"Is everyone okay?" I asked.
I already knew the answer, more or less, but it didn't hurt to check. Especially with Grokk.
Out of all of us, he was the most vulnerable. Not weak, just… not built for this kind of constant frontline fighting. Which made sense. He was a blacksmith first. Combat was secondary for him.
Still, that was exactly why I brought him along.
If he was going to be the familia's main blacksmith then he couldn't afford to stay sheltered. He needed experience. He needed to grow. Not just in level, but in skill and everything.
There was no other way to get that except being here.
They all nodded.
At least, at first.
Then I noticed it.
Grokk flinched.
I narrowed my eyes. "Grokk."
He straightened immediately. "I'm fine—"
"Don't," I cut in, already stepping closer. "Show me."
He hesitated for a second, then let out a breath and lowered his guard.
There it was.
A bruise forming along his side, and from the way he held himself, it wasn't just surface-level. The earlier impact must've gone through more than he let on.
Mira clicked her tongue. "You call that fine?"
Grokk scratched the back of his head, looking a bit sheepish now that he'd been called out. "I've had worse."
"Here. Eat this."
I tossed him a small bean.
He caught it easily, then held it up between his fingers, turning it over as he examined it.
"…What is this, Boss?"
It wasn't just him.
Mira leaned in slightly, eyes narrowing. "That's it? That tiny thing?"
Even Ais shifted her gaze toward it, quiet but clearly curious.
I shrugged. "Just eat it."
Grokk then popped it into his mouth.
He barely had time to react.
The effect was instant.
Grokk blinked.
Then blinked again.
"…What?"
He flexed his hand, then his arm, then shifted his stance like he was testing himself.
"…What the hell was that?"
Mira stared at him. "No way."
Grokk looked down at himself, still trying to process it. "I feel… fine. No—better than fine."
Mira immediately turned to me. "Boss, what did you just give him?"
"A senzu bean."
""A senzu bean?"" they both repeated at the same time.
I nodded.
There wasn't really a reason to hide something like this from them. I trusted them enough to keep it to themselves—and even if they didn't, it wouldn't really matter.
In fact, part of me thought it might be better if word got out.
After all, I already had plans for that.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
"It's capable of instantly healing injuries, restoring physical strength, and completely removing fatigue," I explained.
Then—
"What the hell?" Mira blurted out.
Grokk stared at his hands again, flexing them like he still couldn't believe it. "That's… that's ridiculous."
Even Ais looked genuinely surprised, her usual calm expression slipping just a little as she processed it.
Mira turned to me again, eyes sharp now. "Where did you even get something like that?"
"And how?" Grokk added, still sounding half in disbelief.
I just smiled and gave a small shrug.
"Trade secret."
Then I winked.
Mira frowned. "That's not an answer."
Grokk let out a breath, shaking his head. "Boss…"
"Anyway," I cut in, clapping my hands lightly to get their attention, "we've got more important things to deal with."
Mira narrowed her eyes. "And that would be…?"
I smiled.
It was the kind of smile they'd already learned to be wary of.
Grokk sighed under his breath. "I don't like that look."
"Yeah," Mira muttered. "Not one bit."
I ignored them.
"Continuing the Dungeon," I said simply.
Mira blinked once. "…You're kidding."
Grokk let out a slow breath, like he already knew the answer. "You're not kidding."
I kept smiling.
Mira swallowed. "…After that?"
"Especially after that."
Grokk rubbed the back of his neck. "Boss…"
I turned and started walking, not even waiting for their response.
"You're all fine now, aren't you?" I said over my shoulder.
There was a pause.
Then—
A reluctant shuffle of footsteps followed behind me.
Mira groaned. "I knew eating that bean was a bad sign."
Grokk let out a tired chuckle. "Yeah… should've seen this coming."
Ais said nothing.
But she followed anyway.
—o—
"I want to quit. I don't wanna be here anymore."
"Mommy…"
"Ugh…"
The three of them sounded completely drained, their voices overlapping in a mix of exhaustion and regret.
I rolled my eyes.
We had just arrived on the thirty-eighth floor, stepping into the safe zone after the long descent. The air felt calmer here, lighter somehow, a quiet pocket carved out in the middle of the Dungeon's constant pressure.
Mira didn't waste a second. She dropped where she stood, lying flat on her back as she stared up at the cavern ceiling. "I'm done. This is it. I'm retiring."
