A true unexplored realm—ground no one had ever walked.Not even first-tier adventurers had set foot here.
The corridor ahead wasn't on any map.It was a black throat that seemed to run straight into the abyss.
Quartz light was practically nonexistent.Only the slash of the magic-stone lamp cut the darkness.
This was pure unknown.
Miao'er's breathing grew tight. Sweat dampened her skin.Under that suffocating dark, she clutched Xien's arm instinctively—hard enough that, if not for his gear, she might've scratched him bloody.
Xien's senses had sharpened to an almost uncomfortable level—pressed by the environment, yet hyper-alert.The steady weight and familiar feel of Candleflame in his hand was the only thing that felt reliably "real."
Thankfully, a narrow stream ran along the side, making their movement easier.
Still… even with expectation, actually stepping into this kind of place made Xien tense.
Every step was new territory—no system-backed knowledge, no stored intel.That kind of uncertainty was fear—and also a strange, addictive thrill.
Before Miao'er's anxiety could completely break—
The narrow passage ended.
"So dark…" Miao'er whispered.
There was zero light now. The lamp couldn't reach any boundary.Xien's Sharingan spun unconsciously; outlines became clearer.
A massive open space.
Then—
He caught a silhouette.
Something… was there.
The next instant—
A thick, violent killing intent ballooned outward.
It was aimed mainly at Xien, but Miao'er was swept up in it too—her mind blanking in a reflexive self-defense freeze.
Shashashashashasha—!!
Footsteps from all directions.
Fast.
"!!"
Xien moved without hesitation. His left hand snapped—he threw the magic-stone lamp upward toward the sound's direction.
Light poured down—
and revealed a gray-white, feral shape charging at them.
A monster slammed in, bloodshot eyes blazing.It wanted to lock Xien down before he could strike.
A claw flashed sideways—
"—SKRRAAA!"
Metal screeched against metal, sparks ripping through the dark.Miao'er flinched and covered her ears.
Xien raised his sword one-handed and blocked the blow cleanly—no Flow needed.
Now he saw it clearly:
A "Stone Dragon"—taller than a man, with leathery wings, claws, fangs—everything about it screamed "predator."And more telling—
It wore gear.
Armor.
Xien's eyes narrowed.
"So that's what you are…"
If it wanted to open like this, then Xien wasn't going to "play nice."
He inhaled, breathing technique fully engaging—but he deliberately didn't coat his blade with magic. Judging by that armor's quality, a full-force enchanted slash might ruin it on the spot.
If this was Miao'er's "kin," their equipment wasn't easy to come by.He wouldn't add trouble for them—unless forced.
He tightened his grip and charged.
The Stone Dragon met him head-on.
No weapon—just claws and teeth.So it preferred its natural arsenal.
Sword and claw collided again and again—screeching friction, sparks strobing the battlefield. The fallen lamp's glow was faint, but enough to keep the fight from being blind.
Off to the side, Miao'er clenched her hands, watching, worry written all over her.She felt something "familiar" from the attacker—yet her heart leaned entirely toward Xien.Familiarity meant nothing compared to real kindness.
Xien, by contrast, was calm.
The Stone Dragon wasn't even Lv.4.Against him—someone who didn't collapse unless hard-countered—this was a bad matchup.
Its strength wasn't beyond his tolerance.Its speed was fast—but not fast enough to escape his eyes.And his technique had already matured enough to answer brute force without panic.
Across from him, the Stone Dragon—Gros—grew more and more frustrated.
What the hell?
Was it the monster, or was the human the monster?
That stamina… it didn't end.
Xien had already read the whole thing through.
Armor helped.But without refined technique to drive it, the improvement had a ceiling.
Three-word verdict:
Not qualified.
Just brute force.Once the rhythm was understood, it was easy to crack.
Since it still refused to speak, Xien decided to scare it into revealing the real party.
He angled an upward slash, opening its guard—then lunged as if to pierce its throat.
"Stop!"
A voice—female, clear—and three golden feathers shot like arrows at Xien.
Xien smiled internally.
There you are.
He changed the thrust mid-motion, flicked his blade, and knocked all three feather-arrows away—then retreated a few steps, giving space.
"So you finally show yourselves? Thought you'd stay hidden longer."
