The smell of burning parchment and cheap coffee filled the guild hall. Posters plastered every wall, each one more ridiculous than the last:
"JOIN THE HERO DEBT RECOVERY PROGRAM!"
"EARN CREDITS WHILE PAYING OFF YOUR CRUSHING FINANCIAL BURDEN!"
Kai Everain sat at the guild's counter, a cup of instant coffee in hand and an expression of pure dread on his face.
"Debt recovery program," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "So basically… slave labor, but with taxes."
Behind him, Lira was calculating expenses again, her healer robes tucked neatly as she scribbled in her ever-growing ledger.
"Correction," she said without looking up. "Voluntary slave labor. You signed the form yourself."
"I didn't sign it," Kai protested, holding up the contract. "I spilled ramen on it, and the paper absorbed my signature through spiritual osmosis!"
"Still counts."
She flipped another page and sighed. "Besides, the Guild Master said we'd be expelled if we didn't participate. Apparently, too many heroes went bankrupt last quarter."
Kai slumped back in his chair. "So they're making us fight monsters… to pay off taxes… so we can earn just enough money to pay off more taxes."
From the corner of the table, a lazy voice chimed in. "Sounds like capitalism."
Nyx, their talking cat familiar, stretched across the counter, batting one of the posters lazily to the floor.
"Don't look at me, kid. I warned you about signing things you can't pronounce."
Kai groaned. "I can pronounce debt. It's just silent at the wrong letter."
The guild door slammed open before anyone could reply. A gust of wind swept through the room, scattering papers and knocking over Nyx's mug of milk. A tall woman in an official uniform stepped in — gold trim, scarlet cape, and an expression that said she hadn't smiled since birth.
"Team Limit Breaker?" she asked, her voice sharp as steel.
Kai hesitated. "…Depends who's asking."
"Director Selphine Varrin, Debt Recovery Division."
She tossed a sealed scroll on the table. "Congratulations. You've been selected for the Directive Trial."
Lira blinked. "The what now?"
Selphine crossed her arms. "The Directive Trial — a pilot mission to stabilize the economy by clearing high-risk dungeons and recovering lost financial relics. Success means your debt interest is reduced. Failure means imprisonment."
Kai's jaw dropped. "That escalated so fast!"
Nyx yawned. "So it's a government-sanctioned dungeon crawl with optional prison time. Sounds like a Tuesday."
Ignoring the sarcasm, Selphine continued. "You will begin with the Copper Vault Dungeon — recently reactivated and spilling monsters into nearby trade routes. Clear it, and your team's credit score improves. Do nothing, and your accounts will be frozen."
"Wait," Kai said, rubbing his chin. "So if I win, I get less debt… but if I lose, I go to jail?"
"Precisely."
Kai leaned back with a sigh. "You know, I think I liked dying to vending machines better."
Selphine gave him a cold smile. "Departure is tomorrow at dawn. Failure to appear will be treated as tax evasion."
Once she left, silence settled over the group.
Lira was the first to speak. "Kai, please tell me you didn't just sign us up for a government dungeon crawl with prison as a side quest."
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose. "Not on purpose."
Nyx purred, tail flicking. "Well, at least we'll get a new dungeon out of it. Maybe a few shiny bosses, some near-death experiences—"
"—and possibly actual death," Lira finished flatly.
Kai stood up, stretching his arms. "Come on, team. We've been through worse."
Nyx tilted her head. "Name one thing worse than tax dungeons."
Kai opened his mouth, then paused. "…Okay, fine. You win."
The next morning, the sun rose like it was late for work. Golden light spilled over the city's rooftops, glinting off the enormous bronze statue in the square — The Hero of Fiscal Responsibility. It depicted a smiling knight holding a ledger in one hand and a sword made of coins in the other.
Kai stared at it blankly.
"I'm starting to think this world has a money fetish," he muttered.
Lira adjusted her satchel and sighed. "It's symbolism, Kai. The statue represents—"
"—a world that taxes courage," Nyx interrupted, perched on Kai's shoulder. "Look at him. Even the statue's smiling through the pain."
A carriage bearing the emblem of the Debt Recovery Division awaited them at the gate. Polished wood, iron-rimmed wheels, and a very unfortunate slogan painted on the side:
"We Collect So You Can Dream."
Kai grimaced. "I feel like that's a threat."
"Technically, it is," said a familiar voice.
Selphine stood by the carriage door, clipboard in hand, expression unreadable. "You'll report directly to me for mission updates. Your objective is to reach the Copper Vault, clear the dungeon's core chamber, and retrieve the Ledger of Accrual. Simple enough."
