Between The Worlds

At first, it was hard. People laughed at him no matter which status they had. Commoners, guild members, kids... The sight of 'lizardman' having less strength than young bear was truly funny. Even more, his wet hair that kept releasing sweat...

"Haha, look at that idiot!"

"Mommy, why is everyone laughing at him?"

"Because he is weaker, weaker than commoner..."

Ignoring everyone, Raphel thought that he already got used to misfortunes. Doing his best to think positively, Raphel closed his eyes. And it was indeed bad decision as he lost his balance and was about to fell.

But Shi caught him and helped. Just like that, Raphel immediately forgot about all misfortunes coming from here, and began believing that elf race is his saviors, his fortune...

Crying, he used her shoulder and with one hand pushed the carriage...

"Mommy, why is he crying?"

"Because he feels shame. Look! Woman is helping him, it should be totally opposite!"

"Okay!"

-

The huge building holding the dungeon entrance was huge enough to let carriages go easily through it. At the sides, there were a lot of workes as if receptionists exchaning some kind of stones or crystals...

They were also talking about fees and stuff which made Raphel to immediately ignore them. The building itself was made as if from metal, but Raphel was sure that the material was different as strange feeling was coming from it.

Soon, the group began going down to the underground which made the carriage pulling easier as everyone used their hands to make sure the carriage doesn't bump into anyone.

Boom!

Raphel felt his heart thumping. The dungeon entrance was like blue portal, but he who has been exhausted by carriage pulling had hallucinations. The calm, slowly spiralling portal was as if demon's mouth and Raphel couldn't help, but clench his arm around Shi's tighter.

"What are you doing?"

"I-it-it won't eat me?"

"It won't..."

-

'If I die here, I will wake up in my human's body!'

And so, he passed through the portal. Anticipating monsters already jumping at him, Raphel's body shivered, but the sight he was expecting didn't appear. What was before his eyes was town...

'Town in the dungeon?'

[You have entered 1st Floor-37B]

'1st floor... 37B... hmm. Every dungeon entrance has it's own floors!'

"What are you spacing out for? Let's go or they will leave us..."

Shi was waiting for him! The elves are truly his fortune! Raphel caught up to her and coiled his arm around her shoulder still using it as support... But Shi felt anger, it was as if he didn't treat her as woman!

Still, he was quite hurt, thus, she let him...

The town was quite strange... After all, it was in the dungeon. The buildings were looking like normal yet tremendous houses, but without any windows. Something akin to warehouses. People of various races were selling medicines or weapons... Everything here was related to battle!

Then, Raphel looked above. The ceiling of the dungeon was dark, but wide as if sky. Here, the stones shining brightly replaced the sun as a lot of those stones had been hung down.

"What's inside those houses?"

"Other than resting place, they are used as farms."

"Farms?"

Monsters in dungeon respawn! That was something that Raphel predicted... People from various guild had found out the 'respawn cores' and built 'farms' around them literally gaining for themselves perfect income!

"Monsters here are easy and mostly used for training and gaining easy money... But money from 1st floor is equivalent to commoners so-"

"It's good! Where is such farm in our guild?!"

The young bear definitely can take care of at least one or two monsters here! But Shi shook her head causing Raphel to feel incoming misfortune...

"Our guild indeed have several, but due to strict policy, every division must fight every week for their own farm..."

"N-no! No way!"

"Yes, we lost our farm."

'Heavens! Misfortunes on every step, this is bad! I must change divisions!'

Raphel turned around, but Shi stopped him!

"Don't tell me you want to leave?"

Shi asked strangely while Raphel looked at her strangely as well. She was the only one who had helped him enough to forget about misfortunes! The elf race was indeed his saviour and fortune, should he really leave this division? Then, Raphel realized something...

"I am staying. What do you mean, Mrs. Shi?!"

He just had become laughingstock, everyone else definitely is going to refuse him!

'I will stay with Grandpa Shi!'

Yes, for Raphel, she was grandpa...

-

Leaving the town, the duo caught up with carriage. The young bear kept moving forward with little help from Biruan. Outskirts of town were also filled with monsters as finding 'respawn cores' is hard, thus, the young warriors from guilds were using this place as another form of training...

That's why, the road was for now peaceful... as they went below...

[You have entered 2nd Floor-37B]

[You have entered 3rd Floor-37B]

[...]

[You have entered 15th Floor-37B]

"Oh my f.u.c.k.i.n.g god."