The expedition moved south as soon as the formation was set, boots striking stone in a steady, unified rhythm.
The Dungeon offered no surprises. Everything unfolded in the sa predictable rhythm the adventurers had already grown accustod to.
Ti seed to blur as they marched, and before anyone realized it, the expedition had reached its destination.
Much had changed since the Dungeon's evolution, and inter-floor travel was one of the clearest examples.
In the past, passages between floors were singular and fixed. It was common to encounter other groups along the way, so advancing, others retreating, all forced to share the sa route. The idea of "searching" for the next floor was little more than a figure of speech.
Anyone who could afford the Guild's reliable, but notoriously overpriced, maps knew roughly where the passage would be.
That structure no longer existed. It had been replaced by a broader system, one made necessary by the Dungeon's expansion.
Now, the system was different.
Every floor had four fixed passages, one at each cardinal point. So led only to the next floor, others passing through several floors at once, but at least their positions never changed.
This fact was confird over ti thanks to the efforts of adventurers from various Families, with honorable ntion to the Loki Familia.
Anyway.
No longer anchored to a single safe route, adventurers were unconsciously encouraged to stray farther from familiar ground, secure in the knowledge that any direction would eventually lead to an exit.
Or, just as easily, straight to their deaths, victims of overconfidence in their own limited abilities.
Anyway, again!
Having passed through this area before, the group recognized their position almost imdiately despite the altered layout.
Without hesitation, they began their descent.
By the grace of the gods, or perhaps the Dungeon's rare rcy, monsters do not spawn within the passages between floors. That alone was enough to bring a asure of relief as they moved downward.
It didn't take long for everyone to reach the tenth floor. The newcors to the group observed their surroundings with open fascination; for many of them, it was the first ti reaching such depth.
That excitent, however, faded quickly when reality set in. In the end, it was all the sa: a labyrinth of yellowed brick walls, endlessly teeming with monsters.
The Middle Labyrinth.
And the journey was far from over. They still had a long way to go before reaching the eighteenth floor, and if another major confrontation like the previous one were to happen, there was no guarantee they would arrive on the sa day.
The long, tedious march continued. From the tenth to the eleventh floor, then the twelfth, skipping directly to the fifteenth, and now finally reaching the sixteenth.
Feet began to ache. Shoulders sagged under the weight of weapons and armor, and constant vigilance brought dull headaches to even the most experienced adventurers.
— Co on, everyone. Stay strong, we're almost at our destination! — soone shouted, trying to lift the group's spirits.
— Yeah…
— Almost there… .
— Just a little more…
Ca a few scattered replies, all without will behind then.
Then ca Bell's turn.
— Ayeee… — Bell replied weakly, her voice drained and unmotivated.
She could hardly be called "walking" anymore. Her back was hunched, arms dangling forward, her steps uneven as she swayed from side to side. Every ti her foot touched the ground, pain pulsed upward, sharp and relentless.
Behind the leather helt and sweat-soaked white bangs, her expression was a ss of exhaustion, resignation, and barely contained frustration.
At that point, Bell looked less like an adventurer and more like a walking corpse.
'My foot hurts…'
'Nngh…'
'My knee hurts too…'
'Nnnngh…'
'I'm tired…'
'I'm hungry…'
'I want to sleep…'
'This isn't what I imagined when I beca an adventurer…'
'I don't want to be a hero anymore.'
'I don't want to be strong.'
'I don't want to marry a prince.'
'I just want to go ho... grandpa!!! Buaaaa!!!' She cried internally.
She had been so happy that morning.
Bright, energetic, almost bouncing on her feet like a child who had just been handed a brand-new toy. Back then, everything felt exciting. The march, the danger, even the exhaustion felt bearable.
Now, all she could do was question every life choice that had led her here.
'Why did I have to insist on coming on this stupid thing, I could've stayed ho, I'd be warm… and fed… and not walking until my legs fall off…'
Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, rolling silently along her cheeks. She didn't even have the strength to sob or cry out.
The truth was... okay, before that, let's give so context.
This mission had been going on for three months already.
