(A/N: Hello once again and here is chapter 3 just as promised! This chapter will be tapping into the real start of the story, but will also be rather fast pace wise. Sorry but I really suck at writing the beginning of things, and this being my first ever story is also going to further show that. I only hope to improve as time goes on. With that I'll also reply to some reviews!
leonroyce: Much appreciated! And I can assure you that the story will be truly starting very soon!

RebornLikeablackPhoenix: Thanks for that! And I'm sorry but I don't have any OC's in my story, you may be thinking of a different one with a similar title.

TheOblivions: Thx bro, you definitely helped alot in this process, and good like with OSS.

jademist: Thank you, glad you like it so far!

Lisa-Katagiri: Thanks for the review, and sorry but I'm not looking for it to be a comic just yet. I want to improve a lot before turning anything I write into a full on comic. But thanks for the offer!

And with all of those, time to dive into chapter 3!

From there on, day in and day out Bell would travel around endlessly with Zeus. They crossed oceans and countries fulfilling quests from the guild and participating in as many dungeon raids as possible. The only real downside being the long travel times, but thankfully he had his comics to rely on. That and also the teaching of hieroglyphics from Zeus and a bit of elvish that he learned from his guild receptionist he had been assigned to.

She was a half elf named Eina Tulle, with shoulder-length chestnut brown short hair and emerald green eyes. For a while she was accompanied by a senior. His name was Rehmer and he was a chienthrope, his hair was brown and short with his dog-like ears coming out of the top and slumped over. His eyes were of similar color and he wore small circular glasses that fitted to the crook of his nose. This was because Eina herself isn't that much older than Bell, in fact she was only 2 years older at 13, so she was a bit of an apprentice essentially. She would learn the ropes of what it meant to be a guild advisor, with Bell being her first adventurer.

Needless to say both she and Rehmer were completely baffled and stunned that a young boy like Bell at the age of 11 was doing such dangerous work, but then again there was still one other who started even younger than him so it wasn't that unbelievable. Over time however they would have to retract their weariness to an extent as Bell showed what he was capable of. He leveled up to level 2 in only a few months, drastically less time than the original record of 1 year, after that he reached level 2 in another year. This shocked Zeus as well, but not to nearly the same extent as another revelation Zeus had discovered one night while updating Bell.

That being his stats didn't cap out at the limit of 999 for the S rank, in reality he had somehow broken this limiter and went beyond into SS or even SSS. Such a realization needless to say was a very welcome surprise to both, but they had to hide it from the guild advisors lest they suspect them of forging status reports, even if said reports were true. But there was also another issue, Bell could never develop magic no matter how hard he tried. He had been limited to progressing his physical stats, he wasn't an elf nor did he or Zeus ever manage to cross upon a grimoire. But he would never give up hope to one day finally add that final piece to his arsenal. So for now he had to settle for progressing at insane speed through the constant pushing of his limits on quests and raids or while training.

Towards the end of the 7 years he reached level 4 with the usual broken limit stats. Reaching level 3 alone without ever stepping foot in the main dungeon in Orario could be considered a grandiose achievement, as very few of the dungeons outside the main one could produce enough of a challenge to grant level 3, or basically even a level 4 due to how drastically he broke his limiters. It also wasn't just his power that grew, Bell's physical body had developed immensely as expected of living such an active and somewhat pretty strenuous lifestyle. His body was now far more lean and "ripped" one could say. Height wise he stood at a solid 5 '10 and a good bit of baby fat was now gone but just enough left that he retained a boyish look of innocence and worldly curiosity.

Needless to say everything was looking up and going perfectly according to plan. That was until this next raid, where things got rather… dreadful.

The dungeon portal loomed ahead, a swirling vortex of blue and black energy that pulsed with an ominous rhythm. Around it, adventurers milled about, gearing up and making last-minute adjustments to their equipment.

Rehmer stood at the center of the camp, his authoritative voice cutting through the chatter as he gave orders. Eina was at his side, scribbling notes in her ever-present notebook. Her eyes lit up as she spotted Bell approaching.

"Bell!" she called, waving.

He waved back. As he reached the tent, Rehmer greeted him with a nod.

