After the taxi dropped Michael off in front of Sun Park, he quickly asked for directions to the pharmacy where the goblin-world corrupted-type dimensional crack was located.
Since he was in a rush, Michael didn't take the time to observe his surroundings and made his way to the designated pharmacy with haste.
The pharmacy wasn't far from Sun Park, and with quick strides, Michael arrived in less than five minutes.
Contrary to his expectations, the pharmacy looked exactly like an ordinary establishment—just slightly larger than usual.
From the outside, Michael could see that there were no customers inside.
Without hesitation, he pushed open the door and entered.
Immediately, his eyes fell on an elderly man standing behind the counter.
The man had gray hair, but his body exuded a youthful vitality rarely seen even in younger individuals.
Suppressing the urge to use {Detect} on the old man, Michael approached him to start a conversation.
"Good morning," Michael greeted politely.
His words revealed that he was still on time; it wasn't noon yet—at least, not for another five minutes.
The old man behind the counter smiled warmly and responded, "Good morning, boy. Is there anything you need?"
"Yes, sir. The association sent me here."
Michael got straight to the point, though he remained cautious not to reveal what Association in case he was in the wrong place.
Fortunately, it seemed he wasn't mistaken.
"Oh, do you have the application paper with you?" the old man asked while retrieving a fingerprint scanner from underneath the counter.
Seeing this, Michael was reassured that he had come to the right place.
Wasting no time, he pulled the document the association's receptionist had given him out of his pocket.
Though the paper looked a bit crumpled, it was still legible and neat.
Michael hadn't been provided with anything to store it in, so he could only carry it as it was.
Luckily, the old man made no comment about the paper's condition.
Instead, he calmly read through its contents without issue.
"Okay, place your right thumb here," the old man, who appeared to be in his late fifties, instructed, pointing at the scanner on the counter.
The scanner looked similar to the one the receptionist had used when registering Michael on the day of his awakening.
Perhaps this was the federation's standard scanner, Michael thought as his mind briefly wandered.
Shaking off his thoughts, Michael complied and placed his thumb on the scanner. Two seconds later, it emitted a green light.
"Good, your identity has been confirmed. Follow me," the old man said, returning the scanner to its original place before gesturing for Michael to come around the counter. Michael hurried to comply.
They passed through rows of neatly arranged medicine shelves before arriving at a sturdy-looking door. The old man placed his palm on a panel to unlock it. Beyond this door was another, secured by a password that he entered quickly.
Michael couldn't help but be impressed by the security measures, though he still felt they were a bit lacking, depending on the circumstances.
Of course, much of the defense likely relied on the old man himself.
Although the man didn't exude the overwhelming, oppressive aura of the scarred man Michael had encountered at the trade center, there was something subtly dangerous about him.
Michael's senses, while still developing, could pick up on a faint, underlying threat.
This seemingly kind old man was far more dangerous than he appeared.
After the second sturdy metal door was unlocked, Michael finally stood before the entrance of a dimensional crack for the first time.
True to its name, it resembled a tear in empty space. Within the jagged opening was a swirling mass of black, chaotic mana.
Even without knowing it was a corrupted-type dimensional crack, Michael could tell at a glance that it wasn't anything good. The ominous feeling it gave made him sweat slightly.
For a moment, he felt as though something might erupt from the crack at any second.
"Why didn't I feel anything outside? Is it because of the door?" Michael wondered, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
When he focused on the walls flanking the crack and the floor beneath his feet, he could faintly sense an intricate network of magic circles surrounding him. Though invisible to the naked eye, he could feel their presence, almost as if they were etched into the air itself.
"Is this the magic formation they mentioned in the forums?"
Michael's thoughts didn't have the chance to go much deeper before the old man beside him spoke, snapping him back to reality.
"Your information says you're an Awakener, which should be obvious since you're entering a crack without carrying any kind of storage," the old man said.
Michael could detect a slight trace of envy in his voice.
Unlike the disdain he'd felt from the scarred man at the Association trade center yesterday, this reaction made sense to him. Being an Awakener was, after all, an enviable status.
"Be mindful of your surroundings once you're inside," the old man continued. "While it's unlikely that you'll land in a monster stronghold upon entry, there have been cases where it's happened. Stay alert."
Michael was startled and opened his mouth to respond, but the old man cut him off.
"That's all. You should've read the email the Association sends to anyone visiting a dimensional crack, so I won't repeat the basics. Since you came here alone, I'll assume you're confident in your abilities, which is good. Just be cautious."
The old man glanced at his watch. "It's 12 now, so you must be back before 1 PM. The time difference between the real world and the crack is 10 to 1—ten hours in the crack is equivalent to one hour here. Don't spend more than 10 hours inside, or you'll risk penalties. Once you're out, press the button behind the door, and I'll open it for you."
He gestured towards the crack impatiently. "That's all. Enter quickly—I have other things to attend to."
Michael blinked at the old man's brusque attitude but decided not to comment.
Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself. Determination flashed across his face as a gun materialized in his hand.
Without hesitation, Michael leaped into the crack.