Chapter 1 - Prologue: The Eternal Struggle
The deafening roar of the One-Eyed Black Dragon reverberated through the wreckage of Orario, echoing like a dark lament amidst the devastation.
Bell Cranel, alone and exhausted, stood before the colossal beast. His expression was a mixture of determination and despair, a mask he had worn for a long time. Broken oaths weighed on his shoulders, the promises to prevent the destruction and death of his friends echoing in his mind.
The city of Adventurers, once full of life and hope, was now just a heap of twisted ruins and rubble. Buildings that once housed dreams and aspirations now stood like silent monuments to an unfathomable tragedy. The sky was obscured by a curtain of smoke and ash, and the air was impregnated with the smell of burning and death.
Bell observed the battlefield, where thousands of bodies lay scattered, friends and strangers alike, all victims of the carnage that had taken place there. His eyes found faces he recognized, adventurers with whom he had shared laughter and battles. Now they were just memories, trapped in the eternal embrace of death.
If it was only the One-Eyed Black Dragon, he was confident they could win. However, with Ouranos' death, the monsters escaped from the Dungeon. Monsters from every floor. This had been the first time something like this had happened, as well as one of the times he had gotten the furthest in his life.
Monsters that no one had ever seen before appeared and killed everyone in their path. Even with the help of the Xenos (intelligent monsters that can talk), it was nowhere near enough.
"...How long do you intend to watch, Bell Cranel?" An unexpected voice made him turn around.
Red eyes met red eyes. Red horns and black/golden skin, stone-like muscles and over two meters tall. Bell recognized the Minotaur immediately.
"Asterius?"
He was a little surprised that the Minotaur was still alive. It was the first Minotaur he had beaten in the Dungeon Reborn. They had met a few times and fought. In their last battle, Bell won again after having lost before. And just as happened the first time he killed the Minotaur, it was reborn again by the Dungeon, becoming a little stronger.
He had already tried to prevent Asterius from being born a few times, for example by not killing any Minotaurs in the dungeon, but for some reason the monster always appeared most of the time.
He noticed that Asterius was covered in blood, it barely looked like he could stand. However, the heads of three ... dogs was lying next to him. Bell recognized the damned monster found on the 75th floor.
Cerberus.
Bell's eyes were fixed on the Minotaur. The imposing and timely figure of Asterius was an unexpected sight in the midst of the chaos. He was a formidable enemy, but Bell also knew that Asterius had his code of honor and a kind of mutual respect had developed between them in previous battles, in all their lives.
The Guardian Dog of Hell, Rex monster of the 75th floor. From the 70th to the 75th floors, it's a fiery hell where this cursed pest dwells.
"How long do you intend to stand there? Unfortunately..." As soon as Asterius spoke, countless monsters appeared. "I'll take care of it. Don't lose your target."
Asterius, who appeared out of nowhere with his imposing figure, rushed towards the newly arrived monsters, his great sword slicing the air with fury as he threw himself into a battle frenzy. Bell knew that the Minotaur was a force to be reckoned with, and he hoped that Asterius would be able to hold back the oncoming horde of monsters. However, with the state of his body, he wouldn't last long.
Bell didn't have long to continue thinking, as the Black Dragon made its move. The monster launched a blast of black flames towards Bell, who narrowly dodged it, feeling the scorching heat brush against his skin. The ruined city shook under the impact of the attack, and the deafening roar echoed in his ears.
Bell adjusted the gleaming knife in his hand. The same knife that had always been with him for most of his life, the Hestia knife.
This wouldn't be the first time he faced the one-eyed Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon launched another attack, Bell dodged and counterattacked with impressive speed, slashing the beast's scaly hide with his knife.
As the battle progressed, the smaller monsters drew closer, gradually surrounding Bell. Bell took down one after the other, but the number of enemies was overwhelming. It didn't take him long to realize why, as he saw the exact moment when Asterius' body disappeared.
It didn't take him long to recognize the monsters that were found on the 80th to 90th floors of the Dungeon. With his body covered in blood, he sighed. This round was already lost, just like the previous ones.
Bell's body began to glow white as the sound of thousands of bells echoed in the air.
"Come on, you sons of bitches."
He was going to slaughter as many monsters as possible before dying and starting again.
...
...
Darkness consumed him as his body reached its limit.
His red eyes opened, his body rose.
"Fuck..." The sound of wood breaking was heard.
One more death among the many others that had happened before.
He let out a tired sigh as he stood up from where he was.
