2 02 First dungeon dive.
D_Ep2
The next day.
Bell woke up feeling a warm, soft weight pressing against him. The sun outside had just started to rise up but it is already giving enough light for Bell to see the face of his Goddess, Hestia comfortably sleeping almost on top of him.
"Bell-kun Bell-kun I love... Don't leave----me." she murmurs under her stable breathing. She was sleep talking. Bell can barely get what she's saying but still found it funny how clumsy she is.
In his current position, Bell can see Hestia's two proud white bouncy rabbits pressed against his chest giving him a 'nice' feel--- I mean, uncomfortable! Bell didn't allow himself to be drawn by it.
Though Bell had to admit that he did got some physical reactions with this woman clinging onto him like a panda, but he will never let his biology get over him so prematurely.
"Goddess, Goddess..." Bell gently tapped Hestia's face which woke her up but chose to not open her eyes. "Time to wake up."
"I'm still sleepy... Bell-kun. Let me sleep more."
"That won't do, Goddess. It's morning already and I need you to get off me now so I will be able to go to the dungeon early."
He has plenty of time last night to sort his memories and after a long contemplation, Bell decided to go dungeon diving today. He's even looking forward to it.
Right after Bell mentioned the word 'Dungeon', much to his surprised, Hestia quickly rose up. Like a cat that has its tail stepped on.
She is now looking at Bell in a complicated way while trying her best to hide the worries in her eyes.
"Can you not go today, Bell-kun? Considering what happened last night I think it's better for you to stay at h-."
"I have to go, Goddess." He insists.
"Why?"
Though he can understand where Hestia was coming, Bell knows his body way more than Hestia. Even the reason behind what happened yesterday.
Not only did he completely recovered by now, Bell felt even stronger than before. Despite Hestia's persuasion, Bell got up and went off the bed and under her watchful gaze, Bell took his shirt off.
He then put on his adventurer outfit, mostly made out of light chest armor, elbow and knee guard, dungeon belt, old leather bag and a shabby short knife. These are all the items the guild rented him after he registered yesterday.
"I will see you later, Goddess."
Bell then walked out of the room leaving Hestia there, who continue staring at his back till she can't see him again.
"Bell-kun.."
***
'Whoah..'
Equiped with his old predecessor's memories, Bell was able to make his way towards the dungeon without a problem. He can't help but take a few more glances at this monstrosity in front of him, the tower of babel. No doubt it's easily one of the biggest and coolest man-made structure he had ever seen his whole life!
But instead of entering right away, Bell made a short trip on a small empty corner where no other adventurer was around. He wanted to test some things first before he enter the dungeon, hoping that by doing so will make make things easier for him once he's inside.
Unsheathing his knife, Bell starts with feeling its wait and sharpness. He was immediately disappointed.
"This knife is too light and not sharp enough. It is no different from a kitchen ain't it?" Bell only has complains towards his weapon and nothing more. But he has no other choice but to use it either way.
Slightly bending his knees, making a fighting stance, Bell did a few slashes in the air.
Swishh! Wooshh! Slash!
If someone was here right now and saw this, they will surely be shocked to see an afterimages when Bell did those slashes and will wonder how can a level 1 adventurer can attain such speed and mastery of knife!
Though in reality, those after images were not due to Bell's speed at all but instead due to the smoothness of his movements plus the level of mastery it carries.
The 7 Great Souls Bell had fused with were all masters no, Grand Masters of their own professions. A level that was way beyond what a human should be able to reach throughout their meager lifespan.
They are an Alchemist, a Blacksmith, a Sage, Beast Tamer, Divine Archer and the two more of which were Sword and Knife experts------------- a Fallen Hero and a legendary Assassin.
Bell still can't believe his luck even now, being able to fused with these insanely strong and talented individuals. Although he didn't get even a fragment of their power while when they were still alive, Bell still got plenty of interesting memories and knowledge of expertise from them!
