The southern city, where magic stone lamps filled the bustling streets. Midnight had come, and the sky was pitch black, yet the streets were still vibrant with the colors of passersby. Various races gathered together in the restaurant, not only hosting adventurers but also the diligent staff within.
The upscale restaurant in Orario remained lively, occupying an entire corner of the street. In a private room at the tavern, Loki and Freya sat at the same table.
"Hmm... I don't know why you called me at this hour. As if I care about what you did today."
"You act like you're not involved?"
Both of them exchanged friendly smiles.
"You were the one causing trouble at the festival today."
"Ara, do you have any evidence?"
"Stop playing this old act. Looking at the situation, it's obvious no one else but you could have done it."
Loki swirled her wine glass lightly, then pointed at Freya.
"Charm, charm, charm, all of it is charm. Isn't that enough proof? The entire Ganesha Familia staff was bewitched and turned useless. Who else but you?"
Freya's ability was simply the power to charm all beings.
This ability couldn't be resisted by reason. It could stir the very instincts of any creature, driving them mad or turning even a beautiful face into a slave. Even gods couldn't resist this allure, let alone mere mortals.
Even monsters were no exception.
"They ran out into the streets, but the monsters didn't harm anyone. They were clearly searching for someone. In that case, it's an eight out of ten chance that the power used was charm."
Loki pointed out the strange behavior of the beasts not attacking the crowd.
"For something this big to happen without a single casualty, no one but you could pull off such a trick. I don't know what you did, but the culprit can only be you—no doubt about it."
"Fufu, is that so? Everything you said is true."
Seeing Freya openly admit it, Loki smiled with ill intent.
"I wonder how I should report this to the Guild. I guess the punishment would be pretty severe, huh?"
Facing Loki's threats, Freya just smiled. She slightly opened her half-closed eyes and said,
"The falcon feather coat."
"Huh?"
"You still haven't returned the falcon feather coat you borrowed from me, have you?"
Loki looked visibly surprised.
"What? Are you talking about back in the heavens? I borrowed it, didn't I? Why are you bringing that up now?"
"Don't worry, it's fine," Freya said kindly.
"It's not like I'm so fond of it that I hid it away."
"It's fine... If you overlook this time, I'll give you the coat as a gift. How's that?"
Loki was momentarily dazed, and Freya smiled at her reaction.
"Ah... You're so annoying," Loki muttered, curling up her legs and cursing. Then, she took both hands and clutched her aching head, slumping onto the table.
"Eeeeei. You wicked woman."
"I don't want to hear that from someone who just threatened me," Freya replied.
"I tried my best this time, but my adorable girls ended up fighting monsters and got injured like that."
Freya's eyes widened in surprise.
"They've recovered now, anyway. What's with that face? You know how tough that tenth monster was, looking disgusting like a snake with those grotesque flowers, don't you?"
"I only released nine monsters," Freya calmly responded.
"You're lying."
"It's true. I just wanted to block Ganesha's group and you for a bit. I didn't plan on making things this troublesome."
Loki immediately leaned forward, scrutinizing Freya's face.
"Then what about that monster?"
"Who knows? I only take responsibility for what I do. The rest is beyond me."
The two goddesses stared at each other for a long moment before Loki leaned back in her chair, reclining against it.
"There's another issue. The matter you requested, about investigating that mysterious person."
"What's the problem?"
"You didn't give me enough information. What exactly are you implying?"
Freya clasped her hands together apologetically in front of Loki.
"Oh, that's my fault. I thought it would be more interesting if you searched for him without much information. Do you need me to provide you with the basic details?"
Loki sighed, facing Freya once again.
"No need. I already asked Finn to investigate, and I have the basics." Loki stood up abruptly and took a sip of her drink. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at Freya.
"Accelerator, 23 years old, recently returned to Orario after five years. He's acquainted with Chloe Rollo from the tavern. The two of them have adopted a child who is currently working at the Hostess of Fertility. Did I say anything wrong?"
"No, everything is correct."
