The night had deepened into a tranquil stillness, the glow of luminescent fungi casting a soft light upon the cavern. Each member of the party was reclined on their mossy beds, their hunger satisfied. Zephyr lay sprawled on his belly, wrestling with a large bone, his playful growls filling the quiet space.
Gavric, lying on his back, used his shield as a makeshift pillow, his gaze fixated on the intricate patterns of the fungi above. Finnian, occupied with the meticulous cleaning of his sword, brought a sharp gleam to the blade. Lyanna popped a berry into her mouth, her eyes alight with amusement as Rexar effortlessly annihilated Milo at arm wrestling.
As the warmth of the campfire dwindled, Daisuke, ever the vigilant host, replenished the flames with more wood from his inventory. Elena watched his every move, her mind laden with thoughts.
“Um… everyone,” she spoke with a tinge of melancholy, her words pulling everyone’s focus. “I have a request… just in case… I don’t make it tomorrow.”
“Elena…”
Rexar and Milo’s expressions twisted in evident agony. Regrettably, no one could speak out about her pessimism; it was an irrefutable fact that their fates were blurred. They had found themselves ensnared in the perilous clutches of a situation with no guaranteed path to victory.
Elena took a deep breath. Before she could delve further into her request, she felt it necessary to share their backstory, and her voice quivered slightly as she began painting a vivid picture of their home.
“Rexar, Milo, and I come from a small village deep within the heart of the Fleecia Forest,” she began, her words resonating with a bittersweet nostalgia. “It’s a poor village, and we’re few in number, but we were happy,” she confessed with a glum smile, imagining it.
“Every evening, Mr. Rekton would make his rounds, sharing the day’s catch of fish with each household. Mrs. Higgs, with her hair as silver as the moon, would eagerly offer to mend your torn clothes if she happened upon a snag. At dusk, we would all gather in the village square, sharing stories and songs around a bonfire.
We’re a warm community, where everyone knows their neighbors and lent a helping hand in times of need. It created a true sense of belonging. However, in recent months, we’ve been under constant attack by demons.”
The mention of the menacing creatures sent a shiver through the group, their expressions now burdened with shared unease.
“Despite our meager numbers and limited strength, we’ve managed to fend them off each time, but… not without bearing painful sacrifices,” she admitted, her voice cracking.
Rexar placed a comforting hand on Elena’s shoulder, and then began to speak in her place. “Our village has always been self-sufficient, where every man, woman, and child learns the essential skills to sustain our way of life. Only a few among us possess the skills to wield swords or spears—and while we do have a handful of skilled archers, their expertise lies in hunting game, not combatting monsters.
If the demons keep invading, it’s only a matter of time before we’re all slaughtered. The village’s chief considered hiring an adventurer, but as a secluded and self-sufficient village that never considered trading with the outside, we didn’t have the coin necessary to pay the commission fee.”
“…That’s why we became adventurers ourselves,” Milo chimed in with a rare show of confidence.
Elena nodded. “If we couldn’t afford to hire strong help, we would become that help instead. In the worst-case scenario, if we couldn’t get strong to defend against the demons, we could at least save up enough gold to hire someone who could.”
As Daisuke absorbed their heartfelt accounts, he scrutinized the trio through the Eye of Verity, discerning the authenticity of their words. It was apparent that for them, becoming adventurers was not merely a pursuit of strength but also a means of safeguarding themselves against the horrors of slavery.
Superior Races, demihumans, and noxsians—there was still much he didn’t understand about the dynamics of the hierarchy. But he knew all too well that in this world, children, especially demihumans, were at a significantly higher risk of being abducted and subjected to a life of enslavement.
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Among the complex pyramid of demihuman races, the Beastfolk found themselves at the absolute bottom of the food chain and were frequently treated as less than human.
Their quest for the adventurer path was a desperate bid to escape this cruel fate. According to Elena, if adventurers—irrespective of race—were forced into slavery, those responsible for such vile acts faced substantial fines and potential imprisonment if caught.
Thalia had mentioned it as well, that adventurers were a necessary force to keep stability in the world. So they were thoroughly looked after by the guild, especially since it was a profession where demand consistently outstripped the supply.
The method by which races were captured for slavery was dishearteningly efficient. Slave traders made use of costly magic devices to scan the blood of their victims, identifying if they were registered as adventurers in the Global Census Register.