The ambusher appeared—
A Songbird: humanoid torso and face, arms fused with wings—like a harpy, but more refined. Mature, almost elegant in a strange way.
"…You noticed us from the start?" she asked.
Gros looked stunned.
Xien shrugged.
"Come on. Your armor is that abnormal, and Miao'er has been guiding me the whole way. If I couldn't guess your identity after that, my Familia would call me an idiot."
He spun his sword once and sheathed Candleflame.
"Then why did you—"
"Why did I fight him?" Xien cut in with a lazy grin. "Simple. I didn't like that look in his eyes or the cheap ambush, so I decided to teach him a lesson. How's that answer?"
Gros flared, rage rising—Xien instantly rocketed to #1 on its "most hated humans" list.
"You—!"
Xien didn't let him finish.
"Also, just because you've got intelligence doesn't mean you're all gentle like Miao'er. I'm an adventurer. Why would I bare my heart to someone who tries to jump me?Arrogant Stone Dragon—agree or not?"
Annoying as it was, Gros… calmed down.
And strangely, it trusted Xien more because of those words.
They'd received messages and supplies through the Guild before. The guidance had been real. The goods had been real.This time, the Guild's notice said: contact this human—he may accept you.
They didn't fully believe it.
So they chose the cautious route: send their two strongest to test him.
Yes—ever since Xien's team crossed into the deeper layers, Ley—the Songbird—had been watching.
At first, they looked like any other adventurers.So they were about to abort contact—
Until something unexpected happened:
A new presence was born.
A newborn of their kind.
They expected a massacre.
But the presence didn't disappear.
The human didn't kill her.
He moved with her.
Ley suspected the Guild was right: this human could be contacted.Gros suspected the opposite: humans might exploit the newborn for profit—because that sort of thing had happened before.
So they called out with the song. If the human didn't come, they'd rescue the newborn.If he did, they'd test him.
They just didn't expect the test to go like this—fully seen through, and the human's strength making both of them wary.
Lv.2? Don't make me laugh.
Now the initiative wasn't theirs anymore.
Ley exhaled and chose the diplomatic approach.
"We were wrong to strike first. I apologize, Xien. I'm Ley. This is Gros. As you can see, we are the same kind of existence as Miao'er behind you."
"We called you here because we want to bring our newborn companion back."
Xien nodded once.
"Fine. Apology accepted. Your honesty gives us room to talk."
Then his eyes sharpened.
"But I need answers."
Ley didn't resist.
"Ask."
Gros ground his teeth but stayed silent.He hated humans, not reality.
"First," Xien said, "what is your attitude toward Miao'er?"
Ley answered without hesitation.
"She is a newborn companion. A member of our family."
Behind Xien, Miao'er's face lit with hope.Her innate sensitivity—small but real—felt Ley's sincerity.
So it was true.
She had found her own people.
Xien gave a small, satisfied nod.
"Second. Do you have a place to live? A safe house—something like that."
Ley hesitated. That was survival-level information.
"…Yes."
Xien didn't press further.
"Third. Are you in contact with the Adventurers' Guild?"
"Yes."
"Got it."
He turned toward Miao'er.
"Alright. We found your companions. You heard them too—follow them. You'll be safer with your people. Go. Go back to your group."
Miao'er's voice shook.
"Really… can I?"
It wasn't disbelief alone.
It was reluctance.
Ley and Gros looked surprised—and then hurried to reassure her with their expressions and posture, as if afraid Xien might change his mind.
Miao'er lifted her face, eyes wet, staring at the first human who had ever given her warmth.
"Xien… will you really come see me again?"
For her, it had only been a few hours—but he had already become the most important person in her life.
The only light she'd ever known.
Xien smiled and patted her head gently. No empty promise—just solid truth.
"Adventurers can't leave this Dungeon behind. And after this expedition, my strength will jump. Coming to this floor alone won't be hard."
"So don't worry. We won't be apart for long."
He held her gaze.
"Remember: a short farewell is for a better reunion."
Miao'er swallowed, then nodded hard.
"…Mm. I believe you."
Step by step, she swam toward Ley and Gros—turning back again and again.
Xien watched quietly.
When she reached them, greeted them, and their bodies relaxed into genuine gentleness—
only then did Xien finally let his guard down.
....
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