I stopped right in front of the stairs leading down to the dungeon's first floor.
My feet felt like they were glued there, a sudden thought pushing its way into my head.
Wait... did I forget something? What was it?
Something really important, something I almost forgot.
"Why'd you stop?" Ukyo asked. His tone was confused, but his eyes were clearly glancing toward the dungeon entrance that was wide open in front of us, like he couldn't wait to jump down there.
I didn't answer right away. I turned slowly toward him, then let out a long sigh while slapping my forehead hard, like I was punishing myself.
How careless could I be, almost heading in without proper preparation? I mean, I was planning to go down to the tenth floor after my status update.
"Ah, sorry. Before we go into the dungeon, I need to buy armor first."
Ukyo's face immediately hardened. There was disappointment, annoyance, and also this sense of betrayal because his excitement got cut off just like that.
"Armor? Now?" He folded his arms across his chest, letting out a long, noisy sigh.
"I've been holding myself back this whole time. I can't wait to get into the dungeon... and now you're saying we have to go shopping first?"
"Why didn't you buy armor yesterday? Why does it have to be now?"
There's no way I could tell him I only thought about buying armor this morning.
Also... I realized this guy might still be pissed at me for making him wait before.
But... even if he's annoyed, I don't care. I still don't trust him anyway.
There's no reason to trust someone you just met... especially when that person's dangerous.
I took a deep breath, pushing away that guilty feeling.
So I just shrugged, too lazy to respond to his over-the-top complaining.
"If you want to dive in first, go ahead."
I challenged him, then turned around.
Ukyo looked gloomy, his foot stepping forward halfway, then back again.
"You serious? Armor just weighs you down. Isn't fighting without carrying weight on your body way cooler? Look at me, I'm not wearing armor and I'm perfectly fine."
"Yeah, that's your business." I walked lightly toward the crowd of adventurers bustling through Babel Tower's lobby, deliberately not looking his way.
"But I don't want to fight half-naked. So you coming or not, whatever."
For a moment there was no answer.
I could feel his sharp gaze stabbing into my back, like someone who's annoyed but also has no choice.
"...Damn it." Ukyo finally muttered, then walked after me with heavy steps.
"You're so annoying, you know that?"
I glanced back briefly, a thin smile appearing on my face.
"Thanks."
Ukyo growled quietly, like he wanted to protest more, but swallowed his words back down.
"Fine, fine. If buying a turtle shell makes you feel safer, I'll come along," he said while adjusting his clothes with a dramatic pose.
We walked together toward the lift that could take me up the tower.
"By the way," Ukyo's voice came from behind, sounding confused.
"Where are you going? Didn't you say you wanted to buy equipment?"
"Yeah," I answered shortly without looking back, my steps still steady cutting through the crowd.
"I do want to buy equipment."
"So... where's the equipment seller?" he asked again, this time having to walk fast to catch up with me.
"Upstairs."
"Upstairs?" His voice pitched higher, full of confusion.
"Yeah."
I could hear his footsteps stop for a moment behind me, like he was processing the information I just gave him.
"Wait..." Ukyo finally spoke again, this time with disbelief in his tone.
"Does this tower have merchants inside it?"
I just nodded while continuing to walk, too lazy to give more explanation.
Ukyo let out a long sigh, sounding like a mix of surprise and annoyance.
"So... this whole tower is that complete? There are even shops? Damn, I thought this tower was just a giant dungeon full of monsters."
I smiled thinly, holding myself back from laughing at him.
"If that were true, adventurers probably would've gone extinct a long time ago."
Didn't take long before we arrived at a circular platform that looked like a big lift. Hundreds of other adventurers were passing by around it, some with backpacks full of stuff, others carrying new weapons still gleaming in the light.
This lively atmosphere made the air feel alive, like a walking market.
Ukyo looked around with a mixed expression.
"I really feel like an idiot right now..."
"Good. At least you're self-aware," I replied coldly while stepping into the lift.
The lift slowly rose with a gentle vibration.
