Chapter 9 – Entering the Dungeon
After descending the spiraling staircase built deep within Babel, Akira and Tsubaki arrived at a passageway that looked almost like a natural cave.
The walls were lined with embedded magic lamps, casting a steady, soft glow across the stone surface—this marked the outermost boundary of the Dungeon.
Any step beyond this point… would be a true descent into the depths of the world below.
Tap—tap—tap…
In the still silence of the corridor, the sound of their footsteps echoed softly, filling the air with a quiet tension.
Soon after, they stepped into a vast stone cavern. The sudden openness created an overwhelming sense of space. Jagged stalactites hung from above like fangs, forming a crown of stone over the area.
Suddenly, from between the cracks in the rocky floor, something began to stir.
Tiny creatures emerged—green-skinned, wearing crude leather rags and wielding sticks as weapons.
Goblins.
Low-level monsters. Common enemies in both games and the Dungeon's first floor.
"This is your trial," Tsubaki said calmly, stepping back a few paces. "Unless you're in serious danger, I won't interfere."
"Heh. Time to hunt!"
Akira cracked a grin, his blood already beginning to heat up.
The inheritance of Enkidu's instincts stirred within him—battle always brought excitement. It wasn't just a fight. It was liberation.
"RAAAGHH!!"
The Goblins shrieked, waving their sticks wildly as they charged.
But Akira didn't even flinch. He didn't draw a weapon.
Instead, he stepped forward empty-handed.
Tsubaki's brow twitched.
Sure, the first floor's monsters were weak… but not that weak. Even a rookie who had just received their falna shouldn't fight them barehanded—not without any stat growth.
It was a common misunderstanding among new adventurers—thinking they became strong the moment they received a falna.
But that was a deadly illusion.
The blessing of the gods didn't give strength. It only unlocked the potential to become strong.
Strength. Endurance. Technique. Agility. Magic.
These five basic stats only increased through real effort and experience.
You want strength? Then fight.
You want endurance? Then take hits.
You want agility? Move your body.
You want to use magic? Burn through your mana—again and again.
There were no shortcuts.
Many rookies rushed into the Dungeon the moment they got their falna—only to die within days.
But—
A sudden, thunderous impact broke Tsubaki's train of thought.
Akira had launched his fist forward, slamming a Goblin straight into the stone wall with enough force to shatter its ribs.
The creature burst into black smoke on contact, leaving behind a single small Magic Stone.
The others didn't fare much better.
One punch. One kill.
Seven Goblins. Gone in seconds. All without a single weapon.
What should've been a new adventurer's harsh first lesson…
...was nothing more than a warm-up exercise for Akira.
He crouched down and picked up one of the leftover stones. It was barely the size of a peanut.
"So this is a Magic Stone, huh?"
Tsubaki crossed her arms and replied flatly, "Technically, that's just a fragment. The monsters on this floor are too weak. Their Magic Stones are small—barely any energy in them."
"I see..."
Most adventurers didn't even bother collecting these. They were practically worthless.
Veterans would head straight to the lower floors—where stronger monsters dropped far more valuable stones.
Just then, the shadow beneath Akira's feet began to stir.
A dark ripple spread outward, swirling ominously.
Two figures emerged—draped in black cloaks, faces hidden beneath veils of cloth. Their crimson eyes glowed through the darkness.
Shadowkhan foot soldiers.
Tsubaki instinctively tensed, ready to move. In the Dungeon, humanoid monsters often meant danger.
But before she could act, the two Shadowkhan bowed respectfully, then silently gathered the scattered Magic Stones and presented them to Akira.
Seven tiny stones. Each one placed gently in his hand.
And then, just as silently, they melted back into his shadow and vanished.
"Wait... What was that just now?"
"Oh, those are my summons. Shadowkhan soldiers," Akira explained casually. "I can call them from the shadows. Pretty convenient, huh?"
"..."
Tsubaki was speechless.
Storing weapons in shadows? Summoning shadow ninja?
This wasn't just some newbie adventurer...
This was a walking anomaly.
Having cleared the first floor without so much as breaking a sweat, Akira calmly headed for the next set of stairs.
Tsubaki watched his back as he disappeared into the darkness below.
For a moment, she had a strange feeling—something she hadn't felt in years.
Maybe... just maybe... this kid will become the foundation of Hephaestus Familia's next generation.
If Akira could grow strong enough... he might become what Ottar was to Freya Familia.
Not that she was comparing the two, of course. Ottar was a monster in his own right.
But the potential in Akira was real—and it was already blooming.
Floor two.
Floor three.
Floor four.
He cut through them all barehanded—no hesitation, no weapons, no support.
Tsubaki couldn't help but question it.
Is he even human? Not a berserker? Not a beastman?
He had just received his falna. It hadn't even been updated once.
And yet… his raw physical strength was already beyond what most adventurers could dream of.
Somehow, this monster of a man had ended up in her care.
Then came Floor Five—
Here, the atmosphere shifted.
The enemies were no longer just weaklings.
A pack of Lizardmen—reptilian humanoids wielding massive battle-axes—stood tall and tense. Their yellow eyes narrowed at the two intruders.
"Oi, don't tell me... You're still gonna fight with your fists?" Tsubaki asked, narrowing her eyes. "This is floor five."
"If you're that uncomfortable, fine. I'll use a weapon."
Akira smirked.
The shadow at his feet stretched outward.
And from within it, a katana slowly rose—its blade polished to a mirror sheen, gleaming with lethal elegance.
It wasn't a beginner's weapon. It wasn't even a standard-issue model.
This was a weapon easily ranked at Grade Three or higher—something even seasoned adventurers would envy.
Tap—tap—tap...
The Lizardmen advanced, their axes raised high.
Their targets: Akira's neck and skull.
They weren't playing around.
These weren't wooden sticks anymore.
This was a true fight.
And finally… Akira had drawn his blade.
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