The air inside the guild hall was thick with unease. The glow of lanterns flickered against the stone walls, casting elongated shadows over the tense gathering of adventurers and knights. The heavy scent of sweat and oil from polished armor mixed with the unmistakable sting of fear. Though no monsters had yet reached Dawnstead, the looming threat of the dungeon break had already settled deep into the bones of every warrior present.
At the front of the hall, Garrick's booming voice echoed as he laid out the situation with grim precision. The gathered forces listened, their expressions ranging from grim determination to barely concealed dread. Among them stood Belle and Kai, their presence largely unnoticed until one voice shattered the steady rhythm of Garrick's speech.
"Why don't we just let Belle handle it?"
The statement cut through the air like a blade.
Heads turned. A murmur spread through the hall like ripples across a pond. The speaker, Gregan, a D-Rank adventurer, crossed his arms and stood firm beneath the weight of the shifting stares.
"She's already proven to be far beyond any of us," he continued, his voice unwavering. "If she goes in alone, she might be able to stop the dungeon break before it fully escalates."
A wave of murmured agreement followed.
"Yeah, she soloed the Mana Titan during the last subjugation quest."
"Didn't she also rescue Trinity Blade, the strongest party in town?"
"Honestly, she might be stronger than the entire guild combined."
Some voices were filled with admiration, others with desperation. The thought was tempting—one person, a single warrior, strong enough to stop a calamity. A solution that meant fewer casualties, less risk for them.
Belle's arms remained crossed, but her fingers slowly curled into her sleeves. She kept her expression neutral, though a tightness formed in her chest. She had felt this before—this pressure, this expectation. The weight of countless eyes settling upon her as if she were something more than human.
Her silence invited more voices.
"She hasn't even taken a hit in battle."
"If anyone can do it, it's her."
"Better to risk one person than an entire town."
It was that last statement that made Belle's jaw tighten. Before she could respond, a loud smack echoed through the hall as Kai slapped Gregan upside the head.
"You idiot. That's not how this works."
Gregan winced, rubbing the back of his skull. "Ow! What the hell, Kai?"
Kai pushed himself off the support beam he had been leaning against, his usual carefree posture gone. He crossed his arms, his crimson eyes sharp with irritation. "You think this is some fairy tale where one overpowered hero magically fixes everything? A dungeon break isn't just a handful of monsters—it's an entire army pouring out at once. No matter how strong Belle is, there's a limit to how much one person can handle at a time."
His words carried across the room, cutting through the growing delusion. The murmurs died down as adventurers exchanged uncertain glances. Reality began sinking in.
Belle felt their gazes shifting between her and Kai.
For a brief moment, she considered speaking up—to tell them they weren't entirely wrong. That she could handle it, that she had the strength to cut through whatever came out of that dungeon.
But that wasn't the point.
She wasn't a hero. And she didn't want to be treated like one.
Then Garrick's voice thundered through the hall, sharp and unyielding.
"ENOUGH!"
The walls seemed to shake with the weight of his command. The hall fell into stunned silence.
"You all should be ashamed of yourselves." His words were slow, deliberate, carrying an undeniable weight. His piercing gaze swept across the room, filled with disappointment. "Are you seriously suggesting that we, as a guild, put all the responsibility on a single person while the rest of us cower in the background?"
No one dared to respond.
"Do you still call yourselves adventurers?"
The hush that followed was suffocating.
Garrick took a slow breath before continuing, his voice heavy with conviction. "Belle is strong, yes. She has abilities beyond what we expected. But that does not mean we will abandon our duties as adventurers. This is our town. This is our responsibility. We will not become cowards who rely on a single person to do our work for us."
Shame crept into the expressions of some of the adventurers. The idea of Belle being the sole solution had been comforting—but it had also been selfish.
Roderic stepped forward, his authoritative stance reinforcing Garrick's words. "If you think one person can handle an entire dungeon break alone, then you have no idea what a dungeon break truly is." His steel-gray eyes locked onto the crowd. "Dungeon breaks don't just stop once you kill the monsters at the entrance. The corruption runs deep. The monsters don't just stop spawning. It will take a coordinated effort to suppress it before it spreads further."
Gale followed suit, his voice cutting through the tension. "Even if Belle is strong, that doesn't mean she should fight alone. If anything, we need to fight harder because she's fighting with us." His eyes narrowed. "Or do you all expect her to clean up every problem in this town while we sit around watching?"
A long silence followed. The reality of their suggestion had finally sunk in.
Gregan let out a slow exhale, rubbing the back of his head. "…You're right." His voice was quieter now, humbled. "That was a damn stupid thing to suggest."
A few others who had initially agreed with him nodded, embarrassment evident in their expressions. The energy in the room had shifted. No longer was it desperation searching for an easy way out—now, it was a resolve.
Garrick nodded in approval. "Good. Now that we've cleared that up, let's focus on the actual mission."
He then turned to Alina, who had been standing by, watching the exchange with a serious expression.
"Are the emergency deployment lists ready?"
Alina straightened, her voice sharp and ready. "Yes, sir! I have assigned teams based on adventurer rank and combat specialty. We'll be splitting forces into three groups: the Dungeon Suppression Squad, the Perimeter Defense Squad, and the Town Defense Squad."
Garrick's gaze hardened. "Then let's go over the strategy."
The meeting was no longer about finding an easy way out. It was about preparing for war.
The air inside the guild hall was heavy with tension as Garrick laid out the strategy, his voice firm and commanding. The adventurers and knights gathered around the quest board, which was now covered with the mission map, detailing the layout of the dungeon and its surrounding areas. Some leaning in with anticipation, others gripping their weapons with unease.
