Nearly half a month had passed since Bell Cranel began his training under Bete Loga. It was entirely unprecedented for the "Fierce Wolf" Bete Loga, a prominent leader of the Loki Familia—the city's strongest and most perpetually busy faction—to train a rookie like Bell, who belonged to a small, obscure Familia.
No mentor-student relationship was more puzzling than this one. Such an arrangement would inevitably spark resentment among other members of the faction.
Furthermore, if Bete were training a successor—much like Riveria Ljos Alf mentored Lefiya Viridis because of her exceptional talent—the situation would be logical. However, Bell belonged to a different Familia. No matter how strong the boy became, Bete stood to gain nothing.
More surprisingly, people wondered if the "Fierce Wolf" could even take a disciple. He was notorious for his disdain for the weak, often labeling them as scum and never hesitating to bare his fangs even at the gods themselves.
It seemed impossible. Had the members of the Loki Familia known, they would have laughed it off as a tasteless joke. By all standards, it was an absurdity. Yet, this impossibility was unfolding in reality.
Contrary to all expectations, the bond between the mentor Bete Loga and his student Bell Cranel was developing remarkably well. While Bete possessed a sharp, caustic tongue, he was never unjust. On the contrary, he was dedicated to his guidance, even if he lacked a gentle way to express it or relied on a brutish style.
Initially, Bell trembled in fear of Bete. However, by the third day of training, Bell's kind nature allowed him to see through the mask. He realized that Bete's harshness hid a genuine concern for others; he was the type of person whose exterior was rough, but whose heart was soft.
Their combat styles also complemented each other perfectly. Since Bell trained under Bete—a veteran speed-based fighter who mastered dual-wielding—his skills improved with incredible efficiency.
The training was excessively practical, forged from the experience gained on the front lines in the deep floors of the Dungeon. It began with hand-to-hand combat and evolved into a grueling pursuit of power. It often resembled a life-or-death duel, a method that proved highly effective despite its brutality.
However, this teaching style pushed past the boundaries of harshness into something resembling torture. Amidst insults and mockery, Bell received relentless, practical blows. By the end of each session, Bell's body was so exhausted that he couldn't stand without a potion. He was a gruesome sight, covered in dark blue bruises.
The situation became so grim that the Goddess Hestia, head of Bell's Familia, nearly fainted when she tried to update his status. If Bell hadn't desperately clung to her to stop her, she would have marched straight to the Twilight Manor to confront Loki.
Even so, Bell recognized his dire need for this special training. He knew with absolute certainty that he was weak and understood the depth of his inadequacy. For this reason, he remained determined to endure Bete's regime, regardless of the pain and exhaustion.
Beneath his abrasive exterior, Bete began to feel a secret admiration for Bell. The boy never complained regardless of the injuries he sustained; instead, he grew stronger at a staggering pace. Outside of training, Bete's actions toward Bell were tinged with a subtle kindness only those who knew him well could detect. Had the members of the Loki Familia seen it, they would have been speechless with shock.
Thus, through repeated sessions conducted in blood and sweat, Bell grew steadily and surely.
"Finished. Get up."
Bete poured a water-diluted potion over the prone Bell and walked away without a second glance.
"I won't be able to train you for a while. Next time we meet, if I find your skills have grown rusty, I'll kill you."
As Bell stared at the retreating back of the wolf, he lost himself in thought.
(Truly... why is he treating me with such kindness?)
This question had haunted Bell for days, and no matter how much he pondered, he found no answer. The training was indeed harsh, but it aimed to make Bell strong efficiently while ensuring he suffered no permanent scars. Through their short, intense time together, Bell realized that Bete was not the type to hurl insults or use violence without purpose. Bete simply had a foul mouth, not a wicked soul.
Furthermore, despite his strictness, Bete never made impossible demands. Aside from the first day, Bell was pushed to his absolute limits but never lost consciousness. This proved that Bete understood Bell's boundaries perfectly and tailored the training accordingly.
Still, Bell couldn't fathom why Bete showed such interest in someone like him. To Bell, Bete became a symbol of strength in a way that differed from his brother. Bete, who carried himself with the natural arrogance and pride of the strong, was truly powerful. Bell couldn't grasp why such a powerhouse cared about a "worthless piece of scum."
While many aspired to reach Bete's level of power, he had never taught anyone. It was said that very few people could even speak to him normally. Bete treated everyone with a cold, merciless indifference that didn't distinguish between the weak and the strong. If someone didn't meet his standards, he bared his fangs. There were only two exceptions: the "Sword Princess" Ais Wallenstein, whom Bell longed to reach, and—
"Brother..."
The "Sword Saint" Al Cranel. He was Bell's only relative, the true embodiment of the idol where everything began. Bell had not met Al yet. Though they lived in the same city and Al was a leader in the largest Familia, Bell was afraid to seek him out. He wasn't afraid of Al himself; he was afraid that Al would look at his current state and be disappointed.