He had managed to eliminate thousands of monsters, but it was no use as he lost again. That damned Black Dragon was already irritating him to an extent beyond the comprehension of normal people. No matter how many loops he managed to kill it in, it always died.
His bare feet hit the wood where he stood. He staggered over to a nearby mirror and looked at himself.
"...Well, I didn't go back to when I was a kid."
He looked 13 to 15 at the moment.
Well, here he is again.
Alive as if he had never died...
In the past, this realization might have brought him joy. As each new dawn offered opportunities, the potential to fix what was broken - to save those who had fallen. How long has it been, five hundred... a thousand years? As time passed, it became harder to count. And he also stopped paying attention to it after he had counted about 80 years.
In fact, his death occurred so many times that the process of waking up in his younger body was more familiar than his last moments. The death, at least, was varied, just like when he wakes up back in time. Sometimes it was quick, sometimes slow.
Life after death.
Failure after failure.
He could remember the first times more clearly than any other. Perhaps that was because he was confused by it all. He experimented and tried to change the timeline. However, things got messy very quickly. He found himself involved in the hunt for the Evilus - a radical group that threatened Orario after the Zeus and Hera Familas waned in power and were subsequently exiled from the city. It was weakened by the Guild's efforts together with various Familias, such as the Loki Familia, although it was finally destroyed when Ryuu attacked the Rudra Familia 5 years earlier as part of her violence.
However, those damned were still active in the shadows.
For every time Bell died, he would be sent back to some random period in his past.
Bell Cranel had tried countless times to save Orario and his friends. He had faced countless monsters, been betrayed by allies and witnessed the destruction of his beloved city time and time again. The hope he had once harbored of saving everyone had worn thin over the times he had returned.
How long had he managed to survive this time? Well, considering that he had woken up in his 12-year-old body the last time... 3 years? Well, it could have been quite a lot. The process of coming back was a bit confusing, as he never came back to the same moment twice in a row. He could return in a period close to the last time, but never the same.
This "power" to go back in time was still mysterious. Bell was never able to fully unravel the mystery of it. He was never able to tell his goddess or any other god about it, because whenever he tried to, he felt his heart squeeze. There were a few times when he ignored the pain and told.
Well, he died both times in agonizing pain. After that, he never tried to talk about it again. It really was a curse not to be able to tell his goddess about the afterlife he possessed. A mortal cannot lie to a god, so he was sure that Hestia would believe him, although she would probably be confused at first.
Not just the gods, he couldn't reveal it to anyone. He tried to circumvent this somehow, but it never worked. Even when he managed to talk to Kronos and the other gods of time, it didn't seem that any of them were responsible for him being able to go back in time as soon as he died.
"Mmm, Bell-kun? Are you awake yet?" A familiar voice made him look away.
When he looked at her, he felt a great sense of nostalgia. It was his goddess, a pretty, petite woman with a youthful appearance. She has blue eyes and black hair tied up in twin tails that reach her mid-thighs. Her hair is tied up with hair accessories that feature blue and white petals, along with bell-shaped ornaments. She was wearing a white mini dress with a blue ribbon around her neck and one tied under her breasts around her arms and a pair of white gloves.
Her eyes were slightly closed as she moved her hand over them. A sign that she had just woken up.
Bell looked around him carefully. There was no doubt about it, the place he was in was without the Abandoned Church, the same place she and he lived in when he became an adventurer and joined her Familia.
The place where she slept wasn't far away. It was very close. Was he really unable to notice? Well, his mind was full of thoughts. Looking around a bit more, he noticed that there was no sign of anyone else. So, at this point, he must have been the first and only member of the Hestia Familia.
"Hello, Hestia," he finally spoke, his voice coming out as a whisper. "Yes, I just woke up."
In fact, he immediately wanted to hug her. The memory of her deaths the other times flooded his mind.
"Huh?" Hestia made a confused sound. "What did you call me?" she asked.
It seemed she had heard something wrong.
"Hestia...?" Bell repeated.
She was silent for a while, causing Bell to become confused. However, something clicked in his mind. In his first "life", he had always called her Goddess, he had never called her by name. However, it was impossible for him to call her just Goddess.
Hestia was one of the women with whom he formed a strong bond. Of the many times he went back in time, there were a few times when he and Hestia got together and did a lot of things. To put it more bluntly, they've had sex and various other... things. Of course, now he's probably only the first member of her familia, so it's impossible for her to know.
He's also been with several other girls in other loops, although that doesn't really matter now.
Hestia finally answered, her expression showing confusion and surprise. "Bell...?" She mumbled, as if processing the name. "You called me by my name, not by my position as goddess."