Belle stood near the front, arms crossed, absorbing every word. Kai leaned against a wooden pillar, his eyes sharp and focused. Around them, the guild's finest warriors, mages, and archers listened intently, awaiting their assignments.
Dungeon Suppression Squad
Objective: Prevent the dungeon break from escalating further.
Personnel: C-Rank and D-Rank adventurers, elite knights, and specialized mages.
Tactics:
Establish a defensive perimeter at the dungeon entrance.Prioritize eliminating high-threat monsters first.Investigate the source of the dungeon break and find a way to stop it.
Garrick's finger traced a route on the map, outlining the primary objective. "This squad will be our first and strongest line of defense. The moment the dungeon break begins, high-tier monsters will pour out in waves. If they breach the perimeter, the town is as good as lost."
The room remained silent, the weight of the mission pressing down on everyone present.
Perimeter Defense Squad
Objective: Ensure no monsters escape toward the town.
Personnel: E-Rank adventurers, knights, and archers.
Tactics:
Form a barrier line between the dungeon and Dawnstead.Engage any monsters that manage to break through the Suppression Squad.Use mobility-based fighters to chase down any stragglers.
"Think of this squad as our insurance," Garrick continued. "If the dungeon suppression fails, if a single monster gets past our front line, these fighters will be the last thing standing between it and the civilians."
A murmur of unease spread through the crowd. Everyone knew what that meant. If the first wave failed, the second would be overrun in minutes.
Town Defense Squad
Objective: Protect the citizens and prepare for worst-case scenarios.
Personnel: F-Rank adventurers, healers, and guild staff.
Tactics:
Set up evacuation zones and safehouses.Provide emergency medical aid to injured adventurers and knights.Maintain emergency communication between squads.
"If everything else goes wrong, this squad ensures the people of Dawnstead have a chance to survive," Garrick finished. His voice was solemn. "But let's make sure it doesn't come to that."
The room was quiet, tension hanging thick in the air. Everyone understood the stakes.
Then, a voice broke the silence.
"We have a suggestion."
All eyes turned to Trinity Blade.
Garron, the leader of Trinity Blade, stepped forward, his expression grim. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair before speaking, his voice steady but laced with frustration.
"I'll be blunt. After yesterday, we know exactly where we stand in terms of power. Belle and Kai are stronger than us. That's undeniable."
The admission carried weight, drawing a mix of reactions—some nods of agreement, others whispers of uncertainty.
Garron exhaled sharply. "That's why I'm suggesting that Obsidian Dawn should be the ones leading the Dungeon Suppression Squad. They're the best chance we have at making an impact at the source."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the hall.
Garron pressed on. "As for us—Trinity Blade—we'll take position in the Perimeter Defense Squad. We might not be able to clear the dungeon ourselves, but we can sure as hell act as the second line of defense. If any monsters break past the frontlines, we'll be the ones making sure they don't get anywhere near the town."
His party members, Darin and Lena, nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination.
Garrick studied them for a long moment before giving a firm nod. "That's… a reasonable strategy."
Alina, who had been taking meticulous notes, stepped forward. "In that case, I'll finalize the new formations."
The decision cemented the new battle plan, and the atmosphere in the guild shifted. This was no longer about whether or not Belle should fight alone. This was about standing together.
Belle, however, remained silent. She could still feel the lingering gazes on her—some filled with admiration, others with expectation. They weren't saying it out loud, but she could hear their unspoken thoughts. She would be the one to turn the tide if things went south.
She exhaled slowly. She never asked for that role. But if it came down to it… she would do what needed to be done.
Kai, sensing her unease, nudged her slightly with his elbow. "You good?"
Belle blinked, pulled from her thoughts. She smirked. "What, worried about me?"
Kai scoffed. "Nah. Just wondering if you're getting tired of everyone looking at you like you're some kind of goddess."
Belle's smirk faltered slightly as she glanced around the hall. Even after the discussion, people still whispered about her.
"I'm used to it," she murmured.
Kai frowned but didn't push the issue. He knew she was lying. Instead, he threw an arm over her shoulder with a grin. "Well, at least you're leading the frontlines with me. Don't slow me down, got it?"
Belle rolled her eyes, shoving him off. "You're the one who keeps getting into trouble. I should be telling you that."
Kai only laughed, and for the first time since the meeting started, Belle felt a bit of the tension ease from her chest.
Garrick turned to Gale and Roderic. "If there's nothing else, we begin the operation immediately."
Roderic nodded. "The knights are already assembled. We move out at once. It'll take about half a day's walk to the dungeon. We don't have much time."
Gale smirked slightly, his green eyes flashing with determination. "Let's see how many of these monsters we can cut down before Belle."
As the knights and adventurers began the final preparations, Dawnstead braced itself for the coming battle.
Meanwhile, deep within the dungeon, past the crumbling ruins and endless darkness, a crystal pulsed.
The dungeon core—a massive, crystallized mass of pure mana—sat in the heart of the labyrinth, its translucent surface flickering with erratic energy. The usual gentle hum of its magic was gone. Instead, the core throbbed, sending pulses of energy rippling through the chamber like the slow, rhythmic beat of a heart.
THUMP.
Cracks splintered across its surface, faint and jagged, like veins of spreading sickness. The air around it shimmered, thick with miasma, an unnatural fog twisting into dark tendrils that coiled and writhed like something alive. The corruption had taken root—feeding, mutating, growing.
THUMP.
The energy surges became more violent, resonating outward through the dungeon like an unholy heartbeat. The once-stable cavern trembled as dormant creatures stirred. Something was forming within the core.
Not just a monster. Something new. Something born from the very essence of the dungeon itself.
And soon… it would awaken.
End of Chapter 49