Eron: "The question isn't why they aren't checking us anymore... but how far this is going."
Venti took a deep breath, a calm but strained smile on his lips.
Venti: "Let's carry on as if nothing's wrong."
"For now, getting out of the dungeon alive and back into town without alerting anyone is in our favor."
"But from now on... we'll have to be even more careful."
Without drawing attention, the five adventurers resumed their walk and passed through the gate.
The guards didn't react.
Not a single glance, not a word, not the slightest check.
And as Rillmont opened up before them once more, one certainty dawned on each of them:
The real danger might no longer lie within the dungeons… but already inside the city walls.
The five adventurers crossed the bustling streets of Rillmont toward the Adventurers' Guild.
After the oppressive silence of the dungeon and the vastness of the plains, the town's hustle and bustle seemed almost unreal: merchants shouting their prices, children running between stalls, the metallic clang of blacksmiths at work.
Yet, despite this return to an apparent normalcy, a slight tension lingered in the air around the group.
When the guild's large doors opened before them, the atmosphere changed instantly.
Inside, several adventurers were gathered around quest boards or seated at long wooden tables, a tankard in hand.
At the sight of the group, some fell silent for a moment… then whispers began to rise.
Adventurer N#1: "It's them… the ones who went into the dungeon to do volunteer work."
Another one snickered quietly.
Adventurer N#2: "Seriously, risking your life without a guaranteed reward... you've got to be crazy."
Bram clenched his fists slightly, annoyed.
His gaze hardened, but he continued forward without replying.
Kael remained impassive, as if he heard nothing, but his mind coldly registered each remark.
Eron briefly lowered his eyes, torn between embarrassment and weariness, while Lyra raised her head with a certain pride, refusing to let these whispers affect her.
Venti, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Venti: "They have no idea what we've just been through..."
He observed these mocking adventurers, recalling the Abyss Lector, the ice bosses, the devastating explosion, and the levels gained through fierce battles.
Compared to that, these taunts seemed almost trivial.
Lyra: "Let them talk."
"We know why we did it."
Bram breathed slowly, relaxing a little.
Bram: "Yeah... and in the end, we came back alive."
"That's more than many people can say."
Without slowing down, the five adventurers walked toward the guild counter, leaving behind the whispers and stifled laughter.
They knew their choice might seem absurd to others, but deep down, a certainty now bound them: this dungeon was only the beginning, and what they had accomplished together was worth far more than the ignorant judgments of those who dared not venture there.
Venti: "The good news is that we each received a reward thanks to the chests we got."
At these words, the group's attention immediately shifted.
The murmurs around them suddenly seemed distant.
Bram turned his head slightly toward Venti, a satisfied smile stretching across his tired face.
Bram: "Hah... so even 'volunteering' can pay off."
He tapped the iron shoulder guard securely fastened to his armor with his fingertips, already appreciating the reassuring weight of the metal on his shoulder.
Kael, for his part, glanced quickly around the guild before replying in a calmer tone.
Kael: "Two well-balanced daggers, and of decent quality."
"Clearly, they weren't ordinary gear."
Eron nodded, holding one of the elemental magic stones he had in his hands. obtained, observing the shifting reflections on its surface.
Eron: "These stones are valuable… and they'll be of great help to us later."
"This dungeon wasn't a waste of time."
Lyra crossed her arms, the fabric of her new witch's tunic still slightly marked from the fighting, but untouched despite the extreme heat of her own magic.
Lyra: "Fire-resistant, comfortable, and enchanted…"
"Honestly, I couldn't have hoped for better."
They all turned their gaze to Venti.
The lyre he now carried subtly drew attention, its finely carved wood contrasting with the more martial equipment of the others.
Venti looked down at the instrument, a pensive glint in his eyes.
Venti: "For me… it's more than just a reward."
He gently touched a string, releasing a light note that resonated briefly in the guild.
For a moment, even the mocking adventurers seemed to fall silent.
Venti raised his head, a quiet smile on his lips.
Venti: "It doesn't matter what they say."
"We've come back stronger... and with something that truly belongs to us."
The group nodded silently.
At that precise moment, they all felt the same thing: beyond the items and levels gained, this dungeon had strengthened their bond.
And whatever the future held, they now knew they could rely on each other.