"So... this is like a giant box that can move up and down just with the help of certain tools?" he muttered while staring around, his eyes clearly full of disbelief.
I just shrugged.
"Yeah, pretty much. Normal, right?"
"Normal, you say?!" His voice got louder, making several other adventurers riding the lift glance over briefly.
"Where I'm from, this is unimaginable!"
I turned for a second, looking at his mixed expression of annoyance and shock.
"If you're still gonna be shocked, better save your energy. We just went up. There's way more weird stuff inside this tower."
Ukyo clenched his fist, clearly frustrated with my too-casual attitude.
"You're... really annoying. Like I'm the stupid one here."
"If the shoe fits, don't complain," I shot back shortly while crossing my arms.
For some reason I was copying Gob's signature communication style.
Ukyo huffed, clearly unsatisfied, but he finally looked away from the lift walls and stared at me.
"Fine, I won't be surprised anymore. But I gotta say, all this luxury is pointless if you're just gonna buy a sack of rice wrapped in leather. We're already wasting our precious time on this."
A big question mark appeared in my head.
What's this guy even talking about? I wanted to ask but my pride screamed don't, so we both just stayed quiet.
The lift kept vibrating softly, taking us higher.
Finally, the mechanical sound stopped with a click.
The door opened, showing a wide corridor filled with neatly lined shops. Rows of gleaming armor displayed in windows, merchants shouting their wares, and adventurers busy haggling prices.
I stepped out without hesitation, while Ukyo just stood frozen at the doorway.
His eyes widened, his face clearly filled with amazement.
"What the hell..." he whispered quietly, almost like a little kid entering a night market for the first time.
"I... didn't expect there was a world like this inside the tower."
"Come on," I said while tapping his shoulder to snap him out of his daze.
"Don't stand there like a statue."
Ukyo finally moved, though his eyes were still busy sweeping every corner of the eighth floor.
"I really can't believe this... the tower I thought was a place of death actually has a market this fancy..." he muttered quietly, like he was still dreaming.
I ignored him and pushed open the glass door of the first shop.
As soon as I entered, the smell of cold metal and freshly polished leather immediately hit me. The racks were filled with helmets, chest plates, even leather gloves that looked more expensive than my entire savings.
Ukyo only managed two steps before his eyes locked onto a big price board on the wall.
"TWO MILLION VALIS?!" he shouted with a voice that almost shattered the shop's window.
Several other customers turned toward us with weird looks.
I quickly whispered in his ear.
"Lower your voice! You wanna get us kicked out of the first shop we enter?"
"But—look at this!" Ukyo pointed at the gleaming chest armor, his hand trembling like he'd just seen a rare monster.
"Two million for a hunk of metal? And that..." he moved to another rack, "five million valis just for a pair of boots? Did they stitch these with dragon scales?"
I sighed, pressing my temple.
"That's high-grade equipment. Don't compare it to the cheap shoes you're wearing now."
Ukyo turned to stare at me, his expression serious like he wanted to investigate.
"You... do you actually have money to buy this stuff?"
I stared straight back at him.
"No. I only brought thirty thousand valis."
He froze. His eyes blinked twice, then his face turned into a mix of confused, pitying, and... maybe a contempt that was hard to hide.
"Thir... ty thousand? You sure that's not the price of used gloves here?"
Hearing that felt like an arrow stabbing my heart.
I clenched my fist at my side, trying to ignore the sting from that annoying honesty.
Can't you not be so blunt? Since yesterday this guy's been calling me poor in ways that are so... direct and indirect.
Even though I'm angry, I can't do anything because what he's saying is true. I am poor.
"Thanks for reminding me how broke I am," I muttered flatly.
Ukyo huffed, like he couldn't believe it.
"Then why'd we come into this shop? You planning to go into debt? Or steal?"
I immediately stared at him sharply.
"If I was a thief, I would've dragged you into it already."
Several other adventurers turned toward us because of Ukyo's rising volume.
A shop employee even glanced over with an unhappy face. I quickly pushed Ukyo again to move away from the crowd.
"Listen," I said quietly, holding my tone.