Things were no longer like they had been at the beginning. One by one, many Familias had withdrawn from the operation, offering excuses layered over excuses. No one said it out loud, but everyone understood the reality.
This search was a bottomless pit.
Resources were drained steadily, with almost nothing gained in return.
Returning to the surface constantly to exchange magic stones ant compromising the operation, so most spoils were left behind. Supplies had to be constantly replenished just to survive.
Smaller Familias simply couldn't afford to keep going.
Sooner or later, the search would end. Either by choice… or by necessity.
Even Hestia understood their circumstances.
She didn't bla anyone for leaving. She didn't threaten them, nor did she cry or beg. Instead, she thanked each of them for the support they had given until now, her gratitude was sincere.
Still, until the mission truly ended, everyone agreed to give it their all.
That was why, so ti ago, Finn, having accumulated a dangerous amount of Dungeon's curse, had taken a group of adventurers back to the surface. They rested properly, cleansed their bodies of the curse, and restocked supplies for those who remained below.
And Bell had seen her chance.
This was it. Her mont.
The perfect opportunity to show the fruits of her training, to act like a true adventurer and fight alongside her comrades, bravely rescuing a helpless guy from the clutches of the evil Dungeon.
Grateful and awestruck by her beauty and strength.
He would naturally swear loyalty to her on the spot, becoming her devoted squire as they walked through the Dungeon together.
Side by side.
THE REALIZATION OF A DREAM!
Reality, however, had been far less dignified.
Desperate to join, Bell had unleashed every pitiful trick she'd learned as a child, clinging, begging and staring with the most shaless puppy eyes she could muster, pleading with Loki to let her go this ti.
The goddess had resisted at first, but she had made a promise.
If Bell trained properly, if she behaved, and if the opportunity appeared, she would be allowed to join the others.
In the end, Loki gave in.
…Though not without consequences.
Quiver
Bell shuddered as the mory resurfaced.
Loki's infuriating shit-eating grin.
Those mischievous narrowed eyes gazing lewdly at her like she was so delicious piece of at
Her hands twitching, fingers flexings, as she slowly approached like so predator about to pounce at her prey.
This ti Riveria wasn't there to watch over the redhead, and Bell didn't have the heart to resist. So Loki took all her sweet ti savoring the experience.
— Ti to squeeze!!! — Loki scread as she jumped for her lons.
— NOOOOO!!! — Bell cried out loud.
The sound tore out of her before she could stop it.
Silence followed.
Bell froze.
Her eyes widened as reality caught up to her, and she slowly looked around. Every single person nearby had turned to stare at her, expressions ranging from confusion to concern.
Her face burned.
Steam might as well have been rising from her head as she shrank in on herself, shoulders curling inward, trying to disappear on the spot.
— S-sorry… — she muttered under her breath, barely audible, avoiding everyone's gaze.
At that mont, Bell Cranel wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and never, ever co back out
Anyway…
She had gotten what she wanted and joined the rescue group, thrilled to finally be part of sothing important. But now that reality had begun to sink in, everything had suddenly lost its luster.
'Next ti I'll co alone and do things my way. Dungeon for just a few hours a day, foot massages every day of the week… everything perfectly balanced, as it should be.'
— We're here!!! Prepare to descend!!! — soone shouted.
The call finally snapped Bell out of her thoughts. She looked up, eyes widening slightly as she realized they had reached their destination.
The eastern passage connecting the sixteenth floor to the seventeenth.
A massive spiral staircase with a gently sloped floor, wide enough for an entire formation to move through at once. From one end to the other, the descent had to stretch for nearly a kiloter.
Still, compared to fighting through multiple monster-infested corridors instead of taking the nearest passage, any walk was worth it.
'…Although I'm starting to doubt if it really is.'
...
Finn glanced at his pocket watch, his expression turning thoughtful.
'Today is the ninth day of the month… If I rember correctly, this should be the exact day it is reborn. In a few hours, though.'
His gaze shifted forward.
'We should be able to pass through the seventeenth without any real issues. After that… we can finally rest properly.'
Clack
He slipped the watch back into his pocket and looked ahead, taking in the state of the expedition. Exhaustion weighed heavily on everyone, so adventurers pushing themselves to the very edge of collapse.
