WHOOSHH~
The beast's nostrils flared as it exhaled, its rancid breath sweeping over them like a furnace fueled by rot. Aeliana's vision blurred, her knees buckling beneath the weight of dread. Beside her, Valerie was trembling—whether from fear or the oppressive heat, she couldn't tell.
Aeliana reached out and laced her fingers with Valerie's, pulling her close. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I should've never let them take you to the Zepharion Church. I knew something was wrong. I've always been wary of this place."
Valerie smiled faintly, her lips dry and pale. "I didn't have much of a choice, Aeli. You know that."
"There's always a choice," she insisted. "We could've run away and disappeared."
"And leave those adorable little ones behind?" Valerie glanced sideways, her smile tinged with sorrow. "I wouldn't have let you. That orphanage, those kids… I know they mean the absolute world to you."
The fiend stirred. Its hulking frame pushed upright on four limbs with a dark hiss. Its jaw unhinged slowly—wider, and wider, until a blinding white glow with streaks of violet shimmered inside. It was dauntingly beautiful, almost cosmetic.
Aeliana's breath hitched as her body began to lean forward involuntarily. The pull wasn't physical. It was spiritual—as though her very soul was being drawn from her body, atom by atom.
Just as the monster poised to devour them whole—
FOOOSHH!
A jet of fire slammed into the creature's face, wringing a cry from its throat that was less of pain and more of rage. With a sharp grunt, it twisted toward the source of the attack.
Aeliana and Valerie's eyes trailed the dancing flames to a small wolf nestled within one of the many cavernous hollows etched into the stone by a millennium of water erosion.
The geography of the subterranean cave resembled that of a beehive—narrow, winding, and full of hidden pockets.
Valerie blanched as dread twisted in her gut. It felt less like a rescue and more like a twisted competition of two monsters battling to decide which of them would get to devour them first.
"This way!" Aeliana shouted, yanking Valerie toward the canine who continued hurling flames at the snarling beast to keep its attention.
Valerie opened her mouth to protest, but then she caught sight of something unusual—again. A sleek black feline perched beside the wolf dropped a thick coil of vine-like rope from their elevated nook, letting it unspool to the cavern floor below.
"I thought I made it clear I didn't come alone," Aeliana muttered with a weak grin as they ran.
Their footsteps splashed across the slick cavern floor. Every puddle they hit reeked of decay. They tried not to look down, but it was impossible to ignore.
Scattered across the ground, half-buried in grit and moss, lay the twisted remnants of human skeletons—femurs snapped like brittle twigs, ribs jutting through decayed cloth, skulls turned toward the heavens in silent screams.
They were mostly all female.
Valerie's stomach lurched. "Oh god!"
The fiend let out a bellow as it realized its quarry was slipping away. It lunged, thrashing wildly. Zephyr launched another volley of fire, the light illuminating a frame covered in rock and crystal formations like barnacles fused to the shell of a sea turtle.
Just as the girls hauled themselves into the narrow cavity of the wall, the creature rammed its skull against it, jaws splitting apart once again. This time the suction was real—an unnatural vacuum that bent the air and tore the breath from their lungs.
Valerie screamed as her feet lifted off the ground. She reached for the rope but missed.
The force was too strong.
She began to slide backward toward the endless pit of that glowing maw and razor-sharp fangs.
"Valerie!" Aeliana dropped low, braced herself, and caught her just in time. Their hands clasped. "I've got you—hang on!"
Valerie's fingers were slick with sweat. The wind howled. Her body arched backward, the edge of that monstrous mouth only meters away.
Then—
FWHOOOM!
Zephyr leapt into view, launching another torrent of flames directly into the creature's throat. The beast convulsed, screeching in confusion and fury, its pull faltering.
Aeliana yanked Valerie forward with everything she had and together they all escaped into the cavernous tunnel.
***
"Darn it," Neal murmured upon exiting the teleportation gate at Lunarel's central plaza. "I did it in the spur of the moment and now I'm down a crap ton of gold."
Conjuring his Status Window with a flick of his clammy fingers, the journalist hesitantly navigated to his Character Window. Scrunching up his face, he reluctantly peeked down at his remaining funds to assess the damage dealt to his life savings.
"320 GOLD?!"
PUOK!
He let out a pained gasp as an arrow dubbed "Almost Broke" pierced his heart. As he slumped to his knees while his virtual pocket squealed from the financial blow, he couldn't help but dwell on the circumstances that had brought him here.
Despite the fact that several months had passed, many players were still on the prowl for Haxks Starfrost—whether to settle a score, potentially build a relationship, invite him to their guild, or simply to demand insights into the mystery of Field Bosses and Hidden Dungeons.
Poor kid, Neal thought to himself with a sympathetic frown. I can't imagine the game being any kind of fun when he's constantly having to hide like a fugitive. And if his situation is anything like mine, then this world is more than just a game… it's his bread and butter, his lifeline.
Closing the holographic screen, he pushed to his feet and dusted off his knees. I feel for the kid, so I'm planning to ask whether he'd be willing to take part in a short documentary highlighting his situation. If I can get the masses to sympathize with his story, maybe the pressure will ease and they'll finally give him a break.
Neal cupped his chin in amusement. Who knows—if he also drops a hint about locating Hidden Dungeons, maybe people will finally piss off and give him the much-needed break he deserves.
His lips slowly stretched into a guilty smile. Sorry Haxks, but I also need to replenish my funds after impulsively rushing over here through the gate to save your bacon. I need that documentary to happen.
Following his words, his skill window popped up and he immediately scrolled down to an exclusively rare skill.
[Soul Mark]
[Rank: Unique
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%]
A binding tether formed through mana and intent. Once a target is designated, their presence is etched into the fabric of your awareness, making their location visible to you at all times—regardless of distance, concealment, or magical interference.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Permanently marks a single target on the user's map.
