## 1. The Belly of the Mountain
The air in the cave was a cold, dense slap, smelling of mold and death. Hiroshi took the first step into the darkness, his hunting knife in hand, a pathetic symbol of his determination. He was a **Level Zero**, an archaeologist, and he was entering the lair of a monster that terrorized a continent. The irony was brutal.
He had brought a sword. Not the Karius, but a rusty training sword that Bella had discarded. He could barely lift it, but he carried it on his back, a weight that served as a constant reminder of his weakness. He hadn't told Bella. The truth was, he didn't expect to survive.
His thoughts were clear, devoid of fear, but filled with a cold resignation. He knew that, at best, he would become a slave or be killed by the soldiers. He couldn't bear to see abused children and humiliated women again. He preferred death to living in passivity. His journey to the Black Lake was not just a search for the **Karius Sword**; it was an act of desperation and a final cry of revolt. Hiroshi truly wanted to save people, but, above all, he wanted to save himself from cowardice.
The cave was deep. The further he descended over the black stones, the hotter it became and the louder the noise of an underground flow grew. The archaeologist within him awoke. His studies gave him an instinctive reading of the soil, the stones, and the local geography. He noticed that the stones were becoming harder and hotter. The tunnel was very deep, likely connecting to the heat of a dormant, but still active, volcano buried beneath the mountain.
## 2. The Path of Magma
Upon reaching the end of the initial passage, Hiroshi was faced with an abyss. Fragile, black bridges, made of vitrified volcanic rock, connected several passages. There were no visible monsters, but the danger was more primal. Below the bridges, a channel of incandescent magma flowed. It was certain death, not by a creature, but by nature itself.
His body was sweating profusely, but he could breathe. The air, however, was thin, suffocating. He tried to tie a piece of wet cloth over his face, using his meager water supply. He knew it would dry in ten minutes or less, but it was the only way to help filter the hot, heavy air.
As he advanced, he noticed symbols engraved on the walls: **scales**. There were footprints on the ground, but they were old, almost fossilized. Someone had entered, but not left.
Throughout the passages, he noticed corpses, human bones, necklaces, and discarded jewels. Hiroshi took nothing. He remembered his older brother, who had taught him to respect the dead. He paused briefly, silently praying for every soul he encountered.
Hiroshi's body was red, his skin burning. He realized he would die there from the heat and exhaustion, not from the monsters. Nature was brutal, and the **Stone Guardian** didn't need to fight; it merely waited for the environment to do the job.
With time, he began to lose consciousness, but he continued, using the strength he had left. He knew he was going to die, but if he could at least get some information and pass it on to Bella, he wouldn't mind dying afterward.
## 3. The Empty Throne and the Revelation
Crawling, nearly dying from suffocation and with his skin burning, Hiroshi saw an open iron gate. Dizzy, he only saw an empty throne in the center of a vast chamber. Without pride, he crawled into the room, quietly.
The room was enormous, lit by a flickering light that came from the magma below. The throne was made of polished obsidian, but it was empty.
Then, he saw it.
There was a **Dragon**. Black as night, with scales that seemed to absorb all light, except for its eyes, which were a penetrating, ancient blue. It was about 20 meters long and stared at him with majestic indifference.
The Dragon made no sound. It merely lifted a massive paw and pulled Hiroshi closer, as if examining an insect.
"**Human!**" the voice was imposing, a thunder that echoed in the chamber. "You have come far. Among the others who came here and fought me, you were the most disappointing."
The Dragon laughed, a dry, harsh sound. "**You are already dead and can do nothing. Swallowing you would be mercy.**"
The Dragon continued to laugh, offending Hiroshi, making fun of his weakness.
Hiroshi, in a final act of defiance, picked up the training sword he could barely lift.
"**Look at the ant!**" the Dragon mocked. "**Wow, I'm scared! I'm shitting myself with fear!**" The Dragon laughed uncontrollably. "**You think you'll get the sword, treasures, precious stones, or my carcass!**"
The Dragon spoke and laughed, playing with Hiroshi like a cat with a mouse.
"I just want the cure for petrification," Hiroshi replied, his voice hoarse, but firm. "I just want your blessing to help people. It's fine, I already knew I was going to die."
"You think I'll be benevolent because you made all this effort?" the Dragon laughed again.
"Yes," Hiroshi replied, looking directly into the blue eyes. "You feel lonely here. I know. When I touched Bella, I felt your pain, the despair, and what she most begged for."
"What?" the Dragon replied, angry. "**You think you know what I feel, you shit human worm?**"
"Yes, your family is gone, Great Dragon," Hiroshi said, ignoring the insult. "You've been trapped here for thousands of years, alone. You just wanted someone to stay by your side, but everyone dies upon arriving here, don't they? So, you remain alone."
The Dragon did not reply. It remained silent, observing the dying human.
Soon after, the Dragon opened its mouth, an abyss of teeth and darkness, and swallowed Hiroshi.
***
**END OF CHAPTER 3**