Darkness wrapped around me for an indefinite time. It could have lasted forever, but slowly, muffled voices began to filter through.
I regained consciousness with effort, forcing my eyes open. My mind was foggy and my body stiff, but at least I could move.
Looks like I still have all my limbs…
Even though the pain was annoying, it wasn't enough to keep me from moving. On top of that, the sharp scent of medicinal herbs and the tight bandages told me someone had carefully treated me.
"Ah! Finally awake!"
The female voice made me turn my head slowly and heavily. A maid, busy tidying up, stared at me in surprise.
I tried to say something, but my throat was too dry. I raised a finger toward the jug on the nightstand, and she understood immediately.
"H-Here."
She handed me the water, and I drank it in one gulp, feeling the dryness fade away.
"Haah… I feel alive again." Then I looked back at the woman. "How long was I out?"
"I think… three days."
Less than expected.
Given my condition, I would've guessed at least a week in a coma.
"Right! I have to inform the young master you've woken up."
I nodded. As soon as she left the room, I sank back onto the bed. My body was still weak, and I estimated I'd need a few more days to be back on my feet, something I wasn't too happy about.
With the Surge now over, I had to check what had changed inside the dungeon and prepare the third phase of my plan.
First, let's see what I've gained.
####################
Name: Adel
Age: 16
Race: Human…??
Grade: 1
Core: Dracoline Heart (50% → 87%)
Body: 2.01 → 2.6 (+0.1 agility)(+0.5 strength)
Mind: ???
Mana: 1.3 → 1.86
Vitality: 1.95 → 2.2
Skills: Shadow Veil (Lv. 3), Predation, Scale Armor (Lv. 1), Poison Resistance (Lv. 1), Quick Step (3), Razor Claws, Water Affinity (Lv. 1), Minor Strength [new]
####################
[Minor Strength:]
[Provides a small increase in strength. Passive skill]
During my time with the Explorers, I had kept growing stronger, but the difference in growth speed was frustrating: it had taken me barely a week to move from Grade 0 to Grade 1, yet I'd been struggling for three months to reach Grade 2.
Granted, I was exaggerating a bit.
To receive a stigma or a blessing, you had to be at least fifteen years old. This meant that compared to my more gifted "peers", I wasn't that far behind. Plus, they would reach that level only after a year or more, while I had managed it in about three months.
Still, some limits couldn't be overcome, no matter how hard I tried.
Predation had a limited number of uses, and finding the right creatures was becoming increasingly difficult. For now, I could still count on Erik and his discounts on monster corpses, but higher-grade monsters would become far too expensive.
At least, the new skill was handy, boosting my raw strength directly.
Aside from slowly raising stats, there were only two other ways to get stronger: through skills like Minor Strength, or through artifacts like the ring I wore, which slightly increased agility.
These boosts didn't raise the BODY stat itself, but enhanced actual physical abilities. That's why two people with the same Grade and stats could still have very different performances.
It was like comparing a two-meter-tall man weighing a hundred and ten kilos of muscle to someone much smaller: they might have the same "numeric value," but their real strength and agility would be worlds apart.
It didn't take long before I heard firm footsteps in the corridor. The door opened sharply, and in came Erik, Lena, and, of course, Alfred, trailing behind like a shadow.
I didn't even have time to speak before Lena threw herself at me, hugging me tightly.
"Adel—sob!"
I could feel her sobs and tears soaking my collar as she clung to me. The scene felt like déjà vu, but nothing was amusing about it.
With a complicated expression, I patted her head to show I was fine.
How many times will I make her worry… how many times will I be forced to see her face streaked with tears because of me?
I knew how important I was to her and how every little wound of mine broke her heart, but… I couldn't stop.
My mind was constantly focused on the alien races and how to fight them, to the point that I tended to ignore everything else around me, even Lena, but I did it for her too, for her future.
Hah! How low can I sink?
I laughed at myself for being pathetic.
I was using Lena as an excuse for what I had to do, when in reality it was pure personal satisfaction. Every day, every hour, every second, I thought about those beings, and the fact that I couldn't claim their blood drove me insane.
Feeling Lena's warmth, I thought I didn't deserve someone like her for my family. Seeing her radiance, I felt dirty and dreaded the day she'd notice and the way she'd look at me.
But like I said, I couldn't stop. I loved Lena and didn't want her to suffer because of me, but those sticky black flames of rage and hate burning inside me were far stronger.
"Y-You were covered in blood—sob! The doctors said your c-condition was critical—sob! But I was helpless! I could only stay by your bed—sob and pray you'd wake up…"
"Shhh… don't cry, it's okay, I'm fine."
"No, it's NOT okay!"
My attempt at comfort was met with an angry shout.
"You almost died, Adel!" she yelled, staring straight into my eyes. "Do you have any idea what it feels like not knowing if you'll wake up the next day?!"
She suddenly turned toward Erik and Alfred, her tear-streaked eyes now blazing with anger.
"And you two?!" she pointed at them both. "You're Grade 2! And you let a sixteen-year-old at Grade 1 act as bait instead of you?! And don't think I'll forget how you lied to me!"
As she spoke, she glared much more fiercely at Erik, who turned his gaze aside in shame.
What's she talking about?
I wondered, confused, but her words only grew sharper in the silence.
"Don't even try to justify yourselves!" Lena continued, her voice shaking but cutting. "If Adel hadn't been fast enough, he'd be dead while you just stood there watching! Is this your idea of teamwork? Or is it because we're just 'ordinary people' and our deaths don't matter to you?!"
"Lena, that's enough."
My harsh words stopped her from saying more. She turned to me with red, swollen eyes, making me sigh in guilt.
"It was my choice. If you keep blaming them, it's like you're saying my decision had no value."
"But… why?"
She was surely wondering about my reason.
"Alfred was injured, Erik was needed to finish the monster, and the others weren't skilled enough for the job."
Lena seemed about to protest, but Erik spoke first.
"No, Lena's right."
His voice was steady, though his eyes betrayed guilt.
"When Adel volunteered, I didn't hesitate to accept, telling myself if anyone could pull it off, it was him. But I didn't consider that his life could be at risk."
He took a deep breath, looking at Lena apologetically.
"I owe you an apology as well. That night, I lied because I feared you'd do something reckless that would endanger both you and Adel. Even so, I had no right to keep you in the dark, and for that, I'm sorry."
A brief silence hung over the room. Even Alfred, who usually showed no emotion, gave a small nod, acknowledging shared responsibility.
"...I'll step out for a moment to get you something to eat."
Lena neither accepted nor rejected Erik's apology, but at least her anger had cooled.
If something like this happens a third time, I don't know how she'll react.
That vague thought crossed my mind as I watched her leave.
With only the three of us remaining, Erik stepped closer, and to my surprise, bowed.
"Thank you, Adel. Not only for what you did… but for having more courage and—"
"Skip the crap and tell me what happened next."
I noticed a twitch in his face, but he straightened back up as if nothing had happened.
"You were in pretty bad shape. The only solution was to use a high-quality potion; only then did your condition stabilize."
Hearing that, I couldn't help but whistle. High-grade potions were expensive, very expensive, but that explained how I'd recovered so quickly.
"Must've cost you quite a bit."
"Compared to what you saved, it was more than worth it."
Seeing the seriousness in his tone, he truly seemed to believe it.
"And the damage?"
The moment I asked, his expression turned grim and resigned.
"Most of the main harbor needs to be rebuilt, along with almost every building near the coast and several other things."
I nodded silently, then asked what I really wanted to know.
"What can you tell me about the dungeon?"