Chapter 78 — Guiding the Protagonist, Bell!
Inside the Dungeon's third floor, two figures—one tall, one short—walked cautiously through the dim, rocky corridor.
For beginners, the first three floors were considered the ideal training ground. The monsters here were the weakest in the Dungeon, and their respawn rate was slow compared to the deeper levels.
"Bell, we've arrived."
Akira glanced around the area calmly. Nothing had changed since his first visit. The surroundings were the same: rough stone walls, faint traces of scratches left by previous battles, and that eerie yet strangely peaceful silence.
The Dungeon was a living organism. No matter how much destruction it endured, it always regenerated over time—gradually restoring itself to its original structure like a wound healing itself.
"Yes, Akira-nii," Bell replied with a respectful nod.
With a swift motion, Bell unsheathed a short dagger from his belt. It was a basic weapon, likely one of the cheap standard models provided by the Guild to newbie adventurers—affordable, simple, and functional, but barely reliable.
The quality was slightly above average, but far from ideal. Still, for someone just starting out, it was better than nothing.
Most established Familias had their own training systems and supplied proper gear to their new members. Only poor or under-resourced Familias made their members rely on handouts like this.
This was why so many people dreamed of joining a major Familia. Even just the support and training they offered could drastically change an adventurer's life.
"Here. Take this."
From the shadow beneath Akira's feet, a black blade rose up and shot toward Bell. With smooth precision, the dagger landed directly in his hand.
"A-Akira-nii… what is this…?"
Though still inexperienced, Bell had good instincts. The dagger in his hand was no ordinary weapon. It was heavier, well-balanced, and shimmered with a subtle but cold luster—clear signs of a finely crafted item.
"Consider it a little welcome gift. You're Hestia's first Familia member, and I've known her for a while. Giving you a hand is the least I can do."
"But I—"
"No buts. If you want to repay me, grow stronger. Make Hestia proud to have you by her side."
"Y-Yes! I'll do my best! I want to see her smile with pride!"
"That's the spirit."
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the corridor. From a crack in the floor, a creature slowly pulled itself out—green-skinned, hunched over, its yellow eyes gleaming with primal hunger.
A goblin.
One of the weakest monsters in the Dungeon.
Though monster appearances weren't rigidly fixed to certain floors, goblins were commonly found from floor one to five, especially among beginners.
"That's a goblin. It may be weak in general, but for you, Bell, it's still a dangerous enemy. Your first task today—defeat ten goblins."
"Understood, Akira-nii! I'll do my best!"
Despite the creature's grotesque face and menacing glare, Bell didn't back down.
With a sharp yell to pump himself up, Bell charged forward without hesitation.
For new adventurers, fear was natural. Bell was no exception. His hands trembled slightly, but he clenched his jaw and pushed forward.
After all, Hestia had gone out of her way—early in the morning no less—to personally ask Shin Akira to train him. She even gave him this amazing weapon.
How could he possibly take that effort for granted?
Even if his legs shook, even if fear clutched his chest, he had to move forward. For Hestia, for Akira-nii, and for himself.
The goblin snarled and swung its crude wooden club.
Bell's new dagger sliced through it effortlessly—the club snapped in two and scattered across the stone floor.
The blade was crafted by Tsubaki. Though technically a "rejected" product due to minor flaws, it was still a weapon made by a first-class smith, and its sharpness was unmatched.
Bell stumbled a bit from the force of his own swing, surprised at how easily it cut.
"This dagger… it's incredible!"
He had never used a real weapon before—certainly not one of this quality. Feeling its power in his hands was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
The goblin shrieked and lunged at him in rage, claws flailing wildly.
Bell kept his focus. The confidence he felt from the weapon gave him a newfound calm.
With a swift, decisive strike, he slashed through the goblin's throat. Blood splattered across the stone before the monster collapsed.
Then, like all monsters in the Dungeon, the goblin's body dissipated into black mist—leaving behind only a small Magic Stone shard.
"Akira-nii! I did it!"
Bell turned toward Akira, clutching the shard, eyes bright with excitement.
"Not bad. Keep going. You've got nine more to go."
"Yes, sir! I can do this!"
His face beamed with determination.
Akira chuckled softly and shook his head. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a Razor Shadowkhan and a Ninja Shadowkhan from the darkness.
"Keep an eye on him," he instructed.
The two silent shadow warriors nodded and melted into the surroundings, following Bell from the shadows.
Akira stretched, yawning.
These upper floors were too easy. He felt no excitement here.
With that, he found a nearby rock to lean against and lay down to rest.
And thus, Bell's first day of training officially began.
Within the hour, Bell had cleared the ten-goblin goal.
Akira then set the next task—go deeper and defeat stronger monsters.
Time passed quickly.
Without even realizing it, the afternoon had arrived. Bell had been fighting nonstop since morning.
Covered in sweat, he dropped to the floor after landing his final strike. His breathing was ragged, and his arms trembled.
The entire day had been nothing but battles—except for a brief lunch break. No fancy lectures, no special techniques—just raw, constant combat.
Still, Bell could feel it. He was learning something.
For Shin Akira, combat itself was the best teacher. Every mistake led to pain. Every injury was a lesson that would never be forgotten.
After all, pain had a way of searing a mistake into your memory far better than any verbal instruction ever could.
Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the corridor.
Bell's head snapped up.
"Akira-nii! Did you hear that? What was that sound?"
"Could be a monster. Maybe another adventurer fighting something nearby."
"Another adventurer, huh…"
"Bell. Remember this well—inside the Dungeon, the scariest thing isn't the monsters."
Bell blinked in confusion.
"…It's other humans. Because you never know what they're truly capable of doing to you."
"Eh…?"
The innocent look on Bell's face froze. He didn't quite understand what Akira meant.
But that was okay. He'd learn soon enough.
The Dungeon had a way of teaching its own lessons… the hard way.
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