Through the many corridors of the first floor of Orario's Dungeon, a lone elven adventurer wandered in search of his next target.
Luki moved cautiously, each step measured, every glance alert to the shadows that seemed to shift along with him. The tension in the air was almost tangible, and the muffled sound of his footsteps on the uneven ground was his only company in that hostile environment.
Remaining constantly on guard was exhausting. Every sound could be a threat, every crack a trap. But, as Luki well knew, that level of vigilance was the difference between walking out alive or being swallowed by the Dungeon.
Suddenly—crack!
The familiar sound of splitting stone rang out behind him, cutting through the silence like a blade. Without hesitation, Luki spun around, sword already in hand.
From the jagged contours of the wall, a Goblin began crawling out, its eyes gleaming with malice. But before it could fully emerge, Luki acted.
Swish!
With a swift, precise movement, he decapitated the monster. Its head hit the ground with a dull thud, followed by its body. A faint glow appeared as the Goblin crumbled into dust, leaving behind a small mana stone shard.
Luki sighed, bending down to collect his loot.
— That's the third one already. — he muttered to himself, examining the fragment before storing it away.
The Dungeon seemed to have a cruel fondness for ambushes. Monsters would silently emerge from the walls, as if the very structure itself was alive and trying to catch even the most vigilant adventurers off guard.
Luki still remembered the first time it had happened. He had been distracted, crouched to collect a mana stone from another defeated Goblin, when he heard the threatening crack above him.
Instinctively, he had thrown himself to the side, narrowly avoiding the monster that fell from the ceiling, its claws almost tearing into his flesh. The fight that followed was fierce and intense, leaving him with cuts on his arms and a newfound understanding of how treacherous the Dungeon could be.
It might not seem like it, but these Goblins were only a little weaker than a normal person. Having only recently received his Falna, Luki was still about on par with one of them.
The second attack was similar, but this time Luki was better prepared. He heard the crack behind him while walking, as if the Dungeon itself was testing his awareness. He quickly turned and eliminated the monster before it could strike.
Now, by the third encounter, Luki's efficiency was improving.
— Seems like the Dungeon doesn't like seeing me relax. — he said quietly, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings once more.
Regaining his composure, he resumed his path through the Dungeon's winding corridors.
Luki knew the key to survival was avoiding unnecessary risks. He would ambush lone Goblins and steer clear of groups — even pairs.
'Never bite off more than you can chew.'
That was his method. It might seem inefficient, maybe even cowardly, but he preferred to call it prudence. Life was nothing to toy with, especially your own.
A Goblin sleeping against a rock… killed with a precise stab to the heart.
A Goblin wandering aimlessly… struck down from behind before it even knew what hit it.
A Goblin that tried to hunt him… eliminated after an intense frontal battle that cost him a tiny piece of armor.
Two Goblins walking together… ignored as Luki silently took another route.
This was how he continued exploring the floor, gathering mana shards and gradually learning the traps and patterns of the place.
A few hours later.
Swish!
His sword sliced deep into another Goblin's chest. The monster let out a pained cry before dissolving into glittering dust. Luki bent to collect the shard it left behind — but froze when he heard a strange sound.
Grrr!
His body instantly tensed. A chill ran down his spine. Sword in hand, he spun around, scanning the shadows for the source of the threatening growl.
— Where are you…? — he muttered, cold sweat forming as his eyes darted around.
Grrr!
The sound echoed again, but this time he realized the truth.
— Ah… — Luki relaxed, exhaling in relief. — Just my stomach…
He scratched the back of his neck, visibly embarrassed.
— Good thing no one saw that. — he said to himself, trying to laugh off his overreaction.
Without noticing, he had been in the Dungeon for hours, hunting Goblins without rest. Hunger had finally caught up to him.
'I should probably head back now.'
He pulled out his floor map, Eina's recomendation, searching for the way out. It might seem excessive to abandon exploration just because of hunger after only a few hours, but Luki didn't care.
Not long ago, he had been just an ordinary office worker in a modern, peaceful world. Now, he was in an underground labyrinth, risking his life against monsters straight out of a fantasy tale.
He wasn't built for this kind of work, neither physically nor mentally. Every battle was an achievement.
'Surviving is an accomplishment in itself.'
With that thought, he charted his path to the exit and began the journey out, more aware than ever of his limits, and of how much he still had to learn to truly thrive in this unforgiving world.
…
— Sigh Never in my life did I think I'd be so happy to see daylight. — Luki murmured as he emerged from the Dungeon.
The warm sunlight enveloped him, like a comforting embrace that washed away the accumulated weight of darkness. Each step carried him farther from the suffocating tension of the labyrinth and closer to a long-forgotten sense of safety.
Arriving at the Guild's reception, his goal was clear: trade the mana shards for money — a small triumph in his new and challenging journey.
