Bell Cranel's descent into the depths of the Dungeon continued at a pace that would have left even the greatest adventurers in awe. Each floor had grown exponentially in size, their expanses larger than the one before, sprawling like entire regions of Orario itself.
By now, he was well beyond the 50th floor, moving into uncharted territory. The 50th to 60th floors were unlike anything he had seen before. They were vast, endless caverns that dwarfed entire districts of Orario, their ceilings disappearing into dark abysses above, while the ground stretched endlessly toward the horizon. What had once been areas the size of a city block on earlier floors was now the equivalent of entire cities stacked on top of each other.
The 54th floor, for instance, was an underground wasteland, barren and dry, its surface cracked and broken like a desert with jagged cliffs looming over vast valleys. The air was thick, heavy with a strange pressure, as if the weight of the entire Dungeon pressed down on this one place. The heat and dryness made it feel like Rakia's unforgiving deserts, except here, the danger lurked in the shadows, hidden in caverns and fissures, ready to pounce.
Yet Bell moved with the same relaxed grace he always carried, his stride fluid, his senses keen. His crimson coat fluttered lightly behind him, barely showing a wrinkle despite the dense, humid air that thickened with every floor.
Floor 57: The River of Blades
By the time Bell reached the 57th floor, the Dungeon had shifted again. The floor was a sprawling network of underground rivers, their waters rushing through narrow stone passages like veins in a body. The eerie glow of the water reflected off the jagged rock formations, casting long, flickering shadows along the walls.
Monsters moved with the current, lurking in the depths, their movements concealed by the rushing waters. Some rose from the depths to strike, but Bell didn't even flinch. The moment a beast lunged, he sidestepped effortlessly, using his momentum to throw a devastating punch that left the creature broken and sinking back into the waters.
His movements were like a dance—each step calculated, each strike a symphony of destruction. Bell flowed between martial arts techniques, combining his Limitless powers with his body's natural fluidity. With one hand, he would strike with overwhelming force, while with the other, he controlled the very space around him, warping reality to twist and disorient his enemies.
At one point, he extended his hand and stopped the water in a section of the river entirely, freezing it in place. The monsters trapped within it writhed, helpless as Bell delivered a flurry of precise strikes, each one cracking through their armored hides with surgical accuracy. He let the water flow again, their bodies drifting downstream in his wake.
Floor 59: The Abyssal Hollow
The 59th floor was where the Dungeon began to feel truly alive. The cavern was as vast as a mountain range, a gaping, hollow maw of darkness with enormous stalactites hanging from the ceiling like the fangs of some ancient beast. The floor stretched for what seemed like miles—Bell couldn't even see the end of it, and every sound echoed endlessly into the void.
It was here that the monsters grew even bolder, and the Dungeon's twisted nature became more apparent. The floor was alive, shifting and groaning beneath him as if trying to repel his very presence. But Bell was undeterred. In fact, he welcomed the challenge.
As he strolled forward, the ground beneath him suddenly gave way. Bell smirked, his instincts sharp, and instead of falling, he used the air as his footing—activating Limitless to create invisible platforms beneath his feet. He sprinted through the air, watching as the Dungeon tried to throw him off course, but he outmaneuvered it at every turn, darting between collapsing stones and surging torrents of energy as if it were a simple obstacle course.
Floor 60: The War of the Beasts
Finally, Bell arrived on the 60th floor—and it was there that the Dungeon decided to show him just how serious it was.
The air crackled with ominous energy as soon as he stepped onto the floor. It was an enormous battlefield, stretching out before him like an open arena of stone and fire. The temperature was unbearable, with pools of lava bubbling up from cracks in the ground, illuminating the area in a fiery glow.
And standing at the center of the floor, waiting for him, was an army.
Monsters upon monsters crowded the battlefield—towering Balor Rexes, their hulking forms burning with fire and shadow, stood at the frontlines. Behind them were hundreds of Juggernauts, their deadly, blade-like limbs twitching as they prepared for war. It was an army fit for the deepest hell of the Dungeon, a sight that would have broken the spirit of even the greatest heroes.
But not Bell.
He grinned—a wild, savage grin that stretched across his face. This was what he had been waiting for. The excitement bubbled in his chest, his bloodlust rising to the surface. He could feel the itch to fight, the need to tear through this army and revel in the carnage.
With a deep breath, Bell raised his hands, flexing his fingers. On each palm, the circular seals of power pulsed with energy—ten rings on each hand, keeping his full strength contained. But today, he felt like letting loose. He smirked, speaking softly to himself.
"Let's have some fun."
With a simple thought, he released one ring on each hand. 2/20ths of his power now fully unveiled.
The surge of energy was immediate and violent. The air around Bell crackled with raw power, distorting and warping under the pressure. His aura flared to life—a brilliant, blinding force that pushed the very atmosphere away from him. The monsters on the battlefield shifted uneasily, sensing the sudden change.
Bell's grin only widened as he launched himself forward, his speed blurring him into nothing more than a streak of light.
The first Balor Rex roared and swung its massive fist down at him, but Bell dodged with ease, slipping past its attack as though the monster were moving in slow motion. He moved up the beast's arm, planting a foot on its elbow before driving his fist into its face with enough force to crack the stone beneath them.
The Balor's head exploded in a shower of black fire, its body collapsing in a heap. But Bell didn't stop there. He leaped into the air, twisting and spinning as he unleashed a barrage of blows on the monsters around him.
"Is this it?!" Bell yelled, his laughter growing louder with every attack. "This is what the Dungeon sends?!" He slammed his foot into the chest of another Balor, sending it flying across the battlefield, crashing into its kin like a wrecking ball.
"Pathetic!" Bell laughed, his voice echoing through the battlefield. "Come on, you oversized barbecue coal! I've seen tougher monsters at a children's party!"
A Juggernaut lunged at him, its bladed arms cutting through the air, but Bell merely smirked and twisted his body, avoiding the strike by mere millimeters. With a flick of his wrist, he activated Limitless, stopping the Juggernaut's momentum mid-air. The creature struggled, suspended in space, but Bell wasn't interested in watching it squirm.
"You're done."
With a swift motion, Bell summoned a golden spear from his Gate of Babylon and impaled the creature in one smooth strike. The Juggernaut's body convulsed before it was ripped apart by the sheer force of Bell's magic-infused spear.
Bell's laughter grew, his bloodlust at its peak. He had forgotten the need for restraint, lost in the euphoria of battle. His movements were a blur of speed and precision, his fists and feet becoming unstoppable weapons as he tore through the monsters with reckless abandon.
"Come on! Is this all you've got?!" he taunted, smashing another Juggernaut into the ground with a savage kick. "You're weaker than I expected! What a joke!"
More monsters poured in, but Bell's aura was now so intense that they hesitated. They could sense the power radiating from him—the raw, unbridled strength that made him seem more like a force of nature than a man.
Bell's eyes gleamed with wild excitement as he surveyed the battlefield. He had never felt so alive.
"Let's end this with a bang!"
With a roar, Bell unleashed the full force of his Limitless power, creating a massive gravitational field that pulled all the remaining monsters toward him. They flailed helplessly in the air, drawn into the vortex of power. With a final, devastating punch, Bell released a shockwave that obliterated them all in one fell swoop.
The battlefield fell silent. The dust settled.
Bell stood in the center, breathing heavily, his body glowing with residual energy. His laughter echoed through the now-empty floor as he looked around at the carnage he had caused.
And then, just as quickly, his wild grin faded, replaced by a calm, satisfied smile.
"Well, that was fun."