"I did. Is there a problem?" He replied.
Although he didn't know exactly how long he had been in the Hestia Familia, he did know that he was 14 years old. As Hestia has probably already interacted with him a lot, she'll probably be confused that he won't act all shy and silly again. He couldn't tell her anything about returning after death, so he hoped she would get used to it quickly without questioning it as she had done many times before.
No way was he going to act like he did the first time he joined the Hestia Familia. He was a big idiot who didn't know how to talk to girls. So stupid that he didn't even realize that Hestia loved him. And when she admitted it, he just disregarded her, claiming that there was no way a human could be with a goddess and a bunch of other nonsense.
Well, he was in love with Aiz in the first few loops and managed to get with her too.
Hestia seemed to finally regain her composure and smiled at Bell. "No, no problem. In fact, it's nice to hear you call me by name. You seem to be more confident today."
Bell shrugged, trying to look casual. "I think I'm starting to grow up."
Hestia approached him and ran her hand through his hair. "Yeah, you're getting to be a little boy now."
It would be a lie for him to say that he wasn't annoyed at being treated like a little boy. However, he put that aside when he felt the familiar warmth of Hestia's hands. Very rarely did he go back to the time when it was just him and her in the Familia. In fact, he could probably count on the fingers of one hand how many times it happened.
He always preferred to go back to when he was still a child, because there was more time to train and get stronger. The downside of returning after death was that he never came back with the strength, powers and magic he had already gained. For example, if he came back during the period of the War game against the Apollo Familia - which has happened a few times - he would come back with exactly the same strength as then.
He clasped his hands together. There was no doubt that this was a level 1 body.
He had to get stronger. Even if it was pointless given the time he had, he couldn't stand around waiting for all the shit to happen.
"Well, I have to get to work. Be careful in the Dungeon, okay?" Hestia spoke to him.
"Yes, I know," he replied.
Hestia thought Bell had been acting rather strange since he woke up, but she wished it was no big deal when she kissed him on the forehead and left the Abandoned Church.
Now alone, Bell let out another tired sigh and looked up at the church ceiling. If things don't go south soon, he has about seven months of quiet before things start to get worse. However, things always get worse quickly, so he's already expecting a new cycle of challenges and dangers.
"Huh... I forgot to ask Hestia how long I've been in her Familia."
With another sigh, he prepared himself and left the Abandoned Church in the direction of the Dungeon. He was wearing the same shitty outfit rented for beginners. Seriously, the whole thing was complete shit. He wasn't detracting from the work of the novice blacksmiths to help the novice adventurers, but it still sucked to use this equipment again.
Well, on the bright side, the harder the fights in the Dungeon were, the more high-quality Excelia the adventurer got. There were a few loops where he simply started entering the Dungeon with no equipment at all, just relying on his arms and legs to fight.
Needless to mention, he died the first time he tried to take on a Minotaur at level 1 with just his fists. Of course, there were a few times when he managed to survive and the reward came in the form of a lot of high-quality Excelia, to the point where he reached level 3 in less than 2 months. Not much, though, as he died shortly afterwards.
Whenever he got too strong too quickly, bloody fate decided to make things difficult for him. After that, he stopped trying to play life on hard mode.
Just as he was nearing the Dungeon, Bell felt a gaze on him. He didn't even have to think very hard to know who it was. If there was one thing he didn't like about the vast majority of the times he returned, it was the fact that Freya kept watching him whenever he was going into the Dungeon. She also sometimes watched him fight the monsters.
It didn't help that he had already joined her Familia in some of the loops. He felt bad for Hestia, but he had failed so many times in her Familia that he started trying other Familias. He thought that Freya would make him stronger quickly compared to when he was in Hestia's Familia. In fact, he got stronger much faster. However, he also died much more quickly the times he took part in the Freya Familia...
He didn't want to think about it too much at the moment.
He finally reached the Dungeon.
It didn't take long to reach the first floor. On this floor of the dungeon, you can only find Goblins and Kobolds. Or you might be lucky enough to come across a Jack Bird, a very rare monster that only appears on the first floor of the dungeon. Its appearance is that of a rooster with yellowish-green feathers. Although it's not aggressive, it's incredibly fast and will run away if it senses an enemy. The monster's Drop item, which is guaranteed, is a golden egg worth 1,000,000 Valis.
It would be great if he found one while passing through the first floor. However, the chance of this happening is quite low. He has already found some in previous loops by sheer luck.
From the 1st to the 4th floor, the walls of the Dungeon are a light blue color. There is also a wide corridor on the 1st floor known as the Starting Road. Novice level 1 adventurers with statuses from I to H in their basic skills usually spend some time on these floors.
