I don't remember leaving the dungeon.
I remember light—too bright, too sudden—and the sound of voices overlapping in a way that made my head throb. Then the ground met my knees, hard and unforgiving, and someone swore loudly nearby.
"Hey—careful!"
Hands grabbed my shoulders before I could fall completely. Calloused. Strong. Not hostile.
I blinked, vision swimming, and found myself staring at a man's chestplate, scratched and dented beyond polish.
"Easy," he said, steadier now. "You came out white as a corpse."
"I'm fine," I lied automatically.
The words tasted wrong.
The man snorted. "Everyone says that."
He helped me sit on a low stone barrier near the dungeon exit. Around us, the clearing was busy—adventurers coming and going, porters hauling crates, healers moving between the injured with practiced efficiency.
Life.
Unconcerned with what almost killed me underground.
A woman knelt in front of me before I could object. She wore no armor, only layered robes threaded with faint green mana lines.
"Healer," she said briskly. "Hold still."
Her mana brushed against me—
—and recoiled.
Not violently.
Cautiously.
Her brow furrowed. "You feel… heavy."
I said nothing.
She pressed two fingers against my wrist, then my collarbone, checking circulation and mana flow. Her touch lingered longer than usual.
"No active corruption," she muttered. "No visible backlash either. But your core's unstable."
"I know," I said.
She glanced up at me sharply. "You know?"
I met her gaze and didn't elaborate.
After a moment, she sighed. "Drink water. Eat something warm. Don't dive again today."
"I won't."
That, at least, was true.
She stood and moved on without another word, already focused on the next injured adventurer. I watched her go, struck by how easily concern turned into routine.
To her, I was a case.
A solved one.
I pushed myself to my feet slowly. My legs protested, but they held. The weight inside my chest—Black Nox—remained quiet. Not dormant.
Contained.
I made my way toward the market path, each step deliberate. The sounds of the dungeon faded behind me, replaced by voices bargaining, laughing, complaining.
Normal.
At the monster core exchange stall, a clerk barely glanced up as I placed the cores on the counter.
"Grave Rats," he said, sorting efficiently. "Corrupted Stone Crawler… hm. Mire Wolf."
He paused.
"This one's clean," he added. "Nice pull."
"Price?" I asked.
He named it.
Fair. Maybe even generous.
I accepted without comment.
Coin felt strange in my palm—warm, real. Proof that what I'd done mattered to someone, even if they didn't know why.
As I turned to leave, a familiar voice called out.
"You lived."
I looked over to see the lantern man from the forest park, leaning against a post with his arms crossed. He looked me over once, then nodded.
"Good," he said simply.
"I almost didn't," I replied.
He chuckled. "That means you did it right."
We walked together for a short distance, not close, not distant. Just… alongside.
"Dungeon felt different today," he said casually. "You feel it?"
"Yes."
He glanced at me. "Didn't ask how."
I appreciated that.
We parted at the edge of the park as evening settled in. The mana-lamps flickered on one by one, casting soft light through the trees. I returned to the same spot from the night before and sat heavily against the trunk.
Only now did I let myself breathe properly.
I pulled out bread, ate slowly. The taste grounded me. My hands still shook slightly—not fear, not exhaustion.
Adjustment.
When I closed my eyes, I could feel it clearly now.
Black Nox wasn't active.
It wasn't passive either.
It was like a sealed room inside me—door closed, presence undeniable.
You're real, I thought.
No answer came.
Good.
I didn't want one.
Footsteps approached again—lighter this time. I opened my eyes to see a young adventurer hesitating nearby, barely older than me in this body. He clutched a new spear like it might bite him.
"Um," he said. "Is… is it really that bad inside?"
I studied him.
Fear. Hope. Ignorance.
"Yes," I said honestly.
He swallowed. "But you came back."
"So did you," I replied gently.
He nodded slowly, reassured by something I hadn't meant to give him, and walked away.
I watched the trees sway faintly overhead.
This world wasn't cruel.
It wasn't kind either.
It was functional.
It rewarded preparation, punished arrogance, and moved on without waiting for anyone to catch up.
I checked my status once more, just to be sure.
Mana: F (Unstable)Debuffs: NoneBlack Nox: Present
No fanfare.
No congratulations.
Just persistence.
I leaned my head back against the tree and allowed myself a small, tired smile.
"I'm still here," I whispered.
And for now—
That was enough.