Later.
Dungeon.
Bell walked through the dungeon. He was here to grind mobs and accumulate enough Valis to buy a first-class weapon on his own—no more depending on his Goddess for money.
1st Floor.
He traversed the floor, his steps carefree and unconcerned.
Goblins rushed toward him from all sides within seconds. Bell didn't mind. Instead, he pulled his hand back.
[Gusgam] blazed to life. His fists became engulfed in flames.
Bell punched at the little creatures charging toward him.
Flames rippled across his surroundings. Goblins ignited one after another, reduced to charred magic stones in moments.
Too weak. I held back an ocean, yet... they keeled over in seconds.
Bell retrieved a small pouch from his pocket and began gathering the magic stones, storing them inside with care.
Yes... this was an enchanted pouch with expanded space, purchased for an outrageous price. Your boy was now knee-deep in debt because of it.
But at the very least, this pouch wouldn't betray him like a supporter could in times of need.
It took some time, but Bell gathered all the magic cores inside his enchanted pouch.
He tucked it safely away and continued toward the deeper floors.
Let the grind begin.
2nd Floor.
Kobolds surrounded him as his legs ignited. He backflipped into a handstand, his legs rotating like a blazing top.
All Kobolds in his vicinity were burned and shredded apart in seconds, turning into a mess of melted blood and guts.
Bell didn't pause. His hands served as his legs as he continued moving from place to place, rotating and charring goblins like a tornado of flames.
3rd Floor.
Bell gripped a dungeon lizard like a makeshift sword, flinging it around by its tail.
Left. Right. Right. Left.
The lizard shrieked in terror, wishing it could sever its own tail to escape this lunatic.
Any dungeon lizard close to Bell was slapped into the afterlife by the live lizard sword in his hands, making every monster nearby question their life choices.
By the time he finished, every lizard was dead, terror frozen on their faces. His live lizard sword had already been pulverized into a dead one.
Bell didn't mind. He simply tossed the lizard sword into the air, rubbing his hands together casually.
A moment after he left... a single surviving dungeon lizard crawled from beneath the dissolving blood and gore.
It exhaled in relief, its lizard face twisting into what looked like a smug expression.
It didn't know... Oh, it didn't know.
The lizard sword Bell had thrown casually was descending from above.
BAAM!
Dead and alive lizards collided, sending the living one to join the dead one in afterlife.
4th Floor.
Huh? All monsters are dead?
5th Floor.
Not even worthy of a warm-up.
6th Floor.
yawn... Why do I feel so sleepy?
7th Floor.
7th Floor. Killer Ants? Yeah... remove the "killer." Just "ants" suits them better.
8th Floor.
Goddess Astraea hits harder than you weaklings.
9th Floor.
Bro... Why waste so much time? Just kneel and offer your necks. It'll save everyone time.
10th Floor.
An Orc swung its massive club at his head.
Bell sidestepped, the club embedded itself in a wall.
The Orc tugged. Once. Twice.
"I'll wait." Bell said, hands in his pockets.
Dork.
11th Floor.
Bro! I forgot to post a chapter!... Ahem, wrong sentence... everyone please ignore.
12th Floor... 14th Floor... 16th Floor... 17th Floor.
Bell stretched his legs outside the entrance of the 17th floor.
Time for a true warm-up.
Goliath was likely just beyond the entrance.
[Ittou Shura] awakened from its slumber. His strength surged upward in response.
Level 2—Level 3—Peak Level 3.
Bell's muscles shifted into place as an eight-handled wheel loomed to life above his head.
He took a step and vanished from the entrance, already reaching the Wall of Grief in moments.
Goliath was there, embedded within the wall like a sentinel poised to awaken.
It reacted instantly to Bell's presence. Wrenching itself free, it roared with irrational wrath and hatred.
ROOOOOAR!
"Bro... Do you not brush? I nearly dropped right here from that horrendous smell. Did your dungeon mommy not teach you any manners before spawning?" Bell's words were so absurd that even the Goliath blinked for two whole seconds in incomprehension.
"Ah! Forget it... Seems I've gone mad. I shouldn't stay in the company of mad people like Freya, or I'll really become unhinged like her." Bell brought his hand to his head and knocked twice, ignoring the beast completely.
ROOOOOAR!
Goliath roared in rage...ignored for the first time in its existence.
"Oh! You were still here? Sorry about that. Seems I genuinely forgot for a moment." Bell spoke to both Goliath and himself, feeling he'd caught some contagious disease from Freya.
A mantra resonated in his mind at that conclusion.
Whenever something bad happens—keep calm and blame Freya.
Goliath lost all patience at Bell's antics.
ROOOAR!
It roared for the third time and punched at Bell with full force.
Bell gazed up at the giant fist descending toward him and cocked his own fist all the way back.
Fist clashed against fist in an instant.
BOOOM!
Goliath was pushed three steps back by the impact. Meanwhile... Bell was pushed eight steps back.
Bell rolled his wrist after the clash.
Interesting.
Spokes of the eight-handled wheel above him rotated once.
Clunk.
His connective tissues strengthened.
His muscles conditioned themselves against blunt force.
His vascularization improved.
"Once again!"
Bell roared, stepping closer to Goliath.
The beast responded by delivering another crushing fist toward him.
Bell wouldn't have it any other way. He answered in kind.
Fist met fist again.
BOOOOOM!
Yet this time...
Goliath was pushed four steps back, while Bell was pushed only five.
Guess it's time to increase the tempo.
He concluded after their clash, bringing his hand to his neck to crack the muscles there in preparation.
It was time... to adapt.
The good ol' way.
Bell took a step.
The air around him shrieked.
Embers ignited across his body from friction against the environment.
One moment... he was beneath Goliath.
BOOOOM!
The next...
Sound barrier shattered apart brutally, his fist already buried in the giant monster's face.
Goliath was pummeled by that punch like a ragdoll.
Throwing hands.
He was getting the hang of it.
***
[300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
[8 chapters ahead on P@tr3on = [email protected]/Not_Aaryan]
...
[Authors Thoughts]
Things aren't getting any slower from here on out, it'll be battles after battles after battles, and only some slight slice of life chapters in between. We'll see which fits best.
And have a good day or night everyone, whatever suits you better.
...
And remember...
Whenever somethin goes wrong.
Keep calm and blame Freya.