"Speaking of status, how much was mine around that time?" Bell muttered as he felt the familiarity of the Dungeon.
In the beginning, he was always nervous and anxious whenever he entered the Dungeon. But now, after so many times in several "lifetimes", it was just normal. He didn't feel a thing.
There were a few novice adventurers fighting some Goblins and Kobolds. It didn't take long for the Dungeon to bring out more monsters.
Bell had always been curious about the Dungeon. At first, he didn't care much, but as he returned to the beginning several times, he became interested. According to the gods, the Dungeon was there before them. But for what reason? Had the Dungeon always existed or had someone created it?
While he was thinking, three Goblins and two Kobolds approached him.
"Huh." That was an alarming number for a beginner. However, if he still remembered correctly, his status should be enough to hunt on the 4th floor.
A Goblin stood right in front of him. Red eyes staring at red eyes. The first day he had entered the Dungeon, he had been quite frightened when he had faced a Goblin. He, like before, only had the small knife rented from the Guild and poor light armor that, frankly, wouldn't be able to defend anything decently.
He no longer felt afraid of the Dungeon, the monsters or death. Those feelings had worn off over the course of his countless "lives" and loops.
And since Freya was watching him through that "mirror" she had on the top floor of the Tower of Babel, he might as well put on a little show.
The first Goblin approached and was going to start running to attack him. However, the Goblin was greeted with a kick to the face before it could even move.
The other monsters decided to attack.
Bell wasted no time. He advanced quickly, his small hired knife glinting in the light of the Dungeon's blue walls. With quick, precise blows, he took on the enemies with a skill that no beginner normally possessed.
The Goblins and Kobolds didn't stand a chance. One by one, they were defeated by Bell, who showed no mercy. Bell's expression was bored, but his movements were extremely calculated. He had done this so many times that it was as if his body was moving on its own.
The other adventurers on the first floor watched with admiration and surprise, something that Bell simply ignored. He quickly made his way to the second floor of the dungeon. From this floor to the 4th floor, a new monster appears. Dungeon Lizard. A brown quadruped lizard monster with suction cup disks on its paws that attacks by climbing the walls and jumping on people, preferably in ambush.
However, again he had no trouble getting down to the 4th floor. Although he was still a level 1 beginner, he had the experience of a first-class adventurer. He didn't make any clumsy moves when fighting the monsters and, as a result, conserved a lot of energy. Of course, he still had trouble making some moves because his body wasn't as strong. But he's been back so many times that he's gotten used to his body when he's still a level 1.
On the 5th to 7th floor, the walls change color again to a light green and the structure of the dungeon begins to change.
Bell had no difficulty on the 5th floor and quickly reached the next floor.
He descended to the 6th floor of the dungeon, where the tension was palpable.
The 6th floor is where two new monsters appear, one of these monsters being known as the newbie killer, War Shadow. A dark humanoid monster with long arms and three knife-sharp claws. It is the strongest monster on the 6th floor. The other monster is the Frog Shooter, a frog monster with one big eye. It attacks by flicking its long tongue.
As he walked around the 6th floor, he soon came across his first challenge: a small group of Frog Shooters. The big-eyed frogs leapt towards him, their long tongues reaching out to try and catch him. Bell was quick and agile, deftly dodging the frogs' attacks as he approached them.
With quick movements, he attacked one of the toads with his small rented knife. The blow was accurate, and the monster fell defeated, its giant eye closing. However, the other toads didn't give up easily. They continued to attack with their poisonous tongues, forcing Bell to dodge and counterattack with precision.
The fight was getting intense when War Shadow decided to enter the fray. He emerged from the shadows, his long arms and sharp claws ready to strike. Bell sensed the imminent danger and dodged quickly, narrowly avoiding a deadly attack.
Although he was confident he could get through this floor without any problems, it was going to take a little longer than the previous floors. It sucked that he was a level 1 again without any kind of skill or magic to help him. He could only rely on the experience of the many times he had faced these monsters in the previous loops.
The fight continued for several more minutes, with Bell skillfully dodging the toads' attacks and counterattacking when he saw an opening. The War Shadow kept trying to catch him, but Bell was always one step ahead, using his agility to avoid the dark monster's blows.
Finally, after a series of precise movements, Bell managed to defeat the last toads and the War Shadow. He was covered in sweat and breathing a little hard, but there were no serious injuries on his body.
"Ah, even without wasting energy with too many complex moves, this is still the body of a level 1 beginner," he muttered.
