Beast Evolution Forge

Chapter 131 Dungeon Games 7

The tension in the room was so thick you could feel it. Vell's words lingered like a storm cloud.

"Alone?" Ada asked, her tone sharp enough to cut. She leaned against the wall, arms crossed, tapping her boot on the floor. Her braid was unraveling, a testament to her restless pacing. "Regina's been playing games since we got here. Dungeon Five is her trap, plain and simple. You go alone, and you're giving her exactly what she wants."

Vell didn't budge. He stood by the window, framed by the crimson glow of the Imperial City's synthetic sunset. "If we all go, she'll pick us off one by one. You know how she operates but if I go alone, she'll put all her focus on me. That's when you hit the other dungeons. Push our ranking higher, keep her busy."

Lira, lounging on a pile of scrap parts, snorted. She tossed a glowing crystal into the air, catching it with ease. "Busy? Sure. Meanwhile, you'll be busy dying. But hey," she said with a smirk, "if you don't make it, I'm claiming that coat of yours. That imperial trim is hideous. I'll upcycle it into something decent."

Mia stepped out of the shadows, her fingers brushing the dagger at her side. "watch your mouth when speaking to our dad." Her eyes showed she was not joking about this. Lira flinched, it was the first time she saw Mia that angry.

"Don't worry about it, I am sure she didn't mean it that way." He said and shot a glance at Lira. "And no, you're not getting my coat."

Lira looked sad, she was so hurt and scared that he had to walk over and pat her, "don't worry, you are part of this family too, you are unique and that's why I like you, there is no shame in that."

she blinked, her usual bravado momentarily crumbling under the weight of his words. She glanced down at the crystal in her hand, turning it over absently. "Tch. Don't go getting all sentimental on me now," she muttered, though her voice lacked its usual edge.

Ada pushed off the wall, her boots clicking against the floor as she stepped closer to Vell. "This isn't just about strategy, is it? You're planning to face her alone because you think you can handle her, but you're forgetting one thing—Regina knows you better than anyone. She'll exploit that."

He turned at me coldly, "Know me? You really think anyone truly knows me? You all have no idea about who i am. Except my kids and Yenna, none of you have seen anything yet." His predator activated without even realising, " You have your mission, i have mine, is that clear?"

She knew better than argue, "yes sir... but please, be careful."

"Always." He turned to Yenna, "Keep them safe ok, I don't want to lose anyone."

"Leave it to me." She replied with a smile.

He nodded, satisfied. He turned toward the doorway, his steps deliberate, each one echoing in the tense silence of the room. Just as he reached for the door, Yenna's voice cut through the quiet.

"Vell," she called, her tone softer now, almost pleading. He stopped but didn't look back. "You're not invincible. Don't act like you are."

For a moment, he didn't respond, his hand lingering on the doorframe. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady, like distant thunder. "I don't have to be invincible. I just have to be enough."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the group in a heavy silence.

Ada exhaled sharply, running a hand through her unraveling braid. "This is a bad idea. Someone needs to follow him, keep an eye on his reckless—"

"No," Yenna interrupted, her calm demeanor hiding the same worry that everyone else felt. "He gave us an order. We have to trust him."

Lira sat up straighter, tossing the crystal aside. It clattered onto the pile of scrap with a hollow ring. "Trust him? Sure. But that doesn't mean we sit here twiddling our thumbs. If Regina's playing games, we need to figure out the rules before she changes them. Ada, how much do we know about the Dungeons layouts?"

"What?" The man was both scared and confused.

The crowd gasped again as Vell lifted the hammer, the veins in his arm glowing faintly with mana. He swung it with ease and began showing off just how proficient he was with it, despite it not being his main weapon.

"Strength without control is just wasted potential," he said, his voice sharp as a blade. His predator aura began to seep out, an invisible weight pressing down on everyone around him. Even the cocky man stumbled back, sweat beading on his brow.

"Next time," he continued, his eyes boring into the man's. "Know who you're picking a fight with."

With that, he dropped the hammer next to the man and resumed his path toward Dungeon Five, leaving the man stunned and humiliated in his wake.

The crowd parted for him, their murmurs filled with awe and fear.

"That's why he's walking alone," someone whispered.

Another nodded. "Because he knows he is enough."

He didn't hear them—or maybe he did and didn't care. His focus was ahead, on the dungeon waiting for him.

"Rank 6 dungeon but the mana coming from it is far more dangerous than those fake one, guess this one is the real deal." He smiled, "finally, a real challenge."

"You scared?" A voice interrupted him from behind. He turned to see a woman wearing a tight leather armor with pistols on her sides but that's not all.

'Oooh, would you look at that, she has one too.' He thought, scanning her before answering, "Do I look scared?"

"No but looks can be deceiving." She smiled at him, her eyes analyzing him. After a few seconds, she smirked, resting a hand on one of her pistols. " I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now. You've got the kind of arrogance that gets people killed. Makes me wonder—are you cocky because you're strong, or are you strong because you're cocky?"

Vell turned back towards the dungeon, unbothered by her attempt to rattle him. "If you've been watching, then you should already know the answer to that."

she chuckled, a low, almost predatory sound. "Fair point. I don't know what you're hoping to achieve in there, but you should know one thing: once you step inside, there's no turning back. That dungeon eats confidence for breakfast and spits out the bones."

"Good. I'm not planning on turning back."

"You're interesting, I'll give you that. How about a truce? I go in with you, and if we survive, maybe you owe me a favor."

He glanced at her hand but didn't take it. "I work alone."

She shrugged, unbothered. "Suit yourself. Just don't say I didn't warn you when you're crawling out of there with half your limbs missing or worse—if you don't crawl out at all."

'So annoying.' He thought walking away. However, the girl was still watching him, as though she was planning something.