The five adventurers walked together toward the guild counter.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
As they approached, the receptionist looked up from her ledgers, surprised to see them back so soon… and, above all, unharmed.
Her gaze quickly swept over their tired faces, their battle-scarred equipment, then settled on their serious expressions.
Receptionist: "I didn't expect to see you again until tomorrow… You're already back from the dungeon?"
Bram placed both hands on the counter, his grave tone a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.
Bram: "We're back, yes."
"But we're not here to discuss rewards or the usual reports."
"We need to talk to you about the knight who guided us."
At these words, the receptionist frowned slightly and straightened her back.
Receptionist: "The knight?"
"The one who escorted you to the dungeon entrance?"
Kael nodded.
Kael: "Yes."
"And what we're about to say is important."
"He wasn't a true knight."
A silence fell.
A few adventurers around them discreetly listened.
Eron spoke in turn, carefully choosing his words.
Eron: "In the dungeon, we faced an Abyss Lector."
"Then… an Abyss Herald appeared."
"He took on a human form."
Lyra stared directly into the receptionist's eyes.
Lyra: "It was him."
"The knight."
"Same face."
"Same voice."
The receptionist's face paled slightly.
She straightened up even more, slowly placing her quill on the counter.
Receptionist: "Are you telling me that a member of the Abyss managed to infiltrate the city's knights... and operate openly?"
Venti took a step forward, his voice calm but firm.
Venti: "Yes."
"And that's not all."
"He knew our names."
"All of them, even mine, which doesn't appear in the public records."
The receptionist took a deep breath, clearly taking in the gravity of the situation.
Receptionist: "Do you have any proof of what you're saying?"
Kael took out his adventurer's crystal and placed it on the counter.
Kael: "The combat logs, the abyssal signatures, the elemental fluctuations... it's all there."
She studied the crystal for a few seconds, her eyes widening slightly as she scanned the data.
Receptionist: "...It's genuine."
A new silence fell over the group.
Bram clenched his fists.
Bram: "If there was one... then there could be others."
The receptionist nodded slowly, her face now hardened with determination.
Receptionist: "I will immediately forward this information to the Rillmont authorities."
"What you've discovered goes far beyond a simple dungeon run."
Venti lowered his head slightly.
Venti: "We didn't want to keep this to ourselves."
"If the Abyss has already infiltrated the city once, it will do it again."
The receptionist looked at them both, with a mixture of respect and gravity.
Receptionist: "You did the right thing by telling the truth."
"Rest for now."
"From today onward... this matter will no longer be ignored."
As they walked away from the counter, the murmurs in the guild resumed, but this time, they were no longer mocking.
Something had changed.
And everyone, without exception, had a feeling that this was only the beginning.
Receptionist: "I hope this situation will be resolved quickly."
The receptionist withdrew to the guild's back room, her face grim, still shaken by the five adventurers' revelations.
Receptionist: "..........".
She sat down at her desk and took an official sheet of paper bearing the seal of the Adventurers' Guild, then began to write a letter to the city's Knights' Order.
With almost clinical precision, she described the man: an upright and imposing stature, knight's armor without any distinctive emblem, neatly tied-back light hair, a cold but calculating gaze, and above all, that strange sense of elemental oppression he exuded despite his human appearance. She also mentioned the name he had used, emphasizing that he had escorted a group of adventurers to a dungeon before revealing his true, abyssal nature.
Once the letter was sealed and sent by messenger, she waited, her heart heavy.
The reply came quickly:
The Order of Knights confirmed, after a thorough review of its records and questioning of its members, that no man matching this description—nor bearing this name—had ever been part of their ranks.
No knight recognized this face, no patrol remembered him, and he had never been assigned any official mission.
As the receptionist read these lines, a shiver ran down her spine: this false knight wasn't just an infiltrator… he was a ghost, a being who should never have been allowed to exist within the city.
After relaying all the necessary information to the guild and ensuring that the case of the false knight was now in the hands of the proper authorities, the five adventurers found themselves alone for a moment, near the quest board.
The tension that had built up in the dungeon had dissipated, replaced by a pleasant weariness and a shared sense of pride.
Bram: "I never thought I'd say this about a volunteer mission, but… it was pretty darn memorable."
Kael smiled slightly and nodded, already checking out the new quests.
Lyra, more relaxed than ever, clutched her new tunic and let out a soft laugh, while Eron carefully packed away his vials, admitting that this fight had been one of the most intense and rewarding he'd ever experienced.
