Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

Bell ran.

His legs burned, his lungs screamed for air, and his vision blurred from exhaustion. But he didn't stop. He couldn't.

The Penalty Zone was far worse than he ever imagined.

The first centipede had been terrifying enough, but when more began emerging from beneath the sand—dozens of them—he knew he stood no chance in a fight. He had no weapons, no armor, and no way to defend himself. All he could do was run, hide, and pray that they lost interest.

But they never did.

He had spent the past four hours weaving through jagged rock formations, burying himself beneath the sand to mask his scent, and squeezing into tight crevices where the monstrous centipedes couldn't reach. Each second felt like an eternity.

He had lost track of time.

His entire body ached, his mind teetering on the edge of collapse.

And then—

Ding!

[Penalty Quest has been completed.]

The world around him shifted.

Bell barely had time to react before he was thrusted out of the desert, an invisible force yanking him backward. The scorching heat vanished, replaced by the cool, familiar air of Hearthstone Manor.

He crashed onto the wooden floor, sand scattering everywhere.

For a moment, he didn't move. His body refused to. He simply lay there, gasping for breath, his limbs trembling from exhaustion.

Ding!

[You have received a reward for completing the Penalty Quest.]
[Check your reward?]
[Accept] [Decline]

Bell barely registered the message. His vision swam, his ears rang, and his mind was still trapped in survival mode.

The noise of his heavy breathing stirred someone awake.

Hestia blinked groggily from the couch, rubbing her eyes. When her vision cleared, she was met with a confusing sight—her child lying on the floor, drenched in sweat, covered in sand.

"B-Bell?" she mumbled, still half-asleep.

Bell tried to say something, but no words came out. His body had reached its limit.

His vision blurred. His eyelids grew heavier.

And then—darkness.

Bell passed out.

Hestia immediately sat up, panic flooding her chest. She rushed over, kneeling beside him. Her hands moved on instinct, checking his forehead—it was damp with sweat, but at least he wasn't burning up. His breathing was rapid, his muscles tense even in unconsciousness.

And then there was the sand.

Her blue eyes darted across the room, noting the small dunes of golden grains scattered across the floor. Confusion flickered across her face. Where had it come from? Had Bell gone to the dungeon and collapsed on his way back?

No—that didn't make sense. The dungeon was made of stone. There was no sand anywhere in Orario that she could think of.

She bit her lip, pushing those thoughts aside. Bell came first.

With effort, she lifted him up—struggling a little due to her small frame—and dragged him over to the couch. She settled down, pulling Bell onto her lap and resting his head gently against her chest.