Orario, the most popular city in the world. Teaming with every race imaginable. Elves, dwarves, demi-humans. As far as the eye can see, the city is bustling at all hours with unlimited possibilities, and the reason for this lies at its center.

The Dungeon.

Right beneath the massive tower residing at the city's core lies an endless dungeon with monsters that seemingly rival the gods themselves. After all, it's only those that are blessed directly by the gods that adventure down in the dungeon and risk their lives to reap the treasures within.

Where you're from doesn't matter. You can be any race, have any goal. As long as you have a dream you're willing to fight for, Orario is a city that can make that dream come true.

At least that's what Bell Cranel thought.

"Hello! My name is Bell Cranel and I would like to-" shouted a bowing young man before a door slamming shut cuts him off mid sentence.

He takes a few seconds, still bowing deep before he finally gets back up. The first couple of times he was able to brush it off. Maybe they were having a bad day, or maybe he just happened to not be a good fit for their style of familia, but this was the 5th time today he's had the door shut in his face without even being able to finish his sentence. He wipes away a tear from his eye that was threatening to fall as he makes his way down the road. He can't help but take it personally after so many rejections right to his face.

Bell Cranel is a young teenager with white hair and crimson red eyes hovering at exactly 165cm. Wearing his hip length brown coat with a long sleeve black shirt underneath, he's a shining example of innocence personified.

He looks in his pouch, seeing barely enough valis to last him one more night at the inns in town.

"Grandpa, I don't know if I'm cut out for this." Bell mumbles to himself out loud, his motivation quickly waning.

He's heard legends of this city from his grandpa. Story after story detailing wondrous adventures of defeating monsters that spawn deep within the earth where he's standing now. And better yet, there are cute girls that will need saving!

He leans up against a wall outside a potion store as he slowly slides down in a seated position. He sees the sun gradually setting off in the distance and grips his head in his hands stressing out more by the minute.

This is nothing like he expected! Not a single familia has even given him a second glance since he got here. With his funds quickly running out, he'll soon have nowhere to sleep. Getting a part time job is not why he came to this city. He came to be an adventurer! A hero of legend with princesses to save! Straight out of the books he read when he was younger like Dungeon Oratoria. He can't even go into the dungeon to kill monsters to make money without a god's blessing.

Or can he? Is that allowed? Now that he's thinking about it, he's never heard of a modern day adventurer without falna, but he hasn't heard of a rule against it either. Only heroes that he's read about in legends were able to do such feats without it. While it sounds dangerous, as long as he stays on the lower levels it shouldn't be THAT bad, right? After all, he's fought off his fair share of animals back at the farm where he grew up. He's tirelessly been trying to join any familia that would take him but the one that just rejected him was the last one on his list. He's been trying for two weeks now.

Bell ponders all of this while gripping the iron knife sheathed to his side tightly. It's not expensive by any means but it's one of the last items he has remaining from the farm before his grandpa died. He can still hear the sheer excitement in his voice as he talks about Orario.

"Dream for the top and don't let anything stop you, Bell. That's what being a man is about!"

That's what his grandpa always said as he took some ridiculous pose in the fields shouting loud enough to annoy the neighbors.

He's decided. He stands back up with renewed vigor, going back to the inn he's been staying at. Tomorrow, he's going to start his adventure down in the dungeon.

"I will dream big Grandpa! Dungeon, here I come!" He declared to the world.


CLANG*

Bell blocks the full force of a goblins claw with his knife. He can feel his bones creak with the immense pressure as he uses every ounce of his power to stay steady.

This is a goblin?! The weakest monster the dungeon has to offer that even newbie adventurers can take on!?

swish*

Bell quickly side steps the claw fearing for his life. At the very least, the attack was easily telegraphed and his speed wasn't the worst. People say he reminds them of a rabbit for a reason.

Bell swiftly dodges one last attack and quickly moves up to the goblin. With as much power as he can muster, he impales the goblin on his side leaving a massive gash, blood gushing out.

Bell lets out a brief sigh of relief, before the goblin lashes out with his other hand, still bleeding furiously. Moving on pure instinct for his life, he barely steps back, only receiving a minor cut as fresh blood trickles through both his brown jacket and under shirt.

For a near instantaneous moment, regret flashes through him as his body aches. He fears for his life. Maybe this was a mistake and he should run. What if I don't make it out of this? Was this really worth it? This a real life and death battle. Hundreds of adventurers die here every day.

However, in that same moment of regret and fear, something else overpowers it.

Anger.

Anger at all the familias who turned him down. Anger at this city for not being what he thought it was, and worst of all, anger at himself for thinking about giving up.

How was he supposed to expect other people to believe in him when he didn't even believe in himself?

He takes a deep breath as he grips the knife tighter. He can do this. If a stab wound to the side doesn't kill it then he just has to aim for somewhere that will.

He baits another attack from it, ready to strike the moment it's open, but this time it's much more calculated. With a swift strike to the neck, the goblin disperses into a cloud of dust with a small purplish crystal in its place.

"Haah, haah, I…did it. I actually did it." Bell says between heavy breaths.

He bends down and picks up the crystal from the ground, tossing it into his backpack.

He looks over the wound he received and luckily it's shallow. As he does this, the walls around him slowly start to crumble and two more goblins begin to spawn.

