Bell moved like lightning through the corridors of the Dungeon's seventh floor, his new spear gleaming in the faint blue light emanating from the walls. His steps were light, precise, as if he didn't touch the ground, and his eyes remained sharp and focused, almost as if he saw the movements before they happened.
A War Shadow launched itself from a dark corner, claws out, ready to slit his throat.
Bell pivoted effortlessly on one foot, dodging the charge with barely a shrug. The spear swung forward at a perfect angle and pierced the War Shadow through the torso, scattering it into black particles before it hit the ground.
"One down!" he muttered with a small smile as he twirled his weapon and continued walking as if it were a walk in the park.
Behind him, the screech of a Killer Ant alerted him just in time. He didn't bother to turn. He held his spear like a walking stick, spun back on his heels, and threw it sideways without even looking.
CLANG
The impact was sharp and precise. The spear flew with force, propelled by the [Divine Blessing of Absolute Precision], and pierced the creature directly between its eyes. The insect exploded into black smoke before it could even touch Bell.
"I wonder if this is what it feels like to be a prodigy…" he said to himself, retrieving the spear with a forward flip and a fluid maneuver.
Two more War Shadows emerged from a crevice, their movements erratic and sinister. Bell didn't flinch. He stepped back, aimed at the first, and his spear sliced through the air like butter. The second barely had time to squeal before Bell twisted the tip of his weapon with a graceful flick of the wrist, knocking him sideways and slamming him into the wall. Then, a swift finish to the chest.
There was no longer any doubt. He moved with the ease of someone who had mastered the spear for years. The weight, the balance, the reach... everything fit together with a perfection that was almost frightening.
Bell paused for a second, wiping the blood off the blade with his sleeve. "Thanks, weird blessing with a ridiculous name... I didn't think it would actually give me that much of an advantage."
For a moment, he allowed himself to smile. It wasn't just luck. It was work, skill... and a little divine intervention with a terrible sense of humor. But it worked.
And at that moment, another swarm of Killer Ants appeared from the back hallway.
Bell spun the spear around, rested it on his shoulder, and whispered, "Time for round two."
The Killer Ants' shrill screeches echoed like a grotesque chorus as they lunged at him, one after another, their jaws snapping. But Bell was already moving. The spear traced graceful, deadly arcs, slicing through legs, heads, and torsos with surgical precision. Each thrust was swift, lethal, as if the weapon responded before he even thought to move.
One of the ants tried to flank him from the left. Bell spun around and drove the spear directly between its gaping jaws.
Another came from the roof, swooping down.
Bell waited for her, his eyes fixed on the creature, and just as she lunged, he leaped to the side, extending his leg in a spinning kick that sent her crashing into the wall. The blow didn't kill her, but it left her vulnerable to his next move. Bell twirled the spear in his hand and hurled it like a javelin. The projectile flew with violent force, propelled by the [Blessing of Absolute Accuracy], and pierced the creature's abdomen with flawless precision.
Boom.
The last Killer Ant disintegrated into black smoke.
The hallway fell silent. Only the sound of his breathing and the distant hum of the Dungeon remained.
Bell exhaled slowly, relaxing his shoulders. He walked over to a nearby rock—large, with a surface flat enough to rest on—and sank down onto it with a sigh.
"Wow… that was more intense than I expected…"
He let the spear rest against his shoulder as he ran a hand through his sweat-drenched hair. He watched the particles floating in the air, remnants of the monsters he had just defeated, and for a second, he allowed himself to feel pride.
"I'm getting better… aren't I?" he murmured, with a tired half-smile.
His legs ached. His arms trembled slightly. But the smile didn't disappear. Not after a fight like that. Not after winning.
"Heh… and to think that a few days ago I almost died against a minotaur…"
He looked up at the distant ceiling of the dungeon, where that strange blue light barely filtered through. And there, sitting on the rock, as the echo of silence enveloped him, Bell allowed himself a small moment of rest. Just him, his spear… and a growing determination.
Bell drummed his fingers on the handle of his spear as he caught his breath, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. His body was still thrumming with the adrenaline from the recent fight, but his mind was already beginning to wander, somewhere between rest and alert. He was about to open his eyes when he heard approaching footsteps, accompanied by muffled laughter, clinking armor, and the unmistakable sound of backpacks filled with drop items.
