My Will To Live Forced Me Into A Second Life ?!

Chapter 8 : The First Dungeon

Dawn was breaking gently, painting the sky with a soft pink glow. A young girl with fiery red hair walked towards a forge. At the entrance, an enormous hammer hung as if it were a trophy, though it was clear no one could use such a massive tool practically. This girl was Elvaria. She entered the forge, her soft voice echoing slightly in the stillness of the morning.

"Is anyone here? I'd like to place an order..."

...

What time is it? I have no idea. I'm exhausted. Oh right, yesterday we accepted the quest for that infamous A-rank dungeon. The way the adventurers in the guild looked at us had changed. We were their pride now, the novices they had once underestimated, now standing on the brink of A-rank.

"...ley—" Hmm? What?

"Aley!" Elvaria was there, shaking me awake. What could she possibly want this early? Probably one of her sudden whims to head off on a quest. Alright, fine, if that's what she wants—

*Slap*

...Wait, am I dreaming or did Elvaria just—

*SLAP*?!

"Wake up, Aley! I have something for you!" she exclaimed, her face glowing with joy, her cheeks flushed pink, her green eyes sparkling with excitement. Her scarlet hair danced in the morning breeze that flowed into our room, the soft dawn light caressing her skin.

"Stop hitting me, I'm awake now, alright?!" My cheeks were red, not from embarrassment, but from the stinging slaps she'd used to rouse me from sleep.

"You'd better have a good reason for waking me like this, Elvaria, or I swear—" But before I could even finish my sentence, her smile widened. She was over the moon, her joy radiating so intensely that I couldn't help but be swept up in it.

"Tada!" She stretched out her arms towards me, or more specifically, what she was holding in her hands: a beautiful mithril sword, gleaming in the early morning light.

"I went and bought it for you this morning, while you were still sleeping at the inn, Aley. I spent all my savings to get it for you!" Her smile was contagious, and in that moment, I couldn't help but smile back. I could've done the whole "No, it's too expensive, I can't accept it" bit, but honestly, I was just... overjoyed.

"Elvaria... Thank you. Really, thank you so much. Fighting barehanded was starting to scare me, especially when going up against creatures with sharp jaws."

At my words, she let out a soft, joyful laugh, proud of herself. She was so happy to have done something for me, as I had always done for her. Then suddenly, she stretched her arms out wide towards me.

"You've protected me during all our quests. Consider this my way of thanking you," she said, her voice so sweet and sincere. Her arms remained open, clearly waiting for something.

"Elvaria, why are you holding your arms out like that?" I already knew the answer, but it was more fun to ask.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all—" Before she could finish, I lunged toward her, pulling her into a tight embrace. She gasped slightly in surprise, but within moments, her arms wrapped around me too, holding me close. She just wanted a hug. And it was so adorable, so very Elvaria.

That hug lasted an eternity, or at least that's how it felt. Ten long minutes, just the two of us, hidden away from the world, until she finally had her fill of tenderness.

Somewhere in the world

A man with white hair and blood-red eyes, almost resembling a vampire, was dancing in his castle where he believed himself to be alone.

"Master Macrinis...?" his servant timidly called out.

Macrinis, startled, abruptly stopped his dance, turning sharply to face his servant. Without a word, he glided over to his throne, sat down, crossed his legs, and with a deep, commanding voice, spoke.

"What is it this time?" He expected his servant to respond immediately, but instead, silence filled the throne room. The servant's eyes were wide with shock, akin to someone who had witnessed the deepest secrets of the universe.

- The Master... The cruel Master... was dancing...

Thoughts swirled chaotically in the servant's mind.

"Servant!" Macrinis's sharp voice pulled the man back to reality.

"Forgive me, Master Macrinis. As you know, the Prism of God is now the ultimate goal of every adventurer, and Master Valentin has returned for that very reason as well. Shall I issue him an order?"

At these words, the demonic blood prince paused, contemplating for a moment before speaking again.

"Ever since the decree, I've been focused on the conquest of the Verdesable dungeon. However, I've heard that Novus Obris is planning to tackle an A-rank dungeon. Instruct Valentin to intercept them, and bring them to me—dead or alive, heh..." Macrinis's eyes gleamed with wickedness, his smile twisted with malice. But one thing was clear: whatever he did, he did it with impeccable style.

"Aaaaaah! A-Aley, put me down! P-Please, I can't take it anymore!" Elvaria screamed with all her might, tears streaming down her face. The reason? It's probably because, at this very moment, I'm sprinting at full speed using Quick Step. Today, we're heading for the A-rank dungeon we planned on doing days ago, Alvenbrug, the Forgotten City. This morning, after stocking up on supplies, we left the capital. I took Elvaria in my arms, and here we are now, in this situation.

While preparing for this day, I stumbled upon a fascinating secret about the dungeons of this world. Contrary to what one might think, these places are not just ordinary natural or magical creations. They are tied to an ancient legend, that of the god-king Orthos and the Holy War.

It is said that in a distant era, long before the current civilization existed, a race of humans had unlocked the deepest mysteries of magic. They held secrets capable of threatening the very balance of the heavens. These humans, bold and arrogant, dared to challenge the gods themselves. Thus began the Holy War, a titanic battle where mortals, armed with their occult knowledge, confronted the deities. Many gods were slain, others imprisoned in cosmic prisons. But despite their bravery, the humans were ultimately defeated.

Orthos, intrigued by the ingenuity of his creations and terrified by their potential, decided to punish this civilization. Instead of destroying them, he erased them from history, sealing their cities and technologies in alternate dimensions, worlds parallel to ours. These forgotten worlds are not entirely separate from our reality. Occasionally, rifts form, merging a corner of our world with these ancient ruins. So, a simple cave can suddenly become a colossal underground kingdom.

The Alvenbrug dungeon, where we are headed, is one of these forbidden places. It is said to have fused with an ancient forest, once the sanctuary of that lost civilization.

A few minutes of repeatedly using Quick Step later, and here we are, finally arriving.

"Huff, aahh, I-I'll never get used to this…" whispered Elvaria, breathless, as she sat down on the forest floor.

In front of us stood a massive door, decorated with ancient symbols I couldn't read, along with various drawings, including one of a bridge and a dark shadow. Surrounding us was an endless forest, where the vegetation ruled supreme. No one had been here in quite some time. The door itself stood alone, as if leading to nowhere, though in reality, it connected two different dimensions. According to what I've read, dungeon entrances like this are quite rare. The vegetation had also taken over the door, now covered with leaves. It appeared to have been golden once, but now had a strange, rusted appearance.

Suddenly, I felt a presence. Someone was watching us.

"Aley, I feel someone," said Elvaria as she quickly stood up, drawing her sword, ready to fight.

I unsheathed my sword as well, feeling a bit disappointed at the thought of damaging it, especially since Elvaria had just given it to me.

"Come out! We know you're there!" I shouted, trying to intimidate whoever was hiding.

But without warning, the presence vanished. I turned to my companion.

"Elvaria, they seem to be gone."

"Indeed, they probably got scared," she replied. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that we weren't entirely safe.

"Stay on your guard," I said, looking at Elvaria seriously.

"You too," she responded with her usual confident smile.

Slowly, I pushed open the doors of the dungeon, and what unfolded before me was a fairytale landscape. Its beauty was the kind that could only inspire envy...