"I don't need armor that expensive. I just want basic protection. Something good enough to take one or two hits. Get it?"
Ukyo folded his arms across his chest, still pouting.
"Basic protection... with thirty thousand? If there is any, the quality's gotta be worse than a rusty pot."
My mouth twitched hearing what he said.
"Even if it's worse, I don't care, as long as I can wear it."
Ukyo looked at me for several seconds, then sighed heavily, like he'd just accepted a harsh reality.
No dude, why are you making that expression?
Making me confused and wondering who's actually buying armor... him or me?
"You're really the type who makes things hard on yourself."
I just stared back, not having energy to argue anymore.
"Let's go. This clearly isn't the place for me."
I turned around, walking out of that fancy shop without looking back.
Behind me, I could hear Ukyo muttering, "Finally you realize it," before his light footsteps followed.
We walked aimlessly through that crowded corridor, going through shop after shop. I glanced at several other stores, but the result was the same. Every display window showed prices that made my thirty thousand Valis pocket feel like dust.
For some reason thousands of valis feels like so little... Even though it feels little, that amount would definitely feel like a lot to someone who's grateful.
We continued searching without results. Every shop we entered displayed prices equally tempting and equally unaffordable.
"Told you, didn't I?" Ukyo's voice came from beside me, his tone a mix of satisfaction and annoyance.
"With that much money, you're better off buying a kitchen apron. Might be thicker."
I ignored his comment, though I really wanted to gag his mouth with that apron.
Right when I was about to give up and think about just going into the dungeon without armor like yesterday, a calm and familiar voice called my name.
"Kaen? Is that you? What's Hestia's child doing on such a high floor?"
I turned, a bit surprised. Standing not far from us, with her signature eyepatch and the aura of a master craftsman, was Goddess Hephaestus.
She stood in front of a shop much larger and more magnificent than all the shops we'd seen, with a glowing hammer and fire symbol above it.
I immediately bowed politely.
"Goddess Hephaestus! What a coincidence."
Hephaestus smiled thinly, her single eye looking at me.
"I heard you've been freed. Hestia must be so relieved." She glanced at Ukyo who was sneaking away briefly before looking back at me.
I looked at Ukyo with confusion. This guy ran away so fast.
But I didn't forget that Goddess Hephaestus also helped, so...
"Thank you for your help, Goddess."
"Ah, no need to thank me. I only helped her a little. By the way Kaen, could you tell Hestia to come see me?"
"I'll pass on your message later, Goddess Hephaestus."
I saw her sigh with relief. "Then I'm glad."
Hephaestus nodded, but then she looked at me with a strange gaze that made me uncomfortable. Like she was analyzing something about me.
I knew the reason for that look. I still owed Goddess Hephaestus for a weapon, though I'd already made payments down to one more payment 20 thousand valis, then it's paid off. After all, I'd only made the payment a week before going to jail.
Shame immediately hit me. Here I came wanting to buy new armor, when I still had an unpaid debt.
"So," she continued, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"What brings you here? Looking for equipment?"
I nodded stiffly.
"That's right, Goddess Hephaestus. I'm looking for chest protection, but it seems everything here..."
"Too expensive for you?" She finished my sentence precisely.
I could only nod.
"Kaen," Hephaestus sighed, her tone becoming more serious.
"Do you really need armor?"
I was a bit confused by her question, but I immediately realized something. I still had an outstanding weapon payment to her. I looked down, feeling very ashamed to be in front of this master craftsman with an empty wallet and unpaid debt.
"Ah... yes," I answered awkwardly, "I really need it."
She smiled slightly, a smile showing the warmth of a goddess and the calculation of a businesswoman.
"I understand. Your situation must be difficult after that incident. I can offer a credit system again if you want. Just go in and pick whatever you like. We can arrange installments as usual, no need to worry."
That offer was so easy. Too easy.
I lifted my head, and my eyes accidentally caught my reflection looking haggard on the surface of gleaming armor in the display. Instantly, shame mixed with determination hit me.
