Chapter 88 – Bell's Resolve, the Second Weapon!
The death of the four Gulliver Brothers stirred no major waves throughout Orario.
After all, Level 5 adventurers from the Freya Familia rarely interacted with the outside world—and especially because they hailed from that Familia. Aside from those within their own ranks, hardly anyone noticed their disappearance.
On Shin Akira's side, however, the incident didn't cause much of a ripple either.
What truly stood out now... was the addition of two more "little tails" trailing behind him.
Aside from Bell, who had come at Hestia's request, Ais and Lefiya had also started tagging along.
Down on the eighth floor of the Dungeon, Bell gripped a short dagger tightly in his hand as he faced off against a hulking gray-furred bear monster. His attacks barely scratched the creature—his dagger cuts barely even nicked the surface of its thick hide.
That monster wasn't random. It was handpicked by Shin Akira himself.
By facing something far stronger than himself, Bell would come to understand just how deep the gap truly was.
Strike after strike, Bell's dagger could only leave shallow wounds. None of them did any real damage.
The air shook with the beast's roar.
With a single, brutal swipe of its claw, the bear sent Bell flying.
He slammed hard into a nearby stone wall. Pain erupted through every muscle in his body—it felt like his insides had been shredded. He was still a beginner, and facing an enemy like this head-on was clearly a tall order.
"Hey... isn't this a bit much for him? At his level, fighting something like that..."
Lefiya, standing off to the side, couldn't help but protest to Shin Akira. As a kind-hearted elf, she found the sight of Bell's suffering hard to watch.
But Ais, standing beside her, showed no reaction from start to finish. Because she knew this kind of training all too well—she'd grown up with it.
No one had forced her into it. She chose it herself. Because only through pain could she grow stronger.
"He can give up anytime he wants. I never forced him to do this. I just gave him a goal. Whether or not he chooses to reach it—and how he does it—is entirely up to him."
"But still..."
"Lefiya, I know you're kind. But this is his resolve. You don't have to understand it. But you do need to respect it."
"Re… resolve…?"
Lefiya fell silent. She watched as Bell, his body battered and bruised, slowly forced himself to stand and charge again.
In her eyes, there was confusion. She didn't understand.
Lefiya had been raised in an elven household, taught proper etiquette, blessed with natural talent. She became an elite adventurer with a relatively smooth journey.
But there was something she never truly experienced—not once had she ever "adventured" in the truest sense of the word.
Her level had risen thanks to her team, step by step, through shared achievements.
Compared to adventurers who put their lives on the line every day, her growth was like a flower raised in a glasshouse.
A weed by the roadside versus a flower in a climate-controlled dome.
Weeds survive with only soil and rain, stubbornly pushing through concrete cracks if they have to.
But flowers in glasshouses? Even a slight change in temperature could make them wilt.
The proof was in front of her: even as a Level 3, Lefiya was still scared of monsters. When one came too close, she froze—uncertain, hesitant.
Meanwhile, Bell continued his desperate struggle, even as his body took blow after blow.
His eyes never left the giant bear in front of him. And in those eyes... was the wild glint of a hunter refusing to back down.
The massive bear roared, then charged—its weight like a war tank barreling toward Bell.
If it hit, it would crush him.
Hopelessness began creeping into Bell's heart. No matter how many times he attacked, it wasn't working. Subconsciously, he glanced toward Shin Akira.
Their eyes met.
And the cold, calm stare Akira returned pierced straight through Bell's heart.
He wasn't strong enough yet… He still couldn't make his "Nii-san" proud.
No… My journey as an adventurer is only just beginning. I will win. I won't let Akira-nii down!
It was in that moment that the young man named Bell experienced his first true breakthrough.
Somewhere deep inside him, a power began to boil.
Even he didn't notice that the pain had dulled… that his limbs felt lighter.
But Shin Akira noticed it immediately—every detail.
"As I thought... the cheat from the official version isn't gone that easily."
He chuckled to himself.
He didn't know if the skill was still called Realis Phrase, but Bell's growth was clearly affected by some kind of evolution-type ability.
And now...
With a powerful push of his legs, Bell launched into the air.
His eyes locked onto the bear's head—more precisely, its eyes.
The eyes—no matter how tough the beast—were always a weak point.
If brute force couldn't break through... then go for the softest spot.
Sensing the incoming attack, the bear also leapt upward, swiping its massive claw at Bell.
The size difference was staggering. The beast was over four meters tall. Bell was barely one-sixty.
But just as the bear's claw came swinging down—
Bell stepped onto it.
Using the claw as a stepping stone, he rocketed forward and drove his dagger straight into the beast's eye.
The blade pierced deep into its socket. Blood exploded in all directions as the bear shrieked in pain.
Still midair, the bear flailed and swatted Bell away like a fly.
"Ugh—Gah!"
The impact knocked the wind out of him. His body tumbled.
But he had no time to lose consciousness. Adrenaline was still pumping.
Gritting his teeth, Bell pulled out his second dagger from his belt.
Akira's first rule: Never bring just one weapon.
You never know what'll happen. A backup could mean life or death.
Right now, his first blade was still lodged in the bear's eye.
Without a spare… this would've been the end.
As the bear writhed in agony, Bell made his move.
With one final burst of strength, he dashed in close.
He leapt—and thrust the second dagger into the bear's remaining eye.
With both hands, he drove the blade as deep as it would go.
A monstrous screech tore through the Dungeon.
And when the dagger finally pierced the creature's brain—
The enormous body disintegrated into black mist, vanishing without a trace.
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