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Hello people, seeing the votes I'm not even going to bother counting the new voters because Riveria has almost double the votes of the second place (which is Ryuu) xD.
Perhaps it wasn't clear how the voting went for Bell's partner. So I'll be clear: there's no harem. So Riveria is the winner.
Second notice: I'm setting up a Discord server for this fanfic, in order to find beta readers for my translated document. Once I'm finished, I'll post it as an announcement on Wattpad, and when I have the next chapter, I'll put it there as well.
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The sun was just peeking over the roofs of Orario, tinting the stone walls with warm, golden tones. It was early, and the city was still yawning amidst merchants setting up their stalls and adventurers heading toward the Tower of Babel.
Bell walked among them.
Slightly straighter. Slightly safer.
It wasn't as if everything had been resolved overnight.
No. He still carried the weight of Lili's words in his chest. His fingers still trembled at the memory of Naaza's attempted con. He was still afraid to look at the world… and find more darkness.
But something had changed.
Maybe it was the food.
Maybe it was the warmth of the tavern.
Or maybe it was Syr…
That smile of his. That calm way he listened to him without saying much. That gesture of inviting him without judging him, without pressuring him. As if nothing needed to be said to understand that he wasn't okay... and that he didn't have to be.
I didn't fully understand what she'd done. I only knew that after that, I could walk again.
And that's what he did.
I had a lot to sort out. A lot to understand. A lot to face.
But for now… at least, he was taking the next step.
He stopped in front of a fountain. The water reflected the blue sky, and something inside him reacted.
[Divine Blessing of the Blue Skies] activated.
Bell blinked.
"…Really?" He laughed softly, shaking his head.
It was absurd. Chaotic. Part of him felt like he was being swept away by a current of things he didn't fully understand.
But another part… was beginning to accept that this was what this new path was all about.
Uncertain.
Painful.
But also full of possibilities.
He clenched his fists, took a deep breath… and kept walking.
Maybe I wouldn't change the world today.
But he could start by not giving up.
And the first step of that was the Dungeon.
Bell walked down the dungeon entrance with a firm step, feeling the familiarity of the environment begin to envelop him. The heavy air, the dampness on the walls, the constant feeling of being watched… all of it, somehow, was comforting.
A steady stream of adventurers climbed as he descended. More than usual.
Whole groups, some panting lightly, others chatting among themselves normally. There were no screams, no blood, no panic, just… more people leaving than one would expect at that hour.
Bell paused for a moment near the first floor, watching as a group of three adventurers walked past him. One of them was laughing.
"Did you see his face?! I swore he was going to be a unique boss, and he turned out to be just a disoriented wyvern."
"At least he gave us a good magic stone," another added. "Shall we sell it, or rest first?"
"I'm dead. Tavern. Now."
And they continued on their way, without even noticing Bell's presence.
The young man looked into the depths of the Dungeon.
"A wyvern…" he murmured thoughtfully.
It wasn't uncommon for more dangerous creatures to rise from the middle floors if they were pushed by something... but if the adventurers came away laughing, it couldn't be that serious. Probably a minor incident. A mistake in the dungeon's ecosystem. Nothing to worry about.
Or so I wanted to believe.
Bell tightened his backpack, adjusted his knife, and went down another floor. If something bad was happening… he wanted to know. But if it wasn't, he needed to train. He needed to get stronger.
After all, now he had a second chance.
But only one.
…
The echo of Bell's footsteps rang softly through the corridors of the 13th floor as he cautiously advanced. The dim light from the crystals embedded in the ceiling cast dancing shadows on the walls. In his right hand, his spear weighed firmly, but also with familiarity.
A shadow moved to his left.
TACK!
Bell spun, swiftly ramming the spear into the flank. The tip pierced the side of a War Shadow, and the creature squealed before dissolving into particles.
"Good…" he murmured, twirling the spear in a graceful motion, as if it were an extension of his body.
Two Killer Ants emerged from the next tunnel. Bell lunged forward, lowering his center of gravity. The spear spun in his hands, its tip tracing a semicircle in the air, and slammed into the first giant insect with a wet pop.
The second creature attempted to lunge at him from the flank. Bell, without thinking, released the spear with one hand, twirled, and redirected it with the other, as if dancing. The blade sliced through the monster's jaw just before it closed on his arm.
Both creatures exploded.
Bell took a deep breath and just kept moving forward.
Minutes passed as Bell continued his descent through the dungeon's intermediate floors. The atmosphere grew denser, the air heavier, and the echoes of more aggressive monsters mingled with the crunching of glass around him.
