The morning sun bathed Orario in a golden glow, but Maki Zenin's focus was elsewhere. Standing at the base of Babel, the towering structure that guarded the entrance to the Dungeon, she felt a mix of anticipation and unease. She had faced death and monsters before, but this place felt different. Alive.
Behind her, Scathach-Skadi stood with her usual calm demeanour, the faintest hint of a smile playing on her lips.
"You hesitate," Scathach observed.
Maki scoffed, gripping the hilt of the spear she had chosen from Scathach's armoury. "I don't hesitate. I analyse."
Scathach's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Good. Keep that mindset. The Dungeon is unlike any battlefield you've known. It adapts. It learns. Treat it as a living enemy, and you may survive."
Without another word, Scathach turned and led the way into Babel. The interior was bustling with adventurers preparing for their dives, some clad in shining armor, others in simple leather gear. The air buzzed with energy, a mix of excitement and tension.
Maki followed silently, her gaze sweeping the room. She noted the confidence—or arrogance—on some faces, the apprehension on others. It was a microcosm of warriors, and she was determined to carve out her place among them.
The first floor of the Dungeon was deceptively quiet. The wide, stone corridors stretched out before them, illuminated by an eerie, natural glow. Scathach walked ahead, her movements graceful and unhurried.
"Stay close," she said. "The monsters here are weak, but overconfidence will get you killed."
Maki bristled but said nothing. She had no intention of underestimating anything.
Not ten steps later, a goblin lunged from the shadows, its claws reaching for Maki's throat. She reacted instantly, spinning her spear and driving its tip through the creature's chest. It let out a strangled cry before disintegrating into a pile of black ash.
"Well done," Scathach said, her tone neutral. "But that was only a test. The Dungeon will not be so forgiving as you go deeper."
As if on cue, the walls seemed to ripple, and more goblins emerged, accompanied by larger, hulking kobolds. Maki took a defensive stance, adrenaline surging through her veins.
"Focus on precision," Scathach instructed, her own spear at the ready. "Do not waste energy on unnecessary movements."
The monsters charged, and the battle began in earnest.
Maki fought with a ferocity born of experience, her spear a blur as it cut through the swarm of monsters. Her movements were sharp and deliberate, honed by years of training in her previous life.
But the Dungeon was relentless. For every monster she felled, two more seemed to take its place. Sweat dripped down her brow as her muscles began to ache.
A kobold leapt at her from the side, its claws aiming for her exposed flank. Maki twisted, barely avoiding the strike, and countered with a thrust that pierced its throat. She turned to face the next threat, only to find the corridor empty.
The fight was over.
"You're adapting quickly," Scathach said, stepping over the remains of a goblin. Unlike Maki, she appeared completely unruffled, her spear still gleaming and untouched. "But your form is unrefined. You rely too much on brute force."
"Brute force works," Maki shot back, though she knew the critique was valid.
Scathach's lips twitched in what might have been amusement. "Against fodder, perhaps. But deeper floors will require more than raw strength. Come. We continue."
Hours passed as they descended through the Dungeon's levels. Each floor brought new challenges—traps hidden in the walls, more intelligent monsters, and shifting terrain. Maki's body screamed in protest, but she pushed through, her determination unyielding.
On the seventh floor, they encountered their first true challenge.
A silverback gorilla, towering over Maki by several feet, emerged from the shadows with a deafening roar. Its massive fists slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves through the corridor.
"Finally," Maki muttered, a grin tugging at her lips. This was the kind of fight she had been craving.
Scathach stepped back, her gaze cool. "This one is yours. Prove yourself."
Maki didn't need to be told twice. She charged, her spear aimed at the silverback's chest. The creature swung a massive arm to intercept her, but she ducked under the blow, using the momentum to drive her spear into its side.
The silverback roared in pain, but it wasn't done yet. It spun, its fist catching Maki in the ribs and sending her sprawling.
"Damn it," she hissed, rolling to her feet. Her ribs ached, but the pain only fueled her determination.
The silverback charged, and Maki met it head-on. This time, she anticipated its movements, dodging its strikes with precision. She waited for an opening, then drove her spear upward, piercing its throat.
The silverback let out a final, guttural cry before collapsing, its body dissolving into ash.
Maki stood over the remains, breathing hard but victorious.
"Well done," Scathach said, approaching. "You're beginning to understand."
Maki smirked, despite her exhaustion. "Told you brute force works."
Scathach chuckled softly, a sound that sent a shiver down Maki's spine. "Perhaps. But this is only the beginning. The Dungeon's true dangers lie much deeper."
As they ascended back to the surface, Maki felt a strange sense of satisfaction. The Dungeon was brutal, relentless, and unpredictable—but it was also exhilarating.
Back in Orario, the sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. Maki followed Scathach to a quiet tavern, where they claimed a table in the corner.
"You've done well for your first descent," Scathach said, pouring herself a glass of wine. "But if you wish to grow stronger, you must embrace the trials ahead. The Dungeon is only one part of this world's challenges."
Maki leaned back in her chair, her body still aching but her spirit alight. "I can handle whatever this world throws at me."
Scathach's violet eyes glimmered with something unreadable. "We shall see, Maki Zenin. We shall see."