Thankfully, the siblings had agreed. Alter was still quite hesitant about letting me, a stranger, join their team. I knew it wasn’t an easy decision, since we were supposed to spend about a week inside the cave. 

Incidentally, I had kept my eyes open just in case another familiar figure was to enter my sight. This man would come to be known as Rokas Hassan, another person of interest. Just like the Eri siblings, he held great potential within him. 

With his iron body, he could withstand countless attacks of varying degrees. From enchanted bullets to city-destructive spells, none of them could deal a single scratch to his basically invulnerable stature. 

Guilds had scrambled to recruit them to their side. Yet no matter how much money they offered him, no amount of wealth could move him to do their bidding.

A natural-born tank. If I managed to get him, I would have the most desirable Hero on my team. I’d be able to rest easy knowing not a single hair on my body would be touched. 

As if the gods had heard my prayer, a man of considerable height approached me. His hair was shaved to the point it was almost bald. It reminded me of a certain basketball player in my old world. 

He wore bulky armor that was about twice his size. It wasn’t anything too grand, but I could see how durable it was just from a single glance. Its imposing shape made him look like a minotaur, especially with the horns coming off his helmet.

“Greetings. My name is Rokas Hassan. I come to you with an accord. I wish to lend you my strength in battle.” 

The man introduced himself in a dignified tone. I got the feeling that he wasn’t someone who would bow down willingly to just about anyone but would still hold a respectful tone towards them regardless of their disposition. 

In his arm was a shield the size of a door. It would be fit to call it a great shield with how much it towered over us. In his other hand was a sword. 

"Hello, Rokas. Can I ask why you wanted to join us?" Alter asked. 

Unlike with her conversation with me, her tone drastically shifted to a more welcoming one. Perhaps it was because she sensed that Rokas harbored no ill will towards the both of them. 

Even Percivale was a bit more at ease than he was with me. His shoulders weren't held high, and he wasn't stuttering either when he introduced himself. 

"I could sense from the three of you that this party consisted of two magicians and a close-range fighter. I wanted to offer my services in exchange for your cooperation."

"I see! Then would it be fine for you to be at the front?" 

"That is how I was designed. I will be the tank, miss…?"

"Alter. Alter Eri. This over here is my brother, Percivale. And that man…" her mood instantly turned sour. 

"Dignitas Qwerdan. Pleasure to be working with you, Rokas." I mustered a smile as wide as I could. 

"Likewise." 

As this was an entrance exam meant to gauge our skills, the power of equipment like my sword and Rokas' armor would be lowered. Artifacts were left untouched, however. As long as they were under the A rank limit, you could bring whatever you wanted.

The key to gaining Rokas' trust was to show my skills in battle. Rather, my leadership skills. I would also have to act the good guy like with the siblings. 

Rokas admired good people with a sense of responsibility. If they had a great personality, that was an even better bonus. 

It was essentially killing two birds with one stone. I could bring the siblings to my side by risking my life for them, and then I could gain Rokas' respect by fulfilling my role. 

"Would you like to be the commander, Rokas? You could lead us into battle." Alter asked him. 

"I refuse. I do not have sufficient expertise in that line of work to be able to call myself worthy. Perhaps Mister Dignitas could do that instead?" Rokas turned to me. 

"Him? He doesn't look like he could order a dog." Alter groaned. 

"N-now, Alter sis. We can't be like that to Mister Qwerdan…" 

Thanks, Percivale. 

"But look at him! Who's to say he won't kill us?" 

"I will have to argue with your assumptions, Miss Alter. One should never judge a book by its cover. I believe we should let Dignitas try it."

"Ugh, fine. But only because Percivale said so!"

Thank you as well, Rokas!

***

Finally, after gathering towards the front of the field, another announcement sounded through the area. 

"Attention. The test will begin soon. You should all have been sent a message through your phones on what team number you will be. Teams, starting from the first through sixth, will enter the portal leading to the cave.

"Once you get through, the test will start. Be warned: if you attempt to injure a cadet during the first day of the exam, you will be eliminated. After team six has passed through, the next groups will follow, until everybody has left."

"Remember, you only have a week to escape the Mountain Cave. We wish you luck."

"Now then, teams, please gather at your designated spots."

We had just recently registered our party members and were officially recognized as Team 3. 

This meant we would be part of the first group of cadets heading out. 

Thankfully, there was a rule in place to prevent fights from breaking out on the first day. 

I didn't have to worry about attacks from other teams and could instead focus on finding my way out. 

As we stood in front of the portal, I heard our team number finally being called. I resolved myself and headed through the portal with a firm will to win.

Great. I seemed to have passed through perfectly. No issues with portal travel. And my teammates seemed to have made it through without problems as well. 

"Now then, leader. Where do you think it is best we head next?" Rokas approached me after tidying himself. 

I looked around. The walls of this place were bigger than I expected them to be. They seemed so far away that I wouldn't even be able to tell we were inside a cave.

There was even an actual sky. Stars, moon, you name it.

As for the interior of the cave, I looked around to find that we were currently inside a city. 

Skyscrapers taller than the ones in my world rose to the sky, covering a good portion of the view. Cars were unmoving and looked as if they had been there for a very long time. 

I thought back to the objective of this exam. We were supposed to find the hidden exit located somewhere inside this ginormous city within the time limit. 

They didn't specify what it looked like, but I knew it was a door. A door just like any other. 

It was meant to look like an ordinary door that led to nowhere so that people might leave it alone. There was a time limit, after all.

You couldn't spend your time searching through every nook and cranny this city had to offer. You'd need at least a year to do that. 

Back in my novel, I had written it so that the door was placed inside an old burger place. 

The door that was supposed to lead to the walk-in freezer would instead lead to the exit. 

I knew better than to head there though. Unless the world didn't change anything and everything followed the words in my novel exactly, then there was a high chance that it wasn't there.

After all, the location was random. Now that I thought about it, why did I have to make it so complicated?

"The voice announcing the exam said that the placement of the exit was completely random. Seeing as this place seems to be even bigger than the school campus, I figured we could split up into two teams."

"That's a great idea. Who will the teams contain?" Rokas questioned. 

"We have two melees and two magicians. One of each can go into either team. I'll be on Team One. Who's going to be with me?"

"If I may suggest, I believe little Perci–" 

"I'll do it! I'll do it!" Alter raised her voice, cutting Rokas off. "If it means I can keep my brother away from him, I'll gladly team up with Dignitas." 

Oh, how sweet. Although I wish she would turn down that hostile tone a bit. It's not like I'm going to hurt her.

"Very well. Then I will team up with Percivale. Please take care of me."

"I should say that, Mister Hassan."

Rokas went over to Percivale's side and Alter went to mine.

"Don't get this wrong. I'm doing it because I don't want Percivale anywhere near you. I'd rather I suffer than him."

"I see. I do not wish to harm you though."

"Don't talk to me unless it's necessary either." 

"..."

I didn't expect her to be this lively. Well, her opinion of me will change soon enough.