"Because they... don't work hard enough?" Bell replied hesitantly.
"Bingo!" Charlie snapped his fingers in praise. "Not bad, you can see the crucial issue."
In his heart, he had to admit: The protagonist remained the protagonist. Although still naive, Bell's understanding had surpassed the majority of veteran adventurers who never questioned their stagnation and could only envy those with talent.
"Listen, Bell. Many people's lives are too boring. Simply put, they're comfortable, but in reality, their days are monotonous and ordinary. However, it's human nature to want to break free from limitations and liberate oneself. It's just that most people will spend their entire lives living in comfort."
"Falna doesn't like treating adventure as a job. If you treat the Dungeon like a regular job, don't expect too much from it. You might reach Level 2 or Level 3 after about fifteen years, if you're lucky. What Falna desires are heroes. People who dare to face the unknown, strive to improve themselves in pursuit of challenging goals, not just the Dungeon, but also themselves."
"This is the reason most adventurers stagnate. You can't play it safe in the Dungeon if you want to grow. You need to challenge yourself. You need to go beyond what's reasonable. Simply put, to be an adventurer, you need to have adventures!"
"It might not be pleasant. It might be terrifying. It might make you seethe with regret and pain. But the gods will love you, and Falna will respond: huge bonuses to your stats, unique Development Skills, rapid level ups. If you're willing to dance on the stage of the gods, the rewards can be incredibly abundant."
Charlie's words not only echoed in Bell's ears but also touched the hearts of the adventurers eavesdropping from a distance. Some lowered their heads, feeling as if they were being directly mocked. Others gripped their weapons tightly, whether out of anger... or shame.
Of course, there were always those who refused to accept reality after being advised and preferred to blame reality instead of introspecting.
An adventurer with tangled hair and a bulging belly stepped forward a few paces from the crowd. His breathing was rough, his face flushed with emotion.
"It's easy for you to say that because you're strong! For Low-Class Adventurers like us, the Dungeon is dangerous! Many adventurers die there! What's wrong with living safely?! What's wrong with making a living without risking our lives every day?!" He shouted loudly.
The crowd stirred slightly, some nodding softly, others looking at the man with shame.
Charlie turned towards the troublemaker, already anticipating that there would be losers who would oppose the facts he presented.
"Danger? If it wasn't dangerous, how could you call it an adventure?"
The man flinched.
"If you don't take risks, how can you obtain high-quality Excelia? If you don't obtain high-quality Excelia, how can you level up? If you're afraid of the dangers in the Dungeon, you should quit being an adventurer and go farm."
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent after Charlie spoke.
"Don't forget, the Gods and Goddesses bestowed Falna upon mortals to help them fight monsters and grow stronger. It's a blessing you should repay with effort, not waste due to fear."
The man opened his mouth, wanting to retort. But no sound came out. Charlie's words had hit too close to home.
Feeling ashamed and humiliated, he clenched his fists and walked away, passing through the crowd with his head lowered. Not a single person dared to laugh at or stop him.
Charlie patted Bell's shoulder once more.
"Well, that's all. Even without my advice, I'm sure you'll become a great adventurer in no time, Bell Cranel."
Without waiting for a reaction, he turned and walked towards the Dungeon entrance. Aishia and Est followed him with quiet steps.
Bell was stunned for a moment before realizing and calling out, "Wait! What's your name?!"
Charlie only waved his hand without turning back, and in an instant, their figures had disappeared into the dark hole of the Dungeon.
"So cool!"
Bell stared at their receding backs in admiration. Slowly, he clenched his fists, his newfound determination growing stronger. All for one goal: to gain recognition from the green-haired Elf girl who worked at the Hostess of Fertility.
"Let's go, Lili. We're going into the Dungeon too."
"Yes, Bell-sama."
Only after Charlie and his two girls had left did Lili dare to raise her face. Her gaze was complex. She looked at Bell, who was walking excitedly towards the Dungeon.
In her heart, she wondered—should she cancel her plan to swindle money from the young man?
If Bell really had connections with a Level 4 adventurer... Lili wasn't sure she could escape alive if she was caught.
With a sullen face, Lili trailed behind Bell, her steps heavy, her mind full of considerations.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
The Dungeon was a colossal labyrinth stretching beneath the city of Orario, a place where adventurers risked their lives for power, glory, and fortune. Within it, monsters were born from the walls, seemingly endlessly, creating a ceaseless cycle of battle.
Every time a monster was defeated, its body would vanish into particles of light, leaving behind one invaluable thing—a magic stone, used as the world's primary energy source. If lucky, adventurers could also obtain drop items, rare goods that could be sold for high prices or used to craft special weapons and equipment.
Because the Dungeon continuously produced such valuable resources without end, it was no wonder that people from all corners of the world flocked to Orario. The city was a center of civilization, as well as humanity's most important battlefield against the wild forces that constantly flowed from underground.
However, one question still hung in the ceiling of the world's knowledge—where did the Dungeon actually come from?
Most people didn't care, as long as they could acquire wealth. But for researchers, historians, or adventurers curious about the world's secrets, the origin of the Dungeon was an unsolved puzzle.
It was said that the Dungeon had existed even before the gods descended to the lower world, long before the blessing of Falna accelerated the evolution of mortals. In those days, various races—Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Pallum, Demi-Humans, and others—faced monsters from the Dungeon with the help of the Spirit Race, spiritual beings now almost never found in modern life.
According to some myths and legends, the Dungeon might have formed as part of the primordial chaos that was the origin of the world. This led to the theory that the Dungeon was a remnant of ancient power that existed before the gods took over their position as overseers of creation. It might even be connected to the world itself.
However, all of that was just speculation. There was no proof.
Even Charlie, a Reincarnator who came from another world, didn't know the true origin of the Dungeon.
Just ten minutes after entering the Dungeon, Charlie and the two spirit girls at his side were already casually treading on the 4th Floor, as if they were taking a morning stroll, not exploring a deadly labyrinth full of monsters.
Every time a Kobold or Goblin appeared from a crack in the wall, they didn't even have time to utter a sound of attack. In an instant, Aishia raised her hand, and the wind roared sharply like an invisible sword.
"Blade Wind."
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Instantly, gusts of wind sliced the monsters' bodies into two perfect halves, not even leaving behind the sound of a final scream. Splatters of blood stained the stone floor, then their bodies vanished into particles of light, leaving behind small magic stones.
However, Charlie didn't stop and didn't even glance at the magic stones left on the ground. For him, the Upper Floors posed no threat whatsoever.
His goal was the Lower Floors!