"Come on, come on! We'll be back soon until the next group!" a male voice shouted.
Bell opened his eyes and turned his head reflexively.
A group of three adventurers passed through the corridor, sweating, clearly satisfied with their hunt.
They were in formation, one in front with a longsword, another behind with a shield larger than his
torso, and one straggling behind with a spear. But it was the smaller figure between them that made Bell tense up a little.
A girl in a hoodie, with a quick stride and a backpack almost bigger than her. Her face was in shadow, but Bell recognized her immediately.
"The supporter…" he murmured, straightening on the rock. "That brown-haired girl…"
It was the same one who had approached him days ago with that plaintive tone of "Mr. Adventurer~!" and that exaggerated act of sweetness that, for some reason, had seemed… strange to him.
And there it was again.
Above the girl floated that same number.
- 50.
As if the air around her reeked of accumulated contempt. Bell had no idea how those numbers worked, but that one in particular seemed like a social black hole.
The supporter turned her head for a second—perhaps accidentally—and her gaze met Bell's. It was only for a moment. But Bell swore her expression hardened, as if she recognized him too. She immediately looked straight ahead, almost as if she didn't want him to know she'd seen him.
The adventurers with her didn't even seem to pay attention to her.
One dropped a heavy object without looking, and she picked it up without a murmur.
Another nudged her slightly with his elbow as she passed through a narrowing in the corridor.
Bell gritted his teeth.
"..."
She could see them speaking to her without even looking her in the eye, one of them scolding her for walking too slowly even though she was carrying the most weight. And worst of all: the number above her head wasn't even going down.
It was still stuck at -50, like a wound that wouldn't heal.
Bell gripped his spear a little tighter…
He just watched her as the group walked down the Dungeon corridor.
…
Bell stood up and began walking, his steps firm but increasingly slow, the echo of his footsteps the only thing breaking the silence of the seventh floor. His spear rested on his shoulder, swaying with each step, and the sweat that had previously run down his forehead had long since dried. All that remained was an uncomfortable mix of boredom and mild frustration.
Twenty minutes.
Twenty minutes without seeing a single shadow of War Shadows. Not even the menacing buzzing of the Killer Ants. Nothing. Just empty hallways, quiet corridors, and uninhabited chambers.
"This isn't a break anymore… this is a sightseeing tour," he muttered, pausing for a moment to look around.
The Dungeon was strangely… quiet. Not quiet in the natural sense, but in that eerie way that comes from whensomethingshould be happening, but it isn't. Even the air seemed colder, as if the monsters themselves had decided to get a cup of coffee and disappear for a while.
Bell sighed, lowering his spear with some dismay.
"It must be the group from before," he thought, scratching his cheek. "They must have come this way and cleaned everything up."
He remembered how energetic that group was, sweaty, and with full backpacks. They had certainly done a good job taking down the monsters.
Bell frowned, shaking his head as if trying to clear the thought.
"Focus, Bell… this isn't a walk in the park. It's training," he told himself, patting his cheeks a few times.
"I'm sure something will turn up later. I hope it's not a hidden mini-boss or something."
And with that, he continued walking through the corridors with his spear in hand, his eyes alert, and his ears listening for any suspicious sounds.
Deep down, though, I was still thinking about that floating number, and why anyone could be so stuck in contempt.
Bell stopped in his tracks when he saw the person so quickly in his thoughts.
The same supporter as before.
She was walking toward him down the opposite corridor, but this time… alone. Without the adventurers who had been with her just twenty minutes ago. She wasn't carrying any heavy backpacks. She didn't wear any expressions of weariness from the weight or the fight. She was just walking… head down.
"Huh?" Bell muttered, narrowing his eyes. Something didn't add up. Where were the others?
The girl raised her gaze briefly, glancing at him, then looked away as if nothing had happened. She quickened her pace, as if she wanted to avoid him.
Bell couldn't ignore it.
"Wait a minute!" he said, taking two steps forward and extending a hand.
She tensed instantly. She looked at him with a mixture of surprise, nervousness... and a touch of embarrassment. She didn't stop, but she did slow down a little.
Bell frowned. "Where's your group?"
She pressed her lips together. Silence.
Bell looked at her again. The number above her head still showed that painful-50He hadn't changed one bit, for better or worse. As if frozen in contempt, distrust... or despair.