"Define 'simple,'" Lira muttered.
"Minimal collateral, no civilian deaths, and try not to destroy public infrastructure again."
Kai rubbed the back of his neck, pretending not to hear that last part.
The journey took hours. The cobblestone roads gave way to dirt paths, then narrow trails carved through rocky hills. Fields turned to barren plains dotted with ruined merchant carts — remnants of travelers unlucky enough to cross the monsters that escaped the dungeon.
By noon, the Copper Vault Dungeon loomed ahead. A mountain carved with runic symbols, its entrance guarded by massive bronze doors that shimmered like coins under sunlight. Above the archway, words glowed faintly:
"In Wealth We Trust."
Nyx squinted. "Even the dungeon's brand conscious."
Lira tightened her grip on her staff. "Let's just hope it's not as greedy as the guild."
As they approached, a pair of armored guards halted them. "Authorized personnel only!" one barked.
Selphine stepped forward, handing them her emblem. "Debt Division clearance."
The guards paled instantly and moved aside.
Kai whispered, "I think that badge might be scarier than any monster inside."
Once past the gates, the dungeon air hit them — metallic, heavy, and warm like the inside of a furnace. The walls glittered faintly, lined with veins of copper and gold that pulsed faintly with energy. Each step echoed like coins clinking in a jar.
Kai pulled out his sword and squinted. "Alright, let's see what kind of financial nightmares live in here."
They didn't have to wait long.
The ground trembled, and a swarm of small, spherical creatures rolled toward them — shiny, jingling, and horrifyingly fast.
"Are those… coins?" Lira asked.
The nearest one jumped, revealing teeth.
"Correction!" Kai shouted, slashing through it. "They're biting coins!"
The things squealed metallically as they burst apart, scattering sparks and gold dust.
Nyx leapt onto Kai's head. "Oh great, the first monster we see drops currency. I can already smell the loot tax."
More poured from the tunnels, bouncing and snapping their jaws. Kai swung wide, slicing them apart, while Lira blasted the rest with concentrated bursts of light magic.
Each kill dropped faint shimmers of gold that immediately evaporated — absorbed into their adventurer tags.
Kai frowned. "Why didn't we get to keep that?"
Selphine, standing calmly behind the battle, scribbled notes. "All dungeon earnings are auto-deducted as interest payments. Consider it… convenient bookkeeping."
"Convenient for who?!" Kai yelled.
The last of the biting coins exploded into dust, leaving silence. Kai leaned on his sword, panting. "You know, I used to think fighting monsters was about glory. Now it's just about staying financially solvent."
Lira looked around. "We're only in the first chamber. Whatever this dungeon is protecting, it's not just treasure."
Selphine nodded slightly. "Correct. According to records, the Copper Vault was built by a cult that worshipped Prosperity Spirits. They believed wealth was divine energy that could reshape reality. When the kingdom tried taxing the cult, things… got messy."
"Messy how?" Kai asked.
"Their god cursed the place. Anyone greedy enough to steal from the Vault would have their soul appraised and turned into collateral."
Nyx blinked. "So… soul repossession?"
Selphine nodded grimly. "Precisely."
Kai stared down the shadowy corridor ahead, sweat beading on his brow. "Cool. Haunted bank. My favorite."
Lira adjusted her staff, eyes narrowing. "At least it's straightforward. We clear the dungeon, grab the Ledger, and get out."
Kai forced a grin. "Right. How bad could it be?"
From deep within the Vault, a guttural roar shook the chamber — like metal grinding against metal.
Nyx flattened her ears. "…You just had to say it."
The roar faded into a metallic groan that echoed down the long, copper-lined corridor. The air shimmered faintly, heavy with static and greed — the kind that clung to your skin like a bad loan you couldn't shake.
Kai sheathed his sword halfway, peering into the darkness. "Alright. I don't see anything trying to kill us yet, so either it's shy or we just triggered its billing cycle."
"Don't jinx it," Lira muttered, waving her staff to conjure a soft light. The magic orb illuminated a wide tunnel, walls gleaming like polished coins. Strange etchings spiraled across the floor — runes shaped like credit symbols, glowing faintly in red.
Selphine knelt beside one and traced the markings with her gloved fingers. "Ancient appraisal seals. The cult used these to measure spiritual value."
Nyx tilted her head. "So… if I step on one, it tells me how broke I am?"
"Worse," Selphine replied. "It'll tax your life force according to how much debt you carry."
Kai froze mid-step. "Wait. So you're saying my power source literally triggers the traps?"
Lira gave him a flat stare. "You're walking debt, Kai. This entire dungeon is probably having a field day sensing you."