"Finn tried to gather information about him from the Guild and the Ganesha Familia, but those guild people guard adventurers' information closely. Unless it's something significant, they won't allow access to the Guild records." Loki took another drink before complaining.
"So, what have you found out?" Freya asked curiously.
"Finn attempted to approach the person who's supposedly in charge of him. But that staff member skillfully avoided answering. I didn't want to push the kid too hard, so the only thing we learned is that Accelerator explored up to the 13th floor of the Dungeon, without being part of any Familia. Unfortunately, the Guild doesn't allow access to their transaction records... What's with exploring the 13th floor? He blew Bete away with his magic."
"Not belonging to any Familia. That's interesting. But you're still hiding something."
"Of course, I can't hide anything from you. Ganesha Familia's information shows that he doesn't possess any Falna."
"No Falna?" Freya's face lit up with fascination.
"That's right. His power must come from a source other than Falna. Maybe like the heroes of the past," Loki said, slumping onto the table.
"A spirit contract?"
"Could be."
Freya thought for a moment before smiling and asking,
"That's quite interesting. Do you have anything else you want to ask? You've seemed uneasy this whole time."
"I want to know about that child they adopted. You're the one who knows the most about this, aren't you?" Freya was quite surprised by Loki's question, sensing there was more to it.
"You mean Ayla, right? She's just a sweet child from the tavern. Currently, she's living with her mother at the tavern."
"There's nothing unusual about her, right?"
"No. What do you mean by that?" Freya asked curiously.
"It's nothing," Loki said with a smile as she stood up. "Well, I'll be leaving now. Goodbye." Loki quickly left, leaving Freya deep in thought.
"If that's the case, then Ayla's origins aren't as simple as they seem. Magic that can pass through a god's eyes... What exactly are you, Accelerator?"
Yesterday, Accelerator dealt with a monster in the sewers. It was a plant-type monster, with good defense against blunt attacks. If not dealt with, it could have caused issues throughout the city. Accelerator suspected that Freya was involved in the chaos during the festival, but these plant monsters might have been someone else's work. The two incidents were not similar. A fortunate coincidence prevented significant damage to the city.
'The most troublesome thing is that Loki Familia has been investigating me, according to Misha's warning.'
He knew that Freya might soon discover him. This was problematic, as it could affect his profits from selling unnecessary high-tier drop items.
'I might need to ask Hermes Familia for help selling them,' he thought. This was the best option for now, even if it meant getting only 60% of the original value. However, it was much better than attracting unwanted attention from the gods.
'It's not time for me to reveal myself yet,' he reminded himself, walking down the street towards Babel Tower.
"What the hell are you trying to do?" Angry shouts from an alley between buildings caught his attention. Since he wasn't in a hurry, Accelerator decided to check it out.
A group of young adventurers was angrily scolding a supporter, who stood just a few steps behind them, her figure almost completely hidden by the shadow of an oversized backpack bulging on her back.
"You trying to scam us, you little bitch?" one of the adventurers shouted, shoving the chienthrope girl to the ground. The tone was utterly disrespectful, as both he and his companion hurled arrogant, scornful insults at the trembling child. Irritated by the scene, Accelerator decided to intervene.
"Hey. Don't you find it unpleasant to hit a child like that?"
The adventurer turned towards him with a displeased expression, frowning before shouting, "Who the hell are you? This is none of your business."
"I'm just an adventurer intervening in an unpleasant situation," Accelerator replied coldly.
The adventurer calmed down, letting go of the child's hair and facing him. "Don't get the wrong idea. This bitch stole our magic stones. We're just giving her what she deserves for not sticking to the deal."
If what the adventurer said was true, the child might have skimmed off some of the items they had earned. Glancing at the trembling child, Accelerator spoke.
"How much?"
"What do you mean?"
"How much did you lose? I'll pay it."
"About 50,000 valis. Think you can afford that?" The adventurer had clearly inflated the number, but that didn't matter to Accelerator. He pulled out a pouch of money and tossed it to the man, who quickly checked its contents.
