Renault looked off today. He acted off too.
Far too greedy for kills—more than usual. Where had his scathing caution gone?
Granted, it had only been maybe eleven days since they met. Even so, this wasn't his norm.
"You really remind me of my little sibling, you know."
There it was again. That sentimental look on his face.
"I came from a small village north of Orario. Lowharth. I doubt you'd know it." Renault's gaze drifted, unfocused.
"Son of a carpenter. Had a normal life ahead of me. But you know how young boys are—I wanted something greater. A merchant caravan once passed through, telling stories of Orario. A fantastical city where gods walked the streets and brave warriors felled vile beasts. That was all it took."
He shook his head.
"I only ever heard vague stories of gods from the village elders. Never like that. My parents saw my newfound ambition—to become an adventurer. I thought they just wanted to keep me trapped in a backwater. My little sister offered to come with me. She was always trailing behind me, my second shadow."
Wait… something about this story didn't line up.
"I refused. Wanted to go it alone. Meet people. Hopefully women. Become someone famous. So I left, ignoring my parents' advice. All I had was a rusty sword from a retired hunter and some dried meat."
Renault chuckled, trying to suppress a grin.
"A sixteen-year-old idiot like me couldn't make it far on foot. I didn't even know how long the journey would take. Turns out, my parents paid a merchant to follow and give me a lift." His voice cracked. Eyes grew wet.
"It was harder than I imagined. Most adventurers had something—a talent, schooling, technique, or heritage. Something worth investing in."
He turned to Noel.
"I had none of that."
"…"
He ranted.
Ranted with self-loathing.
"No god wanted a failure like me. I didn't want to join a crafting Familia either. I didn't leave home to hammer nails. I wanted something more. So I lied. Robbed. Scammed my way into the Soma Familia. The kind that recruits anyone. Trashy, run by a depraved deity."
He cupped his face in both hands, voice dragging low.
"They wanted me to hurt others to prove myself. I should've said no. But I wanted to grow. I wanted to matter."
Noel shifted. This was spiraling. Renault needed to stop before he collapsed entirely.
"We all do wrong things," Noel said, forcing the words. "What matters is how we move on."
Sentimental nonsense. Even Noel didn't believe it.
"Unless you can turn back time," Renault quipped bitterly.
"You want to know what I did with the money I made?"
Noel glanced around the cavern. No monsters. Perhaps something else was keeping them away.
"You bought better gear?"
"I sent it home. My sister wanted to study magic at some academy. She wanted to come find me when she graduated."
"Renault." Noel's voice hardened.
"What would she do if she found out the money was dirty? Soaked in blood? She'd hate me."
"Renault. Shut up."
"You know what I did before meeting you? Got drunk on Soma's wine. Slept with prostitutes. That was the life I left home for."
Pak!
Renault clutched his cheek, stunned. It didn't hurt—but it stung.
"You said the money was dirty," Noel muttered. "Right?"
Renault stared. Confused. What was Noel's problem?
"I survived using those same methods. Leeched off nobles. Lied. Fought. If you're filthy… then what am I?"
It hit Renault like a blade twisting in his gut.
"That's not—"
"But it is."
Renault's eyes swam, finally landing on Noel again.
"I… I'm sorry."
Noel wasn't dirty
"You're not dirty,"
Noel then said quietly. "Then neither are you. You made dirty choices. That's all. You can sink deeper, or you can crawl out."
Renault inhaled, slow and deep.
Slap!
He struck his own cheek. This one hurt.
But strangely, it cleared his mind.
"Thanks, Noel." He wiped at his eyes, then tried to smile.
How shameful. He should've been the one comforting Noel in this damn dungeon.
"And hey… you said I remind you of your little sister. But you also said she's a girl."
"Ha-ha... hahaaa..." Renault's grin stiffened.
"Is she particularly muscular? Or—"
"Cough!" He cleared his throat, flustered. "You're something else, really."
"Don't read into it too much. We're comrades." Noel rubbed his nose.
"Not that—but it's included."
"Then what?"
"You're talented."
Noel gave a faint, uncertain smile.
"You're exaggerating."
"No. It took a while before the Familia invested in me. But you? Soma saw something. Right away."
Renault grinned, eyes curious.
"Was it magic? A skill?"
"Maybe magic," Noel said vaguely.
"Aha! I can't wait to see it."
"Maybe. If you're lucky."
"Huh? You can't play the mysterious rookie card now!"
Renault took another swig from his flask.
"You asked if I knew those three earlier. They're from the Hermes Familia."
Noel blinked. Before he could respond, Renault continued:
"Didn't want to ruin my image with them, since—"
Noel narrowed his eyes.
"—since their god, Hermes, scouted me."
"...wha?" Noel stared, floored.
Hermes? That Hermes? One of the top exploration familias—scouting Renault?
"Absurd, right?" Renault chuckled, then glanced at Noel. "No… I am a catch. I thought about saying no. But now? I want to see it through. I want to become a real adventurer."
"You've worked hard. You deserve it."
Renault looked at him for a long moment.
"I want you to leave the Soma Familia too."
Noel's smile faltered.
"I know it's sudden. But this Familia isn't good. I have ties to crafting familias. I can get you out."
He paused, more softly.
"I don't want you to fall for the wine too."
So that was it.
"It's fine. I never drank it."
"Listen, Noel. You said it yourself—either you sink, or you claw your way out. This is your way out."
"…"
"I plan to tell Hermes everything about Soma's Familia."
Noel frowned.
"I won't mention your name. I'll protect you."
"Sigh~ You're not giving up, are you?"