However, he knew the limits of his body and knew that he still had enough energy for the 7th floor. The problem was that from this floor onwards, the Killer Ants would appear. The second monster nicknamed the novice killer along with War Shadow. Killer ant is a red ant monster with four legs and two arms. It has a hard shell, high attack power and uses pheromones to attract companions in case of emergency.
Now, would he advance to the 7th floor of the Dungeon or return to the surface?
He pondered for a moment. Going back to the surface now would be a safe choice, but he just didn't care. He finally decided that he would go to the 7th floor.
While exploring the 7th floor, Bell came across a group of Killer Ants approaching. They were formidable red creatures with hard shells and wild eyes. He knew that these monsters could be treacherous, so he moved carefully, keeping an eye out for any sudden movements.
He dodged the Killer Ants' attacks and slashed out with precise blows whenever he had an opening. His combat experience helped him stay calm, even when he was surrounded by these formidable monsters.
However, while fighting the Killer Ants, he began to hear panicked screams echoing through the corridors of the Dungeon. He wondered what was going on, but couldn't afford to divert his attention from the battle. He made sure to finish off the monsters quickly.
However, before long, he saw several adventurers who seemed to have come from the 8th floor, running non-stop.
"Help!"
"What the hell is that thing doing here?"
"Get out of the way, you sons of bitches!"
"I don't want to die!"
It was then that he heard a distant roar.
This roar caused some of the adventurers on the 7th floor to freeze for a while, their eyes filled with panic. Bell knew why, after all, this terrifying sound was something he remembered very well.
Looking in the direction of the sound, it wasn't long before he saw bloodthirsty eyes. A humanoid monster with the head of a cow.
Minotaur.
One of the adventurers who was running in panic didn't manage to escape in time. The man stumbled and fell, and before he could get up, the Minotaur appeared before him.
The colossal monster with the head of a cow and a humanoid body wasted no time. With a single blow from its huge hand, the Minotaur crushed the adventurer mercilessly. The sound of the impact echoed down the corridor, reverberating in Bell's mind.
However, Bell felt no compassion or sadness for the adventurer's death. He was lost in thought when he finally remembered that day.
"You've got to be kidding me," Bell commented with a sigh.
Did he really have to go back to the day he encountered a Minotaur? He remembers that day clearly, after all it was where it all really began for him. The day he encountered a Minotaur that should normally be on the middle floors, on the fifth floor. That day he wasn't even supposed to be on that floor, as Eina only allowed him to go up to the 4th floor, but he thought he was strong enough to face the 5th floor. Well, in his defense, he could probably handle that floor, but they had to throw a damn Minotaur at him.
As much as this event was the starting point for his real journey, he still can't understand the Loki Familia for allowing something like this to happen. It's been a long, long time since he met the Minotaur in a similar way to the first time, when he wasn't even aware that he would return to the past every time he died.
However, he doesn't remember any adventurers dying in this event. They all managed to escape. Did the mere fact that he had moved forward a few floors cause the butterfly effect to happen?
In fact, he could have tried to do something when he saw the fallen adventurer. He probably wouldn't have arrived in time to save him anyway, but if he had been the same at the beginning, he would still have tried to save that adventurer. He just didn't care.
After seeing so many deaths, he was simply used to it.
"What a drag."
It didn't take long for the Minotaur to notice Bell standing there. Bell himself was tempted to run away, but he was simply tired and irritated by it all.
Bell remained where he was, watching the Minotaur slowly approach, his red eyes meeting the wild eyes of the cow-headed monster. He knew that what he was about to do was bloody crazy, as he was about to face a level 2 monster.
The Minotaur roared furiously and advanced towards Bell with surprising speed for its enormous stature. Its muscular body and thick skin made it a formidable opponent. Bell was well aware that his small hired knife would not be able to pierce the monster's tough skin, except in one vulnerable spot: the eyes.
...
...
...
...
Several adventurers from the Loki Familia were chasing after the last Minotaur that had escaped. They had finally finished off all the others, but one had managed to escape.
They were currently on the 10th floor.
"Where is that fucking Minotaur!" Bete shouted impatiently as she ran along with the others.
Bete Loga has gray hair, along with amber eyes, and a flat tail. He has a blue tattoo on the left side of his face and a muscular physique. His features can be described as handsome and he seems nice to others. If only his attitude were a little more subdued...
"We're close, Bete," replied Finn calmly.
Finn has medium-length messy blond hair and blue eyes with a light skin tone. He has a small body, but is still strong. Finn looks like a child, despite being over 40. He wears a yellow vest over a long-sleeved purple shirt and pants.
