We pushed deeper through a series of winding corridors. Each time goblins/ kobolds Kunchu tried to ambush us, Bell darted forward with quick slashes, while Lili fired off her crossbow bolts, and I covered the flanks with my shield raised. Any monster foolish enough to come for me met Nyx's new blade. It was efficient work, and we gathered up the crystals left behind without much trouble.
I paused whenever I spotted suspiciously colorful mushrooms sprouting from cracks in the floor or discovered an odd ore vein glimmering faintly against the rock. Occasionally, I flicked a glance at Bell or Lili to see if they'd question me, but they probably just assumed I was weird.
A short while later, we passed a group of tired-looking adventurers headed up toward the exit. One recognized Bell, exchanging friendly waves, though neither side stopped to chat. The moment they disappeared up the spiral stair, we continued down, arriving on the second floor.
"This is it," Bell announced, scanning the new environment. The passage was lit by larger, deeper-toned crystals that cast swaths of blue light. "We're officially off the first floor."
Lili tucked a crystal into her pouch. "don't get careless." She was looking at me as she said that.
Nyx peered out from my shadow, sniffing the air. In my peripheral vision, I checked my quest window: one rank 1-star monster down—two left to go. That Chatacabra from earlier had apparently counted, which was a relief.
We advanced along a corridor broad enough to feel almost like a tunnel. Bell struck down a pair of hobgoblins with ease, and Lili sniped a stray kobold trying to flank us. I spotted a cluster of mushrooms near one of the glowing crystals, ones with an unmistakable red-speckled cap.
Eventually, the path opened into a small cavern with a trickling underground stream. Clear water flowed over stones, producing a gentle echo that filled the space. Bell crouched by the edge, splashing water on his face. "Should we rest a bit?" he asked, motioning to a dry patch of rock.
Lili agreed, already lowering her pack to check its contents. She'd collected a decent handful of crystals, a few battered monster drops, and the remains of what was presumably the last hobgoblin's magic stone. "Between you and Amara, I'm having an easier time than usual," she admitted, flashing us a shy smile.
I sank down on a stone outcropping, letting my shield rest at my side. "This is the first time we've really hunted together, but so far, so good. We haven't encountered anything too extreme since that Chatacabra." I paused. "Let's hope it stays that way."
Bell nodded in agreement. "Those new monsters are tough. But I guess that means we can't predict what might show up here on the second."
"It's definitely not in any handbook," Lili murmured. "But if we keep our eyes open, we'll manage."
Nyx settled herself by my feet. The cool sound of trickling water kept us company in the otherwise quiet space. Bell was checking over his gear, making sure his dagger was still intact after the last few fights, while Lili reloaded her crossbow.
I glanced at Bell's waist, where two sheaths were strapped, one holding Hestia Knife, the other just a plain iron dagger. A thought nagged at the back of my mind. Curiosity finally got the better of me, so I cleared my throat.
"Bell," I began, motioning for him to come closer, "can I see your daggers for a minute?"
He blinked, glancing down at them. "My daggers? Uh, sure." He handed them over, looking a bit puzzled.
Lili paused in her work, turning to look at me, I wasn't planning to do what she did last time in the anime, but maybe that's what she thought. Nyx flicked an ear, presumably as curious as anyone else. I took Bell's weapons carefully, first examining the Hestia Knife. It felt… distinct. Then there was the plain iron dagger, worn and unremarkable by comparison.
My vision flickered with a translucent prompt:
Infuse these daggers with Demon Mode and Archdemon Mode?
Yes / No
This was new, Demon Mode? That's… from Monster Hunter's dual blades…? With a mental press of Yes, I watched as a faint red glow spread across both blades. Just a subtle shimmer dancing along the edges. Bell's eyes widened in surprise.
Lili straightened, her crossbow momentarily forgotten. "Why are they… glowing red?"