"Is it enough? Now let the kid go," Accelerator demanded, his eyes shifting to the child. The adventurer nodded, leading his group away, but not before warning, "Don't trust that brat too much, or you'll regret it."
"I'll keep that in mind," Accelerator replied, then looked down at the child.
The girl was around 100 celch tall, dressed in a simple cream-colored cloak. Her hood covered most of her face, revealing just a bit of chestnut-colored hair. A backpack, about twice or even three times her size, rested on her small shoulders.
He handed her a small pouch of money.
"Next time, don't steal. I won't be able to help you again." The girl hesitantly accepted the pouch, and he immediately turned to leave, heading toward the Dungeon.
"Sir!" she suddenly called after him. He stopped and looked back at her.
"Are you looking for a supporter?" she asked, her voice shaky.
With his magic bag, Accelerator didn't need a supporter, but he replied, "Alright. I do need a supporter. Follow me."
The girl hurriedly ran to catch up with him, struggling to keep up with his pace.
Qliphap, in the form of a cat, appeared beside Accelerator and said, "You've picked up an interesting child."
"Oh?" he asked.
"She uses magic to disguise her true form."
"Is that so?" Accelerator replied, realizing that the fake adventurers might not have been entirely wrong. In this world, it wasn't uncommon for children to grow up quickly to survive.
"Um, sir, the cat next to you is staring at me," the girl said, shivering as Qliphap's gaze fixated on her.
"Qliphap is just a bit wary of strangers. Don't mind it," he replied, and Qliphap promptly jumped onto his shoulder, lounging there.
"Um... you're not much of a talker, are you?"
"..."
"Lilly would like to introduce herself. My name is Lilliluka Erde. And you?"
"Accelerator."
"Is that all?"
"Just Accelerator. The cat is called Qliphap." Qliphap responded with a soft "Meow," and the air returned to an awkward silence.
Lilly felt the pressure of walking beside Accelerator, the man who didn't say a word. The awkward atmosphere made her more nervous than when she was with the previous adventurers. Thankfully, Babel Tower appeared in front of her, and she hoped that today's Dungeon expedition would yield a good result.
Heading toward the tower, Accelerator instructed Lilly to wait while he checked the quest board.
(Search for a mysterious moss growing on the 20th floor), (Collect 5 Deadly Hornet Shells), (Hunt 100 flying cabbages), (Investigate fog monsters on the 12th floor)... There were various quests posted on the board. Sometimes, they could contain secrets or useful information. Scanning the board, he looked for quests that interested him and weren't too dangerous for Lilly. One in particular caught his attention:
(Singing in the Dungeon. Voices can be heard from the lower floors. The source is unknown, possibly human, monster, or Dungeon itself. The client is concerned as it is causing sleepless nights. The task is to investigate and stop the singing. Floors 19-24.)
'It's not like the groans of a monster. It sounds more like a song enchanting the hearts of people.'
It was an intriguing quest, and not too dangerous for Lilly with his presence there.
"Are you planning to take this quest?" Lilly asked, sneaking up beside him while he was focused on reading the board.
"Yes. Let's go." As Accelerator turned to head into the Dungeon, he encountered the last person he wanted to see—Finn (Braver) of Loki Familia and his companions.
"Oh, hello. It seems we meet again," Finn greeted him with a smile, though his eyes were studying every expression on Accelerator's face.
Accelerator had seen that gaze many times back in Academy City. It was the look of researchers dissecting and studying his abilities.
He quietly nodded in response to Finn.
"Oh, you're the guy who knocked Bete flying at the tavern. That was awesome!" The Amazon girl next to Finn cheered, pumping her fist.
"Hello..." Lilly hesitated, bowing slightly, clearly tense in the presence of the top adventurers.
Accelerator quickly ended the conversation: "We're in a hurry. Excuse us."
"My apologies. See you again, Accelerator." Finn courteously stepped aside.
Lilly bowed and quickly followed Accelerator, hoping this mission would turn out well.
After Accelerator left, Finn continued to glance in his direction.
"What's wrong, captain?" Tione asked.
"Tione, what do you think of him?"
