Rating: M (Mature)
Fanfic Warning: Graphic Depiction of Violence, Major Character Death
Categories: F/M,
Fandoms: Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darou ka | ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか | DanMachi — Funjino Omori, Solo Leveling — Chu Gong
Relationships: Relationships to be Decided
Characters: Bell Cranel, Zeus | Old Cranel, Artemis, Hestia, Welf Crozzo, Liliruca Arde, Ashborn | Monarch of Shadows,
IS IT WRONG TO TRY TO SOLO ADVENTURING IN A DUNGEON?
Jerome 092
(Long ver.) Summary:
In a world where adventurers — humans and fantasy creatures who possess magical abilities bestowed by the deities — must fight deadly monsters to protect the world from chaos as they gain fortune and fame, a notoriously young rookie adventurer named Bell Cranel finds himself in a seemingly endless struggle for survival. One day, after narrowly surviving an overwhelmingly powerful secret place that nearly wipes out his life, a mysterious program called the System chooses him as its sole player and in turn, gives him the extremely rare ability to level up in strength, possibly beyond any known limits. Follow Bell's journey as he fights against all kinds of enemies, both man and monster, to discover the secret of the dungeon and the true source of his powers.
Notes:
This story takes place in an AU —Alternative Universe—, meaning that the events that may occur could (not) follow the original canon. Also, the story is based upon the story Solo Leveling, meaning that it may (not) be material from that source.
"We have people that we must defend, even if it means going against gods themselves."
—Capricorn El Cid
Volume 01 – The Level One Adventurer
Chapter 1: My End, Is My Beginning - Part I
«My name is Bell Cranel…»
As I try to reach for my dagger, I can feel my fingers trembling as they grip the ruined handle. I gasped and raised the steel blade, aiming to defend myself….
«And I'm a Level One Adventurer of Hestia Familia…»
"Haah… Haah… Haah." I tried to breathe while pointing the tip of the dagger at my enemy. It hurt.
Waves of endless pain cursed through my body as I bit down a scream from sheer struggle to keep the steel blade ready. I could smell the blood from my wounds, feel the sweat stinging my eyes and my ticklish nose runny. What did I do to end up like this?
«I'm the most inferior and weakest of the adventurers…»
«STEP! » «STEP! »
«I never expected this to happen to me… Never»
I feel my vision blurring at the edges, the dark fog of death consuming my consciousness away. The endless pain turned into a dull pain as those statues kept walking towards me, one of them raising a sword-looking spear.
«STEP! » «SWING! »
"Gods… Dear aunt... I'm sorry…"
«THRUST! » «CRACK! »
"Gah—!"
And death, finally, claimed my soul.
*°*°*°[IWTSAD]*°*°*°
The day, started mesmerizing as ever to him. The sound of the voices mixing on the streets and music being played by some bards, made him think of the endless possibilities this city had to offer. The scent of warm food and spices he had never tasted or heard before, attacked his sensible nose with a promise of delighting his taste buds if he were to buy something to eat right now.
Bell smiled.
He walked through the mobs of people —adventurers and non-adventurers— as he aimed for just a single place:
Babel Tower
[Level One Adventurer – Bell Cranel]
Healed, but still bandaged up, wounds adorned his face from his previous raids. He was venturing way too much for someone like him, but many had considered the recklessness of the rookie… something that would change sooner or later.
«If you disregard my slightly abnormal strength and healing speed, it's kind of strange to call myself an adventurer. »
There was a moment in which Bell stopped dead on his tracks, glancing sideways as he waited for a cart pulled by horse to pass. The elder man sitting on top of the cart, gently waved his hand at Bell as if wishing him a good fortune on today's raid.
The white-haired boy smiled and waved back.
«Of course, I'm always getting hurt and my coin is going as fast as it comes when I have to pay for medicines. »
The moment the cart disappeared from his path; Bell fastened his walk as many around him. They were many eager like him, those who woke up earlier in the morn to come earlier into the dungeon and get some fresh pray.
«This kind of job where my life is on the danger line, the life of an adventurer… I'm not doing this because I like it — well, maybe I do, but I have a more important reason to risk my life like this…»
Several minutes passed by as Bell approached the impending tower that rose at the city's centre. His rubellites eyes sparkled with excitement as he noticed how many adventurers walked around the tower's entrance.
He could see banters from small Familia waving in the air as they marched towards the dungeon. In less quantity, Bell noted the presence of small groups of adventurers carrying bags and every type of weapon on them.
It was exciting for him to see many adventurers like him here.
Many paths he could follow or choose… Maybe he could train under some swordsman; probably he could be a magician apprentice, he fancies magic anyway; but, for some reason, Bell felt in his heart that he couldn't leave his little dagger. He glanced down at the tiny leather scabbard that held his dagger and smiled fondly at the memory.
«I barely can pay my sick aunt's medicines with what the Guild pays me after exchanging those cores... For a normal person with no particular talent except running fast, I had no choice but to become an Adventurer to help my family.»
Bell's train of thoughts was suddenly interrupted when he jumped out of the unexpected scream.
"Hey~ Yo! Kim!" His rubellites eyes watched as a fatty man walked with a raised hand as if to greet someone, the so-called Kim. "It's been a while..."
But Bell ignored them as soon as they started their conversations about the years they spent away from being adventurers, but as the pair continue their chit-chat about old times and new times, Bell noticed how a few more joined the duo in their bickering.
Probably another Adventurer Familia, Bell thought.
With a shrug, the white-haired boy walked through the crowded place, feeling countless gazes on his back and sensing the bitter muttering of words between many.
"Isn't that boy too young to be an adventurer..."
"He's probably not older than my sister..." Someone else added.
"That boy, is he stupid or something? Every time I see him, he is covered in wounds!"
"The weakest of the rookie adventurers. That's how people call him... that boy is just pathetic."
But as the old geezers continued to ramble about Bell's apparent lack of experience or any useful skill that could help him, the young lad sighed tiredly as his legs carried his unhealed body to the dungeon once again.
His mind, as a switch did to lights, turned off those silly thoughts about what the people said behind his back.
Bell knew that he wasn't the strongest or the fastest of the adventurers, nor the most skilled in magic or using ranged weapons. He was, in the end, just a new adventurer who sought to earn money and experience as fast as possible.
"Okay, okay..." Bell said to himself, tightening his backpack straps around his shoulders. "I'm going to try my best today!" He breathed out.
And his tiny figure ventured deep into the double doors that would lead him to his destination: the dungeon.
It'll Continue...
1# 26/10/2021 - 23:36