He quickly launches himself towards one before it can get its footing, and instantly takes it out by piercing it in the neck. It poofs away in a cloud of dust.

No matter what he can't take on multiple at once. The risk is just too high right now. He squares up against the remaining goblin, ready for another one on one.

"Alright, let's do this." Bell said with his knife pointing at the goblin.


"Here you go sir. That comes out to 600 valis." Said a cute pink haired guild receptionist.

Bell stares blankly covered in cuts and bruises, his clothes stained with blood.

"Um, excuse me? Ma'am, can you please repeat that?" He said.

"600 valis. Your 10 crystals come out to just about 600 valis" she said again, this time a bit more impatiently.

Still flabbergasted, Bell collects his valis and bows his thanks before walking out of the guild.

He risked his life killing those 10 goblins and kobolds for 600 valis! That's barely a few more nights at the inn!

With an audible sigh, he heads back to his inn. He has to stay positive. Use the valis sparingly. Slowly but surely he'll improve at fighting the goblins and kobolds, and while he has any spare time he'll continue to search for a familia to join. He's already gone through the list the guild provided but it won't hurt to revisit some or try to find some others. He may even explore deeper in the dungeon if he feels he's ready!


Two Weeks Later


Things have been looking up for Bell. He hasn't had any luck with joining a familia but he's made great strides with the dungeon! He's been killing the goblins and kobolds at a much more efficient rate.

Avoid blocking attacks. Focus on dodging and strike for their weak points when they're open. So far that's worked wonders as they have low intelligence and don't actually strategize much in battle. He can even take on a couple of them at once as long as he stays focused and keeps his distance!

In fact, Bell even saved up some money to buy some minor health potions and a cheap breastplate for armor.

With all of these factors going his way, Bell felt confident enough to take on the next level of enemy that resides on floor 5. A Killer Ant!

Or that was his intention at least.

"URRROOOOOARRRRRR!" Roared two massive Minotaurs.

Frozen with shock, Bell unintentionally makes eye contact with one of the beasts. Sensing the fear radiating from him the Minotaur takes a heavy step shaking the terrain around him. Another step. Then two more as it takes off in a sprint towards him.

"Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee?!" Bell screeched, reaching notes he didn't realize he was capable of as he sprinted the opposite direction.

Why is a Minotaur here? Isn't this level 5? This makes no sense. Is that why I haven't seen any monsters since I arrived? Where do I go?

All of these thoughts flowed through him simultaneously as he was weaving in and out of different pathways on the floor hoping to lose the monster. He had no idea where he was going. He just knew he needed to run as hard as can, but no matter what he did it was hot on his tail.

Inevitably, his worst fear eventually became a reality.

He reached a dead end.

The world stops for him as he feels the cold wall against his back. There's no way out of this. He begins to feel claustrophobic as the beast slows its sprint into a walk as its hooves rumble the floor of the dungeon with its sheer power.

"I…I don't have a choice. I have to fight." Bell let out in a barely audible whisper as he shakily brought his knife up in front of him.

The Minotaur rears its head back.

"URRRRRRROOOOOOARRRRRRR!" It screams inches away from his face, engulfing him in its putrid breath and spit. The moment feels like an eternity.

With a quiet whimper Bell falls back into the wall and slowly slides down, tears streaming down his face.

This is the difference between a normal human and an adventurer. These are the heights that will never be reached without a god's blessing.

Just as the beast winds its massive arm back, ready to end him, a small girl suddenly appears on the other side of the hallway.

"Stop it right there!" She shouts.

She has pointed ears and her golden yellow hair is tied back in a ponytail. She looks to be a mage of some sorts judging by her staff.

"There you are… finally." She says panting like she just ran a marathon.

Bell wants to shout to run away and get out before it's too late but it just comes out as a jumbled mess.

"Don't worry newbie, I'm here to sa-" the bull immediately rushes her, horns pointed towards her.

In that split second she raises her staff to block. With a shocking amount of strength for someone of the girl's size she holds her ground. But as the staff is locked in the bulls horns, with a flick of its neck, she loses her grip and the staff goes flying away.

A look of sheer disbelief shows on the girl's face as she wasn't prepared for this at all. Before she can even fully process her next move, the beast raises its arm again. This time fully ready to bring it down at a crushing speed.

Bell, still on the ground watching all of this occur, suddenly moves. His mind racing and body moving mostly on instinct. The only thought going through his head is that he can't let this girl die trying to save him.

With a mad dash he reaches them just in time. He shoves the girl out of the way leaving himself to take the full impact of the Minotaur's arm as it slams against his stomach with a sickening crunch and he goes flying into the wall with a huge impact.

"UROOOOOOAAAAARRRR!"

Bell's mangled body slides down the wall, leaving a trail of blood as he hits the floor. He tries to cough only for it to come out as a gargled mess as his vision begins fading to black. The last thing he sees is the girl's shocked, dark blue eyes looking at him as a dwarf crashes into the Minotaur with lightning-like speed, eviscerating the beast with a single punch. Its blood and guts splatter the walls with the immense force of the impact.

"RIVERIA!" he hears the dwarf urgently shout as his vision continues to fade.

"I did it grandpa… I saved the girl." He thought to himself as he fully lost consciousness, prepared to meet death.