Venti watched them both, his heart strangely light, aware that this day had forged a special bond between them.
Finally, they decided to part ways to resume their respective activities and undertake other missions, each following their own path.
Before leaving, however, they promised each other that if their paths were to cross again—
in another dungeon, facing a new enemy, or simply around a table at the guild—they would fight side by side once more. Next door, without hesitation.
Venti: ".......... "
Bram: ".......... "
Kael: ".......... "
Eron: ".......... "
Lyra: ".......... "
With a final exchange of glances and sincere smiles, the group dispersed, carrying with them the memory of a dangerous, yet profoundly memorable adventure.
Venti bowed deeply before them, a hand placed on his heart, his face lit by a genuine smile.
Venti: "I wish you good luck for the future… may your paths be filled with interesting quests and battles from which you will emerge victorious."
Bram folded his arms and nodded with an approving grin.
Bram: "Take care, Bard."
"Without you, this dungeon would have been a completely different story."
Kael offered a more subtle, but equally sincere, smile.
Kael: "If we survive another hell like this, I hope it will be with you again."
Eron, slightly embarrassed, adjusted his gloves, avoiding Venti's gaze.
Eron: "Thank you… really."
"Your buffs have saved us more than once."
Lyra, arms crossed, inclined her head slightly.
Lyra: "Be careful."
"And avoid provoking the Abyss next time."
Venti straightened up, gave them a final wave, then began to walk away toward the guild exit, already thinking about the beach and the sea breeze.
After a few steps, he stopped abruptly.
Slowly, he turned back to the group one last time, his eyes shining with obvious mischief.
Venti: "By the way… Eron, Lyra… you should know that you're in love with each other."
Silence fell abruptly.
Lyra: "W-What?!"
Eron: "Huh?!"
"B-But…"
Click
Before either of them had time to react or protest, Venti lightly snapped his fingers.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
A brief distortion of the air occurred around him. He activated his Mass Increase/Decrease ability, suddenly lightening his own body.
With a burst of laughter, he began to run at full speed, almost carried by the wind, his footsteps barely audible on the ground.
Venti: "Think about it calmly!"
In a few seconds, he disappeared around the corner, leaving behind a frozen group.
Bram: "Hehe."
Kael: "..."
Bram burst into loud laughter, Kael looked away with a smile, while Lyra and Eron remained motionless, their faces flushed, unable to meet each other's gaze.
The wind blew softly through the guild door, as if to mark the end of this adventure… and perhaps the beginning of something else.
The group remained frozen for a few more seconds, as if suspended in time.
Bram's laughter gradually faded, replaced by a smile heavy with unspoken meaning.
Kael coughed slightly, crossing his arms to hide his obvious amusement, while Lyra stared at the ground, her cheeks still burning.
Eron nervously fiddled with an empty vial, unable to gather his thoughts.
Venti's words still echoed in their minds, simple, direct… and terribly true.
None of them dared break the silence.
Finally, each found a clumsy excuse to slip away, vaguely promising to meet again on a future mission, but the atmosphere was now different, charged with a new tension and emotions they could no longer ignore.
Meanwhile, several streets away, Venti walked along lightly, whistling softly, as if nothing important had just happened.
The sea air was already in the air, mingling with the scent of salt and seaweed carried on the wind.
His gaze was drawn to a small wooden shop, wedged between two older buildings, whose creaking sign depicted a stylized fish on a hook.
Fishing rods of all sizes were displayed in front of the shop, some plain and worn, others finely carved, inlaid with stones, or engraved with aquatic motifs.
Venti stopped in front of the window, his eyes shining with curiosity.
Venti: "Fishing… that could be interesting."
"Calm, quiet… and surely less dangerous than the Abyss."
He pushed open the door, a small bell jingling.
Inside, the scent of waxed wood and dried nets filled the air:
- Lines
- Bait
- Floats were neatly arranged on the walls.
Venti examined each item carefully, already imagining the feel of the sea breeze, the lapping of the water, and the patient anticipation of a catch.
After battles against monsters of the Abyss and unsettling revelations, the idea of spending a few hours fishing seemed strangely soothing, like a necessary respite before the next adventure.
Venti: "Time to have some fun."
Chapter 45: The members of the Abyss
The End