I gnced at the pile of loot we had gathered and then asked, "How do we split this stuff?"She raised an eyebrow, looking at the precious gems we had collected, and then gnced over at me. "You know," she said casually, "you can have those bigger gems. I think I'll take the smaller ones."I looked at her in surprise, my mouth opening slightly as if I was about to protest. But when I closed it, I gave a small nod, conceding, "Alright. Thanks, Elise."She smiled and shrugged. "No big deal. Besides, it's not like I could've taken on those elites without you."After divvying up the loot and taking our respective shares, I turned to Elise, suddenly feeling a bit more at ease. "Hey, um, when are we diving again? You know, if it doesn't bother you... could I tag along with you next time?"Elise's eyes widened in surprise. She blinked a few times, and her thoughts seemed to swirl for a moment.

  ‘Wait, You saved me, and you killed the goblin elites—shouldn't I be the one asking you to tag along?.’

  Her thoughts seemed to be in turmoil, but she quickly composed herself, letting out a sigh.

  "You want to team up?"

  She seemed uncertain, but there was a flicker of interest in her voice.

  "I dive almost every day... I suppose I could use some help."I grinned, the prospect of diving together exciting me.

  "Then it's a deal,"

  I said confidently. "I'll wait for you tomorrow morning by the entrance. We'll tackle the dungeon together."Elise's face softened, and she gave me a nod. "Alright, it's a deal. We'll meet up then."With that settled, we both started to gather our things, preparing to leave the dungeon for the day. The air outside felt crisp as we stepped out into the daylight, the sounds of the bustling city filling my ears.

  The walk back to the guild was retively quiet, save for a few brief exchanges as we shared stories of our past dives.

  Elise was clearly more experienced, but I could tell she appreciated the help.We parted ways at the entrance of the Dungeon Diver Guild, both of us heading in to exchange our loot for guild credits and to replenish our potions.

  As I stood in line, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. Tomorrow was another chance—another challenge.

  With Elise by my side, maybe I'd even make it further into the dungeon than I ever had before."See you tomorrow, Kael," Elise called out to me as she left, her figure disappearing into the bustling crowd."Yeah," I muttered under my breath, a grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Tomorrow."

  As I made my way toward one of the counters inside the Dungeon Diver Guild, I took a moment to check my loot, shifting through the contents of my pouch.

  The weight was heavier than earlier, a satisfying reminder of today's battles and unforeseen circumstances

  Fighting to death, saving someone and fighting to death again.I poured the gems into my palm, letting them catch the dim glow of the nterns overhead.

  Thirteen small blue gems and four medium blue gems. Along with them were scraps—a rusted dagger, a cracked goblin mask, some worn-out leather, and a chipped goblin shield.I stared at the four medium gems for a moment, the faint glow pulsing like a heartbeat. That's when it hit me—I nearly forgot about my magia training.

  I had been so focused on surviving that I hadn't absorbed any gems yet. Magia users refined their mana by absorbing dungeon gems, and the bigger the gem, the better the results. A small gem had little effect, but a medium one? That was different.I wasn't ready to sell those.With a quiet nod to myself, I slid the medium gems back into my pouch. Instead, I pced all thirteen small blue gems and the scrap loot onto the counter.The guild staff, a middle-aged man with a tired expression, barely gnced up as he began tallying my earnings. His fingers moved quickly, sorting the gems from the junk."Thirteen small blue gems, each worth fifty bronze coins. That's six silver and fifty bronze coins."

  He pushed them aside and inspected the scraps.

  "Some basic drops… not much, but I'll give you two silvers for the lot."He counted out eight silvers and fifty bronze coins and slid them toward me.I scooped up the money without compint. It was a solid haul for my first real dive, enough to restock potions, get a proper meal, and maybe save some for ter.Elise, standing a few steps ahead, finished her transaction and turned toward me. "So? How much did you get?""Eight silvers and fifty bronze." I tucked the coins away, patting the pouch that still held the four medium gems.She whistled. "Not bad. Guess we're both eating well tonight."I smirked. "Yeah. And tomorrow, we will dive again."With that, we left the counter. I had money in my pocket, gems for magia training, and another dive ahead. Things were finally starting to move.Before heading home, I made my way to the market district to restock my potions. The streets were still busy despite the evening creeping in, the chatter of merchants and customers filling the air.