"Hm... He knocked Bete flying at the tavern, so he must be really strong," Tione replied somewhat nonchalantly.
"Hahaha... Right?" Finn chuckled at Tione's simple answer. To him, this mysterious person had concealed his identity too skillfully, to the point where the only information Finn had about him came from the tavern incident. Moreover, he had worked with his advisor to erase any trace of his identity. There were many signs that suggested he was connected to the city's dark side and had close ties to the Black Cat. A dangerous figure whose true strength Finn had yet to grasp.
Looking at the quest Accelerator had just picked up, it seemed he was planning to explore floors 19-24.
"Oh, captain, are you thinking of taking this quest? (Investigate the singing in the Dungeon)... It doesn't sound good, captain. These kinds of quests are troublesome, and the reward isn't great. We don't have time for such nonsense."
Finn smiled and replied, "Haizz... You really don't have any sense of adventure, do you?"
The Bugbears were quickly swept up by the black wind and crushed into fragments. Several Lizardmen were pierced through by stone spikes, and the firebirds were devoured and turned to ash by a massive fire serpent. The slaughter took place right on the 19th floor.
Lilly hid behind a tree, witnessing the entire scene. Her massive backpack was packed full of magic stones and drop items. Initially, she had planned to escape after collecting a large number of magic stones from this adventurer, thinking he would struggle with the monsters. But all Accelerator did was walk straight to the 19th floor, effortlessly annihilating the monsters in his path.
This wasn't a battle; it was a massacre. Any monster that approached Accelerator or Lilly was obliterated by fire, wind, or water, leaving behind nothing but magic stones. Lilly wasn't sure if she should be happy or worried about traveling with a top-class adventurer. Her earnings this time would be high if they were fairly shared, but if he decided not to share, she wouldn't be able to resist.
As she considered running away, the sight of a tiger being entangled by nearby branches and then pierced through the head by an ice arrow made her reconsider. Accelerator clearly knew where she was, even though he hadn't looked back once. He walked towards her with a sigh. It would be a lie if she said she wasn't afraid of what might happen to her. The eyes of the cat on his shoulder made her shiver whenever she caught its gaze.
"Is the load heavy for you?" Accelerator asked. Lilly quickly shook her head.
"No, I'm fine, I can carry more."
He glanced at her overstuffed backpack before turning and walking toward the exit. "Let's head back. That's enough for today."
"What about the mission?" Lilly asked.
"I didn't take the mission paper, so there's nothing binding. I'll handle it next time," he replied shortly. Hearing that, Lilly hurried to collect the remaining magic stones from the monster corpses before following Accelerator as he headed to the 18th floor.
"So... you're a top-tier adventurer, right?" Lilly asked, panting as she tried to keep up.
"You could say that," he replied indifferently.
"I saw you using many different types of magic. I thought each person could only use up to three spell slots?" Lilly asked innocently, though Accelerator could sense the hidden curiosity in her voice.
He understood her intention and decided to use this opportunity to create more misunderstandings about his powers.
"Yes, each person only has up to three magic slots. But Nine Hell has surpassed that number. Do you know why?"
"Because each of her spell slots contains three different levels of magic, right? So you're like that too," Lilly's eyes lit up as she tried to guess his power.
"No. It's not like Nine Hell. I only have one spell slot and one single spell."
"Just one spell? That's unbelievable," Lilly said in shock. "The only person I've heard of who can use thousands of spells from one slot is 'Thousand Elf.' I've never heard of you before."
"That's because I just returned to this city recently. But Lilly, can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead."
"How are you so sure 'Thousand Elf' has only one spell slot?" He stopped and stared at her coldly. Lilly froze, realizing she had been found out. Information about other people's abilities was usually only known by the gods, Familia members, and close acquaintances. Any other methods were not legitimate. She tried to calm herself to give the most careful answer possible.
"Ah, I overheard it by accident at the witch's shop. The old lady was muttering about it," she said. The witch's shop was where necessary items for mages were sold. Given that Accelerator was also a mage, he understood what she meant.
