บท 4: First Dungeon Dive

Why did I try to become a hero?

While still a child, I reveled on the stories of my grand father. Stories about heroes conquering dungeon but the real big reason was women.

To conquer women in the dungeon, soon it became my only motivation. After all, even I knew that this self had no makings of a hero.

But even then I wished to enter the labyrinths, to meet my dream women there.

"Bell, dungeon is a romance for men, a treasure trove holding their hopes and dreams" said gramps while making gestures of pressing two large orbs with his hands while constantly having a lecherous expression on his face.

My naïve self absorbing everything my grandpa said idolized his thoughts and made it my goal for the future,

"Y-yes gramps" with a red hue sporting my face I joined him in yet discussion of heroes and women.

"Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!"

Now, why was I having these thoughts? probably out of regret on blindly entering the dungeon.

It was a mistake, a grave mistake on my part.

Nothing went well entering this place. Within the first safe floors I got attacked by hordes of monsters, seeing no way to defeat them, I delved deeper and deeper into the labyrinth.

After running for a good while, I stopped, feeling no immediate danger nearby.

'3 left' but then a sudden bloodlust hit me, forcing my being away from the potions to finding its source. I looked everywhere frantically until,

"You got to be kidding me?!" my eyes went through a large shadow, a monster that didn't belong to these floors. The shadow too took note of my feeble and weak self, its face contorted till it released a howl, bringing chills to my very soul. It soon started chasing and chasing despite the near fatal wounds sporting its body as if it'd found its ideal prey.

'These floors were supposed to be safe' I ran, cursing in my mind for choosing this accursed day to enter the dungeon. Running as if my life depended on it.

However, soon my face took a picture of dread, why if you ask,

"A dead end..."

Hundreds of different scenario's went through my mind, all reaching to my death. That's when the sound of large footsteps reached my ears. There now was no where to run away. The only way, was to fight.

Turning myself towards the shadow, I eyed the monster's figure dreadfully,

"A minotaur..." Before leaving Eina's lesson's came to my mind, and so as such was certain about my death. Knowing the monster, there was no hope in even trying.

However, as I was about to give up, I remembered something important. Looking death in its eyes, I already lost hope and now desperate to hold onto anything to protect myself in my final moments,

"I am strong" I yelled as if trying to make myself believe it, to get away from this bone-chilling fear.

"I am strong!!" A mantra, repeating to myself over and over again. Something Momon told me to do when fear engulfed my very soul.

"I am strong!!!!!!!!!" Little by little the fears started to go away slowly replaced by an unknown warmth.

The pendent hanging beneath my neck started to glow in an ethereal light. Courage filled my mind, providing strength to body and soul.

'I can do this' The fight against the bear soon came to my mind. My hopes, goals and dreams too flashed before me and now even without any input my legs started to run towards the monster.

The knife in both my hands sliced at the hole in the minotaur's stomach. It roared, however, my mind refused to acknowledge any fear.

I ran towards it once more, repeating the same actions over and over again, until the minotaur dropped to one knee.

Without waiting I decided to strike once more. However, the monster was ready to intercept my attack, and for the first time it struck back with its horn.

The force behind the attack of a high level monster was enough to send me careening towards the wall.

Body filled with cuts and bruises. However, again my legs refused to give in. The courage in heart refused to let myself yield to this monster and just when he was about to go against the minotaur again, a white line of thread went from the head to its chest bisecting the monster into two.

The monster crystal dropped in front of him.

"Are you okay?" spoke a girl beside him.

Adrenaline coursed over Bell's body numbed all his emotions. With his new courage, he eyed the person who spoke to him.

"Who are you?"

As a country bumkin, Bell had no knowledge of the dungeon or the people. As such, it fell to Momon to teach him on how traverse the dungeons.

I was curious, how momon knew about the dungeon before he said to have to have stolen books from a bandit camp. Without any adventurer's to support or even help him, the knowledge became important for Bell as a newbie, entering the dungeon and so here he was now sitting in an abandoned church being coached by someone much younger than him.

"The dungeon underneath is quite dangerous. As an adventurer, while preparations to encounter enemies are a priority, one also mustn't disregard allies. Loot drop in dungeons can at times create conflict between party members or even other groups."

"But adventurer's help one another in the dungeon" he parroted wildly influenced by the heroic stories.

Momon held his head, acting as if he were looking at a child,

"There is no such thing as allies or friends in a dungeon. Anytime, discontent can occur between two parties or individuals, leading to pvp-I mean attack by higher level adventurer's to rob weaker adventurer's blind. As slavery is commonly accepted by gods, there might then also be gods allowing theft in the dungeons, after all, from the rumors their actions seems fickle and selfish, so I wouldn't count that out." The cold, rational words slowly seeped into his mind molding his view towards the dungeon.

However, I still want to be friends than enemies.

"So you are saying to be careful of other adventurer's during combat?"

"Yes"

"I...I will keep it in mind"

Bell now looked at the high level adventurer, seeing her attention at the minotaur he made his escape, that is running away.

The girl looked confused at his action however, then decided to focus on returning back.

Bell leaving the dungeon, went to the guild to exchange the monster crystals for valis. He told Eina about the adventurer and the minotaur chasing him in the beginning floors.

"What were you thinking fighting against a minotaur?!!!!!!!!!!!!" She yelled at him for letting himself get exposed to such situation.

After a while, Eina calmed down and forced a high health potion in his hand.

"I can't take thi-" but before he could refuse

"I have seen many enter the dungeons to not come came back...many who had a bright future ahead of them at this age I don't want to see that again" saying so she went back to her work.

Soon I found myself idly waking the streets, excuse me you may have dropped a valis.

'Did I?' thinking not much of it Bell pocketed the valis and thanked her.

"My name's Syr by the way. I work at the hostess of fertility, if you have time then please come and visit" he would have refused if not for hopeful expression.

"I will" and with that his legs moved again towards a certain direction.

It was almost night. After a long day of fighting between life and death, Bell made his way to the abandoned church where his goddess and Momon waited for him.

And then the moment he opened the doors of the church,

"Welcome back" said both of them, running to him to check for any grave injuries, seeing them become so worried for him, bell couldn't help but smile.

After all, he finally found his place place in the world with someone he cares about...unknown to the fact that soon they have to part ways.

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Star Pendant: It is a necklace shaped as a five-pointed star pendant. Additionally, the necklace is set with a large carnelian in the center. This necklace has the power to grant the user great resistance against fear.