That made his chest tighten a little.
"Did they leave you behind?" he asked in a softer tone.
The girl didn't respond immediately. She just lowered her gaze further. And finally, she murmured something that barely reached Bell's ears.
"…they told me I was in the way."
Bell was silent, processing.
The number above his head suddenly dropped to-52.
"...What the hell?" Bell thought, looking at that with a shudder.
The girl clenched her fists and started walking again.
Bell squeezed the spear.
He had two options.
He could have let it go and carried on as if I hadn't seen anything. But no...
He wouldn't let him go.
"Wait," he repeated, this time without raising his voice. Just firmly.
She stopped.
Bell didn't know what to say yet.
But I knew I couldn't just ignore her.
The girl stood still for a few seconds, without turning to look at him.
Bell took a step toward her, spear lowered, with no intention of threatening or confronting. He just wanted to help… or at least understand.
But then, without warning, she ran away.
It was sudden. Her feet hit the floor hard as she re-entered the dark corridors of the apartment. She didn't look back, didn't say a word. She just ran as if something was chasing her.
Bell took a step, with the impulse to follow her…
But he stopped.
He gritted his teeth and looked down.
"…she doesn't want help," Bell muttered to himself.
The number above his head remained -52. Motionless. Unbreakable.
It didn't go down any further. But it didn't go up any further either.
Bell stood there, alone in that silent hallway, as the echo of hurried footsteps faded into the distance. He felt a strange mix of helplessness and frustration… an uncomfortable pang that didn't come from a physical wound.
He couldn't save everyone.
But that didn't make it hurt any less.
He sighed, picked up his spear again… and continued walking.
Bell continued in silence, his footsteps echoing in the damp, gloomy hallways of the seventh floor. The air smelled thicker… heavy with something he couldn't identify at first.
Then he saw it.
First, there were dark stains on the ground. Then, the mangled remains of a backpack. And then, farther up ahead, the vision hit him like a wall:
Bodies.
Three adventurers sprawled among dark pools, their armor torn, their weapons aside, useless. One of them had his torso ripped open, lying with his empty eyes fixed on the ceiling.
Bell gripped the spear tightly. He swallowed.
The fourth body… wasn't complete. Part of the face was recognizable, but the adventurer's lower half was buried beneath the grotesque body of a Killer Ant, still slowly chewing something with its jaws, unfazed by the presence of the new intruder.
Bell felt his stomach churn. He took a step back instinctively… but his gaze didn't waver. The creature raised its head, its compound eyes glowing in the dim light of the dungeon.
A dull hum filled the air.
Bell raised his spear.
There was no time to process the horror. Only time to act.
The Killer Ant let out a sharp, dry squeal, rearing up on her hind legs, still clutching the remains of her victim between her fangs. Bell didn't wait.
His spear traced a perfect arc, straight into the creature's center. The blade penetrated beneath its front carapace, causing the insect to squeak and stagger. Before she could counterattack, Bell was upon her. A second, lightning-fast thrust pierced its left eye.
The insect squealed one last time, twitched spasmodically… and then lay still.
Bell gasped, his breathing ragged. His body was still tense, sweat running down his forehead. He took a few steps back, still holding the spear in position, just in case.
But there was no further movement.
His gaze returned to the bodies, especially that of the partially devoured adventurer. He gritted his teeth.
"I must report this…"
There was no doubt about it. Even though I couldn't do anything for them anymore, they at least deserved to know what happened to them.
He adjusted his backpack, cleaned his spear as best he could, and started running back to the surface. Every step he took in the empty hallway was a reminder of how fragile life in the Dungeon could be.
And that even a few minutes of distraction… could mean death.
The sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls of the dungeon as Bell ran at full speed. The air around him felt lighter, as if the wind's resistance could no longer slow him down. Divine
blessing of the aerodynamic bodywas working in his favor, allowing him to slip through the shadows of the Dungeon with impressive agility.
The girl, who had started running as soon as she saw him, didn't notice how quickly he was approaching. As Bell drew closer, her footsteps became more distant, slower.
"Wait!" Bell shouted, his voice echoing through the halls.
She didn't stop. Her breathing became more labored, and shades of desperation were reflected in her movements. Bell gritted his teeth, accelerating even more.
With a final effort, Bell dashed across the hall and caught up with her. He used his body to block her path, stopping her in her tracks.