Grokk wasn't much better. He sat down heavily, letting out a long, tired breath as he rested his hammer beside him. "Remind me why I agreed to this again…"
Ais remained standing, but even she looked slightly worn down, her grip on her sword loosening just a bit as she took in the quiet of the safe zone.
I glanced at all three of them, unimpressed.
"You're all still alive," I said.
Mira lifted her hand weakly. "I don't want to live. I want to sleep."
Grokk nodded in agreement. "Seconded."
Then—
Clap
Clap
Clap
"Wonderful. Very wonderful."
The slow applause echoed through the safe zone, followed by a voice I recognized immediately.
I didn't need to turn to know who it was.
Even with everything—my senses, my awareness—he still managed to slip in without me noticing.
I clicked my tongue under my breath.
Of course.
He was still a god.
"Hermes."
I turned slowly, already knowing what I'd see.
Annoying.
Sure enough, he stood there at the edge of the safe zone, hands coming together in one last clap, a wide, amused smile on his face like he'd just watched a performance he thoroughly enjoyed.
"Magnificent," he said lightly, eyes glinting with interest. "Truly, I couldn't have asked for a better show."
Behind me, the others tensed almost instantly.
Mira pushed herself up, expression sour. "You've got some nerve showing up after that."
Grokk grabbed his hammer again, not quite relaxed anymore. "You almost got us killed."
Ais didn't say anything, but her gaze locked onto him, sharp and wary.
Hermes didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"If anything," he said with a small shrug, "I merely provided the stage."
But my irritation at this bastard has reached its peak.
"And now it's time for you to pay."
"Let's not be hasty, Leon."
Hermes raised both hands slightly, still smiling, but his tone softened just a fraction as I sheathed my sword.
Then pointed it straight at him.
"I do have something in exchange for what I did."
That made me pause.
I didn't lower my sword.
"…Go on," I said.
Hermes tilted his head, as if pleased he'd bought himself a moment.
"I am willing to grant you any reasonable favor," he said smoothly. "An item, information, anything you can think of—as long as it's within my ability. I am willing to do it."
There was a brief silence after that.
"…Is that it?" I asked.
That seemed to catch him off guard.
Hermes blinked. "What do you mean, 'is that it'?"
His smile widened slightly, but there was genuine confusion under it now. "It's a favor from me. A god. That alone carries weight most people would kill for."
I didn't move my sword.
I just kept looking at him.
"…Yeah," I said flatly. "And?"
That made the confusion deepen.
"A favor doesn't mean anything if I don't need it," I continued.
I finally lowered my sword, not because I trusted him, but because this was getting annoying in a different way.
For a moment, Hermes didn't respond.
Then—
His expression shifted.
Still smiling, but this time… more thoughtful.
More interested.
"…I see," he said.
Then he smiled.
"You really are different. Very well, If a favor is too small for you, then I suppose I'll need to adjust my offer."
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
His smile sharpened a little.
"Information about the Xenos you just encountered… and what it means that one was down here, this far into the Dung—"
"Ah, you mean those monsters that have somehow gained intelligence," I cut in.
Hermes paused.
"…Yes, I was about to explain their ori—"
"Yeah, I know," I interrupted again. "They're the reincarnations of monsters that have been killed multiple times by adventurers. They retain memories from past lives. That accumulation is what eventually leads to them becoming Xenos. At the same time, their memories create a kind of longing. That's what triggers the transformation."
Silence.
For the first time since I met him, Hermes actually froze.
Then his jaw dropped slightly.
"…Wait, what?"
I tilted my head.
"You were going to explain that, weren't you?"
He blinked rapidly, clearly thrown off balance. "Yes, but—how do you already know that much? And what do you mean 'longing'?"
I waved a hand lazily.
"And here I thought you were about to give me some kind of important information."
Hermes frowned, visibly struggling to keep up now."Well… it was reasonable that you might know about this. Perhaps someone told you."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Maybe," I said.
"…Or maybe I just know more than you think I do."
That made him pause.
And then I decided to push it further.
"Like you didn't just test me because you were curious, but because you're looking for something. Someone."
I can see Hermes' expression tightening.
"You believe the world needs a new hero," I said. "One capable of dealing with the One-Eyed Black Dragon."
That finally made his smile falter.
"And you thought I might be that hero."
Silence.
"At the same time, you're also still tied to Zeus," I added. "Faithful enough to carry out his requests, send him reports… act as his eyes in places he can't reach."
"Wait—how do you know all of this? Who the hell are you?"
I smiled widely.
"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out."
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