But the expense of such devices paled in comparison to the penalties incurred if caught and prosecuted by the guild. Whatever the case, the fundamental role of adventurers in ensuring a safer environment for traders and businesses was undeniable, so the traders did their due diligence to ensure they honored the system.
Elena, Rexar, and Milo, however, were at risk of losing the safety net that being an adventurer provided. Because they were too weak to hunt, or even roam monster infested regions for foraging jobs, they weren’t able to meet the quota of one quest per month as of yet.
They were worried sick about getting their license revoked. What’s worse, they now had to pass a field test, and they had performed miserably in the other assessments.
“Now that we’re trapped in this dungeon,” Elena began, tears glistening in her eyes, “I don’t even know what to think anymore.”
There was a heavy moment of silence.
DING!
[Escape the Dungeon Unscathed]
[Quest Difficulty: B
Elena, Rexar, and Mio, having made numerous sacrifices in their selfless mission to safeguard their beloved home, now find their noble aspirations held captive by the labyrinthine clutches of this dungeon.
They yearn to see their dreams realized, and it’s up to you to be the guiding light that leads them out of this dire predicament and towards the fulfillment of their goals.
Clear Conditions: Escape the dungeon without any casualties.
Rewards:
▪︎ Affinity with Elena, Rexar, and Milo +30%
▪︎ EXP +35,000
▪︎ A favorable encounter
Quest Failure:
▪︎ The death of one or more party members
▪︎ Any survivors will despite you forever
▪︎ Loss of favorable encounter]
That settles it, Daisuke pondered as he examined the quest details. Elena's story is unfolding as a linked-quest. Until I fulfill all the quests in the series, I won't unlock the final reward, which I suspect is the ‘favorable encounter’.
Daisuke cupped his chin in deliberation. If the System deems this encounter as ‘favorable’, then I guess it should be worth the risk. Regardless, we’ll all need to escape the dungeon one way or another. But there’s only one way I can guarantee that everyone will survive.
It was then that Daisuke, filled with wild determination, proposed a daring plan. “I think we should challenge the Dungeon Boss and clear this dungeon.”
Shock rippled across the faces of everyone as they pondered the unexpected proposal.
“Clearing this dungeon will provide a significant power boost for all of you,” Daisuke clarified. “Defeating the Dungeon Boss will strengthen your foundations and make the upper floors more manageable.
Lyanna, Finnian, Gavric… I presume you’re all in a similar situation right—there’s a goal you’re trying to achieve, which will be more feasible by becoming more powerful?”
Everyone exchanged nervous glances as they took a moment to consider the idea, and Zephyr looked up from his marrow-rich bone, feeling the sudden rise in tension.
In contrast to Osten, Daisuke was far from selfish, greedy, or discriminatory. He had repeatedly demonstrated his strength and reliability, leaving no doubt in their minds that he and Zephyr could escape together if they were on their own.
Daisuke’s bold proposal to challenge the Dungeon Boss clearly indicated his belief in their chances of victory, and he didn’t strike them as someone who would willingly welcome unnecessary sacrifices.
"I'll do it," Milo declared, his unexpected display of confidence surprising everyone once more. "I've spent... most of my life in the shadows, observing people," he confessed, finally mustering the courage to meet Daisuke's gaze. "And I've seen people like you—cool, clever, distant. But it's a defense mechanism; I understand that you've actually been through a painful and traumatic experience."
Daisuke’s expression hardened, and everyone noticed it.
“But you overcame it,” Milo continued, “and I think that baptism is partly, if not solely the reason, that you’ve become such a powerful and dependable person. I want to be just like you so that I can become stronger. So, yes, let’s challenge the Dungeon Boss.”
“…I’ve never heard him talk at length before,” murmured Gavric to Finnian who was also flabbergasted.
“I’m game,” Lyanna announced as she raised her arm. “We’re already on the 11th floor; I think it would be a waste if we didn’t at least gauge its strength.”
Elena nodded her head with a smile, her eyes gleaming as she looked at Daisuke. “I’ll go too. You’ve saved me three times already, so I’ll trust in your judgment.”
Finnian nodded in agreement.
“You have my shield,” Gavric pitched in, tapping on his makeshift pillow. “As you said, defeating the Dungeon Boss could potentially make it that easier to clear the upper floors.”
“So?” Rexar urged in a sassy tone. “What’s the plan?”