I paused at her question, then grabbed her shoulders and shouted, “So there really is one? I knew it!”

“Kyak! Sh, Shin-nim, it’s still light out…N-Not that I hate it. In fact, you’re free to go ahead.”

“Nevermind that!”

“That!? Did you just blow off the fact that I said okay!?”

I dragged her back to the subject at hand. “Loretta, is there a Dungeon higher than the First Dungeon?”

Loretta grumbled and answered, “There is. Only administrative guild masters like myself or explorers that have gone there know about it.”

“What are the conditions?” I asked.

She gave me a look. “Before that, are you prepared? That dungeon certainly has higher rewards than all other dungeons, but the price you have to pay is equally high. Shin-nim might even regret going there. Just climbing the First Dungeon might be better. I’m certain. Do you still want to know more?”

I was silent. Then, I somewhat realized why she brought it up in the first place. Thus, I asked, “If I conquer the First Dungeon, will I be able to defeat the world’s enemy?”

“…”

I asked again, “What if I clear the higher dungeon?”

“If you can completely clear it…probably,” she replied reluctantly.

“Then isn’t the answer obvious?”

“…Right. Really, Shin-nim is…”

“I’m what?”

“No, nothing. Nothing at all.”

Loretta shook her head, but the corners of her mouth were curled up to a smile, unlike before. At her extremely pleasant smile, I also smiled.

“Okay. If it doesn’t work, I’ll bring you back to the First Dungeon even if I have to threaten the Lord!”

I shrugged. “It’s fine. I’ll break through it with my strength.”

“Okay, then I’ll teach you how to get to ‘Beyond.’”

“Beyond?”

She nodded. “Yes. It is somewhere only First Dungeon explorers can hope to reach. Even amongst them, only those with the greatest abilities, potential, and qualifications can enter it. As the reason for its existence is different from the other dungeons, it is called Beyond.”

First condition. Being a First Dungeon explorer.

Second condition. Defeating all bosses one versus one.

Third condition. Obtaining a god’s true name.

Fourth condition. Being acknowledged by an administrative guild master.

Fifth condition. Being above Gold rank.

Sixth condition. Making achievements.

It was truly a path of blood and iron. However, I had already completed most of the requirements. For Loretta to tell me about Beyond signified that she acknowledged me, so there was only one left for me to fulfill.

I asked, “Is the sixth condition what I think it is? Like the achievements I’ve been making so far?”

Loretta smiled wryly. “Yes. It hasn’t been revealed how many achievements you need to make, so I can’t tell you when you’ll be able to enter Beyond. As such, you have to focus on making achievements. Since you have decided to climb Beyond, it’s better to go as soon as possible. Just like its name suggests, Beyond is a dungeon that lies past the First Dungeon. Every time you clear a floor on the First Dungeon, you’ll be able to challenge Beyond. When you clear a floor in Beyond, you’ll return to the First Dungeon.”

“In other words, the lower my level is, the more I’ll be able to climb in Beyond.”

“Exactly. Of course, since no one has succeeded in conquering the First Dungeon, it’s too early to worry about this, but you really give us hope.”

For example, if the First Dungeon had 100 floors in total and I became a Beyond explorer after clearing the First Dungeon’s 75th floor, then once I cleared Beyond’s 1st floor, I would have to return to clear the First Dungeon’s 76th floor. Once I cleared it, I would be able to challenge Beyond’s 2nd floor. In that case, when I cleared the 100th floor of the First Dungeon, I would be able to challenge the 26th floor of Beyond. But that would be it. I wouldn’t be able to challenge Beyond’s 27th floor even if I cleared the 26th. I wouldn’t be able to conquer Beyond and would only be able to conquer the First Dungeon.

Even if the First Dungeon didn’t end at the 100th floor, it was clear that becoming a Beyond explorer later was disadvantageous.

How unreasonable!

“Since no one has reached the end of Beyond, no one knows how many floors it has. So don’t worry about it too much and focus on the First Dungeon. I believe Shin-nim will be able to enter Beyond before the 70th floor!” Loretta encouraged me.

“I hope that’s the case. Then, see you later.”