"So, back on the 16th floor, when we were surrounded by monsters, you were planning to run, weren't you?"
"No, I was just scared of getting in your way, so I stepped back to find a safe spot, not to run away."
"One last question." He placed a hand on her shoulder, sending a cold shiver down Lilly's spine. She trembled under the touch of the top-tier adventurer.
"Why are you using magic to disguise your identity?" This question sent Lilly into a panic.
"What... what are you talking about?" she stammered, trying to pull away, but she couldn't. His emotionless red eyes bore into her, making her feel as if she were standing before a god.
"No need to lie. That won't work on me. You hate adventurers, don't you?"
Lilly was about to deny it, but seeing his gaze, she realized it wouldn't help, so she told the truth.
"Yes."
Hearing her answer, Accelerator released his hand and continued walking forward.
"I can guess why you hate them." He paused for a moment. Lilly immediately regained her composure and followed him. Despite her lingering fear, this place was too dangerous for her. Staying with him was her only chance of survival.
"But not everyone is like that. One day, you'll find someone you can trust." She was surprised by his words of advice, and quickly responded.
"That will never happen." It would never happen. To her, all adventurers were cruel and frightening.
"We'll see." Accelerator said nothing more and continued walking. Lilly immediately stuck close to him as the howl of a monster echoed nearby.
Floor 18 is a very special place in the Dungeon. It's a safe zone where no monsters are born, although creatures from lower floors can still make their way up. It's also known as the "Under Resort." This floor is filled with crystals and natural scenery. Forests and large lakes cover the area. Inside the forests, blue crystals of various sizes reflect the light from above, filling the woods with a soft blue glow. The ceiling is high and dotted with glowing crystals that simulate the sun and sky.
There's another special place here: a camp inside the Dungeon managed by elite adventurers, called [Rivira Town]. Although this is a safe area, nothing is guaranteed in this Dungeon. So, if anything unusual happens, adventurers quickly abandon this place and return to the surface. Once things settle down, they return and rebuild the town. It's a free town, not governed by any authority, and the adventurers here are tough and ambitious. They see the town as a symbol of their strength and aspirations.
"That's the meaning behind the number 334. They've rebuilt this town after Town 333 was destroyed," Lilly explained as she walked beside him. We had arrived at the town's entrance. At the gate, two adventurers on guard immediately called out to us.
"Hey, you two! Where are you going?"
"We just explored Floor 19 and are returning here to rest," Lilly quickly answered. The two adventurers glanced at each other and discussed something. Then one of them stepped forward to speak to us.
"We hope you can come with us inside. A murder has recently taken place here, and there's an order to gather everyone for investigation. If you don't cooperate, we'll have to consider you as enemies."
"Fine. Lead the way," Accelerator replied, and we followed the adventurer inside. In the large courtyard, a crowd of adventurers had gathered, split into men and women. On the platform overseeing the scene were members of the Loki Familia, but the area was in chaos due to the adventurers.
"A murder happened here? That's rare," Lilly remarked to him.
"You sure know a lot."
"Well, I'm an assistant. If I don't research the Dungeon floors and the groups I join, I could get myself killed."
"Yet you still followed me, not knowing anything about me."
"Ah, that's because..."
Before Lilly could respond, a loud noise echoed, shaking the whole town. Tree-like monsters climbed up the cliffs, surrounding the adventurers. Chaos broke out everywhere, and adventurers caught off guard were immediately attacked. With no time to react, many were in danger. Accelerator quickly assessed the situation and pulled Lilly close to him. With his cane fully charged, he immediately activated his magic.
"Stay close to me, Lilly... By the four elements of Aristotle that form all things, grant me the power to command this world."
If you think of this world as a colorful painting, the four elements are the palette. "The elements" must interact and be interchangeable, as they combine and transform into one another. The fundamental qualities are four, and any combination of these terms creates six possible pairings. However, opposite qualities refuse to pair: there cannot be both hot and cold, or wet and dry, in the same entity. Therefore, the possible "pairs" of basic qualities are four: hot with dry and hot with wet, and again cold with dry and cold with wet. These four pairings correspond to the four "simple" objects (Fire, Air, Water, and Earth) in a manner that fits the theory.
