The next day, after finishing breakfast at the familia, Qianshuo prepared to head back into the Dungeon for another expedition.
Heith thoughtfully packed him a lunch bento and reminded him—again—to be careful once he got inside.
This time, Qianshuo would be going alone. She was worried he might get reckless and wander too deep, so she repeated herself more than once.
Even though she knew Qianshuo's personality—he wasn't the type to do anything rash—she couldn't help it.
She cared.
And Qianshuo didn't find her "nagging" annoying at all. He knew it was concern, so he listened patiently.
"Remember what I taught you," Hedin said after their short morning practice. "If anyone tries something against you down there, don't hesitate. Strike first."
"I understand, Master." Qianshuo nodded.
He understood exactly what Hedin meant. In the Dungeon, there were plenty of adventurers with rotten intentions—people who would exploit the Dungeon's "nature" to ambush others and erase witnesses.
You had to watch for monsters.
You also had to watch for people.
And since he was a child of the Freya Familia, he didn't need to burden himself with needless scruples. If someone tried to harm him, he was to kill them—end of story.
Because if you let someone hurt you and still refuse to strike back…
That was the same as waiting to die.
"Alright, kid—bento packed? Water flask? Spare potions?" Heith stood with hands on her hips, eyeing him like she was checking homework.
"Packed. Brought it. Brought it," Qianshuo answered one by one, a little helpless.
"If you run into a monster you can't handle, what do you do?"
"Run."
"And if you can't get away?"
"Run with everything I've got."
Heith shot him a glare. "Be serious."
"If I can't win, I retreat. I don't overreach, I don't chase merit, and I don't push into unknown territory," Qianshuo recited obediently.
"Heith, you said that three times yesterday."
"That's because this is your first time going alone!" She rapped him on the head, harder than usual—like she was venting something. "What if something happened to you—"
Before she could finish, Qianshuo looked at her expression and suddenly smiled.
"Don't worry, Heith."
His voice was soft, but completely sincere.
"I've already 'died once,' you know. So I'm more afraid of dying than anyone."
Babel
After arriving at Babel, Qianshuo went down to the first underground level—the Dungeon's entrance.
Last time, he'd been too eager to get inside to really look around. Now, as he scanned the place, he realized just how lavish and majestic Babel's interior truly was.
The great hall was built around a blue-and-white palette. Black stone monuments stood scattered throughout, carved with the names of countless adventurers.
Thick, towering pillars were arranged at even intervals—so many you couldn't count them at a glance.
And when he looked up, the entire ceiling was painted as a vast sky—so exquisite he doubted there was another mural like it anywhere.
Adventurers and supporters with heavy packs brushed past one another in endless streams. Qianshuo couldn't help marveling at the sheer volume of people entering the Dungeon.
But it made sense.
Orario was called the center of the world—wealth, honor, and anything else you might desire could be found here.
As long as you had the strength, you could obtain everything you wanted.
That was why so many people poured into the Dungeon even knowing how dangerous it was—because this was the fastest path to temper themselves and grow stronger.
Just then, a sharp-eyed pallum girl locked onto Qianshuo and hurried over, her tone pleading.
"Adventurer sir—do you need a supporter? I have the Unsung Hero skill. I'm really suited to volunteer work!"
Qianshuo paused, then gently shook his head. "No, thanks."
And he walked on.
Unsung Hero was a skill most supporters had. Once the carried load exceeded a certain weight, it provided a bonus—scaled to the weight itself. Put simply: it let you carry a ridiculous amount of baggage.
But Heith had warned him before: you couldn't trust random supporters in the plaza.
If he ever needed one, it was best to find someone reliable—friends, or trusted companions within the familia.
Alternatively, he could go through the Guild, have staff recommend a supporter with a good reputation. It cost more, but it was safe.
Besides, Qianshuo didn't really need a supporter anyway.
He wasn't short on money—his familia stipend alone was enough, not to mention he was a priority prospect under special care.
And more importantly…
At his current stage, he didn't need much equipment.
Once his level rose, gear would matter a lot more. But as a Level 1, it simply wasn't a concern.
What he needed to do was simple:
Fight. Enjoy it. That's it.
Going Solo
As for an adventuring party…
Qianshuo felt a rare flicker of "trouble."
He'd asked around on the way and looked into a few teams, but none of them seemed reliable, so he didn't feel like approaching.
Within the familia, most people were training in the battle wasteland. They weren't particularly interested in teaming up with a Level 1 to run the Dungeon.
And Lefiya was from the Loki Familia—Riveria's disciple. She was likely focused on magic training under her master, so she probably didn't have time to go with him either.
Well… he would take it step by step. Maybe a suitable party would turn up before long.
With that thought, he stopped dwelling on it and pushed through the crowd toward the Dungeon.
As people spotted the Freya Familia emblem on him—a valkyrie's profile framed with gold ornamentation—they instinctively parted to make a path.
A Freya Familia newcomer entering the Dungeon was rare enough.
And no one in Orario wanted trouble with one of the "Twin Kings," let alone someone who carried himself with such an unusual air.
Better to keep your head down.
Dungeon Labyrinth: Floor 6
Two War Shadows lunged at him from both sides.
Qianshuo didn't retreat.
He tilted his body left at just the right moment, letting the right one's claws scrape past his shoulder.
At the same time, his katana swept sideways, forcing the left one back.
In the span of a single breath, he had already grasped their rhythm.
So the rest was easy.
The left one struck fast but recovered slowly—cut in at the moment it reset.
The right one liked to circle behind for a cheap hit—keep it in sight and it wasn't a threat.
Thirty seconds later, both War Shadows crumbled into dust.
Qianshuo sheathed his blade—
and he wasn't even breathing hard.
As expected, after fighting alongside Lefiya last time, War Shadows were no longer a serious problem.
Still… he found himself missing her magic a little. If they were teamed up, he could save himself a lot of hassle.
He continued forward.
A few goblins and needle rabbits appeared in the passage—but when they saw Qianshuo, they didn't rush him immediately.
They hesitated.
Were they… afraid?
Qianshuo stopped and looked at the monsters cowering in the corner. The corner of his mouth lifted.
He raised his katana and walked toward them.
The monsters shrieked in terror and scattered.
But not one of them escaped his pursuit.
Only after confirming they were all dead did Qianshuo sheath his sword again.
Even though he was moving through the floor almost unimpeded, he remained cautious. He didn't advance carelessly or underestimate the Dungeon.
The Dungeon's greatest taboo was arrogance.
Countless adventurers had paid for those four letters with their lives.
Qianshuo understood that better than most.
Pride makes everyone kneel.
He'd learned that lesson the hard way over years of traveling the world.
"Alright… today, I'll try going down to Floor 10."
Qianshuo gathered the small magic stones and valuable materials dropped by the War Shadows and needle rabbits, then headed for the next level down.
Meanwhile—
On Floor 13, a blonde girl with a pack big enough to swallow her whole was steadily hunting monsters, collecting their magic stones one after another.
....
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