The girl, scared and surprised, tried to retreat, but Bell's speed had been too much. He stared at her, the spear hanging slightly from his back. He was exhausted, but his face showed no weariness, only a firm determination.
"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice leaving no room for evasion.
The girl, trembling, lowered her head. She knew she couldn't escape, and fear gnawed at her insides.
Bell watched her silently for a moment. His mind was still processing the images of the bodies of the adventurers he'd encountered, and the connection was clear.
"What happened to the others?" her voice became softer, almost sad. "Why were you running alone on this floor?"
She hesitated, staring at her trembling hands. She didn't respond, but Bell already sensed what had happened. Finally, she looked up, a look filled with guilt and fear.
"I... didn't mean to…" she began, but the words caught in her throat.
Bell sighed deeply. He knew something wasn't right, but for some reason, he felt he couldn't judge her anymore.
"I'll take you back," he said finally, softening his tone. He didn't want more people to suffer here; he'd seen enough without taking on more deaths.
The girl looked at him in surprise, and Bell, with a soft sigh, began walking in the opposite direction, making sure she followed him. He didn't want anyone else to become another victim of the Dungeon, not even her.
But he also knew that his mission was not over.
Bell walked silently beside the girl, his footsteps echoing softly through the damp corridors of the dungeon. The atmosphere was tense, but he tried hard to remain calm, even though his gaze remained fixed on her, watching her out of the corner of his eye. The girl, nervous, avoided his gaze, pressing her lips together and crossing her arms tightly.
"Listen… I don't want to get in trouble with you," Bell finally said, his tone calm. "Just tell me what happened."
The girl didn't respond. She walked with her eyes lowered, her face hardened, but Bell didn't sense resentment. More like... fear. He quickened his pace slightly, standing a little farther ahead so he could see her better.
"I don't want this to end badly for you," he continued. "If it was an accident, or if you had no choice, just say so. You don't have to bear this alone."
She hesitated. Her expression wavered for a second, her lips trembling slightly, as if she were about to speak… but they quickly closed again.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Bell insisted, without raising his voice. "I saw the bodies. They were massacred. And you were running in the opposite direction. You can't just stay silent."
The girl took a deep breath, but said nothing.
Bell sighed. "You still have a chance to do the right thing. Don't waste it."
And so, silence fell between them again as they moved forward, the tension beginning to thicken even further than the air in the Dungeon itself.
Bell stopped dead in his tracks, letting the girl take a few steps before slowly turning back to her. His jaw was clenched, his brow furrowed. He'd tried to be reasonable. He'd wanted to avoid this. But the girl's stubborn silence left him with no options.
With a firm motion, he drew his spear and pointed it at her, the tip glowing dimly in the dim light of the Dungeon.
"I didn't want it to come to this," he said quietly, almost disappointed. "But you're not leaving me any choice."
The girl froze, her eyes wide as she saw the shining blade of the spear a short distance from her chest.
"There were four bodies back there," he said firmly. "And you, the only survivor, running away without a single explanation. I don't care if you're scared, or if it was something you couldn't prevent. But you can't stay silent. Not when there are deaths involved."
She swallowed. For a moment, she looked ready to turn and run again. But Bell didn't pull the spear away.
"Talk," he said. "I don't want to hurt you, but I swear I won't let you go until you tell me what happened."
The tension became palpable. The echo of their breathing seemed to resonate off the walls like a shared heartbeat.
Finally, the girl murmured in a broken voice:
"They… they used me as bait."
Bell narrowed his eyes. He lowered his spear slowly, without saying a word. He just listened.
Because finally, she was starting to talk.
The girl lowered her gaze, her hands trembling as she clutched them to her chest. Her voice was barely a whisper at first, as if every word cost her a fortune.
"They… from the very beginning, they didn't plan on coming with me. They only brought me to lure the monsters out. They… made me carry magic crystals and rations, and when the killer ants appeared… they pushed me toward them."
Bell didn't say anything. He just looked at her, serious, the spear already lowered but still firm in his hand.
"I begged them to help me, to cover me while I escaped… but they just laughed. One of them said that if I died, at least it would serve as a distraction."
Her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't cry. She'd done it before. Now she just talked, her voice muffled by exhaustion and shame.
