Maybe this was one of the Dungeon's fundamental flaws.It might have ambition. It might have power.But it had no mercy for its own children.
Miao'er lowered her gaze, voice small:
"So I'm just… an experiment?"
Xien shook his head immediately.
"No. In my eyes—you're a miracle."
"A… miracle?"
The girl couldn't help staring at him. His eyes were shining—so bright it almost hurt.Inside them was something she'd been craving since birth—something that made him look radiant in her world.
In her heart, the boy who kept lifting her up had already become her closest person.What he said… she would obey.
"Yes. A miracle of life. The moment you could ask 'why'… the miracle called Miao'er was born. Maybe nobody else cares, but your existence itself already has meaning."
"Meaning…?"
"Yes." Xien's tone softened, but it didn't waver."Maybe every life ends in death. But we can give meaning to how we live. You can write your own story—even if this world isn't kind."
He pointed gently at the path they'd walked together.
"You were hunted the moment you were born… but now you met me, didn't you?"
Miao'er hesitated, then asked the question that mattered most to her:
"If I'm with you… does it make you happy?"
Xien took out a bit of food he carried and handed it to her, demonstrating how to eat it.
She copied him, biting into the stuffed bread.
The impact on her taste buds was instant.
Delicious!!
She nodded hard, then pressed a finger to her chest.
"Yes. I'm happy right now. When I'm with you… it feels warm here."
Xien smiled.
During their talk, he had already taught her basic modesty. She wasn't naked anymore—she wore a natural "bikini" made of shells, minimal enough not to hinder swimming.
Even so, as a Dungeon-made masterpiece, even young, her body carried a dangerous kind of allure.
Xien didn't entertain it. He simply pinched her cheek lightly.
"That's good. Meeting you makes me happy too."
Then he continued, guiding her carefully—like building a foundation stone by stone.
"So don't let temporary pain and despair crush you. If you endure, if you keep living… you might meet your own happiness one day."
Xien wasn't a god.He had cheats, yes—but he hadn't grown up yet.
This was a real world. Without overwhelming power, he couldn't save everyone. He couldn't cover every angle.
That was one reason he pushed so hard to raise the Familia's overall strength.
The future had already changed. When the "fated enemy" returned, only real strength would be the bedrock to survive.
Miao'er swallowed, then asked quietly:
"Then… what should I do?"
Xien thought for a moment.
"First, find something you love. Something you genuinely want to do. What do you desire most?"
Miao'er looked uncertain.
"What I desire…? Talking?"
It wasn't exactly talking—more like a way to express herself.
Xien nodded as if something clicked.
"Expression." He smiled. "Maybe it's your mermaid talent. How about this—singing?"
"Singing…?"
Before she could ask further, Xien called inward:
"Orange Cat. Anything suitable for this situation?"
"Of course, meow. 100 pure instrumental tracks, only 1 Interference Point, meow."
Xien accepted.
In the next moment, melodies flooded his mind—like he'd practiced them countless times.
He smiled at Miao'er.
"Come. Follow me—hum this."
"Ah… okay."
Xien wasn't a professional singer. He couldn't inject the kind of overwhelming emotion trained vocalists could. But his pitch and rhythm were correct—his body control was far better now.
And as he hummed—
it was as if something buried deep in Miao'er awakened.
She joined in.
Once.
That was all it took.
She learned it instantly, remembered it instantly, and her humming sounded even better than Xien's—clear, airy, strangely comforting.
For a girl whose "songs" had once been only desperate cries, this was a new world.
Xien asked softly:
"How is it? Does singing these make you feel happy?"
Miao'er nodded, eyes shining.
"Yes… thank you, Xien. When I sing them, I feel… calm. Happy."
Her innate gift let her pour herself into sound, and using that gift soothed her mind.
"Then cherish it," Xien said, patting her head. "Make it better. Next time we meet… will you sing for me?"
Miao'er looked up.
"Is that… our promise?"
"Yes."
"Okay. I'll practice."
Xien stood.
"Then we keep moving. We don't have much time."
Miao'er's voice tightened.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes. The time I promised my companions is almost up…"
She was sad. She didn't want him to go.
But she didn't try to stop him.
She was smart—Xien had already explained the Dungeon, and the city above. She didn't want him worrying because of her.