By combining and using these elements individually, they grant him an unparalleled transformation that other magics cannot compare to.
"Hot-Dry, Hot-Wet." A wall of fire and gusts of wind rose, blocking the monsters from continuing their climb. Glancing to the right, an adventurer was being attacked. Using his Vector manipulation, Accelerator created a whirlwind that tore the monster apart, while another gust of wind safely lowered the adventurer to the ground.
Feeling someone watching him, he glanced up and locked eyes with Finn. With a slight nod, the two set aside their previous issues. Accelerator turned his attention back to saving the adventurers in danger.
"Tiona, Tione, get over here and protect them!" Finn shouted immediately.
"ON IT!"
"Everyone, stop running around and retreat! Hey wizard, can you support everyone?"
"Got it." Extending his Vector perception, Accelerator could sense the battles happening all over the town. Prioritizing those in the most danger, sharp winds shot from his hands, tearing apart the monsters.
"Riveria! Their weakness is magic. Prepare a large-scale spell to wipe them out, along with those nearby."
"Understood."
"Bors, gather everyone into groups of five. If we fight together, we can take down at least one. That wizard over there will also support you."
"Got it. I'll do it now." Finn glanced at a small group of adventurers on the verge of being attacked by the monsters. The creatures had managed to get past the wall of fire by grouping together and using water they carried in their mouths from below. They had done so in large numbers to try and overcome the barrier.
Rushing toward the group of adventurers, Finn's spear tore through the monster.
'There are so many of them... Monsters aren't supposed to be born in this safe zone. They must have been born on another floor, then brought here to surround the town.'
Using his spear like a pole, Finn quickly vaulted upward to rescue an Elf girl falling from the ledge. He looked at her and winked, causing her to blush immediately. He set her down safely before running to the cliff's edge.
'These monsters are like the ones in the sewers. This attack is clearly meant to destroy the city. Without Freya's intervention, the damage would've been unimaginable. Moreover, the monsters aren't attacking at random. So, the culprit is...' Accelerator thought.
'Monsterphilia. A festival for the people and adventurers. This chaos is all part of some larger scheme.' Finn quickly leaped to the cliff's edge and looked down. A large swarm of monsters was climbing up.
'If they can bring this many monsters, I can't think of anything else. The culprit is...'
"A TAMER!!"
The battle was under control as the adventurers coordinated to eliminate the monsters. Accelerator oversaw the entire battlefield, prioritizing rescuing those in danger.
"KYEHHHHHHHHHHH!" A scream echoed from the distance, catching Accelerator's attention. He looked over and saw something emerging. Quickly filling his sword cane with magic stones, Accelerator immediately rushed to the front lines.
"KYE AHHHHHHHHHHH!" A giant tree monster appeared and roared. Its roots spread out, spawning smaller monsters.
"Is everyone out of its attack range?" Accelerator asked.
"Yes, they've all evacuated to a safe area! Hey, wizard, let's retreat," one of the Amazon women called out to him.
'It's moving toward us. If it gets any closer, the damage will be massive,' he thought, sensing its energy core in the center of its chest. Accelerator prepared to end it with a single spell.
"Hot-wet."
"Hey, don't use magic! That'll attract the monster," the Amazon warned.
"No one's protecting me. Are you looking to get yourself killed?" she retorted.
A thick fog spread from Accelerator's cane, enveloping both him and the monster. The entire space ahead was shrouded in mist.
"Now he's using fog to block visibility. Is that wizard an idiot?" one Amazon remarked.
"Finn," Riveria asked her colleague.
"He'll handle it. Let's go help Aiz," Finn replied.
"BOOM!" A massive explosion sounded from within the fog.
"See? He's taking all the spotlight for himself. Not very professional," Finn shrugged, mocking as he walked away with Riveria following behind.
The fog hid all of Accelerator's actions. Since he hadn't moved intensely in a while, he decided to go for a more direct approach. He clapped his hands together, ready to crush the monster with his vector manipulation.