"Right on time," Rehmer said. "As usual you should make sure you bring your absolute best and then some."

"Yes, sir," Bell replied, his voice steady.

"Now, let's do one more update for the records for your status." Rehmer said, almost slightly excited himself to see where Bell was currently at now as they entered the tent. The young adventurer had been working relentlessly raiding dungeons and training hard for the last 7 years. No doubt he'd be far stronger now if he kept revving up his training along with the constant raiding of D to C rank dungeons.

Time to see where he is. Lefiya Viridis managed to level up to 3 two years ago as expected under the guidance of Loki familia's high elf Riveria Ljos Alf and using the "main" dungeon in Orario. Time to see where our little prospect is now. Rehmer thought to himself, as he did the usual computer prep and waited for the device to measure Bell's new capabilities as the young man held his hand to the orb like the first time. After a few more moments the computer pinged to signify its completion. Now was the moment of truth, to which did not disappoint as Rehmer grew a wide grin that was mixed with both joyful surprise and sheer awestruck from this kid.
Name: Bell Cranel
Level: 3

Strength: 999- S

Endurance: 999- S

Dexterity: 999- S

Agility: 999- S

Magic: 0-I

He's practically a level 4 at this point! Even Viridis would only be a middle level 3 right now! Rehmer was exasperated to say the least.

Eina smiled encouragingly, "Good luck in there," Eina finally said, her voice soft. "I'll be waiting for you."

Bell nodded, his resolve hardening. "I won't let you down."

As he turned to join the team, he couldn't help but glance back at her. Eina watched him go, her heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and worry.

Rehmer gathered the team around, spreading a map of the dungeon on a nearby table.

For the next 5 minutes Bell absorbed every detail.

"You've proven yourself in the past," Rehmer continued, his tone serious. "But this will be your greatest test yet. Stay sharp, communicate with your team, and make sure you all get out safely."

Bell met his gaze with determination. "Understood."

As the briefing concluded, the team moved toward the portal, weapons ready and minds focused. Bell paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before stepping forward.

"Here we go," he murmured, his thoughts briefly flickering to Eina and the promise he'd made, to protect everyone and live up to the hero he aspired to be. However, there was a problem now. The moment they stepped into the dungeon through the portal he felt an immediate sense of dread, just like back all those years ago on that first hunting trip with Zeus where he picked up on the bear that was following them. By instinct he immediately tensed up and grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"Mr. Cranel, what's the matter? You seem far more tense than usual?" One of the party members asked him

"Uh…honestly I'm not sure myself either. But something feels off, nothing too bad right now but still weird.

"Gotcha, I'll make sure to be careful."

And with that the team moved forward and started to make their way forward.

The dungeon's first few areas were surprisingly not that bad. Bell led his team through the usual corridors, navigating areas filled with the usual suspicious ruins of old societies while combating hordes of seemingly bipedal blue and brown striped wolves. He was able to wipe out entire hordes on his own while keeping his team at little to no risk as he used his new found skills and abilities from the past 7 years of training and dungeon diving.

As they moved forward they found what appeared to be waterlogged caverns which tested the team's endurance, the oppressive dampness sapping their strength as water dripped endlessly from stalactites above. Bell's sharp instincts allowed them to spot lurking enemies in the murky depths before they could strike, his quick commands keeping everyone in formation. As well as extending his attention and reinforcing parts of the party to those who might have struggled dealing with the amphibian and reptilian type enemies that relied on ambush strategies to catch their prey off guard.

So while they didn't experience too much difficulty, the raid still drained Bell quite a bit.

"Huff… huff… phew" Bell panted as the group now took a quick break in the middle of the swampy region. They had just finished wiping out another swarm of reptilian lizards that wielded large club shaped rocks and wood. He made sure to constantly protect and defend everyone around him as he wouldn't tolerate for anyone to even be scratched. It was then that he went to a more secluded spot behind some trees and bushes to have a quick bit to himself to gather his thoughts.

Jeez , it's just ever since we entered this dungeon I've had the sensation that something is incredibly off, like every step we take is being monitored or tested…? Bell thought to himself as his little "sixth sense" essentially just kept ringing in his mind that something was off, but break time was over and he had no other choice but to keep pressing forward.

