CHAPTER 34: THE DUNGEON CALLS

Nolan crossed his arms, his gaze sharp. "I’ve been watching Celia as well. She has potential... but she’ll need more training before she can unleash it fully."

He turned toward Lucan. "Tell me—what do you know about the dungeon? I have a feeling I’m going to need to head there soon."

Lucan’s expression hardened immediately. "No. Don’t go to the dungeon now."

Nolan raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"There are... rumors," Lucan said carefully, his tone heavy with concern. "The powerful monsters from the last floor of the dungeon are starting to climb upward. That shouldn’t even be possible. They’re appearing on the middle levels... even the first floor."

Nolan smirked faintly. "You realize what you’re saying is meaningless, don’t you? Even if it’s something powerful, would it matter? Power is power. I can handle it."

Lucan shook his head. "You don’t understand. The real issue isn’t just the monsters. Some of the top adventurers in this village went in to investigate... and they never returned. The few who survived spoke of only one thing before vanishing."

Nolan’s eyes narrowed. "What did they see?"

Lucan lowered his voice, almost as if the name itself carried weight.

"A beast thought lost to history. An ancient monster known as the Behemoth. It hasn’t been seen for over three hundred years—back when the Archangel himself still walked the earth. We believed it had vanished, just like some of the great dragons. But if the rumors are true..."

He clenched his fists tightly. "Then it’s waiting in that dungeon."

Nolan tilted his head, his lips curving into a dangerous smile. "Behemoth, huh? Sounds interesting."

"There are rumors," Lucan continued, lowering his voice. "They say a Behemoth appeared in the dungeon... but no one has confirmed it. When the story spread, people laughed. They said it was impossible. What would a Behemoth be doing in a dungeon? Most likely, they saw something else and mistook it for one."

Nolan crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Maybe. But I hope it’s true."

Lucan frowned. "Hope?"

Nolan didn’t answer right away. Outwardly, his posture was calm and unreadable.

But in his mind, the truth whispered:

Yes. Because I need to grow stronger. I haven’t even touched the full extent of my power yet. What if I face the Archangel again—what if, next time, my Time Disruptor doesn’t work? What if he resists it? The battle will be brutal. I might not lose, but he’s strong enough to force me into a fight I can’t hold back in. That’s the kind of opponent I need.

He paused, his voice steady. "If it really is a Behemoth... then maybe that’s the challenge I’ve been waiting for. In my world, in the stories and manga, Behemoths were legendary—creatures whose limbs alone were harder than iron. If dragons exist here, then why not Behemoths too?"

Lucan shook his head. "You’re serious... but very well. Just know—if you do go, bring back whatever materials or monster cores you find. They sell for more than anything else we can harvest."

"If I have the time," Nolan replied with a faint smirk. He turned toward the door.

Before he could leave, Celia and Linda stepped forward.

"Master," Linda said, her voice trembling with determination, "don’t worry. We’ll get stronger too. Strong enough to stand by your side."

"Yes, Master," Celia added. "Please... be safe. If we’re not there, we won’t know what’s happening to you."

Nolan looked at them, and for the first time, his smile softened. "I’ll be fine. And I believe in both of you—you’ll show me results when I return."

With that, he turned and walked out of the guild, the sound of his footsteps echoing until the heavy doors closed behind him.

I have to get stronger—no matter what. For Celia and Linda. They’re the first real friends I’ve ever had, and they’re counting on me. I can’t let them see my weaknesses. I can’t let them down. It’s time I shine. In my old world, I was nothing. Just a janitor. Everyone looked down on me, treated me like I didn’t matter. But here... here, things can be different. Here, I can be someone who protects, someone who inspires. Maybe in this world, I can finally become the person I was never allowed to be.

As Nolan stepped outside the guild, he suddenly paused, realizing he had no idea where the dungeon actually was. With a sigh, he turned back and walked toward the counter.

"Hey," he said to Ella, the receptionist. "Which way to the dungeon?"

Ella blinked at him, then smiled faintly. "It’s outside the village, but not nearby. You’ll have to head deep into the forest—it’s about a day’s travel if you walk. It’s far."

"Figures," Nolan muttered.

She reached under the counter and pulled out a folded map. "Here. This will guide you. Don’t lose it."

"Thanks," Nolan said, tucking the map into his pocket. "I’ll take my leave now."

With that, he turned and headed out of the guild once more. Passing through Sindra’s gate, he showed his Golden Plate card to the guards, who nodded and let him through without question.

Once in the forest, Nolan paused again, glancing around at the endless sea of trees. "Great... and where exactly is this dungeon supposed to be?" he muttered.

Instead of fumbling blindly, he closed his eyes and activated his skill. His radar—once limited to thirty kilometers—now surged outward, stretching nearly two hundred kilometers in every direction. Instantly, a large, ominous presence lit up on its edge.

"There you are," he whispered, opening his eyes.

Without wasting another second, Nolan adjusted his direction, then broke into a run, darting through the forest with incredible speed toward the dungeon.

After only a few minutes of sprinting through the forest, Nolan came to a halt before a massive stone arch half-buried in roots and moss. This was the dungeon. Cold air spilled from the entrance like a breath from the earth itself.

Without hesitation, he stepped inside.

At first, the interior was cloaked in pitch darkness, the sound of his footsteps echoing against rough stone. But as he advanced, faint runes carved into the walls began to glow with pale blue light, illuminating his path. The deeper he went, the brighter they grew, casting eerie shadows that flickered and danced across the dungeon walls.