He is also the captain of the Loki Familia.
"How close!"
"There's no point in complaining, Bete. Just keep running, it's our fault anyway," Riveria said coldly while keeping her eyes straight ahead.
Riveria is tall, with jade-colored hair tied in a tail that goes down to her waist, eyes of the same color and elf ears. She wears a green outfit with yellow edges, a white cape over it, a black belt, a yellow sash, black leggings and long brown boots. She is also considered more beautiful than several goddesses
They quickly reached the 9th floor as they ran.
"I hope no one was hurt!" Tiona exclaimed worriedly.
Tiona has medium-length black hair and brown eyes. She is an Amazon. Like all Amazons, she wears revealing clothes, wearing only a strip of cloth around her chest and a parka around her waist, and she was barefoot, even in the Dungeon.
"Don't think about those things," Tione replied. Tione has dark green eyes and long brown hair. Like her sister, she wears revealing clothes and has sky-blue earrings in her ears.
The girl with the golden hair and eyes was running in silence. She focused all her attention in front of her as she ran. That was Aiz Wallenstein.
After reaching the 8th floor and running for a while, they heard a roar.
"!"
"Did you hear it!"
"Let's go!"
They reached the 7th floor.
Not far away was a bloody corpse that had been crushed. This sight made most of the members of the Loki Familia clench their hands.
"What the fuck?" Bete was the first to say when he saw a scene that looked ridiculous.
A young adventurer with bloody white hair was riding on top of the Minotaur that was lying on the floor of the Dungeon. The monster's eyes were bleeding as if they had been pierced.
However, the most ridiculous thing of all was the fact that the adventurer, who appeared to be a complete novice due to the fact that he was wearing the set of light armor rented from the Guild, was punching the Minotaur in the face non-stop.
With his bare hands.
...
...
...
...
Bell faced the Minotaur without fear, even though he knew he was about to face a level 2 monster with a small rented knife. However, he had already witnessed a life and death situation thousands of times. There was no time to hesitate.
The Minotaur roared furiously and advanced towards Bell with surprising speed for its enormous stature. Its footsteps rumbled across the dungeon floor like thunder. The monster's onslaught was powerful and deadly, but Bell didn't back down. He moved with agility, dodging the Minotaur's deadly attack by centimeters.
With a precise stroke of his small knife, Bell tried to hit the monster's eyes, but he only managed to hit the monster's skin, a place the blade couldn't pierce because the Minotaur's skin was so tough. The monster shook its head, sticking out its two horns, trying to push Bell away, but the young adventurer didn't stop, he was looking for an opening.
The fight continued with Bell's movements becoming more and more calculated. He dodged the Minotaur's attacks, carefully observing the monster's attack patterns. With each attempt by Bell to attack the Minotaur's eyes, the monster would try to protect itself by raising its arms or turning its head.
"What the fuck, why the fuck are you so clever!" Bell growled.
Bell knew he was at a disadvantage. His little knife was no match for the Minotaur's strength and endurance. He needed to find a way to distract the monster and find an opening in its eyes.
Finally, after several minutes of intense combat, Bell got his chance. He attracted the Minotaur's attention, making it focus on an attack. As the monster prepared to invest, Bell ducked and rolled to the side, evading the attack.
While the Minotaur was momentarily off balance, Bell quickly approached and dived towards the monster's eyes with his knife. This time, he managed to hit it straight on, piercing one of the Minotaur's eyes.
The monster let out a roar of pain and fury, shaking violently. Bell held tight to the blade of the knife, knowing it was his only chance. He pulled the knife out of the Minotaur's eye, causing the monster even more pain.
At that moment, the Minotaur caught Bell by surprise with a full blow that sent the white-haired adventurer flying until he hit the wall of the Dungeon.
At the moment of the blow, a large amount of blood came out of Bell's mouth, demonstrating the Minotaur's monstrous strength after having landed just one full blow. The small pouch in which he kept the magic stones from the monsters he had killed so far ripped open and all the magic stones scattered across the Dungeon floor.
The Minotaur's roars didn't stop as the monster looked at Bell's fallen body with a great thirst for blood and fury.
Bell slowly started to get up. He stumbled in the movement and sawed his teeth as he watched the Minotaur come to its senses and look at him with bloodlust.
One blow.
A single blow from the Minotaur left him in a state where he was only standing because he was used to feeling agonizing pain. Such was the difference between a level 1 adventurer and a monster that could easily kill beginner level 2 adventurers.