Taking credit will just put me back at square one. My mind screamed. I just got out of jail. I don't want to shackle myself again with debt, even a debt of gratitude from Goddess Hestia's friend.
I took a deep breath, returning Hephaestus's gaze more firmly.
"Thank you so much for your offer, Goddess Hephaestus. That's very kind, but I have to decline. I don't want to be in debt again. I'll buy armor at a price that matches the money I have now."
Instead of being offended, a small genuine smile appeared on her face.
"I see. Good choice." She nodded, as if my decision actually impressed her. She then pointed to a corner inside her massive shop...
"Over there there's some standard equipment. Mass-produced stuff, but the Hephaestus Familia stamp is still a quality guarantee. Just look there, maybe there's something that fits your budget."
I felt so relieved. "Thank you so much, Goddess Hephaestus."
I bowed politely once more and hurried inside, not wanting to waste any more time.
As soon as I crossed the door, the atmosphere completely changed—I was immediately greeted by a sight that made my eyes widen. Rows of gleaming armor neatly arranged on tall racks, like a metal palace built for heroes.
"Woah..." I muttered unconsciously.
"Look who just got mesmerized like a country kid," Ukyo's sarcastic voice suddenly appeared beside me.
I don't know when he came back, but now he stood with folded arms, looking at me with a thin smirk.
I glanced at him annoyed. "I thought you already ran away."
"I was just keeping my distance. Talking to gods... feels kinda uncomfortable for me," he answered while scratching the back of his head.
"Besides, I'm curious what kind of armor you can buy with that thirty thousand valis of yours."
I ignored that jab and walked following the direction Goddess Hephaestus pointed out.
In the corner of the shop, I found a much simpler rack—no dramatic lighting, no fancy displays. Just rows of armor with labels that were... relatively reasonable.
My eyes immediately landed on chest protection made of thick leather with a thin metal plate layer on the vital parts.
The label read: Leather Plate Armor I - 25,000 Valis.
I picked up the armor, feeling its weight. Not too heavy, but not light either. Solid enough to take a few hits, at least that's what I hoped.
"You sure you wanna buy that cheap metal plate?"
Ukyo's voice full of sarcasm made me turn. He stood leaning against the rack, looking at the armor in my hands with a dismissive expression.
My mouth twitched. For some reason when this guy talks, he always strikes a cool pose.
Should I copy him talking with a cool pose?
No! What am I thinking...
"Ahem... This isn't a cheap metal plate," I replied awkwardly.
"It's leather-layered chest protection with a metal plate. There's a difference."
"Ah, sorry. Cheap metal plate wrapped in leather," he corrected with a mocking tone.
"Way fancier, obviously."
I rolled my eyes, holding myself back from throwing this armor at his face.
I felt this guy was too arrogant, like he was some master blacksmith.
"If you don't like it, don't bother commenting."
I thought he'd leave after that. But turns out not. Ukyo actually walked closer, his eyes sweeping the armor in my hands more seriously this time.
"Wait a second," he muttered, his tone becoming slightly serious. He ignored my annoyed look and flipped the armor over.
After a while, he nodded slowly.
"Even though the material's cheap," he said while touching the stitching on the armor's side.
"I'm surprised. The workmanship isn't sloppy. Whoever the Hephaestus blacksmith who worked on this, they have high standards even for mass-produced products."
"The design's pretty good. The stitching's neat, the placement's strategic. Seems like your taste isn't bad... for a poor person."
I felt my chest tighten with anger. This guy's too blunt.
"Thanks for your half-hearted compliment."
"You're welcome, no need to thank me," he replied casually while walking away.
I brought the armor to the counter, where an employee was standing.
"Just this, sir?" he asked while receiving the armor from me.
"Yes, just this."
He nodded and started wrapping the armor with protective cloth.
"Total 25,000 Valis. You still have 5,000 Valis left from your initial budget, is there anything you'd like to add? Maybe gloves or arm guards?"
I shook my head. "No, this is enough."
After paying and receiving my armor package, I turned to leave. But my steps stopped when I saw Goddess Hephaestus standing not far from the counter, as if waiting for me.
