The rescue team advanced into the depths of the dungeon, determination etched on their faces. Bell's disappearance haunted each of them, and despite their fatigue, no one slowed down. Torches flickered as Finn, Aiz, Riveria, Bete, Aisha, Welf, and Lili cautiously descended into the depths of the dungeon. The atmosphere was oppressive. Every sound, every movement of shadow made Lili shudder.
Aiz led the way, her gaze fixed on the darkness with icy intensity. Beside her, Aisha, her face set, advanced with a quick step, her fists clenched to the point of shaking.
— "Bell is out there, somewhere. He must be hurt. He needs us."
Aiz, silent, moved with remarkable speed and precision. Her instincts told her that Bell was alive. But where exactly?
— "We have to go faster." Aisha growled.
Finn, though as worried as she was, called her to order.
— "We must conserve our energy. If Bell has fallen too low, we will need all our strength to find him and survive there."
Welf adjusted his sword on his back and nodded.
— "He's right. We don't even know which floor he fell on. If we exhaust ourselves now, we'll be vulnerable."
— "This silence is disturbing..." Welf murmured, tightening his grip on his sword.
Lili clutched her crossbow to her, fear and frustration mixed in her eyes.
— "Bell-sama… Where are you?" she whispered.
The lower they went, the more the atmosphere changed.
The air was getting heavier, thicker.
Even the most experienced adventurers like Bete and Riveria felt an oppressive sensation.
— "It's strange…" Riveria murmured, scanning the walls of the dungeon.
Finn frowned.
— "Did you spot anything?"
She nodded, scanning her surroundings intently.
— "The mana here is abnormally dense… As if something had disturbed it."
Aisha, impatient, swept the air with a gesture.
— "This dungeon is an aberration in itself. Everything that happens in it is abnormal. But I don't care about that. All that matters is finding Bell."
— "The dungeon… has changed." she added.
Lili's eyes widened.
- "How so ?"
Riveria placed a hand on the wall. The energy of the dungeon was different, almost unstable.
— "The passage through which we should be able to descend lower… no longer exists."
Aiz looked around, puzzled.
Bete clenched his fists in frustration.
— "What the hell is going on?!"
Finn took a moment to think.
— "This is not normal. The dungeon does not block access to the lower floors without reason… unless it considers Bell a threat, or he has brought the threat."
Aisha gritted her teeth.
— "You mean he trapped him there?"
Riveria nodded.
— "It is a possibility. And if it is, we are facing a major problem."
As they searched for another route, a distant howl shook the air.
A bestial, powerful cry, resonating in the depths.
Lili shivered.
— "What was that?"
Finn drew his spear.
— "Whatever. We have to find Bell before whatever screamed that finds him first."
Aiz, without waiting, rushed towards a narrow passage.
— "Here. This path goes down lower."
Without hesitation, the group followed her.
— "Creatures that shouldn't be here… The dungeon is trying to stop us from moving forward."
Lili, terrified, took a step back.
— "It's like the dungeon doesn't want us to reach Bell-sama."
Aiz clenched her sword, a cold flame igniting in her gaze.
— "Then we will force our way through."
The monsters charged.
Tiona and Tione leapt forward, screaming in rage.
Aiz sliced through the first monster in one swift attack, her sword releasing a sharp wave of wind.
Aisha, for her part, violently struck an opponent, her fist slamming against the creature's thick shell.
— "These bastards are strong!" she growled.
Finn coordinated the attacks, his voice carrying through the darkness.
— "Welf, support us from a distance! Lili, stay back and cover us! Riveria, prepare an area magic!"
The fight raged.
But the further they went, the more monsters appeared.
But as they progressed, the air grew heavier. The environment seemed… hostile.
They felt it.
Something was wrong.
Meanwhile on the 18th floor, Tammuz ran through the dark alleys of Ruvira, his breath short, his heart pounding. His plan had failed. Bell was still alive. Worse yet, he had witnessed her assassination attempt.
He clenched his fists.
"Shit... Shit... Shit!"
Everything had gone perfectly. He had used the divine mana box to force the dungeon to create an invincible monster, he had stood up to Aisha and her team, and when he had realized that the situation was getting out of hand, he had summoned Lambton, hoping that the monster would take Bell away.
in the abyss of the dungeon.
But now...
He didn't even know if Bell was dead.
No.
He could feel it deep down. This kid always had a ridiculous way of surviving the impossible.
What if he reappears?
What if Ishtar learned of her failure?
What if the Loki Familia was hunting him down after what he did?
He had to disappear.
As he walked into a darker alley, he felt a presence.
"Tammuz."
A hoarse, cold, inhuman voice.