Her smile made me smile back. Then, I left for the 51st floor, vowing to myself that I would one day reach beyond the First Dungeon.

[You have reached level 52. You have obtained 5 bonus stats.]

[You have obtained the qualification to go beyond the First Dungeon.]

[Would you like to become an explorer of ‘Beyond’? The moment you accept, you will be removed from the dungeon’s ranking.]

[Please choose carefully. This place is entirely different from the First Dungeon, and those that pass this threshold may not go back.]

“…”

On the 51st Floor Shop, I looked at Loretta. She looked back and smiled sweetly.

“What’s wrong, Shin-nim? You were fast today, too! To think you’d break through the 51st floor, which is full of trolls, in just five hours!”

“Um…Loretta.”

“Yes, Shin-nim!”

“It looks like I got the qualification to go to Beyond.”

“…What!?” she shrieked.

I had to admit that Loretta’s surprised expression was extremely cute.

[You have become a Beyond explorer! You can challenge Beyond’s 1st floor. Once cleared, you can challenge the First Dungeon’s 52nd floor and you cannot immediately challenge Beyond’s 2nd floor.]

[You have made an achievement of becoming the fastest to enter Beyond since the dungeon’s founding! You have obtained 4 skill points. Current skill points: 8]

[You have become the current Beyond’s third explorer. You are currently ranked 3rd in Beyond. The Beyond’s explorer communication channel has been opened.]

[The residence and resort in your possession has changed their affiliation to Beyond.]

After listening to the messages in a daze, I looked at Loretta, who was also in a daze.

“Loretta, what happened?” I asked.

“Mmm…I don’t know!”

Loretta was too cheerful. When I sighed, she became startled and began to contemplate the matter seriously. She then came up with an answer.

“I think what Shin-nim did in another world as a Dimensional Mercenary, then defeating the drake that appeared on Earth had a significant impact.”

“Those two were acknowledged as great achievements?” I asked.

She nodded vigorously. “Yes! But you really are amazing. Fastest to become a Dimensional Mercenary, fastest to become a Beyond explorer…If it’s you, it might actually be possible.”

“Don’t flatter me too much,” I said dismissively.

“Huhu. You don’t know what I’m talking about yet.”

Loretta clapped her hands together and rejoiced, but I was slightly scared that her eyes seemed to be looking somewhere far away. Would she tell me if I asked? Or would she tell me to wait again? Suddenly feeling my heart tighten, I turned away. Startled, Loretta grabbed my sleeves.

“Shin-nim, what’s wrong?”

I replied, evading her eyes, “What do you mean? I have to go to Beyond now.”

She drew back. “Ah, right…You surprised me, geez…Really. Don’t disappear without saying anything! You have to tell me that you’re going and that you’re also coming back!”

Loretta flapped her ears quickly as if she was angry. I was relieved. She was finally looking at me without that faraway look in her eyes.

“Then, I’ll be back.”

“Hey!”

Loretta tried to kiss me habitually, but as I was expecting it this time, I easily dodged to the side. Then…

[You have received Queen Elf’s Blessing. For the next 5 hours, you receive the following effects: You are protected against all low-rank and mid-rank status effects. You can maintain your consciousness for 5 minutes after falling into a half-dead state. Your luck has increased by 100. All members of the Faerie race will see you favorably.]

“Eh? Didn’t I dodge it just now?”

“T-That’s…”

I came to a realization after I noticed that she wasn’t looking at me. Apparently, these blessings didn’t need to be applied with kisses. Loretta had always used Blessings under the guise of kissing, and when I dodged her this time, she failed to kiss me, but the blessing had gone through.

Dumbfounded, I murmured, “You really kissed me just because you wanted to?”

“I, I already told you. I’m kissing you because I love you…”

Loretta seemed embarrassed as she tried to cover her face with her ears. Of course, even with her long ears, it wasn’t possible. This person, or rather, this elf…why was she so cute? Feeling the sense of unease I previously had, I reached my hand out to pat her head.

“Eh?”

“Mm, well, I appreciate it. It’s just that I don’t know what’s what. To be honest, my head is already full because of the dungeon and the matter of being a Hero. Sorry. You don’t have to wait for me, so…”

She sputtered, “S-Stupid. I’m extremely used to waiting! Even if I don’t want to!”