Even if they didn't find her kin today, she would live carefully—exactly as he told her—until the day he returned.
She locked every moment into her memory.
This would be her most precious treasure.
And so the two set off again.
The deeper they went, the darker it became. Quartz and glowing moss provided weak light, but Xien still pulled out a magic-stone lamp.
More caution was always better. Light could attract danger—but it was still better than being ambushed.
Normally Xien didn't fear this too much, but now he wasn't alone. "Flow" couldn't help Miao'er keep watch.
Fortunately, the Dungeon felt like it was in a "quiet" phase—no serious monsters appeared for a stretch, giving Xien space to observe and search.
They passed through the dark tunnel and reached a small open area.
At first glance: no people, no monsters—just a sea of quartz reflecting dreamlike light.
Beautiful.
But… there was no obvious way forward.
They stepped into the quiet, luminous chamber.
Miao'er's head tilted. Her pointed ears twitched.
"…I can hear it."
Xien turned.
Miao'er stared toward the deepest part of the chamber—opposite the entrance—and closed her eyes.
A sound grew clearer—
A pure, transparent melody, unlike anything she'd ever heard.
Then Xien heard it too.
"A beautiful song… echoing through the Labyrinth…"
If he didn't already suspect the truth, his first reaction would've been "trap." In the Dungeon, this kind of voice resembled a siren lure.
Miao'er opened her eyes, trembling with hope.
"It's calling… us?"
The melody came from deep within, from the corner of a wall covered in crystal clusters.
She looked at Xien—clearly torn, because his pull on her heart was stronger than the unknown.
Xien didn't lecture. He simply smiled and gestured for her to lead.
He moved forward while checking his equipment, quietly ensuring he could handle nearly any sudden crisis. That steadied his steps.
They stopped before towering crystal pillars—deep green quartz like a garden of stone.
At first glance, it looked ordinary.
But one crystal in a corner glowed weaker than the rest.
Xien watched it vibrate slightly with the song and understood immediately.
He drew Candleflame, switched it into spear form, aimed at a weak point—
and struck.
A sharp crack like shattered glass—
Quartz exploded apart.
Behind it, a concealed opening appeared.
"So it's a hidden area…" Xien murmured.
He couldn't help the little rush of excitement—the pure "found a secret room" thrill.
The Dungeon began repairing the shattered quartz faster than normal.
Xien and Miao'er exchanged a look.
Xien reached out; Miao'er gathered herself and jumped into his arms.
They slipped through the opening just as the crystal began resealing.
Inside, quartz shards scattered across a dark "tree-hole" tunnel.
The entrance sealed shut.
The song cut off—like its job was done.
Xien tightened his grip on Candleflame.
This zone was dangerous. One mistake here could be lethal. Even with "Flow," he couldn't be careless.
The passage was narrow. No monster birth signs. Moss and small quartz patches dimly lit the path.
After a quick scan, Xien raised the magic lamp high, supported Miao'er with his other hand, and advanced.
"…There's a spring," Miao'er whispered.
At the end of the slope lay a clear pool—about five meters across, like a small pond.
After checking the water, Xien eased Miao'er in.
He swept the area with the lamp and instinctively activated the Sharingan—less useful than a Byakugan in darkness, but still helpful.
"There's no road… so where was that song coming from?"
Then he spotted something floating on the surface—
A golden feather.
Miao'er swam forward, sensing something.
After a moment, bubbles rose. She resurfaced and said:
"There's… an entrance below…"
Xien didn't hesitate.
He adjusted his sleeves and dove in.
And at the last instant before the water touched him, his equipment shifted—turning more leather-like and sealed, as if adapting.
Underwater, vision was clear. Quartz points on the bottom glowed faintly, guiding them.
Miao'er noticed Xien wasn't confident in water. She gently took his hand and pulled him along, fast.
They surfaced.
"—Pah!"
A new cavern opened before them—nothing like the tree-hole. It resembled a stalactite cave, black rock walls, with quartz lighting the darkness.
And in the gloom ahead—
a path.
A corridor slanting deeper.
Xien stared into the unfamiliar black labyrinth, excitement pressed down beneath caution.
He whispered, almost certain now:
"…An Unexplored Region."
....
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