It was then that the shadows moved.
Crack… chink… chink…
A pair of Crystal Mantis emerged from behind a stone column, their bodies covered in diamond-like plates and sharp arms that stretched out like scythes.
Bell did not back down.
The first mantis attacked with lightning speed, its crystalline blade slashing down from above. Bell spun, ramming his spear into the joint between the monster's torso and leg. The crack of the shattering glass was sharp, but the monster didn't fall. It just shrieked in fury, whirling to counterattack.
Bell pushed forward, lowering his center of gravity and dodging underneath the slash. The second mantis was already upon him, but the spear spun once more: CLANG! The weapon bounced off the breastplate, but that was only a distraction.
POUND! A magic fire stone exploded directly against the first monster's head, melting part of its face. The second raised its blades to attack, but Bell had already beaten it to it: a leap, a flip in the air, and the spear descended with brutal force onto the neck joint.
CRACK!
Bell took a deep breath, showing no signs of exhaustion.
"They don't even scare me anymore…"
And he kept moving forward, the echo of his footsteps resonating among the broken glass.
But Bell stopped dead in his tracks.
The group of adventurers appeared out of nowhere, emerging from a side corner of the corridor like a gust of wind. They all wore similar attire: light purple robes with details reminiscent of distant regions, perhaps from some Eastern country.
The sound of their hurried footsteps echoed with despair. The first Bell spotted was a burly man, his face sweaty and tense, carrying an unconscious young adventurer on his back, her clothes soaked in blood. Her breathing was erratic. A wound in his side left a red trail along the path.
"Don't go that way, boy!" the man shouted, without even stopping.
Bell barely had time to react before another figure stopped. It was a young woman with jet-black hair tied back in a low ponytail, purple eyes that shone with determination… but also with regret.
"I'll stay," she said firmly, turning back toward the hallway they had come from.
"Don't be silly, run!" the man shouted, without looking back.
"I can't let him die!"
The look he gave Bell was filled with something he didn't understand: warning, guilt… or maybe fear.
But she didn't wait for a reply. Her feet hesitated for only a second, and then she ran after her group, gritting her teeth.
Bell was left alone. Silence.
Only the faint echo of fading footsteps and the distant sound of something… far below. Something dragging its claws. Breathing unevenly. Getting closer.
Bell tightened his grip on the spear. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
A shudder in the air. An invisible pressure.
And then he heard them.
Footsteps. No… dozens of footsteps. Struck against the rock, savage grunts, high-pitched shrieks.
As he turned the corner, his breath stopped.
In front of him, a monstrosity of a scene.
A Monster Party.
But not a common one.
A living avalanche of beasts surged down the corridor like a tide of death. Dozens, hundreds of monsters advanced like an impossible wave to stem.
Bell instantly recognized the Almiraj—fast as lightning, with that single, sharp horn flashing in the gloom. They moved by the dozens, leaping over one another like a white storm of fury.
Behind them came the Hellhounds, their eyes blazing and their jaws covered in flames. Some blew out small puffs of fire that made the walls shake.
And among them all, the Lygerfangs. Giant tiger-like creatures, muscular, with dark fur and red eyes. One of them effortlessly crushed an Almiraj that crossed its path, roaring with an animal-like violence that sank into Bell's bones.
Bell couldn't move.
The ground was shaking.
His body screamed at him to run, but his legs felt like they were nailed to the ground.
That was the threat that had made the adventurers flee.
He was expecting that later.
And it was coming straight for him.
The thought of running crossed his mind for a split second.
But that was it: a fraction.
Because in the next blink of an eye, the Almiraj were already a few meters away, leaping at each other in a frantic mass of teeth, paws, and horns. The Helhounds followed, snarling, spitting fire that lit up the cavern. A Lygerfang charged like a train without brakes, and Bell knew with absolute clarity:
I had no way out.
I wasn't going to escape.
There was only one option left.
"...Then I will fight."
He turned, planted his feet on the ground, and raised his spear. His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum. He took a deep breath.
An explosion of blood and light passed through him.
And then, it moved.
The spear whistled like lightning as it struck the first Almiraj, who leaped forward with his horn. Bell spun around and deflected it, impaling him in midair. Without stopping, he swept forward with his shaft, knocking down two more.
A Helhound charged him from the flank, its jaw open with internal flames. Bell rolled to the side, and the creature bit into rock. He used the momentum to drive his spear under its jaw with a scream, piercing its skull.
But more were coming.
Many more.
There was no time to think, only to survive.
And Bell fought.