Among the many busy stations, he quickly spotted a familiar face.
— Eina-san… good afTernOOn. — he said, his tone marked by a thick accent and hesitation, but with a clear effort to sound polite.
The young woman with brown hair and a welcoming smile looked up from the counter and recognized him instantly.
— Huh? Oh, Luki-san! It's good to see you back alive and whole! Looks like your first exploration was a success. — she replied, relief evident in her voice.
There was a reason for that relief: working at the Guild meant seeing many new adventurers walk in with dreams of glory, but only a fraction returned alive from their first Dungeon dive. Let's note even talk about second and third ones.
— I'm fine… — Luki replied, his vocabulary still limited, but attentive to her encouraging tone.
Eina smiled, satisfied.
— I'm glad to hear that. Now, just place your loot here, and I'll calculate your earnings. — She placed a metal tray on the counter and gestured for him to proceed.
Luki nodded, understanding. He carefully untied the small pouch from his waist and emptied its contents onto the tray.
Clink, clink, clink… The sound of mana shards hitting the metal rang out amid the busy atmosphere.
Eina glanced over them, counting with practiced ease.
— Let's see… ten… fifteen… sixteen, seventeen, eighteen mana shards. — She looked up with an encouraging smile. — Not bad, especially for a first time.
She gathered the stones, storing them for the Guild, and quickly returned with the tray, now holding a few gleaming coins.
— Here you go, 500 valis. It's not much, but it's a start. You did great, Luki.
Luki looked at the coins with a mix of relief and satisfaction.
— ThAnk yOU. — he said, his accent still present, but his gratitude clear.
As he put the coins away and prepared to leave, he couldn't help but feel a small spark of pride. It was a modest step, but for him, it marked the beginning of a new life in a world full of challenges and possibilities.
— See yOU… Eina-san. — he said with a faint smile.
— See you, Luki-kun. And be careful next time! — Eina replied, her affectionate tone tinged with genuine concern.
With a tired but determined expression, Luki left the Guild and began walking through Orario's streets. The sun was already leaning west, casting a golden glow over the bustling city. At this hour, the streets were full of adventurers, most heading to the Dungeon in organized groups. Equipped with armor, weapons, and magic, they moved with the confidence of those who had faced the labyrinth's dangers countless times.
'In the future, I should look for companions too.' He thought, watching a nearby group laughing and chatting before heading in.
Exploring alone was mentally and physically exhausting. Every decision, every fight, fell solely on him. A companion could share the burden, ease the tension, and above all, increase his chances of survival. But he knew finding someone trustworthy in Orario was a challenge of its own.
'I'll think about it later.' he decided, pushing the thought aside. For now, he was content with what he had achieved.
Without realizing it, his steps brought him back home. The small, worn temple was the picture of modesty, but to Luki, it was home — a place where he would always be welcomed warmly, no matter how hard the day had been.
At the entrance, a figure waited eagerly, swaying slightly as she watched him approach. Her eyes shone with relief, and her smile was as radiant as the first rays of dawn.
— Luki-kun!!! You're back! — Hestia shouted, her voice overflowing with joy.
Before he could respond, she threw herself at him with all the force of her divine affection.
— (Wait, wait!) — he tried to say, but his voice was muffled as his face was buried in a rather… generous spot.
— My Luki-kun, my Lukie, my Lukie's safe! — Hestia exclaimed, hugging him tightly, completely ignoring personal space.
Instead of feeling embarrassed like most would, Luki only laughed inwardly. 'Is this heaven?' he thought, trying to savor the moment for as long as possible.
Stealthily, he slipped his arms around her slender waist, hugging her in return, not wanting the moment to end anytime soon.
Hestia, however, seemed in no hurry to let go. She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed even tighter, as if making sure he would never escape again.
— Uhm… I… need to brEAthEE! — Luki said, starting to struggle as the air left his lungs.
— Ah, sorry! — Hestia finally released him, a hint of embarrassment on her face. — It's just that I was so worried! Don't do that again, okay? — She crossed her arms, cheeks puffed in a classic pout.
— Worried? — he replied with a teasing smile.
'With a welcome like this, maybe I should go to the Dungeon every day.' a mischievous thought crossed his mind before fading quickly.
— Hmph, just a little. — Hestia gave his arm a light tap, unable to hide her smile.
Despite the exhaustion, Luki felt warm inside. It wasn't just Hestia's hug — it was the fact that, for the first time in a long while, he had someone waiting for him with such devotion.
— Thank you… Hestia-sama. — he said sincerely.
— I should be the one thanking you for being such an amazing child. Now come, I made lunch while I waited. — Hestia let go of him and began pulling him inside by the arm.
Seeing the situation he was in, Luki couldn't help but feel lucky. Life in this world was hard, but at least he had someone like Hestia by his side.