Being far stronger than the rest, Finn barely registered the fatigue. To him, it was little more than another ordinary day in the Dungeon. Still, he understood their condition well. He had been there himself once.
'Maybe we can negotiate an extra discount in the city of Rivira, let everyone relax properly in a hotel room. They've earned it.'
His gaze shifted again, this ti deliberately searching for a certain girl whose safety had been entrusted to him.
Throughout the journey, Finn had kept Bell within his field of vision, never letting her stray too far, ready to intervene if things truly spiraled out of control.
Beyond that, however, he remained hands-off. Non-lethal mistakes were hers to deal with. Struggle was part of learning what it ant to be a real adventurer.
And truthfully…
Even Finn was surprised by how much she had grown.
When Loki had returned ho with a girl in tow, one with a pretty, innocent and naive face, her eyes practically sparkling at the thought of joining the Familia, he had honestly assud it was just another one of Loki's whims.
Everyone there knew her personality. And her taste in won.
And Bell fit that taste perfectly, arguably even more so than Ais.
Because of that, Finn admitted he had paid the girl little attention at first. A large-scale operation demanded his full focus, after all, so he left the newcor in the hands of the Familia.
He had expected things to unfold as they always did.
She would train with the others, learn the basics of combat, obtain a decent set of equipnt, and after so ti, begin making accompanied trips to the upper floors of the Dungeon.
Especially now, when the monsters were far beyond what true novices could handle alone.
But then…
'So she actually has talent, huh?'
At first, no one had believed Loki's words. Finn included.
But after witnessing it with his own eyes, he had no choice but to accept it.
Yes, she had shut her eyes in fear when she faced the spider. She had probably fought goblins before, those were unavoidable for beginners, but spiders were a different matter, they might be terrifying to a young girl.
Still…
After that mont, she didn't close her eyes again.
She fought alongside the group, landing a few strikes here and there, though none of them had any effect. She remained steadfast from beginning to end. At one point, she even managed to kill her first monster before it could pull itself off the wall, striking a vital spot, that must have yielded a fair amount of Excelia.
They were small things, but they showed resolve.
Showed that she was serious about walking this path, and that alone was enough.
Lack of talent and potential could be supplented with resources and companions, things the Familia had in abundance. But the will to improve… that was sothing no one could provide for her.
If she continued like this, it wouldn't take long for her to stand out from the rest.
'Although… saying this girl could surpass even Ais? Sorry, Goddess, but I wouldn't believe that even if you paid .'
'Unless she had so kind of blood tie to the Incarnation of Talent herself, but there's no way that gorilla ever had a child.'
...
The group descended the spiral staircase, finally setting foot on the seventeenth floor. From there, they advanced through the passage in complete silence.
Everyone was tense.
There were no monsters in sight, nor would there be, but rely knowing which floor they were on was enough to make every nerve scream.
Monster Rex.
Or Floor Boss, as the younger adventurers liked to call them.
Colossal monsters whose power was wildly disproportionate to the floor they occupied. These creatures were never ant to be hunted by individuals; it took the combined effort of one or sotis several Familias just to confront them, let alone bring them down.
In the terms of a certain transmigrant from another world… they were Raid Bosses.
These monsters followed a known pattern, at least on paper: they only appeared on floors ending in seven, starting from the seventh floor onward. Goliath on the seventeenth, Amphisbaena on the twenty-seventh, Udaeus on the thirty-seventh, and so on.
And yet, like a hidden treasure buried deep within a trap-filled temple, right after these hellish floors ca salvation.
Every floor ending in eight was a sanctuary.
An entire level where no monsters spawned, a place where adventurers could rest in complete safety. A heaven hidden within hell. That was everyone's destination—but to reach it, they first had to pass through the nightmare before it.
Bak
— Ah! — soone cried out, startled as a small rock fell from above.
A few of the others laughed quietly, but no one made a joke. They understood that fear all too well.
That explanation of the Monster Rex alone was enough to convey how dangerous these beings were.
But there was one crucial detail missing.
That description… was based on the Dungeon before it evolved.
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