"...Fuck," he grumbled when he finally managed to stand up completely. "I must say, no matter how many times I face you, you still manage to be a pain in the ass."
Bell picked up the rented knife, which was already quite worn. Luckily, it hadn't broken yet. However, he couldn't take many blows, he had to finish off the Minotaur's remaining eye.
The Minotaur's response was a loud roar.
A familiar sensation washed over Bell when he felt his back burn. This meant that some Skill was in use, although he didn't know how, as he still didn't have any Skill at this point in his life. However, he didn't have time to think about it.
He was wounded, bleeding and weak, but he felt an overwhelming force take hold of him.
The Minotaur advanced to the final fight with a loud roar, his huge hands outstretched in search of revenge.
Bell waited until the last possible moment before acting. Just as the monster was about to smash him with one of its powerful punches, Bell threw himself to the side, avoiding the attack by centimeters.
Seizing the opportunity, Bell lunged forward, moving with surprising speed. He grabbed the Minotaur's horn and used all his remaining strength to pull it down. He pierced the Minotaur's remaining eye with such force that the Guild's hired knife couldn't resist and broke.
The Minotaur lost its balance and fell to the floor of the dungeon with a deafening crash.
Bell wasted no time. He was on top of the fallen monster in the blink of an eye, his bloody hands clutching the Minotaur's face. He swore he heard a voice, but he didn't care. He began punching the monster with insane fury, his fists flying in a succession of quick, brutal blows.
...
The members of the Loki Familia arrived on the scene, watching in amazement at the macabre sight before them. Bell kept punching the Minotaur, despite the broken bones in his hands and the intense pain he felt.
...
His vision blurred with red, but he didn't stop.
The faces of each of the people most important to him appeared in his mind.
...
They were more than just memories lost in time.
At first, he was excited about the fact that he had gone back in time. It meant that he could save them. Having time in his hands didn't seem so bad. However, it wasn't so simple.
No matter how hard he tried, he always failed.
After several failures, he thought that if he could see their smiles again, even just a little while longer, it would be worth it.
But what was the point of saving them if, in the end, he would see their eyes close again?!
Whatever he chose, there would be blood on his hands in the end.
Fate is like a grim reaper and its scythe is aimed at his heart.
His uncertainty about the future had always kept him trapped. The present was no longer what he dreamed of, and he would give anything to be in the past. Exactly back to the time when he felt so good.
He would always have more time. However, it didn't take long for him to realize that this "always" had the duration of small moments that had passed so quickly.
His regret became the truth of knowing that what he had left for later several times only showed that the later was already too late.
...
Each punch was a scream of fury and despair, a manifestation of all the deaths he had witnessed in the previous loops.
The Minotaur growled in pain and agony, its blood gushing under Bell's incessant blows. Even with its tough skin, the monster couldn't withstand the white-haired adventurer's relentless punishment.
Finally, after endless minutes of brutality, Bell collapsed on the ground next to the Minotaur, his body covered in wounds and blood, his hands bloody and broken. The Minotaur lay motionless, defeated and broken.
It didn't take long for the monster to disappear, leaving only the magic stone.
Before losing consciousness completely, Bell had a few last thoughts.
If only he could enjoy it.
He never made the most of life. He was always training most of the time. In the early returns, he still spent time with friends. However, after several failures, he started to focus completely on training and finding ways to get stronger.
There were times when he barely spoke to his own goddess.
But what was the point, if in the end he always failed like every other time.
He was tired.
Maybe...
Maybe he could make the most of life for once.
...
...
The members of the Loki family looked at the unknown adventurer with a mixture of horror and admiration. They had never seen anything like it.
"What the fuck was that?" Bete was having trouble accepting what he had just seen.
"...Who is this adventurer?" Finn, the captain of the Loki Family muttered.
"There's no time! Riveria, help him!" Tiona exclaimed as she ran to the adventurer's body. "Sister!"
Tione sighed, but went over to her sister.
Riveria wasted no time and had already reached the boy's blood-drenched body. She quickly got to work with her healing magic.
"... Beginner's equipment," Aiz muttered.
"Indeed," Finn also realized.
All the clues pointed to the white-haired adventurer being a novice. However, this apparent novice was able to kill a monster that adventurers who have just climbed to level 2 have difficulty with.
What's more, they were to blame for the fact that a Minotaur had come all the way to the 7th floor. They dealt with a horde of them while they were returning from an exploration, but one of them managed to escape. Finn looked at the body of the dead adventurer who had now been devoured by the monsters on the 7th floor.