"Kaen," she called with a tone more serious than before.
I turned fully to face her.
"Yes, Goddess Hephaestus?"
She looked at me in silence for a moment, wanting to say something, then finally said:
"If someday you really need help, my shop door is always open."
"Thank you so much, Goddess Hephaestus."
I bowed once more and hurried out, carrying the armor package still warm from the craftsman's touch. Outside, Ukyo was already waiting with a bored face, leaning against the wall like he'd been waiting forever.
"Done?" he asked in a flat tone.
"Done," I answered shortly.
"Let's go, we're heading down."
We walked back toward the lift. This time Ukyo was no longer surprised by all the luxury around us. He even seemed more relaxed, occasionally whistling quietly while glancing at other shops.
When the lift arrived and we got in, Ukyo leaned against the wall with arms folded across his chest.
I ignored him and slowly looked at the armor I bought, then put it on.
The armor wasn't too complicated so it was easy to wear.
If I had a mirror, I might see myself as a brown-haired young man wearing simple leather-mixed-steel armor with brown & steel gray dominance.
A moss-green scarf adding a cool impression. Plus there's a spear and sword that add to the experienced adventurer vibe.
I felt the surface of my new armor. Though simple, it felt different like there was a new layer of confidence wrapping around my body.
Ukyo glanced briefly, then huffed.
"Hm. Not bad. At least now you look like a real adventurer."
I was too lazy to respond. But somehow, my lips lifted slightly. That sarcastic comment actually felt like acknowledgment.
The lift vibrated lightly, then stopped at the ground floor. The door opened, revealing the bustle of adventurers running here and there. The sound of footsteps, merchant shouts, and the smell of metal mixed with faint blood immediately hit my nose.
I took a deep breath.
Today... we're going down into the dungeon, hunting monsters, and making lots of money.
We stepped out of the lift and headed to the dungeon entrance. The crowd got denser—adventurers passing by in a hurry, some just coming out with tired faces, others about to enter with burning enthusiasm.
Going deeper not long after, I saw Gob already waiting at a corridor intersection.
"Ah, you finally came," while making gestures I already recognized.
"I'm a bit late because of some business," I answered, trying to sound casual.
Gob just nodded, but his eyes immediately focused on Ukyo. His gaze was brief, sharp, and full of calculation.
Ukyo returned that stare with a thin smile while waving his hand.
They didn't exchange words, but the tension between them was enough to slice the air.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. We gotta get along," Ukyo said with a friendly smile at Gob, who just huffed quietly and looked away from Ukyo.
Without wasting time, we started moving...
Our steps echoed in the long stone corridor. Occasionally monster sounds could be heard from afar low rumbles, groans, or dragging footsteps.
Seems like some adventurers were fighting several monsters.
My target today was the eighth floor. I'd been there before, so there was no desire to waste time on lower floors.
Besides, with my newly updated status, there was a bit of confidence in me.
Occasionally we stopped when monsters appeared from the walls: Goblins, Kobolds, even groups of War Shadows. Nothing really challenging.
Gob and I worked together as usual, while Ukyo... he looked more like a spectator.
His hands rarely moved, like he was judging how I fought.
"Why are you just standing there? Aren't you collecting magic stones?" I asked, while picking up magic stones.
Ukyo sighed, then picked up the magic stone like it was trash.
"I just wanted to see how you fight. And honestly, these little things aren't that interesting. But if you wanna collect them... yeah, why not?" He smiled, "And turns out, you are a bit faster than yesterday. Did you dream of becoming a dog last night while sleeping?"
His comment made me pause for a moment. I felt this guy was a hypocrite, he looked at magic stones like trash.
Just watch if those stones get converted to money, he'd be the most enthusiastic one.
Besides that, his words were enough to make me realize this guy's eyes were pretty sharp.
I'd been holding my strength to the same level as yesterday. But he still noticed—seems like there's no use hiding my strength in front of him.
Thinking like that.
We continued our journey downward. Floor after floor felt narrower, the air got heavier, and monster sounds became more frequent.
