Bell Cranel felt the steady pulse of his divine power coursing through his veins, his senses heightened by the sheer amount of energy he was wielding. The group had been descending through the Dungeon for what felt like days, but none of them showed signs of fatigue. Bell, along with Ottar, Finn, Ais, Tiona, Tione, and the elite of Freya Familia, bulldozed through the lower floors like they were playgrounds. No monster, no beast, no floor guardian had been able to slow their advance.
Their camaraderie and the thrill of battle kept them pushing deeper and deeper, beyond even the known floors. The further they went, the less they cared about their surroundings, each floor blending into the next as the powerful group tore through wave after wave of increasingly monstrous creatures.
Bell barely had to think anymore. His power—both magical and divine—responded to his every instinct. A flick of his wrist could shatter the ground beneath him, sending a torrent of rock and debris into an incoming swarm of monsters. His sword, glowing with a pale ethereal light, moved faster than ever before, cleaving through anything in his path.
Ottar, towering as ever, fought with brute force, his immense strength sending shockwaves through the air as he demolished creatures left and right. Finn's spear danced in perfect precision, and Ais' wind-swept swordplay cut through monsters like butter. Tiona and Tione moved in tandem, their laughter almost playful as they dispatched enemies with effortless grace.
It was almost too easy. They had stopped counting the floors long ago. The Dungeon, once considered the most dangerous place in the world, had become a mere playground for them.
Bell leapt over a ravine, his divine power making his movements swift and graceful. He landed beside Finn, who was inspecting a strange rune carved into the wall of the Dungeon. It was ancient, crackling with faint magical energy, but nothing that posed any threat.
"We're deeper than anyone's ever been," Finn commented, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. "The Dungeon should be throwing its worst at us… and yet, it hasn't been much of a challenge."
Bell nodded, wiping some dirt from his brow. "I've been thinking the same. We've faced floor bosses before that were harder than this. It's almost like the Dungeon's…" He hesitated, not sure how to phrase it. "Afraid of us."
Tiona, overhearing, let out a snort of laughter. "Afraid of us? We've been too good for this place for a while now."
Ottar grunted, agreeing with her. "This power we've gained… perhaps we have surpassed the Dungeon itself."
Ais, standing quietly beside them, didn't say anything but the sharp gleam in her eyes indicated she was on the same wavelength. Something felt off, but none of them could quite put their finger on it.
They continued forward, fighting for the joy of it, exploring simply because they could. The monsters came, but they fell like leaves in a storm, and the Dungeon itself seemed to quake beneath their overwhelming might.
It wasn't until they reached a new, unfamiliar floor that something changed.
The air around them grew thick with tension, and a faint metallic scent of blood hung in the atmosphere. The walls of the Dungeon looked darker, slick with some kind of ominous fluid. Finn's keen eyes narrowed as they approached a large cavern, the sound of hushed voices echoing from deeper within.
"Be on guard," he said softly, signaling to the others.
The group moved forward cautiously, their powerful presence filling the room. As they stepped into the cavern, they saw something that gave them pause.
A group of adventurers—or what remained of them—lay scattered across the stone floor, their bodies battered and bloodied. Most had died with expressions of fear etched onto their faces. Bell's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the scene, his sharp senses picking up traces of lingering magical energy—strong, dark magic that didn't belong to the Dungeon.
At the center of the carnage stood a group of figures cloaked in shadows. There were four of them, all draped in black robes with strange symbols stitched into the fabric. Their faces were obscured, but the aura they exuded was one of raw, malicious power.
"Who are they?" Tione whispered, her usually confident tone subdued.
Finn's hand tightened around his spear. "I don't know… but whoever they are, they're not ordinary adventurers."
The cloaked figures hadn't noticed them yet, too focused on what appeared to be a ritual of some kind. The cavern's air grew colder, darker, as a strange, purple glow began to pulse from the symbols on their robes. Their magic was thick, almost suffocating, and Bell could feel the weight of it pressing against his own divine power.
Before they could act, the figures seemed to sense their presence. Slowly, one of them turned to face the group, though their face remained hidden beneath their hood. A strange, unsettling laugh echoed through the chamber, and with a wave of their hand, a portal of swirling darkness opened at their feet.
"Another time," the figure said in a cold, mocking voice. "We'll meet again, gods and heroes."
Without another word, the cloaked figures stepped through the portal and vanished, leaving only silence behind.
Bell's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. Whoever those people were, they were powerful—dangerously so. He could sense it. And worse, they seemed completely unfazed by his and his companions' presence.
The rest of the group remained on high alert, their weapons still drawn as they scanned the cavern. "What was that?" Ais finally asked, her voice as cold as the air around them.
"I don't know," Finn admitted, his brow furrowed in thought. "But whoever they are, they're not just adventurers or some random cult. There's something… bigger at play here."
Bell clenched his fists, the remnants of the dark magic still lingering in the air like an uncomfortable itch. "We should head back to the surface and report this. Whatever they were doing here… it's not over."
Back in Orario, the group made their way to their respective Familia manors. Bell, Freya, and Ottar returned to Freya's mansion, while Finn, Ais, and the others returned to the Loki Familia's headquarters. The mysterious encounter weighed heavily on all their minds.
That night, Bell sat in one of Freya's grand chambers, his mind replaying the events of the day. He could still feel the dark presence of those figures, the way their magic had twisted the very air around them. It wasn't just their power that unnerved him—it was the way they had disappeared without any sign of fear, even when facing gods and top-tier adventurers.
Freya approached him, her hand gently resting on his shoulder. "You're troubled, my love."
Bell looked up at her, his eyes thoughtful. "Something about those people… they were different. Strong, yes, but there was something else. I think even the gods might be wary of them."
Freya's expression darkened slightly, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. "You may be right. There are forces in this world… beyond even the gods' control."
Bell felt a chill run down his spine. If even the gods were wary of them, then who were these mysterious figures? And what were they planning?
"We'll find out soon enough," Bell said quietly, determination filling his voice. "But until then… we need to be prepared."
Freya leaned in closer, her breath warm against his ear. "I have no doubt you'll rise to meet whatever challenge comes your way, Bell. After all… you're more than just a mortal hero now."
Bell nodded, though his mind remained on the dark figures in the Dungeon. Whoever they were, they were no ordinary threat—and soon, he would have to face them head-on.