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[EXP +68]
After cutting down the entire swarm of Killer Ants, the high-intensity concentration left Liang Yue with a faint sense of fatigue.
He glanced around briefly.
Fighting head-on against so many monsters was, in some ways, no different from the "Monster Party" situations that usually only happened on the deeper floors.
Still, the results were worth it.
The massive number of ants had pushed his EXP bar up to 30%—and that was after just reaching level 15 on his Sword Soul template.
"Not bad."
"Exploiting the Killer Ants' habit of calling for reinforcements to farm EXP works… though it's a bit draining on stamina."
His resolve hardened.
Hunting monsters one by one, unless they were rare spawns or floor bosses, was far less efficient.
Low-tier monsters just weren't worth it.
And that was without even mentioning the distant goal of reaching level 50 to awaken as a Sword Saint. Even one of the Sword Soul's most iconic skills, Draw Sword Slash, would take ages to master.
He reined in his thoughts and bent down to collect the magic stones dropped by the slain ants. Finally, his gaze settled on the boy with short white hair, leaning against the wall not far away.
Bell's face—cute, almost androgynous—was flushed from the fight.
"You okay?" Liang Yue asked. The moment the words left his mouth, he felt an odd sense of déjà vu, as if history were repeating itself.
Back when he'd killed the Minotaur, Ais Wallenstein had approached and asked him the very same question. Now, it was his turn to say it to Bell, who had just become an adventurer.
"I'm fine."
Truthfully, Bell felt he should be the one asking that question.
Looking into Liang Yue's calm, unshaken gaze, Bell finally got a good look at the adventurer who had stepped in to help him.
He seemed older than Bell.
With distinctly Far Eastern features and scarlet eyes that seemed to hold something terrifying deep within them, the man radiated a natural, razor-sharp sword aura.
And the way he'd fought—his dazzling technique and those impossible ranged sword attacks—made it clear:
This was definitely a powerful adventurer-senpai.
Bell's searching gaze drifted lower, to the arm that wasn't fully covered by the cloak. The skin lacked its natural luster, ghostly pale, with sinister veins visible beneath the surface.
"Um…"
Even though Lady Freya had told him the specially-made healing elixirs were extremely valuable, Bell still pulled one from his pack.
He didn't think too much about it—especially not when the other party had stepped in to help him.
Looking at Liang Yue's arm with concern, Bell asked, "Your arm… I have a special potion from my goddess. It should at least slow the injury's progression."
"Won't work."
Liang Yue could tell sincerity from empty courtesy, and Bell's earnest nature was exactly as in the anime.
He shook his head with a faint smile. "I already tried having Miss Airmid from Dian Cecht Familia treat it. My condition's a little more complicated."
"This…"
Bell had, of course, heard of Airmid—the "Saint of the Battlefield" from the Dian Cecht Familia—but he'd never met her.
If even she couldn't fix it… Bell tightened his grip on the crystal vial. He couldn't imagine the pain this man had to endure, bound by an illness severe enough to require black iron restraints.
And yet, despite being strangers, Liang Yue had still stepped in to help him.
"Thank you… so much for your help."
"Adventurer-senpai, will your arm's condition… really not hold you back?" Bell asked, his concern plain.
He could see that the fight against the ant swarm had taken a toll; Liang Yue's face showed the strain of fatigue.
There was no offense in Bell's tone—only a tinge of guilt.
If it weren't for his reckless actions, Liang Yue wouldn't have had to intervene and push himself like that.
Liang Yue didn't answer directly.
The reason he'd helped was simple, but he had no intention of changing his way of doing things. Instead, he smiled lightly.
"Should I surrender to fate just because of a crippled body?"
"Even if the hand that wields my weapon is twisted—"
"Striving toward my chosen goal will still make my life more meaningful."
As he finished, his eyes locked on Bell's, his tone turning firm.
"Hold fast to what you believe. And… the Dungeon is full of danger. Don't put yourself in harm's way unnecessarily."
"Know your limits."
Bell was deeply moved—especially by that one line: Should I surrender to fate just because of a crippled body?
He could hardly imagine what hardships this man had endured to forge such unwavering conviction, and still hold on to kindness toward the world.
Perhaps this was what it meant to be truly strong—
To face hardship head-on and have the courage to defy fate.
Could he do the same?
Watching Liang Yue's back as he turned to leave, Bell called out quickly, "My name is Bell Cranel. How should I address you, senpai?"
"…Just a passing swordsman."
——
Level 15, new skills learned, and now a chance encounter with Bell and a swarm of Killer Ants on the 7th floor—
Today's Dungeon run had been more than fulfilling.
Leaving the dim staircase of Babel Tower, he returned to the bustling city of Orario as night quietly fell.
The streets teemed with people, lively as ever.
He still had nearly 30,000 valis on hand, and the magic stones and materials from the War Shadows and Killer Ants hadn't even been exchanged yet.
The Guild was already closed.
"Grab some food…"
"…then head home."
He set aside the idea of dining alone at The Hostess of Fertility. High-intensity skill use had drained his stamina considerably.
His toolkit was in good shape now—clearing upper-floor monsters was much faster—but the downside was clear: he didn't yet have the endurance for long, sustained battles.
If he could improve his stamina, he could earn even more EXP per Dungeon run.
After buying a packed dinner for two, Liang Yue headed straight back to the Familia's base—the abandoned church's basement.
With his level having jumped significantly, he was curious to see how his stats had changed.
Hestia had just finished a long day of work at the weapons shop and was resting on the sofa. The moment she saw Liang Yue return safe, she leapt to her feet.
"Liang Yue-kun! You're back?"
She checked him over for injuries and, finding none, finally relaxed. But when she noticed the packed dinner he'd brought, her mood sank again.
After her shift, she had tried stopping by the Guild to recruit new Familia members—but not a single child of the lower world had shown any interest.
In fact, when they heard her divine name, they left faster.
She truly didn't know how, as a god, she could help Liang Yue and lighten his burden.
Liang Yue could sense her low spirits—it was probably because she hadn't been able to recruit anyone and felt she couldn't help him.
He set the dinner on the table and, smiling, made a request.
"Hestia-sama, after we eat, could you help me update my stats?"
"No problem!!"
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