When we finally arrived at the stairs to the eighth floor, I stopped for a moment.
Staring down, that dark corridor seemed to gape open, ready to swallow anyone who entered.
For some reason I remembered how yesterday I was chased by a rabbit like a coward.
I gripped my spear tightly.
"Eighth floor..." I muttered.
"Little rabbits, I hope there's still as many of you as yesterday."
Gob turned with a serious look, while Ukyo just smirked thinly like he was waiting for something interesting to happen.
I felt this guy was hoping we'd have a disaster... What a dark-hearted person.
With steady steps, I went down.
•••
The air immediately felt different once my foot touched the eighth floor. Colder, damper, and for some reason something had changed slightly from yesterday.
Strangely, that change didn't feel scary. On the contrary... my chest was filled with a weird feeling that made me sure today would bring good fortune. A premonition that rarely appeared.
But that enthusiasm immediately faded when a familiar voice broke the silence.
"Fun place," Ukyo commented while sweeping his gaze around.
Annoyed. That's what I felt now. It's so rare when I feel like the world's on my side, and when that moment of enlightenment comes, he has to come and ruin it.
Who wouldn't be annoyed?
I almost shouted 'can't you stop talking?' but swallowed those words back.
Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
'Calm down, calm down,' I thought while sighing deeply.
After successfully suppressing my emotions, my eyes slowly scanned every corner. The eighth floor was famous for more aggressive monsters and faster ones. If you're careless even a little, it could end fatally.
Gob walked beside me in a low posture, his body ready to react anytime. Meanwhile Ukyo... for some reason he was walking casually behind while spinning his sword with an annoying style.
Didn't take long before we heard very fast footsteps from the distance. The rhythm was familiar too familiar.
I immediately stopped, raising my hand to signal Gob and Ukyo.
"Something's coming."
Those footsteps got louder. Closer. Then, from around the corner, a Rabbit Foot leapt out with shining white fur and red eyes glowing like embers.
The monster landed perfectly, its claws gripping the floor hard, then immediately shot toward me with astonishing speed—just like yesterday.
But this time I wasn't surprised. I was ready.
If before I defeated that rabbit with tactics and cunning, now I could face them openly. My strength had increased.
I stepped to the side with perfect timing, letting the rabbit shoot past me. In the same movement, I swung my spear toward its legs hitting right at the back joint.
The Rabbit Foot stumbled, lost its balance, then fell rolling brutally. Before it could get up, Gob was already there his short sword stabbing directly into the monster's neck with deadly precision.
A magic stone fell gleaming on the floor, reflecting the dungeon's dim light.
"Nice," I muttered while picking up that magic stone.
"One."
When I turned, Ukyo stood with hands on his hips, looking at me with an expression that was... surprised? He didn't move to collect the magic stone.
So weird.
"Faster than yesterday at killing that stupid rabbit," he commented in a surprised tone while touching his chin, like he was analyzing something.
"I told you, I'm used to them."
"Used to them, huh..." Ukyo nodded slowly, but his eyes still looked at me with a gaze hard to read. He then showed a thin smile, full of provocation.
"If that's the case... show me how 'used to them' you really are."
I glared at him, furrowing my brow. What's his point?
Before I could ask, footsteps sounded again... this time from several directions at once. More. More coordinated.
Three Rabbit Feet appeared from behind the walls, their red eyes glowing in the darkness. They didn't immediately attack. Instead, they moved in a circle, surrounding us from three different sides.
Smart.
I took a defensive position, spear pointed forward. Gob moved to my right side, while Ukyo... he just stood there casually, like this wasn't his problem.
"You're not gonna help?" I asked without looking.
"I said, I wanna watch," he answered casually.
"Besides... seems like you don't need my help."
I huffed. This guy's really annoying. But unfortunately, he wasn't wrong. The eighth floor felt easy now as long as no more than 50 monsters attacked at once.
The first rabbit jumped... I already saw it from the corner of my eye. I spun, swinging my spear in a horizontal arc. Its tip hit that rabbit in mid-air, throwing it into the wall with a loud echoing sound.