  The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread lingered as I walked past food stalls, but I ignored the temptation—potions came first.I turned into a small, well-kept shop tucked between a weapon store and a general store. The wooden sign above read "Bck Rose" Inside, shelves lined with neatly arranged vials of various colors gleamed under the dim candlelight. The scent of herbs and alchemical mixtures filled my nose.Walking up to the counter, I greeted the shopkeeper, a woman with sharp eyes and a warm smile. "Back again?" she asked, already eyeing my worn-out state."Yeah, I had a rough day in the dungeon," I admitted.

  "I need three small healing potions and two stamina potions."She nodded and grabbed the vials from behind the counter. Each small potion cost one silver, totaling five silvers for my order.

  I pced the coins down, and she slid the vials into a leather pouch before handing it to me."Try not to get yourself killed, alright?" she teased.I smirked. "Thanks, No promises though."With my potions secured, I stepped back into the bustling streets. Before heading home, I stopped by a sweets stall run by an elderly woman.

  The sight of freshly made honey-gzed biscuits and fruit taffies reminded me of my younger siblings, Aiden and Lyra. They'd probably be asleep when I got back, but I knew they'd be excited to find a treat waiting for them in the morning.I handed over a silver coin and received a small wrapped bundle in exchange. Tucking it into my pouch, I finally made my way home.The night air was cool as I walked, my thoughts drifting to today's battles and tomorrow's pns. I had survived my first dive, made some coins, and found a potential ally in Elise.Tomorrow, I'll dive again. But for now, home awaited.As I neared home, the vilge was mostly quiet. A few nterns still flickered in some houses, casting long shadows against the dirt paths. I could see the familiar outline of my family's home just up ahead.I pushed open the door as quietly as I could, stepping into the dimly lit interior. My parents were sitting at the small wooden table, speaking in hushed voices. They both turned toward me as I entered, my mother's gaze immediately scanning me for injuries."You're te," my father, Darius, said, his gruff voice breaking the silence.I shrugged and closed the door behind me.

  "Had to exchange my loot and restock my potions."

  I pulled out the small wrapped bundle from my pouch and pced it on the table.

  "Got some sweets for Aiden and Lyra."My mother, Evelina, sighed, shaking her head. "You should be worrying about yourself more than them," she muttered, but I could tell she was pleased. She reached for the bundle and set it aside for the twins.I stretched, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in now that I was home. My body ached from today's battles, but it wasn't unbearable. I was getting used to it.Darius leaned back in his chair, studying me. "How was it?""Not bad, I'm in a constant battle, and I think I managed it very well." I said, pulling out my pouch. "Exchanged my small gems and loot for eight silvers and fifty bronze. Keep my medium gems for ter."His eyes narrowed slightly. "Good, you'll get used to it in no time. Are you pnning to use them for magia training?"I hesitated for a second. He had told me before that without proper training, forcing magic into my body would be dangerous. But I needed to get stronger, and I couldn't rely on just my axes forever."I'll be careful," I finally said.He exhaled sharply but didn't argue. Instead, he motioned toward my room. "Go rest. You'll need it if you're diving again tomorrow."I didn't argue. With a nod to my mother, I turned and made my way to my small room. The moment I stepped inside, I let out a deep breath.My armor, axes, potions, and gems—everything was id out on the floor. I crouched down and picked up one of the medium-sized blue gems, rolling it between my fingers. It shimmered faintly in the dim candlelight.Magia training… something I had almost forgotten about in the chaos of today. If I wanted to get stronger, I'd need to learn how to use these gems properly.But that could wait until morning. For now, I needed sleep.I tucked the medium gems safely into my drawer, pced my axes within arm's reach, and colpsed onto my bed.Tomorrow, I'll face the dungeon again. And this time, I wouldn't just be fighting alone.