For four years, Al had stood on the front lines of the Dungeon with the greatest Familia, earning fame as a first-class adventurer. He had exerted effort beyond Bell's imagination to reach the summit as one of the strongest warriors. In contrast, what had Bell done during those four years? Only now, through this grueling training, did Bell realize how aimlessly those past days had been wasted.
He had relied on his grandfather, always under his protection. If his grandfather hadn't died, Bell might still be living that lazy village life. That might be an exaggeration, but he certainly wouldn't have pursued this level of self-improvement.
The mere thought of it filled Bell with an indescribable terror. He understood his current weakness better than anyone. What would Al think of this reality? Bell knew he was weak, yet he didn't want Al—specifically Al—to be disappointed in him.
Bell was weak. Even after training with Bete, he remained weak. This was an unchangeable truth. For this reason, he feared meeting Al again. He didn't want to be weak when they finally stood face to face. To prevent that, he trained under Bete to become strong.
It still wasn't enough. He couldn't face him with his head held high yet. Bell wanted to be strong—strong enough to protect what was precious, to bring smiles to those he loved, and to reach a level where his brother would truly acknowledge him. It wasn't just because they were family; to Bell, Al was a true "Hero," and that was why he couldn't face him yet.
"Ah... oh... ugh..."
Struggling with sharp pain radiating through his body and an exhaustion that felt like poison, it took him over a minute to slowly stand up. Every part of him ached, but the pain was measured; it didn't hinder his movement. If he could suppress the agony, he could move without issue. Bell was always amazed by the precision in Bete's strikes, which contrasted sharply with his boorishness.
After thirty more minutes of preparation, the pain receded enough for Bell to feel relieved. He headed toward the Central Path beneath the Tower of Babel to enter the Dungeon. Bete, after all, was a busy man and wasn't available to train him constantly. Recently, when Bete was away, Bell practiced what he had learned on monsters, gaining combat experience by facing them directly.
It was just past noon, and the Central Path was relatively quiet. The sun was still high, and some adventurers were preparing to enter the Labyrinth. However, entering in a state of extreme exhaustion after facing a vastly superior opponent was a move that bordered on suicidal. But Bell knew that if he didn't do this, he would never even begin to catch up to Bete, Ais, or his brother.
During the past half-month, Bell realized that Bete's arrogance was born from immense talent and true strength forged with dizzying effort. Bell longed to draw closer to Bete's status—the existence he aspired to reach. Even now, the slightly improved Bell didn't realize how much blood and sacrifice it took to reach that peak.
But he swore he would catch up to them one day. This was the vow Bell had made. And his brother was leagues ahead of even those two.
Bell held feelings for his brother that transcended mere respect. Because he knew how high that summit was, he couldn't afford to slack in his efforts to reach the back of the idol walking far ahead. Moreover, he felt a sense of guilt toward Bete, who had carved out his precious time to train him.
Bell's longing and admiration grew stronger as he himself became more powerful. His brother, and his brother alone, was the strongest in his eyes—the ultimate idol and goal. The Goddess he loved told him that nothing mattered if he died, and his kind advisor told him an adventurer shouldn't gamble with his life.
However, remembering his brother's terrifying training sessions back in the village, Bell realized that one could not become truly strong without being prepared for death. To reach the place he desired, he had to go beyond even that. Thus, Bell swore he would live and become strong at any cost, by any means necessary.
Bell steeled his resolve and crossed the Central Path toward the Dungeon. For a boy aiming for a towering peak, his growth seemed slow. Yet, by the standards of ordinary adventurers, this rabbit was growing at an incredible speed, filled with a hunger for power like a wolf.
And this rabbit, today—
"Adventurer, are you looking for a supporter?"
—would meet his destiny.
●○●○●
At the Loki Familia headquarters, the Twilight Manor, members were constantly moving in and out of the clustered spired towers. The office of Finn, the captain who united these members, was located in the northernmost tower. The room held a calm atmosphere, filled with organized, massive bookshelves.
Finn sat at his desk, reading a parchment. it was a report on the follow-up investigations of the incident from a few days ago.
"Well, let's start by discussing the multi-colored Magic Stones. We've been busy lately; it's time to exchange detailed information."
In the office with Finn were Loki, sitting immodestly on the desk, and two of the Loki Familia's high-ranking leaders. Finn and his companions gathered despite their busy schedules to organize information on the incidents they could no longer ignore, starting with the "Man-eater" plant monsters that attacked the town of Rivira and the Monsterphilia festival.
"The multi-colored Magic Stones... the new monster on the 50th floor, and those Man-eater plants that appeared at Monsterphilia."
"Let's set aside the connection between those two types for now. What about the underground waterways, Loki? You went there with Bete, right?"
At Finn's request, Loki began her report while sitting cross-legged on the desk. She spoke of the ancient waterways that showed signs of use, the Man-eater plants found there, and the appearance of the God Dionysus and his followers.
The leaders fell silent as they listened to Loki, thinking deeply. Something about those "multi-colored monsters" gave even these leaders of Orario's strongest faction pause. Based on Loki's information and the location where the flowers appeared, they had likely been in the waterways before the monsters even surfaced.