"Great," he grumbled. "I'm basically a walking buffet for cursed accounting magic."
They advanced carefully, Selphine using a silver rod to dispel the runes as they went. Each one hissed faintly as it dissolved, leaving behind the faint smell of burnt copper. The deeper they went, the more the air felt alive — buzzing, whispering, judging.
Halfway through the second corridor, they reached a vast chamber lined with golden pillars. In the center sat a floating cube made of interlocking coins, rotating slowly. Runes burned on its surface like molten circuits.
Selphine's eyes widened. "The Appraisal Core. It measures intruders' financial karma. Be ready."
The cube stopped spinning. One by one, its faces twisted and unfolded, revealing a glowing eye made entirely of coin fragments.
A cold voice echoed through the chamber:
"ACCOUNTS LOCATED. ASSETS: UNDETERMINED. DEBTS: SEVERE."
Kai groaned. "Hey, it's not severe, it's just aggressive budgeting!"
The Core's eye glowed brighter.
"SUBJECT: KAI EVERAIN. OUTSTANDING BALANCE EXCEEDS ACCEPTABLE LIMITS. ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOL: INTEREST COMPOUNDING."
The cube shattered, scattering into dozens of sharp coin-blades that launched toward him.
Kai barely dodged, the blades slamming into the walls with metallic shrieks. "Selphine! Is there a payment plan for this?!"
"Try surviving the audit first!" she shouted.
Lira fired a burst of radiant magic, disintegrating a few blades midair. Nyx leapt off Kai's shoulder, her fur sparking with psychic energy as she sent a telekinetic wave to deflect another volley. The blades clattered to the floor, spinning like angry change.
Kai dashed forward, his sword glowing faintly blue. "Alright, you overgrown piggy bank—time to cash out!"
He slashed across the core's exposed eye, sparks flying. The cube screamed, the sound like coins grinding in a slot machine from hell.
"INVALID TRANSACTION! INVALID TRANSACTION!"
"Yeah, well, consider this a refund!" Kai yelled, driving his blade into the core again.
The runes flared one last time before the cube shattered completely, scattering metal dust across the floor.
For a moment, silence. Then, the faint chime of gold as a handful of coins materialized where the cube fell.
Nyx squinted at them. "Loot drop?"
Lira frowned. "That's too easy."
Selphine approached and tapped her pen against one coin. It shimmered, then exploded into harmless light. "Projected assets," she muttered. "Illusions to lure the greedy."
Kai crossed his arms. "So basically… fake treasure for idiots."
Nyx smirked. "Which means we're in the right place."
They pushed deeper. The tunnels grew narrower, the copper walls giving way to black stone veined with gold. Strange whispers drifted through the air — voices murmuring numbers, ledgers, bargains. Every sound felt like it was crawling into Kai's skull, counting his worth.
At last, they reached a chamber lined with rows of armored statues — knights with scales instead of swords, each helmet engraved with bank seals. At the far end stood an enormous door with a sigil shaped like a coin devouring itself.
Selphine's expression darkened. "The Vault's first barrier."
Lira took a step forward, studying the statues. "They're… too lifelike."
Kai eyed them warily. "Yeah. I've seen enough dungeon movies to know where this is going."
He took another cautious step—and one of the statues moved. Its jaw creaked open, spilling out a metallic growl.
Then, as one, all twelve turned toward the group.
"Unauthorized withdrawal detected."
Kai tightened his grip on his sword. "Yup. Definitely knew it."
The statues' eyes glowed gold, weapons lifting in perfect unison. Selphine flipped her clipboard open. "Combat formation! These are Vault Sentinels—they drain mana to charge interest attacks. Don't let them hit you!"
Kai smirked, stepping forward. "Good thing I specialize in bad financial decisions."
As the Sentinels charged, the floor erupted in blinding golden light.
The battle for the Vault had officially begun.
The Vault chamber exploded into chaos.
The twelve Sentinels moved in eerie synchrony, their gold-plated armor clanking like clockwork. Each swung a blade shaped like a ledger quill, leaving shimmering trails of arithmetic light that burned across the stone floor.
Kai ducked under the first slash, sparks flying as the blade carved a glowing "–10%" into the wall behind him.
"Wait, are these things charging us interest for dodging?!" he shouted.
Selphine's clipboard snapped open, her quill flying as she scribbled glowing formulas. "Technically, yes! Their attacks penalize evasive maneuvers!"
"Who designed this dungeon?!" Kai growled, parrying another strike that sent static through his arms.
Lira muttered something under her breath, summoning radiant shields in bursts of golden light. "A very, very bored accountant with divine-level OCD."
