Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

[Alert! Author's Note: The following events take place before they reach the surface in the previous chapter.]

—

The battle against the Black Goliath had been a successful one. Bell and his companions finally began their return to the surface. The hard-fought victory still lingered in their minds, but the Dungeon had no intention of letting them leave unchallenged.

A sudden growl echoed through the passage.

Hellhounds.

A pack of them emerged from the shadows, their eyes burning with malice, flames licking at their fanged maws. Without hesitation, Bell stepped forward, his blade flashing as he weaved through their fiery onslaught. He dodged left, narrowly avoiding a burst of flame, then countered with a precise slash—one Hellhound fell. Another lunged, only to be met with a swift Firebolt, reducing it to smoldering remains.

But before they could recover, the ground trembled.

A swarm of Hard Armoreds, their steel-like carapaces gleaming under the Dungeon's dim light, advanced toward them. Their sharp mandibles clacked menacingly as they closed in.

Bell reacted instantly. He dashed into their ranks, striking with pinpoint precision. Rasaka's Fang tore through chinks in their armor, piercing through exoskeletons like paper. The monsters collapsed one by one, their twitching limbs the only sign they had ever moved.

As the dust settled, Bell straightened, exhaling slowly.

"That was incredible," Mikoto said, watching him with admiration.

Asfi adjusted her glasses, nodding. "You make it look effortless."

Lili, arms crossed, smirked. "Hmph. Show-off."

Hestia, on the other hand, looked less than pleased.

"Ugh, enough already! He's my Bell, stop fawning over him!" she huffed, stomping forward—only for the ground beneath her to give way.

"Eh—Wahhh!"

She disappeared in an instant.

"Hestia-sama!" Bell rushed forward, skidding to a halt at the edge of the newly formed hole. The group peered down into the darkness, where a hidden cavern had been revealed.

"What is this place?" Lili muttered.

A sudden change in the air made Mikoto tense. She inhaled deeply—then, without warning, bolted forward.

"That scent—!"

"Mikoto, wait!" Bell called, but she was already gone.

With no other choice, they followed.

The tunnel was long, the air growing colder with every step. Frost lined the stone walls, and an eerie stillness settled over them. When they finally reached the exit, what lay before them was beyond anything they had expected.

A vast expanse of ice and snow stretched out before them, untouched and glistening under an unseen light. Towering crystalline trees stood motionless in the frozen air, their branches heavy with frost. The very air felt unnatural, sharp, and heavy with magic.

"What... is this?" Lili whispered in disbelief.

"There's no way the Dungeon just made this, right?" Asfi murmured, adjusting her glasses.

Bell was about to respond when—

Whoosh!

His instincts screamed.