Key Trait

Dungeons have been known to be dangerous since their discovery.

However, there is a reason people still venture into them. The treasures that are found there have helped Natives advance further ahead as a species—allowing them to develop far greater technology than anything found on the Mainland.

The Dungeon is home to Ores, Minerals, and even Items that could forever change any one man's life… or the status of an entire Nation.

However, other than these grand reasons, there are other reasons why people tread this path of chaos and danger.

—Curiosity.

It is natural—innate in every Native—the desire to know more about the world.

From infancy, this thirst for the unknown manifests in multiple ways, and it is what drives any individual to growth… and change.

Dungeon Explorers do not only venture deep into the darkness for material wealth and altruistic benefits.

There are other ways those things can be achieved.

They walk down the path of horrors also because of their unyielding curiosity—the overwhelming drive to know what lies at the very bottom of the Dungeon. In a way, this is an even more important element of an Explorer.

All possess that innate drive to seek out more.

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"W-why did I become a Dungeon Explorer?"

Eve said nothing and simply stared at Des, obviously waiting for his response to her question.

He couldn't think of a proper way to explain the motivation behind his becoming a Dungeon Explorer. It was obvious that his life would become a whole lot easier if he earned a stable income from Exploration as compared to fending for himself on the streets and doing odd jobs.

Dungeon Exploration was far more profitable than the few other options that presented themselves before Des, but that wasn't the only reason he wanted to be a Dungeon Explorer.

"I… want to do something memorable." He finally responded after thinking for a long time.

"My whole life, I have lived as a nobody. I worked every day for the debt that my parents left behind, and I worked for someone else. Every morning when I woke up, and every night before bed… I often wondered what it would be like to do something for myself… and to be recognized for it."

Yes, it was a selfish motivation, but it was the only one Des had.

"I want to be strong. I want to be rich. I want to be popular. I want all those things I couldn't get when I was back in that goddamn farm! I… I want them all. Or… I should say I wanted them all." He ended his words in a silent chuckle as he shook his head, beads of tears forming in his eyes.

It wasn't like those desires had vanished, but Des simply had to face the reality.

'I'm trapped, and I'm powerless.' There was no way he could get strong, rich, and popular in such a devastating place.

He had to give up eventually, and what better time to start than—

"It seems I was wrong about you, Des." The somber words of the woman before him echoed in the air, forcing him to look at her face.

It contained quite the stern expression—almost as if she was angry… no, rather disappointed.

"Your intelligence and resourcefulness make you a considerable choice, but… you lack the key trait necessary for any Explorer—Curiosity."

"W-what…?" His eye widened, confusion playing all over his face.

"Everything has a reason and cause to function—at least, that is the attitude that you ought to employ when thinking about Dungeons, or even life in general. Your parents left you because they sought their own happiness over yours, probably seeking out the very thing you also desire. You chose to enter the Dungeon because of your desires, which served as your motivation. So what makes you think the phenomena within the Dungeon are exempt from those."

"I never said they were exempt. They're just—"

"Too random and mysterious to bother exploring and investigating? That's functionally the same thing. The only difference between Dungeons and other seemingly observable scenarios is that the Dungeon is far more complex and dangerous." Eve responded, her tone still having a stern vibe about it. "All Horrors can be studied—even the Irregulars—the same way all Dungeons can be understood. You just need the right mindset and an informed approach."

"...."

Des found himself speechless. He had never seen Eve this serious about anything.

"Attributing all of this to randomness is just a lazy cop-out. As an Explorer, it is your job to explore these unknowns and find answers to them." Eve sighed, a frown forming on her face.

She looked him straight in the eye and gave her verdict.

"You're no Explorer."

Silence filled the room, allowing the tension to rapidly build up as the two stared very intensely at each other.

Des didn't know why those words pierced him deep within his soul. All this time, he thought he was going to achieve great things in a Dungeon and achieve his goals, but now… he could see everything shatter before his very eyes.

'It hurts… but she's right.'

He was no Dungeon Explorer, and there was no way he could become one any longer.

… Or was there?

"Tch… forget it." Eve rose to her feet and began to walk away from Des, obviously not in the best of moods. 

"You can just stay like tha—"

"Teach me!" Des' voice suddenly pierced the air, causing her to cease her steps instantly.

She slowly turned to face him, her eye wide as her open lips moved.

"What did you just say?"

"Teach me how to be a proper Dungeon Explorer." 

Eve kept her eye on him, seemingly analyzing him from head to toe—looking at his absent limbs and scrawny body. He was obviously not suitable for any kind of Exploration.

"You said the key trait for an Explorer is curiosity, right? Then it doesn't matter if I don't have a complete set of limbs, right? It doesn't matter if I'm weak right now… or if I'm too inexperienced. Those were your words!"

Des struggled to sit upright, rising from his laying state for the first time in very long. His eye showed something different at that moment.

There was a burning flame within.

"Show me how to become like you!" He yelled out loud.

Moments after he uttered those words, an amused chuckle reverberated throughout the room. Eve looked amazed by Des' sudden switch in attitude, and the wide smile on her face was more than enough to depict that.

"Hehehe… is that right? You really want to be like me?"

"Yes!"

"You want to survive in this place… become a Dungeon Explorer that can hold his own against the creatures that lurk here without end."

"Yes!"

"Kekekeke! That's the spirit!" Eve slowly returned to her place by his side, her hand reaching for his disheveled hair so she could pat it very fondly.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear that."

"So… you will help me out?"

"Yeah, but…" Once again, Eve took a good look at his damaged body and sighed. "... In your current state, your chances of survival are zero. You wouldn't last a second out there, and you can't really follow my curriculum."

Des already knew all of this, which was why he didn't bother for an entire week despite the will that dwelled within him.

But now… something was different.

After hearing Eve's words, he understood something—there had to be some kind of way.

"You said you are an Architect. Does that have something to do with building something?" He asked, a wry smile forming on his face.

Inside, he prayed with all his might that his suspicions were correct.

"Yeah. Why do you ask?" Eve returned his smile with hers, almost as if probing him to go on.

"I-in that case… can you fix my limbs for me? My eye too?" 

"Oh? Are you sure you want that? I can be extremely brutal in my procedures, you know?"

"I don't mind!" He yelled out, his eyes widening in disbelief the moment he didn't hear her refuse his request,

That meant such a procedure was indeed possible!

"Hehehe…" Suddenly, pink hues began to appear on Eve's face as she looked at Des with some kind of perverted expression.

Steam proceeded from her drooling mouth as she crawled closer to him.

"You have no idea how long I've been looking to experiment on a fellow Native." Somehow, her grin became a lot creepier than ever before.

Still, Des refused to back out at this juncture.

'If I want to survive here… I have no choice! I need my limbs, and I need to become strong!' Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself nearer to Eve.

"As long as it will make me capable of surviving this place… I accept your procedure."

"Excellent! Excellent answer!" Eve yelled out, her eyes glowing bright orange as she displayed sheer excitement.

"Don't worry, Des! You're in good hands!"

Perhaps it was how she spoke, or the look she had when she uttered those words, but Des found a bit of doubt lurking in his heart. Still, he clenched his only fist and nodded with nothing but sheer willpower and anticipation.

"I'm in your care!"

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[A/N]

Thanks for reading!

It looks like there is still a future for our boy. Let's see how it goes!