The group progressed forward again until they came across a seemingly large, empty space with a shimmering door on the far side. Bell approached cautiously, motioning for the others to hang back.

"Stay alert," he murmured, his eyes scanning the room. He felt something was off but again couldn't quite put his finger on it. However the moment Bell's foot went just a bit further, it was as if a trap was sprung. The ground beneath him gave way. He barely had time to react before gravity took hold, yanking him into the abyss below.

"Bell!"

A member's voice rang out, but he was already gone, swallowed by the darkness. The last thing he saw was the panicked faces of his team as they scrambled to reach for him but were too late.

Then, impact.

Bell crashed into cold stone, rolling and using his armor to nullify the force as much as possible. Dust and loose rubble rained down, and he coughed as he pushed himself up. His armor took most of the fall's brunt, but his body still ached. Above him, the gaping hole he had fallen through was already sealing, an unnatural force at work, almost as if again he was being personally watched and taken to.

He was alone.

His breathing steadied as he took in his surroundings. Faintly glowing symbols lined the walls and pulsed with soft, rhythmic energy. Even without touching them, he could feel them, like he was feeling a connection of sorts.

"Hieroglyphs…" Bell muttered, recalling his lessons with Zeus. But why was it here?

With no way back up, he dusted himself off and pressed forward. A looming doorway stood ahead. The runes of it radiated an aura of power, as if waiting for someone, waiting for him.

Bell took a deep breath and opened the large stone doors and stepped through.

Back atop, there the team was still staring at the closed-off pit in complete confusion.

"He just…he just fell…" One member stammered, her voice unsteady.

Another exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "We know. We all saw it."

The rest of the team stood in tense silence. The ground had sealed too quickly, almost like the dungeon itself had chosen to separate Bell from them. And that alone was cause for concern.

"What do we do?" one of the adventurers asked.

The frustrated one from earlier gaze hardened. "We don't panic, that's what." He turned to the others. "Bell's strong, and if anyone can survive getting dropped into a death pit, it's him. But we're not going to sit here and hope for the best."

"You're saying we find another way?"

"Exactly." He said as he adjusted his gear. "There's always another route. We sweep the dungeon and find a way down. If this place has secrets, I doubt that was the only hidden passage."

With that, they pressed on, hoping that Bell would hold his own until they found him.

Back with Bell, the moment he stepped foot inside the mysterious new room countless torches erupted with bright blue flames packed tightly on the walls all at the same time. Thanks to that, the interior brightened up almost immediately.

"Ok…this just keeps getting weirder and weirder." He remarked at the constant red flags the dungeon produced over and over.

The adventurer carefully and almost fearfully studied his surroundings. The overall atmosphere of the place was similar to that of an old and somewhat decrepit temple, moss and weed could be seen occasionally spotting the ground, walls and ceiling.

That nightmarish gaze I've been feeling is even stronger now more than ever… Bell thought as he recalled the entire raid since they first entered.

As he continued analyzing he noticed the room was nothing short of enormous, easily capable of fitting several large houses.

Hmm… now what the heck are you? He asked in his head as his attention focused on the deepest part of the dome, something so unbelievably huge sat on a throne just as big as itself. It appeared to be a huge stone statue of a god. Is it supposed to be the boss maybe? He thought as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and firmly grasped it to prepare for a sudden battle. He was exhausted and drained after the typical dungeon shenanigans and that huge fall, but that wouldn't stop him from fighting for his life to get out of this situation alive.

However, the statue did not budge an inch. To which Bell was appreciative as indicated by his sigh of relief.

Ok, I guess I should probably look around for clues. Figure out exactly what's going on here. He thought and began searching around the area. For the next 5 minutes he searched but surprisingly, there wasn't a single magical beast or even bug or insect or anything around. The chamber of the stone god statue might have been massive, yet its actual inner structure was on the simpler side. On the walls, the countless torches could be found. And in front of these walls were more stone statues that stood slightly taller than the average human being and appeared to be unmoving. There were lots of them here as well, found at a certain distance from one another.