▪︎ Tracks the target's exact location, unaffected by stealth, teleportation, or aura-concealment skills.
▪︎ Only one Soul Mark may exist at a time.
Mana Cost: 500
Skill Cooldown: 8,760 Hours]
Sorry Haxks, he thought while clapping his hands together repentantly. But I placed a marker on you the last time we met. Please don't kill me.
Upon pulling up his map, he started scouring the holographic topography until he spotted a golden cursor that indicated his honey pot.
…Wait, this can't be right, he thought with a quirk of his eyebrow, watching as the golden dot gleam within the largest structure of the city. According to these coordinates, Haxks is currently within the royal palace. No… I must be hallucinating or something—how the heck does a low-level commoner even achieve something like that?
Is it… a Main Quest?
20 Minutes Earlier.
Daisuke stood quietly near the edge of the hearth, firelight dancing across his face while the feline and canine bickered on his shoulders like tiny demons.
But it didn't take much effort to ignore them. His empathetic gaze was fixed instead on Aeliana and Valerie who sat by the fireplace wrapped in a shared blanket, steam rising from the cup of tea cradled in their trembling hands.
Their faces were pale, their eyes still hollow with shock.
Across from them, Lumielle and Lyndoria knelt, offering warmth, words, and their soothing presence.
Daisuke's gaze narrowed just slightly. After gathering testimonies from both the girls and Midnight, I've pieced together a general assessment of the Zepharion Church.
To put it plainly—they're rotten to the core.
Not only are they profiting off the drug trade, but it appears there's a secondary arrangement between them and the Mhaledictus: the church receives prostitutes who are no longer marketable—those deemed "unfit" to work in brothels due to age, scarring, or even criminal behavior.
Valerie confirmed this herself.
After being injured, she was "donated" to the church and recognized several other women in the dungeon who shared similar fates.
His brow furrowed as he cupped his chin. But why? What would a religious institution want with these women? Sure, some churches are infested with perverts and predators, but housing that many people—especially ones you can't exploit financially—is expensive. Unless they're being sold into slavery. Still, that doesn't quite explain the entire picture.
Aeliana and Valerie described being nearly devoured by some creature underground. The human graveyard they found suggest the church has been feeding that thing for a long time. It's an efficient way to dispose of bodies for sure—but this doesn't feel like a clean-cut cover-up. There's a deeper, more sinister purpose behind all of this.
Something's not adding up. What am I missing?
Valerie suddenly spoke, her voice soft but filled with quiet urgency. "I know we just met… and I might be out of line… but if there's any chance you could help the women still trapped there…"
Her words trailed off.
Aeliana bowed her head, eyes glistening. "Please," she added. "I know it's a lot. But if anyone can do it—it's you, Haxks."
Daisuke looked down, jaw clenched. His heart burned with anger, but his head screamed caution. While he wanted to do something, that was a can of worms he couldn't afford to open. Not now. Not when the political rot in the palace was finally being exposed. Not when they were inches from unmasking the real mastermind.
Sure, women were being imprisoned and abused, but the corruption didn't stop with just this church. If he got sidetracked now, they'd lose the war by chasing one skirmish.
A muscle worked in Daisuke's jaw.
His silence said everything.
Sensing his discomfort, Lumielle turned toward the girls and gently touched their hands. "You have my word," she said. "Once the Mhaledictus is purged from the court, once the brothels are dissolved and their influence ends… I will dispatch the royal guard to the Zepharion Church. Every hostage will be rescued. Every criminal will be brought to justice. I swear it on my title—and on my father's crown."
Just then, the soft padding of feet echoed through the room.
A small girl innocently invaded the meeting, tilting her head curiously at Valerie. "What did you do at the brothel?"
Silence struck like lightning.
Aeliana's face went white. Lyndoria nearly choked. Daisuke froze mid-thought.
Valerie took a breath to reply. Everyone panicked, but before they could interject—
"I served drinks and snacks to the customers while they waited for their special host."
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Lyndoria quickly offered the girl a cookie and gently ushered her along with a smile. Once the toddler was gone, she turned slowly. "Wait… is that really all you did?"
Valerie blinked, confused. "Yes. That's my job. I work at a brothel."
Aeliana stared at her like she'd just declared herself a turnip. "Then… you're not a prostitute?"
Valerie tilted her head. "I am. I work at a brothel."
Daisuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do I need to bring out a dictionary?"
Lumielle's cheeks flushed a gentle pink. "Valerie… simply serving food and drinks to male patrons doesn't make you a prostitute."
"…It doesn't?" she asked, genuinely surprised.
There was another moment of stunned silence.
Aeliana's own cheeks brightened as she rested a hand over her friend's. "…Val, you're only considered… a prostitute if you're offering men a very special kind of service."
"Exactly," Daisuke agreed. "Frankly, you're basically just a waitress. Just… in a very questionable establishment."
Valerie blinked again. "The owner said I was being kept pure to be offered to a high-ranking official."
Daisuke frowned at the unsavory statement. A business deal that would make them hundreds of gold, I bet.
While Lumielle and Lyndoria offered their two cents on the matter, Aeliana meekly turned to Daisuke and pulled him aside.
"Um… is it alright if Valerie stays here at the orphanage with me?"
He raised a brow, clearly finding the question strange. "Why are you asking me?"
"Well… you're our benefactor. It felt only right to take your opinion into account."
Daisuke looked between the two women, then finally gave a faint smile. "I suppose that's fair, but I trust your judgment. Just make sure you're happy. And the kids too."
Aeliana beamed like love-struck teenager. "Thank you!"
"Of course, you're welcome."