Crouching down to build momentum, Accelerator launched himself at the monster at an incredible speed. A supersonic boom erupted, tearing apart the surrounding monsters with violent winds. The tree monster didn't even have time to react before its magic stone was already in his hand. Gently landing on the ground, Accelerator's wind blades shredded the remaining enemies.
'Weaker than I expected,' he thought. Either the monsters weren't really that strong, or he had grown much stronger over time. Putting the stone into his pouch, Accelerator quickly headed back to the town. Emerging from the mist, he appeared before the astonished onlookers.
"Looks like someone loves showing off, doesn't he, Tione?" one Amazon warrior remarked.
"He looks cool, sure, but he's got a long way to go before he's as impressive as our captain," the other replied.
The two female warriors debated his dramatic entrance as they finished off the remaining monsters.
'What are those idiots even discussing?' Accelerator thought, glancing at the Amazon warriors before walking away. He wasn't about to lose brain cells over it.
He turned to look for Lilly, but she was nowhere to be seen. It seemed she had left during his fight with the monster.
'Qliphap is gone too. I hope she didn't do anything terrible to the kid.' Seeing that the distant battle was going smoothly, he immediately left the area.
Run, run, run as fast as she could towards the exit. Liliruca was desperately trying to get out of the Dungeon as quickly as possible. Today had been a completely insane day for her. Encountering a high-ranking adventurer and following him straight to the 19th floor was something she never expected. Then, the sudden attack of giant monsters on the 18th floor had thrown everyone into danger. But the most terrifying thing was how that person had seen right through her disguise with just one look. The sheer fear of facing those blood-red eyes was seared into her mind. The depth of his gaze made her feel like she was falling into purgatory. It could very well become a future nightmare for her.
Next time, she would definitely be more careful in choosing who to team up with. She was lucky that he had decided not to do anything to her. But she had to hurry before he caught up with her. If that happened, she was done for.
Run, run.
The smell of monster-repelling incense surrounded her—foul, but completely worth it for this haul. All she needed to do was escape the Dungeon, and she'd be sitting on a fortune. She had already made it to the 5th floor of the Dungeon—just a little more, and she'd be free.
"Hm? Monster corpses." As she reached the 5th floor, scattered monster corpses lay around. Maybe another group had passed through the Dungeon before her. She felt a strange sensation in her mind urging her to check the corpses. Swallowing her fear, she inspected one of the bodies nearby.
"The magic stone is still intact?" Lilly quickly checked the other corpses. All of the magic stones were untouched. Someone had slaughtered the monsters but hadn't taken the stones? She turned back to look closely at the body of the monster. It had been killed by something resembling claws and needles.
"Nehehehe..."
A chilling laugh echoed down the long corridor, making Lilly's senses go on high alert. She quickly scanned her surroundings but couldn't see anything. However, a coldness seemed to spread throughout the cave—a chilling sensation that didn't seem to come from the body but seeped into her very soul. Standing up abruptly, she decided to run away as fast as she could from this nightmare. Step by step, she got closer to the entrance to the 4th floor.
"Meow..." The sound of a cat's meow froze her body instantly. From a hidden corner of the Dungeon, a black cat emerged, staring at her.
'It's...'
Its claws were stained with fresh red blood. Its glowing green eyes pierced through the darkness, digging into her soul as if it could see right through her. She tried to step back, but the cat slowly advanced toward her.
Her face went pale as her body froze in fear. The cat quietly walked past her without another glance, but she remained paralyzed. A wet liquid began to seep out beneath her. After standing frozen in the Dungeon for a minute, Lilly, with tears streaming down her face, bolted away as fast as she could.
"No more, no more. I swear I'll never have anything to do with him again!"
As he was heading back to the surface, Qliphap suddenly leaped toward him from the front. Carefully catching the cat in his arms, he asked her,
"What did you just do?"
"I just helped Lilly a little," the cat replied, flipping over and trying to rub her back against him. He shot the lazy cat with a sharp glare.
"You didn't go overboard, did you?"