Every movement was an instinct. Every breath, a battle.
For a moment, despair turned into something more:
Determination.
If the world was dark, then he would pierce it with his light. Even if it went out… even if he never left that cave…
I didn't plan on dying on the run.
A Lygerfang roared, launching itself at Bell with brutal speed. It was large, too large, with dagger-like fangs and claws that could split a shield in two. Bell had no shield. Only his spear.
"Come on then…!" he yelled through gritted teeth, taking a step forward instead of backing up.
[Divine Blessing of the First Sight]
At the last instant, his body shifted of its own accord, tilting, letting the creature pass by just barely. The roar ripped past him like a cutting wind. Bell spun with all his might, his spear flashing, and drove it into the beast's flank. Flesh, muscle, and bone gave way. The Lygerfang shrieked and fell, kicking violently before laying still.
But he barely had time to catch his breath. A group of Almiraj were coming from his left flank. They leaped in a group, screaming like a pack of mad beasts. Bell spun the spear with both hands, spinning around. The shaft became a whirlwind, blocking, deflecting, wounding.
Even so, one managed to break through his defense. It rammed him in the shoulder, knocking him to his knees.
"Argh!"
Another Helhound launched itself at him. Bell raised his spear just in time to prevent the creature's fang from slicing open his neck. They locked, one on top of the other, force against force. The Helhound's flames burned his face.
"I'm not going to die here!"
He thrust the spear violently. The Helhound flew out, crashing against the corridor wall with a crack of breaking bones.
Bell was breathing heavily, panting. His body was bleeding. His legs were shaking. But he was still standing.
And there was more to come.
Manyfurther.
His vision blurred, but his determination didn't. Then a warm feeling spread through his chest, as if something were… wrapping around him. As if he weren't completely alone.
A voice in his mind, soft and distant, like a heavenly whisper:
"Don't give up."
Bell gritted his teeth. The air smelled of blood and smoke. The ground was littered with corpses and broken glass. Chaos surrounded him from all sides.
But he was still alive.
And as long as his spear remained in his hand…
I wouldn't fall.
"Come everyone!" he shouted into the void.
"Here I am!"
And the monsters roared in response.
Bell gritted his teeth. His spear slashed out in a wide arc, slicing through a Lygerfang charging from the left flank. He rolled backward, narrowly dodging a Hellhound's fire, then drove the butt of his spear into the ground to stay upright.
But his body no longer responded as it had in the beginning.
His breathing was shallow. Sweat clouded his vision. Every movement hurt, as if his muscles were screaming to stop. The spear, once light as the wind, now weighed like an iron beam.
I couldn't go on like this for much longer.
There are too many…
His thoughts grew sluggish, dragged by exhaustion. For every monster he felled, two more took its place. An endless tide of fangs, claws, and fire.
He pressed his lips together and took a step back, then another. His mind screamed at him to run, but his legs could barely support him.
And yet…
"No… I'm not going to fall here…"
He raised his spear once more, trembling, exhausted, but firm.
Not because I thought I could win.
But because he couldn't give up.
Because even if no one was watching…
He wanted to be a hero.
He had to be a hero
And a hero does not turn his back, even if he trembles.
Bell gasped, his legs shaking, the spear about to slip from his sweaty hands. His vision was beginning to blur, and each roar of the monsters rattled in his bones as if it were shaving years off his life.
And then… he heard it.
A clear, strong, almost solemn voice, cutting through the din of battle like a beacon through a storm:
"...My name is Alf!"
The air vibrated. Bell barely had time to take a step back when a blistering blast of emerald fire streaked across the field, exploding in the midst of the swarm of monsters.
The ground shook.
The roar of the beasts was drowned in a collective cry of agony. The flames danced like a living storm, devouring all the monsters equally. In seconds, the overwhelming number of enemies was reduced to a few battered ones who instinctively retreated… before being finished off by a barrage of blows from the side corridor.
Bell stepped back further, still stunned, and then he saw them.
A figure with light green hair, still wrapped in a magical aura, slowly lowered his staff after casting the spell. Riveria Ljos Alf.
Beside him, with her claymore slung over her shoulder and a confident smile on her face, stood Tiona. Further back, Tione trudged forward, while Bete whistled boredly, stomping on the skull of a still-moving Hellhound.
And at the front, the most imposing of all, the bearer of a giant spear, his aura of pure intimidation spreading through the tunnel like an invisible wave: Finn Deimne.
The Loki Family had arrived.
Bell could hardly believe what he was seeing. The heat from the fire still danced in the air, and his body was shaking not only from exertion, but from the tension that was finally beginning to dissipate. Still panting, he turned to Finn, his eyes wide.