Tammuz stopped dead, his hand on his weapon.
Before him, a figure emerged from the shadows. A man dressed in a long black coat, his face hidden under a large hat.
The same man who gave him the weapon to summon Lambton.
"You failed."
Tammuz swallowed. He had accepted this weapon without question. All he wanted was to eliminate Bell, this runt who was becoming too dangerous.
But he had never asked why this mysterious man had offered him such an opportunity.
And now...
"Who are you?" he asked in a tense voice.
The man didn't answer. He simply raised his hand, and a strange dark aura began to surround him.
Tammuz felt a cold shiver run down his spine.
He immediately drew his blade.
"I'm not afraid of you."
The man tilted his head slightly, as if amused.
"I know."
Then, without warning, he disappeared.
Tammuz barely had time to react.
A cold breath brushed the back of his neck.
He spun around, slicing the air with his sword. But he hit nothing.
A whisper reached him.
"The goddess Ishtar can no longer protect you."
Tammuz opened his eyes wide.
"What ?!"
But already the shadow had dissipated.
The man was gone.
Tammuz stood frozen, his weapon shaking slightly in his hand.
A bad feeling came over him.
Ishtar... in danger?
He had to get back to her as soon as possible.
Something much bigger was at play.
The darkness of the 38th floor enveloped Bell Cranel like a funeral shroud. His breath was short, his left arm throbbed with a searing pain, and his legs trembled with the effort. He staggered onto the cold, damp rock, clutching his sword to his chest.
"Shit... I have to move... I can't stay here."
He looked up. Around him, a desolate landscape stretched out, broken stone columns, underground rivers of abysmal black, and caves so deep they seemed to never end. No luminous crystals illuminated this area, only a faint blueish halo emanating from the rock gave a spectral impression.
Bell was alone.
He thought back to Eina's words:
"The Deep Floors are another world, Bell. This is no longer a dungeon, it's a graveyard for adventurers."
A bitter smirk played on his face.
"Great..."
A Survivor's Awakening
Bell leaned against a rock wall and opened his bag. He only had two minor potions and a medicinal herb left.
"I have to save up... If I run into a monster now, it'll be the end."
- "This is how it all began... alone. This is how it ends.Alone"
He slowly undid the scarf Aisha had given him and tightened it around his left arm as a bandage. The feel of the fabric gave him a brief sense of comfort.
"Aisha..."
He closed his eyes for a moment, holding on to that thought.
Suddenly, a dull noise echoed in the distance. Heavy footsteps... A monster.
Bell froze. His heart was pounding.
In the darkness, a pair of scarlet eyes opened. Then another. Then another.
"Fuck..."
Three Orthrus—two-headed, higher-level dogs known for hunting in packs—were slowly advancing toward him.
Bell stood up, gripping the hilt of his sword, his arm still aching. He couldn't run. He had to fight.
"I'm going to have to go all out... despite the pain."
The first Orthrus leapt. Bell rolled to the side to dodge, but the pain in his arm crippled him, and one of the monster's claws grazed his torso, slicing through his armor.
"Tch... They're fast."
The second attacked immediately after. Bell countered with Firebolt, but the monster narrowly dodged, leaving him exposed to the third, who charged at him.
"No choice!"
Bell activated Eternity Cryostasis, creating a wall of ice that repelled the attack. He followed up by concentrating his magic.
O icy wind, cover the earth with an immaculate shroud. Let eternal peace descend and let my vengeance be engraved in ice. Cryostasis of Eternity
Chains of ice burst from the ground, trapping the three Orthrus. Bell took advantage of this to rush towards the first one and plunged his sword into its throat. The monster let out one last howl before collapsing.
The other two broke the ice and attacked him simultaneously. Bell parried the first assault with his sword, but the second one slammed into him hard, sending him rolling several meters.
His breath was short. His injuries were piling up.
"If I fall here... it's over."
Bell struggled to his feet, activating Argonaut. A golden light surrounded him, illuminating the cave.
The Orthrus hesitated.
Bell smiled.
"It's time to finish this."
He leapt, striking with devastating power. His sword flared under Argonaut's glow and slashed down at the monsters. An explosion of ice and flame filled the air.
When the dust settled, the Orthrus' limp bodies lay on the ground.
Bell, exhausted, fell to his knees.
He had won. But he was exhausted.
As he caught his breath, Bell looked up into the darkness of the 38th floor.
"I have to go back up..."
But before he could take a single step, a dull roar echoed through the cavern.
Something even greater had heard him.
Bell, his eyes filled with fatigue and determination, smiled despite everything.
"Come on... what are you waiting for?"
To be continued...