"I ran… I hid behind some rocks while I heard the screams. I don't know what happened exactly. Just… one after another, they stopped screaming. I thought about going back, but I was afraid. I thought if they found me, they'd say it was my fault."
Bell closed his eyes for a second, taking it all in.
"And when I saw you… I thought you were going to leave me behind too if I said anything."
"I'm not like them," Bell said quietly. "I'm not going to kill you. But you had to say it. Because if you didn't, I was going to have to tell it."
The girl nodded, lowering her head.
"I'm sorry…"
Bell stepped forward and calmly placed the spear over his shoulder. No longer as a threat, but as a sign that the tension was over.
"Come on. Let's tell the Guild what happened."
And without waiting for a response, he started walking again, listening to her hesitant footsteps following him a few meters away.
As they moved silently through the dimly lit corridors of the lower floor, Bell glanced quickly over his shoulder to make sure the girl was still following him. Her steps were clumsy, as if she was struggling to move after so much pent-up fear. But there she was.
And then he noticed.
Right above his head, the number he had seen before… that hateful "-52," symbol of absolute rejection, distrust and selfishness… had changed.
"-49," he read mentally.
It wasn't much. Just three points. But it meant something.
Bell didn't say anything. He didn't make a sarcastic comment, or let on any exaggerated expression. But inside, she felt something akin to relief. Because if that number could change, even slowly… then maybe she could too.
"What's your name?" he asked, without stopping walking or turning around at all.
The girl hesitated for a moment, but then answered in a low voice, almost as if she were forcing herself to speak. "Liliruca… or Lili, if you prefer."
Bell watched her out of the corner of his eye. His eyes scanned her with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. She seemed sincere… but after everything he'd seen today, that wasn't enough.
"I wish I had some way to know if they're telling the truth," she thought. "A skill, a blessing, anything… something that tells me when someone's lying."
But he didn't have it.
All he had was his instinct… and the memory of bodies left in the darkness of the Dungeon.
Bell was silent for a few seconds, then softened his voice slightly. He couldn't forgive her so easily, but he wasn't a cruel person either.
"If your story is true…" he murmured, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. "Then you should have nothing to fear."
Lili looked at him somewhat nervously, but said nothing.
Bell took a deep breath and continued, "I'm sure some god could corroborate that. They… can detect lies, can't they?" He paused briefly. "So if you're telling the truth, it will be known." Lili lowered her head, her pace slowing.
"If you're lying…" Bell added, without rancor, but with silent firmness, "then you'd better start telling the real story before someone else does."
She didn't respond, but her expression changed. Something between resignation... and a glimmer of hope.
After a few more minutes of walking, the guild entrance appeared before them, illuminated by the dim light of the sunset. Lili lowered her head even further, covering herself with her cloak as Bell strode up the stairs.
"Wait for me here," he said calmly, without looking at her.
He entered the building and went straight to the counter, where a different receptionist than Eina attended to him. Bell explained what had happened: how he'd found the bodies on the seventh floor, how the killer ant had devoured one of them, and how there was a witness waiting outside.
The guild staff reacted quickly. They took notes, and some intermediate-level adventurers were called in to form a small recovery squad. While one of the workers left to speak with Lili, Bell watched everything closely.
"Thank you for reporting this quickly," said the guild manager, looking at Bell seriously. "That could prevent further tragedies."
Bell nodded, crossing his arms.
Outside, Lili stood still. She didn't move or say anything while one of the employees questioned her. Bell watched her from the doorway. He'd done the right thing. Right?
As he watched the guild employee speak to Lili—who was barely looking up from the floor—Bell felt a pang in his chest. Her expression was serious, firm… but inside, something was stirring.
He'd done the right thing. He'd found bodies in the dungeon. He was the only witness. Everything pointed to something being wrong. It was logical. Reasonable. What any responsible adventurer would do.
But still…
"Why… does it feel like I'm the villain in all of this?" he thought, unconsciously clenching his fists.
Lili, small, hunched over, her hood covering her eyes, barely responded. She didn't resist. She didn't cry. She didn't deny anything. She just went with the flow, as if she were already used to that kind of thing.
And that… that was what weighed on him the most.
Bell looked down. He knew it wasn't his fault. He knew he was doing the right thing. But… he couldn't help feeling like he'd just sent a little girl to jail.
And that weight, although it had no shape or name… stayed in his chest.