One Sentinel raised its arm and fired a blast of golden energy that hit the ground near Nyx, erupting into floating numbers. Each digit latched onto her fur like leeches, glowing red.
"HEY! Get these off me!" Nyx screeched, rolling across the ground.
Selphine frowned. "Debt markers—each one drains mana until paid in full!"
Kai's eye twitched. "You're telling me she has magical debt collectors on her?!"
He vaulted forward, slamming his boot into the Sentinel's chest. It staggered, gears screeching. He drove his sword into the crack between its armor plates, a surge of blue energy bursting out.
"Overdraft Mode—Activate!"
His blade flared, slicing through the Sentinel. The explosion rocked the chamber, scattering shards of gold.
The remaining eleven turned toward him. Their eyes glowed brighter, all runes across the walls activating in response.
Selphine paled. "Kai! You triggered a debt surge! They're recalculating your worth!"
Kai blinked. "…That's bad, right?"
Lira groaned. "On a scale from one to bankruptcy? You're at 'government bailout.'"
Golden chains erupted from the walls, wrapping around Kai's limbs before he could react. They pulsed with crimson runes, draining his energy.
The Sentinels began to chant in metallic unison:
"INTEREST RATE INCREASE. BALANCE COLLECTION INITIATED."
Kai gritted his teeth, his Limit Breaker ability sparking uncontrollably. He could feel the pull — every coin in his pocket, every unpaid debt, every ounce of borrowed power screaming to be claimed.
He laughed. "You wanna collect? Fine. Let's see if you can handle compound chaos!"
The air crackled. The chains shattered, and a shockwave of blue fire burst from Kai's body, scattering the Sentinels. His aura burned brighter than ever, the glow reflecting in Lira's astonished eyes.
Selphine's pen trembled midair. "Impossible… his debt just multiplied by a factor of ten, but instead of collapsing—he's amplifying it!"
Nyx grinned wickedly. "That's our idiot!"
Kai dashed through the smoke, his movements now almost too fast to follow. He appeared behind a Sentinel, his sword carving an arc of blue energy that obliterated its torso. Another lunged at him; he sidestepped and countered with a reverse slash, cutting through two at once.
Each blow echoed like thunder, his laughter mixing with the ringing metal.
Lira tried to stabilize the mana field with a healing pulse, but even her light struggled to pierce the wild aura Kai emitted. "Kai! You're going to burn yourself out!"
He grinned through the chaos. "Worth it!"
The remaining Sentinels converged, forming a circle. Their bodies merged, plates twisting until they formed a massive golden knight — fifteen feet tall, eyes blazing with molten fire.
Selphine's quill snapped in half. "That's not possible—it's the Vault Warden! It's supposed to appear only after the fifth floor!"
The Warden raised its arm, summoning a colossal sword made of compressed light. The blade struck down with a roar that cracked the ceiling. Kai met it head-on, bracing his sword.
The impact shattered the floor beneath them.
Kai skidded backward, boots digging into the stone. "Oh, so this is what high interest feels like!"
Lira fired radiant bolts to distract the Warden while Nyx projected a psychic field, slowing its movements. Selphine chanted rapidly, sending streams of blue light into Kai's blade.
"Recalibrating your mana flow! Don't overdraw it again!"
Kai steadied his breathing. "No promises!"
He lunged forward, his sword erupting with lightning. The Warden swung again, but this time Kai leapt over the attack, twisting midair and slashing downward.
The impact tore through the Warden's chest in an explosion of light and coins. For a moment, it looked like victory.
Then, the Warden's core flared — glowing with crimson energy. The fragments of its armor began to reform, faster than before.
Selphine gasped. "It's reconstituting! It's feeding off your interest energy!"
Kai's expression hardened. "Then let's zero out the account."
He pressed his palm to his sword, channeling everything. The blue aura shifted to white, lines of energy spidering across his arms. His Limit Breaker flared to its peak — unstable, beautiful, and terrifying.
"Limit Breaker: FINAL CREDIT!"
The blast tore through the chamber. The Vault Warden screamed, its form disintegrating in a cyclone of light and coins that rained down like golden snow.
Then silence.
Kai stood in the crater, panting, his sword smoking faintly. He looked around at the wreckage, then back at the team. "So… what's our balance now?"
Selphine adjusted her glasses, looking at her clipboard. "You owe the universe approximately one billion spiritual credits."
Kai shrugged. "Eh, I've had worse."
Nyx hopped on his shoulder. "Congratulations, boss. You just became the richest broke guy in existence."
Lira sighed. "And this was just the first room."