For some reason, she called me stupid.

“R-Really?” I asked, half-doubting.

“Really! So don’t worry about something like that, and go!”

Just like that, Loretta chased me away. I didn’t understand what just happened.

Since thinking about it wouldn’t help, I simply tilted my head and left.

In the place where the stairway to the 52nd floor should be, a gray gate had appeared. Without much thought, I jumped into it.

[Commencing exploration of Beyond’s 1st floor. You cannot stop exploring Beyond whenever you want. To give up and leave, your vitality must hit zero and you must be forced out to your home in the residential area or your world. If that happens, you will need to wait one month to re-commence exploration, and you cannot climb the First Dungeon during this time.]

Loretta, before trying to kiss me, you should have told me about this! Though, even if you did, I would have gone anyway…But this means I won’t be able to go back to Earth until I clear Beyond’s 1st floor!

In any case, my first impression of Beyond was that it was quite big. Also, its structure was a bit different from the dungeon floors I had climbed so far.

“Is it a maze?” I muttered.

There were hard brick walls to my left and right. When I tried to attack it with my spear imbued with mana, it didn’t budge in the slightest. In fact, the red bricks absorbed my mana and reflected it back to me. I could read the mana’s movements and avoid the attack, but it was stronger than my original attack. Apparently, the walls had strengthened my attack before reflecting it back. I would have to keep this in mind as I went on.

“Kuaaaaaang!”

Then, I suddenly heard a rather familiar roar. Strange…I have definitely heard this sound before! I tilted my head and walked forward. If I didn’t, nothing would get done.

“Kuaaaaaang!”

Hm, the sound is closer.

The fact that I couldn’t break the walls down stressed me greatly. On the other hand, I thought that this dungeon was more in line with what a dungeon should be compared to the First Dungeon.

I slowly approached the source of the roar. As I walked, my increased intelligence helped me draw the maze’s map in my head. The maze’s structure became more apparent little by little, and I had a decent idea of how far I would need to walk to meet the source of the sound.

“Kuaaang!”

“Eh?”

This… is a bit different than the other voice. I suddenly felt a chill down my back. Feeling uneasy, I immediately took out the Gluttony Spear. Then, with one hand on the right wall, I slowly walked forward. I was certain. The source of the roar was up ahead.

As I suspected, a large open area appeared when the wall came to an end. It was spacious enough for the Flame Drake to lie down.

There, I found them.

“Orc Lord?”

My god, how long has it been!? Orc Lord, it was an Orc Lord! This was the boss that had helped me become a proper dungeon explorer! Glad to see him again, I raised my voice and ‘they’ looked back at me. Their eyes were bright red.

“There are…many Orc Lords?”

I now knew why my instincts were screaming earlier. My god, there was a small conference being held here! I took a breath and began to think. Orc Lords were bosses from the 5th floor. No matter how fancy their armors were or how imposing they looked, they shouldn’t be able to win against me, a level 52…

“Kuaaaang!”

“Kuaaaaang!”

“Kuaaaaaaang”

[Orc Lord used ‘Warcry’! All orcs are cleansed of negative status effects! All orcs have temporarily become super-armored. Their attack power has increased by 50%!]

[Orc Lord used ‘Warcry’! All orcs are cleansed of negative status effects! All orcs have temporarily become super-armored. Their attack power has increased by 50%!]

[Orc Lord used ‘Warcry’! All orcs are cleansed of negative status effects! All orcs have temporarily become super-armored. Their attack power has increased by 50%!]

I couldn’t help but think, Don’t tell me. The Orc Lords’ Warcries…

“Whenever one uses them, do the others’ attacks go up…?” I murmured in disbelief.

“Kuaaaaaang!”

[Orc Lord used ‘Warcry’! All orcs are cleansed of negative status effects! All orcs have temporarily become super-armored. Their attack power has increased by 50%!]

All the Orc Lords charged towards me. The ones that didn’t use Warcry shouted as they ran.

Looking at them, I grinned. Then, I turned around and ran.

I had significantly underestimated Beyond.