Handing them back to Bell, who gingerly accepted them, one in each hand. The subtle aura crackled along the metal, almost like a static charge. "I, uh… guess you can call this an 'infusion,'" I said, searching for a simple explanation. "Something… I can do, combining aspects of a certain weapon style with yours."
Bell gave an experimental swing, and the red glow flickered with each motion. "They feel… lighter, I guess? Warmer in my hands?"
I nodded. "That's Demon Mode. you should be able to fight with heightened speed and aggression."
He exchanged a baffled look with Lili. "Is that something from your homeland?"
"Sort of," I said slowly. "Listen, this is part of the same… unusual skill. Let's just say it unlocks certain techniques. This infusion should let you do short bursts of intense speed, similar to your Fire Bolt, but for melee."
Lili cleared her throat softly. "Bell's used dual daggers before, but they never did that… glow thing. Now you're telling him he can just… activate it?"
I met her questioning stare and offered a smile. "Basically, yeah. If you hold them both and focus, you can push your falna energy into the blades. Then, for a little while, you'll move faster, hit harder, but you'll also burn stamina quickly. Once the glow changes to a deeper shade, that's Archdemon Mode. Think of it like a second stage of even greater power, but also more draining. If you push yourself too hard, you might collapse from fatigue."
Bell peered down at the blades, his eyes sparkling with that innocent wonder. "That's… amazing." He tried a small flourish, the metal whistling through the air. The red aura trailed faintly like a wisp of flame.
Nyx made a quiet chirping noise, as if to remind us that stamina issues were no joke. After all, fighting in a Demon Mode took a toll. I couldn't help but laugh softly. She had a point.
"Here," I said, rummaging in my satchel. I pulled out a bright yellow bottle, an Energy Drink. "Drink this. It'll help your stamina recover a little faster. But if you really plan on leaning on Demon Mode for extended fights, I can work on something stronger, like Dash Juice."
"Dash… Juice?" Lili tilted her head, sounding dubious. "What exactly does that do?"
I offered a half-grin. "It basically stops you from losing stamina for a limited time. Perfect for going all-out with dual blades. But I can't promise it'll be easy to make. The ingredients are rarer."
Bell took the Energy Drink, popping the cork and sipping cautiously. His face scrunched at the citrusy, slightly fizzy taste and the tension in his shoulders lessened. "Not bad," he murmured, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Feels like I just rested for an hour."
I nodded. "Just be careful not to rely on it too much. Now—try one more time." I motioned for him to hold both daggers, standing in a balanced stance. "Concentrate on channeling your falna. Picture the energy in your core, running through your arms, into the blades."
It took a few seconds. Then, a faint red glow sparked across both weapons. Bell's eyes shone with excitement. He practiced a few quick combos. Lili stepped back, crossbow lowered, watching with a tinge of awe and concern.
After a minute, the glow began to dull, and Bell panted softly, stamina draining. "That's… intense," he admitted, sheathing both daggers at his hips. "I can see how it'd be useful against a monster, but I'd keel over if I tried to maintain it for too long."
"Exactly." I kept my tone gentle. "Use it as a trump card, not your default style. Maybe once we get back home, I can explain more. For now, it's enough that you know how to activate it, and that you have something to help with your stamina."
Lili shifted on her feet. "Bell, that's definitely something you haven't shown before. Are you sure you can handle it?"
He gave her a reassuring grin. "I'll practice. We'll be careful." Then he looked to me. "Thanks, Amara. I don't fully understand how you infused them, but it's incredible."
I managed a thin smile. "Don't mention it. Just… yeah, don't tell anyone."
He nodded earnestly. Lili seemed relieved we weren't about to stand around swapping dagger lore in a monster-infested corridor. Nyx, in my shadow, chirped once more as if to say, "We should get going."
I hoisted my shield. "Ready to move?"
Bell tugged the Hestia Knife and his newly infused dagger back into their sheaths. "Right. Let's go."
"Agreed." I turned on my heel, gesturing for them to follow. He deserved a chance to grow stronger, bell. We set off down the corridor again, footsteps echoing on the smooth stone.
