Is It Wrong To Level Up In A Dungeon?

Chapter 33. To Start a War

A sudden shift in the air.

Bell instinctively raised his guard, his instincts flaring with warning.

A dagger was once again on her neck.

Aisha Belka.

Her dark skin glistened faintly with sweat. Her longsword remained sheathed, but her presence alone screamed danger. Each step she took echoed with purpose—calm, deliberate, and filled with authority.

"You don't know what you're stepping into, Bell Cranel."

Her voice cut through the gloom like a blade.

Bell didn't flinch. He stood his ground, eyes locking with hers. Bell would remove the dagger from her neck.

Aisha looked down at Haruhime, her expression softening just a fraction. Without a word, she crouched and gently helped the trembling Renard to her feet, shielding her slightly with her arm.

"She's not ready for this," Aisha muttered, glancing sideways at Bell. "And neither are you."

Bell said nothing, waiting.

"She's not just a courtesan," Aisha continued, voice low but firm. "Haruhime carries something incredibly rare—her magic. A spell that can raise someone's level temporarily. Rank boost magic like that doesn't exist anywhere else."

Haruhime flinched.

"You mean..."

"Yes." Aisha's eyes narrowed. "Ishtar plans to use the Killing Stone Ritual. A forbidden method. It'll extract that magic from Haruhime permanently—along with her life."

Haruhime's hand trembled, clinging to Aisha's sleeve as if to steady herself.

"They want to harness her power," Aisha said bitterly. "To bolster their elite fighters and challenge the Freya Familia. Ishtar's goal isn't just pride or territory anymore. It's war. A full-scale war against Freya."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Bell's shoulders tensed as the weight of what was at stake settled on him like iron. He looked from Aisha to Haruhime. The Renard girl couldn't meet his eyes—shame and fear coiled around her like chains.

Aisha stepped forward again, her gaze intense. "If you go any further, you're declaring war on the entire Ishtar Familia."

A heavy pause.

Then, Bell raised his head.

His voice didn't rise. It didn't need to.

"Then let them hear it from me."

Haruhime's breath hitched.

Aisha's brow furrowed, a flicker of disbelief in her eyes.

Bell looked down at the girl he'd promised to save—tears still streaking her cheeks, hands trembling, eyes wide with a mixture of hope and dread.

"I'm not letting them take you," he said gently. "No matter what it costs."

Igris stepped forward behind him, a silent affirmation. In the darkness, the glow of his eyes flared once, resolute.

Haruhime's lips parted, but the words didn't come.

Aisha stared at Bell for a long, tense moment. The Dungeon was quiet again.

"You're a fool," she said at last, voice quieter than before. "A kind, reckless fool."

Bell didn't respond.

"But maybe..." she sighed, turning her head slightly. "Maybe that's exactly what she needs."

She turned to Haruhime, placing a hand on the Renard's shoulder. "You're not out of the woods yet. You know what they'll do to you if they catch you."