How did these plants leave the Dungeon? And why did Dionysus know about them? He provided a logical reason, but that didn't make it the truth. Above all, was that god an enemy or an ally? Questions were many.
Loki finally spoke of her communication with Ouranos, who kept the Dungeon sealed through his "Prayer." She shared the information she had gathered there with Finn and the others.
"So, can we consider Lord Ouranos—and the Guild—to be above suspicion?"
Riveria wondered if the Guild, or Ouranos, who prevented monsters from escaping with his prayer, might be pulling the strings behind the scenes, especially since someone was transporting the plant monsters to the surface.
"He seems to be hiding something, but I feel he has no direct connection to this mess..." Loki looked at Riveria and answered. Ouranos himself stated he had no connection, and Loki didn't sense a lie. The group seemed satisfied with this divine intuition.
"Alright. And what about your side, Finn?"
Finn then addressed the Rivira incident, specifically the red-haired woman, the Tamer responsible for the murder of Hashana. Regarding her identity, he noted that she was also the one who caused the plant monsters to attack Rivira. Her goal was that strange "fetus" inside the [Jewel]. Finn believed there was an existence standing behind these incidents as well.
"I'm interested in that Tamer woman. Even before her Level Up, she defeated Ais and Al had to intervene, right? What is your assessment of her strength, Finn?"
"Based on what Al said after fighting her directly, she seems to be a frontline fighter at the beginning of Level 6. Currently, I think Gareth or I could defeat her, but..."
Considering the polished vessel of a Level 6 and the years of experience Ais lacked, it was a fair assessment. However, she could not be underestimated, especially with the plant monster issue. Finn answered Loki's question after a moment of thought. She was certainly strong, but not beyond their ability to handle. However...
"Her severed arm grew back, didn't it?"
"She didn't seem to cast a healing spell. Given her use of a 'natural weapon'—she might not be human."
It was said her severed arms returned as if nothing happened. Yet, she looked too human to be called a human-monster, leaving her identity a mystery.
"As for the Man-eater plants, through my fight with them, I felt their strength varied between Level 2 and mid-Level 3. As for that giant plant that appeared at the end, I don't know the details because Al crushed it with a single blow. But looking at its size, I believe it was equivalent to Level 5."
Their combat ability was annoying enough, but her ability as a Tamer to control a large number of monsters that outclassed the average adventurer was strategically more troublesome. If the opponent were only strong as an individual, it would be enough to send a few first-class adventurers of the same level. But if the opponent was a commander leading high-efficiency soldiers, the powerhouses here wouldn't be able to protect everything.
Also, that [Jewel] that parasitized several Man-eaters transformed into a form identical to the female-bodied creature that appeared on the 50th floor, which scattered explosive powder and corrosive liquid.
"Transforming monsters... it's truly hard to believe. Does this mean that female creature on the 50th floor was reborn through that jewel as well?"
"Likely. Though Ais and Lefiya are the only ones who witnessed it..."
"Since we will need more military strength, we can say Ais reaching Level 6 came at a good time, but..."
"Recently, Ais-tan seems to be in a slightly dangerous state, especially with the 'Aria' issue."
Loki and the others were aware of Ais's psychological instability. Since that day, she had spent her days in grueling training as if she were punishing herself. She had always been ambitious in her self-improvement, but she had recently crossed the line. Finn and his companions feared Ais's heart might break if she continued this way.
"Unfortunately, Ais can see Al's back in front of her."
When facing an embodiment of the irrational like Al, one might forget that the girl named Ais Wallenstein held the world record for the fastest growth until Al appeared, and that her talent was among the top five in Orario.
In the second tier of the Loki Familia and below Level 4, no one felt envy toward Al or considered him a rival; he simply wasn't in a position for comparison. Does a person challenge a dolphin to a race just because they are good at swimming in gym class? Does a person try to jump high to chase a bird flying in the sky?
Anyone who does that is either insane or a non-human hero themselves. Ais was the type of human who could enter the realm of non-humans and become a hero. This was a talent every adventurer envied, but this time it turned against her.
Because she understood Al's abilities more than anyone else and saw his power up close, Ais lost track of her own limits. She wondered if she could catch up to someone who grew strong that quickly. She felt that if she didn't put in more effort, he would leave her behind. This kind of anxiety and turmoil was now gnawing at Ais.
Finn sighed, and Loki rested her cheek on her hand. Gareth remained silent with his arms crossed, and Riveria closed her eyes, pursing her lips. This was a problem shared by everyone who knew Ais's circumstances.
If it were Finn, Riveria, or Gareth, who had spent a long time with Ais since her childhood as a family, there would be hope for a rescue. But the situation with Al was different. Though they were in the same Familia, their relationship was distorted. One couldn't even imagine the results of this relationship collapsing. Thus, they had no choice but to watch in silence.
"Lefiya and the others care about her too, but we have no choice but to pay her attention ourselves as well."
"That's true."
Finn tried to bring a lighter mood to the room with his bright voice.
"By the way, is that rumor about Bete taking a disciple true?"
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