"No. I want to make my family proud."
Noel was silent, then closed his eyes.
"…Sure. But give me a few days to prepare."
"Really?!" Renault jumped up.
"Don't act so surprised. You made the plan."
He really couldn't win against Renault.
"Ahem!"
Renault cleared his throat, trying to hide his grin.
Noel stood, dusting off his coat.
"Let's head down. Even with these new plans, we can't tip off Soma."
"Right! Let's go."
Their footsteps echoed through the corridor in a familiar rhythm. The stairwell to the 8th floor loomed ahead, swallowed by faint crystal light and encroaching shadow. As they neared, Renault's earlier cheer quieted into a rare stillness.
Noel noticed—but said nothing. The weight of their talk still clung to them.
The stairwell curved like a serpent's spine. Renault led, sword sheathed at his hip. Noel followed close, sling at his side, eyes flicking between the dark and Renault's silhouette.
Step by step, the 8th floor came into view. The air changed—colder, denser. It smelled of blood, wet stone, and something else.
"We have enough potions, right?" Renault asked.
"Four, tucked away."
"Good. Don't fancy getting cooked again today."
At the bottom, the stone darkened. Torchlight threw long shadows across broken pillars and jagged walls. From the dark, faint hisses echoed.
War Shadows.
Renault's hand hovered over his sword.
Noel gripped a smooth oval stone. "Let's start small."
"One step at a time," Renault said, grin crooked.
Noel nodded. His murky eyes blended with the dark.
The descent was over.
Now the hunt began.
Renault raised his sheathed sword. War Shadows were weak to blunt force.
Noel spun the sling silently.
One glided across the ground, shadowy legs stretching long strides. No features—just a bright red orb glowing in the center of its "face." The rest of its body melted into the dark, its limbs hard to gauge.
It was fast.
Renault surged forward and slammed the sheathed sword into its gut, sending it hurtling into a boulder with a resounding crash.
SKREEEEEE!
A signal. From the walls, more War Shadows emerged. Born of darkness. Their inhuman cries carried rage.
The downed one didn't twitch again.
"Noel, watch closely. Stick behind me and you'll be safe," Renault called.
"I'll be relying on you."
"That's how it should be!"
One charged—Renault kicked its leg out, stomped its head, and vaulted off it mid-air.
Sklrp-Sklrp!
Odd wet noises rang from the remaining shadows.
One took a flying knee to the face—knocked aside.
Two more flanked Renault.
Chhring!
Steel hissed.
Renault's blade cleared its scabbard, arcing low. He cut horizontally, slicing clean through one. Then, with the sheath in his off-hand, he deflected claws aiming for his throat and brought it down on the last one's skull.
It collapsed.
"Haa~" Renault exhaled, catching his breath. "Take notes?"
"Yeah. But i remember you telling me they were weak to blunt attacks. Didn't seem much different."
Renault stomped on a twitching Shadow's head. It stilled.
"Thought your guild advisor would've told you."
"You really think she gave me advice on War Shadows? Even with you beside me, she barely wants me past the fourth floor."
Renault smirked as Noel sighed, rolling his eyes.
He's fifteen.
Right on schedule for teenage rebellion.
"Look closely at the corpse."
Noel groaned as he crouched over. The War Shadow's skin was like obsidian—coarse and hardened. He ran a finger along its chest, feeling the texture.
"Ah. I suppose an exterior like this would chip away at a sword," he muttered, nodding to himself.
Renault spoke like a teacher—one with a hint too much pride.
"You'd think that, but no. Their skin hardens after death. Look at this one here."
He gestured to the most recent War Shadow he'd slain.
Noel leaned over again. "Huh?"
Its skin was glossy, smooth—almost fluid. It shimmered like wet tar, not at all like the corpse beside it.
"It's soft when alive," Renault explained. "But sticky. It's not really harder to kill one with a sword than a mace. The problem comes after—it's getting the blade out."
"Ah," Noel murmured, realization dawning.
"Their skin hardens fast. If the blade's still inside, it'll get welded into the corpse."
Looking closely, Noel saw it—crystalline ridges now formed along the creature's torso. The transformation was quick, subtle, and lethal.
"This is what really kills new adventurers," Renault said, voice low.
"The difference in strength between floors five and six isn't that steep—about the same as between floors three and four. But then they meet a War Shadow. They win the first fight, maybe even the second. But now their sword's stuck, and the next one's already coming. What do they do then?"
Noel nodded, absorbing every word.
Floor six—where a green adventurer proved themselves. If you cleared it solo, you were no longer just a rookie. It was the skill check.
"So a competent adventurer is judged by how they care for their weapons?"
"Partly," Renault replied with a hum. "Most newbies cling to swords. They're iconic. Everyone wants to be the hero with a blade. But then they run into something like this."
He tapped the hardened corpse.
"They have to adapt. Pick up new weapons. Clubs, maces—easy to learn the basics. A day or two is enough. What takes time is training your body to move with it."
Noel wasn't surprised for long. He, too, once dreamed of wielding a sword. But it was only after assessing his body—his strength, his reach—that he chose more suitable tools.
The stone sling was cheap to make, low-maintenance, and required no rare materials. Its ammo was everywhere in the dungeon—just rocks.
At the start, he could hurl projectiles at around 70 to 130 miles per hour. But over time, with the help of his falna and rigorous practice, he'd pushed that to over 200.
It was, without question, the optimal weapon for the early floors.
---------------------------
Thank you guys so much for the stones!
I will try to get a new chapter out for tomorrow, by chapter five the prologue will be complete, I hope to portray the characters and themes properly in these chapters!