"That sword is way too good to be used by Arenthos trash."
Kanos stopped chewing the tough jerky in his mouth. He looked up from where he sat leaning against the cave wall.
Three men wearing hard leather and carrying rusted spears stood blocking the path. They were watching Belida, who was sitting cross-legged not far from Kanos. More accurately, all three of their eyes were glued to the pure steel greatsword leaning next to the giant man.
This was the transition rest area from floor five to floor six. The place was pretty spacious, brightly lit by torches, and fairly packed with adventurers regaining their stamina. Strangely though, the people around them were pretending not to notice these three thugs picking a fight.
"Leave," Belida said flatly. His eyes didn't even open.
"You're a royal fugitive, right?" The thug in the front—above his head floated the number [ LEVEL 18 ]—took a step forward. He sneered condescendingly. "Exiles don't have the right to carry high-tier guild weapons. Hand over that sword, or we'll take it by force and sell your head to the guards up top."
Kanos massaged his temples. His body was sticky with green monster blood and sweat. He just wanted to rest for fifteen minutes before they continued looking for ink materials, and now he had to deal with typical stupid thug NPCs.
Belida opened his eyes. His right hand moved slowly toward the hilt of his black sword.
"Hey, hey. Relax a bit, boys."
A thick hand wrapped in a leather glove rested on the level 18 thug's shoulder.
Kanos glanced toward the voice. A tall man with messy brown hair stood behind the three thugs. He was probably in his mid-thirties. There was a long scratch scar across his left jaw, but the man was smiling broadly. A smile that made his face look warm and commanding.
Above his head, a dim white panel lit up brightly: [ LEVEL 32 ].
The three thugs immediately froze. Their faces turned deathly pale seeing the number above the stranger's head.
"The three of you fighting a guy the size of a mountain is already a losing bet, let alone if you add me to the mix," the man said casually. His voice was crisp and friendly, but there was a sharp pressure in every tone. "How about you guys head back up, drink some beer, and forget about that sword? It's on me. Beats becoming mushroom fertilizer down here."
The level 18 thug swallowed hard. He signaled his two friends, then hurriedly walked away without daring to say another word.
The brown-haired man chuckled softly watching them run off. He stepped closer to Kanos and Belida, then squatted casually in front of them. His eyes took in Kanos's ragged condition, then shifted to the black sword next to Belida.
"I'm Garrick," he said, holding his right hand out to Belida.
Belida just stared at the hand. He didn't take it, and his posture remained tense, ready to fight.
Garrick wasn't offended. He pulled his hand back with an understanding smile.
"You look like a walking corpse, buddy," Garrick said, this time speaking directly to Kanos. The man unhooked a leather waterskin from his waist and tossed it into Kanos's lap. "Drink. That's distilled water from the city, not underground swamp water."
Kanos looked at the waterskin, then at Garrick. His throat was indeed bone dry. Without overthinking it, Kanos popped the cap and took a huge gulp. The water was actually cold and clean. It tasted like heaven compared to the water from that ugly stone fruit he drank yesterday.
"Thanks," Kanos mumbled, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
"Don't mention it." Garrick sat cross-legged on the dusty ground, not caring that his leather armor was getting dirty. His eyes narrowed warmly as he studied the two of them. "I've been keeping an eye on you guys since you entered the fourth-floor corridor. A level three walking with a giant with no guild crest. That's a pretty crazy combo to bring down to floor six."
"None of your business," Belida cut in coldly. "We don't need help."
Garrick laughed again. "You clearly do, big guy. Floor six isn't a straight corridor like the floors above. It's a crystal labyrinth. If you just wander in without a map, you'll be walking in circles until your food runs out and you end up eaten by monsters from the shadows."
Kanos glanced at Belida. The giant man stayed silent. It was obvious Garrick's guess was right. Belida was great at fighting, but he wasn't a dungeon mapping specialist.
"I know the farming spots for monsters with good materials down there," Garrick offered casually. "I can be your guide. I show you the way, we split the loot fairly."
"No veteran adventurer would guide strangers for free," Belida replied sharply. His gaze was still full of suspicion. "What do you really want?"
The broad smile on Garrick's face slowly faded. His expression softened, a shadow of sadness crossing his eyes as he looked down at the stone floor. His left hand absentmindedly twisted a worn silver ring on his right finger.
"I used to have a younger brother," Garrick's voice dropped an octave. "He was about your age, Nos. Just as stubborn. Also a low level forcing his way down the dungeon for quick cash."
Kanos stayed quiet listening to the story. The stinging pain in his ribs made him focus even more on Garrick's expression.
"Two years ago, he forced his way down to floor six with an amateur party without bringing a guide. They got lost in the labyrinth," Garrick continued quietly. His eyes stared straight into Kanos's. "When I finally found him three days later... well, point is, I was too late. This ring was all I could bring back."
Silence fell over the three of them for a moment. The noisy chatter of the other adventurers around them felt muted.
"I've seen way too many new kids die stupid deaths in this hole because of a lack of preparation," Garrick finally said. He gave a faint smile, taking a deep breath to chase away the gloomy vibe. "You remind me of him, Nos. Skinny, battered, but still got that fire in your eyes. I just don't want to add to the list of corpses I have to find down in the lower labyrinth."
Kanos let out a soft sigh. He studied Garrick's face. The scar, the tired smile, and that honest look in his eyes... it all seemed to add up. No danger alarms went off in his instincts. No flawed structures in the way this guy spoke.
In a world filled with disgusting monsters and asshole gate guards, finding a single veteran with empathy felt like winning the lottery.
"We need a map, Belida," Kanos finally said, turning to his giant partner. "And we need ink materials fast. If he knows the way, we save time and we save my energy."
Belida stared at Kanos for a long time, then shifted his gaze to Garrick. The giant man snorted softly, as if surrendering to Kanos's stubbornness.
"If you try anything funny, I will slit your throat before the monsters down there get the chance," Belida threatened Garrick in a dead-serious tone.
"Fair enough," Garrick chuckled, standing up and dusting off his pants. He held a hand out to Kanos to help the younger man to his feet. "Let's go. I know where the Red Spider nests are. Their blood is highly valued for alchemical use."
Kanos took the offered hand. Garrick's pull was strong but careful, not aggravating Kanos's ribs.
Kanos walked behind Garrick, following the veteran adventurer's steady steps into the dark corridor leading to floor six. For the first time since being thrown into this crazy world, Kanos felt his shoulder muscles relax a little.
Finally, Kanos thought in relief. There's actually a sane and good person in this place.