"What are you doing here…?" he asked, confused, his voice raspy from exertion.
Finn, still with that friendly but confident smile that characterized him, rested his spear on his shoulder and replied calmly:
"We heard a scream. Pretty loud. We thought someone was in trouble."
Bell blinked, surprised. Her scream? He hadn't even noticed she'd made it.
A light laugh escaped Tiona's lips. "And boy were you! That monster party almost turned you into mincemeat."
Bell, still catching his breath, nodded slowly and murmured sincerely:
"Thank you… really."
Finn inclined his head slightly, professionally. "You're welcome. Although, honestly, you should be more careful. Venturing this deep alone isn't something we recommend, especially when the Dungeon has been so busy lately."
Riveria watched him silently, her sharp eyes assessing his physical condition. Bell sensed that judgment without him needing to say anything… and for some reason, he found it comforting.
Bell frowned slightly, still panting a little, but quickly recovering. He looked around: all the main members of the Loki Familia were there. Not just Riveria and Tiona, but also Tione, Gareth, Lefiya… even Bete, with his arms crossed and a sour face.
"But… wasn't your expedition supposed to have ended a few days ago?" Bell asked, genuinely confused. "What's everyone doing here?"
Before anyone could respond, Bete clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Mind your own damn business, rabbit"
Bell lowered his gaze slightly, uncomfortable… although he was already starting to get used to the wolf's treatment.
Luckily, Finn spoke up right away, calming the tension.
"We were notified this morning," he explained, in a professional tone, "that the Goliath reappeared on the 17th floor."
"Goliath?" Bell repeated, surprised.
"That's right." Riveria took a step forward. "An abnormal apparition. The Guild has requested our help in eliminating it as quickly as possible."
Finn nodded. "With the recent increase in Dungeon activity, they preferred not to take any chances. They asked us to exterminate it before it causes a tragedy."
Bell was silent for a second, absorbing that information.
"It seems the Dungeon is more alive than ever," he murmured, unaware.
Finn nodded, his smile deepening into a more serious expression.
"And that worries us all."
Riveria approached with elegant, confident steps, her gaze fixed on Bell. Although her expression was serene, there was a hint of concern in her features. As she stopped in front of him, she raised her cane and murmured in a clear, melodious voice:
"Luna Aldis."
A soft greenish glow enveloped Bell, warm like a spring breeze. He felt the pain in his body begin to dissipate, the superficial wounds closing, and the muscle fatigue gradually easing. It was as if the accumulated fatigue was slowly dissolving into a stream of calm.
When the light disappeared, Bell blinked a few times. His breathing had steadied. He looked at his hands, then at Riveria.
"Thank you," he said, with a tired but sincere smile. "Really, thank you very much."
Riveria watched him for a few seconds, as if assessing his condition. Then she nodded slightly with a small smile.
"You managed pretty well on your own. But don't ignore your limits…"
Bell lowered his head slightly, embarrassed.
"I won't do it… I promise."
Tione snorted. "She's still reckless. But hey, she survived, that's something."
Meanwhile, Bete clicked his tongue under his breath, as if he didn't want to acknowledge that Bell had endured so much on his own.
And Bell… simply felt relieved. Although his body was healed, his soul was still a little tired.
Bell looked up and saw all the members of the Loki Familia who had come to his aid. The group was imposing, figures many considered living legends… and yet, they had helped him. Him.
"I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't arrived."
Finn nodded with a calm smile. "Take care."
Tiona waved her hand in the air excitedly. "See you! Next time, try not to crash a monster party by yourself, okay?"
Tione, arms crossed, let out a snort that could be interpreted as approval. Riveria simply bowed her head elegantly, while Bete, with his hands in his pockets, muttered under his breath without looking at him:
"Tch… don't die out there."
Bell smiled. He wasn't sure if that last bit was a disguised insult or some kind of veiled concern. Maybe both.
"See you," he said, and began walking in the opposite direction, slowly moving down another of the Dungeon's corridors, now much quieter. His steps were firm, but inside him… a mixture of thoughts danced loudly.
The darkness of the Dungeon enveloped him once again, but this time, his heart shone with a little more hope.
Bell stopped in his tracks as he heard the voice in his mind, as if a spark of newborn magic had been ignited within him.
[Divine Blessing of Explosion]: Allows the use of the [Explosion] spell.
He blinked, and a flash of excitement lit his face.