He let out a long sigh. A death that was their fault. And a completely injured adventurer. They had to take responsibility for that. Whoever the family of the man who died was, they would visit them soon. For now, it's best to keep an eye on the adventurer who is still alive.
Bete Loga was clearly disturbed by the situation. He frowned and looked at Bell's bloodied body, then at the magic stone left over from the Minotaur. His expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"What the fuck, are you really telling me that a novice adventurer defeated a fucking Minotaur?" Bete exclaimed, his voice laden with skepticism.
Finn scratched his head and sighed. He was clearly intrigued, but also surprised by the situation. "It seems so, Bete. I don't know how he did it, but we can't ignore the facts before us."
Tiona was busy examining the fallen adventurer, while Riveria healed him with her magic. Tione approached and asked.
"Is he all right?"
Riveria, who was still using her healing magic, continued working to stabilize the unknown adventurer. "He suffered serious injuries, mainly to his hands, but he'll survive. However, it will take some time for him to fully recover. I recommend bringing him to our house."
Twilight Mansion, the place where the Loki Family resides. The goddess Loki herself also lives there. They are the 2nd strongest Familia in Orario, second only to the Freya Familia.
"I agree," Finn agreed with Riveria's suggestion.
Aiz Wallenstein, who had been watching the scene with her typical calm and curious expression, finally decided to speak up. "I've never seen anything like it. Apparently, he's a novice level 1 adventurer due to the equipment. However, he was able to kill a Minotaur... With his bare hands."
She whispered the last words as she watched the unconscious boy.
Finn agreed. "Yes, it's definitely remarkable. We need to find out who he is and how he was able to do it. In fact, I still find it rather difficult that he made it all the way to the 7th floor with such equipment."
Tiona looked at the others. "Maybe it's a Skill or magic?" She theorized.
"It's very possible," Finn nodded. "However, it's very rare for a level 1 adventurer to possess any of these."
"We have to go. I gave it to him with my healing magic. We need to give him a potion," Riveria stood up.
"Shall we spend one of our potions to heal him?"
"Don't forget this was all our fault, Bete," Riveria warned him. "Someone else also died here. We have to find out which Familia he belonged to and talk to the Familia god."
"Ah, whatever," Bete grumbled again. "He only died because he was weak, unlike that boy."
As incredulous as he was about a novice killing a Minotaur, the young man deserved some respect. He stayed and fought the Minotaur instead of running like a coward like the others. That alone was enough to earn him a little respect.
"Let's not waste too much time," Finn said. "Bete, carry the boy, we're going back to Twilight Manor."
There was some grumbling, but he obeyed and picked up the white-haired boy's unconscious body.
Aiz Wallenstein watched as the rabbit-like adventurer was carried out of the dungeon, his face covered in blood and her eyes still reflecting the intensity of the battle. She couldn't help but notice the similarity between him and her own past, when her family was brutally killed by the One-Eyed Black Dragon.
They both shared an unbreakable determination, but there was something else about Bell, something darker and deeper in his fury.
However, Aiz realized that Bell's fury was greater, more overwhelming than hers had ever been. While she fought to avenge her family, Bell seemed to be fighting something much bigger, something she couldn't fully comprehend.
As the Loki Familia prepared to leave the dungeon with the young adventurer unconscious on Bete's shoulder, she stood there for a moment, lost in thought. She knew there was something exceptional about the mysterious adventurer, something that went beyond his physical strength.
She was determined to find out what it was, because she felt that this young adventurer was destined to play an important role in her life.
Well, that's it.
I'd like to know what you think about the approach to this story. This is a Bell who has lived many lives, because every time he dies, he returns to the past. And this has been going on for over a thousand years, so don't expect Bell to be innocent. He'll still have as little of his essence as possible, but it's nowhere near the canon.
This Bell has no problem killing if necessary, and the deaths of others around him no longer affect him, as you can see from this chapter. I won't go into the details of his past loops, but I'll still mention something or other.
I want the main focus of this story at the beginning to be on character interaction, how they will act with a Bell who has many years of experience... in almost every area. Yes, especially those kinky experiences you're thinking of. This Bell isn't a virgin, so :)
And since he's been on several different "routes", it's safe to say that he knows the secret of many girls.
Unlike the previous times when he dedicated himself 100% to training and getting stronger, here he's going to focus on enjoying life to the full. However, that doesn't mean he won't be going to the Dungeon or anything like that anymore.
Well, I'd better stop talking so as not to give away too many spoilers.
Let's just say that Bell is going to wreak havoc all over Orario by acting exactly as he wants and being honest :)