"Nehehe... No, I swear I didn't do anything."
Whatever Qliphap had done, it was too late for him to intervene now. Tossing the cat back onto his shoulder, he continued his way out of the Dungeon.
'Hopefully, the kid will be alright.'
"Meow..."
A few days ago.
"Wrong, do it again, kid. Go over the basic theory carefully and redo this problem. You're going to have to redo all the exercises after this too. You got them all wrong."
In the small study room, a soft light from the desk lamp illuminated the wooden table. The girl with silver hair and blue eyes, usually cheerful with a bright smile, looked downcast today. Sitting across from her, Accelerator sighed as he reviewed the math exercises he had assigned her.
This was the punishment he gave the child after the festival. Now, he understood why she preferred being at the tavern over staying with him.
"But I tried my best..." she whined slightly. "I want to rest..."
She had been sitting with him for three hours, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't endure any longer. She looked up at him with hopeful, glistening eyes.
But Accelerator coldly stared back. "Puppy eyes don't work on me, kid."
Chloe, sitting beside them, gently chimed in, "Come on, if you finish this last exercise, you can rest, and I'll make your favorite food for you,meow." Her smile was soft, but there was a firmness behind it that couldn't be refused.
"Really?" The girl's eyes lit up.
"Yes, your favorite,meow." Chloe confirmed.
"Yeah!" And immediately, the girl dove into her homework with a surprising level of focus.
Accelerator sighed, baffled at how a simple dessert could make the child change so quickly. Chloe also smiled softly, but there was a subtle, dangerous glint in her eyes, as if she had just pulled off a clever strategy.
"This kid... really..." Accelerator mumbled.
Still smiling sweetly, Chloe asked in a quiet voice, "Fufu.That's our child...So, how did you punish Qliphap?"
In a cold tone, Accelerator replied, "I made her clean the lab."
...
"Oh, I'm so lucky to have your help with this, Qliphap," a mechanical voice echoed from a 3D screen. It was Aneri, the AI that Accelerator had recreated in the lab.
Qliphap sighed, pouting. "Sigh, you know I'm being punished, Aneri. So, what do I need to do?"
"Oh, you'll help me clean the library, okay? That way, I can assign a few more robots to other areas. You know, building more infrastructure and hardware for A.A.A. really takes a lot of manpower."
A golem approached, handing Qliphap a cleaning kit consisting of a brush, mop, and cleaning agents. She took it, her hands trembling from exhaustion, and trudged toward the library.
Maybe I should just use magic to clean the whole library. That would definitely be easier, she thought as she stood before the large door. As it opened, a steady stream of golems poured out. One, two... a hundred?
Wait! Qliphap stopped counting, turning to Aneri with wide eyes.
"Aneri, why are there so many robots?" she asked.
"Oh, I forgot to mention. The library has been expanded with spatial magic, so its area is now equivalent to the size of Australia."
Qliphap froze in shock, her eyes widening. "Wait... Since when did the library get this big without me knowing?"
"About two years ago, when Master experimented with spatial magic in the library. Due to a small error, the space has been expanding infinitely. But don't worry, only the first floor is affected; the upper floors are still normal."
Qliphap sighed, staring tiredly at the vast, seemingly endless space ahead of her. I knew it, I shouldn't have agreed to this... But she tried to reassure herself. "Nehehe... It's fine. I can still finish this in one day using magic."
"Oh, I forgot to warn you," Aneri's voice came from the library desk. "Some books in the library react to magic, especially on the first bookshelf. So, you should clean those by hand."
Qliphap froze in place, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Hic... hic... Can you send more robots to help me?" she asked, her voice trembling in desperation.
"Sorry, the master didn't allow it. Here's a recording of the master for when you ask this."
/You've been too cheeky lately, so I thought I'd punish you a little. Make sure you do it ./
"Oooaa... Master is so cruel..." She collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.
Aneri, still in her calm, robotic tone, tried to comfort her. "Um, are you okay? I can cool the space and play some music to help you relax..."
But Aneri's words didn't help at all. Qliphap could only bury her face in her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.