Chapter 53 - Dungeon And A Pallum
As he entered the dungeon this time, Bell used a rune for aura concealment.
In the recent trainings, his familiarity with runes had become clear enough.
'Hmm, it blocks both presence and sound.'
Several Killer Ants crawled past, but they didn't notice Bell; instead, they continued crawling along the walls and ground.
"As long as I don't show myself away, it'll be difficult for monsters to detect my location."
"There are still some practice I need to do."
Bell targeted a Killer Ant at the rear, stepped on its shell, and killed it with the sword.
Then, without waiting for the other Killer Ants to react, he used runes again.
"..."
The other Killer Ants, alerted to the slain one, turned their heads to the magic stone left on the ground.
All four Killer Ants searched for the enemy's location but couldn't find it.
This scene confirmed one thing.
'Even after taking down a Killer Ant, the others can't locate me.'
"It seems the effect for this rune is usefule for assassinations."
After confirming this, Bell didn't linger on the seventh floor.
The first ten floors are upper floors, but the monsters on these floors aren't ideal for direct confrontation.
Either they lack a physical form or wield their own sharp weapons.
Similarly, Frog Shooter's attack is less physical and more socially unsettling. Killer Ants require resistance to abnormal statuses to engage effectively.
Therefore, while upper floors are foundational for adventurers, real Dungeon generally begins on the twelfth floor.
Typically, Level 1 adventurers looking to improve their stats head to the seventh and tenth floors, where they can spar with Orcs and Infant Dragons.
These monsters not only have strong stats but also spawn at a good rate.
Also, When Orcs appear, they come in groups, so it's best not to go to the floor alone without a certain level of strength.
Upon reaching the eleventh floor, Bell could immediately feel that this floor differed from the previous ones.
While the first ten floor felt like caves, this floor took on the true characteristics of a dungeon.
It was no longer a mere cave but a floor with a maze-like ceiling.
The entire area was shrouded in a layer of white mist, obscuring the path ahead and providing monsters with a natural hiding environment.
"It's a pretty unique setting. The maze ceiling is white, almost like there's a sky."
Looking up, Bell couldn't help but feel a bit awe.
Still, Bell knew that this sky was merely an illusion created by the Dungeon. The ceiling wasn't very high.
"Ahhhh!!!"
A scream from nearby caught Bell's attention.
He approached the sound and saw a Pallum girl with an oversized pack, using a hidden arrow to fend off adventurers surrounded by Orcs.
Bell's gaze wasn't on the unfortunate adventurers but on the Pallum girl herself.
Her face showed no remorse in her actions, only numbness to the killing.
Orario had no shortage of adventurers like her.
Bell recognized this Pallum girl.
'Liliruca Arde.'
Bell had no positive feelings toward this girl.
Perhaps she might change one day, but Bell had no intention of pulling her out of her circumstances.
She had chosen her path, and the adventurers who fell at her hands served as proof.
Without intervention, this girl would likely remain under Soma Familia's oppression.
Even so, Bell held no sympathy for her.
So, with just a passing glance, Bell turned away.
As if now, Bell didn't feel the need to add anyone to the Hestia familia, and this girl wasn't an irreplaceable figure.
As Bell took a step forward, a purple light enveloped his whole body.
The Orcs and other monsters appearing on this floor were quickly dealt by Bell.
"Just as expected."
Orcs have an extraordinary sense of smell and hearing. Even in such dense fog, they can detect footsteps and locate adventurers.
As the sound of an Orc's scream echoed, other nearby Orcs gathered.
Seven or eight Orcs converged, presenting an intimidating sight.
OH!!!
A massive Orc rushed forward, swinging a heavy claymore.
Bell didn't dodge immediately. Instead, he controlled his center of gravity, preparing in advance.
Just as the claymore was about to hit him, he shifted, narrowly avoiding the strike while keeping it close enough to graze him.
With the physical enhancement from the template, everything infront of him looked like a slowmo clip.
Bell angled his body to avoid part of the claymore's impact, still enduring some of its force.
Simultaneously, Bell grasped the Orc's general stats.
'The strength is considerable, almost on par with a Level 2 Minotaur.'
'It has a sturdy build, likely with immense defensive power and substantial muscle mass.'
'But resistance to magic should be low.'
'It's a low-level 'dummy' for me at this stage.'
After confirming the Orc's characteristics, Bell wasn't surprised at all.
Morever, When it comes to pure agility, Orcs struggle to keep up with an adventurer's pace, only gaining an edge by their numbers.
However, their numbers meant little to Bell.
If anything, Bell needed a considerable number of Orcs to squeeze out template percentage.
'Well, let's get started.'
Meanwhile, on the tenth floor, a Pallum girl had just killed three adventurers and collected their loot.
Yet, her face remained emotionless.
Ambush and murder were simply routine for this Pallum girl.
For the purpose of surviving, she worked tirelessly.
She knew her actions were wrong and that they would be scorned in Orario.
But to survive, she saw no other choice.
The girl understood this was only an excuse to mask her ugly crimes.
But right now, she clung to these excuses—without them, she might despise herself even more.
"How much longer will this continue?"
Liliruca had no idea when it would end.
With a numb expression, she headed back up, carrying her things.
As Liliruca reached the sixth floor, two people suddenly appeared in front of her.
Seeing them, her body trembled uncontrollably.
She recognized these two—fellow members of the Soma Familia, but they were adventurers, not supporters like her.
"Hey, Lili, looks like you had a good harvest today."
A sly smile appeared on one of their faces, his eyes gleaming with greed as he eyed her stuffed backpack.
He knew exactly how much Liliruca could gain as a supporter, and he was waiting for her to complete her haul.
Only after she succeeded could he take everything she had gathered.
Liliruca knew she was being robbed but was powerless to resist. Refusal wasn't even an option.
"Just hand it over if you don't want a beating."
The man's face twisted with greed and cruelty. He had no remorse about abusing a Pallum girl; for him, it was routine.
The weak are inevitably swallowed by the strong—just as he was doing to Liliruca.
Not for any other reason, simply because, as an adventurer, he was much stronger than Liliruca.
Though she couldn't defend herself, she had hidden some valuable items near the tenth floor entrance, leaving only lesser items in her pack.
Being someone frequently exploited, Liliruca knew she couldn't fight back but had learned how to reduce her losses.
The man rifled through her backpack, his expression souring at the worthless scraps inside.
"Tch, nothing but junk."
Despite the lack of valuable items, he took everything.
Before leaving, he shot her a smug grin.
"Better work harder tomorrow, Lili."
Liliruca simply lowered her head, clenching her fists behind her back in silent frustration, knowing she was powerless to do anything.
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