As Bell continued checking out the scenery, he was amazed and awe struck by the seemingly human craftsmanship. Each of the stone statues held a veritable and unique object. Some held weapons like maces, swords and the like, there was one with a book, some carried musical instruments, and even torches.

"Is this some place of worship or something?" He thought out loud. Then, his eyes drifted to another statue that was different from others, this one had a huge pair of wings and held up a large stone tablet. Bell then focused on the letters that were etched into said tablet.

"It's hieroglyphs …"

"The laws of the Cartenon Temple ." He read the very first verse with a deeply focused face. Bell read off the contents of the slate, but was interrupted by a sudden sense of dread. As if when he read that first line it triggered…someone?

Bell quickly turned and looked right at the god statue. For a moment Bell could only tilt his head in confusion because it looked pretty much the same as before. But he could have sworn it felt like its gaze shifted to him. Something's wrong… VERY wrong right now. I know I felt something, some sort of gaze or bloodlust. But there was no discrepancy to its appearance.

And now that, I think about it. It does seem like that gaze I picked up on earlier is stronger than ever. Meaning the source must be in this room! It was also then when he noticed just how eerily quiet everything became. It triggered every instinct in his body as he once again tensed up and went on guard.

Why can't I hear anything? It's like the entire world was put on mute!

Even the sounds of the flames burning on the torches seemed to no longer exist. It was then that he thought it'd be best to continue reading off the content of the tablets. Maybe something was on there that could help figure out what was going on exactly

"First law: Worship the god. Second law: Exalt the god. Third law: Prove your piety. Those who do not keep to these laws shall not leave this place alive." It was then that a loud slam echoed throughout the chamber. He then returned to his senses at the sudden violent noise.

Crap!

He could tell where the noise was coming from right away. The door! He thought as he turned to look at the door he originally left open incase he needed to escape, was now completely shut.

Bell then dashed towards it to see if he could manage to pry them open with his borderline level 4 strength. But the moment he got there and grabbed a handle, his eyes widened as all of sudden there was a swift movement that he had hardly noticed. He quickly ducked and jumped back. That's when he heard a loud clang ring out through the chamber and saw what caused it. One of the knight statues standing guard had attempted to do him the favor of removing his head from his body, leaving a small crater and debris. Then as if nothing important had happened and it simply performed its sole function, it returned to its original sword plant stance.

T-t-that thing can move?! Bell screamed in his mind as he rubbed the back of his neck, in shock at how close he'd almost lost it. So then does that mean every statue in here can move as well?! Do I have to fight all of them?! I could barely react in time to even one of them! His nerves now started to show again, he was basically a level 4 right now sure, but he also already fatigued from the rest of the dungeon raid plus that fall further took a toll on his body, and his mind was still ringing like crazy as he could still feel the insane bloodlust coming from this chamber.

And from what he read on the tablet he could tell… his problems were just beginning. It was at that moment when Bell recalled that familiar sense again from the statue

Wait so if i'm correct… and it was then at that moment that a freezing chill rapidly ran down his spine and throughout his very body. He had forced his stiff neck to turn around so he could look behind him. "Oh…crap…." The stone statue of the god was now indeed looking down at him.

Back with the party, things were not much better. The walls now reverberated with the sound of distant roars. The group moved closely together to avoid being separated as every passing moment conveyed the sense of uncertainty. Then everything went downhill.

A deafening shriek tore through the silence.

From the darkness came grotesque creatures that launched forward, they were twisted, malformed beasts with glowing red eyes and jagged claws. They came in waves, crawling along the walls and ceiling like a tide of nightmares.

"Contact!" one of the adventurers yelled.

"Form up! Hold the line!"

The first "clash" had ended as suddenly as it began as the adventurers' swords stabbed, cleaved and pierced monster after monster, but for every one that they had slain, more poured from the depths.

"They're not stopping!" one of the adventurers shouted as panic filled his voice.

Another swung his greatsword in a wide arc, cleaving through a mass of creatures. "They never stop! Keep your focus!"

As the fight continued on, blood sprayed across the stone floor, the air thick with the stench of it. Every second felt longer than a minute. It almost felt like they were being "herded". As if something was controlling these monsters, keeping them pinned down and away from Bell. And if they didn't figure out how to break free, they wouldn't last much longer.