The city center of Dragnir was as lively as ever, a hub of activity where divers came and went, some triumphant, others barely holding themselves together after a grueling dive. Merchants called out to passersby, selling everything from dungeon gear to street food, their voices mixing with the general murmur of the crowd.
The scent of freshly grilled meat and brewed potions lingered in the air, contrasting sharply with the metallic tang of sharpened weapons and the worn leather of adventurers' armor.In the midst of this, Luna—also known as Abigail to Kael—stood with her arms crossed, her expression neutral yet slightly bored.
She leaned against a stone pilr near the Dungeon Diver Guild's headquarters, only half-listening to the debriefing their captain was giving. The details were things she already knew, and listening to them again was nothing short of tedious.As always, when boredom struck, she let her eyes wander.She observed the flow of divers, studying the patterns of those entering and exiting the Bck Labyrinth Dungeon. A habit of hers, one she had formed over years of being in the field. It wasn't just idle curiosity—observing people was a skill, a necessary one for someone in her position.
You could tell a lot from a person's posture, their gear, the way they moved after emerging from the dungeon. Who was wounded but trying to hide it. Who was arrogant, who was cautious. Who had barely survived.Then, the murmurs of onlookers caught her attention."A pair of idiots are heading in without armor?""Are they trying to die?""They're just carrying old, battered weapons. Have they gone mad?"Luna turned her head slightly, scanning the entrance of the Bck Labyrinth Dungeon. When she saw who the crowd was whispering about, her brows lifted in shock.“Kael?”He and his companion—Elise, if she recalled correctly—looked absolutely exhausted. Their sweat-drenched clothes clung to their skin, their movements sluggish, as if they had already fought a battle before even entering the dungeon. Their weapons were far from ideal; they looked like discarded training gear rather than equipment meant for actual combat.For a moment, Luna furrowed her brows in confusion.“Did they get mugged by Dark Divers on their way here? she mused, her sharp blue eyes scanning them from head to toe. Or… did they already dived for two days straight without resting?”“It didn't make any sense. Kael wasn't an idiot—at least, not in a way that would make him recklessly charge into a dungeon half-dead and unequipped. Something else was going on.”As she studied them, Kael's gaze suddenly flickered in her direction.Their eyes met.Luna stiffened slightly.“Oh… he noticed me again.”For a brief second, she swore she saw something in his expression—confusion? A silent question?Did he just look at me like he wanted to ask something? Or… am I imagining things?A soft murmur escaped her lips as she tilted her head in thought."Young Miss, please refrain from talking to yourself in public," a voice interrupted her thoughts.Luna turned her gaze slightly, looking at Shen, her personal aide. He was standing beside her, arms behind his back, wearing his usual composed expression.
His dark uniform was pristine, not a wrinkle in sight, as if he had just stepped out of an aristocratic estate rather than the chaotic city streets.
His silver-rimmed gsses gleamed under the sunlight as he continued in a calm yet firm tone."Some might think you're cursing someone."
“Are you cursing on someone my Lady?”
Luna clicked her tongue, shaking off her thoughts as she straightened her posture. She gnced at him before speaking, her tone slightly amused."Shen, where's the report on the assignment I gave you?"Without missing a beat, Shen reached into his coat and pulled out a neatly folded paper."Here, Young Miss."Taking the report, Luna unfolded it and scanned through the contents, her sharp eyes absorbing the information.Elise Florian, 16.Daughter of a small merchant family. Second child.Brother marked as deceased— assumed dead in the Green Dungeon after falling into a quicksand trap and never found again.Luna tapped her fingers against the paper as she processed the details.‘Hmm… so she's one of those who despise dungeons, yet she became a diver herself. Is it for revenge? Or is she after something else entirely?’Before she could dwell on it further, Shen's voice interrupted again."Young Miss, we'll be diving soon. Please be ready."Luna folded the paper neatly and tucked it into the dimensional ring on her finger. With a quiet sigh, she reached down to her waist, where two elegantly crafted swords rested in their scabbards. She unsheathed them with a fluid motion, the steel catching the light as she gave them a quick spin before settling into a rexed stance."Fine," she said, rolling her shoulders. "Let's get this over with."As she prepared to enter the dungeon, her thoughts lingered—just for a moment—on Kael and Elise.Just what are you two up to?
—Inside the Labyrinth dungeonThe stale, damp air of the Bck Labyrinth Dungeon weighed heavily on us as we ventured deeper into the dimly lit corridors. The soft glow of the dungeon's embedded crystals barely illuminated the rocky passage, casting flickering shadows that danced like ghosts against the jagged walls. Our sweat-drenched clothes clung uncomfortably to our bodies, the stench of exhaustion mixing with the faint metallic scent of past battles.Fatigue gnawed at my limbs, a lingering punishment from Sui's relentless training, but there was no time to dwell on it. Not here.The first floor of the dungeon was infested with goblins.Not just any goblins—Green Goblins.They weren't the strongest monsters in the dungeon, but they were cunning, quick, and vicious in packs. Some of them, the ordinary ones, wielded crude, rusted daggers or chipped swords, their wiry, green bodies covered in ragged cloth. Others, however, were elites—rger, stronger, and better armed. These goblins wore mismatched bits of looted armor, their weapons in far better condition than what Orm had tossed our way.And there were a lot of them.Elise and I exchanged a wary gnce.Even one mistake could mean the difference between leaving this dungeon alive or getting our throats slit in the dark.The moment we stepped into the next chamber, a piercing shriek echoed through the cavern.A goblin scout—small, wiry, and perched atop a stack of broken crates—had spotted us. Its yellow eyes gleamed with malice as it bared its jagged teeth, raising a crude horn to its lips.SHRIIIEEET!The sharp sound reverberated through the tunnels, bouncing off the stone walls.Within seconds, the pitter-patter of countless feet filled the air."They know we're here," I muttered, gripping my axe tighter."Obviously," Elise shot back, raising her mace. Her expression was tense, her brows furrowed in concentration.