The second rabbit came from behind Gob—but Gob was faster. He slid low, his sword sweeping the rabbit's legs, then stabbing upward straight through its belly in one smooth motion.
Meanwhile, the third rabbit... it was the smartest. It waited until Gob and I were busy, then shot straight at me from a blind spot—an angle that shouldn't be visible.
But I already sensed it. My instinct whispered a warning.
Without thinking, I stepped on the end of my spear still stuck in the ground, using momentum to lift my body up the rabbit shot right under me, its claws scratching empty air.
When my body came back down, my short sword was already drawn from my waist and slashed downward hitting right at the rabbit's nape with a satisfying sound.
Three magic stones fell together, gleaming like gems on the dark floor.
I didn't even use much energy. High endurance wasn't just for show.
"Four," I muttered while picking up the remaining magic stones, feeling the warmth of magical energy in my palm.
Slow clapping sounded from behind, like there was a circus performance here.
I turned. Ukyo stood with a wide smile on his face, still clapping like a satisfied audience member.
"Not bad," he said in a tone that sounded genuine for the first time.
"I admit, you're really not bad."
I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for that very generous compliment."
Gob just stayed quiet, but I could feel his gaze a gaze saying "I don't like this guy."
And I totally agreed.
I also don't like this guy.
•••
We continued exploring the eighth floor. Monsters kept coming, Rabbit Foot after Rabbit Foot, but we could handle them all well. The fighting rhythm started feeling natural.
Ukyo occasionally joined the fights, but his movements... were weird. Rather than calling it helping, it's more accurate to call it a burden.
Yeah, really troublesome. This guy even deliberately let rabbits almost hurt me. Lucky my Survival Instinct skill activated, otherwise I'd already be badly injured.
After several hours of hunting non-stop, Ukyo's big bag was full of magic stones—more than I imagined.
"That's enough for now," I said while stretching my body that was starting to get stiff.
"Let's rest first."
Gob nodded in agreement and immediately lay down, but Ukyo looked...
his face was gloomy and he let out a long sigh like he'd just been forced to end a game.
"Already? We just got started," he protested while kicking a small pebble on the floor. He slowly took out something like a mat from his big bag to lie down.
I looked at his displeasure flatly. I was starting to get used to this guy who talks non-stop.
"If you wanna continue alone, go ahead. But I'm already tired."
Ukyo sighed dramatically, but his body immediately lay down casually.
"Fine, fine. I'll join."
Seeing him like that, I realized something—this guy, his body and mouth aren't in sync. His words never align with his actions.
People like this are dangerous. Who knows, with his mouth he's saying "help"... but his hands are actually stabbing from behind?
Seems like I need to be more cautious whenever he's near me.
Just like that the three of us rested because we planned to go to the tenth floor.
•••••
Author's Note
Hey everyone...
To be honest, I'm confused myself why I'm back writing this novel again. If you ask me if I'm motivated? Not really. Sometimes I even think, "Why am I bothering to write this again?"
But you know what made me finally open the draft again?
You guys.
Yeah, you who still faithfully drop power stones every day even though I haven't updated in forever. You who are still waiting, still hoping. Every time I open my notifications and see someone still giving power stones, it's like... a gentle slap in the face. Makes me realize that there are still people who care about this messy story I wrote.
So this isn't because I suddenly got inspiration from the heavens or anything like that. This is purely because of you. The power stone givers who became the reason I'm trying to continue this novel.
+--
Btw, for those who want to support more, I made a Patreon: patreon.com/Qwrty77
Honestly, there's nothing there yet. Completely empty. This is my first time using Patreon and I still don't really understand it... Please bear with me 😌
But... if it turns out many people join and support, maybe that could be extra motivation for me to update more regularly.
But yeah, it all comes back to you guys. If there are those who want to support, I'll try to be more consistent. If not, well... let's just see how far I can last this time.
--+
Bottom line, thank you for not abandoning this story even though the author himself abandoned it for a while.
You loyal readers are the real MVPs.
So... Enjoy reading the story.