a few were still awake.

And when they saw William?

Their eyes widened. Some even froze in place.

They knew he had gone into the dungeon. And since he hadn't returned for days, many had assumed the worst. Most people simply had no idea how powerful he actually was.

When he reached the house where Jhen and Victoria were staying, the door swung open before he could even knock.

Victoria stood there. And the moment she saw him, she moved.

She hugged him.

"Finally, you're back," she murmured, holding him tight. "You can't just disappear for that long and not send us news."

"I couldn't return before reaching the first hub," William said. "That's why it took so long."

Jhen, who stood beside Victoria, smirked. "I told her that, but she missed you too much to listen."

Victoria immediately turned red. She let go of him and quickly found an excuse to leave.

"I—I'll shower."

It was an obvious excuse.

Jhen, chuckling, went to prepare tea.

They sat near the fireplace, sipping their drinks, the warmth of the flames a welcome contrast to the cold night air.

"How's the situation around here?" William asked.

"Problematic," Jhen admitted, taking another sip. "The beasts are coming from another direction now, and the bandits are more active. But for now, no one has tried to take over our village."

William frowned. "Monsters from another direction?"

"Yes. I think there might be another dungeon entrance we don't know about. But honestly? I have no idea."

She paused before adding, "I thought this region would be worse, but we're managing. What about you? How was the dungeon?"

William told her everything.

The battles, the things he saw, and especially the shop owner's disappearance.

At this point, everyone already knew he was an outsider, so there was no harm in mentioning that he came from the Black Flame Kingdom.

And when Jhen heard about the king—the one who was ill and dying—her expression darkened.

"We might have to act faster than we thought," she said. "If the nobles take full control, things will get even worse."

At first, she had wanted William to rule that place. But deep down, she knew he wouldn't.

William wasn't the type to sit on a throne.

But he was willing to tear the current rulers down. And according to Jhen, the real royal family was still alive—locked away somewhere on the island.

"We need to get you strong enough to fight them," Jhen said. "And we need allies."

She would handle the latter.

All William had to do was level up. Kill monsters. Get stronger.

A simple plan.

Victoria returned from her shower. "What did I miss?"

William smiled. "I missed the part where you got your bloodline. How's it going?"

Victoria grinned. "Awesome. Jhen's already teaching me black fire magic. And how to make my body stronger with my bloodline."

Her excitement was evident.

And William?

He was glad to be back.

But although William was back, he knew it wouldn't last long.

No matter how comfortable the village felt—how warm the fireplace was, how good it felt to have a real bed, how much he enjoyed the quiet nights under the stars—he couldn't stay. He had to return to the dungeon. Keep leveling up. Get stronger.

Still, for now, a short break wouldn't hurt.

He decided to stay for a few days, helping Victoria with her training and assisting Jhen with her duties.

The villagers welcomed his presence with open arms. To them, he wasn't just another adventurer passing through. He was someone who actually helped—a rare thing in these times.

During the days that followed, William found himself doing things he hadn't done in a long time. Simple things.

He helped harvest the crops, feeling the roughness of the soil beneath his fingers as he worked alongside the farmers. He took care of the cattle, guiding them across the fields as the morning mist still clung to the air. He even fished—standing by the river with an old villager who claimed to have once been a great warrior, now retired, content with the stillness of life.

And, of course, he fought.

Whenever a beast got too close to the village, William was the first to stand in its way. Whenever a villager went missing in the woods, he was the one leading the search.

But more than anything, he was here for Victoria.

She had been training relentlessly, pushing herself every day, and she was getting better. But not enough.

They dueled often.

William didn't need to go all out to win. In fact, he barely used 20% of his strength—and even then, it was enough to overwhelm her.

But she never got discouraged.

If anything, she was excited.

"You're so strong," Victoria said one afternoon, wiping sweat from her brow as they sat on the grass, drinking water after a long sparring session. "I don't think Jhen even knows how strong you are."

She was right. William had never truly shown Jhen what he was capable of.

"Thanks," he said, taking a sip of water. "And you're getting better too."

Victoria grinned, her eyes full of determination.

"What do you say about coming down into the dungeon with me in the near future?" William continued. "I can guide you from the first floor."

Victoria blinked, clearly surprised. Then she smiled, a spark of excitement flashing across her face.

"That would be nice!" she said. "But… give me more time to get at least decent. I don't want to make a fool of myself down there."

William chuckled.

"No problem."

The days passed quickly.

Before he knew it, it was time for him to return to the dungeon.