"I have new magic?!" he exclaimed aloud, as if the entire universe were conspiring to give him the opportunity to be even more amazing. He looked around, making sure no one was watching him.
"It's magic! It's real magic!" he shouted, feeling a bubbling energy rise from his chest. The possibility of using magic, real magic, was like a dream come true.
"And it's called Explosion! Who gives that name to a magic if it isn't awesome?!"
He sat on the floor, excited, as if he had won a lottery jackpot.
"Wait… how do I cast it? Does it have a chant? Or do I just have to say Explosion?"
With an eager smile, Bell dramatically reached out toward a nearby rock and, without further thought, shouted:
"EXPLOSIOOOOOON!!!"
At that moment, something happened… but not what he expected.
An explosion shot out from his body, in a flash of light and fire. The sound of the explosion echoed through the air, but it didn't just hit the rock he'd pointed at… Bell himself was the center of the shockwave.
BOOOOM.
A blast of energy pushed him back, sending him to the ground with a deep pain in his chest, a burning in his arms and legs, and an overwhelming feeling of dizziness.
Bell slowly stood up, covering his face with his hand as he staggered. "That… hurts…" he mumbled, trying not to lose control of his breathing.
His clothes were torn in places, and the burns were clear signs of what he had just done. He looked down at his hands, now somewhat blackened and sore, and sank back to the ground, staring up at the sky.
"Well… it seems I didn't read the instructions."
The pain continued to throb through his body, but for some reason, he couldn't help but smile, as if frustration only increased his determination. Now he knows how not to use magic. But more importantly… he has it!
"I'll do better next time!"
But Bell, with a silly grin, already knew what he would do next.
He struggled to his feet, determined to try again… but this time, outside his body.
Bell continued his "training" with the new magic, albeit with a mixture of frustration and determination. He moved away from the rocks, searching for a distant target, telling himself that this time he would succeed.
"I just have to focus... just a little further, Bell!" he thought, gritting his teeth as he reached for a rock a few feet away.
"EXPLOSIOOOOOON!!!"
The explosion occurred, but this time, instead of the rock, the shockwave hit him again. The ground shook, and Bell was thrown backward, falling flat on his back with a sharp pain. The remains of the rock were barely visible due to the force of the explosion… but all Bell could think about was how much it hurt.
"Why does this always happen?!" he wondered, as he slowly, unsteadily, stood up.
He rubbed his head, seeing his surroundings covered in smoke and debris, which was quite impressive, but not in the way he had planned.
"Damn it! How the hell do I set off an explosion without blowing myself up?" he wailed, recovering and staring at the traces of the blast on the ground, one eye nearly black from hitting himself so hard. He was really starting to wonder if there was any way he couldn't be the center of all that energy.
He tried again, with more concentration.
"EXPLOSIOOOOOON!!!"
And this time, the blast engulfed him with such force that he ended up covered in dust, his clothes once again ripped by the shockwave. "This can't be real!" he growled, shaking the dust from his face.
It was useless. Every time he tried, it seemed like the magic reached him more than anything in front of him. Why can't I get this right? he thought, frustrated.
He fell back to the ground, breathing heavily, but not giving up. After all, the life of an adventurer wasn't all about victories, but also about stumbling, falling, and getting back up.
[Divine Blessing of the Pyromaniac]: Fire and explosions do not damage you, they heal you.
Bell couldn't help but let out a small, disbelieving laugh. "Really? This sounds way too convenient," he thought, almost in disbelief.
Before he realized what was happening, the heat began to heal his wounds, as if the explosion that had hit him hadn't happened. Bell, in a rare moment of stillness, smiled slightly.
"Maybe now I can do it right…" he thought as he began to feel the adrenaline rush again, without the fear of pain, with a renewed sense of power. He no longer had to worry about hurting himself, because fire was now his ally.
Once again, with renewed determination, he prepared for another attempt. This time, he would not only do it, but he would enjoy the process.
BOOM
The roar of the explosion was like a dragon's roar, but this time Bell could feel the shockwave surrounding him without causing further damage, the fire caressing him like a warm current that didn't hurt. A monumental boom cracked the ground in front of him, as Bell watched with a satisfied smile on his face.
"That's what I want!" he shouted, laughing amid the scattering dust, reveling in his own controlled chaos.
The fire had not only healed him, but also propelled him even further, and Bell felt like he'd found something that was making him move forward with confidence. If I can handle this, maybe… just maybe… this power won't be so bad, he thought, his eyes shining with a new spark of determination.
It didn't matter that things were chaotic. After all, he was the protagonist of his own story.
[N/A: No way, he became conscious!]