And he believes that it is more than enough for him to survive this world.
Bell continue testing his body, swinging his knife from time to time along with kicks and punches. As a normal college student, Bell has no experience in fighting at all and if not for the new memories he got from those experts, he might not even dare to enter the dungeon at all!
Bell has to to make sure he is as prepared as possible just to make sure nothing would go wrong.
It was only after an hour later did Bell finally stopped training and went inside the dungeon.
***
Cling*
Taptaptap*
Puchi!
Sounds of a blade clashing with a metal plate and a blunt weapons echoes inside the first floor of the dungeon, east part.
Taking advantage of his higher Speed and and Dexterity, Bell expertly maneuvers himself against the two goblins he is facing. Though his moments was far from being called as 'flawless', it was already acceptable considering the level of his opponents.
After all, knowing something and being able to pull it easily were two different things. Though Bell knows how to maneuver a lot better than what he is currently doing, his body can't catch up to his mind.
He's to weak.
The two goblins both held blunt clubs, their bulging eyes staring fiercely at Bell.
They look more savage as they are now being covered with their own blood due to the significant number of small cuts all over their small agile bodies. These goblins are obviously at their limits but their eyes still brims with hostility as they glare angrily at the young man in front of them. They want nothing more than to kill Bell and feast on his flesh.
Bell totally ignored the two monster's glares who will meet go to hell. He dashed forward, sending two more slashes and stabs, finally ending the two Goblins lives.
" Tsk. I really need a new and better weapon."
He barely killed around forty goblins so far but his knife had almost completely turned into a blunt weapon now. And that was after he did his best to be as careful as he could!
With a depressing sigh, Bell picked up the two crystals on the floor and put them inside his small pouch.
Bell didn't leave the first floor of the dungeon, mainly because of his weapon. It is definitely pulling himself back.
Though he did try going to the second and even peeking to the third floor earlier but the monsters there, although quite the same but are in much greater numbers. It's a bit too risky for someone with trash equipment like him to explore so he decided to stay on the first floor just to be safe.
It's not a matter of courage but simply logic.
It's not that bad though because in three hours alone, Bell was able to fill his first pouch of monster cores albeit only low leveled one.
"Too bad I didn't have the same privilege to have spatial rings or inventory like those lucky isekaid individuals in novels."
Isn't he also a bonafide transmigrated individual? So what's with the difference in treatment?
He's only complaining randomly though as Bell was already very satisfied with what he got right now. Not only did he became the main protagonist(as he wants to believe), he also got a cheerful and beautiful goddess as bonus!
What can he ask for more?
Bell continue grinding for three more hours and only stopped when his weapon couldn't handle the pressure of battle anymore and broke. Bell even has to end the life of his last goblin for today using his bare fists and legs. In a very barbaric way.
Returning back to the Guild, Bell quickly head towards the counter that handles the exchange of monster core.
"Twenty-one thousand Valis!" said the guy in the other side of the counter before putting down a pouch of gold coins in front of Bell. " Next! "
Bell did not waste his time and left after taking his money. He didn't even bother counting them before putting them inside his bag.
He's hungry. No. Starving!
It can't be helped as he never really ate anything since morning. Even if he wanted to buy food he didn't have any money before selling all his monster cores. Looking up, he guess it's almost 3 pm now.
Bell set aside his previous plan of buying himself a new weapon for the meantime and instead went to the nearest pub. It coincidentally happened to be the most famous one for a modern person like him.
THE HOSTESS OF FERTILITY!
The place where one of his favorite character works at. That cool elven beauty, Ryu.
Bell can already see the building, just around a hundred more meters away from his current location.
He was about to head there when an image of his Goddess Hestia suddenly appeared inside his head. Like him, she probably has the same situation right now as they are both broke. Feasting while knowing that Hestia might not have eaten anything yet will definitely leave a bitter taste so Bell decided to picked her up first.
