Shiki stopped a few paces behind her. No one called her name. No one turned toward her. Every eye was fixed on Rose.
Shiki clenched her fists so hard that her nails dug into her own palms. She forced her face to remain flat, but inside her chest, something was boiling. She was the one who devised the strategy. She was the one who led the battle. She was the one who understood the dungeon system. Yet the one standing in the light, greeted by cheers, was not her.
Rose didn't even look back at her. And for the first time, victory felt like something that had been snatched away.
Before the Nagawira could truly process the sudden change, the Guide's voice rang out again, clear and echoing throughout the room.
[Congratulations. You have conquered the F-Tier Dungeon – Hell Mode.]
[All participants have obtained the title "Hell Mode Conqueror" as the first group to successfully clear this mode.]
[All participants have obtained the title "First F-Tier Conqueror" for successfully conquering an F-Tier Dungeon for the first time.]
The glowing text hovered for a moment, then faded slowly.
Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted in the center of the room. The Nagawira reflexively shielded their eyes. When the light subsided and they opened them again, the sight before them took their breath away.
A pile of gold loomed nearly as high as an adult's chest. Shimmering coins were stacked haphazardly, their surfaces engraved with a mysterious tower that looked like the Tower of Babylon. Amidst the gold, jewel-encrusted swords, spears with polished silver tips, and armor that reflected a pure white light—as if untouched by dust—could be seen.
The room that was once a slaughterhouse had transformed into a grand hall with white marble floors. The air, previously damp and foul, now felt warm and clean.
Several Nagawira stepped forward involuntarily. Someone knelt and touched a coin at the very edge, confirming it was real. A soft clinking sound was heard as the coin shifted beneath their finger. Others looked at one another. Their eyes darted from the weapons to the pile of gold, then to the comrade beside them. The breath that had been heavy with fatigue now quickened for a different reason.
One Nagawira swallowed hard. Another instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. No one spoke, but the atmosphere shifted. Small footsteps were heard—approaching.
However, before anyone could truly touch the treasure further, a single figure stood before it.
Shiki.
She stood directly between the Nagawira and the pile of gold, her back to them, her body upright as if the treasure had belonged to her from the very beginning. Unlike the others, Shiki's eyes did not sparkle at the sight of the gold.
To the Ganko family, that amount of gold was nothing extraordinary. Its value was pittance compared to their family wealth. But that didn't mean she ignored it. She merely saw it as a tool.
These gold coins were called Tower Coins—the official currency used in the City of Beginnings and the Procession Tower. The only way to obtain them was by conquering dungeons or from the mysterious newcomers who occasionally appeared in the city each month.
With Tower Coins, one could buy equipment, strengthen weapons, or expand their personal storage space. For Shiki, that was the primary use of this gold—to increase her storage capacity so she could carry more resources in the future.
However, the gold was not what caught her attention most.
Shiki's pace quickened as her eyes caught a red glow in the middle of the treasure pile. She moved without hesitation, almost in a hurry. Behind her, the mood shifted. Johan clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. His jaw hardened. Roady took half a step forward, his face tensing, before Rose calmly held his arm.
Several Nagawira glanced at each other. Some looked down. Some stared at Shiki's back for far too long.
Shiki was well aware that taking all the rewards would trigger resistance. She understood the importance of giving rewards to maintain loyalty. The gold and some of the weapons could still be shared.
But the object now before her... could not.
She reached for a red gem the size of a palm. Inside the stone, a small flame burned without ever going out. Its color was deep red, like blood that was still warm. The flame did not flicker in the wind, as if living by its own will.
Blood Ember.
One of the extremely rare cores of dungeon power, which only appeared in F-Tier Hell Mode Dungeons. The gem was merely a vessel; the true core was the flame within.
The Blood Ember was capable of strengthening a Nagawira's lineage—increasing blood purity and bringing them closer to the power of their ancestors. The method of use was simple yet risky: the gem had to be crushed, and its essence drunk.
Once absorbed, the flame would grow and envelop the user's body. The red glow would not burn the skin, but it would feel like a heat seeping into the bones. During this process, the body could not move. The user had to remain still until the entire power merged with their blood. Because of this, the absorption was usually done in a safe, enclosed place under full guard.
Shiki gripped the Blood Ember tightly. For this item, she would not share.
Initially, Shiki did not intend to use the Blood Ember so soon. She wanted to save it for a safer, more planned moment. However, the cheers that had just echoed for Rose still rang in her ears. The way the Nagawira looked at Rose—not just with respect, but with trust—made her chest feel tight.
She could not wait.
If her blood purity did not increase soon, the gap between them would become more palpable. She did not want to be a leader who was only strong in planning, but weak in actual power.
In the West Zone, there was a public inn that could be used for free by the first dungeon conquerors. The place was safe enough to absorb the essence. She wouldn't even need to spend Tower Coins. Cheap, fast, efficient.
While thinking, Shiki scooped up several Tower Coins—enough to expand her storage space twice. Her old plan to buy out the Starter Pack at Manny the Blacksmith's forge was still in the corner of her mind, but now her priorities had shifted.
The Blood Ember was more important.