We'd been in the Dungeon for hours. Sweat clung to our skin, and Lili packs bulged with monster crystals, ores, and odd bits we'd collected along the way. Despite our success, the strain was showing. After dispatching a small pack of kobolds, we paused near a flickering crystal outcrop to catch our breath.
Bell let out a soft groan, leaning against the rough stone wall. "Six hours," he murmured, wiping his forehead with the back of his arm. "Maybe we should call it a day?"
Lili glanced at him, her cheeks flushed. "I won't lie, I'm exhausted too. But… what about you, Amara?"
I shifted my sword from one hand to the other. "I have to keep going," I said simply, my tone firmer than usual. "There's… something I need to finish. A personal quest, you could say."
Bell frowned, pushing away from the wall. "Then we'll go too. I'm not leaving you down here alone."
I opened my mouth to protest, Bell and Lili were practically dead on their feet, but he held up a hand. "Really, I'm fine with resting a bit and pressing on. I don't like the idea of you going deeper by yourself."
Lili, catching her breath, nodded. "Where Bell goes, I follow. No point in splitting up."
Exhaling in mild exasperation, I forced a small smile. "Alright, if that's how it is… but let's at least be careful. And if you need to bail, just say so."
Nyx chirped in faint agreement from my shadow, as though seconding my caution. The stakes were personal, and the penalty for failure was high. Still, I couldn't exactly say that out loud, at least, not here in the open Dungeon corridors.
We started down the passage again, forging deeper. Before long, we noticed more signs of advanced activity: scorched walls, the odd chunk of chipped crystal, footprints leading downward, and signs of other parties passing this way. Sure enough, around the next bend, we nearly collided with a group of adventurers heading downward. Six of them, all wearing armor stamped with a smith's hammer symbol. They carried hefty packs, one of which glinted suspiciously with turquoise lumps.
"Hey," one of them greeted, a tall woman whose braided hair was streaked with soot. She glanced from Bell to me, then to Lili. "You three seen any strange mineral deposits around this floor? We're from the Hephaestus Familia, scouting for new ore veins."
Lili shot me a worried look, obviously recalling that I'd found Machalite deeper down. I shook my head, meeting the woman's gaze evenly. "Sorry. Haven't spotted anything out of the ordinary."
She frowned slightly, hefting her pack. "Alright." Another quick glance at our ragtag group. "You might want to head back soon. new monsters are popping up."
Bell simply smiled, adjusting his gear. "We'll manage. Thanks for the warning."
With a curt nod, the Hephaestus adventurers continued on, footsteps echoing behind us. Only once they were out of earshot did Lili blow out a quiet breath. "We just lied."
I shrugged, rolling my shoulders to ease tension. "Better they don't know."
Bell frowned but didn't argue. He seemed torn, Still, he trusted me enough for something as small as that lie was.
We resumed our trek upward. The corridor soon expanded into another wide chamber. So far, we hadn't encountered anything truly dangerous since the Chatacabra, well those dark shadows were a pain to deal with. And those ants made me wish I had a Hammer.
I fished into my satchel and pulled out two bright yellow bottles. "Here," I said, offering one to each. Bell nodded appreciatively, taking a swig. Lili hesitated, then followed suit, grimacing at the fizzy tang.
Nyx satisfied that we weren't about to collapse, chirped softly. Lili blinked at her. "She's… oddly protective, isn't she?"
A faint smile tugged at my lips. "She's more perceptive than she looks. Ready to move on?"
Bell and Lili exchanged a glance, then nodded. "Lead the way," Bell said. Bell flashed me a quick grin, daggers at the ready. Lili, crossbow lifted, took position behind him.
We stopped in a slightly open area of the dungeon that led to a dead end. "Keep an eye out, and no matter what you see, don't tell anyone except Lady Hestia." I knew I couldn't ask Bell not to inform her, so I would have to mentally prepare myself to handle that when I got home.