Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

Lili was missing.

At first, Bell thought she was simply lying low. It made sense—she had every reason to be cautious. It's been about two days since he was given his quest, he had come to the conclusion that she would be back working with him like all of the other days.

That seemed like it wasn't the case this time. He would have to go to them. As the hours passed and she failed to show up at their usual meeting spot, a gnawing unease settled in his chest.

The streets of Orario blurred as Bell moved, his breath coming fast, his pulse hammering in his ears. Boots scuffed against stone as he pushed forward, weaving through crowds, eyes scanning every face, every alleyway.

"Lili. Have you seen her?" His voice was sharp with urgency.

A shopkeeper shook his head, barely sparing him a glance. A group of adventurers whispered among themselves before turning away. A passing merchant furrowed his brows but said nothing.

Bell's frustration mounted. The city, so alive and bustling, suddenly felt suffocating—each unanswered question tightening around his chest like a noose.

Then, finally—

"The Soma Familia took her back."

The words slammed into him like a physical blow. His body stiffened, fingers curling into fists at his sides.

Lili hadn't disappeared. She hadn't gone into hiding. She'd been dragged back.

A sharp exhale left his lips, but it did nothing to steady the storm raging inside him. His mind painted images he didn't want to see—Lili, alone, trapped, forced to suffer in silence. Punishment. Retribution. Control.

His jaw tightened.

The weight in his chest ignited into something fiercer, something hotter. His blood surged, his heartbeat a drum of determination.

Bell turned sharply, his crimson eyes gleaming like embers in the dimming light.

If the Soma Familia thought they could keep her—

They were about to find out just how wrong they were.

By now, Bell Cranel was no longer just another wide-eyed adventurer fumbling his way through the Dungeon. His feats had carved a name for him—whispers of his rapid ascent, of the Silverback he felled, of his unyielding resolve.

The streets of Orario were alive with the usual nighttime bustle—merchants closing shop, adventurers staggering home from the Dungeon, drunkards stumbling between taverns. But Bell wasn't focused on any of that. His crimson eyes burned with determination as he moved with purpose, his mind locked onto a single goal.

Find Lili.

The Soma Familia wasn't exactly secretive, but they weren't the type to welcome outsiders either. Their hideout wouldn't be marked on any map, and asking outright would only raise suspicion. If they had taken her, if they had dragged her back against her will, then Bell needed to act fast.

So he started where all rumors festered—the backstreets.

He moved through the narrow alleys of Daedalus Street, stepping over discarded bottles and avoiding the leering gazes of the city's less savory residents. Information was a currency of its own here, and Bell had learned that the right question, asked to the right person, could be far more valuable than gold.

He spotted a trio of lower-rank adventurers huddled outside a dingy tavern, laughing over cheap ale. Their gear was worn, their eyes sharp despite the alcohol. Soma Familia.